TRIMMING

I trimmed the motifs apart for the SteamPunk quilt blocks.  I could use plain fabric between the blocks or I could buy some coordinating fabric from this line.  I will think about it for a while.

I did dig right in to putting the grey triangles onto two opposite corners of the charm pieces to start off the Mini Petals quilt.

And the hard part for the panel has been done--

trimming it to the right dimensions 

so that you can surround it with blocks that will fit!

  In this case, it is 42 1/2" by 24 1/2 " because both numbers can be divided by 2, 3, 4 and 6 to give me

 a good variety of block choices!  

 

ALL FLORIDA SHOP HOP DAY #1

We had a beautiful day to drive to start our Shop Hop yesterday, we visited 5 shops and traveled 171 miles!

This year, you collect a printed block for each shop you visit.  These will be added to a quilt we will make to commemerate the Hop with fabric just released for the event.

This was my haul for the day-FQ's, charm packs, backing fabric, a couple of panels (the brown one in the back is a Steam  Punk one--a weakness for me!) and a new Accuquilt die!

We (Mary and I) had a wonderful day

 and look forward to Day #2 in a week or so!

  (when we recover! lol)

 

TWO FINISHES AND A FELINE!

I had a little hiccup with the newest block;  I was enjoying it so much because it had a great rhythm but when I looked at the picture, mine didn't look the same!  I looked more closely at the return row and it alternted every 8 rows and I hadn't done that!!!!  Lena helped me rip out ( and tangle up) the block.

I had it reknit in no time!  It was a very enjoyable block!

 Only one more block to knit and I will begin

 to knit them together into a lap-sized afghan.

And Presto Change-O is sewn into a top!  There were a lot of seams to line up but slow and steady gave me the results I wanted to reach today and this was a big one on the list!

Today--I am going Shop Hopping with friend, Mary!  

 

SAFELY DELIVERED!

My package of love made it safely to my new grand-nephew!  He was a big guy and so I don't think the sweater and hat will fit long but they were there in time for the extra foot of snow that just fell!  It's heartwarming to see our stitches

-both quilts and knits- being used!

 

A HIKE

It's fun to explore what is close to home-this trail has several banks and gullies where the sand erodes from around tree roots and expose some of the beauty that was under the ground.  These trunks are all connected-it was fascinating to follow the ways the touch!

This are is about 15' across with all of these 'straws' hanging down-

...which belongs to this 40' cabbage palm tree!

The width of this trunk-under the ground' would never be noticed until it is exposed!

I loved the way this trunk has a 5' hollow area!  Wouldn't it be fun to fill it with fairies and their houses!

And back at my house, the ground orchid is just covered with flower clusters since we had 1" of rain twice this last week!  The sunshine and rain has greened up the whole lawn--it is beautiful again!
 

TUMBLING TUESDAY

Another batch done from the tumbler!  

Some pink and yellow jasper , quartz, epidote and unakite.

These four in the front are my favorites this batch-epidote, pink jasper, unakite and red striped jasper.

We had a campfire last night-a perfect night for it-no wind and a bit chillier than it has been!

This is what I will work on today at quilting group!

 

AN IDEA

I've had this linen placemat for ages--loved the colors 

but never did anything with it-until the other day!

I decided to turn it into a pressing pad / carrying case for the new little portable iron! I layered two pieces of batting topped with some teflon heat 'resistant material.  I tucked all three layers under the hem on the back of the placemat which I had unstitched first.  I then added some stitching in the areas I wanted to fold it and to hold the layers together, too.

I sewed 1/2 of a pony elastic on one side and on the other side I placed the elastic through a large button to keep this area folded in...

...and added a separating zipper to the other two sides. 

It is easy to open it up for pressing or fold it up for transporting!

Doesn't that look neat and practical, too?! 

 The definition of perfection in my world!

AT THE FRAME

I finally stopped whining and vascillating on what quilt design 

I should use, I just did it!

I chose a feather panto which I am calling seaweed 

to go with the clamshells! lol

I promptly loaded up one of the Quilts of Valor tops;  it is considerably larger than my usual lap size! 

Being a generous twin size, it maxes out my frame!

I am using a simple star and banner pattern for this one! 

 A good day in the studio!

 

TWO BIG FINISHES!

Last night I finished binding off on block #10-only two more to go and I will be stitching them all together for a lap robe! (I know it is wobbly-it is unblocked but once sewn in with its mates,

it  will be flat!)

The  little pops of cables against the background of purl and slippedd stitches was a new combination of stitches for me to learn.  It is certainly texture rich!

 And I finished the two sets of stairs-here is the view from the top down!  I like the view from the bottom up-

--the contrast turned out just the way I had hoped!  Being a loyal mom, I used Behr Paint because my son is a Sales Rep for them!  It's easy to pick up right at Home Depot!

And today-----I am home!  Look out studio, here I come!

STEPPING UP!

I'm ten days late to the start of the Shop Hop but I will be making up for it over the next few weeks!  There are at least a dozen shops that are within a reasonable drive (1 1/2 hours) to snag the shop 'Patch' and enjoy the extras each shop works at providing!  

I started this yesterday and will finish the second coat on the grey treads today--oh, yeah, there is a second set of stairs just like this one!  Twice the fun!  I wore knee pads-a real life saver because you do't get to stand up the whole time you are painting!

I picked up this block to finish it-I have another repeat before I will be adding it to the finished pile!

And I am adding a few blocks a day to the cotton granny square tote project; it is slow going but pleasurable just the same. 

I don't have a Friday Feline picture but let me tell you a story;

about 4am I was awakened by a strange cat meow and having said cat run over my body while I was sound asleep was a rather rude awakening!  I jumped up and chased it out of my room and met Bill in the middle of the house as he had chased it and lost it in the dark!  We turned on lights and chased it outside!  This same cat did this several months ago (Bill hosed it and we hadn't seen it again) and it is upsetting to all of us (Bill, me and the 3 girls)!!!  Bill has locked the cat doors for the night and hopefully, that will keep him from his nighttime visits.  The worst part of his visits.....he is an unneutered male and he sprays-there is no smell quite like it unless you compare him to a skunk!

So needless to say, being awakened with an adrenaline surge and trying to ignore the house stinking...it was hard to get back to sleep! 

 

GUAVA SOCKS!

A pair of socks made with Premier Fruits yarn on #1 needles!

This is an acrylic yarn that feels more like a cotton/wool blend than acrylic.  Nicely saturated colors and a good knit.

BLOCKS AND BLOCKS!

I sewed each block  and have them on the design wall waiting for some time to adjust them before they are sewn in place.  Quilting group was a good time with each of us making some marked progress!

When I was home, I finished knitting the last few squares on the blanket-the most recent rows were the right sided (19) blocks and the top edge (13).  I have plenty more yarn so I will be adding another row to the side and the top so it is 14 x 20 blocks before I quit knitting on it for a while again!  It is a very enjoyable knitting project!
 

ROCK TUMBLING TUESDAY

These are shaping up nicely!  Pretty exciting to wash them off and see what changes have taken place since last week!  It is hard not to peek too soon, either!

After washes off the dirt and grit from the last week's tubling, I add the next weeks' grit and mark each barrel.  The one on the left is getting polish--the last weekk for this one!  The one on the right is getting week 3 grit-it has two more weeks to tumble.

Both get loaded back on and will tumble until next week's bathing ritual again.  I have been taking a course on minerals on YouTube and am really getting a handle on this finally!  It is very interesting!!!

Oh, yeah, and just to prove I still work with yarn, too, here is a hat for my son-in-law who loves both the Buffalo Bills....

and SU (Syracuse, NY)!!!

 

BITTEN!

I painted the background for this shark teeth art a few days ago;  today I played with filling in an outline of a shark with teeth!

The plaque is 14" long but for some reason the angle of the photo has foreshortened it!  

I added a step this time-I used a piece of contact paper laid over the silhouettee I had drawn and then I could retain the placement of the teeth when I use the resin this time,

 I won't have to start over again!

I spent a lot of time doing this --sock yarn blanket knitting; 

 I just haven't had any oomph to stand at the quilting frame!  

 

SEW, CUT, SEW!

All of the four patches are sewn, now I need to cut them apart and sew them back together again!

I should be doing a lot of this today!

Unless I find the stamina to stand in front of the quilting frame!

 

AMARYLIS

They are up and blooming all over the yard!  

What beautiful flowers!