4 of 5

This is day 4 of the Art Chain Challenge started by Donna Greenburg. Each day for the next 5 days I will post one art piece and each day I will nominate another artist to participate. The projects do not need to be new and they do not need to be made especially for this challenge. I was nominated by Angie

I nominate Sue.

Daisy, Daisy started out as a test knit for one of my favorite designers, Meagheen Ryan...It was so much fun to knit this child's shawl...it ended up being gifted to one of my granddaughters.  

Today is another snow day.  We have received upwards of 6+ inches of snow over the last 3 days.  I'm told the roads are packed and slick and I'm really glad I don't have to be anywhere other than safe and snug at home.  I have arranged a ride with a co-worker for the next 2 days in the event we have to work and the next 4 days are expected to be icky as well, with rain, sleet, and possibly more snow.  I'm so ready for spring!

Thanks for stopping by. See you tomorrow for the wrap up!

3 of 5

This is day 3 of the Art Chain Challenge started by Donna Greenburg. Each day for the next 5 days I will post one art piece and each day I will nominate another artist to participate. The projects do not need to be new and they do not need to be made especially for this challenge. I was nominated by Angie

I nominate Meredith

I participate in an annual speed sock-knitting contest called Sock Madness. I have absolutely no illusions that I can win but it's fun to knit the patterns and learn tons of new techniques. Cool Beans was one of those patterns. Two colours knit on the same row. What fun! Again, not my design, but it IS my workmanship!

From freezing and snowy southwest Missouri, I thank you for stopping by.  See you tomorrow for day 4.

2 of 5

This is day 2 of the Art Chain Challenge started by Donna Greenburg on Facebook. Each day for 5 days I will post one art piece and each day I will nominate another artist to participate. The projects do not need to be new and they do not need to be made especially for this challenge. I was nominated by Angie

I nominate Carole.

Our property is called Pieceful Harbor.  Combining my love of quilting and Mr. Wonderful's long military career in the Navy.  This is our final harbor, our anchor.  And I love lighthouses!  So when I saw this pattern, I just had to make it.  The quilt hangs in the entry to our home and has won awards at the Ozark Empire Fair and at the Webster County Fair.

The quilt was quilted by Genelle Reaves of Rogersville, Missouri and it's amazing.  I did not design it but I pieced it and someone once said that makes it my art!  

Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you all tomorrow.

1 of 5

"This is day 1 of the Art Chain Challenge started by Donna Greenburg on

Facebook. Each day for the next 5 days I will post one art piece and each day I will nominate another artist to participate. The projects do not need 

to be new and they do not need to be made especially for this challenge."

 

I'm a quilter so most of my art is quilting - or sometimes knitting. This quilt is called Chocolate Chips Throughout the House - made for the gentleman who advised Mr. Wonderful when he built our house. Dennis loved chocolate chips so it made sense to put them throughout the log cabin blocks. I machine quilted it with huge hand-drawn chocolate chips along the borders and stitched-in-the-ditch between the blocks.

We're expecting a huge snowstorm later tonight...at one time they said we would have little to no accumulation.  Now they estimate between 4" and 6" tonight with another 1-2" tomorrow.  Thank goodness I have the next 2 days off...nowhere to be till Wednesday. Plenty of food for me and for the fur people who live here.  The electric bill is paid and there is a full tank of propane outside.  All that said, I am not worried one tiny jot about the coming weather.  I've got plenty of things to do around here - quilting and machine embroidery and knitting projects galore! And, or course, deciding which project to show for tomorrow!  

Thanks for stopping by. See you on the morrow!

February 1 Already? Really??

I can't believe it's already February 1st.  I've been home a whole month since spending the holidays with the family in Utah.  Time is so precious.   

February 1st is always a day for decisions for me.  It means I must decide whether I will again compete in Sock Madness.  Signups begin today for next month's beginning to several months of fevered sock-knitting.  I don't know why I continue to even think about it - I know I'm going to sign up again...there really is NO decision necessary.  Sock Madness 9 signups started at 7:00 a.m today and I am already signed up! 

Now to await the suggested supply list and then to scour the stash for preliminary selections.  Of course, once each pattern is released, I reserve the right to change my mind about the yarn I selected a whole month or more previously.

I teach several quilting classes as well as knitting classes at the library where I work.  One of my students, Chrystal, brought in her first quilt for me to see.  I tend to talk a lot during class - giving really important information and my own opinions - and evidently I used the term clown barf to describe a multi-colored fabric or yarn and Chrystal decided to name her quilt Sally's Clown.  It's really bright and cheerful and definitely qualifies as clown barf.  Thanks for sharing your first quilt with me, Chrystal...You even quilted it yourself!  I'm so proud of you! 

I've been doing a lot of quilting the last few weeks.  I'm working on a block of the month that I started in 2010 - a Halloween quilt called Happy Hauntings.  There is a ton of fusible applique involved and I spent my last day off tracing off images onto fusible webbing and then fusing those images onto the back of fabrics, and then cutting the images out and finally fusing the images onto the background for each block.  

Here you see some of the blocks I have done so far.  The top two and the one on the left are already complete.  The other one on the bottom right (actually there are 10 blocks - one on top of the other - need to be stitched down with invisible threads to secure the parts.  That is quite a time suck, believe me.  And some of the blocks need some hand-embroidery done as well.  Then, and only then, can I sew the blocks together and get on with the borders.  But I am really encouraged to get this quilt done by Halloween this year...I have one more block ready to fuse to the background and then only have one 36" skeleton left to do...

I can't believe I don't have much knitting on the needles right now.  I have a Stephen West shawl (Barndom) and an entrelac shawl currently awaiting my ministrations.  I also have a mini sock shaped like a jellyfish in the process. And that is all!  I really want to cast on for a pair of socks but I know they won't be done before Sock Madness 9 starts in early March and I don't want them hanging around longer then necessary. Will probably just plug along on the two shawls till the Madness starts.

Thank you for stopping by.  I love when you leave a comment.  Until next time.

Christmas in Utah 2014

I spent a most wonderful 2 weeks in Utah with Mr. Wonderful and our son and daughter-in-law and the 5 grands.  It was loud and funny and loving and a truly amazing holiday season. I would not trade it for the world.   Here is Christmas morning, before the explosion of paper and boxes and ribbons and tags occurred. 

 Each year the Knotwells West have a family picture taken. This year, young John set the camera and Big John pushed the button.  This is my incredible family.  I am so proud of each of them.  The parents are an unbeatable team who are raising such caring, loving, smart and funny people.  The kids are so funny and smart and silly and I adore them!

 

Emily and Charlotte....two lovely young ladies. Both are fabulous big sisters to the boys and baby C. 

 William and Hewston...my two goofballs.  Really, they are so imaginative at play and quick-witted.  

 I got a haircut while I was in Utah...not that I needed to wait to get one there, it just happened that I hadn't had a cut and style in over a year and John made arrangements for me to get one while I was there.  Then, Young John agreed to do a 'photo shoot' since John and I hadn't had photos taken in several years.  The temps were hovering in the teens but he managed to get several really good shots.  This is my most favorite one of the two of us.  And below is my favorite one of Big John...that is the man that I fell in love with and have held up as my Hero for the last 43 years!

 Okay, here is the one of me that I most like.  A bit of grey, a bit of colour, and a bit of sass from the eyes!  Lordy, it was cold that day!  

While I was there, we went to the movies 3 times (that's 3 times more than I'd been to the movies in the last year).  We saw the 3rd and final Hobbit movie.  I really enjoyed it in spite of not seeing the 2nd one yet.  Then, John and Jill double dated with John and I and after a dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse, we all saw Unbroken.  Several of us had read the book and I must say the Angelina Jolie did a wonderful job of keeping to the book.  Only one spot that she changed - not sure the reason for the change, frankly - but the movie was very well done.  Even Big John liked it and he is the most critical of 'military'- themed movies.  And finally, John and I went to see Mockingjay, part 1.  I had read the trilogy and the 3rd book was the least of my favorites but the movie was much better and neither of us can wait for part 2 to come out.  

Spent my birthday with my family and flew home on the redeye the next evening.  When my final plane landed in Springfield on Sunday, at 9:30 in the morning, we were met with snow flurries....cold and flurries!  So sorry to leave that wonderful family in Utah but so glad to get home to my own bed!  

Hoping all of you have a fabulous 2015.  I'm using this year to clean out cabinets and closets and try to get to a minimal life....wish me luck!

Thanks for stopping by. 

Holiday Time is Here

First and foremost, I want to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed and Happy New Year.  While I'd like to think that I regard every single day during the year as blessed and happy and merry, I admit to my own humanness.  I forget to be conscious of the people who make my life so very blessed.  Each year, I am reminded during the holiday season and vow to be better next year.  I am a creature of habit and will not disappoint myself or others - so, again this year, I am going to try to remember to be thankful each and every day for the people in my life.  You all add something that enriches my.  Thank you so much!

Mr. Wonderful and I were talking the other day about my renewed interest in machine embroidery.  Part of that renewed interest included bigger designs and larger projects.  John encouraged me to investigate getting a newer and faster and more powerful and smarter machine than the one I currently own.  Well, far be it from me to refuse a shopping suggestion!  In the course of my search, I came upon an amazing deal on a Babylock Journey embroidery and sewing machine.  John and I talked about it and we decided that the deal was far better than we'd find anytime in the near future so I did it!  Meet Miss Journey!  a friend came over and we noodled around with it yesterday.  I recognized quite a few of the features that my previous machine had so it wasn't quite so strange working with this newer, faster, bigger machine.  

 I'm kinda happy about how much she does on her own.

The newest feature that Babylock (the machine manufacturer) has is making quilt blocks in the hoop.  That guarantees each block is exactly the same so the quilt that results from these blocks is as near perfect as came be.   I admit it's kinda neat but I like doing the blocks the old-fashioned way as well.

One of the other features of this new machine is that I can import designs from my laptop directly to the machine via USB cord rather than the several steps involving a separate plug in and a card it required for the other machine.

I suppose you can tell from the pictures and the blog post that I'm totally in love with this new machine...well, I am.  I can't wait for the 'mastery' classes that I will take in January to learn about my new machine.

I have completed all the gift shopping and everything has been posted to the family for the holidays.  I won't be needing to take everything in my suitcase this year.  We are counting down the days till I join them.

We've taken the house off the market for the time being.  It's been listed for sale for over 14 months and folks are beginning to question what's wrong with it.  Taking it off the market and then re-listing in the spring will make it appear to be a new listing.  Rural properties are not fast sellers right now so this has been a difficult time for us all.  With luck, the new year will bring some welcome changes!  Pray for us, please!!!

Thank you all for stopping by.  We both wish you a very Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year.