I had the honor of teaching at the Sussex Library last summer. Now I can finally post the pictures! Woo hoo- steady internet connection is wonderful. The first one finished with a bed sized quilt received free quilting. She is second from the left hiding in the back. Below is her quilt, it's even better in person!
I keep pioctureing Deputy Dog muttering when things went wrong. I don't think it's the right phrase, but it suits.
My longarm is having a problem. After months and months of very fine performance "He" has decided to break threads. It's a very specific kind of break, non-directional, random, and frustrating. Tension is perfect and the stitches are beautiful. This darn thread break leaves a 4" tail of upper thread under the quilt. I think I pinned down the problem thanks to one very fine tech support guy at Gammill. He is great, my hero.
I know how it started. In 7 years of quilting I broke 5 needles, 3 on the same quilt. That quilt started the problem, it left a rough spot on the bobbin race. Early this month I broke #5 on a thick seam area while stitching a panto. Icing on the cake so to speak. It left an even rougher spot on the bobbin race. When the needle is down and the thread loops around the bobbin - right before the take up lever snugs up, thread snags on that rough spot and breaks. I don't have the right stuff here to buff it away. So the wait for parts begins.
Kind of the way the summer went here. The town for some reason decided to re-do my road. It began in April and ended in August; 3 major power hits, 23 hours of missed work, and $400 in machine parts. If I had to spend any more time listening to the backup beeps of the construction trucks I'd scream. I miss the potholes-the speedway stinks.
Now you might start thinking that I make this stuff up right? This was the view from the workroom one Saturday. Yep, the backyard was on fire. It came up from the open land behind the house- fast! It took 3 fire companies, 2 planes, 1 helicopter, 1 forest service truck, and a big group of hardworking firemen to put out.
We saw a lot of this guy after the fire..........
I'm off to the workroom to do what I can with what I have- right now.
Cheryl
Second from last for a reason - I get to put it all together.
Those of you who know me will most likely understand the yoke on this dress. I may be big on machines, but there is a love of the hand-made-itsy-bitsy in me. The technique is North American Smocking. It's unlike traditional English smocking. The finished product has no elasticity, and is usually worked on a straight checked fabric. The fabric here is printed on the diagonal and produces a straight basket weave. Honestly I don't know what comes over me sometime, just thought it would be cool. All you need to know to do this is tie a knot with a needle.
The dress pattern had a smocked dress look to me (the whole fabric collection too), so I fiddled a bit with a few ideas. This type of smocking seemed better suited to applique. Now since Tim Holly lives a hop skip and jump from me you know I had to "work it". She was even kind enough to make me the pretty poet's bow.
Now if anyone is actually interested in the technique I would be happy to post further - just leave me a comment.
Back to the workroom.....Cheryl
String quilts are back in vogue. The editor of McCall's Quilting has her own wonderful Silk String quilt in the October issue. Now I need to get my hands on some silk scraps I think. All those solid colors - just think of the quilting possibilities!
The ladies from last fall at the Local community school did a wonderful job with their own string quilts.
I love quilts that reflect the students own color preferences. There were two goals here. Learn about grain, and how to straight set blocks with speed. This is one of the two quilt patterns I use when I need a gift in a hurry, or just want to get the scrap box under control. I miss the days when I kept up with my fabric purchases.
Back to the Workroom.......Cheryl
Darla AKA Run or Sashquatch (you should see her feet) our little athlete. You can find her on top of curtain rods. She is a cat's cat with very little use for humans. She clearly understands momentum and its uses. She only runs or trots, never to be found just walking. If a tree spontaneously grew in the house she would be in heaven. I would have named her Eore if she were a he, markings make it look as of someone plugged in her tail. Did I say she was fast? I have tried for months to get a picture of her back end but everything ends up blurry.
Darla Darling has a sweet little voice but don't let it fool you - she's a little rascal at heart.
Cheryl
It has been brought to my attention that a cat is sitting on a quilt. Yes, Buster Valentine fell asleep on a quilt, slid off the stool with the quilt and woke with a big yawn on the floor. Silly boy.
It's my quilt. I snuggle up with it + a cat or two. It is a wonderful quilt with loads of nice work on it. I haven't named it yet, it will have the words "round robin" in the title. It was a really different sort of group work. The top was fully constructed by me, stabilized with stitch-in-the-ditch quilting, and I quilted the center. It went off to quilters around the country and each person quilted a border.
Now I have an idea about how much fun it is to pick up your quilt from a quilter! It felt like Christmas to open the box and see my pretty.
Please don't panic, customer quilts don't leave the workroom where no cats are allowed to go.
Back to work.......... Cheryl
Today isn't only Valentines Day- It's Buster's Birthday. The picture from the day we brought him home. Yes that's my knee he climbed. His manners have improved this year. He has got to be the sweetest male cat I have ever known. Quite the gentleman, and a hit with the girls( more about them later).
We lost our big love bug, a German Shepard from Akita rescue. It was so lonely without the patter of little feet.
Buster has been a bundle of fun. He loves to play "make the bed" and "sweep the floor". By far his favorite activity is strolling along high places. 
Unfortunately his plan to get on the ledge above the door is not so cute. He may be part monkey- we aren't sure. The silly guy climbs the screen door. (the screen did need replacing)
His newest hobby is dropping toys in the toilet. He lives for lids left up. What is the fascination with toilets anyway? If you want the cat to appear- just flush.
Favorite toys come from Wall Mart- 4 days of fun for $1.82!
My favorite picture of him needs a caption........
The little stinker pulled my quilt off the stool and had a lovely nap. I snapped the picture in mid yawn, but it kind of looks like he is saying something.
Cheryl
.
NQR=not quilting related! OR notes from a new knitter.
I decided I needed a hobby. It had to be small and remain small. I absolutely hate to just sit when waiting or in meetings. I decided to learn to knit socks. DH is still wondering why I chose to do something so close to quilting, those of you in the know- quit laughing. He does try to understand why we no longer have a living room.
Holly ,living in Casa Awful, working in pj's, could use a pair of warm socks. I love to pass on what I learn, so here is a heel turn. Keep in mind I am a beginner. I started this whole sock thing just under a year ago, equipped with a book shaped like a sock and a book of basics of knitting. The second book just to learn to knit and translate this new foreign language.
What I know now about heel turning
Start heel turn on a wrong side row so you end up in the right place. Slip the first stitch at every turn of the piece. Purl 1 stitch past half the number of stitches, P2tog, P1. You should then have an even number of stitches on the left needle. Count those stitches! Turn the piece to the right side- count off the same number of stitches from the end of the now left needle, insert place marker. Knit to within 3 stitches, K2tog,K1. The first 2 rows of the heel eat up 3 stitches each. Only 2 stitches are used in the following rows. At this point you need to know that I really hate counting stitches. SO I just look for the gap and Ktog or Ptog the gap closed . Then K or P the next one. 
See the gap? That's where you KorP tog. Eventually all the stitches end up on one needle again and you are ready for the gusset.
Socks are fun little projects. They stay nicely in your lap in a waiting room. Unlike scarves they give you something to look forward to, mini goals, all along the way.
I do desperately need to work up a sock knitters bag for myself. The zip locks and old freebie I keep needles in aren't very pretty.
It's my time this week, so I think a trip to the yarn store instead of the workroom is in order.
Cheryl
