Around The World Blog Hop...

 Hello, Blog Hoppers! I'm a little late posting this for today, but Taggart (aka "Tag") would like to welcome you if you're new to Brynwood Needleworks.

 I'd like to thank our good blog friend,  Sharon Chapman of Wildflowerhouse for inviting me to join in the Around The World Blog Hop.

 Thanks also to Barbara Lilian in France  who organized the Around The World Blog Hop.   I have been a huge fan of Sharon's blog and her incredible artwork since I first began following blogs in early 2009, and I continue to look to her for daily creative inspiration. Thank you, my friend, for inviting me to join this fun event. Now, on to the rest of my assignment...    In case you're new to Brynwood Needleworks, I'll tell you just a little about me and what I like to do in my south Florida, USA studio.

I'm a wife to an incredibly talented, retired photographer, who has been

a musician all his life. (We've been married thirty years!) Now, he gets  to play (percussion) to his heart's content, and I am always his #1 fan.    We travel all over the country for his musical pursuits and performances  in our 27' Airstream Flying Cloud. We live a happy, blessed life, indeed.

 I used to own a needlework shop in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin in the late 1980s until the mid-1990s, called "Stitches". At that time, I also designed counted thread samplers and sold my designs as Brynwood Needleworks.

 Although I no longer sell those designs, I have and will always be a needleworker first and foremost. You might be able to find some of my charts available online, and you can check out my sidebar link to see them.

Many babies have worn my custom Christening gowns.

My creative process begins with creating heirloom-quality items. 

I made all the gowns for my niece's wedding.

 I began sewing when I was eleven, and have made garments for years. I then  moved to handwork, and have enjoyed embroidery (needlepoint, crewel  embroidery and counted thread work), knitting and crocheting over the years.    I learned early on that I'd rather spend my time creating things that  will outlast me and be cherished by those who come after me.

One of my recent quilt projects

These days, you'll most likely find me in the studio creating quilts, handbags,  and home decor items. As we move toward Christmas, I share my gift list  and my creative process as I work toward my holiday giving deadlines. So  far, I haven't missed getting them out on time! I'm already starting to put it  together and I usually start November 1st. I'm getting anxious to begin!   I try to spend some time in my studio every single day. I have what I refer to as a "creative imperative"...I need to have my mind and hands busy working on something all the time. When I'm not able to work, I'm thinking about what will be my next project. I can't help myself.

 Oh, and I adore everything 'acorn and oak leaves". From my 25 year old  logo to dishes and silverware and fabrics. You can see some of my acorn collection by clicking on this link, or you'll find acorns all throughout my blog  if you look for them. Funny how one small thing can make me so happy!

 

One of my favorite quotes is attributed to William Rutherford: "The way to use life is to do something that outlasts it." It's something I've internalized and have tried to live every day. Thanks, Sharon, for inviting me to join the blog hop.   I hope all of you enjoy exploring my blog. I'd love to hear from you!   Now... I'd like to introduce you to two of my blog friends. I know these ladies  personally, so I know you'll love them as much as I do! They will be joining the hop with their blog posts next Monday (September 29th).

Susan Slaton of Wazoo Quilting is an award winning quilter and longarm quilter extraordinaire.  She belongs to our quilt guild, and I'm fortunate to call her my friend. Check out her blog HERE to see what she's been up to.

I'd also love for you to meet my (camera-shy) talented and funny friend, Loreen of Miss Loreen's Schoolhouse Loreen designs quilts and other projects, and she loves teaching others her craft. Her blog is loaded with projects, patterns and fabric goodness. Loreen and I have been good friends for about ten years.  She moved back north and I still miss her every day! Check out her blog HERE to see what's on her design board.   Remember, these ladies will post for the Hop on their blogs next Monday! Tag writes his own blog posts on Tuesdays, so I hope you'll stop in to see him.   Next time you visit, make a cup of tea and stay a while.  There's something new going on at Brynwood Needleworks every day. 

Crazy Quilters...

I've been so busy finishing projects that I hadn't visited my friend, Loreen for quite a while. With the wedding quilt accomplished, I knew it was time to take a short jaunt over to Crazy Quilters in Venice, FL to catch up.

Crazy Quilters is the newest shop in the area. They don't have a website yet, but Loreen is managing the shop and she's getting it into shape as she helps the owners (non-quilters) pull together the right stock and hold classes.  Each time I visit, I can see that everyone has been busy and they're growing, slowly but surely.

Loreen is camera shy, but she knew she'd have to have her picture taken. She refused to look at the camera. No problem, girlfriend. It doesn't mean I won't take a picture anyway!

She's busy cutting fabric for a customer, but we eventually got back to talking about the possibility of me teaching a few classes for her over the summer. (Have any class ideas for me? I'd love your input.)

I enjoy seeing the bright colors, as well as the Civil War fabrics they've been adding to their inventory.

Fat quarters and fat eighths are perfect for the paper-pieced blocks that are created in one of Loreen's classes. This is something I don't yet know how to do, so tomorrow I'm going to join the class and learn the technique. We'll be using some of those fabulous Civil War fabrics from Barbara Brackman's line from Moda©.

I've packed my class tote and cased up Sophie to make the trip with me to Venice. I've chosen the fabrics I think I'll be using and I'm ready and eager to learn something new.

Today, I'm going to work on a few more projects that are on my list. Tomorrow I'll play. What are you working on this week?

PS. For anyone in the area who is interested in visiting Loreen, Pam and the shop, here's the address: 711 Shamrock Boulevard, Venice, FL 34293. Their phone number is 941.451.8959

If you're interested in Barbara Brackman's Civil War fabric line from Moda™, I'm sure Loreen will ship orders to you!

Confidence Is The Key...

Here are the very beginnings of my first applique' quilt square. I've chosen the fabrics for this square, transferred the design onto template material, and prepared for the "cutting out" phase.
I'll use the light table to place the full design behind the base fabric for the square to help me locate the elements to prepare for stitching. Everything needs to be cut larger than the template piece, so that there is extra to turn under for finishing and attaching. I'm still learning here, so now I have to determine the best way to turn the edges to attach each element to the fabric, while still maintaining the intended shape of the piece.
This is a representation of all the fabrics I've chosen to use on each design element. I'm a little intimidated by the process. I'm not quite sure why. Perhaps, it's because the instructor gave us the pattern and no instructions. I'm big on instructions. Plus, she said that "if our leaves didn't come to a point", she wouldn't give us the pattern for the second square. What? I don't even know if she's serious.

This is really as far as I got. I did try to turn a couple of leaves (which I'm now nervous about), using Glue Baste-It© and Heat n Bond©. Didn't like either, which means I'm stalled on the project.

I'm meeting with my girlfriend, Loreen, this morning for coffee. She's a whiz with applique', so you can believe I'll be picking her brain. I'll feel much better when I have a little more confidence. You know me. Confidence is the key to learning and succeeding with a new technique. I'll keep you posted.