September to November Wrap Up!

It's been ages! I have finished quite a few things these past few months.

This is quilt that was probably 10 years in the making.

I started sewing EPP hexagons as an easy take along project years ago, and finally had enough to make a decent sized quilt (I kind of missed sewing them and started another English Paper Pieced project).

The hexagons were stitched onto 10" blocks (using 100wt thread for invisible machine appliqué).

The quilt is about 90" square. I used a Hobbs silk batting.

I quilted it on my sewing machine with a blue dot bobbin case, using CT Essential Pro thread (top and bottom), with an Organ #80 regular needle - it quilted beautifully, the thread didn't break once, and no tension issues (sadly couldn't say that with my old sewing machine).

I quilted it very simply with my favourite to stitch designs - swoopy lines around the hexagons,

big feathers for the outer border and a leaf design for the inner border (because the hexagons look like flowers).

Back of the quilt - I also stitched in the ditch around the hexagons and borders.

I sewed quite a few clothes in the past few months (my goal was to have a complete 'me-made' outfit - now I do!).

Here are some of the things I have made. The first ones are all Lutterloh patterns - a couple of pairs of jeans (my first and second pair of pants sewn with a zipper fly - this YouTube video made it so easy), a jean skirt (I made two more for my Mom), a summer blouse (with French General fabric), and a white rayon knit long sleeve t-shirt. 

A grey Blackwood Cardigan (Helen's Closet pattern) (I also made a blue one). A pair of panties from the Craftsy Class - Sewing Panties, using a self drafted pattern. The one that I am proudest of is a bra (I feel there must be some conspiracy concerning bras - they are so expensive to buy, but now I know, so simple to make, and much less expensive). 

This is the third one I made - the first two I worked on size and fit, and just like Goldilocks, the third one was just right. I started with the Craftsy class - Sewing Bras: Construction and Fit, and the bra kit that goes along with the class - that made the whole process so easy. The style of that bra didn't work for me, so for the second one (and this third) I used a free pattern - Maya Bra by AFI Atelier. I am amazed how well this bra fits, even at the end of the day, it is so comfortable. I did make some changes to the pattern and combined parts with the other pattern, mainly the band and straps.

For me the kits I bought from Bra Makers Supply had enough fabric to make 2 bras, I just need an extra findings kit (commercial and Maya Bra size 32G).

I also finished knitting a cowl-

This is the DRK Everyday Cowl by Andrea Mowry. I knit it with handspun. I dyed and blended the fibre for this. It is a mix silk, milk fibre, Angora, merino, and some silver Angelina (very soft).

Photos from Around-

Fall set in.

The snow came in strong (Molly waiting for someone to come play),

and went,

and came back

and just about went (Molly this morning).

Miss Maggie last week.

Miss Molly this morning hunting voles. She missed the two voles hiding in the hole in the tree near the bottom of the photo.

I have never seen so many voles as this year, must be the weather.

All the best!♥︎

A Couple of Finishes

I finished a couple of knitting projects recently.

A pair of handspun socks (this is number 5 for the year - my goal is to knit 12 pairs of handspun socks in 2022). More details can be found here.

A handspun shawl/scarf. More details can be found here.

For the past couple of months my husband has been working in Vancouver (on the west coast of Canada).

He sends me pictures like this-

The view from his apartment.

Cherry blossoms.

I send him pictures like this -

The snow is melting, I don't know if we should be worried about flooding just yet.

The snow is off the surrounding fields (drone photos from yesterday evening).

Although the snow in our yard has come down a few feet, there is still lots to melt, plus we are expecting the worst storm in decades over the next three days! We have done lots of preparations, and hoping that it won't be as bad as predicted.

Best friends (although Molly looks a bit surprised that Maggie came to lay near her, she usually just comes to touch noses).

All the best!♥︎♥︎

New Wallhanging

This month I made a wallhanging using more pieces of cross stitch that my Dad stitched.

The wallhanging is about 28"x35". 

I made this one for my parents.

 

I free motion quilted it with Essential Pro thread from Connecting Threads.

I used a layer of cotton and a layer of wool batting so the wallhanging would be flat but puffy. I just stitched in the ditch around the pieces of embroidery.

The cross stitch designs are from the book Repertoire des Motifs by Valerie Lejeune.

Photos from around-

No wind.

Fall colours.

A couple of Yellowlegs in the pond (right edge).

Wrong end of a skunk

We scared a fox.

All the best!♥︎

Summer Time Fun

It is always amazing how fast summer flies by! 

The garden has done so well, and we are canning or freezing something everyday.

We even have proper corn to eat (we have tried on and off for years without much luck).

I finished making a few things recently-

I sewed a dress with fabric that I thought I would make a skirt with last month.

The pattern is from this Japanese magazine (vol 10 - Amazon link).

My Mom and I have made so many things from this one issue, that the magazine is bulging with the traced tissue paper patterns.

This is the pattern I used.

I made it with some fabric I was given and then dyed with indigo last summer.

 

I finished knitting a pair of socks from some handspun yarn. This is a BFL/Nylon blend that I dyed then spun.  They are 56 stitches, toe-up socks, knit magic loop, two-at-a-time, on a 2.75mm circular needle, with a slip stitch heel flap, and gusset.

I didn't quite have enough of the yellow/grey mix, and added some grey stripes on the leg.

These are the latest socks on the needles - a merino/nylon blend this time.

Photos from around-

 Molly waiting for someone to join her on the trampoline.

Maggie!

I can never resist great clouds.

The next place down the road just has some old buildings.

I think this barn is interesting with the boards on the diagonal.

A Great Blue Heron came to visit.

The surrounding field of canola is almost ready for harvest.

We have a new windmill to aerate the pond (we are trying to get it cleaned up since we swim in it).

All the best!♥︎

Spin the Bin

I participated in a spinning challenge in a Ravelry group (Completely Twisted and Arbitrary Spinning) called Spin the Bin. The challenge was to get together 24oz (680g) or more of fibre in a bin, and spin it within the year.

This was my starting fibre - 1.32kg (46.6oz),

and the finished yarn.

Ended up with 1.28kg (45.2oz), 2,788m (3,049yds) of yarn. It is also almost 9km (over 5 miles) of spinning - singles and plying lengths added together (some of the yarn is two ply and some three ply).

Most of the yarn was spun during Tour de Fleece (another spinning challenge).

Photos from around- 

The gardens are doing well-

perennial flower garden

vegetable garden

the grasses have gotten so tall

we started canning (pickled beans)

Best friends-

Checking out each other's teeth?

All the best!♥︎