Teacup Quilt Along

I love teacups!  I love teapots!  I have a number of

china cups/saucers and when you want to feel

special and pampered, I pull out one of these lovely

teacups to enjoy my tea.

Here is to stitching teacups!!

From My Carolina Home has some good pointers on

paper piecing--she does a step by step and then gives us

some bullet points to follow

1.  Color the pattern.
2.  Shorten the stitch length.
3.  Cut pieces larger than needed, accepting that there will be more waste.
4.  Use squares and rectangles regardless of the piece final shape.
5.  Stabilize the first piece.
6.  Use a thin straight edge to fold the pattern back, trim the fabric to 1/4-inch.
7.  Line up the next piece with the cut edge.
8.  Mark the back side of the pattern to easily see if your orientation is right.
9.  Sew 1/4-inch past the end point of the line on both sides.
10.  Sew 1/4-inch past the edges of the cutting line for pieces intersecting the edge.
11.  Sew a stay-stitch all around the piece before taking the paper off.

She has other information for a successful project--

check in today as her

teacup quilt along begins!

Once a month--you can create and learn paper piecing

at the same time!

Spinning My Wheels

Well,, Tour de Fleece (Tour de France) is over.  The World Soccer games are finished!  What will I spin to next????
I think I did good to spin what I did during those times--

I had this lovely merino/silk blend to spin--there were

other rovings in the stash closet but this one called

my name-

Just lovely fiber!  From Dicentra Designs

I'm stripping the fiber lengthwise to spin in sections,

which is manageable.  Once the bobbin is full, I"ll ply

from the ball.

I like the colors in this!  Now to ply on self--

Leader And Ender..................

I've been waiting for this!  Not that I've finished the leader ender

project from 2015 or 2016--still working on those guys--but

I'm looking forward to getting these blocks together from

my stash pieces.

Quiltville has the directions! 

Magnolia Mystery

In the South, there are Magnolia trees everywhere!

and once again when this mystery was announced

last year--I was there--what can be wrong with magnolia

quilt?

nothing wrong--just let it linger too long

So many bias corners--trying to keep them from

stretching is difficult--and when quilts are placed

on the point, I have a time trying to keep the blocks

in order so I lay it out on the floor.

Now, to decide on the borders.

Actually, her directions would have you lay 

the quilt this way...

I'm so finished with this quilt--I want to get borders on

and forget about it!!  It will be a charity quilt or maybe

a Quilt of Valor as it is red, white and blue.

Borders added!  I like it now!

Some Knitting Involved

I love my monthly knitting projects--knit a little each month; by year's end, If you progress each month, there will be a finished shawl.  There are two of those shawls ongoing at this time--and I'm keeping up to date with each one......................................
                                                                        THEN
my favorite designers throw in a monkey wrench................well, to them, it's not a problem--to me, it is...........................I want to knit those projects as well...........................so, here we go----

SWEET ROSE OF SHETLAND

you can find this pattern on Ravelry.com

Designed by Elizabeth Ravenwood--this shawl is more of the Shetland Lace type as I've been knitting with the regular monthly project-- perfect light weight scarf to add a bit of pizzazz to your warm weather wardrobe. 

Beads are optional, though they do add a bit of sunlight-on-water sparkle to this scarf. 

Shetland Hap Meets Estonia MKAL pattern by Toni L. Lorenz

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16

"Don’t get me wrong here. I’m not saying that Estonia and the Shetland Islands are like Ruth and Naomi.
I’m just feeling a bit like Ruth. While she does not want to leave Naomi, I am not ready to leave the beautiful lace of Estonia. Plus, Estonia is celebrating its 100th year of independence. Let’s join in the celebration by knitting this Shetland Hap inspired shawl. We will follow the construction concepts of the top-down triangle with beautiful Estonian stitch patterns incorporated into the body, the colored borders, and lace edge. This hap, which comes in three sizes, will sure to be warm."

Materials: Finished Size and Yardage:

Small: 58” x 40” x 28” triangle, 600 yards total 
Medium: 87” x 56” x 41” triangle, 1,000 yards total 
Large: 102” x 70” x 46” triangle, 1,800 yards total

Main Color: 400/550/1,100 yards Lace Weight 
Contrasting Color 1: 90/165/350 yards Lace Weight 
Contrasting Color 2: 90/165/250 yards Lace Weight 
Contrasting Color 3: 0/80/125 yards Lace Weight

US size 4 (3.5 mm) 40 Inch Circular Needle 
US Size 6 (4.0 mm) 40 Inch Circular Needle (optional for loose Bind Off) 
40 Stitch Markers, Tapestry Needle 
500+ 8/0 Beads and 1mm Crochet Hook (optional)

I'm using my handspun cotton for this project--think I"ll use

only this one color; although, I do have a few other yarns I

could throw in.  This is step one--fun lace knitting.

There are three sizes but I'm sticking with the small Hap--

not too sure of how much cotton I have.

This takes real talent to catch your marker within the

cast on--which was an I-cord Cast on.  I caught two

of my markers this way--I'll need to break them--or

I could leave them for decorations.

Not much knitting on this Hap, since I'm doing the

small size, I'm waiting for those instructions. 

Happy Birthday Mother!

We are travelling south to celebrate mother's 98th

birthday!  Can't believe that she is doing so well at this

age!

We are fortunate to have good caregivers for her--

and occasionally, they will send me photos of

her activities

She wasn't much for socializing, but I'm happy she is 

getting into the rim of being with others

She loves to eat!  and is a good eater!

That counts in this factor of being healthy--although,

there has been a time or two when she refused any

food they placed in front of her--just showing her

stubbornness!  At least once or twice a month

the caregivers will take her to a local restaurant.

Here's to a happy birthday!! 

Behind Closed Doors

Have you ever thought about how a knitting pattern is created?

Usually, you get the pattern, look at the chart, pick up my needles

and yarn--begin.

This designer, Cassie Rosse, Takes you behind closed doors

as she designs a lace shawl

From drafting on paper to

Drafting on computer to

test knitting the project--she has spent numerous hours of

knitting to create this lovely lace shawl

and she is offering it free of charge! 

I can appreciate the knowledge that designers put into their creations

just so I can knit!