Final Post

Dear Blogging Friends,
I’m starting the New Year by moving my blog to a different location.  I have found a different platform which allows me to post from my Ipad.  I think this will save time and hopefully encourage me to post a little more often.  I hope you will find me at this new location pickinstitchin.wordpress.com
and read my first entry about some scrap reduction in my sewing room.
Judy

October Musings

     October has been a busy month, but probably my favorite month of the year.  I love the colors, the temperatures and decorating my house with Halloween stuff.  First, let me share some of the colors of Missouri.  The trees have been spectacular this year, hitting their prime the last week of the month, a little later than usual.

Our historic village is the perfect backdrop for October photos.  

     A couple of day trips within the state gave me some more fall photos.  

One to the winemaking capital of Missouri, Hermann, a community settled by German immigrants in the 19th century.  

And one to the winery at Rocheport on the Missouri River for my birthday dinner.  

     I have been doing some sewing.  A neighbor asked me to make her granddaughter a quilt for her Christmas present.  That is what 9 y/o Briley had requested.  How can you say no to that?  I really have never wanted to do commission quilts.  I think it is very hard to communicate what you envision to someone who does not sew or make quilts.  My mind thinks in block designs and most non-quilters think in color, I believe.  I pulled several color collections from my stash and had Briley come over to the house.  She chose this blue and yellow combination in a churn dash patterned quilt.  The problem is the completed quilt she was looking at had a yellow background with floral churn dashes, Liberty of London florals.  This quilt will look nothing like that quilt, so I hope Grandma and Briley will like it for its own sake.  

     I forgot to post anything about my Early Works Mercantilehttp://earlywork-oldtrailprimitives.blogspot.com offerings on the 15th, so will show pics of those, as well. 

Black Cat Hanging Pocket

Primitive Candy Corn bowl fillers

Black Crow Pin Keep 

That's about all of the sewing I've accomplished since my last post.  There was a guild quilt show in October, though.  Maybe next time!

Judy

A Finished Top

     The Churn Dash Checkers top is completed.

I tried it with both the straight set and the diagonal set, but chose the diagonal after all.  I would have needed more churn dash blocks and fewer chain blocks, so in the end it seemed easier to go with the pattern directions.  I did change the border treatment a little.  I had this wonderful print (Sturbridge Village) that worked so well with the background and the black chain piecing, so skipped the patchwork border.  

I have pulled this fabric out of the CW stack many times, thinking to use it.  So glad it was still there for this quilt!  

     Now to move on to making projects for my October 15th update to Early Works Mercantile.  It will feature Autumn and Halloween items as I'm not ready to move on to Christmas yet.  

     On the Rughooking front, I'm trying to get this class project finished as I have a Halloween project I want to work on next.  

     So not only will I keep on stitchin, but will be pulling loops as well.

Judy

Churn Dash Checkers

I've been back in the sewing room this week.  This comes from one of the classes I took at Quilt Camp in May.  It was taught by Quilter Extraordinare, Klonda Lightfoot.  She teaches at camp every year and always has an interesting quilt to tackle.  This was my first year as a student after 5 years as the Mystery Quilt teacher, so was anxious to take one of her classes.  This pattern was in a Quiltmaker magazine and named Churn Dash Checkers.  I do love me a Churn Dash block, so knew I would enjoy making it.  

I have all of the Churn Dash blocks done and about 6 of the chain blocks.  I need 36 of them.

They are pretty simple.  You strip piece the little 4 patches, then put the 9 patch together.

I have two new gadgets to help with the four patch units.  This little homemade thread cutter makes cutting the chain pieced units apart much faster......

And then my new wool pressing pad makes pressing them go faster.  My friend Julie brought me this piece of wool felt from a recent trip, from the country of Latvia.  Apparently, embroidered felt decorations and clothing is one of their traditional crafts.  She found a shop featuring felted wool, thinking she was bringing me something for my wool applique.  She was probably surprised when I pounced on it as a pressing mat.  I have been reading about them and wanted to try one, but they are pretty pricey.  But, after pressing 120 of these little 4 patches, I can tell you that they are definitely worth it.  

     Now back to the sewing room to begin putting this top together.  The directions place the blocks in a diagonal set, but I want to try it with a straight set too.  I  like Churn Dash blocks better in a straight set and think I would like a diagonal chain effect better than the horizontal/vertical chain.  Any opinions on this question?  

Judy

Early Works Update

   I just posted my September 15th update to the Early Works Mercantile site http://earlywork-oldtrailprimitives.blogspot.com, but have a fun picture to share with my blog readers.

Yes, Tallullah will be sorry to see anyone buy ScaredyKat.  She especially loves his feet, although she is also a little frightened of them.  It's hilarious to watch.  

Here is the picture that made the cut for the website.  

And here is the "Spells" notebook, that was carried over from the August update.  

And a better picture of the table runner.  I actually made this a couple of years ago as a bolster pillow, but didn't use it much.  ( My husband doesn't like decorative pillows on the bed.)  So, I took it apart, quilted it and I think I will use it as a table runner if it doesn't sell.  I find that is the best plan with a selling site like Early Works, make things you like and would use in your house anyway.  

     In another piece of news, my grandson brought me a treasure from the trash at his workplace.  It is a bag stitcher from a seed processing plant.  Isn't it cool?  I had him carry it to the sewing room for me, but now will have to bribe him with a steak to have it moved to where I will eventually

display it.  It must weigh 50#.  He said it was mounted on the side of its working location and I originally thought I would do that too (when I first saw a picture).  I don't have anything in my house heavy enough to hold it mounted sideways.  

My understanding is it had a separate motor and pulley system and that upper projection on the right held an oil bottle.  As he said, it was too much history to throw in the trash.  His dad thinks it probably dates to the 1940's.  

   That's all my news for today.

    Keep on stitchin'

Judy

I'm Baaaaack!

It’s been awhile since I've written a post. It’s not that I haven’t thought of it. I just didn’t think I had anything interesting to write. I had a knee replacement in March. No one wanted to hear me whine about that. Then April was spent going back and forth to physical therapy, a 20 mile trip both ways. It seemed I had no energy for anything else after that. See, I did get to whine. I can’t tell you where the other months have gone, but here I am in September, finally beginning to feel like sewing and talking about it.

My Smith Mountain Morning is finally done! I declared it as my main UFO for my guild challenge so that gave me the push to get it done. Following are some progress photos.

I didn’t use the tri-Rec ruler as instructed in the pattern. I had lots of HSTs left from the star blocks so wanted to use them and besides, I’m lazy and don’t enjoy making those tri-rec points.

In progress.

Putting rows together and singing Hallelujah.

Chevron Quilt

Our Guild supports a local charity which is a facility for abused and neglected children. They have a need for twin sized quilts, especially extra long ones for teenage boys. I made this top last year, also pieced a backing and made a scrappy binding, but never got it quilted. Carrie, one of my team partners, is a long arm Quilter, so she quilted it and I bound it. Bingo, our charity quilt done, my TBQ (to be quilted) stack lowered, and a tall teenager will have a quilt to take with him when he goes to foster care or an improved home situation. So, that’s what I’ve been up to in the sewing room. 

I did get a lot of rug hooking done while taking care of my knee, but will save that for another post.Judy

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Snow Day 2018

    The first snow day of the year!  Only about 2 inches, but enough to drift a little and make the roads ickky.

I cancelled an appointment this morning and a meeting was cancelled this afternoon, so I get to stay home and putter, also sew and hook.  But first, the dreaded laundry.  (No pictures of that.  Who would  want to see it?)

     Today was my day to update my Early Work Mercantile site, so I posted it last night and went to bed.  Here is the link to mine, but be sure to look at as many as you have time for.  There are some wonderful primitives.  hhttp://earlywork-oldtrailprimitives.blogspot.comttp://earlywork-oldtrailprimitives.blogspot.com//  He

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   Here are some pictures from my page.

Linen hearts made from an old dresser scarf.

A Cardinal pillow

Hooked hearts.

Aviary, the Keeper of the Backyard Birds
(She is already sold)

The computer is not cooperating with me today as you can see by the strange formatting, so I will just stop and say

Keep Warm,

Judy

work-oldtrailprimitives.blogspot.com     

Happy New Year 2018

     A belated Happy New Year!  The decorations are back in their plastic bins, the house is decorated in evergreens and blue and I am itching to be in my sewing room.  It seems, though, that I keep getting distracted by organizing something.  Yesterday, I thought I would get my quilting UFO list together.  There were some tops to be quilted, a Bonnie Hunter (Smith Mountain Morning) left from the retreat with her 3-4 years ago, and some BOM's partially done.  And then this.....

My term for them is PNS, Projects Never Started.  

Layer Cakes, Charm Packs, Jelly Rolls, Fat Quarters!  Most with companion fabric to put them together.  Some have notes with them.  Most of them?  I have no idea what I intended.  This has to stop!  I equalized my Fabric Used with Fabric Purchased this year, but these baskets didn't see any action.  With you as my witnesses today, I vow this will change.  

On to more positive things, I did finish the Red Cross quilt and it is now in a place of honor on the back of the couch.  Its really too big for napping, but I'm enjoying the color in the room since the Christmas decorating has gone into storage.  Mr. Zeke had to check it out before I folded it and I think he approves. 

Isn't he handsome?  

    What's happening in the Wool Room?  I bought some wool last week from the Cushing Etsy Shop, FQ bundles for a good price.  I decided to start hooking a small sample with any new wool. It is helpful when choosing wool for a project.  

I am always amazed by how the hooking changes the appearance of the wool. 

Since they are only FQ's, I also noted when and where purchased.  It might not be still available if I need it later, but it's possible.  

    Other news from the wool room;  my update for the Early Works Mercantile website is due on January 15, so busy with those things.  I'm hooking some wool hearts, there will be a Cardinal flying into the wool room,  and maybe another doll will be born.

Stay warm,
Judy

Gingerbread House

    I burned the midnight (actually 11pm oil) on Friday night finishing this as a Christmas gift for my youngest daughter.  We had our family Christmas on the Saturday of Christmas week-end.  I'm glad we did, because of the snow we received on Christmas Eve morning.

Gingerbread House Pillow

     This was a free pattern in the November/December issue of Rug Hooking magazine by Sharon A. Smith.  I love her designs and to have a free one to use was too good to pass up.  A 15 cent enlargement and a little tracing and I was ready to go.  The brown wool was from my walnut hull dyeing last month.

From this.....

To this..... one fine November afternoon.  

(We won't mention the terrible smell in the kitchen while I boiled the walnut hulls.) 

  

The gumdrops are hooked with sari silk from the workshop with said Sharon A. Smith a couple of years ago.  The yellow in the lollipop is also from some of my wool dyeing episodes.  

     This was really fun to hook and small enough to finish in a week.  I love to work on seasonal things, no matter which season it is.  I already have my big Christmas project for next year and I have a bunny design to hook in the spring.  I recently joined the Pattern of the Month Club with Deanne Fitzpatrick and the first pattern was roses.  I'm thinking that will be a good February project.  

   Those of you who have followed my blog for quilting conversations are probably wondering if I have given it up.  Do not despair, we will still be quilting in this house for some time to come.  (You don't want to see my quilting stash).  I am not a fan of television, so rug hooking and wool applique fill my evenings while my husband watches sports and news.  One of us has to stay in the great room to let the cat in and out, so he watches TV in the den while I hook in the great room.  It works for us.  I sew most afternoons in my sewing room, so that's when the quilting activities take place.  

     So quilters, don't give up on me, I plan to 

Keep on Stitchin',

     Judy

Post-Christmas Musings

     We had a lovely Christmas at the pickinstitchin household!  Family gatherings, good food, an unending Uno game with the grandsons, a beautiful candlelight Christmas Eve service and SNOW!  Yes, we had a little snow on Christmas Eve.  Just enough to cover the ground, but not enough to restrict travel to family activities and church services.

Here it is, falling softly on the deck, just before sunrise.

This is one of our recent sunrises, but not the snowy one.  Still beautiful.  Is it my imagination, or are the sunrises and sunsets more spectacular in the winter?

In addition to all of the Christmas preparations, my Early Work Mercantile update was posted on December 15th.  On Saturday, December 16th, we had lots of family here to attend our local theatre's production of A Christmas Carol and I was getting emails about purchasing the items from that post.  My previous updates had pretty lukewarm sales, but this one sold out in the first day!  So exciting!  Here they are.

Feather Tree Stocking went to New York state to live.    

This cute little doll quilt from CW fabrics went to Katy, Texas.

Hooked wool Snowmen.  I actually hooked 4 of these, but gave 2 to my oldest daughter for Christmas.  These went to El Paso TX, so will add some winter cheer to a warmer climate.  

Santa doll.  He went to live in Rome, NY.  

Frosty.  This was sewn from a white wool and came with a red scarf and a blue scarf.  He has a little pocket on the back to tuck a personal note or a small gift.  

Here is his cute face.  I actually sold two of these.  The extra one added some stress to my week before Christmas, but went to a really sweet lady in Texas, so it was worth it.  She also bought the  doll quilt, would love to see how she is using them.  

     My mind is spinning now about what to make for the January update.  I have seen some other snowman ideas, but also want to do something with hearts for Valentine's Day. 

Quilting

     This week, though, will be about finishing up the year with a flourish.  I am within a few yards of equalizing my fabric stash-in and stash-out numbers.  I would like to see it done, for once.  I usually buy more than I use.  Not a good situation for someone in my age group.  My children will not thank me for that.  I finished this quilt top a couple of weeks ago. 

 It had been languishing in the UFO pile for about three years, so it was time to bring it to the finishing stage.  It is a pattern by Homestead Hearth called Red Cross, so has some significance for me as a retired RN also.  I plan to start the quilting on it this week.  I've been thinking about the quilting (this is always my biggest decision of the entire process).  I grabbed this quilt for my Christmas Day nap and have decided I will use this design. 

It was an easy and fun design to do, so will be a good choice for the week.  No stress!

It shows up a little better with this picture.  

     I'll be back after I finish it and give a recap.  Meanwhile, I'll 

Keep on Stitchin.'

     Judy