Something new

As a rug hooker, a project can take awhile to finish. And with wool often 35.00 a yard, I can't see starting too many projects at once in case they languish or don't finish. It's an investment, and I need to see it through. I can't just run to the wool store for a quick fix either ( like quilting), so it takes planning ahead. I bought this pattern for a carpet bag 2 years ago from Merry hooker woolens. I took a year to pick up pieces of wool and/or dye some. And now that my Christmas rug is finished, pressed, and waiting for the cleaning up stage, I can start this wonderful project.

The linen is great for working. I am using a size 5 strip and maybe a size 4 in the smaller places. I needed to topstitch the bag bottom and tops to linen, so that I can hook right to the edge.
The green was a part of a bundle that looked like Easter eggs. The purple is a pair of pants I found at Goodwill. I love the bits of pink.

I have been working on the Christmas rug for most of the year, so it is always fun to start something new.

I am linking to:
Fabric, Thread, and yarn
Oh Scrap
Needle and Thread Thursdays

Spiderwebs

My UFOs have languished as I have been working on the En Provence mystery quilt at Quiltville.

Jo from JO's Country junction has asked about spiderweb quilts. I have a couple that I have worked on, off and on. These are not quilts I get in a hurry about making. But slowly, and magically they come together.
I completely pieced this one on my 1920 Singer Red eye treadle. It is in rows waiting to become a top. It is hard to make an orange spiderweb quilt without a few spiders ( get it) and bats.

I was inspired by the colors in this antique one.

 

My favorite color is yellow and I had a honey bun, so I started this one.

And when Bonnie hunter started this one, her photo

 she made several blocks with an olive green that I liked. These are hers.. her photo
 She changed her mind and went to yellow centers, but I had already started cutting green.

 So I have a bunch started with olive green and scrappy strings.
This one is on my inspiration board. I might have to do white as well.

 As part of preparing for Christmas, I add several gratefuls to my gratitude journal. I thought I would share one.

I am linking to:
WOW
Midweek Makers
Jo's Country Junction UFO
Bee Social
  

Mittens

 What is this?

There is no snow anywhere else. My car was the snow target? LOL

Val's archive theme this week is mittens. I have just unearthed a project that was left undone and packed away in the Christmas boxes.
I made these mittens from handspun yarn that my husband spun that was more art yarn than practical yarn. I loved the primitive Christmas look idea and knew it would make the yarn useful again. But even though it looks like I had gathered fun stuff to put in them, I didn't get them finished. I think there is still time.

I am nearly done with clue #2 from En Provence mystery quilt (link in sidebar). I have all the bright triangle in a squares blocks done, but only half way through the civil war colorway.

I am ready to press and beautify my Christmas rug.

And I want to update my progress on my Knit the sky Project. I nearly lost it when the Grandchildren came for Thanksgiving, but I am up to date.

I am linking to:
Fiber Tuesday
Fabric Tuesday
Free Motion by the River
Val's Archive

A new Mystery clue - En Provence

The Triangle in a square quilt block (aka 'Spikey and Peak') is a good old fashioned quilt block made so much easier over the years with new templates and tools.

Probably for the most accurate piecing, using a paper foundation would be the best.

Cake stand quilts has a great tutorial for using a whole square foundation and adding the wing triangles in a sew and flip method.

If you want to make your own template, this link will help.

I had really good results with Studio 180 V block trimmer when doing celtic solstice. She has you make it bigger and then trim down - bummer but nice finished block.

And Bonnie Hunter has a method using her new essential triangle tool which is a combination of Sharon Hultgren's easy triangle tool and companion angle. BTW my easy angle and companion angle tool still have her name on them as I bought them from her at a trade show when she first designed them in the 90s. We still owe her a debt of gratitude for introducing these great tools.
I am anxious to take Bonnie's tool for a test drive but not yet. This block and I have not been friends yet.
so

my wish for a way to cut these out..... Accuquilt studio die, but alas it is 95.00 and not on sale. It was on sale last week but not this week. sigh....

But this is what I have. I said earlier when you go big it's hard to go back. But I own it, and it mostly works. And I can buy a lot of fabric for 95.00.

 

So my progress of En Provence  and clue #1-

I have all 221 neutral 4 patches for the bright colorway and all 221 neutral 4 patches for the civil war colorway done.  and in their little homes.

For Clue #2, I have all of the bright colorway triangle in a squares cut out of a variety of neutrals and my magenta.

And I made a mess ( creative mess yes?)

and half of them sewn together to test if I can be accurate with the die cut pieces. Not bad if I don't get in a hurry.

I am keeping up so far. hooray

I am linking to:

Making Monday

Moving it Forward Monday 

 Patchwork Times

Main Crush Monday

Quiltville

I have a fabric acquiring problem

5 jelly rolls and a couple of charm packs came to my house to play. Stupid black Friday deals

Wouldn't that be terrible?


My slow stitching today will be to hand stitch the binding on my Christmas Rug. I am trying a new technique called the Eaton Edge. I think I will really like it. I wish I had decided to do it before I finished hooking the background. It would have been easier to sew the binding and hook the last row before I worked on the border. This has been a bigger rug and I am considering a bigger frame for hooking, more like a quilt frame.

 Stash report

Fabric Used this Week:  3 1/2 yards

Fabric Used year to Date: 54 yards

Fabric Added this Week: 253 3/4 yards
Fabric Added Year to Date: 567 1/2 yards

Net Fabric for 2016: 518 3/4  yards in the hole

and I think I need to add shirts I buy to take apart for fabric. I added 3
for total of 22



I am linking to:
Patchwork Times
Slow Sunday Stitching
Sunday Stash

Part two

Part 2 of the mystery  En Provence has been revealed. We need our magenta and neutrals to make our units. So I have a decision to make. The fabric I have enough of, I don't like as well. So do I make my blocks with a mix of what I do like? or use the one I don't like as much? My favorite is the one in the middle. sigh....

I have the go die. But once you go big to the accuquilt studio it is hard to go back to the go size. But 100 units shouldn't be that tough.

I participated in a cookie exchange last night and came home with a plate of womderful goodies.

I took Mexican Wedding Cookies . This was one of my favorite Holiday treats growing up that my Mother made. I loved watching her make these. It was my first recipe in my own recipe box when I started my own family traditions.  What I didn't realize was that she made them a little different. She would take a glass and flatten them on the cookie sheet.  So imagine my surprise when there were fake Mexican Wedding cookies masquerading as little balls of dough. Yuk. A big doughy mess in my mouth. When they are flattened, they taste delicate and pecany, and like my Mother had made them again.  My favorite.

Fun stuff in my mail. I am anxious to try this.

I am linking to:
TGIFF
Finished or Not Friday
WHoop WHoop
Crazy Mom Finish Fridays
Fort Worth Fabric Studio

More 4 patches

I am sending the snoopy charm squares to Lisa at Traditional Quilter. She has a friend having a baby.
 

I have finished clue #1 for En Provence.

Now to continue with the civil war color way.
These are the fat quarters I ordered from Whittles, but they don't look very much like civil war.

I like them and I don't think I have enough of the real reproduction fabrics in my stash. sigh...

I am practicing bells for the Christmas program at Church, I am glad the piano does all the real work.

 I am linking to:
Fabric, thread and yarn
Needle and thread Thursday
Oh Scrap