Except for a quick trip to Los Angeles yesterday, I've been holed up here in the house having a blast.
Inspired by a quilt I saw on someone's blog, I picked through my stash of 30s-40s reproduction fabrics and selected colors to start a quilt for Maddy Rose, our new grandbaby. Talk about easy...I cut a selection of 10" blocks and laid them out in a checkerboard fashion on the rug (I don't have room for a design wall). Then I cut and sewed on little blocks of different colors, leaving 1/4"-3/8" raw edges, so once the quilt is finished and washed, all those edges will fray out and look old and well loved. At least...I hope they will. If this project is a big bomb, at least I had fun doing it. I finished the top in only two days and hope to get its back made and have it all put together by the end of the week.
Thursday brought the UPS man, and my new hooking frame. I think I mentioned the other day that I missed my hooking out here in CA on my last trips, so now I'm set up to hook here. I have a linen pattern ready to start this week, and wool and my wonderful Bolivar cutter, which will have to travel back and forth with me because it's too expensive to buy a second one. I found this frame on Etsy, although I think the makers primarily sell from their own website. I'm really pleased because it can adjust to be tall enough for me (I'm 5'10" these days) and the top can tilt so I don't have to hover directly over it, which kills my neck.
Last, but not least...before I left Taos, I saw a blog posting about someone making a "toothbrush" rug. I immediately looked it up and decided I'd love to learn to do that. I ordered the instruction booklet and the tool, but for the life of me, couldn't figure how to do it from the booklet (I learn better by watching someone). So...off to YouTube I went, to search for videos to help. Along the way, I found a couple of good videos about crocheting rugs from rags...much easier for me, since I love to crochet...so now I've been madly ripping up some of that fabric I've dragged around for too many years and am making a rug with it.
I just wish I was this passionate about exercising. Hopefully I'll get inspired this week...you know... new month, new plan, new diet for summer...ha ha ha...
Hope you've all had a beautiful Memorial Day weekend!
10 comments:
That quilt will be adorable. I love those vintage patterns. I hope your new frame inspires lots of new rugs.
I can't get exercise motivated either. I did 2 weeks and then.....blah
It's hard, isn't it, Kim. I have a few friends who just think they haven't lived if they don't get out and do some big exercise thing each day; I wish I felt that way. I always feel better once I've done it, but getting me out the door again is another big deal.
well sometimes it is just too much fun to work on projects and be busy...I had an excuse for a couple of months and now I don't really know what my next excuse is going to be...
Sallyrae: no more surgeries so you have an excuse, though!!!
I think your little quilt will be so pretty! Love those colors... perfect for a little Maddy Rose!
I've always wanted to do one of those toothbrush rugs too..... among the many things I hope to try before I die!
About exercise...... if I get a good walk in once a day I call it good. Some days Arthur Itis won't let me go but I do at least push myself. I have a husband who is so diligent...runs, ski's etc. Heart problems in his family keeps him motivated plus a high stress job.
Love your new frame! It is so good to have something that makes hooking easier on our bodies! I like the shape of it too. You'll have to let us know how you like it after hooking on it!
Cathy G
Cathy: Arthur plagues you, too? He has a firm grip on my neck most days. Sorry to hear he's at your house, too.
What a cute quilt - let us know what happens to it when it's washed. I need to make a simple quilt for my goddaughter - she'll be one next month. I am going to do something with squares - you have inspired me! I've got a lot of pastel Kaffes and batiks I never seem to choose for my projects - I just can't get beyond my favorite brights.
Martie, I'm so glad to see your doing more hooking. I"m still using some of that blue wool that I got from you in my pincushion projects. Love the Dianne F. pattern you rug hooked, turned out very nicely. I"m now a follower.
Carol: I know what you mean about bright colors...this was yet another challenge for me to work with these "old" prints in this palette. I found they were mostly the same values, so that made it more challenging. The good news: the baby won't care a bit. :0)
Doris-Ann: Yes, I'm hooked, not to be corny, but I started another piece this week and I can hardly take my hands off it. The bad news: my wool stash is in NM, so the colors I brought along aren't all that I need. The good news/bad news: I bought some from Etsy...shame on me...so hoping they arrive Monday or Tues and I can get back to work! PS Glad that wool is still working out for you! I love your pincushions....
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