Freddy's Christmas Gifts!

Here are the kids, marveling over the quilts Freddy fashioned for them! Alot of cursing went into those babies!

Christmas Bathrobes!

Here are the bathrobes I made for everyone for Christmas. We have a Scottish Plaid, Anna Marie Horner, Amy Butler and John Deere!

And Yet Another Freddy Creation!

Freddy's Latest

Knitting Group

My knitting group has been getting together monthly for about 10 years. Not only are these knitters the source of my inspiration for handwork, but also for being the best person one can be. I love this always accepting, supportive, fun loving group of people.

Blog Conundrum

Hello! I cannot post any new pictures or tell you about my projects from now til Christmas because they are all gifts! I will tell you that I made six of one thing that I am dying to show off. And I will post my projects with their recipients after the big day!

Dressing up the Hallway

Look what I made for our hallway! The fabric is Lizzy House's Castle Peeps and the pattern is called Villagers Rejoice. It is free, so download it! So far the fifth and sixth graders in my hallway love it!

Two Finished Quilts

Two new quilts...I copied one of my BFF's from Alewives. The amazing Rita designed this quilt and I just had to make a copy. It is going in my Stepson, Charlie's room which is called the Fish Room because he is totally about fish! The fabric is by Julie Paschkis.

This quilt is inspired by Rhea, another BFF from Alewives. She sent me her La La Log Cabin and although I do not have the courage to cut wonky strips quite yet, I was able to cut 2 1/2 in strips and sew them without a plan. The fabric is designed by our own Vermont Heather Ross. Love the discontented Princess and the Pea. Reminds me of how I feel when I can't sleep!

Freddy's Second Quilt

Freddy made another Turning Twenty with these fabulous fabrics he bought in a Turning Twenty Kit from Alewives! He is already onto this third quilt!

Lynn Gets a Lesson

This is my friendLynn, who went to the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival and purchased three knitting projects. Slight technicality is that she does not know how to knit. Well, she didn't know until yesterday when she arrived with her three projects. She reviewed the three purchases-some Opal self striping Harry Potter sock yarn for a scarf, a hat with Noro Silk garden and Brown Sheep Marino and Alpaca from Snowshoe Farm with a lace scarf pattern. What do you think she wanted to do first? The lace pattern! Can you experienced knitters out there believe it? But this is a woman who decided one day that she wanted to be a Veterinarian with a specialty in Radiology and Ultrasound and by God, she did it! And believe it or not, after 2 hours she had completed two rounds of her pattern and was planning to knit on a 16 hour trip this week-end. Stay tuned for the finished project!

October

This weekend I made some items for the new Autumnal season! A dress and bag for my beloved girl in Paris with Anna Marie Horner's new Innocent Crush fabrics and a spooky bag for school with Henry Alexander's Ghastlies.

Fred the Quilter

Fred is on to Number 2 quilt! Don't you think Pink is his color?

Tractor Love

I love my John Deere tractor and my friends who have them are just as crazy about their tractor as I am about mine! One of those friends is having a birthday soon and I am going to surprise him with a fleece blanket and a barbecue apron. Can you believe how tacky it looks? If you are intrigued, run, don't walk to your nearest Joanne Fabrics for the kit!

Finally!

The Bathroom is nearing completion. What can I make to go here?

Left Overs

What do you do with your left-overs? I love left overs because they present you with a challenge-what will you do to use every last bit? This time I had lots left over so I made some pillowcases and dishclothes to brighten things up on this rainy, gray week in Vermont!

More Bags

I think everyone is getting bags for Christmas this year!

Bags

I recently purchased Amy Butler's new book, Style Stitches and sewed up 2 bags for a friends for Autumn birthdays. The blue one is called Reversible Tote and it is really big and roomy and sturdy. The second one I made with Kaffe Fassett florals and this one is called Cosmo Bag (note the photo next to my cosmos). They were both classified as "easy" and they were pretty simple to sew up!

Graduation Night

I had my second and final night of Beginning Sewing at Nido's. There were thre very nice oilcloth bags from Purl Bee's pattern Oilcoth Grocery Tote that neared completion and a pillowcase and fabric recyclable snackbags which were completed! All of my students have promising futures in the world of fabric and thread!

Fred's Final Product

Fred Finished his first Quilt! Isn't it great? I hope it is a successful hit on the Vermont Youth Orchestra Silent Auction.

Waiting on Dinner

Fred is quilting and I am waiting to have dinner.....

Sneak Preview

Here is a preview of Fred's quilt for Vermont Youth Orchestra's silent auction. Is it awesome or what? The pattern is called Turning Twenty because it involves cutting 2o fat quarters into pieces. Fred's is a turning 15 and is a bit smaller.

Teaching

This year I have started teaching two new classes in the evening: Psychological Assessment at St. Michael's College within the very program where I trained! And Beginning sewing at Nido. I can't believe how much fun I am having. Of course I am attempting to achieve my developmental goal at this stage of my life for passing on knowledge. Last night I taught sewing. Anyway...the students made the 20 minute tote pattern found on the Purlbee blog.

Ta Da!

Well, We drove over to Maine last weekend to pick up the quilts I made this summer from Barbara Commeau from Moon Song Creations. She finished the quilts with her Millenium long arm and they are incredible! Fred is inspired to learn how to machine quilt and we took apart the quilt frame and made it into a king size frame. I am going to make a deal with Jennifer on Sunday at for a Bernina with a longer arm and we are going to learn how to do this incredible thing!
Dancing Daisies is the first pattern!

Blowing in the Wind is the second pattern up there (can't seem to move these pictures around the way I want to!)

Back to School

Sigh...Back to school. I am madly cooking up tomatoes at 6am since today is the first day of school and then I am bringing my dear daughter to the airport in Montreal for her year abroad in Paris for her junior year! So how do you like my back to school skirt? Amy Butler, once again, Barcelona Skirt in, yet again, Etsuko Furuya Echino!

More Distractions!

First off, I have found that my passion for creating has been taking presidence over exercise which is a very dangerous thing given how much I love to eat. So, with school starting, I was trying to figure out a solution to this dilemma and so I tried Anthony's 5:30 Workout Express. Here is Anthony whose idea of a great meal is a plate of boiled egg whites, spinach and a little hot sauce!

In addition to bathroom construction, Fred applied to have a solar tracker installed in our yard! We rent it from All Earth Renewables and it generates electricity for our home and any excess goes onto the grid to reduce our electric costs. Do you know what that means for sewing-I can use the dryer without Fred pointing out on the bill how much my consumption has increased due to pre-washing and drying fabric!

But, Aretha did come over today for Fiber Monday and made a pillow case to match her favorite dress-the Amy Butler Lotus.

Finally!

Here is the other reason I have not been able to spend time creating with fiber...Fred, AKA Work Crew Supervisor has had me hard at work painting the bathroom we are renovating. How it the color looking? Think I could go professional?
But, Sharon came over today for help on her project and I was able to take up the needles and work on a hooded scarf for Phiona at Nido...The Peak's Island Hood by Ysolda

I started one more thing, which is a quilt made up of some left-overs from my daughter's night gown. I just love this Heather Ross line, Far Far Away and she is from our own Vermont's Northeast Kingdom! Don't you just love this Princess and the Pea?

News Flash!! Fred (the work crew supervisor and my husband) is going to embark upon making his own quilt for the Vermont Youth Orchestra on line auction. Here are just a few of his fabrics so far...