A new start a new day!

I finally got the ambition to clean out my sewing room and make it more accessible for me to get around. I have been working on mass producing some charitable items and it would make it much easier.

I must admit that also I am working on the thread bears and still puttering away at finishing some socks.

I finished knitting anothe face cloth, this one in a pretty deep peach, so that makes two, one a week so far.

I have a crazy quilt block of Marianna's and will work on that once the handles are on the totes I have been making and then settle in to work on a quilt.

Have a great day stitching and hopefully tomorrow I will have some pics to share with you.

Wheelchair Back Packs

Amidst some links on line and a collection of soil resistant fabric samples that a friend gave me years ago I have started to make the tote bags for wheelchairs and walkers. I have about six completed so far. My favourite is one made in yellows with an oriental design in it, would have made gorgeous pillows. I also did a lot of paisley and light colours and now have about another dozen to put straps on and send along.

These are very basic and very simple to do. I do not like Velcro and I do not like ties as these can cause a hindrance to the operator of the chair or the walker so I measure about eighteen inches for each tie and put two on them so that they are secure.

Here is my basic plan according to the size of the fabric I cut my fabrics so that there are no raw edges and the writing on the cardboard that is sealed to the sample fabric is removed, this usually leaves me about a 15 to 16 inch square to work with. I do not worry about both sides being the same as they can be used either or and gives each a reversible effect. I do try and match colour families for male/female, and as the nursing home where I am donating them has children I plan to use some cute children's cuts of fabrics and make some totes for them.

I will add some pics when I have finished the next set. I wanted to get these out to the residence so that they could tell me if these, are, in fact, of any value to these folks. I have designed them so that when they are removed they fold in half and can hang on a bed or a door handle. I have watched them try to navigate with books in their hands, knitting needles etc. and from my own personal experience know that a tote bag is a great solution to a lot of how we feel about getting from point "a" to point "b".


Materials:- 2 pieces of fabric , I chose curtain sample fabric's. cut according to size. I mine now, they are 15inches x 17 inches.

- serge or sew around three sides. I Serge so that makes it easier so that the threads to not strip, and if you don't serge, I suggest sewing with right sides together, trimming back the seam and then french seaming from the wrong side. In other words. Press the seam flat and encase in another seam. It is very professional looking and sturdy.

- I then take and measure in about an 1.5 inch from the top of the bottom corner and sew a triangle across. I do not cut this but lock it in place with a few stitches. Do to the opposite side, this is not necessary but it does give the bag a boxed corner and bottom look.

- I then measure in about 2.5 inches from each side and pin either a handmade strap or strong webbing in place. I stitch this on one side, then flip and stitch on opposite sides. I then turn the top edge down, stitch close to the bottom, then top stitch.............voila' a beautiful little tote bag.

- I plan on doing some smaller ones for those who just carry a book around with them as it is easier to hold onto a few strips of fabric than it is to carry a book and balance a walker.

- I will share some pics tomorrow.

Bean Bags for the Nursing Home

I will do some instructional pictures over the weekend as once again we are promised snow. While at the nursing home with dh's last week visiting I asked the recreation director what I could sew for her. Her eyes grew very large as she said " sew ". I said yes, what can I make for you that you could use. She responded with bean bags. She had just tossed some tattered ones out.

I sat down this evening and in less than two hours have double lined and filled 16 bean bags and will share my basic pattern with you.

Materials:-

1 - yard of flannel - bright patterns are the best.
1 - yard of heavy broadcloth
2 - 2kg bags of long grain rice.


For 16 bags here is how I cut my fabric.

I took the broadcloth and cut it into 6 inch strips and sewed them together leaving an opening for turning. I then added one cup of rice to each bag and serged the edge closed.

I then took the flannel and cut it into 7 inch strips. I sewed on three sides then about an inch in or each side on the top, inserted the rice bag and topstitched closed. I did all of the work on the machine as these will be used by seniors and take a hard toss.

I must admit that I speed sew and sew in multiples so here is my recipe for making them quickly.

Tear lining fabric into 6 inch strips.
Seam long sides together.
Cut into 6 inch sections.
Sew bottoms on each one, fast feeding one behind the other through the machine.

Add rice = serge across opening, set aside.

I do the cover the same way.

Cut strips into 7 inch widths.
Seam long sides
Cut into 7 inch sections
Seam bottom and in a bit from each side on the top, add the rice bag, and stitch the top closed.

I will add some pictures over the weekend.

Pics as promised of the little bears.

On the left hand side is the collection of bears made so far from the tiniest at about two inches to the next size up about 3.5 inches to Purple who is about five inches standing. My fingers are so sore I can hardly type, but these little critters are addictive and you can create as your crochet and change as you will.

Pay It Forward

Busily crocheting the little bears that are made with thread and finally did one with a twist, it is done in light purple and is brushed. I do need a break from these little critters and they will be forwarded onto new homes as promised.

I finished a white and beige set, a miniature beige bear, and now the mohair bear, and have a red bear and one more, I think in thebasket, then I will make for myself.

I will share some pics. I made the above for a few who do not crochet and now need to concentrate on doing some resting and reading and catching up with the things I have wanted to do in my life.

I asked a local nursing home if I could sew anything for them and they mentioned such as, and I responded with " bean bags ", she exclaimed "yes " we had to toss some out as they were getting pretty ragged.............so I plan on setting up and doing about a dozen new bean bags in bright colours for the nursing home.

I also have a new book Alexandra Stoddard " the Art of the Possible " and have never read any of her books but want to read this one. I also want to start reading Barbara Bradford's " Emma's Secret ", it is a gift book and it is a big one but keeps calling out my name.

I have one cq healing block to finish and get in the mail and my parcels should all be ready to go by tomorrow evening.

Happy New Year - Welcome 2009

With the busy Christmas season behind us it is time for us to move forward and take some time to reflect what really makes us happy and what we plan to do to make a difference in someones life this year.

I feel that each life we touch secretly will be a life that will feel the love that someone has taken the time to make them aware of.

I also believe that silent givers are the best givers and that I like to choose who I want to surprise and give my handwork to, with this in mind. I have decided to do at least one kind random act of kindness a month. I am not doing a drawing as I know personally, there are beautiful items I have received this past year when all I had to do was comment on their work and I was honestly only commenting because they were beautiful. When I won, it was the most wonderful feeling in the world.

I call the above thread bear " Spice " and he is one of two that is going out silently to a special friend who has gone above and beyond for years for all, not just for me. There is a wonderful group on line for thread ted's and they share their love of making these tiny creations, and all I was going to do was make one to put on a quilt, now I am finding that there are some special people who do not crochet who would like to have one and must admit that this work is an art form in itself and I am far from having achieved it. My bear is the first one I have crocheted and the second one is not much better, but with time they will get easier.

I have finished a lot of started projects and will share and this is the year that I get my own full sized crazy quilt all done by me. I purchased the calendar from Piecemakers and can hardly wait to start and do one in a similar style. I am also so enthralled by the handwork of Jo in Nz; and Allison Aller to mention a few that I want to practise my stitches.

Carole Samples and Victoria Adams Brown have made crazy quilting an art form that was not delegated to just stitches, and then take the artwork and stitches taught by Nancy Ehna and those on the crazy quilting international list and I will have my own little masterpiece.

" Give to the world the best that you have and it will give back to you. " Authour unknown to me.

Stacked Pyramid from base pattern

This is my version of the stacked pyramid. I want to learn to adapt the base line stitches and bring them both up and down over the seam. In this one I worked up, then down, added beads and kept with two weights of thread, one a size 12 perle silk and the other two strands of needle necessities. The beads are metallics in black and in abalone from mill hill.

Build A Seam Week Eleven

This is a very poor picture of a stacked pyramid base pattern, but it is soft pink silk perle on tafetta. I will add the seam below that I created from this one.

Miss Kerry, I hope you meant it when you said it is never to late to join in a challenge. I hope to go back and do the other ten seams over the coming week.

Collars and cuffs

While waiting to catch dh's cold and flu I had started some collars and cuffs and would like to share my results with you. I have adapted various patterns I have seen on line. The tall neck version is available in a different stitch on http://www.lionbrand.com/ as well as the base pattern for some of the cuffs, others were just made up as I went along.

I have not decided if I will rewrite the patterns or not as I did not take any notes while I was crocheting and would have to start from scratch again, but as I now have his flu, I doubt this would be done before the end of the year.

Creative Moment

With crochet hook in hand and a basket of assorted sizes of yarn and wool that was previously purchased I have once again started to create designs that I enjoy.

I played with wrist warmers this week, and today took on the challenge of a neck warmer and I am pleased with how that turned out as well.

Knowing our cold Nova Scotia winters I have decided to also make some boot toppers, and can see this leading into frilly sock tops for special occasions. I can't seem to get past frilly, pretty and practical.

Practical being that a set of cuffs can change the look of not only blouses, sweaters and jackets but easy on the pocket book for the office/executive staff.


Practical also involves a collar that will keep you warm in the winter, cool in the summer and make that collar less top look like a day to night outfit.


Practical also means that I can knit plain socks and add pretty toppers to them so that the tops of the socks are not lost when the heels wear out.

Practical means that hats can be warm in the winter with a headband added for some extra style that would be removable and used to hold back hair or drop down as a choker/necklace styled.

I love the new cuffs that I am playing with for a design, rather than warming the wrists alone they give a whole new look to what is under the jacket and keeps out the cold. They can be worn long to keep the arms warm, or turned down and add some class to an outdated outfit.

I am not a scarf person, but can see designing some in the future. I am also not a crochet with yarn person normally, but love the feel of thread so can see this being carried forward to bridal and heirloom work with thread and crochet hook.

I also love the idea of legwarmers that look not only stylish, but can be sloppy and comfortable as well either over leggings or boots. Now I have to get out and get a pair of the higher boots with a bit of a heel.

I also love a challenge and want to try and force myself to finish some of the ideas that I have sketched in a notebook and wanted to use for a long, long time.


I am playing with some mock-ups in both worsted, sport and bulky weight and now want to try and take it down to finer threads, but first must design a cap/hat that I would like to be able to create easily.

Baring any unforseen power outages, as we are supposed to be in for a bad icy raining evening, will be back on line with some pics to share.

FFT#3 Block is Home

Thanks to beautiful work of Pam, Shery, Lisa, and Janet my fabulour first times block is home where it belongs. I love the work that they have done on it and thank them immensely.

The centre seam of scallops is one that I learned from Marianna one of my angel friends and this was a ufo before it was sent off, and now it is finished and I am ready to add some of my own work to this one and check and see if there is possibly enough to start piecing a quilt together. I do have a lot, but they are all different sizes so making a plan will be a major strife as all of the ones that have work on them from others mean so much to me.

Still sharing some odds and ends.

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I love to knit socks and just started to knit mittens again and must admit that unless I can find a one armed, one legged person that these normally just end up in the 'ufo' pile, but I have found a solution. As soon as I finish one sock, I set the other one up on needles and then mindlessly knit while watching tv with dh in the evenings. I now feel productive. I have an order for some heavy weight socks and men's wristers so these will go aside for a day or so until I make a set for dh, who is working in a very cold building.

Winter sniffles turns into down time.

Had a bit of down time and decided to work on a few cuffs to go under blazers or jackets for gifts. I must admit that I love working on them and they are so versatile.

They can make one look like they are wearing a gorgeous sweater and still put a pair of winter gloves or mittens on under them.

I took the base pattern from a bernat free pattern on line and added the ruffle as I would work a doily.

I also love ribbons and glitter so I went down to a worsted weight yarn rather than a bulky yarn.

The pattern also comes with a plain neck ruffle and I hope to play with this one as well. I am sure they will be a hit with the teenagers.

Winter Sniffles

After our beautiful ( ugh ) snowfall on the weekend I have picked up a chill and a cold with letting the dogs in and out as they want to play in 40 cms of snow. I am not impressed. I am snuggled up in myfavourite chair with a quilt and some hand knitting for a bit.

Bloggin Friends Forever Award

I was honoured with this award from Jackie Young and would like to pass this award along to the following:-

1.- Leslie of http://www.pinyoncreek.blogspot.com

2.- Kerry of http://www.kerrykatiecakes.blogspot.com

3.- Sharon of http://www.inaminuteagoblogsot.com

4. Pam of http://www.kittyandmedesigns.blogspot.com

5. Lilla of http://www.lillalevine.blogspot.com

All of the above have made a difference in how I look at the thread that passes through the eye of the needle.

Winter in the Valley

Old Man Winter hit with a vengenance this weekend dumping 31 cms of snow yesterday and another 15 cms of snow last night. Proud to be in a snow belt.

One thing it does is wake us up to the reality that ' snow tires ' are a definite necessity for this time of year, the fender benders were unreal.

I did not venture out and have not for about a week now,which is not abnormal for me in the winter time. My power chair does have snow tires, but can't picture a tow truck pulling it on our country lane.

Yesterday I tried my economical ( cheaper than most ) bead spinner that I got from Walmart a year ago. Can't believe it was that long, but remember as we were visiting dd at the time and I thought under fifteen dollars was a real steal, but felt it would never truly work, but was willing to give it a try.

It spins and works like a top. It is a small one, and I normally only knit the beaded purses and the little things and feel great that I did get the beads loaded back on and finished another jabot purse. Pictures to follow next week.

At the time I also purchased a little mermaid in porcelane with hopes of doing a beaded skirt, not to mention the butterfly and getting back into my french hand beading..........well, this snow has got me started and there is no way now but forward.

I would love to thank Beadin' Gran Jackie Young for voting for me as Friends Forever and I must admit that I have no idea on how to transfer the symbol to my blog except I can follow through with five people who I would love to remember for the rest of my life and will do so after chatting with Jackie.

I too, have bit the sock craze and am wearing the first set, and have three more pairs that will be done before the day is over, the other three pairs are being done gently as my friend Miss Vortex has assured me that knitting on the toothpicks is great. She was even gracious enough to send me the fine sock " thread " to knit on and must admit that when these are knit they go right into my sock drawer.

Sock Knitters Revenge

What would the night be without another sock in the process. I know soon I have to start finishing the other ones that I have hidden, but they tell me they have a name for this disease now, it is called " the one sock syndrome " and I have it big time.



I feel the urge for real bulky socks, sport socks and not to mention mohair socks................but alas, my heart has to say that these are portable t.v. watching projects as my first love is my needlework, I left the world of knit design some years ago, I think.......this may be a real test.






Can you beleive that all that needs to be done fo rthe second sock to see a foot is to have the toe tapered properly, and it will be history........let's see what the night brings.

It all started with this toothpick and very expensive thread that is referred to in the knitting industy as self patterning sock yarn, a gift from a friend who said this is the size yarn I love to use. I must admit that short of needing to use my reading glasses to knit with them the feel of the yarn is out of this world..........now to turn the heel properly on such a fine specimen of knitting.

Now this is my weight of yarn, worsted in all it's glory. Start one sock on Saturday and finish the second on Sunday, mindless knitting. Oh my, now what does that say about me....

Pam's Block

A cascade of vines, flowers and beads flow from one block into another to symbolize the flowers that drape the castles and beautiful homes in England and France










There was not a lot of room for a large heart so I sent a smaller one done in vintage braid and trimmed in vintage laces with beads and a beaded dangle from the bottom, allowing fabrics to show through. I also added a hand dyed rosette.





A lady in lavender with her bonnet decked out in flowers and a hand dyed trim was added. I allowed the trim to go into another block as I felt it was needed. A heart swings from the cockade at the top







A boquet was added so as the butterfly was headed in the right direction and to vintage flowers at that.

This is the final result on how I did what I refer to as a " French Plume ". I truly enjoyed this challenge.

Back in Creative Mode.

Above is a picture of the block in a beginner round robin or should I say renewal of stitching round robin as it arrived at my home.

I am the last to stitch on the block and the booklet that came with it said that I want this to remind me of my visits to France with my dh and his vintage car clubs.

Not ever wanting to see a seam unturned I have started to add to this block, which I assure you will be filled before it heads home.

I knew the centre was bothering my friend "Pam " and I thought long and hard before I tried a technique that I had seen in a Candace King book, where you pull the top wire of the wired ribbo and flip it back on itself to make a ruffled effect. Now I have tacked this down and added some dark french beads..............I also want to add a fluff of feather and a doughnut of purple to the base, but not sure how this will turn out, time will tell.


I also took a section at the top and did a fall bush as in the pictures my special friend has shared with me she has shown me beautiful bushes that hang down over buildings. Now the paillettes that are used in the flower part of the bushes is not that bright and brilliant, the camera just picked them up as such and they do blend in well with the rest of the blocks keeping a nice calm peachy tone to the setting.

I felt that being in France would provide me with an opportunity to put in a silk that I receieved in a squishie..........the lady is dressed in purple and has a hat with a pouff of feather on the top in purple, and I added the yellow/cream to this and tacked it down to swirl off of the block........it also has small beads added to this............more will be collaged at the top before it leaves.

The deep curved heart at the top appears to be vintage and it reminds me of France, with all of it's deep splendor and vintage laces and soutache and when completed it should be a heart filled with love.

Other odds and ends are scattered around. I have found this block to be a challenge as the tone was set by those before me with beautiful stitching and highlighted seams and there were none left for me so I chose to dress it up.

I will add a picture of where I am at now, and hopefully it will either stay as is, or change as time permits.

Thoughts from home.

Have taken some time off to regroup and reorganize and must admit it was a true inspiration to go to Pam Kellog's new style blog. I am one of her followers, she is one talented lady.

I am working on knitting socks and gettng ready to do a few Christmas items for around the house and for gifting.

I love this time of year as it brings out the love in all people.

I wish I knew what one could assembly line make with love for patients in a nursng home. I have a stack of home dec fabric that would make nice little pouches, but feel that no strings would be allowed on them. I want to do something special for all of them this year, but it may go as small as a card to all of them or wheelchair backpacks, depending on time.

More news soon.