I really haven’t done a lot of sewing on my machine the past few months, but I have done more and more hand work. Here’s what my hexies are looking like:
I actually have one more red flower done as well, only one left of those to do. And I found an addicting game the involves hexies:
http://www.deadwhale.com/play.php?game=122 I actually play it on facebook.
I found another new thimble, that I’m so in love with. I have tired several different ones over the past few years, but since I’ve dived into hand work this year, I have tried more. And I have discovered some thimbles are just better suited for specific hand work projects due to how I manage and handle the specific handwork task.
I have been using this open back end Clover thimble for a couple of years (I have even had to put fingernail polish on the inside of it because it tranishes my finger).
Well, Clover has been making several new thimbles this year and from Spring Quilt Market, we ordered their new jelly looking ones and I used it for my applique work and LOVED it. I like how it hits the side of the rubber and stays when I’m pushing in. On the open thimble above the needle slides and “doesn’t catch” right. The open thimble though is still good for binding hand work, because it is a stronger needle for me pushing a needle through several layers of fabric. This new rubber thimble is soft and I don’t need a lot of “pushing force” when doing applique.
Again, Clover came out with a new leather thimble, which I’ve never been a fan of leather thimbles…….until now! This fits sooo nicely and snuggly on my finger, I completely forgot it was there. It truly feels like you have a thick finger pad! I purchased it yesterday from the shop and used it on basting for my hexagons and I just love it!! I’ll try it on some applique work tonight to see what it’s uses will be. I think it might be good enough for binding work as well. I just am so impressed with it, I had to share.
What thimbles do you use and why?
It’s date night here! Unsure what our plans are, but I think it’s going to involve hitting little white balls. I’ll be sure to bring a camera. I know you all want to see me “trying” to golf.
On the sewing front….I’ve been invited to a Sunday Stitch n’ Bitch. Granted most of the ladies are making garb (aka costuming clothing for the rennissance faire, which opens here in 2 weekends), I think I’m going to bring some quilting projects that just need to be put together fast. I have 2 almost completed tops I need to whip together!
Pat Sloan asked me to show her my stuff!! Ok, so I purchase the really cool new project bag from her at Hershey…I had no idea it was limited and special. She now sells them on her site, but I’m one of the first–how cool is that? I just love my bag! So, what’s inside? Let’s see….
Outside of bag….opening it from left to right…
First set of pockets, lets see what I have in them. Again, l-r, I have a pair of reading glasses (I currently only need them for hand work…my eyes are getting bad fast through), my licky grip (stuff to put on my fingers to keep them dry), my HandEzee glove (great for sore wrists), then some of my packets of hexagons to do where ever.
Next set of pockets, are the center ones. The two pocket pieces in center are snapable! Which means you can easily remove them. More hexagons, just in case I need to share/teach my obsession with someone else (and I have), my reading book light (PERFECT for hand working in poor lighting areas), my Margaritaville lanyard with my purple embroidery scissors attached to it.
Last set of pockets. LOTS of stuff!! My needle threaders (I have two different styles), pencil sharpner (I just realize my silver pencil is missing…mmm to find that), my basting threads, glue stick, a tape measure, tons o needles pocket with a needle holder that I was given, my newest love-my gel yellow thimble (I LOVE THIS!), my Thread Heaven (swear by this stuff when doing bindings), seam ripper, thimblettes (well, that is what i call them), open thimble by clover (I use this for bindings) and my tweezers.
Lots of stuff to pick up and go. I actually have duplicates of each of these items in my sewing stuff, but this is perfect for traveling even to the living room from the sewing room 
Wow…that was a lot of stuff…sorry for a long post! But I have to share one more image with you. I was clearing out my husband’s dresser yesterday and I swear, I walked away for less than 2 minutes and came back to my assistant taking a break….
Ms. Glory was tired of getting up and down from the bed as I was folding clothes, so I guess she though resting here was ok.
Off to do some house work!
I’m impressed that I’ve kept up 7 daily posts. I have been using the pre-posting option which really helps on those busy days!
Borders are on and I’m ready to thread baste my latest obsession. I have Needle Pushers club tonight and think I’ll baste there. I more tickled now seeing the borders on!
And I wanted to show you the various sizes of hexagons in our house right now. Left to right, 3/4″ hex is mine, 2″ hex is my youngest, 3″ hex is my oldest….man my hexs are SOOOo small
Long work day and then off tomorrow…..I need to work more on that “other” project I mentioned a few days ago.
per Betsy’s request here’s my hexagon project.
It’s a pattern from “The American Quilter” magazine, in May’s issue this year. (COOLIO, they have the issue online free to view and print – click on the link). It was designed with 1/2″ hexs, but I’m using 3/4″ (which is the size of each side of the hexs).
And if you look closely the background is all hexs too…..crazy I know. It has a total of 537 hexs.
So, it took me several weeks to cut 2″ squares and then “square” them down to 1/4″ seam allowance, then I’ve been basting! I did go ahead and piece together one section just to feel “accomplished”:
All my pieces are in baggies. One large bag that holds the basted hexs and another one to hold the ones to be basted. Then I have little baggies sorted by colors/sections…I’m beyond organized with this project:
(those are the unbasted hexs)
I did finish making a pin cushion with my very first hex project. It was a free sample from Paper Pieces, in fact it is this exact size that I’m using….this is what had me hooked:
I have my girls working on a summer project with prize money involved (hey, bribery isn’t a bad thing). One is doing it with 2 1/2″ hexs and all sorts of scraps from my scrap bin. The other is using pink and green left overs from her Pink & Green Monster quilt and her hexs are 3″…HUGE! They are in the basting process right now, but it looks like they might be piecing in the next week or so–I’ll have more pictures to share then.
I’m pre-posting this post being I’ll be on my way to Hershey to see Quilt Odyssey with 6 friends …a full van! So lots of pictures to share for Sunday’s post!
Have a good weekend everyone!
I haven’t posted in a while and there’s so much going on can’t find the time to do it correctly. Let me start now and see how long it takes for me to publish this….ok, I started this post on the 9th….let’s try again.
The past 2 months have been a whirled wind! I’ve traveled to Texas – again, Pittsburgh, Deal Island, Maryland, lost over 60 hours of sleep, caught back up on sleep, lost track of 3 swaps, caught back up on swaps, ripped out very nasty carpet in sewing studio (15′ x 22′ area), totally rearranged my sewing studio, kids got out of school, and now trying to just find my stuff to sew something for myself!!
I have been going, going, going more so than normal I had an out of season depression spell and I think I’m finally over that. But needless to say, I have lost track on the things that helped balance me on a daily basis. I’m starting to find my sewing items and sew, in fact I’m quilting today the last stage of a round robin swap. Then I’m going to sew some blocks for my Needle Nosh block of the month class.
I still have a HUGE pile of stuff in my sewing studio to go through, but I’m doing it in baby steps. A little each day. I hope to have it organized before we leave for the ocean next week.
I have only accomplished one completed top in 3 months—if that doesn’t speak volumes, then you are just getting to know me. I finished it on my quilting retreat. I also have done a bit of hand work with my hexagons. I do have pictures!!!
I’ll finish making some albums of my pictures over the pass few months and share them this week.
I am planning on reconnecting with my blogland friends and you might see over the next few days some comments from me on older posts Sorry for neglecting you all. I do miss you.
and have been trying to catch up on simple things around my house. Seems like I haven’t found time for catching up.
Trying to do laundry now, trying to organize my sewing space at the same time, and sending out May birthday cards.
I had a wonderful birthday last week! First my son surprised me with his girlfriend – we don’t get to see her too often, so it was such a nice surprise and she got me hooked on the Tudors!!
Then on Wednesday I had dinner at the Green Turtle in Mt. Airy and was joined by several friends throughout the duration.
(L-R: Eva, Sati, Jane, me, Linda, Jackie II, Cheryl)
Cheryl presented me with my own birthday cake (evil woman she is):
Needless to say, my kids helped me eat all those bad things!
Then I went to Bunco with Pam and her fun friends and won the Bunco pot of $36….sweet!! Needless to say, it ended my birthday on a high note….but not to end the celebration too soon, my friend Stacie came up for Saturday night and we drank wine, watched the 2nd season of the Tudors (which she got me for my bday gift) and just talked. What a week!!!!
I also received my Miniature Booty 3 Swap from Norway! Laila has incredible craftsmanship! I’m soo in love with all the items I received from her. She is highly talented and I feel honored she agreed to be my partner! I haven’t hung it up yet, still need to clean the wall it will hang on in my kitchen, but here’s the booty:
My booty will be on it’s way tomorrow to it’s new home. I can’t show a picture because it’s so specific, it would give it away 
I work today, but tomorrow and Thursday I plan to focus on my sewing space and get things packed for the deep reorganization that will happen. It’s going to be crazy and awhile before I sew on my machine again, but I have all my prep work done on my latest hexagon piece and started basting the little suckers last night…so easy to do while I’m watching TV
