weaving again

I made another rug.  The loom keeps calling me!  It is so much fun.
This rug is 54 " x  22 ".
I am going to have to start listing these in my ETSY store.

Fun with my loom

I pulled out my loom this afternoon and decided it was time to  make another rug.
I used some black fabric with tiny white and orange dots on it and some light orange yarn.
I got the fabric at our local thrift store for $2. I had 3 yards of 60" wide silky double knit fabric and decided it would make a nice rug.  I cut it into 2" strips.

The rug is 22" wide and 50" long.  This yarn and silky fabric made a really soft rug.
I need to weave again soon.   This took me about 5 hours to complete.  In the photos the yarn looks yellow but it is really a light orange.

EQ7 letters

I have been playing with my new program.  EQ7.  I found their alphabet blocks and decided to give them a try.  Instead of using the colors they suggest on the program, I used only black and white.
Here are the letters I have managed to finish so far.  

I pulled out my old Singer to make these letters.  This machine has a beautiful stitch.

I have also been cleaning out my sewing studio.  I have several featherweight machines I have to sell.  This one is in excellent condition.   If anyone is interested in it please let me know.

And I have a Pennywinkle sewing rack I have to sell.  I have it on our local Craig's List site. We are moving and I need to reduce the amount of items I have in my sewing room. Boo Hoo!

Sewing class number 6

Today was the final sewing class at the public library in our small town.  We made flying geese.
They did a great job making their blocks.

What is EQ7?

I know all you great quilters out there know all about EQ7.   It is not a new item. I am just behind the times.
My friend, Jan,  has talked about it many times.   At our last quilt guild meeting it was announced that we would have someone at our July meeting introduce us to and show us some of the things EQ7 can do.   I was confused.....what the heck are they talking about, then I remembered Jan telling me about a computer program she wanted to get that helped you design quilts on your computer.
I decided that I needed to catch up with the rest of the quilters out there so I bought the program.
Now all I have to do is learn how to use it. I have watched a couple of the instructional videos it comes with and it does not look that difficult to do.
I am excited about learning how to design blocks, work with making paper piece blocks and how to set the blocks without having to lay them out over and over again on a bed or floor.
I hope I can learn how to effectively use it.
So, my adventure with EQ7 begins....I will try to post some of the ideas I come up with.
Wish me luck!

Here is my first try at arranging  some log cabin blocks.

I think this EQ7 thing is going to be fun!

Sewing class....Paper piece practice

We had class number 5 at the public library and this time I introduced paper piecing!  The students did a little house.
They had fun picking out the fabric and sewing on those lines!
Here is a photo of the class and their houses.

Sewing lessons at the library!

I have been teaching beginning sewing lessons at the public library in our little town every Tuesday for the past 5 weeks.  We have one more lesson next week.

Each week we learn a new quilt block.  This week we made pinwheels.

The students had fun making their blocks.

Paper piecing!

My friend, Jan is working on a deer....check out this picture of her progress so far....so nice.

A great Cajun Swamp Tour

I posted about this swamp tour a few weeks back but I just found a video that I thought I would share.  It tells all about the tour.  If you are ever in our area of Louisiana, you should take this tour.

Check out this video

http://vimeo.com/68708277

another sewing class

I had 4 students at today's lesson.
Here is a picture of the blocks they made.
It was so much fun to watch them pick out their fabric and make their blocks.

Still sewing

Finished these today!

Still sewing...two more rompers!

I have been trying to get these rompers finished so that E can use them this summer.  I completed these 2 and I have a couple more to put snaps in ....

cute cute cute......can't wait to see them on him.

I taught my first sewing class!

I volunteered to teach a beginner sewing class at the public library this summer.  We have class every Tuesday from 10AM to Noon for 6 weeks beginning today, June 11th.
I had 4 students today.  It was so much fun to share my love of sewing and making quilt blocks.
I told them I would teach them the very basics...
 - how to wind a bobbin
 - how to insert the bobbin
 - how to thread the machine
and
 -  how to sew a straight line.

I also told them that I would teach them to sew by making quilt blocks.  All you need to know is how to sew a straight line for most of the blocks out there!

They were all very enthusiastic about the lesson. We practiced sewing a straight line on some fabric. I had drawn lines for them to follow.

We did a simple "string" block.  I had some 7" square pieces of paper from an old phone book.   I cut out loads of strips of various sizes from a big container of scraps I had.
I had them select their own fabric.

Here they are with their blocks.  

I am hoping to have a few more next week.

still sewing

Here is another romper I made for E.
I have several more all cut out and ready to sew!
sorry the picture is a little out of focus!

Shorts for the summer and a blue romper

I made E a few shorts and a blue polkadot romper.  I finally figured out how to use  my sewing machine to put on buttons.
Did I mention that I'm a slow learner!  LOL

 I think he will have enough shorts for the summer.

Having fun sharing our little corner of the world!

Sue and I are part of the Bee Balm online quilting bee this year.  She lives in Australia and she mentioned on her blog that she was coming to the USA on a vacation.  I asked if she was planning to visit New Orleans.  She told me they would be spending a few days here so my DH and I picked them up at the train station on Sunday and had them stay with us at our home. On Monday we visited a couple of beautiful plantation homes on the river.   On Tuesday we took a them on a swamp tour and yesterday we spent most of the day in the French Quarter.  Today they are leaving to drive to Chicago and continue their vacation.  It has been wonderful having them here with us.  

Here are a couple of photos of the swamp tour we took.  If you are ever here in the New Orleans area the nicest swamp tour is in Gibson at the Bayou Black Marina.  His web site is

www.cajunman.com

Visit his site..there is a great video about the tour.

Black Guidry does the tour and he shares his knowledge of the swamp.  He also sings some great cajun songs.  It is a great way to pass a good time.

Black Guidry driving the boat!

Francis, me , Sue and Joe near the boat!

Sue and Joe waiting to start the tour!

One of the alligators we saw!

I will try to post a few pictures of the plantation homes and the New Orleans trip later.

A black and white scarf

I made a black and white scarf with my new loom.....It is 72" by 12"  .  this weaving is becoming an addiction!

Weaving Weaving Weaving......one more rug

I love my LOOM....
here is another rug
19" x 45"

recycled t-shirts

Another rug made with my loom!

I love weaving....really, it is so easy and so much fun.

I made another rug.  This one is about 20" X 45"
Made with recycled t-shirts and yarn

Isn't it neat?

Shirt for the birthday boy!

Our oldest grandson is going to be 5 years old at the end of this month.  My DIL wanted a shirt with the number 5 on the front and she told me the theme for his party will be Spider Man.
She gave me a black t-shirt and this is what I came up with.
I got the fabric from our local thrift store for 15 cents!

 Front of t-shirt

back of t-shirt