3 Day Weekend

I love a 3 day weekend! Not only is the weekend great but you have a short work week, too. Today I spent much of the day in my sewing room. This pic is a bit blurry, but you can see what happened! The upper mug is one I use to hold a little ruler, small scissors, and a seam ripper so it is handy. Guess I should not have put my coffee cup there! When worlds collide! It made me laugh. And see, I didn't do it just once, but twice!

I finished the 20 blocks for the "Alexander's Bean Pot" miniature quilt from Carol Hopkins book Civil War Legacies. Hurrah!

On Saturday I met my friend Donna at the Busy Thimble in Litchfield and she helped me pick out some fabric for the border and sashing. I brought along my blocks and we tested a few fabrics before picking these.

The red fabric and the cream will be the sashing fabrics between the blocks. The green and red will be the four inch border around the quilt. There will be enough of that for the binding, too.

2014 is off to a great start!

Sochi

Are you ready for the Olympics?

What a fabulous choice for the Winter Olympics 2014!

More details and photos can be found here.

January 2014

Here is an interesting video about three distinct types of lacemaking in Croatia. I particularly like the first  technique because it appears to share some  techniques with embroidery. Bobbin lace completely baffles me, but the sound of the bobbins is hypnotic and rather like the clicking of knitting needles. This video was made in 2009 and I wonder what the state of lacemaking in Croatia is today. Fascinating for the lacemaking as well as a glimpse into life in Croatia.

Meanwhile on the home front, I am up early and baking cinnamon raisin whole wheat bread. I have not made bread in a long time so it is good to get out my flour canisters and mixer again. The kitchen smells delicious. I'm sure there will be sewing later in the day, too.

ready for piecing

I spent some time yesterday preparing light and dark fabrics for piecing.  Although I really like cutting and piecing one block at a time, it is more efficient to cut everything out first and then do all of the piecing.  I still like to comlete one block and iron it rather than assembly line piecing. I cut a few extra  in case I don't like a block. Eleven blocks done so far!

p.s. This is for the Alexander Bean Pot block

Bonnie McCaffrey again

Bonnie McCaffrey's video highlights from the International Quilt Festival, Part 1 I know, I know, should have posted this one first, then part 2. ha ha, enjoyable in any order you want. Check out Helen Godden's marlin wall hanging, gorgeous. She has written a book on machine quilting patterns. You can download a free app for your smartphone and when you hover the phone over a page in her book it will show you a video demonstration of her making that design on her machine. Now that is awesome, don't you think? We will probably be seeing more of that technology in the future.

Bonnie McCaffrey video

International Quilt Festival Huston, Texas-put that on your bucket list!

Happy New Year's Day!

Make a resolution to quilt more in 2014!