Free Motion Machine Embroidery Workshop

There are a couple of spots open in my "Back To Spool" workshop on August 4 here in Amherst, N.S., as part of the Nova Scotia Fibre Arts Festival.

It will be a day of free motion stitching to create free-hand machine embroidered appliqués which can be used in your projects. (All you need is a regular sewing machine, NOT an embroidery machine.)

More information available here: https://sewkaren-lycreated.blogspot.com/2022/05/back-to-spool-workshop.html  To register, please email.

Learn to machine quilt

If you are looking to improve your machine quilting skills, check out this post from Linda Hubbard.

Linda is offering two different classes during this year's Nova Scotia Fibre Arts Festival, set to take place October 10-14, 2017.  Registration for all classes (including mine!) is now open.

Come Visit The Zonta Bazaar

The Nova Scotia Fibre Arts Festival opened yesterday in Amherst, and it's always a fabulous event.  This year I will be taking part in the Zonta Fibre Arts Bazaar:

I'll be there with signed books, patterns, and a select number of quilted items. Come check out the Aurifil thread!  There are dozens of colours in two spool sizes and THREE different weights! (Secure credit card transactions available through my nifty little Square reader - your numbers are neither recorded nor stored.)

Specialty packs are also available.

The Col. James Layton Ralston Armoury is easy to find, and close to all festival events.  

See you Saturday!

An Assembly Line Beauty

The patchwork is zipping right along.  I have the block units all pieced and some sections pinned together to stitch.

I confess I do not normally work this way.  I like to sew a block at a time and add each to the design wall as I go;  that way as I stitch, I can see the quilt grow before my eyes and make colour adjustments as I go.That's exciting! However...Henry Ford was correct in that an assembly line process is much more efficient, and when there's a deadline - such as now - it's the only way to go. I am hoping to have this piece finished and hanging in my show of New York Beauty's during Fibre Arts Festival which opens Oct. 14.  Do you think I'll make it? (stay off the computer, Karen :))

The Power Of One

It was one of those days...the kind that start off with a dental appointment and then go downhill from there ...including a summons for jury duty.  Sigh...I needed a fabric pick- me- up so I headed down to Mrs Pugsley's Emporium.  In addition to some awesome fabric, I got a big surprise! Aren't they gorgeous?  They are a gift from a very talented knitter, Lou Harrington.  I'm not really sure why Lou thought of me when she knit these socks - other than that they are red - but I am just thrilled she did.  They are beautiful.

They have a dainty picot edge on the cuff, flowers worked in duplicate stitch on the heel, and are knit from a very fine wool, much finer than I've ever knit.  Lou says the wool is 99% sheep and 1% Lester.  (Lester is Lou's cat!) Polly discovered the Lester right away.

 I swear she sniffed every single stitch before she gave permission for those socks to go on my feet.

 They are a perfect fit (how did you know?)

 Polly is still checking to make sure the Lester content is up to code.

 Wow, Wow, Wow.  I appreciate every single stitch that went into these socks.  My feet are clapping :)

Lou is joining the teaching team of the Fibre Arts Festival Society of Nova Scotia this fall and will be doing three different workshops on knitting.  You can contact Lou if you would like more information on her classes.

Thank you Lou for your thoughtfulness;  you sure turned my day around.

Out Of The Nest

Out of the ballpark, really...

These beautifully executed feathers were stitched by Joan of ouvrages d'une acadienne.  I hope you leave a round of applause on Joan's blog.  Congrats, Joan;  we knew you had it in you :)