If I didn't have my sewing machine......

Excuse me a moment while I bob along with my sewing machine...

Yep...this is what I am looking like at the moment. *wink*  I am into full production right now and have finished the 8th surprise for my quilt group's high tea as of today. My machine is groaning under the pressure but so far, so good. 

In between the surprise, I had a quilt top that I wanted to machine quilt for practice. I love to hand quilt and will do so until I can't but want to try machine quilting once in a while. Meet Bobby Pumpkin-head!

Named after a family member for his resemblance. Years ago my mother, her cousin, big brother Bill and I went to Amish country while I was home visiting. She called her brother Bobby Pumpkin-head (sorry Louise but you REALLY did say it) so here he is. *grins*

No fabric purchased for this quilt as it all came out of my stash cupboard. It is 24 inches square. Just the right size for my quilt wall.

I had fun making this label. I used a piece of muslin and stitched a piece of black scrap fabric down the side keeping the raw edges exposed. Then I wrote the text and stitched it on using higgelty-piggelty crosses.

Have a creative weekend!

Heidi

Tuesday Tallies...working away...

Tuesday seem to come around faster and faster each week. Guess that is what comes from being so busy with so many gifts at once. Again I have some gifts to share so no names or particular information just in case someone is looking. *grins* My One a Day projects are more like two a day since I am switching back and forth at the moment.

My Indian blanket, as I am calling it, is now up to row 57. Last week, I was on row 44 so that means 13 more rows added. I need to end this on the dark color so have to see how this will go yet as I am close to it being long enough for myself. I am not sure how it will go but will see when I get the read section done.

I also started this man's scarf as a gift this week. I am trying to do a couple of inches each day. I am up to 38 inches but feel it is not long enough. Anyone have a tip on how long to make a man's scarf? It will simply be crossed over and now tied or anything but I do want it to be long enough for good warmth. This is a really nice merino wool yarn that I bought at Aldi grocery store. I has a nice tweed look up close.

I also bought some red and white yarn at Aldi last week to make us a snowflake afghan for the upcoming Christmas holiday. I had to quickly test one hexagon and weigh it to be sure I had enough yarn. Jos thought I should go get another pack of the white just in case as it would be close as to whether it would be enough or not. I can always use it for something else if I have leftovers...right?

Go to Carole's blog for more links for her One a Day project.

Heidi

Welcome to The Black Cat Inn!

Welcome to The Black Cat Inn! The old proprietress is waiting to greet you. She has been here since the inn was established in 1848.....

Yes, two posts in two days. I had this finished done on Sunday and did not want to wait a moment longer to share it. I love Pamela at Our Pioneer Homestead's blog. She has a number of fun projects which I have had sitting waiting to do but when she started putting on some free stitching projects for autumn and I saw this...

I just HAD to stitch it right away. It was fun to take a break from my sewing machine and I worked on it while I talked to my mother on Skype each day. Well...it was done before I knew it. As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to make a door sign with it so I dove into my stash and found some 19-count (yes 19 which is huge for me and I even stitched it over 2 to make it bigger!) so this sweet little pillow design would be much bigger.

I hope you do not mind Pamela as I did make your edge zig-zag since this is a large area and also added an extra bat. Jos cut me a piece of wood and sprayed it mat black. I mounted it with upholstery tacks and hung it with a string of jute.

Thanks Pamela! I am now going to be starting on the next design you posted. Hopefully I will be able to do it this weekend...

Click on the photos to enlarge them. You can see the fun graphics that are now available for Halloween on PicMonkey.com. I had so much fun playing with them yesterday!

Heidi

TuesdayTallies...TaDah and a new start...

I disappeared for a while with my One a Day projects but have been working away on them. I am trying to get Christmas gifts made as well as making those now 11 surprises for my quilt group ladies who reserved a place at my Halloween high tea party. It has ended up all coming at once and being more work than I anticipated. BUT...that being said...I am having fun working madly on everything so I do not mind but do hope I will achieve my goal of being back to doing other things by the end of October.

First the TaDah...

Since this is for a man, I did not want it to have a feminine edge and had to search online for an idea to finish this granny ripple blanket. Then I found this edge which not only was simple but also very masculine looking. Perfect!

This blanket has been officially tested and approved by Dagi. He is having a hard time of it right now. He is getting so old so fast and we are just taking things a day at a time with him.

My new start is a second Christmas gift. This one is very different colors than I would normally use so I wanted to play with them to incorporate the red to work well with the two shades of grey. I am really pleased with it and it almost has an Indian blanket look to it. I am on row 44 so far and it is going well. I hope to get it finished in the next two weeks.

Pop over to Carole's blog to visit more blogs participating in the One a Day project.

Heidi

Gathering acorns...

While I was staying at Cranberry Cottage, I finally finished the first of three pieces of stitching intended to hang at the cottage. Here is the Coeur D' Automne by Gazette94.....

I used only a portion of the pattern making it fit into these wonderful frames I found. They have the perfect outdoor theme for Cranberry Cottage. Although they look like wood, they are made of a very heavy plaster. I will be making Coeur Hiver next. I have had these sitting started for ages so it is nice to see another UFO being finished.

Yesterday was a very busy day baking fabric. I need tea dyed muslin for a surprise for the ladies from my quilt group who have reserved a place at my Halloween High Tea party. I have to make 10 surprises. It is taking more time than I had anticipated so if I am not around much it is because I am very busy in my quilt studio.

I started the tea dying yesterday morning at 10am and only took the last piece of muslin out of the oven at 6pm when Saskia came by after work. I had also made a big pot of lentil soup so asked her to stay and enjoy soup and bread by the woodstove. What says autumn more than soup by the fire?

Heidi

Set the table!

I have a set of dishes that is a simple service for two. I use these for Jos and I every day since it is easier than getting out our good set of dishes. We are big soup lovers and with cold weather coming, I decided to do a fun project while I was still at Cranberry Cottage since I had finished my autumn throw.

So I went to Zeeman and bought some of their chunky Nigra yarn in taupe.

I used a coaster pattern on Karen's blog which you can find here. Using a chunky yarn and 4,5mm hook, I was able to make the coaster larger to use as a soup bowl coaster.

I also adapted the pattern to create a matching placemat for the plates. It will work with my large and small plates very well. I love having this little set now to use with our simple every day dishes.

Heidi

One A Day project ... TaDah!

What a happy day once again! Another TaDah post in such a short time. I think I am on a roll with my crocheting. I finished my autumn throw well in time for the season to begin...

I created a granny stripe border of three rows of dark brown followed by a row of heather. I then did another row of dark brown and used this simple double V edging. It came up really nicely but...

...it needs blocking which I will have to do with a low temperature iron when I get home. I am at Cranberry Cottage today so unable to do that although I wanted to show you the overall effect. Until I can block it, it has a little wonky look when laid out on the floor.

I am really amazed at how fast this throw went. I have little bits of yarn left which I am making an autumn leaf garland with. It is nice to use just about every inch of the yarn. *grins*

This post is linking with Carole's One a Day Tuesday tallies.

Heidi