Poor Mans Machine Embroidery!

Good morning!  The last couple mornings I have been sewing and trying to get a little quilt done that was for my February Small Quilts club. I had just been swamped last week with things and didn't get my sample done in time for class. Thank goodness it didn't have tricky blocks or anything, and the part that needed to be demonstrated, I did have done! 

I transferred the design with a fusion pen, that can be erased with steam. I call this poor mans machine embroidery. It probably has a proper name, the stitch that is, but I can't find my manual to tell you what it is! Haha! On my Janome Memory Craft 6600p, it is stitch number 5 in mode 2. Here is a picture of the stitch on my machine...

My sister, Gretchen, and I saw a gal at Market a couple of years ago demonstrating this, and for the life of me, I can't remember her company name. But she was showing how to do redwork on just a simple machine! It is like a backstitch by machine,  and you just have to get the stitch motion in your head so you know when to stop with your needle down to turn on curves or points. It is fun, and fast! I do love to do hand work, but I like to show my club gals new things they might not have tried, and after 2 years going strong with this club, I like it to be more than just a new block! So here is a picture of the finished quilt top! I got the idea for the patchwork blocks from the cute doggie pattern from Country Threads in my last post! Oh, by the way, the little dog quilt went over really well at the Humane Society auction. I didn't meet the gal who won it, but I hear she was very happy!

    Now to quilt bind and age with some coffee solution! I think one of the ladies in my club is actually appliquing her center design with wool! I might have to make another one and do the same thing! I do have some left over blocks! This pattern is called "American patchwork!"
    At the shop we have been moving some things around. One of our Antique vendors, on the other side of our building where we have the "Painted Cupboard," is taking on a larger space. So we needed to move some of our gifty stuff out into the quilt shop. Well, that always snowballs into a complete change in the floor plan, because I seem to not be able to just move one area! So I'll take some new pictures of the shop to share when I'm done!
    Here is an update..... Dad is doing really well, healing up nicely and getting around the house! He is anxious to get back to work at the shop and everyone really misses him! Thanks for your prayers and well wishes!
   I hope you all have a great day!!
      Jeni

 

Sweet doggie quilt!

Good morning!
    It's been a bit crazy around here, with all that has been going on. My Dad just had a major surgery a week ago, and is now finally home from the hospital and doing well. My siblings and I have been helping our Mom get to and from the hospital. She is so funny and sweet, and so is Dad. They really are amazing people to want to grow up and be just like! Mom just turned 79 and Dad will be 80 soon. Mom does our "Ask Mom" article in the magazine, and we have told Dad he needs to do an ongoing article for men on, How to live with a Quilter! I'm sure he has some good stories to tell!
    I have been working on this cute quilt pattern by Country Threads. I think I gave you a sneak peak last post, but here it is! I left out the sawtooth border, and just added a cute black and cream polka-dot border. It's all ready to quilt!

I have been watching an online class from Craftsy.com, called beyond basic machine quilting, and am thinking about quilting it on my home machine and using some idea's I'm learning from the class. I haven't practiced anything I have learned yet though! Haha! Knowing how I put things off though, I'll probably just pop it on the long arm at the shop and quilt it!  I'm not a great quilter, but I do a mean meander! The quilt needs to be done Friday, so I can give it to the organizers of the Humane Society's "Fur Ball!" they will auction it off, along with many many items our great community here will donate! It's a fun event, with a band and food at our American Legion here in town!

I'll be working on something fun for my Small Quilts Club on Friday, so stay tuned! These pinwheel blocks got me thinking, and I have some left over from the doggie quilt, as you can see on the left side of the picture!  Have a great day!

  Jeni

 

 

Just a little rughooking!

Good morning!
     I just thought I'd show you a little rug I've been working on, and tell you about a fun retreat we will be having through our shop!  The rug came about when I was moving some displays around in the shop and found a skeleton key in one of the old doors we use as a wall! The gal working with me that day, Janice, suggested I work it into a new rug design, so here it is!

Just a little more work on the binding, and it will be done in time for Valentine's Day!

 

Now about the retreat! It is for anyone who would like to attend. In the past we have had quilters, stampers, rughookers, and needlepunchers! All are welcome, and we have such a fun time! This year we will be retreating at the resort at Blackwater Falls, WV! To go to the website and see all the information just go to..... http://woolenwillowspringretreat2013.weebly.com and maybe you will be tempted to come along for loads of fun! My sister Sally has been making all the plans and she is great at organizing these things! I'm very excited about it, because we have two Aunts who come, as well as our Mother "ASK MOM," a niece, a cousin, and of course my Sisters! The past few years we met at North Bend State Park in WV, but this year we wanted a bigger conference room to fit more people easily, so go check it out!!!

  I hope you all have a great day!!

 Jeni