Vintage find

Vintage find
Originally uploaded by lasassone

Last Friday 4 of us from our local CQ group went on a field trip. One place we stopped was a great antique cooperative shop with MANY wonderful things. I got a wonderful piece of vintage brocade and a yard of this great lace.

See those little spiderwebs in the center? I just LOVE this lace. I think maybe I will have a big problem actually using this lace. LOL....there were two hanks for sale and I think I might just have to go back and buy the other one if it's still there.

This lace really intrigues me and I'm sure it was machine made. I've crocheted some pretty complicated patterns in thread but something like this I would not begin to attempt!

So lucky I found it!

P.S......my newer camera would NOT take a fine detailed picture of this lace - I am really upset. I had to use my old Sony camera that takes floppy disks only! Doesn't it do a great job on closeups?

300th Post! Phew!

Block 25-last!
Originally uploaded by lasassone

What better way to celebrate my 300th post to this blog than to post the last block in the Ruby McKim Farm Quilt design set?

I finished the owl and frog block on the evening of November 2nd as I was watching television. I have to say that I was a bit surprised at the design of the last block, but we must remember that these designs are from the 1930's (I think) and reflect farm life in that era. I loved doing the eyes of the from using buttonhole stitch!

I'll be setting this blockset aside until after the first of next year before I try to put my Farm Quilt together. However, I thought you might like to see the fabric that I will be using for the alternate blocks of my quilt.

I had the Farm Quilt design set for some time when, one day quite unexpectedly, I finally found the perfect fabric to use with the designs. I immediately used the fabric to match up with a DMC floss color (355). When I got home, I bundled the fabric, thread and designs together and put them in a 12" x 12" portfolio until such time as I felt the urge to start the embroidery.

Surprisingly, I found this fabric in the craft department of our local Wal-Mart. It is very nice quality with a nice tight weave. It is called "Pleasant Valley" designed for "Exclusively Quilters" from Classiccottons.com.

I will be re-visiting this quilt in January, but now it's time to get on with finishing up some promised projects for family. I've a pillow to finish for one grandchild that is long overdue. Then I promised my eldest daughter I would make her a pencil skirt. Then it will be on to projects I have planned for family Christmas gifts. And, right now I also continue to knit scarves!

I also have a make-do pincushion to get done before our local CQ stitcher's Christmas luncheon. I'm the one who posted the challenge to the group last January or February and I'll bet that I'm the last one to get done with my pincushion. My delay is in part to the fact that I knew what I wanted to use as my base, but I spent months looking for it. I finally gave up because I think I may have sold it in the 4 garage sales we had when we were planning the move that didn't happen. It was a pewter cream pitcher from my Mum's (Lulu-see my other blog) pitcher collection. I know I downsized that collection some back in 2007, but I cannot believe that I actually sold that pitcher which was a piece of passenger railroad serviceware.

So, I must get stitching - not to mention both the cat AND G are asking me what's for dinner!

Farm Quilt block #24-One More to Go!

Farm Quilt block #24
Originally uploaded by lasassone

Here is the next to last block in the Ruby McKim Farm Quilt design set that I finished Sunday evening.

I'm still not sure what project I'll move on to doing in place of these blocks once they are all finished. However, I DO know that I won't be putting them together until after the first of 2010. I've got too many things going here. I'm playing catch up on a couple gifts that I promised and then I need to begin on Christmas gifts. I'm hoping to make a few tote bags for gifts this year and I want them to be unique to the individual, so I think I'll be doing some more embroidery quite soon!

Last week I began knitting a scarf for one of my granddaughters for Christmas and I am about 1/2 finished with it. I only work on it when I'm watching tv in what we call our "lounge" for lack of a better name. It's a new to me pattern with only 3 pattern rows that repeat. You'd think that would be simple enough, but I have to stop and count about every 6 rows in case I make a mistake. Good thing it's only 36 stitches wide! I've also had to pick up 2 dropped stitches so far. Knitting with older hands is challenging!

Our small Tuesday crazy quilt group had this weeks meeting at my house today and it was a good one as is usually the case. I need to do a bit more stitching and then beads on the parts of the heart shaped box that Beth will then construct for me. I love the colors in my bedroom (eggplant, teal & gold), and this box will be a welcome addition when it takes it's place on our bookcase headboard!

I've a plan now for the 2nd block I'm doing for Kate's Africa project, so I can begin stitching & embellishing those two blocks and get them off in the mail to Kate.

Back to Stitching!

Farm Quilt Block 23

Farm Quilt Block 23
Originally uploaded by lasassone

Well, I guess this is sort of appropriate for Halloween posting. See the pumpkins behind the fence? And the haystacks?

Gosh, only two more blocks to go and I'll be done with this design set. I already started knitting Christmas gift scarves when I'm sitting in another area of the house. I'll need to find something else to work on while I watch tv with G.

Not that there's a shortage of projects here, believe me. The other day I found the red tablecloth that I used to put on our table for Christmas dinner. The last few years I used it I had everyone sign their names on it. I'd like to get those names embroidered so that, if we are here for Christmas this year, I can use it on the table.

And then there's more blocks that I have traced for my Life Quilt. And the Redwork Circus Quilt designs that I've had planned for years. there's about 10 other projects in 12" x 12" envelopes on my "to-do" shelf.

Stay Tuned; you never know what will strike my fancy next!

Happy Halloween!

Block 21 - Four More to Go!

Block 21
Originally uploaded by lasassone

Finished on 10/21/09 - Little girls block. #21 in the 25 design Ruby McKim Farm Quilt set.

Blowing "dandelions" was a favorite activity of mine when I was a child. When the wind was right, the fluff would make a swirly cloud that danced away.

I had no clue as to the grief I caused local gardeners! LOL

Preview of block to come = the crow's nemesis!

New to me Sampler

Sampler
Originally uploaded by lasassone

The other day at our Tuesday group meeting, a friend gave me this sampler from some things she no longer wanted. I don't do much cross stitching anymore, but I LOVE to find finished pieces even if they might need some repairs.

The next day I thoroughly looked this piece over and must tell you that was VERY well done by whoever stitched it. The edges are turned under about 1/4 inch and on one of them is printed "No 207 - Pure Linen Sampler Made in USA by Vogart."

The stitching is very nice and even the back is quite neat and tidy. The blue corner flowers and the bluebird are neatly satin stitched. There were some age-related stains on the lower half of the piece, but they are all gone now after a 10 minute soak in some warm water with Dawn dishwasher soap added. I rinsed it a couple times and dried it outside in the sunshine. No bleeding of the threads and it is looking almost new.

I'm not sure I will frame this piece or use it in the center of a quilted piece....time will tell. I need to find a couple other samplers that I know are somewhere here. At least one was done by my Canadian grandmother and was found by my dad when she passed away.

Back to downsizing!

I'm on a roll!

Farm Quilt - Block #20
Originally uploaded by lasassone

This is block #20 in the Ruby McKim Farm Quilt design set. I finished it last evening - 10/20/09.

Only 5 more designs to go! I can't believe how speedy I've been with these blocks. Part of the credit belongs to my doctor and a new arthritis medication. My hands are SO much better. Not swollen and sore like they had been for quite some time.

Crazyquilt stitching and flat out embroidery has become SO much easier! And, after 7 weeks, I can't say that I notice any bad side effects either.

Well, today is G and my 42nd wedding anniversary and we are about to leave to go out to an early dinner. We can't believe it's been 42 years because, looking back, it just seems like yesterday. Loads of memories, 3 daughters and 7 grandkids.......imagine that!

Farm Quilt - Block #19

Farm Quilt - Block #19
Originally uploaded by lasassone

Boy Fishing - finished 10/19/09. New camera - sorry for the date thing. I've turned it off now that I figured out HOW!