WIP

I've been focused on taking care of customers, but I took a little time and worked on a bit of my own personal list.

Started
While at Trends (EESchenck's Mini-Market) this past weekend, I had the opportunity of taking a make'n take class with Pepper Cory. She taught the basics of Sashiko (by hand). Mark the piece, use Pearl 8 Cotton, each stitch is 2/3 visible, 1/3 invisible (under the fabric), go with a gap vs. touching the next stitch when crossing over. If right handed, use your left thumb to help get the needle out of the fabric, in and out, and do several stitches, then pull it through. Be sure fabric then lays flat before continuing. Try to keep float stitches at a minimum, knot it and move to your next location if it is bigger than about 1/2".

This trio of hearts wasn't exactly a good design idea for a square potholder. I didn't realize at the time I was selecting the design that it was going to go into a potholder. doh! ok...so maybe I'll figure something else out in the end, but she was quite pleased with my stitching! yeah!!





Progress

• Alaska 2007 Shop Hop Block #3 - Sleeping Lady Willow from Seams Like Home, Anchorage, AK

 

• "Spinner" --worked on testing the removal of color bleeds :( The worst culprit was a black batik that bled brown onto the background grey fabric. I also discovered two hand-dyed greens that bled a little. As some say...if you can't see it on a galloping horse as you ride by, then don't worry about it--then I shouldn't worry about any of it, but I am, and am trying to learn through this process. The photo was taken when it was still wet. I did try treating them with natural soap and water, lemon and water, etc. and now that it is dry it is lighter, but still present. I took a test strip with the culprit fabric and then put lemon on it and put it in the sunshine to dry. Then rinsed it. The color is still present. Tues. wasn't sunny, so didn't try anything else. I have settled on my binding strategy, so just need to figure out if I want to re-soak w/ a color catcher and then re-block it before moving on, or what.
  IDEAS WELCOMED!

Also awaiting quilting:

• WWVQG 2006 Basket BOM

'Til Next Time

• Out of the Darkness...ready for block #3
• Skill Builder Blocks ...planning a big catchup on April 1 ;-)
• Rose of Sharon Bird Block
• Oddie's Wild Nature (O.W.N.)
• McCall's Mystery - Part 3 --waiting for pattern!
• Snowflake/Blizzard Quilt
• Irena Bluhm coloring samples

2012 STATS

Completed: 9
In Progress: 11
To start: 3 (Peace Park, Shop Hop the Blues 2007 & 2009)

Just have to show you another version of Mi Amore that got quilted --this time a construction version. The binding will be the orange/grey on diagonal stripe. This one is being sold for the Adobe School Project. Contact bettybaerg@cox.net if you're interested in purchasing it. Thanks to my mom for 'testing' the pattern. The Mi Amore pattern is available at Craftsy or from me directly.

Are you going to Ireland in June? Pricing available for the 'tour' only, i.e. do you have miles you can use to get there? Join me!!

More WIPs at the linkup on Lee's Freshly Pieced blog. Happy WIPping ;-)

The voting is now open for the Golden Quilter awards ...stop by SewCalGal's blogpost and vote!