Coming Back to Quilting!

Hi Everyone,
As we come toward the end of summer, my thoughts always turn to quilting. I am including pictures of two quilts that have combined two different arts: quilting/sewing and embroidery. In the baby quilt, you can see that I have used a set of alphabet motifs that have a cute little bear, climbing on each letter. In the bottom corners, one side has the information on the child-- name, birth date and weight and the other has a quote- "Babies are a gift from God." The other quilt is from an alphabet motif set called "Alphabet of Life." Each square has a letter and a thought starting with that letter. In the bottom corners, you can read, "The Alphabet" on one corner and "Of Life" with a floral spray in the other.
All the embroidery was done with my Bernina sewing computer, and I embroidered them onto the quilts before finishing them.
In the coming months, I am planning to expand my use of the interraction of these arts for table runners and quilts alike. I'll let you know how it's going!
Take care,
Barbara

Getting Things Done!

Summer has finally come and the heat is so wonderful! I have been working on many things since I last wrote.

If you are familliar with http://www.ravelry.com/, you might have seen the beautiful knitted lace wrap on that site called, "Meandering Vine." This scarf is a variation of that, and it is such fun to work with. I have started to work with Addie Lace needles from Addie Turbo. They can make lace work go so easily!

Another set of scarves shown today are weaved, some large weave and some smaller. The variegated scarf in shades of green, blue and yellow is made using a 25 dpi (dents per inch) rigid heddle and the others are made using 4 ply knitting worcested in the warp and specialty fibers in the weft, and using a 7.5 dpi rigid heddle.

Finally, I was delighted to have been asked by my daughter's lifelong friend to make her wedding cake. I am showing that as well today. The cake topper was sewn by one of the bridesmaids and is a lovely set of birds.

My vacation in July from my Cathedral responsibilities gave me time to concentrate on my inventory for the Fall shows, and I still have a long way to go.

But for now, I feel very accomplished with getting all this done!

Have a great week!

Barbara

How we get two things done at once!

Hi Everybody,
I was thinking that it might be important to say a word about multi-tasking. As you may know about me, I love doing multiples of things all at once! I can be found on any particular day knitting, embroidering (on my sewing computer), washing dishes (dishwasher), washing clothes (washing machine/dryer), making bread (bread machine),making ice cream--soy based of course!! (ice cream/sorbet machine), creating newsletters (computer) and/or weaving-- all at the same time!! Yes, we women are pretty good at that--and some men are good at it, too. Machinery and technology can make our lives so much more complex and I feel at the end of the day like I have really accomplished something.
In this regard, I also like to listen to books. I love to read, but don't seem to find the dedicated time for that too often these days. So, instead, I "read" with audio books. In the beginning, it was tapes, then cd's and now I download to a portable lightweight device with a subscription to Audible.com. You can find them at http://www.audible.com/ . I like unabridged books the best, and there are literally thousands to choose from in all categories. Often, when I am doing motifs on the sewing computer, I am also listening to a good book. Most recently, I am reading Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth." I highly recommend it.
Today, I'd like to leave you with some pictures of my deck garden-- just for the sense of relaxation that it brings me, and hopefully you, too.
Have a great day!
Barbara

Working on Knitting and Machine Embroidery

Hello Everyone,

So, lately, the weather has been soggy and cold here in Rhode Island. In fact, it is almost as if summer has decided not to come. I keep reminding myself that once it kicks in, I will be longing for a cool day, but for right now, the rain is making me a little bit crazy!!

Anyway, I wanted to show what I have beem working on since last I wrote. I have been doing a lot of inventory work, adding to the ever growing stash of embroidered tea towels and and knited scarves this week.

Here are some pictures of that work. Also, I am working on learning lace work in my knitting. Hopefully next time I write, it will be to show some pictures of some lace pieces that I can't wait to get to!

Here's to hoping that the sun will find its way to Rhode Island sometime soon!!

Barbara

The Wiggins Memorial Preemie Hat Project

Hi All,

Today I am posting for our wonderful knitting group, Knit Happens http://www.khappens.com/ . Over the past few months, we have been making preemie hats to present to Dr. Doreen Wiggins, in memory and honor of her husband, Dr. Michael Wiggins, who died very unexpectedly last winter.

It is our hope that when she receives and donates these preemie hats, it will bring to her some comfort and joy in knowing that some precious new lives are being kept warm in her husband's memory. This project honors both Drs. Michael and Doreen and the importance of the work that Women and Infants Hospital does for all babies, but particularly premature and at risk babies.

We started knitting hats and were beginning to collect quite a few. Sue mentioned it on Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/ and at the Knitting Guild at the Slater Mill, and soon hats began to arrive from Tennessee, Great Britain, Colorado, New Bedford, MA., Slater Knitting Guild RI, Wisconsin, Indiana and even a knitting student of Sue's. Everyone has been so very generous and we want you to know that we have 216 collected and made to date.

We are very grateful to all of you who have helped to make the Wiggins Hat Project so very successful. Here are some pictures of Knit Happens members, stuffing and boxing the hats for delivery and some great shots of our members "just doin'what we do!"

Have a great weekend!

Barbara

Rhode Island Special Olympics and my niece

I wanted to show some pictures of my niece Kathy and her friends at the RI Special Olympics this past weekend. She asked me, and I was very pleased, to embroider a cap for her for her team, The Trudeau Tigers. You can find a lot of good information on the RI Special Olympics at http://www.specialolympicsri.org/

Enjoy!

Kathy's very proud Aunty Barbara

Persistence Pays Off!

Good morning All--




Well, I have learned to do the Magic Loop! Here are some pictures. I am just soooo excited! Look in the last posting to find the link to the You Tube instructional video if you want to learn to do this. It's really very easy once you learn the basics. I never thought I'd be knitting something this small!
Have a great day,
Barbara