Locker Hooked Rug

This rug is a pattern called "Garden Steps" in a

book by Cindy Murray entitled You Can Be A Happy Rug Hooker 2. During the Paducah Quilt Show I demonstrated locker hooking. Then the local quilt shop asked me to teach a class covering toothbrush rag rugs and locker hooking. One of the ladies who works in the shop on Saturday brought this rug for the class to see. It was so beautiful and soft that I decided I needed to make one for the entrance to our fifth wheel trailer. So it is completed and I really like it.

You can find a video to show you the basics of locker hooking. It is done with a locker hook, strips of fabric, rug canvas mesh, and cotton yarn or string. The locker hook has a crochet hook on one end and a needle eye on the other end. The strips of fabric are hooked to the top of the mesh and then the string is drawn through the loops to keep them on top of the canvas. It is really very easy and uses yards of fabric. My rug is 26" X 32" and took about eight yards of fabric.

Design Wall

This is a picture of the quilt that is currently on my design wall. I am working on the "Quilt for an Hour Project" by Judy Laquidara. Her blog is Patchwork Times. Several times each year, Judy develops a quilt pattern and shares it with her readers. She publishes the directions each day on her blog. The directions can usually be completed in a hour or so each day. Each quilter can choose their own fabric and decide when to complete the project. It is great fun to be part of a quilt project that is being completed across the nation. My quilt is made entirely of batiks. I will probably make another one in a darker colorway.

Besides being a quilter, designer, teacher, and author, Judy is a great cook. Her blog also has some great recipes.

I am also working on two other projects during the day. Tonight I finished a latchhook rug and will have a picture for you soon. The More Wild!flowers quilt is slowly being quilted. I really like piecing but find quilting less to my liking. I should have it finished in a few days.

Accessories for the Purse

I made some accessories for the grommet purse from leftover fabric. The eyeglass case is made from directions in Ready, Set, Serge by Georgie Melot. It is so easy to make piping with a serger piping foot and almost as easy to stitch it to a project. The eyeglass case can be made in a matter of 10-15 minutes. I have taught the technique to local quilting groups. The credit card holder is a pattern I have been using for several years. It was originally shown to me at a sewing group meeting by staff at Bob's Bernina in Lawrence. Just pull down on the cord and the card pops out the top.

On the quilting front, I am working on quilting the More Wild!flowers quilt by The Stitch Connection. The CD has grass clumps that can be used for quilting and I have completed that part of the quilt. Now to figure out how to quilt the flower blocks and then the other pieced blocks. I should have it finished in a couple of days.

Another Purse

This is another grommet purse by Indygo Junction. It is relatively easy to make and can be finished in a few hours. These fabrics are chocolate browns, light blues, and light pink. There are four different fabrics. I purchased a 1/2 yard of each and really should have purchased one yard of one of them. I had to use two different fabrics and piece together the lining of the purse. I use fusible fleece for the stabilizer. The purse has two layers fused together. Then I just strip piece the body of the purse before stitching each strip 1/4 inch from the seams. Really cute and another great gift.

Grommet Purse

This is one of the hottest items from Indygo Junction. The pattern is called Grids & Grommets (IJ805). My local quilt shop had made this purse and I loved it. So I made one for my DIL's birthday. The fabric is light purples, greens, and a little turquoise green. The purse is stabilized with fusible fleece. The directions are easy to follow. The grommets are easy to put in without any special tool--they just snap together with a little pressure. Grommets come in two sizes and several colors. Sometimes grommets are hard to find. Overbrook Quilt Connection has a good supply right now. The purse pattern has a small size like this one and a large one. I also made an eyeglass case and a credit card holder from the fabrics to accessorize the purse.

The local quilt shop owner called Indygo Junction today about an order and was told that 900 of these patterns arrived in the warehouse today. But 875 are already spoken for. So this is a hot seller.