I thought since I have some time, I would talk a little more about myself, and what I love. My first introduction to fiber was through quilting. I taught myself to quilt about 9 years ago. I started taking classes after my first couple of quilts made out of squares, to learn triangles. Several years later, fate intervened in my life and one winter I took a knitting class and at the same time found myself applying for a part time job at a local quilt shop. This is where the passion for color and texture and all things fiberlicious began!
I branched out from traditional piecing, to more free form and artistic quilting. I also decided that maybe someday I would like to work as a nurse a little less and I should look into other options in the quilting world. So I bought a Gammill Optimum Plus Longarm Quilting machine.
This is a quilt that I did for a customer last week. Over to the right of the picture is the machine head.
I started teaching some quilting classes at the shop I was working at, and started to take more quilt art focused classes. Now most of the quilting I do for myself is smaller, wall hanging type art.
This is a wall hanging I designed, pieced and quilted last year. I entered it into a local show this past spring.
Funny, I chose the various shades of Lime and Violet years before I discover the lime and violet podcast.
Last fall/winter, I started knitting a felted bag, and I was hooked! I taught several co-workers to knit last winter, and I am planning on teaching a felted bag class for them this fall.
Knitting and quilting for me are very similar, I can get my fix of texture and color from either, but knitting is portable!! I find myself knitting much more frequently than quilting these days.
The other passion I found last summer is Dyeing! I turned the kitchen in our old house into my dye studio. I started with Cotton and branched to silk. I’m not so keen on the painting, as I haven’t worked out the whole drawing and shading thing yet. I have every intention of branching into yarn very soon.
I moved to a brand new home in May and I can’t bring myself to dye in my beautiful kitchen. I plan to set up my dyeing in the laundry etc. room in the basement. I have a beautiful 4 basin stainless steal sink sitting in my garage waiting to be installed in the basement for my dyeing pleasure. My friend Jo Ann procured this treasure for me from her job. The money they wanted for it was more than I could afford so Jo Ann payed for it and now I am going to quit quilts for her until it is paid off!!
As I said in my first post, I recently discovered knitting podcasts. I have become addicted. I have been knitting socks since last winter, but now I’m sock and sock yarn crazy. I can’t wait to dye my own yarn, and maybe share it with others as well!
My first Monkey sock. I had to try the pattern before I made a pair for my Monkey Swap pal. I love the pattern, it’s so easy! I did change the heel. Instead of knitting across I k1s1 across the row. I’m not sure that I love my alteration, but not enough to rip it out.
Here are my babies. Doing what they do best, laying on the couch.
Pidgeon, having fly time in the craft room.
Chicken, having fly time in the craft room.
