Friday Finish!

This week I worked on a rabbit quilt from a free design by Cheri Saffioti. She is offering her old designs and free ones on her Facebook page, Quilts by Cheri.  She gave us the bunny with basket and then I change it up a bit, and added the saying and extras. The chicks I added when I saw another guest who did hers with two chicks and loved that idea.

The saying is something I came up with when I saw a quote by Martin Luther King, I took the first line and added the rest to fit my piece. This is the finished quilt, walnut stained after I finished it.

Here is what the piece looked like, before I stained it. It is easier to see the details and colors in this one. I always prefer the stained piece, that is more my style. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, looks like we may get snow again.

Friday Finishes!

Well, I guess our flu wasn't over yet, Bill woke up coughing bad on wednesday, so I made him go to the doc and he got medicine for both of us. I got the sore throat and sinus, no cough and now that I am on meds, I won't have to worry about that. Hopefully we can enjoy the weekend, Sunday is going to be beautiful and I really want to get out and enjoy a day of nice weather.

The good thing is, I had plenty of time to rest and work on some new pieces. I am still working from the Kindred Spirt books and made an easter pillow for me and two that I can give as gifts next year. It is fun making up things I can give next year and sometimes I like to have things to give just for fun.

Now I am going to have to buckle down, I have two weeks to make a baby quilt for the new baby and since I know it is another boy, I can get to work on it. I have an idea, now I just need to draw it out, figure out sizes and get it made, lol.

I had one more piece that I stitched, but didn't have time to finish it today. I have some ideas on ways I can change the finishes, fun to experiment and try different things.

Another thing I love, is to see the work from those who use my patterns. Deirdre of The Old Rose Cottage made a beautiful rug, using my Spring Chicks pattern. I love the lighter chicks against the dark antique background.

A Day in the Life!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend. My husband needed help getting the new tub/shower for the basement, so he had my son help him and that meant time with Nicholas for me. Of course Bean was excited to have company and spent the day, trying to herd him.

We ended the day with lunch, homemade rice and chicken that his mom makes up for him. We used the day to eat and be silly.

After we drove them home, we stopped at a local park for a short walk. This is a pond that used to be a public beach and picnic area, but now there is no swimming and they closed the campground down, years ago. Such a shame, it was a nice place to take the kids and we need another state park for camping.

There was still snow in some areas and ice on the pond.

The trail goes around the pond, so we started into the woods.

Lots of nice places to stop and enjoy the views and of course Bean had to explore every nook and cranny.

It was cold and windy, but the path narrowed and it was nice walking in the woods. The problem was, the paths got muddy, so we decided we would come back when we had more time and it was dry, then we can go around the whole pond, something I have never done.

On the home front, I have been working on the rag quilt and hopefully I can get more done in the next few days. The kitties are always finding new places to sleep and Izzy thought my easter hat and chicks made a nice pillow.

And then there is Moki and Bean. Bean has been chewing holes underneath my new couches when I wasn't looking. And Moki has decided it is the perfect kitty hideaway to sleep in.  While I was on the floor trying to get a photo of Moki, Bean decided to get in the act.

Easter and Free Stitcheries!

I can't believe how close Easter is, it sure came fast this year. I have been having fun making Easter items but I also need to get onto some quilts and summer items for me.

I made a couple of chicks and had no where to put them, so today I made them a nest. I had some old straw hats from my doll making days and thought it would make the perfect nest. I took a pair of scissors to them, cutting some chunks off and around the brim, then I cut off half of the top. I brushed antique medium onto the hat to age it a bit and let it dry. Then I added some spanish moss for the nest and some store bought eggs and you have a quick and easy display for your chicks.

This weekend I wanted to keep my hands busy but not think too much. A friend sent me a link to free patterns from Theodora Cleave and I thought it would be fun to make one. She is giving away the whole set so you can make mini quilts with some or use them all and make a full sized quilt. I am not sure yet, what I will do. Minis are nice to give as multiple gifts and a regular quilt would make a nice quilt too, so I will decide later.

This is what i have so far, I have worked on it more today. I will be adding some color, green and red with a bit of yellow and brown. I am using tea stained muslim for the background.

Today it was nicer out, so I was able to get outside to play with Bean. When I opened the door I saw a critter just coming out of the pathway and when he saw us, he ran up the tree. The poor thing was not expecting people, or a dog, so he climbed to the top and played dead, lol. Then my neighbor took his pup for a walk down the path and the poor guy just sat there, it took him 20 minutes before he realized no one else was going to come out.

I am seeing more and more critters lately, so I guess that is a sign that Spring is actually coming, albeit a bit slowly.

Friday Finishes!

This week has been slow, no motivation and no energy. Being stuck in the house so much, doesn't help and Bean has way too much energy to be stuck inside, as well. Yesterday Bean had to go in for his operation, so I had the day without disruption. I spent the time, cutting and getting some prim stuffed Easter pieces ready to make. When Bean came home, I rested and worked on them in between his resting and need a cuddle time.

The first pieces I made were little chicks. I made two to see how I liked them. The actual pattern has a gusset, but i did it the lazy way and just made two sides. I also used camel hair wool, that I had over dyed in yellow shades. The pattern is by Pea Pickers Primitives, which is now called, Whimsical Endeavors. The original pattern has the chicks sitting in a rusty cup with status. I have both, so I will try that too.

The second piece I did was a free pattern I found years ago. I think it was in an old issue of Creative Times Magazine. It is by Rusty Pins and Old Lace, though I think she may be retired now. You can go back through their magazines and most of the free patterns are still downloadable. I reduced the size a bit, and it was a bugger, turning it inside out. As you can see, my stitching didn't stay on track and my bunny came out a bit wonky. I used an old wool that had been over washed and it was stiff and fuzzy. I think it would be fun to make them larger, and a lot easier.

The last piece is a pattern by Soft in the Head. It was given as a free pattern, at one time and I never made it. I have an old spring and the bunny sits on a spring, but my bunny is too stiff and my spring is too narrow for him, so I will make a new setting for him. I think I need to grunge it up with walnut, a bit too bright for me. I do like the way his carrot came out, maybe I will make a bunch to sit in a bowl.

Working on Giveaway!

This week I started a new punch needle design, adapted from an antique rug. I am keeping it simple and somewhat true to the original for basic colors.

Since I will have a new pattern, hopefully by Friday, I will have a giveaway of one of my epatterns. It can be the new one or any of the epatterns on my ecrater site. I will pick a name on Friday and announce the winner on that posting.

Can you guess what might be in the design?

Today was cleaning day and my bed. The kitties like to sleep on my bed and after a week, I get tired of inhaling cat hairs. I shut the door so they can't get it dirty before i got to sleep and Moki found another favorite place to sleep. My kitty dolls make great pillows.

Then he decided to sleep on the dog's blanket. Bean let him enjoy it for awhile but it didn't take long for him to get up and give Moki, the please play with me look. Bean still doesn't understand that kitties do not throw balls. Though mine do steal his and roll them down to the cellar.

Spring Wreath!

I finished making the wreath with the fabrics I showed you, then I had to decide how to decorate it. I decided to go with a vintage Easter pillow, but it didn't work out like I wanted. I used the print and press and a design that I found at Graphics Fairy. She has a lot of wonderful vintage designs that you can use for printing and making into decorations for your home.

The first design was ruined, not sure what happened, but it did not peel off properly and half the design was ruined, so I made another. I made another that worked this time, I pressed harder on the floor and I think that helped. I thought the design was large enough but once I set it inside the wreath it didn't fit snuggly, which I wanted so it would stay put.

I put the pillow on the wreath and added some flowers to show how the wreath looks. I am thinking that I may make a large sitting bird for it, what do you think would look nice on it? I wanted to do something for Easter, than change that out for spring so I could use it longer. Another idea I had was to print out vintage ornaments and tie them around the wreath.

I have it here on a wall, once I finish it, I will hang it on the front door.

Our house is full of the flu, my daughter had it, gave it to me and now my husband has it, so hopefully this will be the last one for the season. One thing that is nice when you are sick is to have wonderful friends who think of you and send surprises in the mail. It really made my days to have some wonderful new things that I can work with to make new creations with. It warms my heart to know my friends are thinking of me.

I have been practicing with my needle felting but realized I don't have many colors for animals, or fun colors for other projects. My friend Laurie spins her own yarns and uses roving and sent me some unspun rovings from her stash and a lot of her hand dyed, so I will be able to make some new critters now. The funny thing is, something she uses in the roving is something that makes Moki crazy, I found him and the box on the floor and he was rolling around in it, lol. It is now safely locked away from him.

There is roving under the roving, a whole box full. This will keep me busy for a long time.

 Today I received another package from my friend Mary. She knows I love to work with wool and had a pattern and wool kit that she was not going to use, so she passed it along to me. Not only was I surprised by such a wonderful gift but it is the same pattern and kit that I saw the other day and wanted to make, so I was thrilled.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Easter Bunny Penny Rug

Last week I was one of the lucky winners of Valerie's giveaway. Valerie of Wooden Acorn offered 3 designs to 3 winners and not only did she send me the design, but another one I had liked and some sewing goodies to use for my pieces. I am amazed at her generosity, and the extra goodies. If you love primitive and working with wool, visit Valerie's Etsy Store, she has lots of wonderful patterns that I have my eyes on.

 And of course I had to make the chick piece, right away, perfect for spring. I made it into a little wall hanging and added a few of my own touches. I made hay for the basket, by unwinding jute strands, then weaving them into the empty spaces. I love the house piece, as well, that is something I can make a few of, as gifts.

The pattern is by Buttermilk Basin Designs. I realized I forgot to decorate the other butterfly, but I was not pleased with the lines I made on the first one, so I will change that and add dots.

New Punch Needle: Spring Chicks

I finished my piece finally. Yesterday I did a good walk, cooked and cleaned, then crashed, lol.
All those colds took a lot out of me, so It will take awhile to get my strength back up.

For the Kitty fans, yes Dora is that smart, although that is not the kind of smart I call her;)
And I have seriously thought about locking them up in one room, but that will never happen, they will figure out how to open doors next. At night they party hearty and I wake up to things on the floors and the rugs here and there.

This new piece is based on an antique rug. I wanted to do it in similar colors which were very basic and plain, which was common when woman used what scraps they had. But you would always see a bright color mixed in, such as red. No lighting can get the real look of this piece. I used mixed colors and my own hand dyed floss for the grass area and everything is off color. It is very prim and the colors are more muted and blend in more, like you would see on an old faded rug. I also decided not to add a border on this one, I like the simple look and think it is a great piece to hang on a kitchen cupboard.

I will be working up the pattern on Monday and the winner of the giveaway can have this or any other pattern from my selection on ecrater. This piece will be for sale, just not sure when. I also changed my ebay name, decided it was time. I am now WoolensailsPrims. I hope you enjoy this new piece and I think it would look beautiful as a stitchery too. I also forgot to reverse my design, the chicken was supposed to be looking the other way;)