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.