For a while I have been stitching little leftover bits of Oakshott cottons into small string segments. I recently sewed them together into this little 8.5” by 9.5” quilt.
I quilted it with a pale pink 80wt Aurifil thread. I love the thinner thread for small quilts like this.
I finished it off with a very narrow 1/8” binding. I am quite happy with how it turned out.
I know I will be using that narrow finish on some more tiny quilts in the future.
Some of you may know that my daughter, Phoebe’s, passion is historical clothing. She has been researching clothing styles for the last few years and when she saw this 1890s cycling sweater at the Met, she knew she had to have it.
I needed a new knitting project at the time and volunteered to make it for her.
The entire sweater is rib knit and took FOREVER but it was oh, so worth it for those ginormous sleeves.
Phoebe is thrilled that it is finally cool enough to wear it!
I used the original 1890s knitting patter than can be found here.
I taught a tiny piecing class a couple of weeks ago and was inspired to try making my little basket blocks even smaller. The previous small baskets finish at a 2 inch block. This one will finish at 1 inch square.
I embroidered the handles with Aurifil floss.
Aren’t they adorable?
The older basket quilt is on the left in the photo below. The new baskets are on the right just above the cat face.
I am an Aurifil Artisan and I recently received a welcome package with a variety of their threads. I have been using their 50wt cotton for years for my quilt piecing. I’ve also used the 40wt for garment sewing and the cotton floss for embroidery. The 80wt cotton was new to me, though. It is thin but strong and I immediately wanted to try it in my tiny piecing. I have tried other thin threads to reduce bulk in the seam area but am THRILLED to find a thin, strong cotton that works well. The cotton has enough grab that the thread does not slip out of the seams easily. I am an 80wt Aurifil convert. You can see my first blocks using the 80wt thread above.
I was inspired by some vintage blue and brown clothing when choosing the colors for these blocks.
Miss P went to prom with her friends last month. The dance was partly outside so I let her use my freshly knit silk Kishie Shawl. The details for the shawl are on my Ravelry page.
The dress was a 1950s vintage frock we found on etsy. The top is velvet and the skirt has a very satisfactory swishiness.
The peach color petticoat is from Doris Designs.
These spring colors are making me happy.
My shop sale last month was amazing. Thank you to all who purchased pieces.
I’ve just started a some more and am playing with different color combinations.
I’ve been in my happy place working on some tiny art pieces the last couple of weeks.
I will be adding this collection to my shop here on the website in the next week or two. The white frames measure 10 inches square.
Grief 16” x 16”
Grief is a long-lasting, ongoing symptom of abuse. Ambiguous and unresolved grief takes new forms over time as it encompasses more lost time, memories, possibilities, and relationships. Family and friends of an abused person may grieve what they've personally lost as well as what the abused person they care about has lost.
Often, people grieving a death are told that grief reflects the love we have and share with a person. For some, the idea that the ache of this loss is filling a space in direct proportion with the love they've lived can be a great comfort and reminder of the joy they've experienced. In the case of ambiguous grief in the face of abuse, this construction of loss is a harsh reminder of the hurt an abuser has inflicted on an abused person and their community.
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!
All of the quilts in the Domestic Abuse series so far can be viewed here.
I made a second set of Frog and Toad stuffies for my younger grandsons.
Frog and Toad had a long visit at grandma’s house before going to live at their new home and are happy to finally be reunited with their friend Lowly Worm.
Instagram Photos
