New year rolls around and you say to yourself....."Self, you should hand sew every day this year....nothing major, but something". You get excited and say, "I think I can, I think I can".
Day one:
That was easy...this is a piece of cake....364 to go...
I started with what we call "Jeni blocks". My cousin Jeni designed these cute wool applique blocks.
Side note: I come from a line of hookers (on my mom's side)....my gramma was a hooker, but her daughters decided not to take it up....but passed it on to my cousin Jeni. Jeni got my mom and I into hooking, when we saw how much fun she had.
This is one of Jeni's pattern I bought as a kit.
Ok....who hasn't figured out we are talking about rug hooking. My grandmother Ella Robinson rug hooked and my cousin Jeni learned her love of wool from her. Jeni has the original tools our grandfather made for her to rug hook.
Jeni has been designing, teaching, hooking, and quilting for years. 10 years ago, Jeni and her sister Gretchen opened the Woolen Willow, in Williamstown, W. Va (www.woolenwillow.com). They have a wonderful shop of wool and cotton fabric, patterns, kits, classes etc.... If you see or talk to them.... Tell them cousin Jill says Hi!!!
Another sister, Judy, joined in and they created the magazine "Primitive Quilts and Projects". Great magazine with great projects.
They even incorporate the help of their mom - Ask Mom feature is away for us to get answers to our quilting questions!
Their other sister, Sally has joined in when they have a retreat... I hear she's does some funny entertaining! ( I have no doubt a good time is had by all!!). I need to make time for one!! I might be biased.... But the Falcsik family is one of the most loving and talented families I know!!
Ok, back to my "sewing every day"...
I faithfully appliquéd my blocks every day. That got me to January 12th.
(Next years "resolution" might have to be "finish the projects from last year")
I did move on to the English paper piecing kit, and hand sewing bindings which got me into February (didn't make it every day... But pretty darn close!!)
Soooooo I realized it only takes about 5 minutes to make one of those hexies and if you did 1 a day you would have 365 hexies.... I should of been a math major.
So I am re-energizing myself and am going to try to do a hexie a day. Let's start a new saying..... "A hexie a day, keeps the doctor away". Well maybe it won't keep the doctor away but it will make you happy/smile when you have completed a whole hand sewn project!!
The diet.... I mean the hexies .... Starts tomorrow!!
Happy Sewing!!
The tiny appliques are darling! How many in all? Didn't you say there were tiny blocks for all four season at Woolen Willow?
ReplyDeleteThey had a Summer, Winter, Easter Eggs, and Jeni's favorite things. I am not sure if they still carry them. You can always call them and ask (304) 375-9665. I still have my Easter Eggs to do.
DeleteDecades ago, I bought a pack of hexagon patis - the pliable plastic ones. I'll have to dig them out and start doing that in the evening.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is you bought them when I did....I think they came out around 1997ish....I saw the demo'd in Paducah and of course I had to have them!!
DeleteAlso want to start preparing for Bonnie's 2014 Leader & Ender Challenge - Lozenges!
ReplyDeleteI wish you were closer....you would fit right in....Melly and I were just discussing the Leader & Ender Challenge!! We are going to do it too. I am going to use my "candy bars (2 1/2 x 5) by Moda....I have like 3 boxes which has 5 segments each...so I'm sure I have enough for a quilt!
DeleteI wish you were closer too! I only have 25 lozenges cut out so far. I don't have the big stash like a lot of you do since my quilting life is not as seasoned as the rest of you. But I'll get there! I just placed a giant order for goodies with MSQC this morning; love the charm pack they have today for the daily deal. I have my first Quilts of Valor top and back loaded on my frame right now; waiting on some gold thread for it. It will be my first one with the organization. BTW, are you coming to the Lancaster show? It's next week. I wasn't planning on going, but if you're going, I can meet you there.
DeleteHey, Jill...I finished up Jeni's fall mini's (ok, still have to put them together) and am working on a quilting mini that I designed. I've decided that March is handwork month at my house.
ReplyDeleteAwesome!!! I need to put mine together to! I have my hexie done for today.... So I'm still on track!! I do live hand work!! What else are you going to do????
ReplyDelete