Sunday, September 27, 2015

Slow Stitching with Jen

Juliann recently started a Jen Kingwell SAL....I mentioned it in an earlier post...and I thought it was a great day to get a Slow Stitching start ( click on the Slow Stitching Sunday button to see what others are doing).

The pattern I chose is from this book....
The quilt I chose is a bit more restrained than some of Jen's quilts. It is an adaptation of an antique quilt that she had admired.

She calls it Simply Red Center.

I am determined to enjoy the process on this quilt. It offers hand appliqué as well as some machine piecing...no hand piecing as in most of her quilts.  It has been longer than I can remember since I have done any needle turn appliqué, but I am giving it a go.  It won't be perfect, but I plan to try to relax and enjoy the process.

This is the beginning of the center block.
I probably shouldn't have started in the center, but it is too late now to worry about it.

The kids enjoyed singing I'll Fly Away along with Willie Nelson last night at Chastain despite the rain.

Take Care,
Jennie

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Finally, A Little Slow Stitching


This has not been a month that has leant itself to much relaxation or slow stitching, but today I was able to slip a bit in.  Click on the Slow Stitching button on my sidebar to see what everyone else is doing.

Knitting was on my To Do List for this month. I started working from this basket of cottons....Christmas is coming and some peeps have already hinted that their dishcloths are mighty ratty . Dishcloths are perfect knits....as easy or difficult as you want to make them. Great for trying out new skills or just sticking to the favorite tried and true.
Four finished thus far....with plenty of materials for more.  Will have to make a few for our house, too.

Then I read about the summertime Mystery Knit Along by Helen Stewart over at Ravelry. It sounded like fun, but I worried about my skill level...adventurous beginner, it said....a new clue once a week for several weeks, resulting in a lovely shawl. I bit, and finished up the first week's clue. This week's is going to require a bit of guidance from my knitting guru friend, Diane.
Here is my yarn....Madeline Tosh Light in Tern and Tart.  
And the first week's clue knit up...

I am sewing Boy Scout patches on for a second grandson.
Jackson is now a Tiger Cub.

Macy had her artwork displayed at The Art Walk in Downtown Newnan this week.
Here she is with her art teacher...and her great pumpkin picture visible above her head.

One of the Sew Crazies' QOV was presented this week...
Warms my heart and soul to see these deserving vets honored.

Take Care,
Jennie

Friday, September 18, 2015

A Little History

I had the opportunity to visit our small hometown museum this week and view their quilt show. There was a nice representation of antique quilts, though almost no documentation on them. Label your quilts, folks!!!  Below I will share a few of my favorites. The photos had to be made without flash.
Love the bright yellow background of this GFG.
A beautiful Victorian CQ...this one did have documentation , with photos of the lovely Southern lady who created it....one of my husband's ancestors!!

Loved the treasure trove of prints in this quilt. Reminded me of the popular Jen Kingwell quilts.
Close up of fabrics.
Another GFG....unusual choice of background color.
A more modern flag wall hanging. Love the movement.
Another modern flag.
Love the fabrics in this basket quilt.
What a beauty!! So many tiny pieces.
Nice string quilt with another unusual background color.
Another really nice string quilt.

Hope you enjoyed!

SA will be fourteen tomorrow. We celebrated at Olive Garden earlier this week ...cake by yours truly.


Be sure to tell someone and make their day!

Take Care,
Jennie

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Catching Up

It has been a busy past few days....a lot of it spent working on pet beds. Today we delivered SEVENTY beds to the Newnan Coweta Humane Society. 

Tonight this was posted on their Facebook page.....


Sweet Gilly was rescued today from animal control. As you can see, she is very thin, but has a beautiful new soft bed provided by the local quilting group, "Sew Crazies". They have sewed several dozens of pet beds NCHS can use for their fosters.  A huge thank you to these generous ladies! Many dogs and cats now have something to call their own!

Many thanks to my fellow Crazies and to all of the folks who donate materials to us.  And to the tireless work of those people who spend so many hours and see the worst, but keep on going for the animals. It is all good, very good.

Rob was honored for his work for Can't Never Could at the first University of Georgia football game on Saturday with a standing ovation by the 93,000 fans in the stand. It was both beautiful and humbling....and well deserved.  If you would like to know more about CNC, go here....http://www.cantnevercouldinc.com.


 Then on Sunday we celebrated his birthday....again...at our house with a traditional Southern dinner and his favorite cake (8 layer white cake with chocolate frosting).
And thanked God for two beautiful years past his cancer diagnosis. A true blessing.

Take Care,
Jennie

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Farm Girl Vintage Update

A day full of errands and appointments in addition to processing and freezing nine quarts of peas resulted in no stitching time. 

I do have four more of the sweet little Farm Girl Vintage blocks that I haven't shared.
These are cute and the fabrics are fun. I do admit that the tiny pieces make stitching them a challenge.  I love them anyway.



Take Care,
Jennie

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Vintage

Last week I made a test block for this pattern....
Vintage, by Camille Roskelley, from this book....

Though not really a "modern " quilter, I love Bonnie & Camille and their translation of modern.  The instructions in this book are simple, the blocks are mostly large, but they evolve from traditional quilts. A win win for a quilter like me.

Here are my first two blocks, which are 20 1/4" unfinished (12 blocks make the quilt)...


And together...
Camille's quilt is red and grey, but I have little grey in my stash, and this will be a stash quilt....so, red and tan it will be.
It is all cut and ready to go. And there are no seams to match!!!!

Last night I double seamed 47 pet beds closed and have them ready to donate.
But then Sandy brought six or seven more bags of scrap that needs to be sorted and cut up, so I will wait to get that made up into beds before I donate them. Hopefully that will happen by the end of the week.

Wise words and oh so true.
Take Care,
Jennie