Cuddling Over Sewing Any Day...

I certainly never expected this to happen! Every year when I come to Wisconsin, I take a little drive over to Beaver Dam to check out what's new at Nancy's Notions. I saw this and it was love at first sight. 

This is Babylock's Crescendo quilting/sewing machine. What caught my eye was the wide open throat space to the right of the needle. With 11-1/4", there's a lot of room to do my own quilting after the quilt tops have been pieced. 

This are the other features that made the Crescendo so appealing:   1) A Digital Dual-Feed Walking Foot System  In addition to mounting like the other walking feet, this one also has  a USB cable that attaches to the machine for precise fabric feeding.   2) A Laser Guide Beam for Sewing The stylus connects to the computer for the sewing machine. It tells the machine exactly where I want the needle and stitches positioned. The pen designates stitch width, placement and stopping points on the fabric!   3) A Laser Guide Beam for Sewing No need for vinyl guides or other tools attached to the machine.  I can just follow the light beam to guide my stitches. I went back to The Cloud and read through all the literature. (The Aria is  the same machine without the Laser, Sensor Pen and large sewing table  attachment, so I had some feature-for-feature/price comparing to do.)    I returned to the campground to think about it. I talked with Handsome  and decided to go back to get the Crescendo this week. (She's going to need a new name, too. Anyone have any ideas they'd like to share?)
  I love Miss Prissy (My Espire), but it's time for her to move to a new home.  She's a hard worker and reliable, so I know she'll find a good home where  she'll be appreciated and used more. (If anyone is interested in pricing and more information, just send me an email through the link in my left sidebar.)   Otherwise, when we get home, I'll list up Miss Prissy and Evvie (my Evolve  serger) for sale. I only really use Evvie at Christmastime when I'm making  Grammies Jammies, and with all the specialty feet that come with her, I know   she could be used exclusively for sewing and quilting! (I actually know  someone who only sews with a serger!) It's a shame for her to sit around  most of the year when she could be serving someone else more often. Miss Ellie will be staying here at Brynwood. She'll continue to sew and  embroider for me and the Crescendo will be busy helping me make new quilts.

I decided to get acquainted with my new machine by making a new project. These panels are the front and back of a great wooly sheep tool bag.

I finished the front and back yesterday, but I took break and will assemble the pieces into a new tote bag today.

"Hey, Mom. Did you see that fuzzy thing lickin' on me?"

 I happily set my project aside to visit with this sweet, little guy again yesterday.

Tag was quite taken with him. He's never seen a tiny baby before,  but I can tell you, he loved this one. He was very curious and gentle.   Mommy and baby came to the campground and we talked and cuddled away  the rest of the day. I can't believe how much he's grown just since I saw him  at the baptism! It was great spending just a little more time together before  we get ready to go back to Florida. Our departure is just around the corner.  

All in all, another wonderful day creating new memories in Wisconsin.

The Calm After The Storm...

 Rebecca sits at the top of my new shelf unit. She's calmly stitching away having

witnessed the storm that was "Me", cleaning and rearranging my creative space.

This is the first thing I see whenever I enter through the door of my studio.

 My cutting table is clean and waiting for me to start the next project.

All Most of my laces are arranged on tubes and hang from the tension rods

I placed between the legs on my table. In this place, they're handy and ready

to use without sorting through loose pieces in boxes or drawers. I need to roll

a few more pieces I found while cleaning, but this is what's sorted so far.

 When I'm in the studio, I look to my left and see my machines, ready and 

waiting on their tables. Miss Ellie is set up on a larger table so I don't have

to move her to use the embroidery feature anymore. I just have to add the 

embroidery arm, set the design, thread her up and go. Handsome picked her up

 to move her out of the room during the "storm" and commented on how heavy

 she is. I'm infinitely happy that I can just leave her on the table to use now.

 If I stand behind Prissy (my Babylock Espire), and look back toward the door,

you can see what I see from here. My stand, holding a little more fabric (I know),

my storage cabinets on the right and my cutting table on the left. My acorn ornaments

all hang from a tension rod suspended in the window, and a few of my favorite pieces

of needlework hang on the walls. (Those are my completed "Sweet Stitches" panels

hanging on the door.) You can also see some of my small quilts hanging in the hallway.

 I've organized future projects in their own plastic storage boxes under

the cutting table. This way, they're kept together, clean and organized.

 These are my storage cabinets. I'm not going to open the doors because one

of you might fear for my sanity and call the authorities. I have fabric on bolts

behind four of those doors, and more plastic containers with current projects

inside the last one. Each one has the project name on it so that I can just pull the

one I want instead of having to sort through every one to find what I'm looking for.

 Each shelf on my new wall unit has a display of some of my favorite things.

This shelf has British tins, a small English figurine and, of course, a corgi. It was

a sweet gift from a generous blog friends TerriBoog and her dog, Bittabit, who

sent along a few other corgi things (see post here to see all the goodies she sent).

 This shelf has a watercolor painted by Sharon Chapman; a tiny treasured bear

handmade by a dear friend in Wisconsin (which sits on another gift from a Florida

friend about twenty years ago); a small creamer with beautiful little violets from Mom

(Grace); and one of my two Susan Pilotto creations (Mouse Droppings Fine Folk Art).

 Another shelf holds my own "Harris" the Tweed Rabbit pincushion; another

gift (the sweet, heart-shaped dish) from Terri; the incredible needlework beetle

I won from Lee from Notes From Under The Mountain blog; my own button

heart art piece; a crocheted floral mat from a friend who no longer sells them; and

my beautiful card from one of my family members in England. It's my "sweet" shelf.

 Pincushions and wool animals are front and center on one of my shelves.

That top pincushion with the lace and seam binding was made by dear friend, 

Dawn Edmonds of The Feathered Nest. She really has a way with canvas,

and seam binding. She's creates the loveliest sachets and pincushions.

 Of course, you knew I'd have a shelf dedicated to acorns, didn't you?

The leather case in the back hold a pair of antique binoculars. I hope to

someday create a steampunk piece with an embellished bird sitting on

top of those field glasses. For now, it looks just right with my acorns.

Today, I'll be in the studio. I have a little catching up to do, now that I'm all

reorganized. I have two class models to make for the shop in Venice. It was

nice to enjoy the calm after the storm, but no time to sit around on my laurels.

You'll want to be sure to visit tomorrow. 

I'll tell you all about my 1600 Post Giveaway!

I Can See Clearly Now...

Two days of singing...performing a Soundsations show on Monday morning, followed by a Chorale rehearsal Monday evening, and then a Soundsations rehearsal yesterday afternoon. No time to sew until today.

I can hear them calling now. Miss Ellie, Prissy and Evvie beckoning me back to the studio. They're anxious to feel my hand guiding fabric beneath their feet, longing for a new spool of thread and a project to create.

The wait is over girls. I have two days where you'll have my undivided attention. A camper table quilt to assemble for surface quilting, two commissions to create by the end of this month, and a few other projects waiting their turn.

I also have a table mat and potholders to sew together for our quilt guild's fund raiser boutique that I want to take to next week's meeting.

I'll be back in the studio today. It's gonna be a bright, sunshine-y day!

Multitasking Is A Wonderful Thing...

I adjusted the plan a bit for my Pure Table quilt. I was attempting to create this quilt using only charm squares and fat quarters, but soon realized that I was going to need yardage to make it the size I wanted. (The finished size will be approximately 60" x 72".)

I popped over to Etsy to one of my favorite sellers (thesproutzstore), and ordered up yardage in a few of the fabric patterns I was already using. My order arrived on Saturday and now I have many more options for finishing my project.

The first thing I decided was to add another band of white from my jelly roll, and then the new blue/brown 4" border. I'm liking how it's looking!
Today, I'll add the tiny white dots on a sand-colored background (the folded piece on the left side of this picture), as my final border. I'm making this one 6" wide. Then, I'll piece the backing fabric and take everything over to Kathy at Sandy's Quilt Shop in Harbour Heights. I want to have this one professionally quilted, instead of doing it myself.

I have enough fabric to make some placemats out of the same patterns, and perhaps a couple of...yup!...mug mats, just for fun!

I finished another project over the weekend, too!
While Evvie and I were stitching away on the Pure quilt, Miss Ellie was busy stitching out the eagle and my nephew's name on a sweatshirt. It's cold in Wisconsin, and this will keep him warm. Ethan is nine years old and involved in scouting. He told me that he'd like to become an Eagle Scout when he grows up. I thought the eagle might be a little inspiration for him.

I sent it off to him yesterday. I know it's going to be a little big for him, but he'll have "room to grow". I hope his mom sends me a photograph of him wearing it when he gets it. Wouldn't that be nice?

January Blissfull ATC Swap - Snow...

The theme this month for our Blissfull ATC Swap group is "White - Snow". My partner this month is Sandi of Maximum Embellishment blog. The first thing I did was visited her site to see what her likes and interests are. If you visit her blog, you'll find - as I did - a recurring fairy theme. I decided it was a perfect place to start for her artist trading card.

I searched the internet for an image of a fairy in the snow and found this one...a graceful beauty, to be sure. (I went back to search the artist's name, but was unable to find it. I won't make that mistake again, and apologize to the artist.)

After I printed the image on fabric, I used a free-motion setting on Evvie, attached the fairy image, some vintage white lace, and the words "Snow Dancer". I added a floral embellishment that reminded me a snowy bouquet and then sparkling beads to finish it.

I packaged it up, along with an extra surprise, and it's now on its way to Canada. I'll share my card from her once it arrives. I sure hope she likes my card, created specifically with her in mind.

Next month's theme is "Love". Won't that be fun?

Thanks again, Wendy for hosting, organizing and doing all the work that is involved for each of us to receive the beautiful creations our partners send us each month. You're an angel, my friend.

Lucky Girl...

It arrived a little late, but it's here now! My new serger table for the studio. Handsome asked me what I wanted for Christmas, and I told him that if he was going to choose a gift for me (in addition to Fezzik), I needed one of these tables.

Until now, I'd move Evvie from table to table when I used her, but she's a heavy girl and this serger table would make life easier. Handsome told me to go ahead and order the table, so I called the shop where we'd purchased the other Horn cabinets. Then, he still surprised me with the iPad (which I'm loving, by the way!).

Apparently, this table has been discontinued by Horn, but Sheila found one for me - in Wisconsin. It finally arrived last week and I put it together while Handsome was at band rehearsal.
Now, I have a flat surface right next to the serger to support the fabric, and the serger is at a comfortable height for stitching now, too.
Another great feature is that the platform has a hinged lid so that I can store all the serger feet and other accessories on the same table - and have easy access to them. Isn't it wonderful? I'm lovin' it, I tell you! All I have to do now is swing my chair from the sewing cabinet right around to my serger table.

I know, I know...S.P.O.I.L.E.D. Yup, that's me! (Thought I'd save you the trouble, Shell!)

There's still time to enter my PhotoBook Creator Giveaway. Just click here to enter.

Good luck!

Brynwood Joins Where Bloggers Create II...

Welcome One and All!

We've been waiting for your visit.
(You can click on each of the images to enlarge them.)Kes is really glad to see you today!

She's been so excited at the prospect of helping me
welcome you to our studio as we celebrate
Where Bloggers Create II,
hosted by the beautiful and talented
Karen Valentine of My Desert Cottage.

Kes would like you to notice the brand, new track lighting system
added to the studio recently. No more working by lamplight!

You can't miss my wall of fabric when you walk through the studio door, and on clear days, I have lots of natural light spilling into my space. Now, I have plenty of light, even on days when the sun was hidden behind rain clouds.

If you look to the left as you enter the studio door, you'll find an entire wall of deep cabinets, which are stuffed with fabric, trims, and other paraphernalia. (You can click on the link at the end of my tour to find more photos and see what's inside the cabinets.)

At the end of the cabinets, I've hung sweet, vintage, baby dresses.

This is the left wall of the studio. More storage, a long shelf to display treasured pincushions and other items, pattern and thread cabinets, and my Babylock machines, now dressed in their new party finery. (I've made new covers for each of my machines to protect them from dust and light, and so they have something pretty to wear when they're not in use.)

A favorite mirror, mounted above the pattern cabinet, bounces additional light around the room and holds court above other treasures...acorns sent from around the country by my blog friends; assorted white buttons; and pincushions made by two beautiful and talented blog friends, Dawn Edmonds and Shell May. Don't miss the tiny birds sitting on top of the mirror, too! I've added little touches like the birds - reflecting my love of the outdoors - to fuel my creative muse.

In keeping with my Brynwood acorns theme, I commissioned Michelle Palmer to create these beautiful ink-on-fabric images. I then designed and created my wall organizer, so that favorite scissors and other tools would be displayed and then, close at hand when I'm sewing.

In this corner, you'll find my Espire sewing machine, nicknamed "Prissy", my iPod music dock, vintage lace and trims on display (on cardboard tubes covered with thin batting, which I mounted on tension rods used for cafe curtains), and above that, my inspiration board.

As you can see, I have an assortment of wonderful and beautiful gifts from some of my inspiring blog friends. Photographs, ornaments, tags, keyrings and charms, all given and accepted with great affection.

I'm blessed with a wonderful view of our back yard, through my beautiful windows. My chair faces my Ellisimo sewing/embroidery machine (nicknamed "Miss Ellie") and right in front of the window is my Evolve serger (yup, I've nicknamed this one, too! You can call her "Evvie"!).

 "Ikea Varde kitchen counter" with larger purchased countertop

My Ikea (Varde kitchen counter) work table, with a custom made formica top. I needed the extra work space, so I had it fabricated at our local Home Depot. It's the perfect height for when I'm standing, and the size accommodates cutting out garments and larger projects. I also have room for a few trinkets.

This is where all my creative dreams are conceived and fulfilled. My life is joyful and blessed with the love of my husband and family, but the joy has been augmented ten-fold since I became of member of this blogging community.

I am so grateful for the new friendships that have been forged in the past year and a half...all because I chose to share my creative endeavors in this wonderful online world.

Thank you for visiting Brynwood Needleworks. If you'd like to see A LOT MORE studio images, please click on the last photograph (my little, sleeping squirrel) to go to my studio Flickr album. Be sure to read the captions I've written for each photo.

I hope you'll also look at my photo galleries and the Brynwood Boutique to see some of my creations.

Leave a comment on this post and you'll automatically be entered into a drawing for one of my Strawberry Roses (similar to the one above). All are handmade by me, so no two are exactly alike. I'll choose a winner through Random.org on July 1st. Good luck!

UPDATE: July 1st Midnight...The Drawing Is Closed
Thanks everyone!
Click here to enter my 400th Follower Giveaway
until July 10th, 2010.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Don't forget to say hello to the other participants of
Where Bloggers Create II.
Thanks again, Karen, for being such a great hostess!!