Still cutting circles for my giveaway

I am still cutting some circles out and sorting the sizes in each of 3 bags. You wouldn't believe what a pleasure it is with the Accuquilt Go die to cut the circles out! My mind is racing at the possibilites...

I talked with the nice lady at Accuquilt today and asked about the new basket die....I want it now...please.

I had a friend send an email about the Accuquilt go cutter and thought I would answer any question(s) you might have about it.

Yes, I carry the Go-Cutters in my shop. Yes I can ship them overseas! Wahoo, be the first down under to own the Accuquilt-Go cutter!!

I am getting ready for a yard sale. I have to quit watching hoarders! But to alleviate any fears, no I have NOT put any fabric out to sell, lol.

Nearly time for bed, you'all sleep well, later, Elaine

                                                                                  

Wool penny rug bases

            The first decision you need to make is....the shape and size of the rug you want to make. Then the fibers...do you want wool on wool, like the rooster?

Then, the next decison is....do you use a commercial pattern, or just wing it?

If I am making a small rug, like my little goat friend here, I headed to the kitchen for my favorite little oval platter, traced around it onto freezer paper, rough cut it out and then iron it on my wool. Now cut out on the lines and you have a base...cool huh?

Wool holds up very well and mixes with other fibers too.

                          This is a commercial pattern that came as a kit a few years agao....I have no idea who the artist was. The base is flannel and the elements are all felted wool. I love this wall hanging.

              Remember those pesky circles that I have cut gillions of this past week? Wouldn't they look perfect on this Circle of Life quilt....made from a pattern.





Hmm, I need to go check out some fabrics for this idea...I am going to add some cotton circles.

Don't forget, if you're entering the giveaway, please leave your comment on the 200th post giveaway. Back to Hoarding: Buried Alive....what am I thinking, watching this propagand, lol! Later all, Elaine

Working with wool

If you have never worked with wool, do give it a try.  You really can't hurt it. I have been buying woolens for several years and felting them at home. I would only buy 100% wools and some mixed fibers, if they were the right colors! I could buy wool off the bolt...but how often do you see "that" orange or green? I really love the tweeds, plaids and nubby textures some of the woolens have.

So this is how I have amassed the tonnage of woolens. IF YOU ARE MS.LOTTIE, STOP READING NOW!! I buy the wool blankets, coats, skirts, etc. that I usually pick up for $2. or less and cut them up! Remove all the buttons~~~fodder for the button jar~~take the clothing apart at the seams and remove as much as the facing as you can. Now wash the pieces in very hot water with detergent (I use my homemade laundry soap), rinse in cold water. Then dry in a hot dryer. You will need to clean the lint trap often. Now if you're weird like me, you'll save that wooly lint for your next pin cushion!

I use a steam iron and press the wool very well. Pour on the water, and if you find a piece of wool that doesn't hold up to this process, toss it! Not worth keeping, it's best to just use the better pieces.

I'm sure everyone has their own way of creating their own woolens for felted wool applique, this is just mine. I have talked about this before but some of you are new. Don't be afraid to experiment.

I have tried to add pics tonight but blogger is acting like my ex-husband, AGAIN! Take my word for it, they are very professional pics, tasteful, perfect lighting.....losing you, aren't I?

So today I have found some pale cantalope ovals...perfect for a fall rug! I am adding one of these to the circles...who knows what I will add to the booty tomorrow. Off to my baby boys for his birthday celebration....will be an all day affair. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes...kind of a celebration of his birth. I can't wait...this is the earthdaddy.

Now, if I can figure out what blogger is doing with the pics and adding them! I have tried to add some pics to no avail...so sorry.

In the meantime, I have had a few inquiries into the scraps I am knee deep in. If you would like some of the funky scraps, I would be happy to send some to you for the postage only. The flat rate envelopes are $4.90 and I can stuff alot in them! Let me know and I'll start stuffing some of them for you quilters. For overseas, if you want to pay the postage, I would be happy to send some to you as well. Just let me know how much postage you want to pay and I can prepare some scraps to equal that amount.

If you're new, please go to the 200th post giveaway, to enter for the circles, etc. Thank you and good evening, Elaine
                                                                           

Swiss cheese

 My humble beginnings...looks like Swiss cheese to me! I was having so much fun cutting the circles that I didn't make the most from my wool....most of the time!

 It doesn't look like much, but it is. See the little red circle, to the left? It is from the ribbing from a wool sweater! Very cool texture.

 The pieces at the top on this picture....are the imperfect pieces. I'm not sure what to do with them. I like to use them for the tops of the rugs for leaves, moons, flower parts.....

        So if you win the perfect circles....do you want the imperfect ones added in as well?

 If you are entering the draw....DON'T DO IT ON THIS ENTRY PLEASE!!! GO TO THE previous entry, titled, 200th post giveaway and leave a comment there.

Now, off to find some awesome plaids, houndstooth, and funky colors worthy of a modern penny rug. Later, Elaine                                                                          

200th post giveaway

Finally! Issues and more issues....now I finally get the computer to work!  Lets get on with the giveaway......

                                                                                 

Remember the circles I made with the Accuquilt go cutter? I have cut a bunch in some lucious fall colors...browns, tweeds, oranges, reds, rust, tans, and other fun colors. Included in the circles are some perle cottons, needles.....everything you would need for a fall penny rug or tablerunner. A few patterns for wooly plant pokes and funky little penny rugs. IF I CAN FIND THE CAMERA, I CAN DOWNLOAD A PIC OF THE BOOTY. Oh, sorry, was I shouting? And yes thank you, I do ship overseas...happily!

Now the rules:

None. Ok fine, a few.  Just leave a comment on how much you want to learn how to work with wool and do the fun embroidery that others are doing all over the net! Please leave your email. If you don't have a blog and don't leave an email.....I will draw another name, sorry, no exceptions!

I'll draw the winner Oct 4th....and will keep adding little goodies until then...Lord help us all!

Don't forget to send an orphan block to Miss Lizzie in Australia...it only cost me $.98 for a stamp and that block was in a card! It is so worthwhile. And while I have your attention...keep the people in New Zealand in your prayers...their gale force winds are creating some real havoc there.

And lastly, thank you for all the kind comments you always send. Remember, you don't have to sign up to be a follower to enter, just a comment will do. Now, back to cutting MORE circles!...Elaine

Oh I do love my Accuquilt Go!

So I decided to get busy, since I am always left behind, and get that go-cutter out and go crazy with it!

Not reading directions first, geez, I went ahead and cut my fabrics @ 10" wide and placed it on the die.

Now place the well used cover on the top....

...Pop the die under the roller and wind your way to happiness!

Oh sweet Lord, check it out....perfect 2 1/2" fabric strips, from selvage edge to selvage edge.

Now this is the part that I went to the directions...lol, yeah, I can read! If you initially cut your fabrics @ 8 1/2" wide, your waste is minimal...duh! But, not to worry. See those 2 strips, crosswise...well, they are going in my string quilt! Perfect. So did I cut the initial cuts down...nah, I kinda like the string quilt idea.

The new cuts are in my etsy shop. I love the cuts on my Accuquilt-go cutter. No pinked edges make me happy!

I was kind of curious about my hand dyed wool in the cutter...so, what the heck.

Can you believe how wonderful this is for me? I didn't cut the wool down, just fooling around with it.

Yep, it's a keeper!

So I tried again, cutting the wool down, a bit close, huh?

Oh sweet!

I have no control now, these are fun! Oh, and I do sell these machines. Email me if you're interested. I'll even pay your shipping, wahoo! Now, where is my next piece of wool...?

Thanks for all your kind comments, take care, now I'm off to  quilt something, Elaine

What I saw this week, or, why I haven't been blogging

Some garage sale finds along with big daddies tools and some clay pots from the thrift store.

This is an awesome chair...in a group of "stuff", along with another old chair....needs a little paint!



                                     The porch swing is a $20. craigs list find.

The pile of weirdness, on the porch, is a complete mule harness set. Big daddy was thrilled to purchase this....SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME THIS IS LIKE THAT BOLT OF FABRIC YOU HAVE TO HAVE AND DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHY!!! Ahh, we don't have mules, lol! But it was a helluva buy!!

The black chair, behind the sweet basil plant, was the other item from the garage sale, the 2 chairs, mule harnesses and some other "stuff", was all for $5.00 total! Yeah, I was amazed too.

In the late afternoons, the bantams pop up on the porch and make themselves at home! I will spy them on the rocking chairs and plants and they will be peeking in the window watching me, lol. Oh, why didn't I KNOW that bantams do as they want! You cannot cage them, they are the free spirit of the chicken world and I love them!

Gracie Mae loves going with me everywhere, especially if she thinks I am heading out to the front yard. The big chickens chase her but I think she thinks she can one up the bantams....NOT! Here is Trooper squaring off with her, while the others look on. Way to funny. I know the pic is blurry, but it is the only pic I took of Chihuahua and chicken facing off! Sometimes you just have to squint, sorry.

This is the end result...run Gracie, run!

"I run this yard, see....yeah, it's me and my chicks...."

I have wanted to share something really cool! We have horses, dogs and chickens. Every once in awhile, our grocery store culls out the over ripe or imperfect fruits and veggies, stuffs as much as they can in a bag for a buck. This week I bought bananas, another bag with 2 pineapples, 2 cantalopes and one stuffed with peaches! Each bag for a buck, way cool! Last time I cut the bananas up and dried them for our horses and some for me! The peaches made 6 finished cups of peach freezer jam and a ton of peels and over ripe fruit for the chickens. I cut the cantalope up with the seeds, peels and over ripe areas for the chickens and horses. Same with the pineapple. Do you ever buy anything like this...or is it available in your area?

I have been busy cutting fabric for my etsy store. I'm getting over fanatical with my Accuquilt-Go cutter! 

                                                                                    

I have been trying to decide what to do with my shop inventory that is "not" the latest line. You know, that fabric you NEVER give a second glance to? So, I have been busy making 2 1/2" rolls of fabrics in yellows, oranges, blues, reds, etc. Love them to pieces! I think I need to do some I spy pieces...what is better, 5" squares or 10" squares? Do you like color families or groups of fabrics that go well together? I hope to see what you ladies think!

Now, back to my little shop, let me know your thoughts on the fabs, k? Now, go quilt something!

                                                                                       

Answers for Michele on the Go-cutter

Sorry I didn't make myself clear on my new Accu quilt go cutter. I bought the machine and added 2 dies with it in the 1 1/2" and 2" strips. I have been looking at it since it came out. MY reason for buying one was that I can cut 2" strip with my ruler and rotary cutter and if the ruler slips, even with those dots on the back of the ruler, I have a tendency to let my ruler slide a tad bit...so my 2" strips are 2" at one end and somewhere in the middle those little suckers are now slipping into 2 1/4" to 2 3/8" at the other end. So you know that small amount of waste when cutting your strips? You're going to have waste here too!

                                                                               

The die is either square or rectangular and the blades for cutting ARE INSIDE THE DIE. The roller is smooth and pulls the die, with the plastic cutting mat on top. The pieces are ready to sew when you roll the die thru the roller.                     

                                                                                     

If you go to the Accuquilt-Go site, you can hop around and see what all they have to offer. I have seen ads in nearly all the quilt magazines for this machine and noted that Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims are spokespeople for it. When I went to the site, I found that their are these videos.....fix a box lunch, it's going to take some time to see all of them!

                                                                                       
I searched all over and couldn't for the life of me figure out how this thing worked...so I did the video watching and finally found out! The blades of the dies are embedded into the foam of the dies, duh! Ever have one of those moments?

It isn't for everyone, I'm sure, but for me, it is for me. Hindsight is something, eh? I wish I had held out and bought the studio cutter. I do love this one but with the studio it would take more fabric then the 6 layers I am now using. But, if you use 6 layers of fabrics, you get 12 sets of 1/2 square triangles at once, pretty cool!

Like any other big purchase, do your homework. Ask yourself if cutting in large amounts is what you want/need? How much fabric can you buy for $350.00? Each machine comes with the star die and if you want to get other dies, they are separately available and also cost. When you purchase the die, you also need the plastic cutting mat. The dies don't wear out but the plastic mats will need to be replaced as they do wear out.

Would I buy it again...omg, yes! I am already cutting like crazy on the star die. I am using the large and small square for future projects and the 1/2 square triangles for pinwheels for the granddaughters.

Some of you know that I have a brick and mortar shop, and I will be stocking it as well as the dies. I am not going to offer them in my etsy shop as I don't feel that would be very nice since Accuquilt is selling them online. I would love to sell one to whomever wants one with free continental shipping in the USA, but just know,  YOU HAVE TO ASK for it!

Is this helpful Michele? Any other questions? My elderly friend called and needs help in the AM to put her quilt frame together, so I am going to bed. Have a great day today, Elaine

More of the Accuquilt Go and a cool giveaway

I went surfing and found this site and was in complete awe! A very savvy lady Caron is, quilt maker and business lady too. I was enthralled with her advice and her pics. She is having a fun giveaway on her site and the first question is, name some Michigan trivia! I had an original answer, lol.

Back to the Go-cutter. I had some yummo Riley Blake Christmas scraps that I cut a little bigger then the 1/2 square triangles, laid the plastic cutting mat on top and rolled over the fabrics.

Removed the excess fabric, of which the wide ones are going into my Wacky-log-cabin-someday box. The rest of the strips are less then 1/4" and were tossed. There ya go Tara, very little waste, wahoo!

And do you see the little notches? Heart be still....the little niblets are cut off before you sew? OMG, this is genius!

AND, the bestest part? If you lay the pieces down, right sides together, you  just pick that little sucker up and sew it. Yep, all ready to go. As painful as my hands are, this is a snap to use.

After I sewed them together, I just pressed them. I can see a Christmas pinwheel. I am so in love with this Riley Blake....has anyone else bought any? I heart every piece, so yummo!

I better go let my dogs out before bed. Ya'll have a great night. Don't forget to check out Carons' blog and her super fun giveaway, Elaine