The work of many hands

My studio is in disarray and empty - as in complete, total and devoid of
every thing! The floor was painted last week so we carried everything out of the building and put it on our back porch. UGH! Just when everything was looking so Very Good too. I haven't been able to craft and it's getting on my nerves although I have finished a silk shawlet - to be shown in another post. The floor paint color is very soft and neutral and serves to visually expand the size of the room. A couple of rugs on the floor will make it easier on my feet, keeps the room warmer in winter and gives the dogs a warm, soft place to lie down. At least, the dogs that don't claim the cushiony dog bed first.


The studio still needs electrical wiring installed and then walls nailed up. We're using the rough cut hemlock that was used for the barns and other outbuildings which should age beautifully and provide an excellent back-drop for bulletin boards, etc.


I keep saying "studio" but it's really just an old building that was once used to cure meat. At one point, it had electricity but with a little "lipstick on the pig" it's almost ready for me to use as a retreat and escape. We'll just have to move furniture around when it's time to put up walls.

I've finished this flannel baby blanket and have two more to finish just like it. The front is various nursery rhyme figures - Little Bo Peep, Cat and the Fiddle and others - while the back is bright red. Hand quilted hearts and stars fix the three layers together and add some visual interest to the back side.

A baby quilt takes about one and one-quarter yards of material, front and back plus the batting. I didn't know that when I purchased enough of this cute fabric for three quilts. When I started cutting them into baby size quilts, I had no idea who would receive any of them.



I think babies are God's opinion the world should go on and the babies keep on coming. Tina, at church, is expecting as is Dave's neice so there go two quilts. I suppose the plain ones could always be used as lap blankets to keep someone's knees and lap warm.

WHOOPS! News flash...I just found out friend Frank's daughter, Samatha, is expecting so there goes another baby blanket.

The two, below, are quilted panels and only need hemming to be ready to give away. The first is a delightful Mary Engelbreit nursery rhyme pattern...So Very Cute!

This is simply a yellow quilted panel and I'll either turn under the edges and hem or use a border and hem. It all depends upon my time.

Next is a full sized quilt on the frame and hand quilting has begun. The lower left corner is turned so you can see the bright yellow quilt back.

Yellow seems to be in a lot of quilts I make. It's such a cheerful, bright color and acceptable for both boys and girls. I don't like pastel colors...too insipid for my tastes. Give me **bright** every day or at least enough brightness to off-set paler colors.

I think this quilt will go to friends who have recently married.

I hand quilt, generally in the mornings when the light is good but the heat of the sun isn't, yet, shining in the windows.

The mountains are usually cool but we're experiencing a heat wave this week and temps are supposed to climb close to 100 F. It's dreadful and I just cannot cope with the heat. The cold doesn't bother me as much; I can always put on another sweater or jacket but one can only get so nekkid before folks start complaining. My heart goes out to the poor sheep but they have places under the shade trees and in the dog run of the barn. Both places are cool but they still suffer in their wool fleeces. That's one reason I shear in late Spring, so the sheep won't be in full coat until late Autumn and won't suffer nearly as badly as if they were wearing heavier fleeces. All the animals have free choice minerals, salt and cool mountain spring water to drink so their suffering is kept at a minimum.

We've had some winners over at Fiber Femmes and their names will be posted on the FF blog tomorrow. It seems I'm always running at full tilt boogy and trying to get caught up with life in general. Anyone else have that challenge?

As always, there are enough hours in the day; my trouble is, I fill them too full.

Blessings ~ air conditioning! ~ productive work resulting in blessings for others ~ Fiber Femmes readers - many, many thanks to YOU! ~ ice tea, Southern style ~ produce from my small garden patch ~ dresses...SO much cooler...and feminine...than slacks!