Just a knitting review! Who knew!

Oh, yes...I am so multi talented!  I also do book reviews!  Actually, I have done several book reviews on my blog (here & here & here - just to name a few!) so guess this isn't that far fetched...except, this is the first I've done on knitting!

Cielo Shell

I was sent a link for an Ebook that featured three easy patterns for lace  knitting and asked to review the patterns.  So I  downloaded the patterns and read through each of them this weekend.  The patterns are from the Love of Knitting magazine and you too! can download them for free, just go to the web site here.   I wasn't aware of the Love of Knitting magazine, even though I've purchased a few knitting magazines (& subscriptions!) in my lifetime.  Yea, right...just a few!
Just looking at their web site had me at "hello"!  There are some really interesting categories from 'free knitting patterns' to a really nice 'yarn guide'.  The yarn guide shows different yarns, along with a picture of the yarn knitted up...which is something I really like.  Appears this is something that's in their magazine as well.  Of course, they've peaked my interest so I just might have to check out the magazine!!
But I digress.....I love this shell pattern above..it doesn't appear that difficult  and  if you're just beginning to venture from your basic knit 1- purl 1 patterns, this would be perfect to attempt.  I would add sleeves on it just because I don't like sleeveless but that's just me...ok, I'm an old lady with bat wings!  And I do like the  cowl collar.  Really cute!  I might keep this pattern for the fall (appears it's the only time I usually knit).

Espalier Wrap

The next pattern is a wrap, which is quite pretty but....it has a charts for the pattern(s).  I don't do well reading charts but if you do, this is really a pretty shawl...so I guess you could say it's for more advanced knitters??  Or at least for folks who can read charts.  I know...I know...I read charts for my loom beading....my peyote patterns...I've just never done any knitting from a chart.  Gee...wonder if they have a 'reading chart'  tutorial on the Love of Knitting website!  I might have to check that out!  Or maybe suggest it???

Lace Linen Trim

Now this 3rd pattern I thought was clever...and if you're a novice knitter, it would be a perfect way to attempt some lace knitting!  It's only 15 stitches on the widest row so not a lot of stitches to keep track of for a beginner!  When finished you can attach to a pillowcase of other linen.  I'm not sure how well it would wash up!  Maybe it's for decorative use and not for pillow fights or every day use!  Heck, you could add to a sweat shirt, as long as you don't sweat alot and have to wash it every time you wear it!  Again, what a great way to practice lace work...very easy pattern to follow.  You could even knit a length up to cover a ring pillow for a wedding gift...I'm sure there are several uses if you made up a strip or two! 

So if any of these interest you, just download the patterns (here)...and do stop by the web site to take a peak at what the magazine offers as well as offers on their web site.  I'm off to look up 'how to read a knitted chart pattern'!

Painting Day for Joan!

My friend, Joan, is a wonderful watercolor artist...I've been wanting her to paint on fabric for quite sometime and today she came over for a play day!

I don't think I got a picture of Joan, other than her hands!  This is Joan (or her hands!) working away!!  The flower Joan painted was done free hand!!!  Geezzz...even my stick men don't look like stick men...I can imagine painting a flower free hand!!
She did wet the fabric first then started painting..hence, the grayish areas that appear on the flower petals.  We are working on a black foam pad which added to the grayish look.

Keep in mind, Joan painted this using fabric and acrylic paints!  Looks like watercolor doesn't it!

A tree drawn freehand!

And check this out!!!  Isn't it beautiful!  I printed out a picture of a flower on fabric just so Joan could get used to using some of the different paints.  She  switched between fabric and acrylic as well as adding textile medium and/or water and aloe!

I think Joan did a wonderful job on the shading!!!!   She's going to finish off the smaller flowers trying some of her watercolor paints at home along with some textile medium.  I love how she blended the colors.  I think this piece would look really nice on a canvas bag.  It's only 8 1/2" x 11" so it would fit nicely on the front of a bag.   I would love to come up with a design for Joan to paint and I would quilt!  I think it would be a very nice partnership!!

12x12 finished!

 I sent off my finished 12x12 squares to the five ladies in our online challenge.  As of today, they each should have rec'd theirs, at least that's what the Post Office reported!

So here are some pictures of my process for creating the 12"x12" pieces.  I didn't take pictures of each of the six finished squares because they are all so similar you wouldn't really notice changes...although, I did use pink beads on some of the circles.
If you click here, you'll see a previous post I did on creating the mono printed fabric.   The multi colored green was quite ugly but with the mono printing it really did turn out so much better!  The purple/pinkish fabric was also enhanced by the mono printing.  I used black fabric paint and black acrylic paints (whatever was on hand) along with textile medium.  It left a really soft feel on the fabric.
I also added a double fold black strip between the two fabrics.

pieces sewn together and ready for quilting.

 

After quilting, I fused silk Dupioni  squares and a hand dyed cotton velveteen (circles) 

I used black thread for buttonhole stitch on the applique pieces.  Circles were then beaded using a spiral stitch.  (See first picture in this post).

So this is the finished square...it really is square!!!  Might have something to do with the pin in the top!  Oh well...you get the idea.

And if you notice the 'line' across the top on the right side...this was my practice/first piece I did...and of course, I cut the fabric too short so I had to add a strip...no biggie for me and as my friend said "I wouldn't have noticed it...why did you tell me.  Now all I see is the strip."  Kinda funny.

All other squares are square and no strips added!  Hope each lady likes their square!!!  It was a fun challenge!  Can't wait to post squares I get back...I did receive one already but I'm not sure if I posted on it!!!!

This was my square from Tommy (The Material Girl!) that I rec'd!!  Tommy did post on her blog the process she used for creating our squares.  You can head on over and see her process here!  

Zachary is looking for his home!

Hi!  I'm Zachary and I'm getting ready to head to my new home!   Or I should say, I'm looking for my new home!!

This has been my home for waayyyyy too long!









So where do you think my new home should be??  I'm kinda liking #1 or #3.....

Home #1

Home #2

Home #3

Visit with a talented lady!

Today I went to visit with an artist friend, Elsie, who broke her hip Memorial Day weekend!  She's been in an extended care facility since her hip surgery.  Elsie is one of the most talented ladies I have been lucky enough to meet!   We belonged to the CCC fiber group, since it first started and I'm so glad to have been lucky enough to know this fine artist!
Elsie is doing well with her therapy and was in great spirits today!  Hopefully, she'll be heading onto her daughters soon for the rest of her rehabilitation!

I was looking at some old photos from some of Elsie's work and thought I'd share some of them with you.  I think you'll see why I say Elsie is so talented!  Hope you enjoy!

Amulet bag beaded by Elsie 

A felted pin by Elsie

Print paper - cool design isn't it!

another beaded amulet bag

Landscape quilt - just beautiful!

What a cool beaded pin!

This is a box Elsie made!!!  It was awesome!

Beautiful beading

Another small sneak peak!

I've been busy working on another group challenge and should be finished and have in the mail in a week.
Lots going on this week so all I can show right now is a sneak peak!

Actually, I've had fun working on this project and can't wait to send off and see what I get in return!  Poor Zachary has been waiting for his face for over a month!  But he'll have to wait just a while longer!
Here's another peak!

Tomorrow I'm heading to the Apple store with my friend, Joan (she is a watercolor artist).  We are both having 'issues' with downloading books to our Ipod(s).  Never had a problem until about a year ago when Apple had upgrades.  Now when I download a book, I either have missing parts (all the parts show in Itunes) or the book is in my music folder and out of order.  So frustrating.  I've contacted our library and looked online.  Appears I'm not the only one as several folks have commented on this same issue.

So that's Tuesday...today is bath time for Kalee (we already did a mile walk), Wed. grand kids and some plans for Thursday and Friday that are up in the air right now.  It's a beautiful day today...cool and only 53 right now but weather I love!

Another one finished and lots more to do!

I finished my Out of Asia piece for the online Art Quilts Around The World challenge!  I did finish it yesterday!  Wahoo!

This is a piece of shibori which I tied and dyed a few years back.  I've always wondered what to do with it and the challenge was a perfect opportunity for me to use the fabric.  It's FMQ along with LOTS of hand stitching and a little beading!

Some more detail shots....

I don't know what the next challenge is...guess I should check that out!  In between time, I have to finish up my 12"x12" square challenge pieces and finish beading Zachary so I can put him on my Dr. Seuss piece!

Time to get busy!

Whew!

Yep..it's a whew!!!  Bob & I were just sitting watching the Tigers on TV last night when our neighbor, Randy, called a little after 9 p.m. telling us about a tornado warning!  We were just oblivious!  Thank goodness Randy called.  We quickly turned on the local TV news/weather to see the terrible storms and potential tornado's that were headed our way.  Turned out we had a total of 7 tornado's land.  One was within 2 miles of the house and I feel so bad for the young couple.  They just moved into their house 2-3 weeks ago but all made it out safely, which is important.
Bob and I headed to the basement along with Gracie (in her crate) and Kalee with our radio's, phones, Ipod and lights.  We stayed down there until close to 11 p.m. (and we did finish watching the Tigers!).  Power is out in the surrounding area and we are expecting some more possible storms later this evening.  No tornado's that I know of at the moment.
I didn't go down to the kids today and instead stayed home and did some laundry and cleaning...also some sewing to try and finish up Out of Asia.  It's really hot and humid out so Kalee may only have one walk today (we went out about 8:30 a.m. for a 3/4 mile walk).  Clouds are rolling in and it's getting dark again!!   Guess we'll make sure to watch a local channel on and off!

Another phone charm

I can now post the latest phone charm I made for one of my Florida friends, Kay Sorensen, over at Quilts + Color.  Check out some of her latest shibori pieces!  Anyway, Kay and I met last year at an art quilt fiber group where I did a small trunk show.  Kay was kind enough to invite me over for lunch at her house a few weeks after our first meeting and I had a delightful afternoon with her!  You can see my post on our visit here.
Anyway, Kay was kind enough to let me choose 'two' of her fabulous amulets that she makes .  I gave one to my friend, Mary, and I kept the other one.  When I  met up with Kay this year, I wasn't sure if she had an Iphone or Smart phone to use a phone charm.  So when we met for lunch this winter, she confirmed she did have an Iphone...so, when we got home to Michigan I headed off to our bead store (see widget on the right of my blog!) and picked out a hand blown bead and added some other beads to make Kay her own phone charm.  You can see Kay's package on her blog here.  I think the bead fits Kay and glad she is happy with it!  Kay is such a happy person to be around and her art work will amaze you!

Also, some good news...this past week on Tues., I went with my friend Carol T., to assist her in showing our Inspired by the Masters exhibit to an Art group in Livonia.  Well, guess what!  I sold one of my quilts!  Who knew!

This was my Inspired by Friedensreich Hundertwasser and measures 20" x 24".   And yes, if you click and look closer, that is a hole/circle I cut out of the quilt.

The other circles were cut out of leftover pieces of the quilted fabric and attached with beads....gotta add my beads!  So now my Hundertwasser has a new home.   I hope Sherry enjoys her new addition!

Today Bob washed windows and screens on the outside of the house.  He always freaks out when I hang out the windows but truthfully, I think he was just getting bored.  He hasn't been golfing due to rainy weather and then I was gone for four days...but works for me!  I now only have to wash the inside windows!
For me, it was a lazy day...took Kalee for a mile walk this a.m., made a nice breakfast for us, then I sat and did some hand stitching on my Out of Asia piece.  Just a nice quiet day....so now another busy week will start!  And there will be lots of hand work and beading!!!  Target dates are approaching...ugh...hate the target dates!

We're back!

Kalee and I have been staying with the kids this week!  We had a good time...hope the kids did too!  This was Kalee waiting for Amber/Nick to get out of school.  She just loves the kids and cries when we pick them up from school.  What a hoot.  You can see more of Kalee's week on her blog here.

We did have some rainy weather on and off and had to even turn on the heat a few days!  Temps of 39 in the a.m. two days in a row!!  But we still got to go on our walks now and then.

Thursday, Amber had her spring concert which was so nice!!  And having the technology we have today, I was able to upload video's to Darrin and Kris in Mexico!  So it was like they were listening and watching the show with us!  This video is the choir singing a special song for one of their music instructors who just rec'd his masters.  Amber is standing in the back, on the left, 3rd in, with the scarf.  This was called the 'cup' song!  Really cute!  And a nice tribute.

Amber is in the middle, 2nd row from the right of teacher's head!

Kalee loves Amber!

6 a.m. morning breakfast before school!

Cranes we saw while walking Kalee!  Who knew!

Kalee begging Nick!

Nick's fort he built out back.

Nick and his dad worked really hard one weekend clearing out some of the field behind their house.  Nick rides his bike over the 'bike trail' they made and will also be running on the path for his football training!  I just followed behind him taking this video.

Yesterday, Amber had a sleepover BD party to go to in the afternoon.  So nick and I were on our own!  We did some errands and dropped of Amber then later we got a pizza and went over and had dinner with Uncle Jeff!  Off for our Kalee walk to Nick's school...he was on the swing while Kalee and I just watched.

Auntie Dawn is in Argentina! visiting her friend who is working there until the fall.  So far, she's having as good of a time as her brother & Kris did this past week.  I'm so glad the kids are able to travel and enjoy themselves.  Next on the travel scene are Ron and MaryJo!  They are going for a week, out of the country as well!  Not sure if it's Bahama's, Antigua or the Caribbean!  Yikes!!  It escapes me right now and Bob isn't sure either!

So glad everyone has had or will be having a good time!  I know I did!  And look forward to my 'shift' next year!!!

Now onto art work!  I'm way behind...never did do any sewing!  Go figure!

A small sneak peek!

Just a sneak peak at one of my projects I've been working on.  I did run out of beads so have to (yes, HAVE to - I need an excuse - NOT!) stop at the bead store when I go to kids on Wed.  There is a bead store in Oxford so hopefully, they'll have the right color I need.  Wish I would have checked when I was at Beadin' Mon last Friday!  

I've been busy, busy the past two days.. and the rest of this week will be busy as well!  This afternoon, I'm heading down to meet my friend, Carol T., to go with her to assist in a trunk show she's doing.  Carol will be talking about our exhibit, Inspired by the Masters (if you do a search on my blog, you'll see some of the pieces I've done). 
I'll play 'Vanna White' and hold the quilts while Carol talks about each of them.  The presentation is actually for a group of artists (watercolor/acrylic) called the Artifacts Art Club and they hold their monthly meeting at the Livonia Civic Center Library.  Only drawback is the meeting doesn't start until 7:30 p.m. so we'll be out late tonight!   My car does turn into a pumpkin after a certain point in time so sure hope I make it home in time!  

Wed. I'll be packing up Kalee and I to head to the kids for five days!  I'm looking forward to having time with the kids and so is Kalee!  She loves the kids and loves playing with the cats!  So that's my plan...not sure how much I'll be posting.  I do have hand work to take with me for the 'downtimes' I may have!  Hope I get lots of stitching done!!  And I hope no 'saga' like we had a few years ago with 'Sybil'.  You have to read that post here!  Funny now but at the time, whew!

Here we go! Or here we've been!

Just found some old pics of a pillow (it's really big!) I made for Amber back in 2006!  This pillow was so much fun to make...And, at the time, Amber wanted a "puffy" quilt so I made this one for her.  She still has this on her bed (yes, even in the summer!)...it's not used as a spread anymore but used as a 'blanket'.  I tied this quilt one weekend when Bob headed up north for a golfing weekend.  I worked the entire weekend finishing it up!  But I do like the quilt...you'll see why I'm showing old projects later in this post!

What is this, you say!!  On Saturday, I picked up Amber and Nick and headed off to the dog park in Lake Orion for the Michigan Basset Rescues Waddles weekend!

Bob's daughter, Diane & her hubby, Don, are quite active in the rescue.  I took the kids last year and it's a hoot seeing all these Bassets running all over!!!

Diane and Don work really hard throughout the year with the rescue and did so for this weekend as well.
I just love seeing all the dogs!  And even some 'non-bassets'!

It's a great location for this type of dog event...a huge fenced in area so no worry about losing your dog!  Although, I would worry that someone could take my dog!!  But that's just me!

Bob is off golfing and I've got a busy, busy week!!  Today will be bathing Kalee, getting food stuff ready for Bob's week and trying to get some sewing finished up so I can do hand work while at the kids. Like I'll have time!!!  NOT!  But I feel better taking something with me to work on.

We are having Florida weather right now...in the 80's and finally put the air on yesterday!  I'd much prefer having the widows open but we finally succumbed to the heat!  I should have some of my projects to post within the next 10 days!  Working on two different projects that I can't post progress on until due dates!!!