Goodness time flies when your busy.  Most every spare minute I've had, has been spent stitchin on the candle mat for a swap over at QATW.  I decided what I was going to do some time ago.  I've always been in love with hand work and all the wonderful threads and stitches, so I decided to have Sue Spargo meet Laura Bailey:)  I purchased a Sue Spargo class over at Craftsy.  Now I know, I have oodles of books with every stitch that has ever been done and every way in which to use it.  I feel we aren't ever done learning and I love to learn from other wonderful seamstresses and stitchers.  I love Sue's work.  Now you are probably thinking, how can that be.  Sue is bright and exciting and you are muted and dull:)  Well that is where my statement "I decided to have Sue Spargo meet Laura Bailey" comes from and besides, I really do like bright and exciting.  It just needs to be in someone else's house.  I can stitch it for them.  Anywho, the candle mat I am making is in reserved colors with lots of stitchin.  I may need to slim it down some to finish it in time.  But in the mean time I am having a blast adding all the embellishment stitches to it.  My biggest problem is deciding which stitch and which thread to use.  Which leads me to the fact that once I took Sue's class I had to buy more thread...........OOOOOHHHH NO:)  Here is the link to Sue's Craftsy Class, I purchased it on sale.  Keep an eye on it, Craftsy has lots of sales.  I don't think you will be disappointed if you like doing wool hand work.  I really like the dimension it gives.   http://www.craftsy.com/class/embroidering-texture-and-dimension-by-hand/4793?_ct=iuqhsx-kdyluhiqb-huikbj-sekhiu&_ctp=4793
Of course I have to give you the link to Sue's wonderful site as well, you may need some more thread too:)  http://www.suespargo.com/index.php  to get to the thread she sells you will need to go to the store section at the top.

I need to share this wonderful quilt I found while checking in on my friends over on Facebook (which really isn't for my friends, it is more for the quilting and wool applique groups I belong too, but don't tell my friends) It was posted by Quilting Digest - Quilt by Lisa Smith Green, made from Sue Garman's "Ancient Stars" pattern.
http://suegarman.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/endless-quilts.html



I love star quilts.  Oh your wondering what ever happened to my Charming Stars Quilt.  Well life got in the way for a few days and it got put on hold now until I get the candle mat done.  There is a time limit on the mat and the only time limit on the quilt was to try and finish it for the February contest over at QATW.  I didn't make that deadline, so I quit rushing to get it done.  I have the top finished and am piecing the back.  It wont be long once I have a chance to get back to it. 

Happy Stitchin
Laura

Today my seam ripper came and much to my surprise a beautiful pen with it.  I love them both.  Isn't this seam ripper to die for and my B-day stone.  What more could a girl ask for.  The pen is absolutely beautiful and writes like a dream.  I can't thank them enough for the wonderful work they did.  They will be well used.  As I said before I don't often have to rip, but I would be completely lost without my stiletto. 

So, for todays progress.  I finished the Charming Stars top and went to find the backing fabric I thought I had.  That's right thought.......well I thought wrong.  Then I have this brilliant idea of piecing a back together and this is going to be fine when done, however it is like piecing another quilt.  That being said, I don't think I am going to finish it in time to enter it in the February Finishes contest.  Oh well at least it motivated me to finish one, from the UFO pile. Maybe I did win the contest, I just need to look at it like my prize is a brand new homemade quilt.

 

I better go and get ready to put the new kitchen sink in, as hubby will be home soon.  I am excited to get it done. 

 

Happy Stitching! 

It's Friday.  That means I have 2 fun filled days of quilting coming up.  My plan is to finish my Charming Stars quilt and hopefully start another out of a bunch of scrappy CWR 4 patch blocks I have done.  Of course I will have to play with some wool too.  I need to get going on my spring candle mat for the swap we have 4 times a year over at Quilting Around The World.  They are so much fun and to get a new wool candle mat 4 times a year, what a treat. 

So, I posted block 2 in the mystery wool BOM over at QATW.  It must have been a hit as it has been download a few hundred times.  I sooooo glad everyone likes the blocks.  Hopefully we keep them interested right to the end.  I managed to get 4 of the 5 blocks designed and finished the stitchin.  So, I am taking a break from it for just a little bit to get some of my other projects done. 
Here is block 2

 

I better get busy sewing the borders on my Charming Stars quilts so I can get it quilted and get the binding on it.  I may just get it done in time to meet the deadline of the February finishes contest over at QATW.  There is never a lack of things to do over there that is for sure.  If you get a minute stop over and check it out. 

http://www.quiltingaroundtheworld.com/forum/default.aspx

 

 

Oh and don't forget Stacy West at Buttermilk Basin is releasing block 2 of her little wooly quilt along today too.  I haven't noticed that it being released yet, so keep your checking back.  Here is the link to her blog.

http://buttermilkbasin.blogspot.com/

 

Enjoy

Laura

 

 

While I have a collection of beatiful seam rippers that I very rarely use, I sure couldn't pass one up made by a friend.  My mistake was making the following statement and oh yes I went and said it. "I rarely use a seam ripper, the stiletto on the other hand I use all the time."  Well since making that statement, over the last couple days I have used my seam ripper more then I think I ever have
Moral of the story..........KEEP your mouth silent...........LOL - I can't wait to get my seam ripper
It should be here tomorrow.  I will post pictures and if anyone is interested, I will find out if she wants to make a few more. 

Also, in celebration of spring.......you need to check back often.  I am working on a candle mat pattern and I think it will be free to all of my followers. 

Here is the quilt giving me so many issues.  One I am trying to keep my blocks with the same patterns a bit of a distance from each other.  Two I should have looked back at my pattern to see that I needed to start with different blocks at the top.  This picture is before I put the second side on.  Will post a picture of this when I am done.  Rule number one - Just because you some what design the pattern......still go back and look at it, just to be sure you are doing it right.  Although, if I do that, I wouldn't get to use all of my beautiful seam rippers.

The charming stars are blocks from a swap over at Quilting Around the World. You can access the website HERE

 

Happy Stitchin!

 

While reading through some of the blogs I follow, I came across a link for a wooly place I didn't know about. I will be ordering from them. I will keep you posted. I love new places, what a great reason to order more wool.  The place is called Shakerwood Woolens so excited to go shopping.

Today I will be working on a quilt from a block swap Imwas in a while back over at QATW, called charming stars and on my new candle mat design for swap over there as well.  Picture to come later.

Great article

Here is a great article over at Primitive Quilts and Projects blog. 

http://primitivequiltsandprojects.blogspot.com/

I am creating this blog to give a little to all of you, by sharing my love of all things vintage, quilts and wool applique.  Hopefully we will stitch a few things, share some ideas, inspiration, tips and tricks together here.  I love to design, hopefully the creative juices keep flowing and time allows as my plan is to share some free patterns here.

Right now I am in the process of finishing up a design that I am doing for a free Mystery Wool Applique stitch along over at "Quilting Around the World".  The pattern is free to all QATW members.  I am providing one block a month for 5 months.  The title of the pattern is "In The Garden"  Block 1 was released almost a month ago now, which means Block 2 will be out soon.  I think it is just about a week and I need to have block 2 out.  I can legally show you block 1 as it is out already and if you promise not to tell I will give you a sneak peak a block 2.

Block 1
   
Block 2


I think block 2 is soooooo stinkin cute.  What do you think?  Sorry, my picture quality isn't better.  I snapped these quick with my phone.  I need to put a few finish touches on the puddle boots.  I think they need a butterfly or maybe a bird.  Hope you can join us.  Incase you decide to join us and want to know a bit about my blocks.  My background fabrics are from Primitive Gatherings they have the nummiest (love my new word) fabrics.  My wools are from Rebekka Erbb, Heavens to Betsy and Primitive Gatherings, they all carry the nummiest primitive wools.  There are lots of other wonderful wool suppliers out there now too.  It wasn't to many years ago, wool was tough to find.  I used to gather mine from thrift stores.  That is a long process of finding, dis-assembly and washing for small pieces.  I am sooooo happy I can buy pieces of wool from so many places now. 

Hopefully you can join us over at Quilting Around the World , you will need to sign up and then you can access the "In the Garden" wool applique stitch along. We have lots of fun over there with block swaps, quilt alongs, contests, chatting and lots of other things.  There is always something fun going on over there.  I am sure you will enjoy yourself over there. 

I think that is it for today.

Happy Stitchin