A few days ago I took a class in making Dorset Buttons with Catherine Redford. It was great fun and now I want to make all the buttons! Stay tuned, I’m sure there will be more of these in my future. This button was made on a 1 inch curtain ring with rayon thread.
Simple Strings - Revisited.
I love this quilt I made two years ago that was inspired by a quilt in Roderick Kiracofe’s book, Unconventional and Unexpected: American Quilts Below the Radar 1950-2000. I gave this one away and have missed it ever since.
I have recently started another in the same vein.
I’m making smaller squares (5 inch cut) but am still aiming for a bed size quilt, just not KING size like the first one.
The sewing plan calls for simple string blocks with the strings on the diagonal. I want to keep the number of strings in each block minimal with only a few having more than four. Most blocks will probably have two or three pieces.
As I make and add more blocks to the design wall I see that it needs a bit more solid to calm things down.
This project is quickly outgrowing my home design wall.
Now that my daughter is back to in person school two days a week I plan to take this self contained project to my studio in town and work on it there where I have a much larger design wall. I will work on it while she is in school.
She is a high schooler but I have been staying at home to be available for technical issues and for company during her school breaks and lunch. We usually plan and play games during her morning break.
String Piecing.
I taught my Licorice Allsorts class yesterday and it was great fun. String Theory is on the schedule for next week and there are still a few spots left if you want to join us.
Mixing Genres
When the employee at the quilt shop tells you that you can’t use a modern print with Civil War reproduction prints because they aren’t in the same “genre” you know you’ve got to double down and use it.
I told her that it would be ok because I’m making the quilt in 2021 and all the genres are available to me.
There was only a fat quarter of this print so I’m still on the hunt for the perfect acid green.
Snow Day
We woke up to a light blanket of sticky wet snow. Miss P and I suited up and took our cameras out for a walk around the fields. The snow did not disappoint.
Frog and Toad
I’ve been eager to share this with you. I made Frog and Toad for my grandsons, well, maybe more for my daughter in law who sent me the link to the pattern last spring.
I plan to knit a another jacket and a pair of pants: I don’t think Toad will want to wear his swimsuit on ALL of his adventures.
P and I took them for an outing by the lake. It was too cold for swimming but they seemed to enjoy a little time sitting on a log and soaking up the sun. “Don’t look, Frog.”
I hope they have many adventures together. My oldest grandson listened to the Frog and Toad audio books with them yesterday afternoon.
I love having at least on handmade gift each year that I am excited about. Frog and Toad fit the bill this year. Knitting these little creatures brought me a lot of joy this fall. I’m also pretty proud of those eyes and eye sockets.
Details about the yarns used are on my Ravelry page.
Virtual Workshops Starting in January
I am happy to announce that I will be teaching virtual workshops starting in January!!
You will be able to take a live class from the comfort of your own home, so don't worry about packing up everything to bring to class. You will be able to use your home sewing set up and have everything you need at hand. You will be able to ask questions just like in an in person class. It won't matter if there is a snow storm - you will still be able to attend!
You can find the workshops in my shop.
Licorice Allsorts - January 12 online class 1:30-5:30 EST
In this class you will learn how to make the Hard Candy quilt block shown in the colorful quilt above. Using the same liberated technique, you will learn several other block variations as well. This is a fun class and there is a lot of room for creativity and play when putting the blocks together in a final composition.
String Theory - January 19 online workshop - 1:30 - 4:30 EST
In String Theory, I will teach my method for string piecing with no foundation. In this fool proof technique, there is no extra layer of fabric in the quilt and no paper bits to pick out after the sewing is finished. You will learn the skills needed to add string piecing to your own quilt designs. Bring your scrap bin and prepare to have some fun!
Popup Private Workshops
If you and a group of friends would like to book your own private workshop, contact me and we can set that up.
I hope to be adding more workshops soon.
What's on Your Design Wall
I love it when the projects start to pile up in layers on the design wall.
Erased - domestic abuse quilt # 19
Erased 16” by16”
This quilt comes mostly from my own feeling of being erased. I have a family member in an abusive relationship and I, and others in my family, have been erased from this family member’s past.
An abused person's life before the abuser is often in effect "erased." Friends, hobbies, interests, family, passions, dreams, etc are all expunged. The abuser may even destroy or throw away old photographs and photo albums that show the person’s life before the abuser. They might gaslight in order to implant their own narratives about the past. Memories, momentos, photos, relationships, whole histories. All gone.
Someone can feel minimized or become a shadow of themselves as a result of abuse, and their abuser may also work to erase their memories or erase them from others' lives. Their lives can be distilled down to appeasing the abuser at the cost of all else.
This erasure not only affects the target of the abuse but also those family and friends who have been "erased."
If you have a friend or family member who is experiencing abuse here are some things you can do to help. The most important thing to remember is that the choice to leave or not is theirs. You can't make them leave a bad situation but you can be supportive and helpful in their choice. They will need someone they can count on when/if they do decide to end or leave the abusive relationship.
Domestic Violence knows no boundaries when it comes to race/gender/sexuality/age/socioeconomic status/geographic location/culture.
Remember, domestic abuse affects ten million people in the US every year. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, please know that the folks at the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1 800 799 SAFE or thehotline.org) are ready to listen and support you, as well as refer you to a local program or organization. If you observe someone being abused, you can also call the hotline. A good samaritan call can save a life!
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All of the quilts in the Domestic Abuse series so far can be viewed here.
October Dahlias
My dahlias have been continuing to bloom and an are bringing me much joy.
Interestingly, I did not know that deer liked dahlias so much. There are a few plants that have not had a single bloom because they are continually nibbled and others that are covered in blooms and haven’t been touched. I guess some varieties are tastier than others. Next year I plan to plant them in a fenced area.
