Blue Ridge Beauty is 10 years old!

This Blue Ridge Beauty quilt has been under construction since May 2010 when Bonnie Hunter was the instructor for the Kaw Valley Quilter's Guild in Lawrence, Kansas. I gathered all the fabics and started the quilt in the workshop but never worked on it again until March.  Then came the coronavirus and the need for many face masks and I was interrupted.  So a couple of weeks ago I began the quilt in earnest and with the goal of completing the quilt top. It really isn't quite finished as I still need to stitch the borders.  But the hard part is finished.  The quilt is made with 168 blocks.  The surprising thing is that it is the exact same block made 168 times with lights and darks. It was so simple and so complex because the blocks had exact placement of the lights and darks.  Making the first six blocks seemed like a snap until I looked closely to see that four of them were not correct. This really was a test of perseverance.  More to come after the quilter does her magic.

April Output

These are a few of the 150+ face masks that I have stitched since April 2, 2020. I have made several patterns and several sizes. Most of the masks have been made from a pattern of a fellow quilter. I have not purchased any fabric or thread. The only purchases I have made are for black elastic and white elastic.  I started using 1/4" bias tape for the ties until I exhausted that supply and found it too time intensive to make my own.  I read that some were using t-shirt ties.  I tried that and found that t-shirt ties are soft and strong.  I cut 3/4 inch strips across a t-shirt and then pulled them until they stopped stretching.  The fabric rolled together from both sides and it great to stitch through. The masks have gone to a local nurse, local store employees, family and friends, and a small company. Hopefully this crisis will be over soon.  Thanks to all of the people who continue to work and are put in harm's way.  Please stay safe and use your mask.  

A Favorite Reading Pillow

One of my friends asked me to make a reading pillow for her grandson.  She wanted a super-hero.  I have had the wording for some time from Designs by Juju (Reading Word Art #1) and the boy design was found at Sew Fun Fonts.  Together they make a perfect design. I think I will have to make another one.

John Deer Ditigitizing Webinar

I have had the opportunity to be part of John Deer's Digitizing Made Easy Webinar.  John Deer is known as the guru of digitizing and I have always wanted to take a class from him.  I read about his initial effort to develop an on-line class and signed up a couple of months ago.  The class has three active webinars through facebook or Zoom.  Then there are online step-by-step lessons that teach  running stitches, satin stitches, and fill stitches.  Each lesson builds on the previous one.  I would watch the lesson to get the overall view and then complete the lesson in the software while repeating the lesson again and stop it step-by-step. It has taken hours to complete each lesson to my personal satisfaction and then to complete it again without referring to the lesson. Hatch has graciously made their software available for 30 days to complete the lessons.  My lessons have been a bit easier because I have a large monitor that my grandson suggested a couple of years ago.  It is much easier for my old eyes. My photos are two of the projects that I completed for the class. John gives many tips, digitizing theory, encouragement, and responses to questions. If you have the desire to learn more about digitizing, this is the class for you.

A Bernina Garden Flag

Mea Bernina issued a challenge using their red canvas. The store provided you with 1/2 yard of the fabric and asked you to use it to create whatever you wanted.  I had been stitching Christmas garden flags for friends and family for gifts.  So I immediately knew what I would make for the challenge. Using the red canvas was a bit of a challenge because it is so flimsy and does not hold it shape well.  So several applications of Terial Magic made the material more stable and stiff but the color does bleed. It was a good thing to have it laying on an old towel. Burlap is easy to stitch and easy to embroider if it is very stable.  I am very pleased with the results!

A Large Composition Cover

My newest Juju Design is the Large Composition Cover.  It is for the composition book that is 9 3/4" x 7 1/2". It is made in three hoopings and has excellent instructions. The front is a hooping, the back is a hooping, and then the spine connects them in the third hooping. The fabric is Artisan Spirit by Northcott.  It really is a beautiful fabric! The design includes a piece of flat elastic that holds the book closed.  I found that at my local sewing machine dealer and it is a fun addition. Dec. 26: The cover was a Christmas present for my Greatgrandson. Landon loved his gift!

Merry Christmas Garden Flag

This is one of the Christmas gifts I am giving to friends and family.  I found the flag blank and the Merry Christmas embroidery design at Oh My Crafty Supplies. They have a new delivery system and it does not take very long to get the order. I had a second order in time to give them on Christmas Day. The bottom design is Split Flourish Monogram by Designs by Juju and it comes in many sizes. Merry Christmas to all my sewing and embroidery friends!