Recycling?

 May moons ago, I was weaving constantly!  I do mean constantly!  I wove many yards of fabric--most of that yardage went into my 'secret' stash bin.  Just recently, I was rearranging the closet where
the bin set--thought, why not see what's in that bin?  it was yards and yards of handwoven fabric!

Why not do something with all this lovely fabric?  

I turned them into dish cloths--that's what I did!

Some were cotton--like this one with slubs of color;

most were plain weave structure

some were linen

this was 10H weave, when I had that loom--it is

 structure drafted from my last name--cotton

I also found handspun (warp and weft) indigo dyed cotton yardage that I used for my

costume when I worked at 1790's plantation--some of my

very first handspun cotton too--not such a great job--

it was effective for what I used it for.

I've been hemming these towels for the past few days--

thinking about those days when I treadled away!

do I give them as a gift?  Use them myself?

Anyway, I've recycled from one stash bin--

to another!

CatchUP!

Not been much in the mood to sew, or weave, or knit or spin!

Just being lazy--but it's time to motivate myself--besides, it

is September!  Cooler weather, shorter days, more gatherings (

that's lots of motivation!)

Pat Sloan's Out of this World BOM for August!

Here is my version with sunflower fabrics

These are setting blocks—only one more block to finish. 

Or yes, I'm a sucker for anything fall, pumpkins, leaves, etc

this fall mystery came from Fort Worth Fabric Studio

with 2019 Spooky Halloween Mystery--each week a different

block--Here is the first block

It makes me feel cooler when I'm working with these colors!

Fort Worth Fabric Studio has the final free steps for you!

Look for another SAL with upcoming Christmas theme

Potholders............................

I bet your potholders look better than mine!  No matter how often I wash them--there is always that faded look and I get tired of seeing the same ones over and over again--I know, that's not a big deal to some.

here are the ones in my towel bin now--

I love. love the ones I made from this pattern and usually if I give

a gift it is using this pattern and I make it from handwoven fabric

This one was a gift from a dear friend--it has been

used so much but every time I use it, I think

of her.

I decided I needed some new hot pad holders!  I've been

thinking about all those 'orphan' blocks I have--

than that light bulb went off in my head--

those could be used to make some really neat

hotpads!  

I found this tutorial--yep!  

These were orphan blocks--the mittens were from an exchange 

that was done about 20 years ago--one on the left was hand stitched

motif that I didn't know what to do with--problem solved!

 another orphan star block--turned into a nice size potholder!

These two were handwoven pouches that were used for

name tags--always wanted to use them--found that

potholders were the perfect answer!

in each potholder, I used two layers of this teflon shield

fabric--works well along with two layers of cotton batting.

Yes!

My grandson is getting hitched!  We're excited for sure!  The bride is lovely too!  The bridesmaids have planned a bridal shower in early January-- I'll be invited--that's a given!  What gift should I have for her??

Recently, one of our expatcher gals shared her lovely placemats made from four fat quarters!

She made these Christmas ones and a set for Fall--oh, joy!

This is what my gift will be!

You can find more information here--

and then when I went to seek out more placemats, I found this video using 

charm packs!  I have those too!--We're off to the sewing machine

to create an unique gift for that special bride!!

I've had this charm pack forever!!--finally, a use for them!

These are going to be some bright and cheerful placemats--all

from one charm pack--well aged!

National Jelly Roll Day!

Today is the day!! 

It's project Jelly Roll Day!  This is the third year for this Moda

national event!  Check out the five free jelly roll patterns

Ruby Star Cascade--50"x60"

Made with three Ruby Star Society Junior Jelly Rolls (20 strips in each

Check out your local supplier for other free jelly roll patterns

Break out those jelly rolls and start stitching!

Weavers' Delight

It's September!  Which means our first WSW weaving gathering--

always a delight to be with these gals--makes my head swim

with so many ideas and techniques I should try!

Of course,  there was a summer of learning with

new workshops.

Fern took a felting class couple months ago and

made this adorable rabbit!

He's so cute with his big ears 

and funny toes

She even did some needle felting with a new found friend--

Another workshop she did was silk painting--using

unusual materials

The surface is made with bubble wrap and underlay is

using plastic cleaner bags

The trim was done with shaving cream soap and stencils--

what fun!

Connie loves to stitch so she spent her summer

using needle and thread to stitch grids on her

linen fabric--then pulled up the threads before

indigo dyeing the fabric

Such precision to get such fine lines with her thread

She was also doing clamping techniques on

these linen/cotton towels

Nice lines and creative design

Pat showed her eco-dyed linen--asking for suggestions

on what to do next--we suggest some embroidery work and use

the fabric for a pillow

Penny was a sole weaver this summer!  She had natural colored

cotton on the loom to produce several hand towels--the handle

of the towel is so soft--these will go on her sale table.

Weavers--Heads Up!!

Convergence®

Convergence® is heading to the Smoky Mountains for 2020! HGA is excited to announce Convergence ® will be in Knoxville, Tennessee July 24-30, 2020 at the Knoxville Convention Center. Keep checking back to this website, watch for announcements in Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot and look for emails with more information about Convergence® Knoxville 2020. Save the Date!

I've marked my calendar for next summer!  You can download the registration handbook now--
and look to sign up when the website opens for registration!

Let's Get Ready for Winter

Gloria Parsons of  Olde Green Cupboard and

Rhonda of Farmhouse Threads

are sponsoring 12 weeks of Christmas ornaments

adventure--this begins September 17

Looks like we have some fun to create!

FatCat Friends, at the request of her Facebook group members,

has created this super duper snowman quilt!  

In order to receive the pattern, you must be a member of her

FB group--so join by answering ALL the questions!

Answer all or you'll not gain membership--simple questions too!

Each week, on Friday a new pattern will be uploaded--you MUST

download each and every week--there are no repeats at a later date!

Instructions and yardage - Friday, September 13th. 

Block # 1 will be shared Friday, September 20 
Block # 2 will be shared Friday, September 27
Block # 3 will be shared Friday, October 4
Block # 4 will be shared Friday, October 11
Block # 5 will be shared Friday, October 18
Block # 6 will be shared Friday, October 25
Block # 7 will be shared Friday, November 1
Block # 8 will be shared Friday, November 8
Block # 9 will be shared Friday, November 15

I Love To Make Quilts is hosting a fun Winter sew along.

These blocks will be available on Wednesdays! 

Block 1 - Oct 2	Block 2 - Oct 9	Block 3 - Oct 16
Block 4 - Oct 23	Block 5 - Oct 30	Layout - NOV 6
Block 6 - NOV 13	Block 7 - NOV 20	Block 8 - NOV 27
Block 9 - Dec 4	Dec 11 Show off your quilt tops!

Looks as though we have Wednesdays and Fridays covered in our Winter schedule--hope to see you there!

I Want to Remember 9/12

Nine--Eleven

WE SHALL NEVER FORGET!!

A. B. C. Murders!!

The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie--the read for September!  This is perfect as school is back in session--again, not one of the Agatha books I've read!

The plot contains a serial killer!  Beware--Poirot solves another!

Want to listen?  You can here and read along as well here

What to knit?  Easy--anything that contains the letters A B C!  Only to choose---

abc: alison's beginners cap--sounds perfect!  Artful yarn, beginner, cap!  My ABC's!

a knitting class in a hat*

Techniques:
- casting on
- the knit stitch
- the purl stitch
- stockinette stitch (alternating knit one row, purl one row - but when knitting in the round, knit all rounds)
- 2 x 2 ribbing (*knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches* repeated across entire row/round)
- knitting in the round (using circular needles and double-pointed needles to create a round piece of knitting)
- decreasing (knitting 2 stitches together to make knitted piece smaller)
- seaming
- weaving in ends

Materials:
- approx. 200 yds. worsted weight yarn
- 16" circular needle (US7 or US8)
- double-pointed needles in same size as above
- tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Gauge:
approx. 4 1/4 st./in.
If your gauge is a bit smaller, your hat will end up being a bit smaller. Larger gauge = larger hat.

Hat Measurements:
23" around, 7- 7 1/2 " high

Instructions:
Cast on 96 st.
Work back and forth in stockinette stitch for 5 rows (knit one row, purl one row, K 1 row, P 1 row, K 1 row). This will form a rolled edge.
Instead of turning work to continue, join the two sides to form a circle. When forming the circle be sure that 1) knitting is not twisted around the needle, and 2) that the rolled edge curls to the outside of the hat.
Now you will be knitting in the round.
Work 6 rounds in 2 x 2 ribbing (knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches repeated across the whole round for 6 rounds).
Continue in stockinette stitch by knitting all rounds until hat measures approximately 6 ½"-7" from rolled edge.
Begin decreasing in order to shape top of hat as follows:
*K 4 stitches, K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (you should now have 80 stitches)
Knit one round normally.
Note: switch to double pointed needles when there are too few stitches to fit around the circular needle
*K 3 stitches, K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (64 stitches)
Knit one round normally.
*K 2 stitches, K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (48 stitches)
*K 1 stitch, K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (32 stitches)
*K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (16 stitches)
*K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (8 stitches)
Cut yarn leaving 6" tail, thread yarn end onto tapestry needle and thread through remaining 8 stitches. Pull on thread to cinch stitches snugly together. Bring needle through the very top of the hat in order to bring remaining yarn to inside of hat for weaving in.
Sew small seam of rolled edge together.
Weave in yarn ends.
Enjoy your hat!

And for the adventurous, change colors as you like by dropping the old yarn at the end of a round and starting the new round with a different colored yarn. When weaving in ends, twist the two colors around each other once to close any hole that might have formed when changing colors and weave ends into their respective color areas.

Fiber on My Needles

Okay, I'm a sucker for mysteries!  This one is mystery to make

mittens--something fun to knit for Halloween;

simple cable knitting, lot of colorwork and optional

beads--designed by  Hanna Kytta--you can find this free

KAL on Ravelry under group "Hanna From Sheep's Alley" 

Another mystery!! Socks is this one--Designed by Heidi Nick--

This is through the group--Sock Knitters Anonymous.

The sock has optional beads

Another free knit and crochet along (above is crochet)

is with Lambtown Festival Ravelry Group, which celebrates sheep, fleece and wool in California 

Life is Cozy--knit or crochet--both are lightweight, asymmetrical shawls

Begin from the corner in the shape of a skewed triangle--fast project and stash

buster!

Those should keep your needles warm and steamy!

StarStruck!

Happy Days from Happy Quilting! begins Sept. 4 

You can create

--Wall Hanging, Baby Size, Lap Size, Picnic Size, Queen Size or King Size, just by how many borders you add on to the center design--this is a medallion--you work from the inside out!

September 4th- Intro, Fabric Requirements, and Prizes Announcement

September 18th - Cutting

September 25th - Wall Hanging Piecing

October 2nd - Baby Piecing

October 9th - Lap Piecing
October 16th - Picnic Piecing
October 23rd - Queen/King Piecing

November 13th- Starstruck Parade and Grand Prize Winners

Sounds doable to me!  Best part--it's free!  

Lone Rider--Patriotic Mystery

This is a great way to begin a new month--

Alycia of Quiltygirl  is hosting another one of her

fabulous mysteries for Quilts of Valor--

her series of mystery quilts are always outstanding

examples of red, white and blue.

This quilt will finish at 64 x 80--just the right size to present

to a veteran! 

Dark 1 – Navy Plaid in my Case :  7/8 yard

Dark 2 – Red Plaid – 1 ¼ yard

Light 1 – 3 ½ yards

Other Colorways to try or give you ideas:

Dark 1: Cream

Dark 2: Navy Blue

Light: Light Blue

Or:

Dark 1: Hot Pink or Red

Dark 2: Cream

Light:  Navy

Or

Dark 1: Dark Blue

Dark 2: Light Blue

Light:  Light Grey

Labor Day--Summer's End!

Here comes the end of summer----no more wearing white pants or shoes or carrying a white purse (The Rule 'No White After Labor Day' Has Historical Roots. One of the most time-honored fashion traditions is to retire your white clothes after Labor Day. Historians think this maxim stems from class divisions at the turn of the century when lightweight clothes were a symbol of the leisure classes.)  Heaven forbid, that I think I'm elite--no white after Labor Day is sure a Southern thing!  Anyway, let's celebrate the last days of summer--certainly fall is just around the corner--let's BBQ, swim, do picnics, be with family, just enjoy this last hurray for end of those hot, humid, dreary days of summer!

Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social contributions of workers to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the country. In the United States, Labor Day is a federal holiday observed on the first Monday of September.

In the United States, Labor Day is customarily viewed as the end of the summer vacation season, although school starting times now may vary.

Labor Day has its origins in the labor union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest. In the United States the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country. Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday on February 21, 1887. By the time it became a federal holiday in 1894, thirty states officially celebrated Labor Day.