EPP--We Might Join In..................

Oh Boy!  I'm in trouble!  I saw this delightful EPP 

(English paper pieced) block on Temecula Quilt Company

blog--love their creative quilts--mostly small wonders!

Not only was the block fascinating, but when you look at 

the overall quilt--WOW!  remarkable!--

We have a couple of our expatchers doing EPP, but they

are doing hexagons--you can get some great looks

but  EPP didn't turn me on until I saw this!

I found a couple of You Tube videos that are

helpful with the stitching--

Are You A Block Head?

Here is Round 2 of Block Heads--I didn't participate in the

first round, but this sounds like a fun way to sew this summer.

Each Wednesday for the next few weeks, a different designer

will post their design for the week--

WOW!  Such a chance to make some wonderful blocks

from creative people...

Moda Block Heads 2 Details:

• Free PDF patterns post every Wednesday beginning today, June 6, 2018
• The Moda Cutting Table blog will direct you to the designer’s page who will be sharing that week’s block
• I’ll be posting my version of the week’s block each Wednesday.  On the week’s when the block is my own design I’ll also be sharing tips and tricks for piecing and fabric selection. (The other designers will share those ideas when they post about their block designs).
• There is also a Basic Instructions PDF you can download now with instructions for some of the techniques used in this year’s blocks.  Find it here.

Moda Fabrics blog

Here is the first block--continue onto Lynne's blog

to pick up the PDF

• Lynne’s Blog / Facebook / Website
• Betsy’s Blog / Facebook / Instagram
• Jo’s Blog / Instagram
• Jan’s Blog / Website
• Lisa’s Blog / Website / Instagram
• plus guests designers!!

Tour-de-Sock!

Tour De Sock is off and knitting!! 

Have fun and raise money for a worthy cause in this speed-knitting competition based on the famous bike race with a similar name! Competitors will race to finish a pair of socks in each of six stages earning points for finishing the fastest. Registration fees (less paypal and shipping expenses for prizes) will go to Doctors Without Borders to help continue their excellent work of providing medical care to those in need around the globe

Please join us in the Ravelry Group for any off-season news. Registration for TDS 2018 is open!

Registration for Tour-de-Sock is OPEN! 

Such fun knitting socks as fast as you can--prizes are involved too for the finishers.  I'm not much into winning prizes--I just like the chance to knit special patterns by great designers and assist in a worthy cause--Happy stitching, y'all!!

Treasures............

We all have treasures--to each person a 'treasure' means something different,

unusual, very pricey or antique, something passed down generation to

generation.

Judy M places some treasure on this batik quilt that

she made for herself!  she is always sewing for someone else,

so she says, "This One is For Me!"

This was a free pattern she got from 

McCall's Quick Quilts

A definite treasure is this kit from Brenda's Mom,

who passed away.  Brenda found it in her Mom's

house--

Oh, such rich reds!  

Already to be sewn together--it will be a treasure for

years to come--when Brenda can bring herself to work

on it--her Mom is missed so much!

Sandy was sharing her latest 'treasure'--

her cat collage that she learned from a recent class

under taking.

Finished!  This little hanging is worth  a 1000 words

A placement of flowers, butterflies, and special fabrics

bring this guy to life.

Here is a photo of Sandy beginning this adventure.

The pattern came from Laura Heine

Another Cowl, It Is!

I'm working on this Japanese knit pattern from Deborah

Tomasello--I think I'm addicted to this way of knitting.

You get cables without a twisting the stitches, you get lovely motifs

I'm using my handspun cotton with size 6 needle.

Pattern Cowl #46, 104--This is so much fun to knit--

I've put off knitting other patterns just to sit and do this!

I'm getting a very lacy look with the size 6 needles so I

decided to go down to #2 to see what happens.

By using #2 size needles, I'm getting a much closer knit and

I think I like the look

Notice the cable running up the middle--The question was

asked "What makes this Japanese knitting?"

1--Unlike the western use of written instructions, the Japanese use symbols and graphs for all of their knitting and crochet patterns. This means that their patterns can be read universally with no language barriers.

2--twisted stitches, manipulated stitches, wraps… where the ‘stitch’ may take several rows to be realized. Also, the Japanese knit cables have special patterns in and around, more so than more common cables with say, reverse st st around. 

3--The Japanese interpretation of knitting stitches.” Many of the stitches are similar to other stitches found in Western stitch encyclopedia’s, however, in many cases, the finished product looks just a little bit different than others. This is also the case with Estonian knitting. The Japanese tend to use mock cables to a much greater extent than most, and, often in a slightly different way, so that they create a “texture” look 

TA DA--WIP

Drum roll please!  I have a couple of WIPs--works in progress--

Our son, last fall, said to me, "mom, why haven't you made

me a quilt?"  Well, I have made him quilts--but not lately.

He said, " I've seen all the quilts you make for charity and

for my sisters--"  

I said, "I didn't know you wanted a quilt.  What design do you want?"

His answer:  A TEXAS FLAG!

Okay, easy to do--just takes many reds, blues and whites is all--

I was going to Wing the pattern, but got bogged down in the

measures etc--So, instead opted to purchase a ready printed

pattern from Aspen Tree--Am so glad I did!!

She has the applique for the stars--that would have been

a devil to figure out--there comes a time when it makes

sense to purchase a pattern--even if the design looks simple!

But, it took me six months to gather the fabrics I needed and

to actually cut and sew this flag!  Off to the quilters it goes.

The other day, I told him I'd finished his quilt and started 

to pull it out, but his reply was "no, I want to see it

when it's completely finished!"

This is one I enjoyed sewing!  Great pride in our country

and this quilt will be on display for several months

as we venture through our patriotic holidays--

I had the reds, whites and blues from the

Texas flag quilt

Here is a photo of the front of the pattern

Color for may

Just a little behind. Color for may is Green!  Are you a green lover?  Here is reasons you like green:

Green, the color of life, renewal, nature, and energy, is associated with meanings of growth, harmony, freshness, safety, fertility, and environment. Green is also traditionally associated with money, finances, banking, ambition, greed, jealousy, and wall street.

The color green has healing power and is understood to be the most restful and relaxing color for the human eye to view. Green can help enhance vision, stability and endurance. Green takes up more space in the spectrum visible to the human eye and it is the dominant color in the natural. It is a natural choice in interior design as an ideal background or backdrop because we as humans are so used to seeing it everywhere.

With the color green’s association with renewal, growth, and hope, often green stands for both a lack of experience and need for growth. Green also stands for new growth and rebirth, common in the spring season when all of the plants are coming back to life with fresh growth and life after the cold winter months.

The color green affects us physically and mentally in several different ways. Green is soothing, relaxing, and youthful. Green is a color that helps alleviate anxiety, depression, and nervousness. Green also brings with it a sense of hope, health, adventure, and renewal, as well as self-control, compassion, and harmony. The green color is often used to indicate safety in the advertising of drugs and medical products. Green is directly related to nature and energy, so it is also commonly used to represent and promote ‘green’ products.

In different cultures green carries different meanings. For example green is the national color of Ireland and is commonly associated with good luck, leprechauns, clovers, and Saint Patrick’s Day. Green also has close ties with Islam.

Too much green can cause people to become placid, lazy, slow, moody, depressed, and lethargic. Too little green can cause feelings of apathy and fear of rejection.