Off the couch and Dear Jane

I think I've finally (almost) recovered from my cold. I finished one more Dear Jane block:

J13

November was super busy and December has been too - I'm 24 blocks behind for my class! Yikes!
I'll get some sewing done over the break I hope.

I'll be away from my machine for at least a week - I have to pack up the sewing room (aka my parent's dining room) cause my mom wants her dining room back and I'm moving into my new house. Hopefully I can have things set up enough to get back to the sewing next weekend.

Liebster Winner and the Couch

Hi Everyone - it seems my time is flying these days - but not at the sewing machine. Work has been crazy busy, I bought a house which just closed, and I've caught a nasty cold.

My friend Lynn won a Liebster award - you can read about hers here. Then, she nominated me - I am thrilled and honoured! Thank you Lynn.
I heard about the Liebster awards a while back - maybe in the summer, but didn't pay too much attention to it; I'm paying attention now.

This comes from Lynn's blog, who got it from the reader who nominated her:
"The Liebster award (German for favorite or dearest) is to showcase bloggers with fewer than 200 followers. Upon accepting the award the recipient must then pass it on to five more blogs of note. A way of introducing other bloggers to the blogs they enjoy."

Of course, there is responsibility with such an honour -

The acceptance conditions are :
1. Thank your award presenter on your blog and link back to him/her. Done
2. Copy and paste the award to your blog. Will do as soon as I remember how
3. Present the Liebster Award to 5 blogs that you think deserve to be recognised. See below

4. Let them know by leaving a comment on their blog. This might have to wait a day or two - see below re the couch
5. Have faith that your followers will spread the love too! I have faith

 

The five blogs I nominate are:

1. Helen-Mary of http://www.caledoniaquilter.blogspot.ca/; she makes me laugh on a regular basis.

2. Pippa of http://welshquilts.blogspot.ca/; lets me tap into my Welsh heritage a little more, via quilts.

3. now I have to think since some of the ones I'd recommend have too many followers, hmm...I'll get back to you on this one.

 

On to the couch...I've been hit with a nasty bug of some kind. I left work early on Friday cause I ached everywhere, including the bottom of my feet! I haven't felt that awful in quite some time. Last year about this time I missed 7 days of school when I pulled my inter-costal muscles from coughing with the 100 day cough. I'm not eager to repeat that experience. So, I slept on the couch, off and on, from 3:00 Friday afternoon until 8 when I went to bed and most of the day Sat. Today I laid around a lot but didn't sleep as much so hopefully I'm on the mend. Just to be sure, I'm back to the couch for the evening and will contemplate who else to recommend for the Liebster Award.

Dear Jane and More Knitting

It's been another hectic week - I think I spent most of this week recovering from last week. My well was a running on empty by the end of this past week but feels recharged now.
I got two Dear Jane blocks finished:

H8

I2

And I did a little knitting. A friend at school is having a baby boy - instead of buying an outfit I decided to knit two little hats. This is the first one:

The second will be in green tones and will be a different style - the other is called a "tea bag helmet" - I'll leave that up to your imagination!

Dear Jane and some knitting

I bought a house this week - after over a year of searching. I'm very pleased with it and it closes in three weeks so I have a lot to do.
So, I didn't sew much this week.

My Dear Jane progress is one block:

F1

And I finished a scarf for a friend. It's knit on huge needles with huge yarn so it didn't take too long. She picked out the yarn at the Creative Festival and says it feels like teddy bear skin - which grosses me out a little to be honest. It's shades of black and grey, which didn't show up so well in the photo.

Dear Jane

A mostly wordless post...

A4

C12, 49 pieces

C12 back with nicely twirled seams

Long Arm Quilting Class

Today I went to the house of my teacher for the Dear Jane class for a chance to learn how to try her long arm machine (and learn how to use it). After today, I have a whole new appreciation for the beautiful work done on those machines.

The class was 3 hours. First we learned how to load the machine, then practiced pantographs and then free motion/front of the machine work. It looks a lot harder than it is! The machine is not too heavy, but requires a certain kind of momentum to get the curves looking good. It's kind of awkward in terms of where to stand. And I found it really hard to use both hands evenly on the machine - I can see one shoulder getting more sore than the other for sure.

Here's my pantograph work:

It's a little squared when it should be more rounded - it's like learning to machine quilt all over again!
The free motion went a little smoother and looks more rounded.  I kept reminding myself that this was also a plain muslin top with high contrast thread, so everything showed (good and not so good).

All in all, I enjoyed the class. Now, I can rent the machine for a day and do my own quilting on it.  I need to start with something small and easy - and not the red and white hunter's star.  I think I'll pay to have that one done.

Happy Hallowe'en

On the back of the t-shirt it says: If the broom fits, ride it.

Happy Hallowe'en!