Cold, Eye Candy

I haven't been doing much lately, as I've managed to come down with a cold. So here's some eye candy to make up for not having much else to show at the moment.

Happy New Year

It's a new year, and I've got some new photos. I've also joined in a challenge! It's One Project A Month, and it's to help us finish off our WISPs (I love that term). I've actually already finished something, but today's picture is not it LOL.

I'm looking forward to this - I might actually have a chance of meeting this challenge!

And now a picture - this is another Snuggle that I finished last month.

Merry Christmas

Well, I did promise pictures, and in this, as so much else, I'm behind as always :)

The first picture (taken on my cluttered cutting table) is a snuggle that I've crocheted for donation to my local animal shelter. There was a fire at the shelter last week, and over 160 cats and other pets lost their lives. Mercifully, they died of smoke inhalation. Only 9 dogs, 2 cats, and a rat were saved. They need all the help they can get, and a snuggle is a very small but easy thing to give.




The second picture is a small top I've pieced from cotton scraps. I've been collecting 2" squares from eBay (and cut a few myself from my stash), and a good friend finds cotton scraps for me wherever she can (yard sales, you name it) so some of the fabric is recycled. This will be sandwiched, quilted, and bound, and also donated to the animal shelter.

I've also got a pile of crocheted squares that I've made for donation to Blankets4Canada, but they can wait for another post.

Now I'm off to wrap presents and finish decorating the tree. (I told you I'm behind on things!)

Happy Holidays to you and your families.

Practise, practise, practise

The practise quilting on the frame is progressing - and I don't have as many puckers on the back now - which is a good thing. I've got 5 tops that are crying out to be sandwiched and quilted - and blocks to make one more (well, I should perhaps add some sashing first) - and PILES of UFOs. Then there's the crocheting - the snuggle for the vet's office, the squares for Blankets for Canada - there will be pictures (if only for my own benefit to see how much I actually do accomplish).

A Small Success

So I tried again this evening, to see if I could sew across the small test quilt without breaking the thread. The first thing I managed to do was jam the needle. After getting it unjammed, in trying to get the thread out of the bobbin area, I managed to get it ALL apart. Which meant I had to get it back together again. It seemed easy, but I just couldn't do it. So DH had a look at it - the only part I had missed was getting two small levers snapped into position. Everything else was okay. So, I tried again - and this time - success! I managed a little bit of stippling all the way across, and the thread didn't break!

Now on to advancing the quilt a bit and practising some more. It's a baby step, but it's a step in the right direction!

Quilt Frame, Bailey

There's so much to learn about quilting on my frame. I'm sure I haven't quite got the mini quilt on there properly - must tighten the knobs on the poles. And the thread keeps breaking. Rethreading on a frame isn't the easiest task. But at least I know how to do it quite well now. I did manage a sort of pattern the first time - and it helps that DH thinks it's awesome. :) Unfortunately, I'm prone to frustration when I don't learn something right away. Must be a sign of age. :(

On the plus side - it can only get better, right?

Quilt Show, Guilds, Friends, Music

Yesterday we attended the York Heritage Quilt Guild's annual show. Once again, I was amazed at the wide variety of quilts, and combinations of colours in quilts. I always come home from such a show in awe of the work of others, and totally convinced that I could never do anything one-tenth as good. But I am also inspired, and reassured. I've been piecing and quilting pretty much on my own for the most part, so every time my corners don't match, or something is a bit wonky, I usually end up ripping it out and trying again. Because, of course, everyone will notice that it's not perfect. When I go to a quilt show and see a beautiful quilt on display, and notice that a few corners don't match (which doesn't take away from the beauty AT ALL), I feel reassured that perhaps I'm doing okay.

After discussion with one of the guild members in the quilt shop, DH suggested that perhaps I should see about trying to join that guild - everyone seems so nice, and encouragning and helpful. Logistics, however, make that rather difficult (living a fairly long distance away). Instead, I came home and called a friend who is a member of a local guild. She just happened to be sewing with two other friends - also members. So - I'm getting a newsletter in the mail - and an application to join. I'll get to see my friends more regulary, and perhaps make some new ones - and in the process get more inspiration, and encouragement.

As if that weren't enough to make it a good day, we attended a local folk club last night to hear live music. What a wonderful way to finish off.