Friday 29 July 2016

Wool Baskets from Dawn Heese of Linen Closet Quilts.

Earlier in the week I shared my finished baskets up on my design wall waiting for a few decisions.  Should I do sashing and corner stones or just sew them together?  
 I decided no sashing and corner stones but added a third fabric for a border that is also cream on cream.  I'm delighted with how they all turned out and now have to decide how to quilt them after sandwiching this beauty together. Here is a link to Dawn's last post on the baskets. Unfortunately now you have to purchase the pattern she has withdrawn them from her free projects. But I would definitely consider buying the pattern if they appeal to you. Thanks so much Dawn for another lovely free pattern.

Monday 25 July 2016

Catching up on some hand stitching.

Just after I got home from Sisters Stacy West from Buttermilk Basin release her next letter N.  I was slow with stitching the T and S so finished them up and then got the N done.
 
 A closer look at the T.
 And S, love that sled.
 Here is the N. I decided that each snowman would have his own colour rather than everyone being matched.
Here is a photo I found on Instagram by Stacy of the planned layout.
 Remember my Dawn Heese wooly baskets?  This is where I left them the last time.
 I finally stitched the last six over the past week.  First the cone flowers.
 Decoded to change the tops yesterday. like this version better.
 Then the chives, should have chosen a bluer green but these are young delicate shoots.
 Went back and added some textural stitching to represent the flowers a bit better.
 Love this tall basket.
 Fried egg flowers looked a bit boring so..
 Added a simple pistil stitch.
 Sunflowers also needed something.
 Added the same stitch but smaller to them.
 Finally the last basket.
 Row One.

 Row two.
 Row three.
 Row four.
 This is the way Dawn shared her finished baskets.
All laid out on my design wall.  Although Dawn suggested adding sashing,  I ended up sewing them up this way and then will add a border around them today.
Have a great week stitching!

Friday 22 July 2016

The Road Home North and Stash Report.

Monday Morning I headed back north first stopping in Portland at A Common Thread where they had two rows for the row by row experience.  They are drawn and coloured with fabric markers.
 For this one they coloured the design then cut it out and put it on a black print background so I'm sure you could do it out of regular fabrics if you don't want to do the colouring.
 The bridge was their row from last year.
 Loved this whimsical Christmas trees.
 Lime green with black and whites.
 Lovely paper pieced leaf hanging.
 Another lovely piece I think the fabric in the centre makes this piece.
 A quick stop in Fabric Depot where I forgot to pick up their row on the way down.  Sweet hangar for the row.
 Then I headed north to Seattle and two stops at their SoDo location and Northgate for two of the four rows.  They used to have five shops but closed one during the row by row experience last year.  As they are independently owned they each do their own row which looks good as a single quilt.
 Northgate is the second to bottom and SoDo the bottom depicting the Seattle area.
 Then up to Aunt Mary's Quilt Shop for their row.  Carrol wasn't in the shop but I did get her row.
 A closer look at her American Gothic couple with Aunt Mary's logo gal substituting for the wife.
 Love the barn quilt and old pickup truck.  Carrol designs and colours these each year.
 Now a stash report...I stopped in Chehalis at Sisters' Fabrics to pick up these two pieces of wool.  They are clearing their wool out for 50% off and decided I needed a quick trip to pick these up.
 From A Common Thread I got this cute America states fabric and turquoise, pink and lime green twill tape.
 This was an unexpected gift!
 From Stacy West, a jelly roll of her Humble Beginnings fabric line.  Thanks so much Stacy.
 I made a second trip to QuiltWorks and got these fun fabrics and here is how their pattern looks.
 I got these from B.J.'s fabrics the first visit.
 These two were from Pieceful Expressions in Sisters.
 Sew Many Quilts had the black and white star fabric on clearance and I'm using it in my Sarah Fielke Happy Days quilt so I had to finish the bolt on that one.  The birdcages were also clearance and will probably find their way to my bird quilt.
 From the Glassworks I got the fused glass Christmas ornament, tin and key chain designs by Kathy Diggendorfer.  Love the bee on the paper bag someone drew.
 A closer look at the angel.
 Mint tin.
 Key ring.
 I also got several of her gift cards.  Reminds me of our 22' trailer we used to haul.
 Love the attitude of these chickens.
 An the one that drew me in.
 A better look at the fish fabric I got from Piece by Piece in Eugene.
Anna picked up this licence plate for me on her trip earlier in June.  I've been to this lovely shop.
 Another gift from Anna, we both love that song.
 I also got the license plate from Fabric Depot and these two fabrics on my return trip.  Fabric on the left says so much about the Pacific Northwest.
 I didn't share the fabric I got at Something to Crow about.
 My wee purchase at Sisters Stitchin' Post some of the Aurifil embroidery thread.
 Pins from BJ's Quilt Basket.
Don't remember where I found this but I've got it in several colour ways now.
 An remember I said I would revisit the Ghana Basket display.  Well this one came home with me.  In 1977 I visited friends in Kenya and always regretted not bring home one of the Kenya baskets, not knowing you can smash them down and then reform them by wetting them and straightening them out!  So now I have something new to carry my projects in.
Hope you enjoyed my trip, now back to some stitching.  Have a great day.