Yes, of course I've been quilting

The problem is, I just can't show you what I'm making - not yet. But in the meantime, I thought I'd show you how I quilted a couple of the borders on the quilt I just finished quilting. No, this isn't the front - it's the back, and I'm sorry to say I have been having tension issues.

Tension problems always seem to rear their ugly heads on this machine anytime I decide to use those pre-wound cardboard-sided bobbins. Yes, it's good thread, my machine just doesn't like the cardboard, and although I have tried, it doesn't seem possible to have good tension (I think the cardboard rubs inside the bobbin case), and in trying to get them to work, I usually end up messing it up, which sometimes takes me a while to get "just perfect". I finally did get it fixed, but I'm not as happy with this quilt back as I could have been. I've decided they are just not worth it, and in the future plan to wind any remaining pre-wound bobbins onto my own bobbins.

Beginner's Weaving

If you've been reading my blog for a while, or checked out the labels on the right, you probably already know that I can't seem to limit myself to any one media, even though my business is making quilt patterns, and other quilts.

I purchased an inkle loom recently, since I think it would be nice to make one of a kind straps for the tote bags and purses I make (of course they can also be used for belts). Below is my first weaving on the inkle loom, which was done with cotton yarn:


And here is my second, this one woven with Cottolin yarn:



I also have a Knitter's Loom for larger projects, like this shawl. I used rayon for the warp, and a lumpy, bumpy, art yarn for the weft. The fringe still needs to be trimmed, but I'm happy with it!

Here's a closer view:

Ellen's Market Basket - Finished!

Before I left Sister's OR in July, my new friend Cathy gave me the kit for this basket. Well, I finally sat down and worked on it, searching a book and the internet for help when I didn't have much of a clue what the directions were telling me, and this is the result:

My first market basket, all finished, and in use! Thank you Cathy!!!

Roller Coaster Socks Finished!!

These have been in progress for ages, but since they were one of my purse projects (only really worked on when waiting, or passenger on trips), they took longer than they would have otherwise. The details were in an earlier post, so you can find them in the links on the right.

My quilts both won third place!

On the first day of Innovations (Wednesday) I visited the quilt show after my classes were finished for the day. I wondered who had won what, as there were no ribbons on anything, but hoped to check again before the show was over. Well, that never happened, as Thursday I was in Bellevue, where I gave two lectures and taught a class to the Eastside Quilter's Club, and then Friday turned out to be very busy with just a short visit to a couple vendors before heading to visit our construction project.

Tuesday, while I was working on a quilt project with Alice from Block Party Quilters, there was a knock at the door, and I had to sign for a package. It was my quilts returning from the show, so I anxiously open the box, and was surprised to find 4 third place ribbons. Two were from the official judge, as they were filled out on the back, and I can only guess that the other two were from the peer judged votes from visitors to the show - I'm so Grateful and Amazed!!!

My Quilts at Innovations

This Fantasy Fish quilt and my Water quilt are in Tacoma, WA for the Innovations machine quilting show. Wednesday and Friday I'll be down there to see how they did in the show, as well as take classes (and of course, there's a vendor mall too). If you're in the area, the show runs September 16-19.

I'm still here...

I've just been busy with house guests coming and going, working on things I can't show, teaching classes, a demo, and more. Of course the toilet that the guests were using decided to spring a leak while they were here (fixed once, but still have a smaller leak - hopefully plumber arriving again soon), as well as our A/C deciding it wanted to act up, and after having a new furnace installed (yes, it turned out we needed to replace the main unit - A/C unit is fine), they are still trying to get it working - hopefully, it will be working before they leave on Tuesday.

Anyway, since I can't show you the things I'm working on, I'll show you what I'm working with:

While the guests were here, I was able to get a little work done in the evenings, but when I couldn't work on quilts I was able to do a bit of knitting, and finished the Baby Surprise Jacket (second one, third baby sweater this summer):

The socks project that I've been dragging around in my purse for months are almost finished - just the toe on the last sock to finish and sew closed, and then I'll post a picture.