Hexigon Table Runner growing by another month (Dec)

As this is my ongoing Year in Hexagon fun I thought I'd show a photo of the 1st four months starting to take shape.  I have a lot to finish yet, I know I will get to the other months all in good time.  I thought it would be fun to see the table runner grow by months at a time. 

Apr 23 2014

:)

My First Quillow started Feb 15, 2014...question is when will it be finished

A Quillow....until a few years ago I hadn't any idea what they were.....but patience paid out. The teacher of my class, back in September, offered this course through my Quilt Guild. I signed up right away. A quillow is a quilt that can be folded and turned into its own pillow.  Yes, when you make the quillow, on the back after the quilting is finished you sew on a matching block which will become the pillow to hold this said quilt.
Our teacher, Wanda, challenged us to bring in what we had completed 2 quilt meetings later. I was very please to hold up my Love of Pansy Quillow and show it along with other students, our quillow in the making.
This is a very special piece of quilting for me as I love pansys. My Grandmother taught me when I was a child that pansy faces are the most beautiful in all the garden. Have you ever studied a pansy's face?  Some are bright and clear, while others seem to have shaded eyes.  If you ever see a pansy garden, take a look, you might be surprised.

The top photo is showing the 2 first blocks we made in class that day. The bottom photo shows the flimsy quilt top up to the borders.  I have the batting and backing all prepared as well, and the binding has been all sewn up, folded and waiting to play its own part, in time.

Years ago before I ever started quilting my Mum saw this pansy material in a quilt shop in a small nearby village. She fell in love with it and decided to take a course making a quilt with it. The teacher stressed the need for 4 yards. So I had a bright though, I'd purchase 2 yards for Mum's birthday that year.....Mum purchased and added to that 2 yards of her own.  Sadly enough, my Dad became ill at the time and Mum was never able to take the course, but the material was washed and packed away. This past June my Mother herself passed away and I inherited a lot of material and other sewing goodies from her.  There it was, the pansy material so nicely folded and waiting for me to use.
 I decided this would be my first quillow goal.  I love the bright cherryness of this soon to be blanket-quilt. Of course I still have to finish it and add the binding. This has been a learning experience for me, but even more, a labour of love as I work on my dream quilt, as Mum was never able to do.
Hopefully when I get it all finished I will post another photo to show you all what a gift of love can do for all involved.

:) Apr 20, 2014

BeeKeeper Afghan steps and first result

You ask, Why the basket of little knitted hexigons? Well, I saw the pattern and I fell in love with it.  A few weeks later I had collected between 200 and 300 hundred of these little knit pieces. First you knit the hexigons on two needles, then stuff them with polyester stuffing, and crochet them closed.  It doesn't take long, about 35-40 minutes each.  Now you ask what am I going to do with them? Well as starters I have an antique rocking chair that is just calling out for  back and a cushion made of them.  This will be set in our newly refinished Creative Quilting room for those times when I just want to sit and rock......well, really more for show and tell. A lot of my friends asked me what my plans were for them.  See below.  This is just the first item. I had used only 30 + of the initial basket.  Then stay tuned for what I plan to do with the rest of them in the future.
Enjoy this rock with me.
:)

S16 Temari Challenge update

Hi, and why 2 photos....Top left is the clearest, but if one looks closely, the non-grooming is very noticeable. The 2nd photo isn't as bright but it sure looks a lot better.  So I have completed Kiku 1 and Kiku 2 of  the total three that need to be finished.
This is the north pole portion only (that also means the top half).
I believe that I will go ahead tomorrow and work on the south pole half so that I can be ready to complete Kiku 3 when the instructions arrive.

This is such a calming craft. I had no idea......on Big Bro Puter I have put an internet radio station of calming music....it is working, I'm very calm, in fact, I think it will soon be time for bed.  Another nice ending to a busy weekend.

:) Apr 6 2014 8:56

My very first ever Temari 2006 or 2007. Lots to learn here.

 Really beginner project

Here it is, my very first Temari. I think I did this one while recuperating from surgery back in 2006, or maybe 2007. I had so much to learn. This photo does not show the lopsidedness of the stitch rounds. Funny thing though, I love it.  I didn't understand back then that the threads could be removed, so instead I glued them in at the beginning of my work, so they wouldn't fall out. Now, looking back, I sort of like the beaded effect. 

Anyway, onward and forward, and now I am a member in a group, I hope to make even more, and follow the proper steps this time.

:) Apr 6 2014

S8 Warm-up Temari now finished

And I am very proud.....here is my first warm-up Temari stitched along with my online-Temari group. So where do I go from here....forward.

This is a very simple 8 section pattern taught by the group owner. It is known as a S8.....I get it, simple 8 section.  Next I will hopefully be spotlighting the Challenge Temari known as a S16.....right, simple 16 section pattern.

I hope that anyone reading this blog of mine may become interested in taking up this hobby in the future. It is really fun and as all hand crafts, I am learning new ideas, and structures.

I have the base for the S16 ready to go and I hope this weekend to begin on that work. Then I'm going to experiment on making a container to place inside the Temari so that little bells will jingle out notes when it is handled. I have a necklace, and a car key ring which play little tunes. Apparently this is a form of meditation charm that has been used in China for many years.  I was told when I purchased the necklace that the sound is soothing to the heart when it sends out musical notes.  So I think this will really make a nice sound when I need to pick up my work and listen.

Thank you to Kalia for her original tutorial on her blog showing me steps to take to make the bell inside a ping pong ball. I just found that the price of them is a little high, so am experimenting with another method. If it doesn't work, well, I know where to purchase said ping pong balls.

Onward and forward into this new world of Temari
Apr 4 2014

April 1, 2014......and the joke was on me. I couldn't remember the name of this blog so that I could add the 1st photo of my beginner Warm-Up Temari Ball that I have half finished. I made 2 Temari about 6 or 7 years ago....they were my first and at that time, last. When I find them (previously packed and not found yet for our move to our new home in 2011) I will display them here as well.
The photo does not do justice to the really nice colours I chose for this Temari. I have rejoined a Temari on-line group and just in time I started to read along. The group owner has set up a Temari Challenge.....and I was very happy when she advised the group that she was setting up a beginner warm-up for us to work on first, before we started the challenge.

In order to make this piece I started right from scratch. Previously I used 2 styrofoam balls. I guess one of the reasons I didn't make more was that I just didn't like the feel of that harder surface. This time I searched on line and learned how to make the inner ball using some rice shells and another shell source that a friend had sent me. What a difference. I think I will not use styro again, although as a true, true beginner, it got me through.

This temari has a black background. The 8 sections (known as S8) were made using a thicker, sparkly, deep purple and silver thread. These lines will be my pattern sections.

The first 4 petal star I made using a thinner crochet cotton. I chose a mint green for this layer.
The second 4 petal star used the same size cotton but in a softer variegated pink.

This scan does not do justice to the look, but when I finish my work, I will take photos and present in this blog the best of them all.

:)