Proverbs Thirty One

Catching Up

2012-02-07T19:34:00.001-05:00

Wow, its been a long time since I posted. I've been spinning quite a bit lately, also recently got a Russian spindle after viewing some support spindle videos on YouTube. Been using my wheel too.
For Christmas I received a Kindle from my youngest son, so got busy and crocheted this cover for it. Just a simple long rectangle in random single crochet and double crochet rows, then folded the long rectangle over and sewed up the side seams. I did decreases for the flap part and made a buttonhole, then just sewed the button on with regular sewing thread. Love it.
Blessings from Susan.

Singer Treadle Machine

2011-07-30T11:17:00.000-04:00

Last week I found a wonderful Singer model 15-30 treadle machine. This is my first one. I got it for a really great price and she works great too. With just a little oiling and cleaning I was able to start sewing. I had a little learning curve, but soon got the treadling part down okay. Maybe being a wheel spinner helped with that because I found myself treadling and sewing without even thinking about it. I made some blocks out of some scraps to start with, just some wonky houses and random piecing.
These are "Before" pictures. I have since gotten the bobbin slide cover and the belt too. A good site for ordering parts is:
http://sewingmachine221sale.bizland.com/store/index.html

I thought I would paint the iron part black, but after oiling it the dark color came back, so I think I will leave it that way. I have some minor refinishing on the cabinet to do, but nothing difficult.

Free Motion Detail

2011-07-18T18:33:00.002-04:00

Here is a picture of some of my machine quilting up close. This is the green color family quilt I made, the bear paw pattern. I put all my green fabric that I was tired of together and they took on a whole new life on a white background. I used a green Sulky Rayon thread in the green sections and invisible nylon in the white sections.

Click on picture to see a larger view.

Tumbling Blocks

2011-07-16T21:26:00.001-04:00

I can't believe I didn't do a post on one of my favorite finished quilts. I made this a couple of years ago. I used the old fashioned english paper piecing technique. I cut each little diamond out of paper and then basted the fabrics onto the paper, then whipped stitch the blocks together. I love the quilt, but will never use this technique again. Even though it is hand pieced, it is machine quilted. I tried my best to make it look old. It has three hidden animals in it for the kids to hunt for. They love it.

My Top Ten Quilting Tips

2011-07-16T12:26:00.008-04:00

1. Spray starch and press all of the washed fabric you will be cutting, your accuracy will increase greatly.

2. Rayon thread is great for machine quilting, it buries itself in the fabric and looks more natural. I like Sulky Rayon. You can still use cotton in the bobbin too.

3. Curved lines look more flowing and natural in machine quilting than straight lines, so I gently curve my grid lines randomly as I go along with my walking foot. Just gently wave the line along. You can see an example in my older post called Plaids and Stripes.

4. I wash every completed quilt. The washing evens out bad stitching and even small puckers and hides your errors. Plus you get the benefit of the "old quilt" look. I use almost no agitation when washing a quilt. More of a soaking cycle with maybe one minute agitating. Then rinse and spin out. I put mine in the dryer for about five minutes. Then lay out flat to block and dry.

5. Pieced bindings look great. Connect the sections with bias seams and the connections will disappear. You can easily find YouTube videos on pieced bindings.

6. A binding done in a completely different fabric from anything in the quilt looks wonderful if you pick a great color that sets the quilt off. For example, in my green and white quilt, I used a light blue print binding. It looks great and makes the green pop.

7. When you get tired of the fabric in your stash, group color families together and the fabric will look new and exciting again. Grouping in color families also helps when you are indecisive.

8. For the authentic 1930's look, be sure and use old clothes in the mix of fabric. 100 percent cotton, of course. They used clothes back then and you can't get that look without doing the same thing.

9. I use striped fabric for making labels for the back of the quilt. The stripes help my writing look straight. I use an archival permanent pen made for fabrics.

10. For free motion quilting, if you do not have a machine that will let you drop the feed dogs, all you have to do is set your stitch length to "0". The feed dogs will not move. I do this all the time even though my machine has the drop the feed dog feature.

Finally

2011-07-14T18:39:00.010-04:00

After several years, I finally finished my huge flying geese quilt. I made the mistake of hand quilting it. I used Dream cotton batting, which was supposed to be easy to hand quilt, but I still found it difficult. I will never again be able to hand quilt a large quilt. I am sooooo happy this one is finished. I did my best to make it look like an antique quilt. I used reproductions and fabrics that just looked old. I used brown quilting thread in the brown parts, and couldn't see it, so I turned it over to the back and quilted it from the backside. It is approximately a queen size. I designed this version of a strippy setting.

Filet Crochet Design

2011-06-10T11:35:00.005-04:00

Here are a couple of pictures of my efforts in designing a filet crochet pattern based on an antique sampler pattern. I have decided to re-work some of it, so will unravel back to the letter "A". I haven't done any filet crochet for several years, but for some reason have gotten enthused about it again. I love the simplicity of it, its just so easy to do. Only two stitches involved, chain stitch and double crochet.

Wow, a Long Time

2011-06-08T17:18:00.008-04:00

I just realized how long it has been since I posted. Time has really flown, I can't believe it. I have been doing a lot of sewing recently, also doing some filet crochet. I have been designing filet crochet patterns based on old time samplers, the type with sayings such as "I am the Good Shepherd". I have almost finished one that says "Love one Another", but after crocheting it decided I want to rework some parts of it.

Also, I cleaned up my sewing area, which now resides on one side of our guest room. I have been doing some things with old blue jeans, and am making a slip cover for a worn out ottoman with some jeans, it looks really great. I found this great pattern for free on line here:

http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory/filet_crochet.php.

There is a mistake on the right hand side border, but it is easily fixed. I really enjoyed making this little guy. I added the picot edge to the pattern.

This Spring

2010-05-10T19:05:00.014-04:00

I have been in the garden lately, the weather has been very cool so I have been able to get some things done. Pansies are a favorite of mine, they are on their way out now, but we really enjoyed them and talked to their little faces everyday when we walked out on the front porch.
The corner garden in the back yard was something I did a few days ago, it had been the ugliest place in the yard til I got some inspiration. The Garden Lady is my solution to hiding a very ugly pole. You can see some more of my garden at my Flickr site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12202528@N07/

A Gift of Love

2009-10-14T17:32:00.004-04:00

I knitted this from an old favorite pattern of mine that I call Zig Zag Lace. I have had the pattern so long that I don't remember the source. I think it might be a Barbara Walker pattern. It looks complicated, but becomes brainless after a while. I can do it from memory. I used Caron Simply Soft for this, which is a yarn I love for childrens things, it holds up very well.

Click on the picture so see a larger image.

Pinwheel Craze

2009-10-14T17:26:00.005-04:00

Wow, it has been sooooo long since I have posted. I have been on a Pinwheel Blanket craze lately. I got both of these patterns as free Ravelry downloads. They are both great patterns, I don't know which one I like the best. Check out my project list on Ravelry (Susan in North GA) for the link to the patterns.

After my grandson saw the one on the right he insisted I make him one in black, red and white.

Thrifted Fabric

2009-07-20T17:00:00.010-04:00

These are some of my favorite fabrics I found at the local thrift store. They are being used in various quilt blocks. The top floral is my absolute favorite, I am crazy about that fabric. I have about 1/2 yard of it altogether.

Another distraction, but worth it.

2009-07-20T15:34:00.002-04:00

Just a little something I got sidetracked into. But these tiny projects give a great sense of having accomplished something. Have made several other fabric postcards in the past week. I used very stiff artist canvas as the middle instead of cardstock.
The background was left over from some quilt I made a while back, then I put the little houses on top of that.

Procrastination

2009-07-20T15:32:00.005-04:00

Will I ever get back to this Na Craga? Its been months since I worked on it. It is an experiment using different brown yarns. I love cable knitting, I find it very relaxing to work cables.

Creative Disorder

2009-07-20T15:28:00.002-04:00

My old sewing room, before I had to dismantle it temporarily. I am sewing on the dining room table for the time being.

String Quilt with Triangles

2009-07-20T15:20:00.009-04:00

This is a string quilt I made a while back that I am very pleased with. I heavily starched some fabric and laid the strips across my 12 inch square up ruler until they covered it, then sewed them together. There was no foundation used. When I got a bunch made, I put them together with some large squares and cut them into large half square triangles. Wound up with twice as many blocks to use!

A Friend

2009-01-16T13:09:00.006-05:00

I haven't posted in sooooo long, I decided to do some updating with some photos from my new camera.

I enjoy this little friend, made from some small orphan blocks. Some say the dark side is the rooster and the light side is the hen. I think the little hen side has a sort of sad look on her face.

The Vine

2008-09-22T16:41:00.005-04:00

This is a very easy lace pattern called Vine Lace. It is found in the Barabar Walker Treasury of Knitting Patterns book. On the SSK (slip, slip, knit) stitch, I slipped purl-wise. I since realized it probably meant to slip knit-wise, but I think my way turned out nicely too. I used size 6 needles, (I think!)
"I am the True Vine"
"......I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me, ye can do nothing." John, chapter 15.

Hand Quilted Pillow

2008-09-21T20:38:00.006-04:00

This is a favorite of mine, I made it look as old and vintage as I could. I handquilted it, the muslin feels great to the touch. The diamonds were done in the English paper-piecing method and then appliqued on. The back is a thrift store shirt.

My First Spindle Plying

2008-09-21T20:34:00.005-04:00

My first experience plying some of my own handspun. Turned out kind of chunky, but I knitted a scarf with it, determined to make something. Plying was much easier that I thought it would be. I made this drop spindle myself.

My Current Project

2008-05-24T10:15:00.008-04:00

It has been soooo long since I have posted. I have so much going on these days on the internet with lists I host and my other blog that I have been very remiss with this one! Here is what I am currently working on in my knitting life, the St. Brigid Sweater, an Alice Starmore pattern.
This yarn is Cascade 220, Ranier Heather. It is a gorgeous subtle purple/lavender that is kind of greyed, not a flashy purple. This second photo is close to the true color. I have done a lot of lace knitting over the years, but this is my first cable project and I really love working the charts.

One of my latest works in progress.

2007-09-24T08:23:00.001-04:00

This was done with the "Mile a Minute" technique. I just made it up spontaneously, and then decided on the large half-square triangles as alternate blocks. It was really a lot of fun.

Spinning Progress

2007-05-05T22:21:00.001-04:00

I think I have made some progress, at least I am getting more consistent. It is like anything in needlework, you have to have patience and get the feel for it. This is spun from roving from Finn sheep, it has a wonderful feel to it and is a very easy roving to pull into thin strips to pre-draft. Hope to take more photos soon and keep up with the blog more consistently too.

Blessings.

Brings Back Memories

2007-04-10T11:08:00.000-04:00

I found this site from another blogger. You can make these cards by filling in the form on the site, then you are given an image you can save to your computer to insert into posts, etc.
I wasn't sure what I was doing, but this is the result. If you fill in something where it says "scribble" you get the handwriting on it too.
I thought this was great because I have so many memories of when libraries actually used these. I hope some of you agree with me that it was much better in those days. So much easier to find something you were looking for. To make your own, go here.

Ten Years Later

2007-04-04T18:39:00.001-04:00

Here is my first attempt after ten years or so of the wheel just being an expensive decoration. I totally gave up on the craft store roving, and drove up to this wonderful place about one hour north of me. Brenda at Rising Fawn Fibers really helped me understand the mechanics of the wheel tension and how important it is. I bought some great roving from her (Finn Sheep). I am going to knit something with this, will post a picture of how it turns out.

I know it is overtwisted with thick and thin places, but at least I got somewhere. This ball is from a full bobbin. Don't know how many yards it is.

I am working on a second bobbin from the same roving and it is turning out much better.

Is This Yarn ??

2007-04-04T18:24:00.001-04:00

My first attempt at using a drop spindle. Do you think this qualifies as yarn? Well, at least it resembles it. The part wound around the spindle has some twist to it even though the tail end doesn't look like it in this picture.

I used a craft store roving out of desperation, which I would not recommend after this experience. I have a whole box of roving in the attic, but of course couldn't find it, and I got impatient, therefore the craft roving.

I made the spindle myself (a toy wheel, dowel, and cup hook). It spins very well. I am better at the top whirl, I think.

I find it easier to spin the dowel off of my thigh rather than trying to spin a bottom whirl spindle with a flick of my fingers.

Spinning, finally ????

2007-03-28T17:44:00.001-04:00

After a ten year hiatus from attempting to learn to use my Ashford Traditional spinning wheel, I was inspired by Pixie Purls to get the wheel out and really give it another try. I also made a drop spindle thanks to this great site, Joy of Handspinning.

A very nice lady gave me a huge amount of llama fleece, here I am after we got it home. There is a second bag twice as big as this one.
I am in the process of separating the colors. It is surpisingly clean. This is all experimental, since I really don't know what I am doing!

Plaids and Stripes

2006-09-18T22:47:00.002-04:00

This Churn Dash quilt is made from various stripes and plaids, only the sashing being a solid. There are several old cotton shirts used as well, one of my favorite ways to acquire fabric! It measures 60 by 60 inches and the blocks are 12 inches.
I used triangle paper to make the half-square triangles, 4 inch size. I spray starch all my fabric to avoid distortion, in fact that is the only way I ever have any accuracy in my piecing. This was my first "on point" setting, and I think it turned out fairly well. You have to have the entire thing ready before you begin that type of setting. It is machine quilted with rayon thread. I did not mark it, just followed the pattern pieces and used a walking foot. The binding is an old curtain. I wanted this to look really old, and I think it does.
Here is the back:

Old Shale Baby Blanket

2006-09-18T13:11:00.001-04:00

"Old Shale" is another very easy lace pattern that becomes almost mindless, also called "Feather and Fan". This yarn is an inexpensive Red Heart worsted weight varigated. This is a very well known old standby pattern. There are many free patterns on the web for it in variations. I like it because only one row in each 4 row repeat is a little complicated, the rest are just purl and knit. Even the harder row becomes easy, making it an easy take along project. I used sized 9 knitting needles. This will be a charity baby blanket, or else a gift for someone. I like the subtle colors.
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Socks Completed!

2006-09-18T13:10:00.001-04:00

After many years of knit and crochet, I finally learned how to make a pair of socks. This is Lion Brand "Magic Stripes" sock yarn (makes its own stripes). I used the Joan Fernbach pattern found at: http://knitting.about.com/library/blthreesock.htm
I used size 3 double pointed needles instead of the recommended size 6 because my gauge is very large. This is made with three needles and you work on the fourth needle, I could not get the hang of working with a five needle set. I had to practice patience and undo many stitches until I finally got it, then it was very enjoyable to construct.
I could not have finished without the great pictures found on this site:
http://www.socknitters.com/lessons/lessons.html
Here is a link to a page with some great sock sites, too:
http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/socks.php

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Prayer Shawl

2006-09-18T13:09:00.001-04:00

This is my knitted prayer shawl, almost finished, the fringe isn't on it yet, and I still need to weave in loose ends. I made up the pattern as I went. It is done in stockinette stitch with a garter stitch border at sides, top and bottom.
"Pray without ceasing" , 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

Dear Jane Blocks

2006-09-18T13:07:00.001-04:00

Here are some of my blocks from the Jane Stickle quilt. I began in 2001, and still only have around 60 done. I was thinking of setting a time limit, and if I don't have all 169 plus the triangles done, then just make a small quilt, but......I probably won't do that. I guess it is a very long term project. I use every technique for this, applique, hand-piecing, foundation paper-piecing, machine piecing, whatever I can do to get the block done. For those unfamiliar with this 1863 reproduction quilt, the blocks are very small, 4 1/2 inches.
I hope some of you will leave some comments if you are doing one too.

Pinkwork

2006-09-18T13:02:00.001-04:00

I am working on some nursery rhyme blocks, here is the first one I finished, "Little Red Riding Hood". After I did it, I realized I was supposed to reverse this pattern, but she stays as she is!
I am using DMC floss number 961 which I think looks like the antique double-pink fabrics found in old quilts. It is really a bubble gum pink, I love it. It is lighter than it looks in the picture, actually the color of a piece of bubble gum, looks very vintage! I used a small light box and red pencil to trace the design onto the fabric. I use two strands of floss, except for small details I use just one strand.
This was a free pattern, along with a whole set, here is the link, I hope it works:
http://www.patternbee.com/FREENQ.html

Vintage Blocks Rescued

2006-09-16T22:42:00.001-04:00

I was given some very distorted old vintage blocks, so I put them together with a 1930's repro sashing, and added the pink corners with fabric from an old shirt. I think the original blocks were supposed to be "Ocean Waves" blocks. I machine quilted it. It is crib size.
Its funny how we strive to be perfect in our piecing these days, in the old days, they didn't worry about that.

Here is the back.

More Filet Crochet

2006-09-16T22:33:00.001-04:00

This is filet crochet valance also done with a number 7 steel hook and size 10 crochet thread. The snowflake pattern is from The Filet Crochet Book, a great book of beautiful and do-able patterns. I don't know if the book is still in print, but most libraries have it.
I have a very odd gauge, so to make my pattern come out with the squares actually being square, I have to work the grid using three double crochets for the filled in spaces and for the open spaces just double crochet, then chain one, then another double crochet.
Most filet crochet is worked with a four double crochet grid. Mine turns out rectangle if to that, so I have to compensate. I don't know why that happens, I guess the way I hold the hook, or my tension.
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Proverbs 31

2006-09-16T15:12:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 31: 30, 31.
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Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain:
but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands;
and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Flying Geese Antique Look

2006-09-16T14:32:00.001-04:00

My "masterpiece" in progress. A Flying Geese done in old fashioned strippy set, I tried my best to make this look really old. Most of the fabrics are reproductions, but some just look old. You can see the basting thread still in while I am working on it. I am using a blue thread to quilt the "geese" and will use brown for the brown reproduction floral strips. I have had this fabric for several years and began making the geese blocks a couple of years ago. There are five strips of geese with 23 in each strip. The geese blocks are 3" by 6".
Will try to put a photo on when its done.

2006-09-16T14:29:00.001-04:00

String Quilt Top

I am going to quilt it with the old time fan pattern by hand. This is a replica of an antique one I saw, but I didn't try to make an exact match, just basically used the colors and similar patterns, and didn't worry about the placement. The blocks were done on notebook paper, then trimmed down to 9 1/2 by 6 1/2. The pattern comes from the center all being the same fabric.

Here is a close up. I am very happy with this one and will make it again, probably as a gift in another color.

Filet Crochet

2006-09-16T14:28:00.001-04:00

Some Filet Crochet in progress....My design of a Celtic Cross. Used a size 7 steel hook and size 10 Crochet thread. This is my own design.

Broken Dishes

2006-09-16T14:26:00.001-04:00

I made a replica of an antique doll quilt, the pattern is "Broken Dishes". It measures 20" by 20", but I made it larger than original. Jo Morton did this on Simply Quilts, but I had planned my quilt before I saw that episode. Couldn't believe it when I saw she was doing the same thing. Her's however, was done in the original size.

Here is the back of the little quilt. The quilting is done by hand with brown thread.

Knitting Lace

2006-09-16T14:24:00.001-04:00

This is a baby blanket I knitted for my grandaughter who is now seven. Believe it or not, this pattern is very easy, and becomes almost brainless after you do it for a while. I call it "Zig Zag" lace. I also knitted the edging.

2006-09-16T11:57:00.001-04:00

Some Banner Photos~
I am just getting started with this sewing blog, and I hope readers will enjoy the photos. The blog will basically be about sewing, quilting, (also knit, crochet and embroidery), and I hope to share some of my love of our Lord also. I do a lot of church sewing, so here are a few pictures of some banners I have made.
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This is a large Alpha and Omega Cross that hangs in our Sanctuary. I designed it myself and it is made on a heavy twill type fabric with no lining. I used Wonder Under, but found I always have to machine stitch the motifs on when using that product. There is fringe on the bottom which does not show in the picture.

A very large Advent Banner. This is a medium weight fabric, and I lined it with felt. Again, I had to machine stitch the motifs down, and I glued the candle flames that are made of ribbon. The white candle is a ribbon, the rest of the fabrics are cottons, some with gold in them. The large white Cross is also ribbon. This is one of my own designs, the pointed bottom with tassels does not show here. I did some quilting stitches through both layers in a few places to keep the front from sagging away from the lining. One thing I think I am learning about making banners, it is better not to line them if you don't have to.

This is a Christmas banner, the pattern was from a book with some innovation on my part. It is a very light weight polyester fabric which I lined with felt. After I made it, I had to cut the lining away from the sides and bottom, so it would hang well. Surprisingly, this fabric worked out very well, and it works great having the lining loose and only attached at the top. The fabric is too light weight to not have something behind it. I originally decided to use this fabric because I already had it. The large gold Cross is ribbon, the rest of the motifs are cotton fabrics and one gold Christmas type fabric.

I lay my banners out on one of those folding cardboard cutting boards to do my design work (the kind you can get at any fabric place).
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Blessings~