Here a Stitch, There a Stitch--Back to Knitting!

It has been a slow knitting time--I don't know why.  Maybe, because it has been summer.  Maybe, it was because my hands were tired and needed a rest!  Or Maybe, it's because I was down right lazy!  But, now that cooler weather is here................................no, that's not the reason--it is because Christmas is in three months!!  And I need these done, finished, completed, over with, accomplished, wrapped and ready for gift giving!!!

 

 

This neat little hat used two balls of wool--these are handspun wool bits that I found in my stash.

I'm on a mission to use only my stash--and all handspun, if possible

Here is a finished man's hat and scarf set!! Hurrah!  One set down and how many more to go???

I alternated two colors of wool here--seems to work for me! 

Okay, I have one man's scarf finished--must get to that hat soon.............................

For this scarf, it is all the same yarn--and you know, on these long scarves, it gets rather boring to knit--another reason why it takes me so long to knit!

Another gal's hat down!!  This one is silk--also, have the fingerless gloves finished too--

Still need to make the scarf--really thinking about this one long and hard--I want something exciting to knit........................................and we move on to

Scarf in a box!  Okay, this isn't handspun but it's been aged--only for a year, but it was in my stash--everything you need to make this scarf was in the box--silk yarn and silk scarf--all dyed to match

Knitting this up was --boooooring-------but look how the works with the silk scarf woven in and out of the sections

So many ways you could wear this scarf too--with or without the silk.  Okay, we are looking to get busy--real busy as we count down the days...............................................

What's on your agenda for gift giving?

Let's Fall into Autumn!

There just something about Autumn--

 

The blooms of Mums

What is it about those fall colors?

Are we just ready for some cooler weather?

Do we want to embrace the leaves of change?

My favorite time of Fall is roasting of Hatch chilies at our local nursery--there is just something about

the popping sound of chilies roasting.  And then there is the smell!! Ahhh, fresh roasted chilies--

 

 

 

The leaves of change--such colors of nature!

Then there are the fruits of fall

apples of every taste

I love the chance to place my old weathered wagon at the backdoor--a view that is noticed every time I walk through the door

and at the front door, there is the basket of fall flowers--

I hope you like fall as much as I do!

Bonnie Hunter Club Gathering For the Summer!

Alas, the summer meetings of Bonnie Hunter Club comes to a close for me--what fun it has been!  I must bid farewell to the BH gals for this summer.  Every gathering has been productive, creative and absolutely a learning experience.  I think whenever you have textile people together, you have a winning combination--always a chance to learn from each other.

 

And with our fearless leader, Jessica, BH gals get an added bonus--someone who knows their way around fabrics.  This  top was brought to Jessica for her expert hand at long arm quilting.  The quilt was made with all plaids and is perfect for fall.

One of our regular gals, Susan, had show & tell--this wonderful 1930's fabric with embroidered baskets of flowers

Such delightful baskets!

Judy was displaying her BH mystery quilt from 2013 winter time--BH's pattern "Celtic Solstice"

I think Judy is the only one in the group that finished this mystery.

Look for BH's 2014 fall mystery (free on Quiltville) sometime around late November

Pam showed this top, which would be perfect for a quick gift, also great for Quilt of Valor

Every once in awhile, we have a visitor from out of state drop by the shop and this time, our visiting quilter was working with these fabrics

to make this quilt top--didn't get the name of the quilt pattern though

This one is called "Cheese and Crackers"!

Quilted by Jessica

And this super duper dragon quilt was also quilted by Jessica!

Each dragon is lined with seed beads--just outstanding work!  But, Jessica commented that it was a 'dragon' to quilt with all those beads!

Pam is working on these string blocks for another one of BH's patterns

This will be the center block--can't wait to see the finished top!

Another good day spent with Bonnie Hunter gals!

Thanks Jessica, Judy, Susan, Pam, Tall Pat, Little Pat, Cheryl, Marsha and other BH gals for a great summer. 

See you Summer 2015!

All Those Little Pieces---More Orphan Blocks.......................

Orphans!  Yes, I'm having so much fun with all my orphan blocks....................guess it's the creative function that is the fun!  And.................all those blocks that I thought would just be thrown away are being used.

 

Once I had these all placed on the floor, I thought 'this looks super great as a folk style top' and guess what............

every one of these pieces in this quilt are ORPHANS!  I did not make one extra block, half square triangle, flying geese--nothing extra was produced to create this!  Now, that makes me feel really good and my scrap pile is diminishing!

Here is another orphan put together.  Pam had a large panel and all these outer blocks to use--clever gal, she used the smaller blocks as a border!  Perfect for a child's room!

Oh my!  how to use those odd blocks?  Well, here is another one of those ways to create a top--it might not all be in the same theme, but by golly, it works!

a super way to use all those paper pieced flower blocks around a large block completed in a workshop.  And I love to do embroidery, but no rhyme or reason how to use--  What do you think?  It works for me!  I even found a yardage in my scrap bin to use for the background--hurrah for me!

Remember this from a previous post?  Jessica's pink/brown orphan blocks?

 

Well, here it is finished!  Notice that she changed out the middle block

By changing out that center block, the quilt has a totally different look.  I think she changed out a lot of other blocks--hmmmm?

Rocky Mountain Quilt Workshop with Cristy Fincher

I took my lunch time between my workshops at Rocky Mountain Quilt Fest to walk through the quilt exhibits and vendors.

 

I didn't have time to stand in line to purchase so took some quick photos of items--future purchases, maybe!  I love Fall--but, just got to stop myself from going there!

I thought these were great 'skinny' wall hangings!

I found this patriotic quilt--thinking this will be a great and easy put together

and another pattern for Quilt of Valor

Here was the great prize winner by Barbara Monroe of Loveland, CO

The blocks were great example of applique

such whimsy! with small pieced quilts

I hope that Barbara will enter this quilt in other exhibits--it deserves many awards!

 

Lunch is over and it's time to head back to class and a workshop with

Cristy Fincher, Purple Daisies LLC

Paperless Paper Piecing!

Can you believe?  I really do enjoy paper piecing but taking all that paper off the back is time consuming and troublesome, so I thought this would be a great introduction to a different method

We received our pattern--thoughtfully planned out and marked well.

We had selection of fat quarters, took up scissors, pattern and began...........

On doubled freezer paper, our pattern was printed which enabled us to cut what we need to use as templates

Here are the templates we will use

The templates are ironed onto our fabric with 1/4" allowance around--using liquid starch around the edges, we press close to the edge of the template--and place on the back of the layout pattern

and we have a completed square after taking the pieces to the sewing machine and stitching the seams together.