HapPy 2013!!!
I woke up to our first real dusting of snow this morning... sooooo pretty and serene. It was hard to get out of my cozy log bed and get going.
I hope everyone's year ended well, with many beautiful Christmas memories made with family and friends. It was a really busy end of the year for me as I'm sure it was for y'all-- but, in spite of all the craZiness, it's still my favorite time of the year Ü
In October I did my last rug show of the year. It was at the Brandywine Rug Guild, about 35 min or so east of Lancaster, PA and it's always been a very nice venue to vend at. This is my booth and this was taken early before we had all canvases in front of the tables but you get the idea.
I thoroughly enjoyed the day and am grateful for the opportunity.
I had one new little rug for the show--
So, on to the new year and new beginnings--
How are y'all doing with your resolutions so far? I'm happy to report, I'm still all in!! Woo Hoo!!!
I decided I needed to make better lifestyle choices for myself. I finally reached a point where I couldn't stand it anymore-- feeling sluggish, eating unhealthy, and always having ortho issues with my knees that were never going to get better if I didn't change something.
So, on that note, I invite y'all to join me in making a difference-- whether it be to yourself or to those around you, let's do this and make this time a WIN/WIN!!!
Your difference will be whatever you choose it to be-- mine is getting more needlework UFO's done, eating healthy, losing weight, getting fit, and being more productive with my new projects.
I am not setting up myself to fail though... I'm going to start with a small goal and when acheived, set another small goal, and so on until I've achieved my (super secret) bigger goal. I know I can do this-- we all can, right? Ü
So, I have finished my first UFO rug wall hanging for 2013... R 190 Night Magic. It's a larger version of one of my Punch Needle patterns by the same name-- it's actually a little bit bluer than the photo shows. I hope y'all like it Ü
I love that feeling of accomplishing a goal...
Actually, I still have to bind it but that will take no time at all and can maybe get to it tonight.
I'm checking this one in the "DONE" pile. Ü
I'm caught up on my knitting. For Christmas gifts to all the special ladies in my life, I knitted these cotton towels and gave the towels along with boutique soaps as an extra little gift to go with their bigger gift. They all loved it but so far no one wants to actually "use" their towel!!! What???
I made this scarf for my daughter Ashley who lives in Switzerland. It's one of those big cowls that wraps twice. I wanted to make something to keep her warm and cozy through the Swiss winter.
She told me it's working Ü
I also have a quilt in the works. It's a quilt I have been working on for ETERNITY!! I truly mean eternity. I lived in a different house when I started it...
I took it with me on a girlfriends quilt retreat and I had an epiphany. I hadn't liked something about it for the longest time and couldn't exactly put my finger on what that was but because of that, I couldn't make myself look at it, work on it, NOTHING... and the bottom line is I'd hit a "wall" with it.
I studied it for a long time that weekend and decided some of it just needed to be redone and there was no way around it. We've all been there at one time or another right?
Here is the progression-- I felt like a quilt surgeon by the time I was finished Ü
This is the block I ignored for SOOOO long...
So out came the dreaded seam ripper and I ended up taking off a major piece of the applique`.
That heart had to go!!!
After I started ripping the seam out, I realized that seam was the only thing holding the fabric together so as I ripped otherwise I'd have a huge gaping hole in the middle of my block. If I left it, there would be no way I could work with it and re-attach my new applique` over the hole. I needed a temporary fix and the solution was to re-sew by hand the cut pieces as I ripped. I couldn't make it pretty either. The stitches were VERY "Frankesteinish" I'm embarrassed to say-- OY!!
Luckily, all will be covered up and cut out from behind anyway so in the end it won't matter.
From the back...
From the front...
The back all stitched up and ready for round 2!!
Here are the hearts, ready for transplant--
The four blocks so far!! It's coming along Ü Woo Hoo!!!
I changed the shape and color of the heart and now I LOVE IT!!!!
I'm working on the embroidery now though and the embroidery will be simple stuff-- anyone can do it Ü. The next design detail to change will be the bird and then I'll be on the homestretch. Whew!!
Here's a close-up of the heart-- and, did you notice???? It's ORANGE!!! Woo Hoo!!!
I'll post a picture of the finished quilt when I get it back and bound-- can't wait!!! Ü
Curious about QuiltCon???? Go here-- http://www.quiltcon.com/
I'm too excited to go!! It's going to be EVERYTHING Modern Quilting-- OH YAY!!!!!!
While home for Christmas, I picked up the quilt below from the quilter. I still need to bind it but I love how it turned out Ü Geez... SO much binding to be done ;-/
It was an improvisational quilt and I had the most fun making it. I have a kazillion scraps left over from previous projects so I bet I could make a basketball court full of these quilts. Scary huh? YIKES!!
I named it My Happy Valley--
My punch needle is still in the works-- I haven't touched it for months although I have more floss on the way so hopefully I'll be finished with that one by next week.
I really LOVE this project and I can't wait to show it to y'all all finished Ü
Next on my creative horizon... Wool Applique`!!! Woo Hoo!!
I have so many designs ready to go and so many more in my head-- I sometimes wish days were twice as long or I had a clone of me just so I could get all the needlework done that I dream about. I think I need 5 of me just to make a dent in it!! Ü
For now though, quilting is going to have to take priority for the next few weeks. I have committed to a quilt show in Pennsylvania (more on that later), and I have SO many fun things I want to do for that show!!
Be back soon!!
Debra <3
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