Baby Time.............................

When a friend or family member is having a baby, I go to my favorite thing to give--

flannel receiving blankets!

It takes two pieces of flannel, each at least 1.25 yards in length, 45" wide

I always wash my flannel before sewing--

place two pieces right sides together--I mark to make rounded corners and 

stitch around, leaving a small opening to turn right sides out--

once turned, I press lightly, stitch the opening closed and

then comes the fun part---

I do button hole stitch around the outside of the blanket with perle cotton--

Ready, finished, wrap for the new baby--this one is a boy--

as if you didn't guess that already!

I usually buy a small gift if there is a brother or sister involved--

they won't feel left out.

Quilt Time With Friends!

It was time to visit with my expatcher friends!  Yeah, I hadn't been with these gals for some time

so I was anxious and excited to be with them again!

Linda brought these woven mats and ask "do you know what these are?"

I took a look at them and said--these are tapa, dyed with mud

several years ago I had taken a mud cloth workshop

and last summer, Denver Art Museum had an excellent exhibit on tapa

The reverse side is woven with split reeds--one on right is doubled in half

Linda was working on her doll quilt

She works with Dolly Mamas  

Annette brought her charity quilt that Judy M (right) will quilt

This is the back for the top

The quilt top on left is the disappearing nine patch pattern

Judy M has her strips cut and at the ready for the machine

She is using this pattern

From this book--I know I have this book in my stash!

On Judy's wall is this charity quilt--great looking

Judy always finds the best flannel combination.

I want to buy at this Wal-mart, but it's in another state--sigh!

Linda was stitching the binding for this lively small wall hanging.

She did this block of the month at her local quilt shop

Sandy did the quilting--love the bright neon green she used!

We have a good time together--laugh, swap stories and tales of our daily

lives--what a super group of friends!

Needle Time!

Oh Yeah--I'm finished knitting July's pattern for the 2016 lace scarf--okay, I know it's August, but I'm happy to have finished July pattern!

The pattern is called Wharves and Warehouse!  

designed by Elizabeth Ravenwood on Ravelry!  

I'm using my handspun wool/silk two ply.

I would have finished sooner IF I had read the pattern correctly!

you know, it really helps to read the pattern through

to make sure you know what's happening!

I wasted alot of time ripping out stitches to begin again!

Onto August pattern---reading carefully....................

There Is A Need..................................

For Hats, scarves and gloves--Can you help?  Do you like to knit or crochet?  Have some free time and spare yarn on hand?  This is the project for you!
I've already downloaded a few patterns that will work; and I'm digging through my yarn stash to see what I have to make these wearables.  I'm thinking I could use different techniques and learn new skills while helping someone in need.
The following is the information:  


SOLID black, gray, navy, brown, dark green, and red winter hats, scarves and pairs of gloves primarily for men but some can be in unisex patterns to accommodate women. 

All items must be suitable for people who are living outdoors in rain and snow. 

In total, we need enough hats, scarves and gloves for 1,200 adults.

These items will be equally divided between the three following organizations:

Homeless Bus https://www.facebook.com/homelessbusnyc

New York City Relief https://www.facebook.com/thereliefbus/

NJ Food & Clothing Rescue https://www.facebook.com/njfoodclothingrescue/

We need your donations by November 1st, 2016.

Have a question? Please inbox us privately.

Do not post questions here. We will probably not see them.

***NOTE: Be sure to include your e-mail address in all shipments in case we need to ask you a question.

Thank you.

Please send all hats, scarves, gloves to:
Emily's Hats For Hope Initiative
PO Box 2374
Morristown, NJ 07962-2374

Time To Cut The Losses......................

For the past few weeks I've been knitting on Gerda by Bethany Hait.

there were a few kinks at the beginning of the pattern, but it was 

soon worked out and I continued.

I left it lay for a time while I traveled and upon returning to the pattern

and the yarn

I just knew this wasn't going to work!  The yarn just wasn't the right

one for this pattern--it needs a soft plain color to show the pattern.

I had half a thought while I was knitting--so guess it's a good

think I let it lie for awhile--

the only RIGHT thing to do was

pull out the stitches, wind into a ball and let it 'age' a little longer.

It was time to cut my losses--even though there had been days of knitting and

pattern reading--it was time! 

This wasn't going to work!  So, the yarn lives on another day--

some day, yes, some day I will find the perfect pattern for this yarn.

happy sleeping little yarn ball!

S L O W K N I T T I N G !

I'm so pumped!  Slow knitting has come to Netflix!  Oh My!  What fun to

watch this program--Although it is in Norwegian, there are subtitles and from

the minute I clipped on the link and watched, I was hooked!

So much history in this slow knitting program--even a Harley Davidson

makes an appearance!

The patterns, the instructional videos, the fashion parade, the stitching--

ALL makes for exciting TV watching----

if you are a knitter.

But, wait--

there is also some spinning involved

and lots of 

knitting!

Go Watch--you'll be hooked too! 

Decisions By Committee!

There were five of us--only five, who met at the local coffee shop to just socialize.

But soon the conversation turned to study group business.

Since we were five of the members of this group, we could make some

'suggestions' about the upcoming year.

First, we had little show and tell from Karen I who pulled out this rag rug

section woven by a 7 yr old!  We were in awe that a 7 year old had this 

much know how to get some nice selvedges as well as lay the rags nicely

in the weft.

Gerry has a task at hand--she is preparing for an upcoming tapestry workshop

sponsored by the Guild.  The instructor sent out this photo that the participants

were to interpret in their tapestry

Gerry is using very fine wool/silk threads to create her sample

and do you see what she's using as her loom?  A snap together wooden photo

frame!  Inexpensive and easy to carry around--this is the way I began my 

weaving about 30+ years ago when I didn't have money.

Anyway, our 'committee' discussed what weave structure we would like

to study in the coming year.  It is also our guilds year to host the state conference in

2017--which means contributions to the goodie bag, luncheons and raffle basket.

We think, as committee, we have some good ideas!

Small committees DO did some things accomplished!