A Giveaway Worth Looking Into

This is a really great case and would make any "girl" of any age happy to receive.  I'd love to have it and it would inpire me to redo a few I have in my closets.  Go to this blog to enter
http://rebecca-gatheryeroses.blogspot.com/2011/10/vintage-train-gathering-case-giveaway.html

A New Needle in the Sewing Studio

I have had my sewing machine a Viking D1 (Grace)  for 11 years and must say it has served me very well and actually still does.  It is not broke, it is not worn out, it is not unworking, it is in fact still a very good and wonderful machine and it will be the one I still put in may car for those quilting weekends and times when I sew away from the house.  BUT, it is "out of date" in the world of software and tech world.  It uses those wonderful square plastic disks we all thought were a wonderful step up in the computer world.  I do have an external drive that will still read them, but let's be truthful here and just say it is not really user friendly.  SO, a new sewing machine has come to to live with me a Viking Diamond deLuxe   www.husqvarnaviking.com with new software and a thumb drive and a cord to directly connect to the machine from the computer.  It is now set up and it sews like melted butter...we do get used to our machines and know them so well that we overlook small issues.  My Grace could float stitches - happens with age.  The DD is rock steady and so smooth it sings a new song.  I have not named the DD yet, that will take some time to get to know her.
I will use my new DD to quilt the "cat quilt" that I am doing for a cat rescue group to action in December.  Pics later.
My new DD will bring me hours/weeks/years of sewing time.  Thank you LORD for my blessings.

Socks Off The Needles

The joy of knitting socks is to finish them and wear them.  These meet all the usual great things about hand knit socks -- They fit perfect.  The whole reason I decided  to even to learn to knit was to make socks.  I have small feet and bought socks just do not fit well.  The toes are too long or the heel does not hit the heel and creeps up the leg.  One day I called a local knit shop and asked for sock lessons.  I had learned to knit off he internet, so I could knit and purl and understood tension issues and had a good hand at knit and purl.  The woman indicated it would take several lessons and over 6 weeks to complete the next class sessions.  I thought not and said I wanted private lessons and hour a day for the next 5 days to learn to knit socks. She was not open at first, but I prevailed with my promise to not hold her accountable if I failed at learning to knit socks that quickly.  She reminded me I would have to knit a lot at home each evening to complete the sections.  I was so excited and showed up the next day.  I purchased, double pointed needles, sock yarn and paid for the class and got my pattern.  We were off and running.  I took to the double points like a duck to water and it loved it.  Got the ribbing done and returned the next day.  Got the leg done (oh my I knitted all night!) and returned the next day.  Got the heel turned and started the gusset and returned the next day (oh my I knitted all night!) and returned the next day.  Got the foot started/decreased for the toes (oh my I knitted all night!) and returned the next day.  Got the kitchner stitches done...5 days and one sock done!  I left with confidence and a new passion for knitting socks.  Those first pair are still in service and many pairs later I am happy to report I still love the pleasure of sock knitting.   Thus the latest pair shown here.  I highly recommend knitting overall and sock knitting for sure.

Animals in the Nursery

This fun quilt was the fast and easy way to make a happy nursery addition.  This panel I cut off the border it had and added borders that were more to the nursery colors.  To add interest I put chenille on many of the animals so baby can feel them with fingers.  The quilting was stars done by the product that is designed for borders.  Paper printed design with sticky to keep from moving.  It really made getting the quilt done in a couple of evenings work perfect for that quick project.  The parents were thrilled and in awe it was made for them.  I am always surprised how something so simple for me to complete is so appreciated.  Quilting brings me great joy and it's great to see others receiving joy too.  Babies are certainly a blessing.

Sailing into Slumber the Baby Way

Baby boy quilt for a coworker led me into uncharted waters.  The mother told me it was a nautical theme baby suite.  I begin to stash dive and found in the treasure trove of material a fun light houses and sail boat material in blue with border of boats at the bottom.  I knew it was the beginning of the journey across waters unknown.  I then dived into my pattern trove and lo and behold there was a sailboat paper piece pattern from who knows when-- let alone for what.  It was perfect.  I wanted a dream like state of the boat as if when falling into slumber one could imagine great adventures into the world.  The cloud like background I chose let the boat "float" as if ready to sail away in ones imagination.  It all seemed to work and the baby room was also going to be blue and brown, so the border was a no brainer with brown tying in the colors.  This quilt turned out so much better than I had even imagined and it was exactly a little boys entry into dreams of the high seas.  The mother and dad loved it and those at the baby shower were excited about seeing another of my quilts.  I love the freedom quilting gives in creating something unique and useful.  I can only hope this quilt will be loved to shreds.

DIY WITH BEST FRIEND GETS TABLE REFURBISHED

My best friend and her  doxies came to spend the week.  It is always the best when we are together and the laughter, food, wine, beer, playing angry birds, playing Words w/Friends, shopping oh yes the shopping then the ultimate is our DIY projects.  We have torn out, redone, painted, tiled, sewed, put in lights, ripped out and put in counter tops, a bit of plumbing and well, if it was a project, we went for it.  This was the situation of my breakfast table.  A purchase of the 80s it had tile top that was so needing to be retiled; thus our project was born.  One week and a plan was in the works.  Now I did have to work so she and my dear husband started to put my project into action.  First day I return from work to see destruction of the tiles well under way and I dived in with my whole heart.  It was do much fun to smash and destroy.  A couple of trips later to Lowe's and Home Depot we got a putty knife that got us to the finish line of getting all the tile out of there!! It was ready.  We had no idea how hard the project to find tile would be, need I say we drove most of half a day only to learn anything we liked would have to be ordered, or the places we went did not sell except to the "trade".....So we finally ended up again at Lowe's to buy tile.  We found that the mesh glass for back splash worked so cutting tile would not be an issue, who knew they did not make 8" tiles anymore?  Live and learn.  Not a problem, the mesh backed small glass tiles worked great.  To refinish the table she and I have been intrigued by the Rustoleum product to refinish cabinets that takes no stripping.  WE LOVED the product and must say it did everything it was designed to do and more.  If you want to refinish cabinets I would most certainly say buy it and you will not be disappointed.  I have plenty left and plan to use it on my cabinets in the laundry room.  More about the shopping for decor later....we had so much fun shopping.

Baby Shapes to Sleep On

I loved doing this free style baby quilt.  The color for the nursery was gray and yellow with no theme.  I had no idea where I was going to start, but figured no one can go wrong with starting with heart, thus the heart shape.  Then I just went with shapes.  The final quilt was really fun as I added the chenille for texture to run little fingers in.  Squares to count, triangles to point and circles to flow...it was just a one day, get it done, don't think too much and go for it project.  Mom and shower guests loved it!

Baby Quilt "Go To" Pattern

This baby quilt was made with the magic 9 patch pattern from Quilters Dream in Colleyville, Texas.  www.quiltersdreamtx.com  This pattern is my "go to" for baby shower quick sew quilt and allows the perfect way to use the baby colors the mom has picked.  I can do this in one day if I start early.

Passing

Mary Grace McDonald Fisher
April 20, 1914-July 6, 2011

My Mom passed on July 6 after 97 wonderful years of life,  peacefully with me by her side.  My Mom taught me to sew, cut patterns, know great material from not so great, how to craft, stencil, etch glass, make crepe paper flowers, turn a pillow case into a sundress or curtains and a trillion other crafty things.  If it was a craft my Mom tried it or did it.  Mom crocheted all her life and the wonderful full table cloths, full and twin bed covers and yards and yards and yards of edging ( in my sewing stash) are the ultimate handmade items.  All these things will always remind me that no matter how hard Mom tried I still cannot crochet, knit I can do, crochet can't do.  But then no matter how much she tried to knit she never could.  We spent many hours, her with her hook and me with my knitting needles.  She is now with Dad and I know happy to be in heaven as she was a Godly woman.  Thanks Mom for the love and care and being the best Mom ever.

 I am off to Spokane, Washington tomorrow, July 13 to attend the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America national triennial gathering and vacation w/hubby.  I am so excited to be spending time with my Lutheran sisters from across the globe and my wonderful husband.  Fun,Fun.....www.womenoftheelca.org

Fireworks all round

Happy 4th of July and God Bless America!  I have had a really great long weekend working on Baltimore Quilt blocks, knit socks for my BFF, and actually cooked something in the slow cooker.  The block for the BA is not finished, but here is a pic of one that is done.

This laurel wreath has 3 dimensional flowers to set it off.  It was fun to make the flowers and learn a new flower to make.  More pics of additional blocks to come.  I love to applique because it is relaxing and creative.  The blocks are those many women have created before but each one has it's creator in it and they each speak separately while bonding many women together.  The women who first created them had no idea what they were sending down the ages.  Thanks to them, I can imagine their world just a little.  They were in the history of creating a new nation, I am in the history of keeping it alive.
Until the next stitch, keep the stitches alive and live well.

Happy Independence Day