Category Archive: machine embroidery

Best laid plans

Oh, yes, I had the best laid plans.   I was going to finish the lamb quilt and start the quilting on the machine.   However, without warning, we had a major windstorm .   Really major and we were without power for 2 days.  I spent much of the last two days tending the fire, cooking here, and sitting in front of it.  We were so thankful when power returned.  We were technically okay and  could have survived longer, just too spoiled to want to camp in the middle of winter.  But now we have POWER and are very thankful, having just relearned how wonderful it is.

 

So today, I finished the front of this quilt which is now waiting for quilting, backing and binding.  It was done on the embroidery machine, which is a technique useful for someone who doesn’t really know how to quilt, but I found it more cumbersome.

When I make this quilt again, I will embroider the pieces flat and put them together and then quilt it.  I think it makes a cute baby quilt.  It measures 38 x 42″.

 

Embroidering little lambs

These little blocks measure 4.5″ plus the seam allowance, when trimmed,  which is 1/2″  These blocks are taking about 1/2 hour each because one first lays the sky down, embroiders, then trims, then the grass, then embroiders that in place.  The the lamb is done, and finally batting and backing go on each piece.  But aren’t they turning out cute?

I now have these three rows done and another 2 embroidered, but not put together.   I  may not get it all finished in a week, but I’ll come close.   I linking up with Patty over at  Elm street quilts  

The chickens know a good perch when they see it and the sheep don’t seem to even notice.  The girls in this pasture got their mite medicine dripped on their backs today.   it beats having shots or oral meds.

2019
01/01

Category:
machine embroidery
quilts

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Lamb Crib Quilt

I was given this pattern for an embroidery machine Lamb Crib quilt by Heart n Sole.  I have been given a week to get it done.  I think I can do it, but it will be close.   It will make a nice quilt for my next grandchild – if and when.

It is made of little   4.5″ finished quilted squares  and then put together.   Then a backing is used across the back to cover all the seams and the original was then tied in the corners.   Today I made 30 of these little squares.  That gives me another 80 to go.  Since they are small, and the quilting is minimal, they go fast.

 

2018
11/17

Category:
Life
machine embroidery

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Embroidered potholders

emb apple

These two embroidered potholders were done totally on the machine.   I first hooped wash away stabilizer, then I stitched that out.  I then spray basted the thin batting to the top piece, and placed it in the stitching line.   I finished the top side, then for the bottom I spray basted the insulbrite to the bottom piece and basted them both to the under side of the potholder.  I think by adding the extra layer of batting, they will be thick enough.

We had the birthday party yesterday at Panera’s and the office girls were each given two potholders.   They were delighted to be remembered.  Our daughter was given sheets and other bedding since she just had a new queen size bed delivered.  It’s a lovely time once a year and we do it before the holidays, which worked out really well this year, since her birthday is on Thanksgiving day.

Interruptions

Interruptions are welcome if one can help a friend.   After lunch, I received a text from a friend’s daughter asking if there was anyway I could come up with a service dog scarf in 10 minutes.    It needed to be on red fabric and over the dog’s back to easily be seen.  It was more like 15 minutes as the sew out was 10 minutes, but it was done and waiting when she arrived.  It slides onto the dog’s collar and will be hemmed later.  She had to have it to take her dog into an appointment she had.   She was delighted and I promised to make her a better one with more time.

The 5 kinds of potatoes are purchased and cut to cure and 3 sets of onions are ready.   Now I need to get the stakes for the boxes and get the ground ready this week to get these planted.

Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have gym and that really interrupts my day as I’m out of energy sooner.

2017 Recap and 2018 goals

 

2017 Recap:

Finished 3 pair of the 12 pair of socks that I kitted, ready to go.

Finished 29 quilts, 10 of which were ready for the quilting.   The other 19 were in early stages or not started.

 

 

 

 

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I also made 2 bags and 2 pillows plus embroidered 4 sets of towels.   I embroidered a Hatched in Africa set each month for their challenge, two of which were jeans.

There were bowl cozies and pea pods.

Then there were the baby lambs and additional sheep and puppy.  I don’t want to forget there was a garden with canning and freezing.

Plus the hospital stays.   It appears to have been a very busy year.  But there were things I did not finish or even start, so they can become goals for the next year.

2018 goals:

I’m expecting much more “out of sewing area” activities.  My sister-in-law has Alzheimer’s and is near the end.  There will be many more lambs plus sheep activities including at least one fair where I will be showing them.  We are moving the garden to a more level spot this spring.  DH is needing more attention.  And there is a big wedding in California in April.   I have fewer flimsies, so most quilts still need much work.

Quilts to do:         Goal is 200 yards usage

  1. Mystery quilt:  Merry Mayhem  –  NY day mystery

  2. Mystery quilt:  “Scrappy friends” – NY day mystery

  3. Bonnie Hunter “On Ringo Lake”  – finished clue #1

  4. Daffodil flimsy – to quilt

  5. Roses flimsy – to quilt

  6. Teddy Bear picnic – to quilt

  7. Celebrate  flimsy – to quilt

  8. Bear paw quilt – large,  cut out

  9. All aboard – not started twin bed size

  10. Fish quilt – not started applique – large wall or lap quilt

  11. Tulip quilt – flimsy – needs quilting

  12. Sunbonnet Sue #4, have sue blocks, needs setting and quilting

  13. Bonnie Hunter 2012, needs to be finished for King size, quilted, etc.

  14. Baby Hono – I want to make a child size turtle quilt

  15. Finish all the paper piecing blocks and finish the wall hanging with them.

Socks:  I’ll keep working on my last year’s kits, since I only finished 1/4 of them.

Other goals:

  1. Learn Electric quilt

  2. Learn cutting machine

  3. Make 10 Alzheimer’s activity mats

  4. Try 2 new recipes a month

  5. Gym 2x week

  6. Make garden plan with plans for starting, fert, etc.

  7. Make hoop house plans as above

Obviously, I will come across items during the year that I will tuck into my weeks.

 

2017
12/27

Category:
Life
machine embroidery

COMMENTS:
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Tribal Cat Zarah

Meet Hatched in Africa’s “Tribal Cat – Zarah”   These were the colors chosen by the recipient for her jeans jacket.

 

And this is what happens when UPS gets the wrong gate and there is a dog on the other side.   He didn’t want to open the gate, which was smart, but really, you toss the package at the dog?  The puppy was very happy with the package.

2017
12/26

Category:
Life
machine embroidery

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Cat mask and photographers

I got this far on putting a cat mask on the back of this denim jacket when the machine became unhappy and decided to jam.   I had two choices:   persist and make it worse or walk away from it and try again in the morning when I’m fresh.   I walked away.

Though I don’t yet have the photo, these are the photographers trying to figure out how to set this camera so that it flashes in 10 seconds giving the chief photographer time to be in the photo.

2017
11/30

Category:
farming
Life
machine embroidery

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HIA challenge and a feeder

These were my HIA challenge (Hatched in Africa).   We use one of their designs monthly.   These are their “velvet birds set 3”  It’s not seen on the photos but after embroidered, one cuts some of the threads so they pop up like velvet.   They are really cute.

This 8 foot feeder is perfect to feed 6 sheep with much less waste.   They don’t like to eat food they’ve been trampling any more than we do.   This allows them to keep it for food instead of bedding.  I was so happy to get this made and will have more done soon.

These snow people look so happy hanging for the holidays and twinkling away.’

 

Whirlwind August

What a whirlwind this month of August has been.   I feel as if I have been chasing my tail.  Today is the end of the month and I did finish 4 sewing/knitting goals, but two were left undone.  A third,

is now put together with backing and batting, but when I have time, I’d like to add more quilting.

In addition to these projects, I have spent an incredible amount of time in the kitchen.  Today again, there was more pear butter canned as well as more produce brought in.   I have another dehydrator full of cucumbers for chips, the last batch of pear butter is condensing in the crock pot, the refrigerator is full of cucumbers waiting their turn.   I gave up and gave some raspberries, blueberries, cucumbers, zucchini, and tomatoes to the neighbor.   The grapes are starting to get ripe and the weather is so incredible, this scenario may continue for another month.   We have started new beets and greens for the winter and they have popped their little heads above ground now.    And we water, water, water, water.  Usually it rains a day or two when school starts, but not this year.

Today a neighbor came over and we wormed 1/3 of the sheep for the winter.   We will be dividing them and giving each group a suitor soon.   Then we count out 5 months to start the baby business.

In between all this, we have made time for doctors visits and a very few staples to eat.  (Today, I visited with the Geek squad so I could bring you this report – I love those fellows) And we have daily fed, watered, and cared for the bees, sheep, ducks, geese, and dogs – oh, yes, and for each other.   I am loving this crazy, out of control summer.