Thursday, October 30, 2014

Progress Abounds

 Our Loofah is blooming and
 fruiting!  These are ready to peel and dry out for use!  Cool, huh?
 Bill has brought in his big trailer and is loading it up for the big yard sale on Saturday!  Wait until you see how full this trailer will be....
 I finished the Georgia Clay socks!  This was Knitpicks Hawthorne yarn in Sunnyside colorway.
I put a little zig-zag up the leg.  I have something else besides socks on the needles now-

a shawl for Marsel from her sale yarn!   It is moving quickly, I will add lace to the border when I get about 2/3 done with the skein.  We will see how it works out with this shiny, boucle yarn!
 I have also been busy in the sewing room.   I loaded the belated birthday table runner on the frame.
 I used this for a pantograph and got it done in an hour.
 Then I cut out the backing and batting for this little quilt.  If you have never tried this method for cutting your backing and batting, I suggest you give it a try.   You just fold the quilt top in half and in half-neatly and evenly, fold your backing the same way and just layer it under the top with the long fold on the same side-in this case all folds are on the left.  Lay the batting under the top two layers and trim it to match the backing.  I always cut the backing and batting several inches larger on both top and bottom areas.
 This method of cutting out the layers works whether you are putting the quilt on a frame or pin basting it next for domestic machine quilting.  It is accurate and not a misery every time!
 When I have slivers of batting, I use it to give all my machines a dusting and then last, I wipe my quilting machine rails to get the crud out of there!  Good job done!
 I have another quilt from Millie!  See, I really use this folding method for every quilt I do.  Floor time is not easy for me any more so I can do most of this folding in the air and only spend a few minutes cutting on the floor!  Phew!
 I will load Millie's quilt on after I get this one done!   I am on a roll.   It feels good to get these small quilts done and off the shelf!  I hope to have this done tomorrow...
 I tried a free pattern for this little hat.   I normally shy away from chunky yarn-this is why.
 It is cute, yes, but I do not like thick yarn.  I didn't like knitting it, I don't like the big needles, and I am not thrilled with the results.
But-I have enough yarn to make another one and I am going to do it-then the skein will be gone and so will this project!

4 comments:

  1. Brilliant tip for the batting. I am definitely giving that a try. I hate crawling about on the floor with the cutters trying to get it even.
    Love the socks and I hear you about the thick yarn and big needles-no fun and hard on the hands and shoulders.

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  2. Ohh, I am excited to see my beautiful yarn transformed into a beautiful shawl!!

    How nice to get quilts cranking off the frame -- very satisfying!

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  3. Oh my, so much going on! Great projects finished and in progress!

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  4. thanks for the tip with the wadding - esp. as I don't have all that much (dog) free floor space to use! and I see the balloon head is making the rounds:) I don't like chunky yarns/needles either - I feel that it is much harder on wrists and shoulders and I always feel like knitting with broomsticks:(

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