Who told Life to Crowd Me out of my Sewing Room???

All of My Hexies are UP-To-DATE.....

I am mailing out to my February Inchy Hexagon partner....She asked for pastel and cream.  I went to Walmart and paid a quarter for 1/8th yd of cotton fabric --- Pastel!!!   And she has to have the X and O (hugs and kisses) for Valentine Month!!!

Finishing a Cathedral Window....

My 14-inch completed cathedral window square is made up of four sewn-together 7 inch" little pressed blocks........then I have hand-sewn 24 little 2inch colorful fabric squares for a finished block...WHEW!!!

This particular square has really been my depression companion  ...  lots of down, dopey, prayer thoughts and feelings....   when I've felt like giving up.... I stitched on and on.... step by step, one at a time.... coming close to perfection.... and making it to the end!
  


Then it is so neat....   to take a blank page in my life...via the next 7" square .....starting a new one....  there's hope and beauty to be attained in my life!

 Actually, I had driven to browse an antique shop... picked up a pretty little 1920's TAM..little hat... and with all the down feelings.... I shot 4-5 self portraits with a smile.....   Just trying to make it... PTL!

II Corinthians 4:17 verse:  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (!!)

Just before Midnight....A Flower-Girl was Spotted!

She grew and grew...until she bloomed into this little Hexie!   
Tis... it is One Flower Wednesday....I'm browsing my bookshelf.... and this fabric selection was purchased about 3-5 years ago???   Sassy, classy black girls.... like me... Except I haven't sported a pony-tail since I was 12 years old.... there's a picture somewhere.....   But still young at heart!

 Here is my Winter Journal.... A gift from my Church Women's Group1

    COMFORT

And just where do you think I find comfort and peace of mind?

Sewing is the craft of attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread.  Even before spinning yarn or the weaving of wool into fabric......The act of sewing is believed to be the oldest of the textile arts.... Stone Age people sewed fur together to make clothing using bones, antlers or even ivory objects...shaped to pull thru a "THREAD" made of an animal part (sinew, cat-guts, or the stretchy, strong veins)
      So it is that sewing is a thing of comfort and beauty!

How is comfort defined?

1. state of being comfortable: conditions in which somebody feels physically relaxed
2. comfortable thing: something that makes you feel physically relaxed

• As a Verb (used with object):  comfort means to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to!
  

  
  
  
  This is what I see as a rather unusual picture of Mary McLeod Bethune..... a 20th century educator and pioneer!  It's a somewhat younger photo, her hair is nicely pinned back, her clothing is upscale, lace on her sleeves..... with a heart shaped necklace.... I wonder if it were children or a good man that she loves.  It's a studio setting as she gazes....  she carried many a burden.....
  

  

  
  

  
  

  "Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope.

  This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life."  Psalm 119:49-50

  
  
  

  My inspiration today for hope and comfort!

  
  

Merry Monday.... for me...

I'm thankful for Oklahoma weather!

etc.... More of the same..... Hexie Mania

 This was Wednesday's completion...... Aptly named etc.... more of the same... but no monotomy involved in this hexagon!!

Time to re-read a good old quilt book!

A Finished Quilt !!

A simple four-patch, turned on-point, set with white squares....

 I used scrap fabric and the blocks were about 2inches.... finished off at @ 6"

 It's just a coverlet... not what I called a full sized bed quilt.  It was quilted last year by Bill Crye..... I tucked in away in my closet.... and just used my day off today to add a multicolored binding.... A meditative, prayerful, fulfilling Sunday at my best!!!

Blooming Where we're planted.... 1-Flower Wed

I'm loving the Mid-Week Motivation of Inchy Hexagon Swapping 2011-2012.......

It's Time.....


To give and receive such pretty Hexie Flowers.....my niece visited Australia and sent me a gorgeous coaster set....(quilt images...yippee)

These are my blue and yellow hexies from Denmark Girlfriend.... Thanks a bunch!

Next up (pictures below) is mailing to hexie friends in Australia and in good ole-Texas, USA!  Take a peek at Karen's JOURNEY OF A QUILTER site for One Flower Wednesdays...  She's great! (click my sidebar)

Well now.... aint' I something??

And another good thought for today.... as I pray for my young adult daughters and my son.....

Who forgot to teach me about thimbles ???

I visited Elsie Campbells blogspot who kindly said....WE.... need to know the difference between a sewing thimble... and a quilting thimble.   A Quilting Thimble (to the left)  will have a deep depression that allows you to control the needle while using the 'rocking motion involved in making close, even quilting stitches.   Thus... the sewing thimble (to the right) is smooth on top.    

......Next, there is a difference between a sewing needle and a quilting needle.  A preferred brand is the John James Goldn' Glide Size 11 -- Bit Eye Quilting Needle.   That's a mouthful.  A Quilting needle is technically called a "between" whereas a sewing needle is called a "Sharp".   

The difference between the Between and the Sharp is 1/4" in length with the quilting needle between the shorter!!! The shorter Between Quilting needle makes for better control during the rocking  motion used in the quilting process. 

Another useful product for hand quilting is Needle-Grip-its.   Elsie uses the product on her thumb and forefinger to allow for easier gripping of tiny needles, and on her underneath fingers to protect them from niddle pricks!  

My Template for Fussy Cut Hexies

I'm Luvin' #1 Flower Wednesdays!

 On today...these have been sent to my Australia Girlfriends.....(my bucket list of dreams is to travel Aussie!)   They were my Inchy Hexagon Swap Partners!     Three friends checked off my 2011 list... 3 more to go this week!   I decided to include a quick letter and pretty postcard.  I explained that I prefer the open edge, hand stitched with right sides together method (NO PAPER INSERT) in making hexies.  They get one of each kind.... the traditional EPP hexagon for my friends is fussy cut... makes it much more interesting to me!!

Spinning and Felting Fibers

Jubilee Farm ~ Spinning Flax to Linen

Oh, Oh.... it is correctly spelled  JOYBILEE FARM.... A joyful communion of ethical husbandry and fiber artistry–Walk through natural dye gardens where our distinctive colours grow.  Meet the contented angora goats, coloured sheep, llamas and angora rabbits, which provide the medium for our art.  See artisans at work creating bio-regional clothing in distinctive colours from our local fibre shed.  Read about us on our blog or visit us at the farm for an uncommon eco-tourism, agritourism adventure

Linen Process....   I am really surprised but pleased to see her bio.... I really have never met anybody.....  am a passionate nonconformist, called to live a creative, self-sufficient, and sustainable life. An artisan shepherd, living in the mountains in BC's interior, I write about thriving self-sufficiency, bio-regional clothing, local food and gardening, sustainable homesteading, and joyful, frugal, debt-free living. I am a wife, a mother, a grandmother and an artisan.

Pineapple Pincushions

Fons & Porter has instructions and a video on foundation piecing (Paper Piecing).... www.FonsandPorter.com/pfp

 Yep... this is my other addiction.... the paper-pieces are smaller (about 4x4" finished size).....

 The Pink Heart is absolutely gorgeous.....  I intend to take the 8-11 names of my quilting girlfriends here in OKC.... and embroidery their names onto backside fabric.... so it will be their personalized gift!

Here is my show and tell!!!