Ok, never mind on the knitting instructions. My good friend Linda came over and set me right. She said, "Rosy, just do what the instruction says. Isn't that what you always tell us?" Smart butt, that one. hahahahhahaha. Anyhow, she was right.



Now on to other things. The two rooms are finally painted etc. and today I was supposed to hang the drapes back but couldn't resist decorating just one little corner. Here is a pic. This is an old table I've had for a long time, it has a glass inset and a bottom shelf. I painted the MR and Mrs Claus statues some years ago when I was still dappling in ceramics. They are quite big and beautiful, I love them. I put little pots of decoration all around them. I put a crystal tree in an onyx dish with semi precious stones (my collection) on the bottom shelf and three tin Dickens houses and then I strung em up with lights and lit em up....I like..

So this is the first decoration of the season in this house. I did make the first fruit cake of the season last week. I had some company from Long Island NY (the are originally from Belize) and wanted to share a little holiday cheer with them. We demolished the cake, that's why you didn't see a pic......

By George, I think I've got it finally!! Or maybe I think I do hahahahha. Anyhooooo, I have knitted my first sock with lots of blood, sweat and tears but fun, never-the-less. I always make sure some fun is involved. As long as I'm learning, it's fun.

Here is a side view. This is the side where you have to reverse for the gussett and I don't think I did it just right. It has the shape but something is lost. Never mind, I got it on the other side.

Here is the other side. I got that gussett good and understood that part perfectly. I just can't make the other side do it the same but time will tell.

Here is a front view. I love the pointed toe and this is knit as if to knit a sock but it looks like a soft shoe. I love it. It is actually a slipper and it's part Melody's from Fibermania, pattern. I had Melody's pattern, a book by Ann Budd and two other instructions and pics that I downloaded from the web. Between all those I was able to manage, when I didn't understand the instruction from one or the other.

Here is the turned heel. How about that heel for a beginner eh?


I understand the heel too. It still doesn't make sense to me but I can do it lol. I have done this sock on two circuler needles and it is so much easier than fighting the DP's. I say that because I am a beginner. Having only knit one sweater and one pair of men's socks years ago with 4 DP's and one dog sweater. I learned to knit from my sister when I visited her in England many moons ago and have I totally forgotten all about doing the socks deal. Socks are hard to understand, I don't care what anybody says. A sweater is much easier lol.

I used Addi Turbo circular needles in size US 3. These needles work like butter. I am selling all my other needles in ebay and replacing with Addi Turbo..they are a dream. I used the yarn, "Simply Soft" by Caron, sold by JoAnn's. Color-Embroidery, print 9811. 100% acrylic, worsted weight, 4 ply. I like my stuff washable. I will try the felt one though.

I am going to post a line of instruction here to see if anybody can translate it to me so I can understand it. Bear in mind that I was transfering the instruction from the DP's to the two circular and the counting is not the same as half the stitches for the socks are transfered to one set of circulars. Ok we are working on the flab now and it has 30 stitches. The instruction says:
Row 1: Sl 1 as if to purl. *(k1, sl 1 as if to knit). Repeat from *, k 1.

Now here is how I translated it. Slip one as if to purl. Then knit 1, slip 1 as if to knit. I just slip that one over and not do anything to it? then go back to knit one, slip one? According to this, how would I knit the next stitch when my yarn is behind the slipped one?

Ok, then I took our the Ann Budd book. She says:

Row 1: (RS) *Sl 1 pwise with yarn in back (wyb)
kl; rep from *

I understand that to mean: (right side) *slip 1 pearl wise with yarn in back. knit 1. Sounds the same to me like above. I'm not getting it. The yarn is going to behind the slipped stitch when I go to knit the other stitch.

Row 2: Sl 1 pwise with yarn front (wyf), purl to end. Repeat rows. This line I understand.

Ok, help! I need to understand.

Ok, I'm going to see if I can work this little slide show in Picassa....here goes..We did the dinning room and here are some pic of what it looked like before on the first link and what it looks like now on the second link..still have to put the curtains up and maybe a few pics and change the table cloth....

Here is the before look:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Rosyhf006/BeforePicOfDinningRoom?authkey=obPCRvIyDhs

Here is after:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Rosyhf006/DinningRoom?authkey=xWWTcIVzYMM

Aha, it worked ....

Food, food, lots of food. I was in a cooking frenzie today and cooked all the food for tomorrow....

These are corn puddings...one salt as in veggie and one sweet as in dessert.






And then on to a mac and cheese to die for and a scrumptious turkey breast that soaked all night in it's seasonings.




Next, we have the dressing. If you see a piece missing it's because it's just that...it went missing hahahahah..The dressing is made with french bread, cut and baked again to toast and stuff added and let's not forget the pumpkin pie... I actually made two...I baked the whole small pie pumpkin and one of it's cousins first and then pureed and etc.


Here is our home made cranberry sauce....


Now all this food is made from scratch and here is some of the preparation. Corn cut from the husk and then chopped for the salt pie and pureed for the sweet pie....




Pumpkin etc. already baked and ready for pie making....In front is a dish of home made sausage patties. I had the pork lion ground and then add the sausage spice and then some...I think I got it a bit hot..but sooooo goood.


Well, tomorrow I will steam some broc. and aspargus and call it quits. I don't think we need any potatoes do you? lol

Oh Boy, Blogger is not working with IE at all. I'm using Firefox at the moment. I am busy shopping for food and picking up all the goodies I need to cook with as I make all my food from scratch. I hope to upload some pics of the food as I finish them.

This year I'm going to try a couple new things like: corn pudding and a mac and cheese supreme (more like a delicacy than a common mac and cheese lol), home made cranberry sauce and I will can a couple jars of that good stuff too....maybe a sweet potatoe pone with coconut milk...

Right now I'm busy learning to knit some more. I do knit a little but I have a lot to learn and I love knitting. Currently I'm labouring on the sock pattern from Fibermania's blog. I did some and ripped out three times already but that's how I learn, since I don't take classes. I'm using two circle needles to do the sock on and have just ordered the book..."Socks soar on circle needles" or something to that effect. Last night I had success to some extent. I think I finished the cuff of the sock or slipper..I think it was 3am in the morning when I stopped.



We have decided to paint parts of the house that need redecorating lol. Currently the dinning and living room (my sis asked me where the dying room was, on one of her visits). Since I have a few of my quilts in the living room, we thought it would be a good idea to block the doorway opening between the kitchen and that area. Not wanting to put a door in that small space....Hubby suggested to put one of my wild painting cloths up and here it is. When I am cooking, I close it and then leave it half open when everything is kosher.

I happened to see it closed for no reason today and asked hubby why he closed it...he said he liked the effect...do we think there is a little Arabian nights here? hahahahahah.....



Wow, Blogger is working so well in Firefox...umloading pics and everything....

That is the back side of the cloth, the front is much prettier. And never mind the wall paper, that is going, gone too...

Oh dash it all. I am cleaning the studio and it's going to take all day and I'm trying to get away from it, as here I am at the computer hahahahhahaha....

I put on about 100 pieces of music by Andrea Rieu (spell?) and it is so lovely...I'll go back to cleaning now lol....

Let me see if I can find a pic for you....cleaning day, bah hambug!!

But there is a friend of mine out there in cyber who is coming to paint on a very lovely project with me ....therefore the cleaning...she knows who she is lol....
Oh will, Blogger is not allowing pics today it seems. I can't get to the done button...they have made the window so you can't reach it lol...

I started this Compass Quilt in June with many complaints and pouting. I had posted the compasses as I finished them or some parts and the work-ups etc. Now it was on to the background, a whole other deal. Today, I am very pleased with all the hard work. I was determined to finish this beast. lol.

I thought I'd give you the work-up of the steps I took in the background as well. The putting together of the whole beast. I did the whole thing in such an unorthodox fashion, even though it was easy enough for me as my background is in sewing....

This is step one, where the strips are cut into 1 1/2 inch strips on the lenght of grain (very important), sewed together and then step two, where you cut the patterns for the background out. Now this is the background only that we are working on as the compasses have been done already. It was weeks of work...

Now step 3 and 4, where you continue to cut out the three types of background pieces (the third background is not shown here ). 14 of the long ones, 12 of the pie shape ones. There are two large 18 inch squares with a pie shape cut out to accomodate two of the end blocks and then you see how some of the background pieces are put around the compass block. You will also be able to see the many burns on my ironing board lol.

Step 5 and 6 shows how one compass looks surrounded with the background pieces and then you see how the half compass at the side of the quilt is added and the half at the top. I did this in a sort of jig saw puzzle way and it was not bad at all. As I had already made all the compasses round and complete. I had no choice but to put it together this way. It's a good thing I can do puzzles lol. Now one has to be careful not to put all the bakground pieces around each compass as the third sides needs to be joined to the previous one.

Step 7 you can see, where several big patches are added and the bottom right you will see the large square block with the quarter compass. For now, some of the big patches are just put together and set on the board, then I will put the last big patches together to form the quilt. I will finish tonight.

Like I said, I finished last night and put it back on the board to take a pic this morning. The pic is not that good. When I finished the quilting and binding, I will take a pic outside and post.

This is the bottom left of the quilt, sort of hidden by the big machine and of course the ironing board got in the way.

This quilt was made entirely out of home decorator fabrics (cotten), which is just a bit heavier than normal quilters cotten. I would make all my quilts out of this fabric if it were feasable. I love the designer quality to it and the painterly look.

This quilt has been one of my biggest challenges as there were hardly any instruction and pattern. It is mostly drafted by me and put together with my knowledge of sewing expertise, thank god. After I read some more about compass quilts. I realized it would have been a lot easier to make the compasses in quarters, adding the background in quarters and then putiing the quarters together. My way all by trial and error was not bad, but instructions would have gone a long way in helping. Once the quilt is all sewed, I will block it into a perfect square and I try to do that as I do a section. I spray starch and steam it into shape if needed.

Don't forget to click on the pictures to get a larger view.

I feel I must add that I'm not angry at Judy anymore for her lack of pattern and instruction. This whole process has forced me to study and design and learn. I did buy her third book lol. I must say it is in her favor that she has greatly improved the pattern and instruction section and I recomment her third book.

Wheeeeee!!! finally!! All the compass blocks are done. I have been working on this for a long time, well of and on. Anyway, I have the blocks (compass) and spikes set up on the board in the order they are going to go into the quilt.



I will probably change the blocks around for color and value placement later. Now I need to work on the background. The background consists of 1 1/2 inch strips sewed together foundation stlye and then the background blocks get cut out of those. I need to stay very dark.



Imagine the circles as in quarters. Then add the pie shape and back piece for the square. Then join all four together and you have the circle within the square, which is the background.



I just put the circles together as I didn't know what else to do. The instruction were very poor. Now I know lol.



I won't have to take the compass all apart. I'll just rip the seam a bit and put the background pieces in. I'm real good with alterations lol, thank goodness.

Hello Everyone, I know it's been a while but I have been soooo busy. I still have to finish the compass quilt. I only have half of a compass left to do and then on to the spikes for the waves. It is taking time but it will be nice


In the meantime I need to upload some ornaments for a friend to look at and you can enjoy them too. Every year I try to design something in the ornament department. I love ornaments as they are small and easy to cut out and so fun to paint. I especially like to paint ginger men and hearts.


Here is a cute gingerman that I bought as a cut-out and just painted my way. He can be used as an ornament, present tie on or tie on a purse or pin on your blouse during the holidays.


Here is also a wood cut out angel ornament that I bought and just added shades of colors and blended, then added metallic gold stroke for the hair, craft twinkles etc. Please make sure to click on it for a lager view or you won't be able to see all the good stuff on it.


This is kind of an over sized wood heart that I cut out on my trusty Heigner and painted with pansies. I pen and Inked and then did color washes.



The paints I used are all acrylics by DecoArt American. I love to use their metallics the liquid seqins and craft twinkles

I have two more compasses to post. I can't find the pic of the second one. It must be on my other pc. Well here it is to the left of the first one.






Close-up of the third one.

These are getting to be addictive. They are really holding my attention, only because there is no room for mistakes...unless you want to spend hours ripping. You have to pay attention to everything. Anyway, this was a learning experience for me and I was determined to learn it all the way. Now I can talk about it hahahahhahaha and I 'm ready to draft my own.....

The third Compass. Remember, I said you have to pay attention. Well you know I didn't lol. The middle circle is a bit lost against the background. I made the values too close. ...but not to worry..tomorrow, I will take fabric paint and brush in hand and create some highlights and shadows and everything will be just fine......

I have wanted to make a mariner's compass for years and could never muster up the ambition nor the courage lol. I knew it was a challenge and lots of work so it always stayed on the back burner.

Two days ago I got into the mood and started to work on the pattern, see? I knew it was work and here is the killer. The book I used is by Judy Mathieson. She is the best on this stuff. Anyway, long story short. The first book had her beautiful quilts and one could drool over them while trying to find instructions to attempt much less even think about making one of those creatures.

Therefore one bought the second book when it came out because it said better instructions, yeh right! Here is a small paragraph from the second book...(Quote) precise instruction could not be given to put the quilt together due to lack of space (Unquote)..or something to that effect. Now when one pays a good price for a book that shows the quilts that are in it, one would assume that the instruction are there too no? Brings me to more of my bitching.....I had made new rules for buying books and patterns after that experience. While I was in Paducha and was purchasing the " Jacquline De Jonge" pattern for a mere 48.00 bucks at Hancocks...I took that puppy out to check it....well the entire pattern was there in full size! and none of this "need to enlarge 40%)..so mucho kudos to Jacquline and none to Judy.

I understand why the pattern cost 48.00. It cost 12.00 to make a copy, it's that big. I don't like to mess up the orginal so I make a copy. Anyway enough bitching for now.

In judy's book she says that if you didn't want to make the templates and ADD THE SEAMS, BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T, PLEASE! That you could stack them and make a foundation etc. etc. etc. Well it took a day and a half to get the patterns all made on freezer paper and ready for foundation. Now I am hoping that at least her templeate were precise and I would not be cussing up a blue streak. I say this because in one part of the book she gives you drafting lessons...now why couldn't that space be used for instructions for putting the quilt together and the foundation patterns or even seam allowance on the templates, I ask you? who the hell wants to draft when they want to sew? ok I said no more bitching..

Here is a quarter of the center of the compass. I made the four quarters with no mishaps.



An then, she didn't say the next step so I sewed them in halves and then together to form the circle. I assumed that I would be setting this circle into the outer circle.


I then started to work on the outside part and as I finished a section, I would lay it around the center. I made two or three mistakes. I misplaced fabric. Each spike has a light and a medium fabric and somehow I managed to put the dark in the wrong place....if you can't see then it's ok lol.

I finally finished tonight at 10.15. Her templates were not exact. I will have to make some adjustments. Anyway, the block has a 26 inch diameter and contains 96 pieces of fabric and that is just one block. The quilt has three compasses, some half and quarter one...so I'll debate if I want to continue or just finish this one off as a 30 inch quilt hanging. I could add some borders and take it to 40.



The block looks square in this pic but it's the background of my design board that you are looking at. The block at this moment is still a circle. Dont forget to click on the pics to see a larger view. This was a lot of work and I'm a bit pleased with myself in spite of the book. Oh, I believe a third book is out, giving even more instruction...ahahahah, yeh right!! The fist time, shame on you, the second time, shame on me, the third time would really be rediculous or something to that effect.....

I think this is the nuts. I made this little dog tent bed last night. Today I had to get the pvc pipes and drill the holes and finish the deal. Isn't it cute as anything?

In this pic you can see her in it...she went in immediately lol.


I use two different dog fabrics. One for the front flap and one for the other three panels and a contrast for bottom, the pillow and the pvc holders. The pillow that is in the pic is not the correct one. I had to put it in there because she was so impatient to get in lol.

This has been a work in progress off and on for the past five years. I had bought or won a Singer Featherweing on Ebay five years ago. It needed parts and rewiring and etc. I have been rewiring and replacing and the last thing I had to do was get the motor refurbished. It came today and I installed it and worked on the tension until I got a perfect stitch.



It sews beatiful now and quiet as a mouse...isn't it lovely? Here it is with the case and accessories...all the parts are orginal so it'b back in orginal conditiion....

I've started to work on my Double Wedding Ring, King quilt. I work on it off and on as there are so many arcs to make....198 of them. this quilt is all shades of blue and it is a scrap quilt, which means that the fabrics go anywhere. I just pay attention to values, light to dark. There are A and B arcs and each arc has 8 different fabrics. You have to cut strips and then from the strips you cut the pieces for the arcs. If you multiply 198 by 8 you will see how many pieces there are just in the arcs alone. Here is a pic of the paper strip that I sew the arcs on and the pile of arc pieces...and some arcs sewed together.-->



Here is a pic of the first quarter block and then two quarters sewed together to make half a block. One set of arcs start with the light fabric and the other sets starts with the dark, then there are light and dark corners pieces....when the other half is joined to this, it will be a complete circle....it's going to be beautiful....even the background is a very light blue with the tone on tone flowers on it being several shades lighter so it appears almost white.....The block goes from light to dark and when all the lights meet they will give a raised effect and create dimension and motion of circles going around and around....I will try to work more on this quilt....

And yet another purse/tote. I call this one my Picasso/monet. The fabric designs were named like that and there in one on each side. This is the Picasso side.

This is the Monet side.

I only had two pieces of sample fabrics and the Monet piece was a bit short but had a piece at the side that I could cut off and so I made like front inset pocket and walla! a new design lol..... The handles and lining and inside pockets were made out of my hand painted fabric....I must quilt today, my customers are waiting for their quilts. lol bye now until the next fit.....

Another bag. I'm still in bag/tote mode. This is from my Mary Englebreit colletion. "Bloom Where You're Planted" Here is one side.




Other side. Bag is channel quilted. The pocket inside is faced and interfaced.

Side view. The bag is 13 ins. tall by 12 ins accross and 4 ins deep. These were sets of panels. Two to a set. Makes it just perfect for a tote or small quilt. Of couse I have more. This fabric is no longer in production.

Inside is lined with the coordinating fabric.

I guess I'm in handbag mode now hahahah....Here is a large tote made with Laurel Burch designer fabric...18 ins. tall, 12 accross, 4 1/2 deep. Here is one side.









Other side...
One side...


The front. This was a panel so it dictated the size of the bag as I wanted the entire design to be displayed and wrap around to the side.

Inside. Two very generous pockests one a double......

The bag has a good feel not too hard and not too soft just a nice body to it. It is interfaced inside to give it the body and lined, pockets of the same line of fabric....

A PURSE FOR A NURSE

I saw this real cute fabric a few weeks ago and couldn't resist getting it and making a bag of some sort as I know of a deserving nurse.
In the first pic is the stiffening, the fabric which comes 12 nurses to a panel and the lining and coordinating fabric.

In the bottom half of the pic. I have added strips of coordinationg fabric all around the four block panel and this will be the depth of the bag. I am making it envelope style. I made two panels and ironed the stiffening onto the backs



In top half of this pic, I have made the handles with the stiffening and added the CF to the top of the lining. I added strips to exta nurses for the inside pockets and lined them. I sewed those on the lining.
In the bottom half, I have sewed the handles on.

I sewed the sides up and did the same for the lining and then sewed those together right sides etc. I then ironed the shape of the bottom and sides and they will stay like that permantely .

Just a quickie today. Here is a link to a real neat quilt program. It's called 123 quilts. If you have never tried a program like this, please do. It is easy and fun and free for 30 days, after which you may purchase it if you like it.

http://www.quiltpro.com/

Hi and good morning. I did some fun stuff last night. I made some doll body jewelry. If you do any of the Patti Medaris Culea dolls, http://www.pmcdesigns.com/ you will see that she puts lots of jewelry or beading on some of her dolls. I love the beaded dolls but I am lazy ok? lol. Thank goodness I paint and have access to many wonderful products. I will show you the lazy and fun way to make some body jewelry for your dolls. I used "DecoAmericana" products. Here is a link for lots of information. http://decoart.com/ I used: Fashion Sequins (comes in about 14 beautiful pastel colors), Craft Twinkles, Craft Twinkles Writer, Fashion beadz, Diamond dust, So Soft Dementional Glitter Writer, Glittering Topcoat (for fabric), Paper Perfect Accents, Starlight Topcoat (for hard surfaces) Tripple Thick Brilliant Gloss Glaze (for wood). Plastic palette knife, corsage pin, flat fabric brush.

Now bear in mind that I have a lot of product in front of me and I just grab and do. I will tell you what I used in each design as we go along. I will try to remember lol.

Lay a piece of scrap muslim on freezer paper or a piece of plastic. We are ready to design. Take one of the CTW (craft twinkles writer), Sometimes I make an outline on the muslim and sometimes I don't. Here I used the silver and just made an outline freehand. I would then plop with a Plastic palette knife) different colors of the some FB (fashion beadz), then I would add some plops of CTW or CT. Take the corsage pin or straight pin and kinda guide it where you want it to go.


On this board to the bottom left is a stencil of a heat that I filled with blue fashion beadz. Besides that is a star of beadz and a small green heart above. The brooch type tingy is just FB plopped down and CT and CTW. I didn't outline this one fist. I just added some outside lines after.

On this board, I cut out some stencils of circles out of the thin foam you can get at Michaels and filled them with FB and then used the So Soft Glitter Writer around it. All the other are the same deal ..FB, CT, DTW.

Here is a close up of one. You can see the beads packed in. I would sprinkle some diamond dust on top.

I really like this one. The pic doesn't do it justice. After I gaudied it up real good, I sprinkled some of glittery stuff that comes from the DecoArt, Paper Perfect line, diamond dust too. This one has a lot of beads too.

I was beginning to like outlining, It allowed me to do just about anything funky.

This one is really going to look great on the dolls leg or arm. Like a tattoo. This one was outlined in CTW black then in SS Glitter Writer. The entire inside was filled with CT and CTW and a few beads. It will take 24 house to dry and about three day to totally cure as they are real thick. I have them out in the sun right now. You can then cut around them and glue the hem in the back or just wait until you are ready to use them and sew them or on and tuck the hem in. You can use these emblishments on the body, or clothing or the hair or they can be worn on the forehead like a flapper. But don't stop there. Put them on purses, art quilts etc.

These are pigion wooden eggs cut in half. I put a drop of the Fashion Sequins Writer in the middle and added other colors and just let it move to where it wanted. Every now and then I would take the pin and go around the bottom to remove the excess and slide it on a clean piece of freezer paper. I only had to do it twice. It has an opal look to it doesn't it? I added the accents and diamond dust. Then I did the other one more gaudy lol....dry at least 24 hour. I coated these with the StarLight topcoat and then with the Tripple Thick Brilliant Glaze.