If You Want Me, I'll Be Playing...

Brynwood Needleworks - Selvage Block

 

We're here at the Kenilworth Lodge in Sebring, Florida!

 

Jamie and I arrived mid-afternoon yesterday, and many of the ladies were already set up and sewing. It's great catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, and then just chatting while we sew. 

For our first afternoon-into-evening session, I pulled out my ol' standby and starting making selvage blocks. I was so tickled to find a selvage from my dear friend, Michelle Palmer! I had to post this picture on FaceBook to be sure she saw it. I'll work on these again tomorrow for a bit, and then I have another project I'd really like to finish while I'm here, so I'll turn my attention to that.

My pineapple quilt went into a timeout late Sunday. Destiny went on strike and I spent more time "frogging" stitches (you know...rippit rippit) than actual sewing. I'll finish that quilt when I get back home. Until then, I shall play with my girlfriends! 

Tag has a few words to share tomorrow, so I'll show you lots of retreat pictures on Wednesday and show you what I worked on between now and then. 

Hope everyone has a great week!

I've Been Sewing On The Edge...

Brynwood Needleworks - Selvages

Fabrics edges, that is. I have great friends who have been saving their fabric selvages just for me! I spent part of yesterday cutting and sorting through all the remainders of their projects, along with a few of mine.

Brynwood Needleworks - More Selvages

These will be added to my growing assortment to make more quilt blocks, as well as smaller blocks for pincushions and project bag. For me, playing around in fabric, buttons and patterns is nearly as much fun as actually creating finished pieces. 

I'll be stopping in to say "hi" to the ladies at our guild Saturday Sew-in, but only for a little bit. We have an open house tomorrow, which means today will be dedicated to yard work and de-furring the house. So far, everyone who has viewed our place can't believe we have dogs. Guess we're doing something right!

That means there won't be any sewing time this weekend, but I have been knitting. I'll show you what I'm working on when we visit again on Monday. Happy Weekend, my friends.

Embracing The Season...

I made this Patchwork Pumpkins Table Runner (from Shabby Fabrics) last year,

and I couldn't wait to put it back on our table this season. I love it that much!

Last week, my friend Beula (from the Paneras group) gifted me with some of her

wonderful treasures. She loved the little "Memories of Wisconsin" wool book I made

and decided that I should have some of her trinkets to use in future wool books.

 Beula is in her 90's and a vital, creative woman in her own right, so you can

imagine my surprise and delight that she should choose me to receive some of her

treasures. I was speechless to find that she also had given me two Russian amber 

and silver bracelets, a matching amber necklace, six little worry dolls from  

Guatemala, an agatized coral pendant, and even a genuine Indian arrowhead!

(You'll definitely see some of these items again when I make my next wool book.)

I wanted to give her something to show my appreciation, so I made another fall

pumpkin mug mat just for her. Then, I added a trio of acorn candles and a few

other little items selected with her in mind. I gave them to her at Paneras last night.

When I got home, I found that I'd received an envelope in the mail from my

friend, Jacque of The Doodles of My Mind blog. Remember, Jacque's pup

is a sweet, old chocolate Labrador named Tag E. Butt. We love him a lot!

I opened the envelope to find special selvages for my Selvage Quilt project. I

was so excited to see them! First, Deb Strain is one of my fave fabric designers.

And, look at the color registers on the edge...ACORNS!!!   Thank you, Jacque! You knew I would love them and you were so right. I think I'll have to do one set of blocks that will be devoted solely to acorns, with your selvages as the focal point. I know I'll have to leave more than the skinny 1/4" extra pattern, too. I may leave them as wide as you've cut them!   Goodness, Fall is my favorite time of year (north or south), and these are a few of the things that helped me get in the spirit yesterday. I'm blessed, indeed.
What are you doing to enjoy Autumn?  How are you decorating? What are you making? I'd love to know!

A Little Work, A Little Play...

Now that I'm settled back in the studio, I couldn't resist making a few new  selvage blocks. I have so many scraps to play with, and it's really fun to do.

Each of the blocks is loosely trimmed to 8-1/2", and I'll final trim them when it's time to actually sew them together. I've only laid them out to give you an idea  of what they might look like when it's finally time to assemble them into a quilt.

I'm always tickled to see how lovely they look this way. I'm so glad that I  decided to leave a 1/4" glimpse of the actual fabric pattern showing on each one. I was concerned that they might not "go together", but I find that they do.    Something I especially like is that all of these selvages are only from my own projects. I didn't get scraps from anyone else. Each one represents something I made myself...quilts, Grammies Jammies, handbags, organizers, etc...all from  my own studio. I'll love adding new ones to the box for future blocks, too!

By the end of my sewing session yesterday, I found that I've already assembled thirty separate blocks. I'll need at least 90 of them before I'll consider making a (queen-size) quilt with them. There's no rush. It's time to work on new projects  so I can generate more of these yummy selvages. I need to have new choices. I enjoyed taking a break from the "work" part to play. I'm planning to do that today, but I'll be working on something new. I'll be back with a peek tomorrow.

Big (Final) Reveal...

It's hard to believe that a room can make such a difference to a creative vibe.

I never realized how I could be affected by light and space...or even the illusion

of space. I thought I needed a hard floor. Nope. I require light and a great view.

The big cabinets are gone, giving me about a foot more floor space, and I've

become very selective about what comes back in here. I have lots of elbow room.

My cutting table is in front of the largest window, and my sewing cabinet 

is turned to face the doorway. My chair will easily slide from the sewing table 

over to the computer, so I don't need to put two chairs in the room. Less is more.

I've got enough room to open up the extra table surface on my cabinet without

having to move it an inch! It's great to hold a quilt in progress or supplies for a

current project. When I'm finished, I just drop the leaf for more floor space.

The guest room is back to "normal" now, too. I repaired all the holes from the

wall anchors to secure the shelves, and gave the room a new coat of paint.

Handsome and I chose a nice, soft rug to coordinate with the Princeton Plates

quilt I made for the bed and we reset the room yesterday. We still have a few

 pieces to hang, but it's now essentially done, leaving a comfortable guest room.

  I have things to put away, a few things to donate and a few things to sell. I'll get  to all that as soon as I my muscles stop aching and I finish my "happy dance". Oh, and if you're looking for me after (or during) all that, I'll be in the studio!

Play Day...

Funny how things happen. My day went nothing like it was planned yesterday,

but you know what? It couldn't have been a better day. It was nearly perfect!

It started out in the studio, waiting for the call that would let me know "when"

and "where" for lunch. By about 2 o'clock, I started to get the idea that the call

wasn't forthcoming. That's ok. Plans change. I just kept doing what I was doing.

  By dinner time, I had "whipped up" ten of these fun, selvage quilt blocks. Handsome and I headed out for a dinner date. Again, it rained...hard. We laughed and ran into the restaurant. Dinner was great, and I love being with my husband. What could possibly be better than that? A safe, wet drive  home...and two more finished blocks for the block pile before bedtime.   As far as I'm concerned, it was a perfect play day!!!