Chugging Along!

We are just chugging along with our projects--slowly but surely.  Finally, have a pair of socks off the needles and ready to wear--when the weather turns bitter cold!!

This pattern was interesting to knit; nothing boring about this design! 

This past week was a day spent with a few of the expatchers in Judy M's new studio.  She has brought her quilting machine down from her house and working away on projects.  In an early post, you saw the beginnings of this quilt for her granddaughter.  Now, the top is quilted and ready for binding, along with little 'bling'.

Look how cute this is!  Just taking a preprinted panel and adding some lopsided blocks, along with applique flowers gives you a fanciful quilt for a dear little girl.

The quilting is perfect for this top!

This is the top that Judy finished quilting from my hands.  It looks smashing!!  These blocks took over a year to complete.  There were four more blocks to be added--but enough is enough!

The quilting pattern is 'wrought iron'.  Great balls of fire--something else has been completed!  Hurrah!!

And this top was left for summer quilting--another accomplishment that took over a year--working with one row or one block each month gives you a finished top.  The backing is an orange shade of fabric--bought 110" wide muslin, dyed it with Rit dyes--one package of orange and one of tangerine.

Judy was sewing away on her top for the RV queen size bed--who would think that this pattern could be complicated?  But, you must watch which way the corners are going when you sew the 4" blocks together.  If not, you'll have flying geese instead of stars.

Lots and lots of blocks ready to be stitched together.

The studio is getting new 'looks' every so often.  What a great sampler quilt hanging this one is.

Remember this whimsical Diva hanging by Karen?  Well, Karen was finishing up the binding this Tuesday. 

Sandy had put the quilting stitches around the border of this super hanging.  Just right for a quilt diva--threads going every which way!!

May's WOW!! Group

This weavers group has progressed by leaps and bounds during the past year!  To think that most of these gals are 'beginners' who have tackled many of the difficulties of choosing appropriate yarns, calculating, setts, winding warp, threading heddles, understanding drafts, tromping treadles and producing some outstanding fabrics.....................even those who are experienced or advanced weavers never learn it ALL........that's is the best thing about weaving world--you never learn everything there is to know.  There is always something about different yarns, different color combinations and setts as well as weave structures.

The gals are still weaving away on their summer/winter structures.  Here is another sett that gives a totally different view of this unique weave.

A photo of draft of above weave.

Totally different--summer/winter is so versatile.

Have a problem with tension?  Just use what is handy to weight those pesky warp threads.

Once again, another look at summer/winter.

One color or many, the weave works.

How about this color combination?  Perfect!  Maybe next on the loom?

Sample, Sample, Sample...........................

Our state conference is just around the corner, so Anita wove this towel in conference colors--it's a twill weave--smashing!

A show piece, to say the least, by the hands of Julie, using natural colored cottons--a great addition to any kitchen.

We are assembling our gift basket for the state conference raffle.  Who wouldn't want to win this lovely ribbon dessert plate with handwoven ribbons woven by Julie and Marian.  The gals had such fun with their inkle looms, they are talking about a study group this summer.

A great addition to the kitchen basket is this knitted and fulled pot holder and glove, given by D'Anne.

And here is our completed raffle basket--what a great assortment of wovens, kitchen accessories and food items.  Buy a ticket and place in our jar!

We had some other wovens that were not included in the basket.  Here Marian is discussing her latest scarf hot off the loom. 

And Anita didn't want to show this towel, off the same warp with conference theme colors.  "Why not?" we asked.  She said it wasn't her greatest work!--well, not the greatest in her eyes maybe, but smashing anyway--weave and learn.

ROUND UP--GET IT DONE!

May--heading into summer now and the thought processes are panicking!! Yes, it's almost time to pack up and head to the summer home--so, there are lists of 'to do and finish'!  The loom needs to be warped, blocks that need to be sewn up, wall hangings that need those last minute touches and of course, why not begin a new UFO in the process?

This is the April calendar hanging--looks to be an easy peazy thing to make--just lay down the pattern, outline stitch and you're finished.

All those tiny bits of fusible are being put to good use.  No! don't throw away any scrap that can be used somehow, somewhere..........

And then, since it is the first of the month, another one of the 'birdie' stitching patterns come out--got to do that one to keep up!

Who can resist little guys ?!!  another one of the clever ROM (row of the month) patterns from Fat Cat--Sindy is a genius (of course, she knows how to make use of EQ programs!)

Here is the first month of the ROM--aren't they so cute?

And the makings of the second ROM--we just need to add more facial features to the bunnies--give them some personality.

Trying to eliminate some of the stash, we are working on 2012 valentine hanging--here we are auditioning fabrics for the outside border.  The camera sees things different than the human eye--which fabric works the best?

Now, we have the inside block for April, what should the outside borders look like?  Another audition as we write--not too fond of this combination, so back to the stash.

Finished March--this was fun piece to do--"in with the lions, out with the lambs" or is it vice versa??

And the one for February is finished--well, not quite finished finished, the top is finished.  This was a challenge--so many instructions & so much cutting--one never knows where to begin but soon it becomes apparent, just one step at a time and you'll get there.

And here is January!! Okay, it isn't completely finished either, but at least, we have the basic part done....

During evening hours, we can stitch away on that 'birdie' block--something different and aside of knitting--busy hands, you know!

WIPs--Works in Progress--Knitting that is!

Works in progress--WIPs--needles, yarn and pattern--all combine to get the creative 'juices' flowing freely--and this person can not be involved in just one WIP--oh, no, there has to be several at one time.  That way, you don't get bored!

Using some handspun merino/silk blend, we have embarked on another year long adventure through our favorite website--Ravelry.  This is the beginning weeks of 2011 Kalendar.  The 2010 shawl is finished but still there is the lack of motivation to block--don't know why--should just DO It!  Anyway, this triangle shawl will take several months to complete--which is good.  The group also features a square shawl, but heaven to betsy--we wanted to work with five needles all the time?!!  anyway, maybe some time in the future, we'll go there. The group is led by Never Frog

And yes, we do love mysteries!!  This is one from Ravelry again--solid socks group, but as you can see from the yarn, it's not solid.  The pattern is different and we are now working on the second heel.  Soon, we'll put the socks back on just two needles and continue knitting two socks at the same time--that way, we know the length will be the same.  The yarn is 100% merino wool from Rio de la Plata-- we found this on sale and bought several skeins at one time--different colors (mostly odd lots)

Always up to try a unique yarn, this one is 100% cotton yarn called 'color changing', dubbed "gemstones" by Wolle's Yarn Creations.  The pattern is easy peasy to knit--Upstairs Shawl by Michaela Behrends.  It's a free pattern, which is very kind of Michaela.  This yarn is unique in the fact that it is not plied but several single strands of yarn run together & every so often one color yarn is dropped and another color yarn is added into the four strands.  At first, it is hard to get used to knitting--sometimes, you do not catch all four strands, but once you get the hang of the yarn, it works really well.

And now, we add one WIP that has become finished!!  can we have a drum roll please......this one was on the needles for it seemed forever--somehow it was just forgotten in it's storage bag.  So, on our last flight, this one was taken along and we were determined to finish it on that trip and alas, it was!!  The pattern is Saroyan,

designed by Liz Abinante, who likes to create patterns from the television show "Bones". This is the third one in her series; all these designs are lovely and easy to knit. This wool/tencel yarn is hand dyed by these tiny little hands and comes from Wool 2 Dye 4--a great place to find yarns to dye.

The Quilt Shoppe--Country Expressions--City Appeal!!

When my SIL suggested we take a 30 minute drive into the country and visit a quilt shop, the first thought to pop into one's head "what kind of a shop can this be?"  Well, greatly surprised is the answer when you cross the threshold into The Quilt Shoppe, outside the small town of Stewartsville, Missouri! 



This shoppe was featured in Better Homes and Garden's Quilt Sampler 2008 special edition magazine as one of the top ten quilt shops in the US.

The first impression has that WOW factor.  They were changing their display features but the overall effect was outstanding.  The shop is brightly lighted and spacious.  The quilts on display feature a wide arrange of techniques.



One of the featured quilt patterns is this contemporary pattern designed by Tula Pink

And there is the quilt made up in black and white prints!

The front porch boasts an inviting setting with laminate fabric coverings on the settee and pillows!  Yes, light weight laminate fabric and the design work is from the talented hands of Tula.  This fabric is soft to the touch with that nice handle one wants--this is not like the old oilcloth fabric of the days of yore!

Take a look at just one of the shelves teeming with wonderful soft spring colors!  And since this was a dark dreary day that we visited, the colors popped even more.

Kitchen accessories is not your mother's apron--this is one fashion statement you could wear on an evening out.

And there working away in her mother's quilt shop was none other than Tula Pink herself.  It was interesting talking with Tula about her patterns and fabric line.  Take a look at the smashing quilt in the background--another handwork from Tula's fabrics and patterns.  We could not resist--had to buy a couple of her patterns, some laminate and few other pieces of fabric.  Next time, my SIL suggest a drive into the country to visit this quilt shop, I'll be ready.