You can't always sew.

Indy 500 2014  - Chief

Needle Night - Make Something Happen

I  had been thinking about having my friends over for a "Needle Night".  What is "Needle Night"?  Needle Night is a time to get together with friends and have a nice evening  crocheting, sewing or learning something new.  After I attended Needleworks with Anna Maria Horner  I  thought it might be fun to do something different with my  friends.  I always hear "I wish I knew how to crochet" or "I used to do that but I have forgotten."  I  made it on the night my husband would be gone and it would be a an evening of friendship with my gal friends. This is how I  handled this event!

Always have food.

Extra needles and yarn.

I bought some extra needles and yarn.  One of my friends  wanted to make a dish cloth so I googled it and found out what kind of yarn I needed and made sure I had a few colors to select from as well as a simple pattern. I realized when this evening was over that it worked well for beginners and they were able experience success when they left and that was my goal.  But for me I can't stop making them! AHHHHH

Make it festive and check your lighting!

Let the story teller tell stories.

I had the pleasure of running into Anna Maria Horner at QUIlTcon and made sure she new how much she inspired me to move forward with this idea. Her Needleworks week  end retreat  gave me this idea.  Plus, I needed to have some girlfriend time and winter was starting to wear on all of us. I hope you do this someday. If you do I have a few tips for you.

•  When someone says, "I'll bring something".  Let them.
•  Make sure all of your light bulbs are working.
•  Mix up your friends, you would be surprised who knows who!
•  If somebody wants to come and not do anything, let them.
• Make food easy and cheap.  Sam's Club pizzas worked great for us.
• Let your  friends bring what they want to drink, this way you end up with a variety for your refrigerator when they leave. :)
• Have extra needles and yarn available.  A few of my friends found their mother's kits and used them to start their new creative adventure, others had nothing.
• Enjoy yourself. :)

Bathroom chalkboard to greet friends.

You can't always sew!

You can't always quilt

Untitled, a photo by webquilts on Flickr.

She loves it!!

After the above post was written I checked my phone for messages and there this was.  I think Aunt Becky nailed it on this one.  Merry Christmas!

Love the color

Saw this in New York  during a rainy night walk. I love the way the rain made it shine. We don't have far to go to see great color. It's almost like the city placed the table and chairs in the right spots for my picture. Thank you

You can't always sew!

You can't always sew!

You can't always sew.

 Somethimes you need to get out and cut loose with younger people to find inspiration!

    Sometimes young people need to do the same.

                It feels great for all. Try it.

You can't always quilt.

More close out?

Well, this is the second chapter of the close out sale.  I had to go back because the price went down and I knew there was more to be bought.  Lets back up a bit here.  After Blizz 2011 and two days of staring out the window at the same beautiful blowing snow I had to get out of the house.  So I grabbed another "fabric hound" and we went BACK to the "close out sale"  It seemed to progress into a "fabric buying frenzy".  It was even better now because if you bought the whole bolt you would get another 10% off.  Who would not do THAT? Right? Right.  When it was all said and done I had bought a whopping 145 yards of fabric with a big smile on my face and a nervous feeling in my stomach. You cannot pass  up a sale like this. (I'm still repeating this over and over and over)  I have enough fabric to play with for a long time.  I can't wait to share it with you.

Close out sale! :)

I had the luxury of finding a close out sale at a Hancock Fabrics.  I LOVE Hancock fabrics but they seem to be harder and harder to find!  The quality of fabric is much better and the fabric is much "hipper" than  "other" fabric stores.  So, I had to buy some because when fabric is on sale that is the time to buy it and if it is far away then you really need to buy as much as you can.  Right? Right.  So 

I did.

Anxiety



Every year before I begin a new school year I start to "freak out" and organize and clean anything I can get my hands on.  This year I took my fabric and folded it by color instead of it being rolled up. I just love the way it looks and I feel better already.  I guess... I thougth... I would share this with you.

New Needles

I just purchased a new sewing machine. It is a Huskavarna 835. It has all kinds of new features that I am having a hard time to get used to. Oh well it is time for a new challenge and maybe this will inspire me to try new things. It is so much bigger than my other one and seems like a I am driving a bigger car. As I read the directions a new project will emerge I can feel it in my bones!

Aja

Monday night I had the pleasure of seeing Steely Dan perform Aja at the magnificent Chicago theater. This album was released in 1977. Wow that was a long time ago and sewing was never on my mind. My how I have evolved! After the concert I was having a hard time coming down from the concert. (I hate when that happens) So I began to read up and refresh my memory of their lives. Walter Becker and Donald Fagan were perfectionists and at one time did not listen to the final production of an Album/ CD because it was not recorded exactly the way they wanted it recorded. I thought how wound up can you be? I too was the same with my balanced creativity then I realized you can have unbalanced creativity and it is OK. It is hard to believe how the word "artist" can define so many people. When you are on your next creative adventure, cut lose, get wild and see if you wake up the next day. I did. Thanks Walter and Donald for a great night.