Quilting Time

Finally catching up with Fat Cat BOM for Christmas

and Halloween

Of course, a new pattern rolls around with the month--so

I'm not quite caught up!  These blocks are filled with

raw edge applique--which suits me just fine

This is the first block of the series--I opted to sign up

for reminders--only $5 for the year and each month,

there is a reminder in my email with each month 

listed with link--perfect for a slacker such as I

The camera eye sees colors different than your human eyes

When I decided to place the yellow "Y" on this gold

background, I thought it would work; once it's

photographed--not good!  will need to take it off

and replace with another color

Jingle! Jingle!  all the way!  Love her tree!

Hello Halloween--these mice are just so cute!

I don't do much purple-- but this ghost is ohh

so ghostly!! 

Silken Works

For Years, In the back of my mind, I've thought of a silken pillow case--one

that will feel so soft. and smooth.    If I could spin the silk for that pillowcase,

I would be so happy.  Spin the silk, weave the yardage--

what a goal!!

Any idea how much silk it takes to weave a pillowcase?

Me neither!  I know I can do it--I did spin a brick of  bombyx 

for daughter's wedding dress--that was 30 years ago.  I know I can

spin silk again--it's just time consuming; little bit at a time--

I spin!  The bobbins fill slowly.......

This is plied from two bobbins that were spun several

months ago

My make do "lazy kate"--works well--a good way to

ply when on the road......

ahh, silk through the fingers--such a lovely feel and

I keep thinking about that silk pillowcase that my head

will fall on.

Blue Hands!!

I'm anxious to get those Indigo Blue Hands again!  Doesn't matter if I wear gloves--I still
get blue hands!  Enjoy these videos on Japanese Indigo Dyeing!


Why the interest in Indigo dyeing?  Every year our expatcher quilt group shares birthday
fat quarter fabrics with each other on our birthdays.  One of the girls has asked for Indigo
fabric for her selection--here comes the dye pot for her!! And my handspun cotton towels on
the loom--

Let's Learn As We Knit

Solene Knits has created a stranded knitting challenge--I'm 

 ready for another challenge.  Visit the website for 

further information.  The project begins NOW!

 And Away we Go!! 

July Snowflake Quilt

Quilting Jet Girl is hosting a free quilt along July 1-

December 1.  Although not, a mystery, she has revealed

the finished project.

The material list is up now--this is a generous quilt

at 72" x 88"--perfect for some fancy quilting in the

solid areas.  

Recycle--Reuse

these “recycled” denim fibers are leftovers from the “makin’ o’ the blue jeans” at the mills. Fibre Garden has a photo of the waste before it is

processed into roving

I know this fiber was popular many moons ago and

recently when I was stash diving, I found a hank of this 

lovely soft fiber--aha, it was time to spin for my

handspun cotton towels that are on the loom--

they need more blue and I wasn't in the mood

to set up an indigo vat

It spins up nicely--

One bobbin finished and balled!

As you can see, some of the singles plied on itself--

I put too much twist so it was a

challenge to ply and get an even yarn--

but I did it!!

On The Loom...................

From my cotton handspun bin I'm using every one of

plied cottons I have to warp my loom--I had indigo dyed cotton, white

cotton, brown cotton and some blue jean cotton ( recycled stuff)

The handspun cotton bin is becoming empty--

means I must begin spinning cotton again

and SOON!

This warp is tied on from the previous warp, which was

random  commercial 8/2 cotton warp -but, there is nothing

like natural cotton-- love the

look and feel of real cotton

The best part is knowing I spun all this fiber--

There is no rhyme or reason to the way the warp is set up--

just random--I like to do that with my warps--

weft is handspun cotton--right now, a shot of brown

and a shot of white--threaded 1-2-3-4 with direct tie-up

so if I want to do a twill I can.

Plain weave for now--

love it!!