Bullseye

Bullseye. Kind of wonky..love it. I hand stitched the wool pennies last year. The cream wool was an old coat from Sally Ann's, the black wool from a skirt and the red was 100% wool I bought and felled. Using a circle sheet I bought at a quilt shop, meant for applique, I traced out the cirlcle's on freezer paper. I ironed the freezer paper to the wool to cut out the shapes. It's an easy way to cut the circles. Since I love hand stitching, all the time spent sewing the stacks was a joy.
I actually took pictures of the stacks wonky, then aligned nicely. There is something in me that finds comfort in messy! I wasn't comfortable with the neat stack...it wasn't me. I had to do the wonky bullseye.
After each stack was sewn, I machine stitched each one to a black Kona cotton square, then sewed the squares together. The addition of the cream and black mitered border was the finishing touch on the graphic quality I was looking for.
I spent a couple hours today, basting this upright on my design wall. A friend, Mary Low, had let me borrow a few of Gabrille Swain's DVD's. One of them showed how she does this. Kneeling on the floor is not good, so I knew I had to try this. I love it. I will only baste this way from now on.
This is going to be the firs quilt I hand quilt. When I look at the hand work involved in the stacks of wool, I cannot see machine quilting as an option. Hoping my lessons from Cheryl Doodie and her stab technique are familiar enough to look good.

Last year I thought I was done with knitting. I hadn't knit in a long time. I even gave away my yarn stash to Melissa's fiance Dave's mother. A few months ago I wanted to be productive, but didn't want to think of what to do next on any of my fabric pieces. I got out needles and found some yarn and knit again.
Sally Mellville's knitting books are wonderful. I love this sweater coat.

It's knit in garter stitch, which I normally don't care for, but the yarn I have works in garter.

Lion Brand Amazing in Ruby. Yummy.

Craftsy.com is an awesome site. I purchased, on sale, Carol Ann Waugh's Stitch and Slash class in December. Today I watched my class for the first time. I can go back and watch it over and over too. I love that! Carol's style suits me, in that she doesn't see any mistake as insurmountable. I highly recommend the class to everyone. It is a technique that could lend itself to traditional and art quilters. It could be used in garments as well as home decor as she shows you. I have done something similar to this from the Quilting Arts magazine. (I should check to see if she wrote the article). I can't wait to layer up my fabrics and start stitching and slashing!

I have learned:

1. This, the first day of Daylight Savings, is my least favorite day of the year. Losing an hour of precious non-work time sucks.
2. This video is from the 90's. It was just reposted on a forum I belong to. Watch it for the quilts and the music. The chartreuse courthouse steps, with the Milk of Magnesia pink center quilt is awesome. I want to make it!
3. William & Mary. Netflix. Like. 
4. Once an Eagle. I picked it up for Michael. I started reading it this afternoon. 
5. I love bread. I am a carboholic. Challah bread is so good on so many levels. I love the layers, and the chew. I gave a loaf away so I wouldn't eat it. Now I want it! BJ's tomorrow. Need. 
6. Mela is the current name on the block for my granddaughter due in July. I like it. It is a Polish name. Dave Zaporowski is Polish. Mela Zaporowski. I still like Olivia. Her initials would be O.Z. That would be cool. 
7. Lindsey Stirling. Violinist. This is spectacular. Phantom of the Opera. Watch her other videos. Watch this now!