turkey feathers

Slip, Knit, Pass

This cozy little scene is making me so happy.  Watching as Grace puts the finishing touches on my scarf.  And the yarn.  Beautiful hand-dyed colors so perfect for the season--in a soft merino blend.  We found it last month in a sweet little shop  on the coast.  She caught me drooling over it and offered to make me something for my birthday.  (Oh--Be still my beating heart)  The openwork stitch was a new one for her, slow going at first, but my, how those needles are clicking up a storm now.  

Openwork Silk Rhapsody Scarf pattern from artyarns.com

Get Back Jack

 

These two pulled a fast one and they're still laughing about it. 

One of them was rotten and stunk up the whole house.  

Definitely a trickster.

 

In the Mood for Mud

 

After a week of rain, Saturday was a perfect autumn day.  On that day the sun stayed out long enough for us to venture over to the pumpkin patch to partake in a little mud and madness.  There was quite a lot of mud actually, but it was still a nice break from all the work I've been doing on the upcoming book.  Which, I might add, is coming together quite nicely;  in its own way and on its own time table.  Because, creating a book from scratch (all by yourself) is quite a production, requiring sufficient amounts of chocolate and the occasional happy distraction to keep things moving along.   Having two incredibly creative daughters around also keeps me motivated.  I'm collaborating with them on a couple of other projects.  These projects are basically their idea.  I'm just like the consultant-mom-cheerleader-project manager-person behind the scenes, who on occasion provides assistance when they ask.  Or points them in the right direction when they need a compass.  We hope to reveal more soon, but for now, it's all very hush-hush.  Oh we do love a bit of mystery. 

Other unrelated sweetness that is making me smile right now:

1.   the '09 fall/winter GreenGate catalog 

2.   the first project of the copy cat challenge

3.   Grace's new Petite Patisserie dollhouse sweets collection on flickr

4.  All the funny and uplifiting comments (regarding that last post).  Thank you!  You all deserve a big slice of pie! 

 

Poetry in a glazed crust...

Oh my! 

Someone made pie.

Not bad, for a first try.

It was so good,

It made me cry.

 

Sarah has discovered new talents,

She never knew she had. 

What delight!  What joy!  Oh boy am I glad!

The world outside,

May be dismal and gray,

But my heart is warmed,

By sweet things today.

 

Animals in Hats Vintage Quilt Pattern

This is one of nine cute animal motifs for making a child's embroidered quilt or coverlet.  Originally a newspaper mail-order pattern dating back to the 1950's! 

The complete reprinted transfer pattern can be found on my website  ANIMALS IN HATS #7267

FREE Sample Download Horse Motif 

All Wrapped Up

 

I was happy to hear from some of you in response to the widow's quilt story.  Emily (in comments), mentioned that this story brought a whole new meaning to recycling and I could not agree more.  Not just the recycling of old clothing, but the memories too I guess.  I think most old quilts have a similar history of being constructed with whatever was available and probably held a lot of different memories. 

Our old wool quilt is currently in use by the Mister, who has been reading under it in the evenings.  I just love that.  That it's still providing comfort.  And besides being a marvelously heavy fall blanket, it's the perfect "guy quilt" in my opinion.   Really.  So few handmade quilts are truly man-friendly in that sense.  But it "suits" him.  (Please forgive the pun—I couldn't help it.) 

Wool "stadium blankets" are also cool and on my list of favorite things right now too. I love the colors in this one up there.  A lucky thrift-shop find.  Matches fall leaves (and my red wool slippers--just out of the shot), perfectly.

It's funny sometimes, how things come full circle.  Because all this talk about wool blankets reminded me of Deb (also in comments) who has one, a wool blanket that is, and she is going to use it to make all 40 projects from my book, Blanket Statement.  I'm quite excited about this and can't wait to see how it all "unfolds".  (Oops...there I go again.) 

Anyway, I'm thinking it might be like deja vous, when I  was sharing my wool projects as they randomly emerged from the blanket. Go visit her blog: Lindahl News to see what it's all about and what inspired her to start such a project.  Interestingly enough, I had just read "Julie & Julia", (right after the book first came out), and it had been the inspiration to try something similar. See?  Full circle. 

As I've said, you don't really need a wool blanket to make any of the projects in the book, regular wool felt works fine, but if you just happen to have a wool blanket to recycle, all the better!  

 

 
  

 

Denim & Wool Memories

It's getting chilly here!  Time to pull out the warm blankets and quilts to snuggle under.  I've wanted to share this one for a long time; it's my very favorite fall quilt.  It looks really contemporary doesn't it?  Well, it was actually made over fifty years ago by a farmer's wife, who was by then, already well into her eighties. The story behind it is rather sweet, and goes like this:  On becoming a widow, she missed her husband so much, that she gathered up all his worn overalls and tweedy suits and turned them into a quilt. 

The finished effect is strong and handsome, like I imagine the farmer must have been. And I can only guess about the countless hours the widow must have spent cutting and stitching, lost in the memories of her long life, intent on her task (probably happily so), as she slowly worked on what may have been her final project.  Her last tribute.  And all the while, remembering the man she'd spent a lifetime caring for.  When I look at it, I think about those things and the comfort it must have brought her as she wrapped herself in it during those final solitary days of her life, so very long ago. 

This quilt is really heavy due to the denim and the wool, and needed no lining.  It's simply backed with cotton homespun, which is such a perfect choice and compliments it beautifully I think.  This is the kind of quilt you want to sit under on a crisp afternoon hayride or cozy-up with in a rustic cabin.  When I purchased it from a dealer, over ten years ago now, I took it home and immediately hung it on the wall in my studio as "folk art".  It hung there for several years until we moved, and now I keep it safely tucked away to keep the moths from finding it.

 
I do so love the colors; pumpkin, caramel, smokey grays and chocolate browns--with shades of blue; how they blend so beautifully.  Who knew that this unlikely combination of textiles could produce such a charming effect. Those denim strips are laid down so expertly over the seams like a lattice crust.  I think that's so brilliant.  (And has me thinking about apples again.  Specifically, baked in a pie. Yum!)

Generous Menu

 

Right before I left the house yesterday for a dental appointment, I happened to glance out the window and saw eight deer grazing on the lawn.  Seeing so many all at once is always a bit alarming, but I do appreciate their efforts in keeping the dandelions and other weeds in check.  One of them got to my roses however, and ate them all up in a matter of seconds.  Ouch!  It was bound to happen though. Overall, the grand rose experiment went pretty well, despite my lack of diligence toward the end of summer to spray the " magic concoction " repellant.  My fault.  I'll know better than to leave it to chance next time. 

As the garden gets put to bed, the golden autumn days are shuffling in, one by one, and I suddenly feel the need for fall fun and adventure.  Apples are definitely on my wish list this weekend.  What's on yours? 

Final Round-Up

Sometimes I just have to stand here and marvel at the beauty of it all.  When you create a garden it's an act of faith and I'm continually amazed when it all comes together despite the obstacles and challenges.  The temperatures are already dipping down at night, so this will probably be one of the last baskets we fill and bring to the table.  We're already lamenting this fact.  Sarah and I put up the last of the pickles on Monday.  Her and I became quite an efficient team at pickle production this summer.  Partly due to the discovery of this steamer canner--which I love, because it makes cold-pack processing so much faster.  If you buy one, DO read the instructions--especially the part about opening the lid toward you so that escaping steam does not singe your eyebrows off.  Very good advice.  Our pantry shelves are stacked high with pickles now.  It's comical.  But I don't think they'll be sitting around too long once they're ready to be eaten.  We're already counting down the days....

Unrelated: I want to assure everyone who emailed me last night in confusion (and rightly so), about the website snafu. PatternBee is back up and accessible again.  I was mucking around with things yesterday in an attempt to figure out PHP--which I decided is beyond my programming abilities--obviously...but in doing so, I somehow managed to password protect the entire sight.  I'm still laughing at myself.  Sorry, it's all part of the learning curve.  I appreciate your patience.

One Lump or Two

 

No time for the real thing--so today we have a photo quilt!  I grabbed a few pics from my files to remind myself to pull out my needle and thread again. Summer was exciting and busy, but now I'm ready to wind down, wrangle up some new ideas and settle in.  It's been way too long, evidenced by all the new fabrics and thrifted goods I have continued to bring home (which are piling up), and by the dust that has settled on all my work surfaces.  A thorough cleaning seems to be in order.  And not just in the studio either.  [Sigh.]  Blame it on the pickles.

These images remind me of some of the sweet little things in life.  Miss Cross-Stitch Kitty in the right top corner is embroidered on a child-size apron that I made a really really long time ago.  My girls outgrew it, but it's one of those things that's so hard to part with because of the memories it holds; baking cookies, rolling out pie crust.  Sweet voices.  Small hands and faces powdered with cake flour. The motif is one from a set of old Aunt Martha's iron-on transfers; still found here. 

The Coffee 'N' Cake motif is part of a vintage pattern set I've made available on my website.  I'm also happy to report that my new Embroidery Directory is done!  Now THAT was a project.  And will continue to be a work in progress as it requires updating from time to time.  If you know what you're looking for it will help you find it on the site.  I love it because it catalogs everything for me--no more hunting and digging through boxes when someone asks me if I have a particular pattern.  It's all there.  Or almost all there.  Like I said, a work in progress.  Also--when you go to the pattern info pages, hover over the images and the original pattern source or envelope will appear like magic.  Please let me know if you find errors or any crazy things happening on the site.  I keep finding little things even though I've gone over it a thousand times. It's inevitable I guess.

OK.  Back to the apron ramble...the redwork flower in left lower corner, adorns (yet another) child's apron that I made from an old linen tablecloth that had seen better days.  The edge of the cloth made a beautiful hemline.  Jumbo pix here. 

 

Transitions

I'm working on a bunch of stuff in tandem right now; never meant to leave that last post hanging for as long as I did.  Wow-- September sure came and went fast!   So many good things were accomplished though and I'm basking in that.  Right now I'm adjusting to changes in our routine.   Grace started college (woot!) so that involves some car-sharing triangulations to sort out, and--there are a few activity changes for Sarah, our last remaining homeschooler whose interests have shifted.   The girls pretty much manage themselves at this point, I'm just the "air-traffic controller"; a job that does keep me on my toes.

We visited one of our favorite places, The Vintage Roost.  Kind of a "little house in the woods" type of shop, also blogged here.  The lovely lady who runs this wonderful enterprise is amazing and so talented.  I always come away completely happy and inspired. 

And with some little treasure in hand:: that lantern and stand came home with us.  I'm going to fix a cozy corner like this on our covered porch for it. 

The annual Fall Festival happened here in town last weekend too, and as I was leaving and walking back to my car, I passed a yard sale and found this lovely old framed print for five bucks.  I've been collecting these types of floral prints for years, and this one fits in perfectly with the others; I was particularly struck by the resemblance to my birthday bouquet!    (See below).

Speaking of that, thank you for all the Birthday wishes!  I really do appreciate those of you who stop by here and take the time to leave messages for me.  It's fun reading them and I would love to respond--but I can't figure out how to do that (quickly and easily) with the "new improved typepad"...so look for my replies in the comment section.  (You can always email me directly with your questions and queries as well.) 

Shop News::  The new free-with-purchase bonus patterns for October are up on the website now.  The theme is "Autumn Woods" with leaves, and pods, and bits, and bobs and a very cool-looking vintage (yes, vintage) owl that hoots.  Pass your mouse over the image.  The updated mouse-over images on the pattern pages are another thing I've been working on--they will give you additional info and help you locate patterns you may be looking for.  The new Embroidery Directory is almost done now too, (whew!--a very BIG job this), and will also be linked to the patterns.  I'll explain more about it when it all goes live.  Very soon...I hope.