Googlie-Eyed Ponies

 Aren't these just the cutest little ponies? One of the reasons I like them so much is their hair/mane. Some would say that they're Punk Rockers. To me they're just silly. Guaranteed to make you smile.

Very easy to make too! I had one finished in just a couple hours.

It's amazing the free patterns you can find on the Internet. Of course, you have to sift through a lot of yucky ones to find the good. Plus you have to avoid getting distracted. lol


Here's a link to the crochet pattern if you like to do-it-yourself. The pattern calls for "stripe" yarn; shown here with variegated yarn. Amigurumi Ponies from Red Heart. Note: I didn't make the "eye-lids" shown in the pattern. The blue pony doesn't have the hoofs 'cause he's a wild pony and therefore unshod. Would love to see your rendition should you decide to make one.

Farm Animal Nursery Quilt - FINISHED!!!

Finally finished with the Farm Animal Nursery Quilt.

I'll be posting pictures of all the blocks on my Etsy site later today if you'd like to see them close-up.

The embroidery took longer than I anticipated. Not sure the exact amount of hours spent on this quilt from start to finish, but it's more than 40. Perhaps I'm just really s-l-o-w. lol

On Point Nine Patch

It's funny how a simple thing like a nine-patch quilt block when turned on it's point can look so very, very different.







As long as you find and cut according to the straight of grain, squares are so easy to work with. There's no worrying about stretching (like those dreaded triangles). No set-in seams to fiddle with. No curves to pin or sew along. Just simple, straightforward sewing.

I used the rotary cutting and strip piecing methods found in the Quilting Bible to put this quilt together. I found it to be a lot quicker than traditional methods. The finished size is 33" x 52" -- a good size for either a crib or lap quilt.

Turned out rather pretty.

Amazing Service!!!

Farm Animal Nursery Quilt - Continued...

On Friday I ordered the Farm Animal Nursery Quilt block pattern from Jack Dempsey Needle Art so I could "fix" and finish the quilt. It arrived at the Post Office today via First Class Mail. This is a picture of the wall quilt I ordered at the same time.










It came with six free embroidery blocks and a little note that read:
 

JACK DEMPSEY NEEDLE ART MENTORING PROGRAM

In order to cultivate, educate and engage a 

whole new generation of embroidery

 enthusiasts, we are sending you a free sample

 to share your passion for embroidery with a

friend, family member, scout troop or anyone

 else you think would enjoy embroidering as 

much as you do.

www.jdneedleart.com

Isn't that nice? What a great way to give back! I'm thinking of speaking with my local librarian about holding an embroidery class. What do you think?

Now it's time for me to get busy and embroider that last block so I can finish the quilt.

In the meantime, here's a photo of the free blocks.

Home from Market

Farm Animal Nursery Quilt - Part Two.

Step one of this embroidered quilt was to embroider the nine broadcloth blocks.
I'm using both the outline stitch and the running stitch. You can use whatever stitches you're comfortable with.





One of the reasons I purchased this kit was because I believed it would be easier than creating a traditional quilt. While it may be easier (and quicker) than a hand-pieced or machine-pieced quilt, I had forgotten how long it takes to embroider properly. When I say properly what I mean is the back of the piece should look as neat as the front of the piece. That's the way I was taught.

The picture above shows both the front and back of the "bunny" block from the kit. I think it looks good. What do you think?

Brought to you in part by....

So here I am listening to http://www.youtube.com and looking out my kitchen window at the sunshine reflecting off the snow. The same sunshine that came out from behind the clouds as I was bringing in the last armload of cherry for the day.




After a week straight of snow, snow and more snow, the sunshine was blindingly bright. My first thought was "Where did I leave my sunglasses". The second random thought was I wonder what the Eskimo Indians did to protect their eyes from the light? [answer HERE]
As the sun brightens the day, I sit here reflecting on my circumstances. Who would have known that I would be unemployed for a year? I don't know of anyone else unemployed for that length of time that doesn't feel defeated. And that's definitely what I'm feeling right now. Hundreds of job applications, all those interviews, all the follow-up phone calls and letters. Still no job.

But the sun is shining and it's the first day of Spring so I'm determined to make the best of this day that I've been given.

All my life people have been telling me that I have a way with words. Friends and family have told me that they can "see" what I'm telling them about in my letters and emails.

"The secret's in the sauce - or so I'm told" says a character from one of my favorite movies. [Fried Green Tomatoes] Here's my opportunity to "give y'all a taste of my sauce". I'll serve it up. You let me know what you do and don't like.

This blog is brought to you in part by:
The Need to Create
I-R-Unemployed N NotLikin'It
Family Members
Facebook Friends
Too Much Time On My Hands <-- for those of you who are listening to this in your head right now. It'll make ya wanna get up and DANCE!