Bit By the Crafty Bug

Happy Thursday everyone!  Hope it's a great day where you are.  It's gloomy here, but they say the sun is coming out.  Yet to be seen, but I hope so.

I made a little more progress on Adam Alone this week.  I'm just loving the colors in this thing and it's so much fun to work on:

I'm just getting to the good part - Adam and Eve, but I don't know how much progress I'm going to be making the next week - a pretty busy one for me.  But a heads-up to anyone that is thinking of doing this chart - you're going to need two skeins of DMC 500 if you use DMC threads.  I have to tell you though that the Florentine Stitch really was giving me grief.  I'm blaming it on the fabric, not the Operator! 

I have to thank everyone for all your wonderful comments about my craft room.  I was just tickled!  I'm thrilled that now I actually have a room put together after years of working in the living room, dining room, etc., dragging threads and pins all over the house.  And I've already been able to make some good use out of it this week (I'll show pictures in a minute).  But first, I wanted to answer a couple questions asked in my last post.  I'm sorry that I don't really email responses - just don't have the time, but a few people asked questions:

Berit asked about the DMC sign - I can't tell you where I got it, Berit.  Probably some country/prim shop long ago.  I have probably had this sign for over 20 years.  I bought it not only because of the DMC thread logo, but my initials were also DMC before I was married - kind of served double duty. 

Brigette asked about the sampler over my stitching chair. 

That was the second large sampler I ever stitched.  It's the Sarah Maddock Sampler by Simply Samplers.  It's back from 1985 and I doubt that it is still in print (I didn't get around to stitching it until 1990).  You can't tell from the picture, but that border gave me a lot of problems.  It tends to go up in areas.  It also gave the framer a few headaches.

Mel, you are too funny.  I think that you're going to make me a hooker yet (see below).  You've gotten me knitting, so let's see what other mischief you can get me into!  LOL

Laurie mentioned me having a lot of pizza boxes!  Yes, I do, and there are more somewhere.  I love to quilt, but I also love to cut quilts out.  Most people don't.  When I made quilt samples for a store long ago, I was actually paid to cut out quilts for people because I love it so much.  Yeah, I know.  I'm weird.

And for all of you who asked if you could come over - the door is always open - what's a better time than friends and crafting??  I can't think of a darned thing! 

Speaking of quilts, I actually got down and put a block together:  Yoo Hoo!!!!  Yesterday, because it was Veteran's Day, I put together this block:

Okay, not a biggie, but hey, a start, right?  Actually it took me longer to figure out where I was in the pattern then to actually sew it.  This is part of a larger quilt that I had started a while ago:

Independence Quilt
Kansas City Troubles

I've gotten five blocks from this finished now.  I think so far my favorite one is this one because it incorporates quilting plus some handwork and applique.  I'm not big into applique, but I need the practice because I want to make this quilt:

Blackbird Designs

Home Sweet Home

Last weekend, our Sampler Guild held a Blackbird Designs Day.  Lots of beautiful stitched pieces and quilts!  And one of the quilts that was brought in was this quilt.  Being the lame-brained person that I am, I didn't take my camera!  What was I thinking?  Obviously, my head was where the sun doesn't shine!  LOL  Anyway, I've drooled over this quilt for a while, and even bought the background fabric for it when it came out.  I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but it's fabric stamped with samplers.

Anyway, I've procrastinated because I am not a huge fan of applique.  BUT I HAVE TO DO THIS QUILT!  So I whipped out my BBD books (at least the ones I could find):

And started browsing through them.  Not a good thing!  A lot of appliqued quilts.  So what's a girl to do, but practice:

This is the first block from another quilt that I've had cut out forever.  But being appliqued, I froze at actually starting it.  Yeah, yeah, I know, there is machine applique, but I want that real hand-pieced look which on a quilt like Home Sweet Home will probably take me into the next century to finish.  Well, no matter!  I got the courage up and  hand appliqued the pieces down on the block above, and then top stitched them on the machine.  I won't use topstitching on the BBD quilt, but this particular quilt lends itself well to that prim look.

Then there were these pictures of hooked rugs in the BBD books:

Okay, now I know I'm going to become a hooker, Mel.  LOL They match some of the blocks in the quilt.  Be still my heart!!!

And then this quilt that I really like a lot - I think I have some Civil War prints around here somewhere:

So, I think that now I'm going to be busy.

Well, that's it for me today.  I've got a busy week coming up so I may not post for a week or two.  I leave for New York next Thursday for my annual visit to see my Sister on Long Island and then my couple days of running amok in the City.  I can't wait!!!!  My sis says she's scoped out quite a few thrift and resale shops on the Island.  Sounds like a good plan to me - thrifty shops, calamari and clam chowder for lunch and then a trip to the Winery on the way home.  Oh Yeah!!!!

Again, thank you for all your wonderful comments.  I feel so lucky to have met so many wonderful people through blogging.  And remember, the door is always open.  Just give me a holler.  Have a great week, and make a lot of X's.