And Fall beadings

Got into a creative mood in the beading room, and tried something different. The first necklace/earring set is done with copper wire and antique gold findings. The second one exposes black-colored beading wire. Borrowed a new book on beading from the library, which shows that you can do all kinds of things with colored flexible beading wire, including knitting with it. Well, I declined to do the knitting part, but I had some .029 thickness black coated flexible wiring stashed back, trying to figure out why I ever ordered it. So NOW I can use it creatively.  And the focal on the upper set takes a piece of copper wiring from the basement stash of hubby's house wiring--he stripped the rest off for me to use the copper part.  The top set is malachite.  Had the cab in my jewelry box, saved back from an old bracelet setting, and reused it for the focal.  Aventurine beads make up the inside strand, malachite rondelles the outer strand anchoring the focal.

Fall quilting

Every Fall I volunteer at a quilt auction, narrating the quilts to attract bidding. I drool over them all, thinking, I could bid on this one or that one and hang it in my house, but never successfully entering the final bid on any of the beautiful creations of the quilters.  So when I saw this quilt in a quilting magazine, I fell in love with it, telling myself I CAN DO THIS!!  The fabric arrived, all shimmery blues and sparkly gold enhanced cottons, and I set to work, thinking I CAN DO THIS.  Ummmhum.

I did learn something about quilting with satins. They shrink a bit when you steam a stabilizer on the back of the fabric.  Didn't know that, but learned it when I set the center satin square.  So I had to recut more satin squares to make sure I wasn't messing up the whole thing.  Relearned a bunch of geometry from sophomore year in high school too. This pattern was a bit tricky, it was supposed to be for "beginners".  Well, as a baby quilter I did a lot of growing up during the construction.  I learned how to do cross-hatching quilting, flower petal quilting (sort of free-handed using a plastic lid as a template), and really used my walking foot.  Stitch in the ditch was nothing , compared to the rest of the work.

So here it is, done and up on the wall. And when the quilt auction comes I will be thrilled once more to introduce those fantastic quilts, and talk up the bids, but I will also be happy to have mine already decorating our home.

And if you want to come to the quilt auction, it is part of the Apple Festival at the Raytown First Baptist Church, Saturday, September 8, 9-2 pm.  All proceeds go to benefit the Missouri Baptist Children's Home.

More from Milan

     Well, I've been at this house for awhile now, and I've decided since I like it here so much I'm going to call the female "Mom" and the male "Dad".  My real parents let the other humans give me away so how good were they?  Today Mom said she was putting my thoughts on something she called a blog.  Well, it's about time they recognized who the brains of this organization are.  I'd do it myself but I can't operate the box they poke at all the time.  I can turn it on and off, which they don't know, but my paws are too big to push the letters.   Mom said her friend is on a vacation.  Is that like an errand?  It seems like it lasts longer than an errand.  Humans are strange creatures.

                                                                                                                   ---TN