Use Your Freedom Of Imagination!

With the Independence weekend ahead, it's a time to reflect on our freedoms and privileges as Americans. As you gather with family and friends to celebrate the holiday, make some time to use your freedom of imagination and create something! It doesn't have to be a laborious task, just do what your heart feels like and have a wonderful holiday! I hope you come back here and tell me what you created! I would just love to hear!

A Day Full Of Stitches

The hot Texas weather has slowed my outside work down a little, the baby birds I was mothering over have grown and flown away, the baby chicks are big girls now and out and about in the barnyard. The garden is planted and blooming and I have more time on my hands to do my stitching. I am still working on finishing the little quilt in my last post and as you know, my cup runneth over with imagination, ideas, and projects for more embroidered things. I am working on the designs I want for my very own "linen line". Will I ever get it published for public.......not even sure... and don't even know how to start down that path......but I will have the patterns and designs to pass down to someone in my future generation, if they ever want to pick up my needle where I left off. If any of you do hand work, you know how time consuming it can be......and it seems I take a long time, because I want my work to look a certain way. So hopefully, when you come back to visit, I might have something new and stitched. How about you.......does the summer weather give you time to follow a hobby or passion that you love to do? What is it? Painting...crocheting....quilting...writing perhaps? I would love to hear.

Miniature Quilts

I love quilts and I love the process of putting a quilt together.....however, I have never finished a full size quilt. I discovered miniature quilts a few years back and fell in love with them. I like them for the fact that I can work up a quilt in very little time and see if I like how the block I chose and how it works along with the colors. It is also easy to work the stitches while watching T.V and I don't need a quilting frame to quilt it. I have found blocks I like better than others and know which ones I would like to make into full size because of working with miniatures.

I have only made a few of these little quilts.......
and they have many flaws.......which is another reason I like making miniatures.....good practice! If you are interested in making these little gems

find the fabric and pattern you would like to try.....


find a fabric you would like to bind all of the blocks together with.....



and enjoy creating! With embroidery being my passion in life I felt these little baskets looked a little empty.......





so I decided to combine my embroidery with my quilting. It will take a while for me to finish the embroidery on the top and then I will eventually get it made.

I have collected many quilting magazines over the years and I love this magazine the best for miniature quilt patterns. I can't seem to find it in my area any longer.....perhaps you might be able to.....however the Internet is full of wonderful resources and one good site is this one.....just click here http://www.freequiltpatterns.info/QuiltCategories/FreeMiniatureQuiltPatterns.htm
It has wonderful free patterns to download. Quilting, like embroidery takes time....don't rush to get done....enjoy the stitching and watch your little quilt come together!

Vintage Aprons

A while back, I ordered a few vintage apron patterns. They have all been very used, but still in good condition.

I was drawn to this apron pattern because of the pockets in front. I am always out in the garden or yard and am constantly gathering eggs, peppers, tomatoes or even pretty rocks. This apron would be just the thing I need instead of hanging onto a pail.

I also want to make the apron with my mark on it.....embroidery of course. So I am thinking of a solid material for it, with either vintage vegetables, chickens or flowers embroidered on it.
I also like the idea that it can be made with two different prints of material. One for the front.....


and one for the back........I just love the back of this apron...don't you?

I am having a difficult time deciding on what I want to use for fabric. I really love fall and earth tone colors...... a tan pocket with chickens embroidered on it might be nice with this one.....

These two in different shades of green go perfectly together....

I love the floral print and I am thinking the solid green would be good for the pocket, embroidered with vegetables, .....or pumpkins!

I love this cheery color and I am thinking a pocket in a matching color embroidered with roses??? perhaps....

I have always loved mixing floral's or prints with plaids.....there is just something about that combination that works for me.......

Now...how about you? Do you have vintage aprons passed down from Mom or Grandmother? Do you have a favorite type of apron? What do you wear them for? Cooking, dusting, gardening?? I would love to hear.

Easy Crocheted Dish Cloth

I love homemade dishcloths and hot pads. I am in the process of crocheting at least a dozen in different patterns. These work up so easily! Below is the instructions for the one I just finished. If you need help to learn the crochet stitches go to click here

http://www.learntocrochet.com/instructions_cr.php3

Enjoy!

Finished Size: Approximately 13 x 13
Materials
100% cotton Worsted Weight Yarn, approximately:
2 1/2 ounces
Crochet hook size H
Gauge: 16dc and 6 rows = 4"

Ch 53
Row 1 ( Right side): Dc in fourth ch from hook and in next 3 chs, (skip next 2 chs, dc in next 4 chs, ch 2, dc in next 4 chs) across to last 6 chs, skip next 2 chs, dc in next 3 chs, 2 dc in last ch:
50 sts.

note: Loop a short piece of yarn around any stitch to mark last row as right side.

Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc) turn; dc in same dc and in next 3 dc, *skip next 2 dc, dc in next 3 dc, (dc, ch 2, dc) in next ch-2 sp, dc in next 3 dc; repeat from * across to last 6 sts, skip next 2 dc, dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in last st.

Repeat Row 2 until dishcloth measures approximately 13" from beginning ch, ending by working a right side row

Edging: Ch 1, do not turn; sc evenly around entire dishcloth, working 3 sc in each corner; join with slip st to first sc, finish off.

Before and After........again

Well, I am still working on the vintage tablecloth that I have talked about in my previous posts. I have removed all of the half stitched stitching and now have a complete canvas for my own work.

The purple stitching on this was really pretty....however....I thought of Wisteria when I saw the design......so I removed this stitching .......
and embroidered it this way. I just love the way it turned out.

And now the cloth is starting to "come to life" . I am keeping this for my dining room table(if I ever get it finished)....however, I have traced the pattern and will make another tablecloth for sale at a much later date. I am just so glad that I went into the junk store and found this! How about you.......what kind of treasure have you found in a store you would never have thought it would be in??? I would love to hear!

Vintage Linens From Australia

With my last posts being about preserving vintage patterns and re-doing vintage linens, Gina, from Patra's Place of Stitching and Vintage Linens http://patrasplace.blogspot.com/ and Patra's Embroidered Aprons http://patrasembroideredaprons.blogspot.com/ contacted me about some vintage linens she no longer wanted and would like to send my way. My arms were wide open

and how thrilled I was to get such a wonderful bunch! Thank you , so much, Gina, I am just delighted!

there was a tablecloth...
toaster cover,



sweet little tray pieces,

this precious little doily...

with the prettiest lace edging.

Some pieces still had labels on them and someone from somewhere in time had started stitching on some....

For me, it was like being in a candy store....so much to choose from. I finally decided on this little tray piece. First of all I traced the design to preserve for later....

I chose these colors and stitches......

and crocheted an edge around it.

Isn't this sweet? Since I preserved the pattern, I can make more of these in different colors later on, and I can make sets of them. I decided to keep the original...

and will stash it in my very old trunk. This was given to me when I turned 16(my hope chest) and I placed linens and dishes in it for a later time when I would start my own life and family. I was going to hand it down to my daughter when she was 16, but she showed no interest in it at that time. She is busy making a life for herself in the Navy right now, so I think I will stash these linens and things for her to have when she slows down. Do any of you have a trunk or special box that you put all of your things in to get ready for your marriage? I would love to hear! Please stop by to say hello to Gina who is from Australia, by the way. She has some beautiful things for you to see at her blogs.