Ideas

Here are three ideas I'm thinking about for the wall hanging above the fireplace. I'd do the pattern in wool felt, sewn with blanket stitch, or overcast stitch to a backing. I might add embellishments, like the ones in my previous post, or not. I'd build the first layer and then decide. All three of these come from this web site:
http://www.pbase.com/brownsf/amish_quilts

The bottom one is my current favorite. It was made by Ada Gingerich, Arthur, IL circa 1930.

The top one is also very cool. Info the web site has says: Triangles crib quilt, Kalona, Iowa circa 1930 41"x33"

I like the middle one also, but not for our family room. Colors are not right. The info there is: Broken Dishes crib -Holmes County,OH c.1930 37"x32"

Morna Crites-Moore

I found a fabric artist on Etsy and the internet that does BEAUTIFUL work with wool felt. I am so inspired by her things. She combines my old passion of quilting, with my new passion of wool felt. Here is the link: http://www.mornacrites-moore.com/

I've wanted something to hang above our fireplace. I thought about an Amish-insipired wall quilt--even bought the fabric in the colors I wanted to use. But it just didn't sing to me. This woman's work sings to me. I still have to decide what pattern--I want to stay with a traditional Amish pattern--and then collect the sweaters and felt I'll need. I think I may not do the buttons. I hate to copy someone else's ideas--but I prefer to think of it as being INSPIRED by someone else's ideas.

More and more and more monsters

Two of these are spoken for, but the one on the right will go up on Etsy today... I am finding more control and more detail is possible by hand sewing the faces. So, I plan my face then sit in front of the TV to do the actual stitching. Takes longer, but I'd be wasting time watching TV in the evening anyway...

ETSY!!!!

I took the plunge and started an ETSY shop for my monsters. I'm not trying to make tons of money, and I will still make these for free for friends and family, but I'm having so much fun making them I'll have a houseful and no where to put them.

I'm also just curious to see if they will sell. I'll have to do some promotion to get people to the site. You can see that some ETSY sites have lots of things listed, but no one buys anything. I bet that happens more often than not. The folks that have a lot of sales must do some serious marketing--otherwise your stuff is the 500th item listed, and no one will ever find it.

So: Go to ETSY, Felted Woolies! http://www.etsy.com/shop/FeltedWoolies

Mittens Mittens Mittens

My adventure with felt continues

It is getting pretty funny--because it is getting out of hand. No you may NOT see my sewing room. It is a true DD.

Here are my mittens. I've been wearing them everywhere. Alex and Joseph have some, too. Now Dave has asked for a pair. I've also been trying to perfect a pattern for an owl. My favorite is the one in the middle. Buttons are taken off the sweaters I've used for all these projects. The football shaped buttons are from a vintage sweater--a beautiful brown with a small green stripe and some delicate green embroidered leaves. I've not decided just what to do with that one... but the buttons are perfect for owl eyes.

Just let me know if you want mittens--or a hat--or an owl!

Happy New Year and Merry Christmas!

The photos are from Colin's birthday party. Santa visited. I like that Joseph signed thank you to Santa. You can't capture a boy saying thank you to Santa in a photo, unless that boy is signing!

Sarah's blog made me think about how old we would be in 10 years-- 64, 63, 22, and 21. Oh my---We have a lot to do in the next 10 years! However, I think we have done a lot in the past ten, so I guess we will make it.