Progress

I have finished June, way ahead of time. I think that it went faster doing all the interconnected circles. Not sure why because I was still sewing on each block. I used variegated size 8 Perle cotton on almost every block.

Next month I doing something entirely different. Come back next week to see what it is.

A half a year gone by. Wow how did that happen? 

 Almost every year I make a 12" x 12"quilt for the SAQA auction in September. This year I am using a piece that was made for another challenge for the quilt guild, of which I was a member. The theme was Yellow Brick Road. It is made entirely of hand sewn buttons and I love it. But it was just hanging around here and I thought it would be good for the auction. It was fun to work on and look at all the different buttons and hopefully someone else will love it, too. I will tell you more about the auction when it gets closer and how you bid  online.

All Buttoned Up

I like the ombre affect and I have tabs on the back so that you can hang it in any orientation that you like. Why, WHY didn't I take a picture of the back before I sent it away?

I'm working on a whole new project and I will tell more about it next week.

I'm linking up With Off the Wall Friday

Stitching and Stuff

 I think that I have used up all the circle areas and I just have a few small squares to finish June.

 As I was last week, I'm still liking working with the Perle Cotton variegated thread. I'm only working on it in the evening while watching TV. Too many other things going on during the day.

One of them is a project for the yearly exhibit in my FiberWorks group. the theme this year is Inspired by an Artist. I'm doing Picasso's blue period and I have some good ideas. Part of it relies on my doing a very narrow free motion satin stitch. I have used this technique very successfully on many projects. For some reason it is giving me a lot of trouble. I changed threads and needles and switched to a size 14 Jeans needle and heavy jeans thread. The machine didn't like that at all and jammed. As i was trying to unjam it, this happened.

Yep, sewed right thru the nail and tore the flesh off the side of the finger. It bled a lot and hurt a lot. I called my sister, who lives right down the street and with her help we got it to stop bleeding. She put on a wraparound finger bandage and a finger cot. I had a fancy affair that evening and I really wanted to go. So I did and  got thru the evening. 

The next day I had a luncheon to attend, so with bandage and finger cot I was OK. Yesterday I had an appointment with my primary doctor for a regular checkup. I showed her my finger. I had been doing everything wrong. I was two days too late for stitches and she wants me to wash it every day with soap and water, put on Bacitracin and keep it loosely covered with gauze (none of which I had been doing). The nail and skin flap will eventually fall off.

So be careful out there and don't do what I did. Actually I did it once before several years ago, but that was with a regular needle, which broke and did not injure my finger as much. The Jeans needle is much stronger and it did not break.

BTW I was able to embroider in the evening with no trouble. It was my left hand that I injured and I am right-handed.

I had a great new dress to wear to the Gals and I went in my closet hoping to find an appropriate small  bag to take. I found this one that I made several years ago and it was perfect with the dress. It is Dupioni  silk and the patch is velvet embossed by me.

Altho it was small, I was able to get a lot in it. I bought the handles and directions at the Houston quilt show. The fabric comes off and you can use the frame with other fabrics. My sister made two out of cute summer fabric.

I am linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Daily Stitching

 I'm moving right along with June. I am using mostly DMC variegated threads for this month, especially for the circles that take up more than one block. 

I did have some old bargain brand variegated floss in my stash and there is no comparison with the quality. The Perle is so easy to use and not having to split the floss is a plus. I would say that the Perle is about equal two strands of floss.

I'm also  trying to use some of the stitches that I used in my big circle in a square project from last year. On the purple circle I used a zig-zag chain stitch and for the blue I used Wheat stitch. surprisingly easy. The yellow/orange uses my good old fallback chain stitch, but for the upcoming circles I will try to do something different. 

Peonies are in full bloom. I love my new yellow that is a cross between a tree peony and a herbaceous peony. so pretty, I wish they lasted longer.

I'm linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Stitching

 My adorable five year old neighbor girl loves to go barefoot, even on days that most of us would deem too cold. No parental neglect here, she just likes to go shoeless. She brought to mind a book I used to read to my second grade classes way back in the 60"s.  Going Barefoot by Aileen Fisher. The book was written in 1960 and is out of print, but I was able to find an old library copy in very good shape for a decent price. Over and over she refers to June as the barefoot month.

Of course I read it all over to myself and it is just as delightful as I remembered. It all in rhyme and has wonderful illustrations.

So I had to include it on my June page, which I am doing in a different style. There will be several large circles encompassing  more than one block. I have finished one.

For my circle design inspiration I am using the quilt that I made out of 286 hand embroidered circular designs. I'm also using mostly variegated threads.

I am linking up with Off the Wall Friday.