I Also Hook Rugs

So I finally hemmed down the edges on a small mat I made last summer. It's been hanging out in my bedroom closet since then, just waiting to be finished. I originally made it to go over the doorway in the living room to the hall and here it is finally hemmed and hung:

In retrospect, I wish I had used a solid black for the roof on the house, I think it gets lost a little in the hill behind it. I really think I caught the feel of movement in the water though. All in all a nice little mat and it fits perfectly above the doorway.

I also finished hooking this hit or miss mat. It still needs the edges bound, but the hooking is finished. This is another one I started sometime ago and just finally got around to finishing. I want to buy some rubber rug backing and put this in front of my kitchen sink. It will finish up at about 18x24 inches, so a nice sized kitchen mat.

I've also been embroidering over the last few weeks since the last time I posted for finish it up Friday. I have 2 pieces of Palestinian cross stitch done. One is already sewn into an unfinished bag, I need to get something for handles next time I'm in JoAnn. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the other piece yet. Maybe a pocket on a skirt or top, or maybe I'll just slip it into a small frame and hang it.

 

A friend of mine was having a garage sale and she gave me some yarn. Most of it I passed on to my daughter, but I kept some 100%  wool yarn, and some brown acrylic. The acrylic became these fingerless mitts:

There's enough of this acrylic left to make a pair of mittens, too.

Last of all we had a gorgeous day yesterday, sunny and warm, with very low humidity. I took advantage of it to dye these two rovings. Each are 4 oz., and are a Corrie crossbred I  got on Paradise fibers. Due to not watching what I was doing, the red one is actually a dyeing experience that went horribly wrong but still resulted in a very pretty roving. 

Hopefully in the next week I can get a small sampler I'm working on finished, as well as a cabled hat I started yesterday and finish spinning some green yarn I'm almost finished with. I'm hooking up with Crazy Mom Quilts and Creative Goodness Linky Party. Happy Friday!

Taking Stock

Ok I haven't blogged in over a month, but it's not because I haven't been doing anything. I've actually been pretty busy and I have some finished things I'm going to post pictures of later on. In the meantime though, I took stock of my spinning fibers. I have 5 lbs of fiber that is ready to spin or to dye/spin, including some pretty variegated blue superwash merino and a green and gold silk/bfl blend with coppery highlights.

This doesn't include the project currently on the wheel, another project I'm spindle spinning or any of the uncombed fleece in the closet. Guess I'll be busy for awhile!

Finished Embroidery

I finished the Indian shisha embroidery. I didn't start making the bag I'm going to turn it into because I only have small scraps of black cotton, and I definitely want to use black. It turned out pretty nice I think.

I started another small embroidered piece yesterday afternoon. It is a Palestinian cross stitch design that I'm stitching on 14 count aida. I'm thinking it will become a little zipper change purse. There  are so many Palestinian cross stitch charts out there, I don't remember where I downloaded and printed the one I'm using. Sorry about the hoop marks, I took it out of the hoop for the picture and then didn't iron it or anything since I'm going to put it back in and continue working on it. I filled in one motif with yellow, the middle one will be green and the end one navy.

Linking up to finish it up Friday at Amanda Jeans Crazy Mom Quilts.

What I Did With a Thrifted Sheet, and WIP Wednesday

  I haven't posted lately for a couple of reasons. One was my mom had eye surgery and there has been a certain amount of time taking her back and forth from the hospital and Dr.s office.I have also been spending more time at her house, too. She needed eye drops and couldn't quite manage them alone.
  I've also been in a bit of a creative slump. I finally decided to make some napkins from an twin fitted sheet that I had been planning to use in a crocheted rug. Once I got the napkins done, I just started making other things. Turns out, there are quite a few useful items to be gotten from just 1 sheet. This first picture is the napkins:

I made 4 sachets next. I've ordered some lavender to fill them with. 

Then I made a storage bag:

I also made  two totes, one a little bigger than the other.

I've wanted to make some reusable sandwich bags for awhile, so I made two. I used these the other day and they work really well. I've had a couple requests to make them for my sister and daughter.

Last I made rice pack covers for my rice packs. When they start smelling too much like Tiger Balm I can switch them out.

I used a thrifted white sheet for all the linings except the baggies; I bought some ripstop nylon for those. All this stuff ended up costing me just under ten dollars. Not bad!

I also went through some older projects, and pulled this embroidery out. I started it a long time ago,  at least 7 or 8 years. It's so close to being finished, all that's left is the outside chain stitched frame, so I figured I would just go ahead and get it done. It will probably end up on a bag. I'm hoping to get it finished this afternoon. 

Spinning and Quilting

I started quilting the Amish 9 patch throw. I decided to use nylon thread because I wanted the thread to match all the colors used in the 9 patches. Nylon thread is not my favorite, and this is the first time I've used it on this machine. I really, really had to back off the tension, change my needle and take it pretty slow in order to keep the thread from breaking. It's coming along ok now. I used basting spray and basted it up on the wall. I think the floor is better, but I was trying to save my back.

I also started working on this BFL roving I got at Rhinebeck last October. This roving is so soft and delicious to work with. It will be a 2 ply, about sport weight and will knit up into something really yummy! I don't have anything in mind, but I'm sure I'll think of something. You really can't see in the picture, but there are some teal and copper highlights. 

All in all it's been a pretty productive week so far!

A Bit of Stash and Some Shawl Progress

I went in my local JoAnn yesterday to get some basting spray and I  saw this fabric. It was so cute I had to have some. Half a yard came home with me and it's going to become a tote bag, and maybe a new roll for my crochet hooks. I might have to go back and get more, it would look really nice covering a couple of cushions!

I've made some progress on the shawl I've been crocheting, too. I'm partially into my 3rd ball of yarn, and it's getting pretty big. I measured it this morning and it is about 44 inches wide and 22 inches long. I have 2 more balls of yarn after I finish with this one so I should be ok.

I'm going to baste the Amish throw I finished later today and then start quilting it tomorrow. The more I look at it the more I like it. I'm really anxious to get it quilted. 

Linking up to Kathy's Quilts Slow Sunday Stitching

Another Amish Inspired Quilt

I just finished this quilt top up this morning. It was inspired by an antique Amish crib quilt I saw on either on Flickr or Pinterest. I changed the size to make it more of a throw size; it's now about 58 x 63 inches before quilting. I also changed the colors a bit to take advantage of some solid scraps I already had, although I tried to keep the colors relatively close the the original. I bought some Kona in straw for the inner border and blocks, in taupe for the outer border and blocks and in indigo for the binding and blocks. It looks black in the pictured 9 patches, but it is indigo.

  It was a bit windy when I took the pictures. Here's a close up of the 9 patch center on my bed.

I think it will be machine quilted with a diamond grid across the blocks and into the inner border, and then fans or cables in the outer border. The original had a wide binding, so I'm going to go with that too.

Linking up to Confessions of a Fabric Addict Can I Get a Whoop Whoop and Richard and Tanya's Link a Finish Friday

Spring Cleaning

It's finally getting warm here! That's enough for a big HOORAY! I have been in spring cleaning mode for the last week (which mostly means organizing my sewing/crafting stuff) although I also did a few other chores. Monday it's going to be in the 70's and I'm going to clean all the bric-a-brac that accumulated in the mud room and on the deck. We live in a very tiny (1 bedroom) house, so really there isn't that much to do. I did get some sewing time in though. I made some cute storage bags to put stuff in, I'm going to use them for wip's I think. I used different things for the drawtrings since I didn't have any twill tape or matching ribbon. two of the bags have self fabric strings, one has selvages from the fabric used in the bag and the patchwork one has the narrow hem I cut off the thrifted sheet I used for lining them.  I braved the general wet mess of the back of the back yard to get pictures.

The warmer weather has got me thinking of pulling some roving out and getting it dyed and ready to be spun. I tend to do most of my sewing/quilting from October thru March, and then dye/spin/knit through most of the warmer months. I like doing it that way, there's a certain rhythm in following the seasons , and I feel a deeper connection to my maternal ancestors who did a lot of washing/dyeing/and spinning of fleeces in the summer. My 84 year old mom who grew up in rural Newfoundland remembers her mom and grandmother washing fleeces in the spring and then her grandmother spinning them through out the summer on her back porch. She had a walking wheel, and turned out enough yarn for both her and my grandmother to spend the winter months knitting gloves and hats and socks for the family. My grandmother would often dye the yarn and hang the skeins out to dry in the yard. I like to think that I'm carrying on that tradition. Does anyone else have traditions that seem to bring your past ancestors closer? If so, I'd love to hear about them.

Happy Saturday! I'm linking up to Confessions of a Fabric Addict Can I Get A Whoop Whoop

Sweet Little Things

I made a couple of sweet cottage-y looking storage bags yesterday. One was made from this little strawberry print I have had laying around for a long time. The top casing for the drawstring was made from a coordinating print, and I used the selvages from the strawberry print for the drawstrings.

I also made another one all in the same fabric. I picked up this print at the thrift store, thinking I would use it for the back of something. There was almost 2 1/2 yds of it. It makes a cute storage bag, and there's plenty left for other things. Both bags are lined with a thrifted white sheet.

This morning I made this little tea wallet. I used a tutorial from Is It Naptime Yet? The instruction were easy to follow, and although she says use ribbon for the button loop it's pretty clear from the pictures she used some of the outside fabric, which is what I did too. This took less than an hour to make, took very little fabric and makes a nice little gift if you need something quick. Add a nice teacup and an assortment of teabags and you have a great birthday or teachers gift.

Library Tote and Zipper Pouch

This week has been a bit of a slow one. I haven't gotten nearly as much done as I thought I would. I guess some weeks are just like that. I did however finally get this library tote made that had been on my list for a couple of weeks. As soon as my youngest daughter saw it she wanted it. I fussy cut the design a bit so I got the owls in the tree on one side and the tree with the small birds on the other. For the life of me I cannot remember the name of this fabric line. I had to skimp a bit on the rust print which is why the handles are a little shorter than I like.

I also made this little zipper pouch from fabrics that I got from a scrap pack I ordered from Hawthorne Threads. Birds seem to be a recurring theme!

Linking up to Can I Get a Whoop Whoop and Quokka Quilts. Happy Friday!

WIP Wednesday

I have a couple of things I've been working on the last couple of days. I've had the red and white strip quilt in my head for awhile now, so I worked on it a bit Monday and then for an hour yesterday. This will definitely end up as a throw sized. I've got  3 rows finished and strips cut for another 3. I'm assembling the strips in blocks that are trimmed to 6 1/2 inches by 9 1/2 inches, then sewing the blocks into rows that are 6 blocks wide. This picture only shows a bit of the quilt, but I think the idea of what I'm doing shows up pretty well.

I also started crocheting a half moon shawl. The pattern is on the Lion Brand website. This is the second shawl like this that I've made; the yarn is Chaco by Filatura Lanarota that my daughter gave me when I visited her last October. I have 5 balls of it, so there should be plenty to make this. It's 100% wool in a heavy worsted weight and is nice and soft, not itchy at all. 

And just because, here's a couple of pictures of the first shawl I made several years ago. I'm pretty sure this is Hobby Lobby's Icelandic yarn, which gives an idea of how old this shawl is. I've been boycotting Hobby Lobby for a couple of years now. I think I'm going to go a bit longer on the one I'm working on now.

A Finished Quilt

This quilt has been in my UFO's for about 5 years. I made the top, and then let it sit for awhile before I finally quilted it. I wanted to use the same fabric for the binding as I did for the inner border, but I didn't have enough, so it just kind of sat there for a couple of years. I finally took it to the fabric store and picked out a different green for the binding, and then let it sit again for another year before I finally put it on yesterday. I do like it, now it's finished. It's made with a mix of recycled vintage linens and some newer fabrics. I'm calling it Dreaming of Summer, because we had more snow again today, and it's so bright and sunny.

I also have a smaller finish. I finished another pillow for my mom, she liked the first one so much she asked for another.

I've been quilting a little here and there on my little applique quilt. I'm not rushing this, it's very relaxed. I usually quilt in the evening while watching tv. I really, really enjoy the process of hand quilting, this is the second largish quilt I've hand quilted. The first was an Amish inspired crib quilt I quilted many years ago. Hopefully I can work on this pretty consistently and hang it as part of my Christmas decorations this year!

Have a happy Friday everyone! Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict , Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework and Kathy's Quilts: Slow Sunday Stitching

Another Cushion For My Mom

I made another cushion for my mom, using the same fabrics as I used for the first one. I used a Dresden Plate for the second one because I thought it went well with the vintage feel of the blue prints. She really likes this one too. Here it is on her couch. I should have thought to take a picture of the two together. Oh well, maybe later.

I made this little appliqued quilt top a couple of years ago and started hand quilting it on Sunday evening. I'm outline quilting around the motifs, and then doing the back ground of the blocks in a grid. The borders will be quilted with a feather garland.

Linking up to Sherri at A Quilting Life Scrap Monday