I'm Going to be a Grandma!

And this is the first thing I've made for the baby.  I knitted these last evening not knowing if the baby was going to be a boy or girl.  Louise had received a burgundy hat and sweater, so I figured burgundy goes with boys as well as girls.  But now I know what it will be, so you'll have to wait and see.

I'm going to keep knitting.

Karen, The Perfect Model

When I knit a sweater, sometimes it's a little difficult to find a model.  This sweater was made in a 12-18 month size and I couldn't think of anyone to fit the bill.  But we tried Karen, who I thought was a little large at the time, but it turned out she was perfect for this sweater.  I love doing photo shoots when the piece of clothing fits so perfectly.  Karen's mom loves photo shoots with her daughter also.  Actually most of the mom's love their children in our clothing for pictures.

She's enjoying herself in the little car as she shows off my sweater and cap.  This is a Drops Pattern that is available free online. 

It's a reverse stockinette stitch, which seemed funny to be knitting because what is the right side seemed like the wrong side.  I didn't think I'd like the sweater because of that.

The cap is a very cute addition to the pattern.

 My daughters went shopping for the buttons and they picked these nice pearly ones that go very well with the sweater.  And in the picture below you see the backside of the sweater which keeps up the look of the front.

I knitted the sweater with a soft, soft cotton yarn that I'm using quite a bit these days.  I love the feel and the drape of this sweater and it is easy care. 

The sweater is listed for sale in our Etsy shop.

Dinner Tonight

I did not sew today, except for a while on my longarm machine.  Today became baking day.  We buy a box of fresh apples at the Farmer's Market every week, so I decided I better get the apple pies in before it's too late. After making the crust, I got my little scene together at the table and peeled and sliced apples for 3 pies (one of them is little).

I also found a recipe for Herb Cheese Rolls  which I thought would go well with my dinner.  The recipe calls for baking them in baking cups, but mine were too big, so I did them like cinnamon rolls.

They have cheeses and basil in them and they were a hit at dinner.

I made a beef stew that I started this morning with leftover roast from last night.  I make my stew the French way, Boeuf Bourguignon,  only I add potatoes to it.  The men like it that way. And the bacon, mushrooms and wine really make it good.

So the soup with the rolls made a great fall meal.  And now pie for dessert.  My girls went to visit our extended family, my son and his wife, to give them the little pie.  They have always brought us desserts, now I get to give them one, and hopefully more.

 Doesn't that look good?

Sunbonnet Sue Fashion Parade

Remember when I received these squares?  I did find out that they are from the 1930's.  Quilt historian, Bev Dunivet, looked at close-up e-mails  I sent her of these squares and told me that.  I found out a few days later that she lives only a couple of miles from me.  I have met her since.  I had heard her name, maybe through Simply Quilts, and thought she lived far away - not just right down the street.

But now to get to work. I'm finally sewing these squares together.

My daughters went to Fabric Depot one day and I told them to get 2 fabrics of the 1930 Reproductions that coordinate and I would use them for sashing and borders.  The last few days I was cutting and sewing.

I think the blue sashing looks quite nice against the squares.  It makes things pop a little.  And the orange adds a bright spot.

 They do look like a fashion parade, all done up with their parasols.

Now they've gone into my "to be quilted" pile.  That may be a while.

The Quilting is Getting Done - Josiah and Eva's Quilt

They are married now and off on their honeymoon, but I am still working on their quilt.
It is on the frame now and is a lot of fun.  I'm using different types of fills.  This is the first time I've ever used pebbling. It is time consuming, but very effective.  You can see it around the feathers.

I'm doing straight lines on the appliqued border.

You can see on this section is a trapunto vine with a small stipple to make it stand out. And the part that looks white (it's really cream)  has McTavishing around the applique and trapunto parts. 

You'll get to see more later.

Carol's Quilt

This is a small quilt I just finished for a customer, Carol.

The quilting shows more on the backside. I'm trying new ideas with overall designs to make the quilts more interesting than just stipples.

Naomi's Doily #4 The Story

When we plan a vacation where we fly, I take small projects along.  We don't fly Southwest Airlines, so we don't get free baggage.  And I don't like paying.  So this was one of my small projects.  I couldn't finish it in Ohio because I lost my little crochet hook on the lawn and could not find it.  I decided to wait til I got home.  I still had a knitting project with me.  Doesn't this look nice?

But oh! the problem.  See those lovely scallops?  I have two rounds of them.  I  realized I made the second round go the wrong direction.  I could live with that.  No one would know the difference.

But look at the top of the picture above.  It's hard to see here, but it is really visible.  I had connected the first scallop on the second round wrong, by attaching both sides to the scallops before.  I should have left one side hanging free for the last scallop.  So when I got to the last one, I didn't know where to go and it got bunchy and looks uneven.  I didn't want to crochet all that again, even though it had only taken me 2 evenings.  So I ripped the last round out and left it a smaller doily.  That'll work won't it?

This will still go nicely in Naomi's doily collection.

Let's Keep Those Projects Moving

Remember these? 

 My priority projects  are in the "to be quilted" line-up and  so I'm able to go back to the lost forsaken projects.  These wallhangings are just about ready to quilt.  Then they will go into that line-up, which is a couple of months out anyways and could be more - as they are very low priority items.

Also this sweater is one I started a while back to work on on vacation (but not much got done on vacation).  You can see a little of it on this past post hanging onto my stole.

Now the knitting is done, and I just need to buy buttons and put ribbon in the cap and find an 18 month old model to take pictures.  Any out there?

A Wedding Prayer

We had some friends get married yesterday.  It was a wonderful celebration.  One of the final things was a song that we always sing to the couple before they head off in the limo.   It's a lovely way to end a wedding.  It's the Sabbath Prayer with a few changes from the play  Fiddler on the Roof .

  May the Lord protect and defend you.
May He always shield you from shame.
May you come to be
In Israel a shining name.

May you be like Ruth and like Boaz
May you be deserving of praise.
Strengthen them, Oh Lord,
And keep them from the strangers' ways.

May God bless you and grant you long lives.
(May the Lord fulfill our Sabbath prayer for you.)
May God make you good husband and wife.
(Many children, builders of the family name.)

May the Lord protect and defend you.
May the Lord preserve you from pain.
Favor them, Oh Lord, with happiness and peace.
Oh, hear our Sabbath prayer. Amen.

It's a great prayer for newlyweds.

We do want them to be kept from the strangers ways.  We want them to be protected and kept by the Lord.  And have happiness and peace.

Amen.

Kathy's Other Quilt

This is a quilt I really like. It has a sweet vintage look. Actually I think it's shabby chic.    I like her combination of fabrics and colors.  I may just try a crib size myself, although it scares me to think I might not get the same look.   Putting fabrics  together can be a bit tricky.

I'm trying different ways to photograph this quilt.  It is a king size and it's hard to do ones that large.

I did flowery hearts and just twirled around.  It was freehand but I got a form so that I did the same thing over and over - kind of like a pantograph would be.

My Studio

While blogging around I get to peak at so many quilting studios that you have in your homes, so here is mine.

I'll start with my long arm machine.  It is located in our store.  It's nice for customers to see it and what's going on with it.

In the same room, on the other side is my alternate sewing machine and a serger that I use once in a while.  They are actually my daughters' machines and is where they do all their seamstress work.

Now we have to walk across the driveway into the house to see where I do the rest of my sewing and handwork.

My sewing machine sits on a table that is a multi-purpose table in a multi-purpose room.  It is actually my dining room, family room etc.  When my machine is set up, I do take it down everyday at 4:00 to get ready for dinner.  It's also used for games or just for sitting around and talking.

I've thought that I wanted a room all my own, but I do really like sewing in the heart of the family. Often I have others over to help them with their sewing and their children can play right there next to us, or just outside where it's easy to watch them.  Even if a room became empty upstairs I think I would keep my sewing here.  The table is also quite long, as I have a large family, so it is easy to work on.

One of the things I wouldn't mind changing is my design wall.  I haven't come up with a solution for it.  I do like pictures hanging on my wall, not quilts I'm trying to figure out.

This is a photo of some of my storage areas. I do have more as they are in several places.  I keep buying more yarn, fabric and books.  They all have separate places.

At the end of the day, when the sewing is put away, I relax with my knitting.  Lately it's been warm in the late afternoon and I've been out on the porch enjoying the sun, and Sunday I even sat in the livingroom enjoying a great football game, but normally I'll be in my chair in the family room.

Have a great day!

Sea and Shells Stole

It's finished, blocked and I've even used it a little.  And I'm ready to do another lace project.  It is quite fun and challenging.

Maybe next  time I'll try some beading with it.

 

This is a free pattern that I found through  Ravelry here. It takes a lace weight yarn and the one I chose is wool with some silk in it.  It's very soft.  The stole is a  little narrower  than I was thinking but still works fine.  Enjoy.

Kathy's Quilt

This is one of 2 quilts that Kathy gave me to quilt.  It is an older quilt that was tied and she decided to take the ties of and quilt it.  It is lovely vintage fabrics.

 

The backside is a lovely fabric also.

How I Make Baby Blankets

I cut my fabrics with rounded corners. One is a minky (or as Fabric Depot says, formerly minky), the other I call a slinky.

I also cut satin for a binding.  Babies do like satin edges.

I serge the satin because it is a great raveler.

I sew it to the right side of the slinky.  I put 4 pleats in the corners.

I baste all the sides of the minky because it has a great tendency to stretch.  This way I can ease it into it's spot.

I pin the minky and slinky right sides together.  It's good to use lots of pins.

I then sew them using my walking foot, easing as I go.  I leave an opening of a few inches for turning.

I turn the blanket right side out and check for tucks that take a little repairing.  They do come. When all looks good, I hand sew the seams together.

I press it on all sides and then do a top stitch (again with my walking foot)  around the whole blanket.

Now I have 4 beautiful blankets ready to keep babies soft and warm.

I've had problems in the past making these, and I'm thankful for all the help I've gotten off the web.  The internet can be a great service in helping us improve the things we do.