Surgery and Tatting

Well I had my surgery 2 weeks ago today. I am getting better day by day. The first week was a nightmare. I ended up with the flu and sinus trouble. The flu flared up the back and my nerve down my leg is giving me trouble. But I am better and able to walk at a good clip.

I am not aloud to do much of anything except walking, so I have been doing lots of reading and tatting. I have gotten hooked on yarnplayers hand died threads. I make the rose teapot from Martha Ess's new book Tea is for tatting. I gave it to a friend of mine, to thank her for bringing her quilts to our quilt guild and doing a talk and show and tell.

Here I made two of Yarnplayer's crosses. I used her hand died thread for the rose and then DMC in cream for the cross. I put black ribbon through the loop on one of them and attached it to the envelope of a wedding card.

I also made this teapot bookmark from Martha's book. I used a variegated Altin Basak.

I am currently working on another rose teapot using a Yarnplayer hand died in blue white and yellow. I love that pattern and that thread.

Been Awhile

I have been busy getting quilts done, and managing the pain from my back situation.

Saw a specialist and it has been determined that I should have back surgery. So that has been scheduled, some of my customers and the quilt shops have been notified. I will try to get done the quilts that are in the house before the surgery. I won't be able to quilt for up to 2 months after the surgery.

I will have lots of down time to get UFOs done. Some tatting, knitting, and finish hand quilting a quilt that I started many many years ago. I also purchased some new Machine quilting tools and training DVDs for new techniques. I will have lots of time to practice drawing the designs. Practice practice practice.

Here is a sneak peek at a show quilt I am quilting for my talented friend Sharon.

Making Jewelry

I have been attending a women's bible study called Captivating. During this bible study, I longed to make something......with the words captivating. I searched the web for jewelry findings that said captivating. I found nothing out there. I then discovered some online tutorials for making your own pendents with pictures, glass tiles, scrabble tiles & diamond glaze.

The first one I made was with the glass tile. I loved the colors and the look from my copy of Captivating. So I scanned in the cover and created my necklace. It is the one with the blues and purple. My friend who is co-teaching the bible study, loved it. She thought they would be great for all the women in the study. She wanted one, but more in the colors she would wear. So in my graphics program, I designed hers. She loves scrabble, so I made hers with a scrabble tile that has the initial of her first name on the back. To learn more about the book "Captivating" http://www.ransomedheart.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=43

Next I made a necklace for my sister. I used a glass tile and a picture of her and her 2 daughters and her granddaughter. Then one of just her granddaughter on a scrabble tile with her initial. The picture is not very clear, but in person the pieces are very clear.

These are so fun and easy.

Quilting for Auction

7 local Churches, different denominations, are all going on a mission trip together. It is amazing. Sunday a friend and I started talking about the auction that is coming up this Sunday. We decided to make a quilt for it. So we started it Sunday night, during the Super Bowl. Yesterday I quilted it and sewed the binding to the front. Last night we had our annual business meeting and dinner at church. I brought it with me and 3 of us sewed the binding to the back during the meeting. I finished up the binding this morning and it is now ready to go. The pattern is the disappearing 9-patch. It is so easy and so fun.

Tatting I have done lately

This first pattern is by Jon Yusoff. I am in a women's bible study called "Captivating" I thought this design fit the study. I used a variegated Altin Basak. Jon site http://tatsaway-patterns.blogspot.com/2009/01/hearts-entwinedcrowning-hearts.html

This next design is also by Jon called "Quantiesque' Snowflake. I used Altin Basak again. My favorite thread. The red and then the silver and silver metallic. http://tatsaway-patterns.blogspot.com/2008/12/quantiesque-snowflake.html

A little tatting thrown in

Well most of my time is spent quilting and working on the house, but did manage to get in a little tatting. Here is a heart called "Paw Prints on my Heart". I saw this design when Gina had done it, and ordered the pattern. I have a friend who lost 2 cats this fall. Old age problems. One was orange, and I did not have orange thread, so I died some. Not the right way, but gets the end results. The other cat was grey, so I have one more to do.

Using Recycled Materials

Well I love to use the fabric samples, from the furniture store. They are great for making all kinds of things. I have used them to make and sell Check book covers, small purse Kleenex covers, etc. Doing a little of the green thing. Before Christmas, I got ready for my quilt guild gift exchange. I thought about making a gift bag out of the sample fabric. Then it would be reusable. So I played around. I cut the fabric and then embroidered the snowflakes. Then I started sewing it together. I decided to create the folds in it, so it would fold up easy like a paper bag. I love it and plan to make more.

Then my mom was talking about wine bags, so again I played around. Got ideas from others online and here are three of the bags I made.