Happy New Year 2012

Wow! It's been a long time since I last blogged. It's never a dull moment around here, and I always seem to be busy with my 2x/week yoga classes, my Tuesday morning stitch/knit group, my neighborhood book group, my once a month sampler group that has been meeting for over 25 years, and life. I've been stitching most every night and lately have been sewing the cording on various Christmas ornaments. Will find those photos and post them soon and round up my other stitching projects for you to see.

This is some of what I have been doing since May.

I am the Bandanna Chairwoman for the As Good As Gold Golden Retriever Rescue group here in northern Illinois. Last spring several gals and I made a bunch of bandannas. They are about 22" square. These are each given out for a $5 donation to the group. We cut them out of fun fabric, serge them on a serger to finish the edges, iron them and then get them to the people who man the "meet and greets" of which there are over 25 in the Chicago area. Since there is a large membership meeting at the end of January, we will be getting together soon—me and other volunteers—to sew more for the coming year.

In the summer our next door neighbors moved to a retirement area nearby so that they would have a house on only one level, and I made them a quilt. The pattern is "Turning Twenty" made with 20 fat quarters. Fast and fun but a great size.

For my niece Corey's bridal shower in July I made another Turning Twenty quilt.

 I actually began to like brown! 

Showing the backing fabric that I found at Wal Mart! The quilts in the background hanging on my design wall are Quilts of Valor that I need to quilt. They're still hanging there. 

My niece Corey got married in October. This is a Strip Twist quilt from Bonnie Hunter's web page Quiltville. Even though the blocks appear to be "on point" they are not. I asked Corey what color she likes, and she said "brown" so here it is. A zillion different fabrics. It is a king.

My quilt guild had a small quilt auction in October. I made this turkey quilt and it is about 24" x 24" as I recall. Love the tail feathers. It went for a decent amount of money.

I made this quilt below from neckties and men's shirts for the auction. One of my best friends who was a guest at the auction purchased it for over $100! It's lovely to know who has one's things. Notice the tie labels around the border. Used 24 different ties.

This tie quilt was also for the auction. I wondered how the bright colors would sell—not as much as the conservative one. I used black velveteen for the sashing strips, and all the other fabric was from silk ties from the Robert Talbot tie company in California. I had purchased various leftover tie fabric from their company store. Beautiful, beautiful fabrics. Needed a very dark black and cotton wasn't as dark. Used 36 different ties.

IN THE KITCHEN—Hung some of my smaller stitched pieces. Had them framed under glass to preserve them. The 2 Quaker pieces are from a company in France. The 2 black background pieces are from Carriage House Samplings as is my adaptation of the Needlewoman sign which I stitched on 18 count linen needlepoint canvas. I hooked the rooster rug years ago. The blackwork piece on the left is an adaptation of two bookmarks from a magazine published years ago. I added other designs like the whale and mermaids and also a lovely verse. It is one of my favorite pieces that I have finished.

XMAS—During the first week in December I hosted 3 holiday lunches. This encouraged me to put my decorations up early and to get the house in shape for guests. It was a great idea to have the parties 3 days in a row as all I had to do between parties was wash the dishes and table cloth. I had them catered which was nice as I hate to cook.

This is my tree. I keep it in my kitchen. I have made 98% of the stitched ornaments.

I set up my table with all 11 of my brass candlesticks—both antique and new.

Needed an easy, non-messy project for my sampler group Christmas party. These were fun to make using old buttons from my button jars. They are 2 pieces of felt glued together with a glue stick. I searched online for the design I wanted and resized the designs on my copy machine. The half pearls were from Michaels and already sticky on the back. On some we used different sized pearls. The buttons we stuck on with Zots used for scrapbooking. They are small circles of a sticky substance and work great. You stick the button to the zot and then stick the button with zot to the felt. No messy glue and everyone was able to finish her projects. 

I gave out the doves as favors for my yoga group party on Monday.

For the book group I decopauged (sp?) 12 clear plastic ornaments with pages from an old paperback version of Pride and Prejudice. Had to have a book worthy of the ornament! I first lightly sanded the balls and then pressed the pages to the mod podged (sp?) balls and painted mod podge over them. Later I sprinkled clear glitter over the surface of the balls. My friend Marcia made little tags for each ball, and I used a nice silver ribbon as the hanger. They were a bit of work, but I was happy at how they turned out. I made sure that each ball had the words "Pride and Prejudice" on it.

My 3 grand children—and we're expecting a little girl in March!

Yes, that's her pet rat, Pinky!

There never was a cheerleader in my family!

My 2 daughters and me in mid-October celebrating Katie's 40th birthday.

Have spent the last few days cleaning out my computer room, shredding documents, going through my stash of books, and figuring out how to get rid of more stuff from my house. I want to get rid of some of my sampler books and will put a list of those remaining in my collection in the next post. I am also clearing out about 40 quilting/quilt history books to be taken to my quilt guild rummage sale on Tuesday. The proceeds go to the guild treasury, but I will have gotten rid of them to worthy buyers!!

Wanted to catch up in this post. Hope to get my act together to see you back here soon. --Nancy

AFTER the HOLIDAYS

I had hoped to keep on writing right up to Christmas, but all my projects got in the way! At least this way I'll have more ornaments/decorations to show you next December! This year has started out as crazy as ever. I told my younger daughter that I would babysit for 5 month old Ryan on Tuesdays and Thursdays while she teaches at a nearby junior high. Ryan had his first day at day care on Monday. Tuesday here went well because I had my stitching friends over in the morning, and they love to hold him. Tried to get him down for a nap in the afternoon, but he was having none of that! My neighborhood book group was due to arrive at 1, but still no napping baby. One of the gals walked around with him during most of the meeting. Of course, he loves to be held. We discussed the book Zeitoun which was about one man's story of his time during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. I thought it was a very interesting book—very readable. I don't think most of us realized what went on there during and after Katrina. I'd recommend the book. It is a fast read.

Ryan finger painted in his explorers group at day care on Wednesday! They really do neat things there.  Yesterday he came over again, and though his mom had talked with him about being a good napper, he only took a morning nap and 1/2 hour in the afternoon. I think I am going to have to buy a "portable" crib either the smaller size or regular because trying to lift him at over 15 pounds from a pack and play is not easy even with all my yoga. Changing him on the coffee table is not ideal either. Hopefully, he will get used to his new schedule so he can relax and nap here more. I did make 16 burp cloths for Linda to give as gifts for some of her friends who are expecting. Just serged the flannel on my serger--much easier than sewing and turning right side out, etc.

SHAWLS-
I wanted to show you some of the gifts I made for Christmas for some of my family and my yoga teacher. I made 2 more of the pattern La La's Simple shawl. You can find this pattern for free online at  Ravelry.  It is an easy pattern and fun to knit. I found this boucle yarn at Joanne Fabrics and a shawl takes about $10 worth of yarn.

I had made this one for Linda, but Katie wanted to trade and gave Linda her purple one. I was just happy that my girls like them and want to wear them. Used my blocking wires that I bought at the welding supply store, and they worked great.

Made the same pattern for my yoga teacher Sharon. Thought it would knit in the same color pattern as the one above since it was the same yarn but in a different color way. It came out a bit stripy but I like it too. The black boucle is wonderful because it doesn't show when I have made a mistake. Sometimes I couldn't even tell the front from the back.

QUILTS-

I had a bunch of holiday/snowmen fabric in my stash and wanted to use it so I made this lap quilt (about 60+ x 72") for my niece Corey. I made it just like a band sampler cutting apart the snowmen fabric and inserting bands of other fabrics. Used a plaid for the backing. Love the swirls template that I used for the quilting. It takes more time than freehand but I like the pattern.

This is the quilt hanging on my design wall. I have covered 3 different pieces of 1"foam insulation in 4 x 6 sheets with grey felt. The binding is red. Corey likes things somewhat plain.

This is my nephew Matt's quilt—more Xmas fabric. This time old-fashioned Santas.

Quilted it on my long-arm machine with freehand swirls using red thread. This is part of the back. I like using pieced backings as a way to use up my fabric.

This is the back of Matt's quilt hanging on my design wall.

I hoped he would not think this quilt too "girly."

 This is Corey's quilt on my long arm machine as I was quilting it.

My bolt of extra batting is hanging below the frame. On the wall is a sampler quilt I made in a class several years ago when I first started quilting seriously. The wonderful thing about quilting on a frame is that you don't have to pin the quilt sandwich together on your hands and knees on your floor.

 This is my neighbor Bev at my frame quilting her doggie quilt that she is going to give to her 2 year old grandson in California.

Over the New Year's weekend I worked on getting stuff ready for the tax man. Figured out that I had made about 700 bandannas for the Golden Retriever rescue group here in northern Illinois. Did not realize that it was so many. Now I am going to make table cloths for their meet and greet tables at the pet stores. They bring the adopted dogs and hand out information and adoption forms. They needed some bright table cloths. Am going to try to put "Golden Retriever Rescue" in large black letters on the gold-colored cloths. Can't decide whether I have to applique them or stencil them with fabric paint. The fabric is inexpensive polyester. Painting would be quicker I suppose once I got it set up. We'll see.

Better go now. Have lots to do this weekend. Am reading the latest in the Nora Roberts wedding series--lots of fluff but a nice light read for these gloomy days of January here in the midwest. --Nancy

Summer activities—quilts, baby, interesting Berlin work sampler

I'm baaaack...Well, it's been a long time since I've written. I apologize. Just finished painting my dining room above the chair rail—red—to compliment my grandmother's oriental rug. I looks beautiful but was a pain to do because it needed several coats, and I am not a very good painter in the edging department. Used painter's tape but found out that it's very difficult to get it straight on both the chair rail and the crown moulding. Ended up repainting the moulding areas several times to get them looking decent. Have the room put back together at last. Have so much silver plate from wedding gifts—casseroles, serving platters etc., Lenox vases, candy dishes, after dinner drink glasses, tea sets, etc., etc. Wish there was a market for this stuff as I will never use them and would love to sell them.

In the dining room I have my maternal grandmother's rug and my paternal grandmother's set and chandelier—not necessarily "me" but I like to have family pieces as I love history. Am still working on what to do in the way of drapes--not to the floor but a fishtail swag on each. Haven't found the fabric I think would work. Below—I tried to pick out a paint color from the rug. 

We finally—after 2 years—sold my mom's cute house. Of course, we had 2 offers at the last minute! There was still some of her furniture there so I have been shuffling furniture first to my house to decide what I wanted and then to my daughter's dry cement floored crawl space. Decided to keep my paternal grandmother's dining room set as it is unique—Berkey & Gay made in Grand Rapids, MI, probably in the 1930's. Did decide to take over my mom and dad's cherry bedroom set but needed a bed for it. Found a cute one at a bargain price on ebay (The shipping cost more than the bed!) so I spent last weekend cleaning it up, covering the scratches, and applying several coats of tung oil. Then I found out that it was made for an XL twin (Could there be an "antique" bed that is an XL twin size?) so my husband had to cut down the wood side rails to make my existing mattress fit. When we loaded the box spring into it, the box spring fell to the floor! So he had to saw some slats for me too. Hate to have to involve my husband in my projects. Why is it always such a big deal? Cute bed though...Made the quilt several years ago—not one of my favorites but I practiced quilting it with a different quilt design in each square. Planning a different one that goes with the rug in the room. It just takes time.

QUILTS—

Have also been busy quilting this summer. Made 2 disappearing 9-patch quilts—one for my neighbor's daughter's wedding shower and one for my sister-in-law who turned 60 in July. They were basically the same—very scrappy and made of homespun fabrics from my stash. I used up almost everything.

This is the back of one of the quilts. I used all my extra fabrics. It is pinned to my design wall that is covered in 2 shades of grey felt in my basement sewing room. When I had to buy more felt, of course, I couldn't get the "right" color any more. 

My neighbor has an embroidery sewing machine and she made a label for me. I sewed it on the quilt with invisible thread. Loved it so much that I bought a used basic Janome embroidery machine from someone on the Sew It's for Sale yahoo group. Have read the instructions but have not had time to play with it. My labels were always made with permanent pen since I am lazy with labels. Now I have no excuse but to make a great label for each quilt. 

I cut the binding on the bias to get that neat red and green and white diagonal look. 

My next quilt is the one I made for my oldest daughter and son-in-law. It is an oversized king quilt from fabrics that I had purchased several years ago. I found the pattern in one of my magazines. It turned out wilder than I had imagined! And more purple/magenta too! But it was fun to make and not difficult. I love scrappy quilts. Hate using the same fabric over and over again in the same pattern.

This is the back of the quilt. Again I used up all the fabric that I had left over. I only had to buy the large dark green fabric—and it was on sale at my local quilt shop. I think that making a pieced backing is more interesting than using the same fabric for the entire back of the quilt. 

NEW BABY!—
My next news is the birth on July 19th of our first grandson. We have two granddaughters who are 9 and 12. They are the children of my oldest daughter. Our new grandson is the first and only child of my younger daughter. He was tiny weighing in at 6 pounds 14 ounces. Bill and I were with Linda and Rob for the labor but had to wait in the waiting room for the birth though we were able to see Ryan an hour or so later.

proud Grandpa Bill with Ryan at age 1 hour

Grandma Nancy a few weeks later

My 89 year old mother holding Ryan last week

Ryan at 6 weeks

SAMPLER—
Ah yes, samplers. Better talk about one in this blog. I purchased this sampler at least 8 years ago at a local auction. I would describe this sampler as Berlin work—1850 and later. I can't remember if it is dated. The stitching in the very center in the large cartouche where the date might have been is coming out. It is stitched on a needlepoint kind of canvas with wool thread. I wonder if it is southern because of the hunt scene and the reclining black people. Don't really know it's origins. Note the alphabet which snakes around the border and also the various border designs—truly a "sampler" of designs. It is a large  busy piece measuring approximately 18" x 21".

I think they're smoking!

Shepherd and sheep scene

Why are these monkeys included?

Do you suppose she picked out the year she made this? Nothing else seems this "worn."

Hunt scene—red coat.

Prairie Schooler ABC—
Been working steadily on my Prairie Schooler ABC piece—several hours most every night. Will take pics and include them in the next blog—soon. We've been watching The Sopranos all summer long and only have the last 2 episodes to go. We enjoyed it despite the violence—I just put my head down and stitch when the shooting begins!

Have to go now and eat lunch. Then I am on a deadline for making the Golden Retriever rescue group—As Good as Gold—bandannas to hand out at their adoption families picnic next Saturday. I probably will make about 200—pretty boring work but for a great cause. Talk soon. I promise. Nancy