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a penny rug

Inspired by all the trips to the "country" lately and the stops at antique/gift shops and amazing quilt shops have had me inspired by cross stitch and penny rugs and folk art kits. I cannot wait for Amy’s mail order cross stitch pattern! And after hearing her and Sarah talking about penny rugs for forever I finally dove in and country crafted it up. I’d bought these beautiful wools on our various stops and decided to start cutting little circles. Turns out to be the perfect de-stressing project, mindlessly blanket stitching circles. I’m amazed this thing worked out at all as i was so distracted the entire time I worked on it. I just made a quick sketch and started cutting. I’m relieved. It’s cute! And I’m just making it under the wire as a baby gift for a friend. Those nine months go awfully quick when you’re not actually carrying the baby.

I’m not trying another one though until I get one of those fancy blanketstitching sewing machines! Oh, and it’s 9" x 13".

Thanks for all the tips on dying muslin by the way. I’m hoping to get some coffee, tea, baking sugar, staining, stretching fabric time in this weekend. But first I need to gather just the right pinecones. Time to start enjoying Fall around here!

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just a quick hi

 

We’re just back from being away for the weekend. Iowa this time. It was beautiful, too bad we were too harried to take any decent photos. Things have been really hectic around here for Tim and I lately and I’m not handling it well. Busy is not our thing. We need boredom. Weeks and weeks of same old, little activity, no plans, etc. I’m having an especially frazzling afternoon trying to get organized and prioritize things. I have lots of things I want to blog about but, here too, I just can’t get a handle on things. I’ll try again tomorrow. Only reason I tried at all today was because I wanted to show off my new vacation knick knack and confess that I’m becoming more and more drawn to primitive, country craft stuff. Maybe it’s Halloween on the horizon that’s doing it to me. I was trying to figure out where to find/buy the stiff overdyed distressed cotton muslin stuff that all the primitive crows and candy corns and halloween ornaments from the gift shops are made out of. Anyone know what I’m talking about? Am I making any sense?

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back to school

I finished up the next Fall Stitchette this weekend. I was inspired by all the kids waiting on the corners for their buses with their GIANT backpacks.

In other back to school news, all is well on the preschool front and I’m very relieved. He jumps in as soon as we get there and I have to chase him down for a goodbye kiss. That makes it easy to leave. He’s definitely ready to go by the time I come pick him up, weeping into kanga ready, but we’re working on that. We have a plan involving new covers that I think is going to do the trick!

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so tiny

am I having a baby? no. are they for maggie? no. they are just because I had to have them. the most delicate, tiny, beautiful and meticulously made baby shoes ever. from catarina m.

stalk her etsy. get your own little works of art to gaze at wistfully. but be wary, if you sew, her workmanship is humbling.

more photos of her amazing work here.

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stitchin

It’s a rainy chilly day. I think I could actually put on a little sweater. Hallelujah! Perfect day to work on the Fall Stitchette designs. I’ve got the first guy done.

 

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the boys

hey thanks for all the great comments on the dolls yesterday!! although now I feel sad for all my rejects. I’m feeling guilty for all the ill-sewn half-made doll bodies that were sacrificed for their stuffing. though, truth is, there’s nothing all that cute in my cast off pile right now… just an arm here, a too flat head there and lots of badly sewn bunnies. these two dolls were exceptions in that they were almost finished and almost just how I imagined. the new doll will be very close to these. but enough about the girls, here’s the new boy.. space boy.

here is with his goggles on.

and more boys are coming. I’ve started on a much requested boy
embroidery pattern and am working on a little guy version of the doll
from yesterday as well. but there I’m kinda stuck. I have this fabric
picked out from my stash but I don’t have enough of it. I think someone
sent it to me but I can’t remember and I’ve searched all over online for the
same fabric to buy more and can’t find it. if anyone had a lead for me I’d
really appreciate it. I have my heart set on these damn dots!