One of the members prepare a quilt top. We then meet at her home and together we hand quilt the top until it is finished. The hostess provides lunch for us. When the top is completed, we go to the next member’s home to do a quilt top for her, etc. etc. It puts a fire under us to complete a top for quilting when it is our turn. We all get a hand quilted top perhaps once a year. And the friendship I have found is irreplaceable. It will be my turn next. I can’t wait.

Here is a photo of one of our members, Barb Kapost, who recently passed away from pancreatic cancer. I miss her. She was a member of my quilt guild also. She is why I am handquilting today. I met her some years ago when I signed up to become a secret sister. We provided small gifts to a person in secret until some months later your identity was revealed. When it was time for the reveal, my secret sister was ill. So I went to her home to deliver her final gift and to reveal who I was. During our visit I couldn’t help but notice the large quilt frame in her dining room. I had not known she hand quilted. We talked about it for a while and I told her if she ever needed help in hand quilting, please let me know. She did and voila…I am still hand quilting.

Here is one of my favorite pieces done early in my hand quilting days. It is hand quilted with a variegated purple and teal metallic thread. What was I thinking? Howver, it turned out nice and still a favorite.em>

Here is block number 13 of my Sweet Sixteen series. I want this one finished before it is my turn to have a quilt top quilted. All this hand applique just calls for hand quilting.

I would encourage anyone to think about this fine art.    Of course I adore any kind of hand work.   To some, I understand “hand work” can mean something bad.    But if you are of the frame of mind as myself, please give it a try.    I think you will love the peace and quiet satisfaction that comes from such a lovely pasttime.

Hand quilting is NOT a lost art.   There are many of us who still love it. Try it if you love hand work…you will love it too.

Amities, Averyclaire

PS….I still machine quilt as well.

And what did I do this past weekend? Well….granddaughter #1, Haley (11 years old), participated in her first music competition. She first played accompanied by her other grandfather, Jim; then played a duet with her best friend, Abby; then proudly displayed their blue ribbons. It was so fun to watch her play. They all did a super job. I am so happy she loves music.

And grandson #2, Max (8) (Haley’s brother), bore the concert bravely. He has such sparkly eyes!

And then I ran home, had some lunch, and quickly made it to granddaughter #2, Sophia’s (10), dress rehersal for her dance competition.   She takes ballet, jazz, etc. and is on the dance team.   She is on the far right.   This will be her first competition.   I think I had more fun than she did.

I think this coming week and weekend will be a quiet one.   Perhaps I can finish a couple more blocks.   And maybe even do some stitching on my “Cedar Hill” Rabbit that I began last year for Easter and never finished.   I honestly hope it is finished for this Easter!

Amities, Averyclaire

Unfortunately, there is not much in the way of  “Needlearts” to share with you.   However, I have recently finished making four “Quilts for Kids” from my stash.   Such a good feeling…not just in helping children with cancer, but also a relief to shorten the stash even by a little.   And even better, there was a great camaraderie with my fellow quilters in doing this.    Here are some photos:

I helped at the Stitch in Public Day with my Needleartisans Group at the beginning of this month.   Several of us assisted in teaching women and children to learn cross-stitch and whatever else we could help them with.   My granddaughter, Sophia (10 years old), was an immense help as well.   I taught her to embroider, stitch, and sew last summer.   She was thrilled to be a part of our group.  (Photos can be seen at Southpaw Stitcher entry of Feb. 4th.)  I have also taken the job of treasurer for this group.   It’s not a lot of work and I truly enjoy the new friends I have met and work with each month.

I completed the dining room renovation for my daughter….her draperies are now hung.   You can’t see the draperies…but here is a photo of Sophia and her Dad in the dining room getting ready for the “Daddy/Daughter Dance.”

At home here after the holidays I worked very hard at de-junking everywhere I could (especially my studio).   Still have lots of work to do…but so satisfying.   I have lost three sizes during my illness and many of my clothes need to be packed up and taken to the resale shop.   Lots more to do.

There are no new needlework projects to show, but I have been working diligently to finish some old ones.  I am very sad that I have not done anything wonderful in the needlearts area.   One does not feel much like creating when one does not feel well.   However, my unfinished applique quilt is coming along quite nicely.   I have completed 11 blocks, am in the middle of 12…and have four more after this.   Then I will have three quilts in my possession simply waiting to be quilted.   I had BETTER GET BUSY..!!    Here are photos of the three additional blocks I have finished.

My new granddaughter, Maya, is growing quickly.   She is 7 months old already!    I miss her so much.   They were here in Chicago for a week during the holidays.   But my DS and DIL keep my inbox filled regularly with photos.   Don’t you just LOVE technology?!   Hope to see her for her birthday in Boulder, CO sometime this summer.

Well I think that is enough news for now.   Wish I had accomplished more during these past few months…alas…tomorrow’s another day.   For now I am happy to be back and will spend some time catching up on all of your blogs as soon as I can.   Thank you again for your kind notes.

Amities, Averyclaire

Amities, Averyclaire

I wanted to let you know that I will not be posting anymore and my blog will be temporarily closed.  There is not a set time for my return. This past year has not been the best for me healthwise and it has been difficult to keep up with everything.   So, it is with great sadness that I have decided to close my blog.  I will keep it as it is now and hope that one day I will be up to posting again.

However, I do plan to lurk in the shadows of your blogs see what is new in your cyberspace and celebrate with you all your beautiful accomplishments.

But for now……I will miss our little notes.  May you be truly blessed this Holiday Season.

Amities, Averyclaire

I received some lovely emails today from some dear friends all the way from France and Belgium, a lovely note from my son and his wife, some from my nieces, many from needlework and quilting friends, other long-time friends, and sisters, Barb & Bonnie, Barb even sent me a some special internet gifts. And there were lots of special phone calls too and a video message from my new 4 month old granddaughter, Maya. I am SO humbled and grateful. Thank you to each of you.

I share with you some photos of other gifts I received in addition to the beautiful Eiffel Tower scissors and books I showed you last post. The other gifts must remain anonymous! Shhhhhh…I’ll never tell….Smile.

My SIL Judy, and friend, Kay, sent me this lovely teacup bouquet to brighten my day. Thanks again, Judy and Kay.

And what a surprise when Southpaw Stitcher made this lovely pincushion for me. It really says a LOT! Thank you so much Pat…yes, friendship DOES grow.

And My friend Jodi equally surprised me when she presented me with this lovely pincushion (filled with sand) handmade by a friend of hers. This one came all the way to me from Washington state. And isn’t this a beautiful card. Thank you Jodi…how kind and thoughtful to think of me while you were away!

I still do some computer work at home for the Augustinian priests and brothers and my boss, Fr. Mike, thoughtfully, sent me this plant with lovely lavender flowers along with a promise of prayers and Mass celebrated in my honor. Thanks so much…I miss all of you.

So you see…..amidst all the “to do” that one really doesn’t want to remember that one is ANOTHER year older…..it is really nice to be remembered. I SO appreciate all of the good wishes and prayers and gifts.

And I plan to keep on celebrating my birthday all month long. After all it comes only once a year….so celebrating for one full month is certainly in order!

Gratefully, Averyclaire

I found the cutest tiny fuzzy ball trim to go around the mounted cross-stitch work.    Sorry it’s so difficult to see.

And the grandchildren just love the surprise inside!!!    And I love the orange paint!!!

My birthday is coming soon and my dear French friend, Maggy, sent me the most BEAUTIFUL pair of “Eiffel Tower” scissors!! I absolutely adore them. How did she know that I have wanted a pair of these for a LONG time? Thank you Maggy.

She also sent me two French Patchwork magazines and a watercolor book on scenes from Provence. This will keep me busy for sure.

Remember the Stumpwork workshop I attended….well I had finished the needlework itself, but now I have completed the finishing on the ornament. Don’t you just love the look of the Dupioni silk?

It was great fun doing the little spider.

And whoo hoo….I have finished the quilt top I started on retreat last weekend. Now it just needs to be quilted.

It turned out larger than I had expected…isn’t that nice!!

Hope everyone had a fun weekend and a laughter-filled Halloween Day.

Til next time, Amities, Averyclaire

Monica w lovely purse

Monica's almost fnished quilt top..great colors

Patty with her Noah's Ark quilt

Patty's "circle" blocks (Libby Lehman pattern w Ricky Tims Fabric

More of Patty's circle blocks

Patty's duck baby quilt

Kathy working on Backyard Safari quilt

Kathy's lovely purses for the grandchildren

One of Kathy's many finished projects....Beautiful for any little girl

Lisa made a beautiful purse for someone who just learned of a serious illness

Lisa's lovely quilt top finished

Theresa with a small Halloween pillow cover

Theresa's Mom hand pieced this quilt a long time ago. Theresa had it hand quilted by some Amish women.

Betty Jo and Joanna enjoying the day

Betty Jo and the cute boxer shorts she made

Batik Purse made by Betty Jo

Betty Jo sewing a labor of love (buggy barn style) for the family of someone recently passed away

Terese working on a Paris Flea Market scrap quilt

Sue and her batik quilt...she was making LOVELY borders for this one.

Connie working on her Christmas Card basket

Connie and her monkey baby quilt....what a fun piece

Kay made this lovely table runner as a gift

Kay made several of these lovely purses, two with her Dad's ties

Another purse with a tie

Kay's lovely blue version

Kay also made this lovely table topper with tiny, tiny pieces

Kay also did this lovely fish (going to be a pillow)

Andrea sure is enjoying the creativity

Andrea's Rocket ship almost done

Rosie made this lovely sports quilt for a special needs friend

Heather working on fleece pants for her son and several neck warmers

Judy's beautiful batik fish quilt

Judy's Zen quilt

Jill's homespun quilt

Jill's red and white beauty she quilted this weekend

Jill's blue and brown all finished quilting

And LAST…BUT NOT LEAST…I did finish one quilt top…my Summer Nana’s Garden quilt. I also did a star quilt, but have not taken photos….next blog I will show you.

Averyclaire's finished summer scrap quilt

Hope you enjoyed the photo show.   If you have never been on a quilt retreat or a needlework retreat…you really must go.   It is a lot of fun, very relaxing and quite inspiring.

Amities……Averyclaire

Last weekend I went with a friend of mine to a Needlework Class in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was sponsored by the Indianapolis Chapter of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America. We belong to the chapter called Needle Artisans of Northwest Indiana (NANI) that meets in Munster. Once a year they have an event called State Day in various locations around the State. Last year it was sponsored by our Chapter here in Munster.

This year’s class was a lesson in “Stumpwork”…it is a style of embroidery where the stitched figures are raised from the surface of the work to form a 3-dimensional effect. It was a very beginner class, as I had never done anything like this. After one prepares the foundation by layering pieces of felt, the finished bird (or whatever you are doing) is painted with one strand of embroidery floss (needlepainting) in various colors. I very much enjoyed the process. Here is my cardinal which I finished embroidering Sunday after the class. I plan to turn this into a Christmas ornament. The finished ornament will measure only 2.5 x 3.5…so it is a VERY small cardinal.

The designer and teacher was Marsha Papay-Gomola. She is an excellent teacher and taught a fun class.   She has a website here.    Her class was delightful and I would encourage anyone interested in learning something new, to check into her classes.   I did take photos of some of her samples she brought to the class, including the step-by-step proces for our cardinal.    I think her work is magnificent.

She even showed us a sample of leaves for us to have ideas in how to make a choice in finishing our cardinals.

It was one of the really FUN weekends.     Southpaw Stitcher has many more photos on her website, so please check them out if you have not done so already.    She is a GREAT traveling companion with a super sense of humor.    We even did our own shop hop on the way down visiting Persnickety Stitchers in Zionsville and Needle Fever  in Indianapolis, and even stopped at a quilt shop nearby, Quilts Plus.

Home Dec Project

Last post I mentioned that I was working on a home dec project for my daughter for her dining room. Here are a couple of photos of what I have finished: Six antique dining room chairs were recovered. Three cushions for the window seat with zippered custom covers, six large pillows with zippered covers, one hand embroidered pillow for the center of the window seat. I made this black velvet pillow out of leftover velvet from a dress I made her MANY years ago for a dance. Thought it would be good memories…then I cross-stitched a deisgn with a monogram with their last initial.

Still have to make the draperies and the table and buffet runners.    So it’s not done yet……the story of my life!!!

Halloween Cross-Stitch

I have been diligently working on a Halloween Fairy (Nora Corbett) cross-stitch. It is from one of the cross-stitching magazines from a year or two ago, I can’t remember which one.  A friend of mine stitched it and graciously donated her leftover threads and beads to me. I couldn’t resist doing this one for Halloween. I hope it will be done (even if it doesn’t get framed on time).   Unfortuantely, I still have a ways to go.   I have been really slow on this one.

Am I Lucky or What???

And last, but not least, I went to a neighboring quilt group meeting, Pieces and Patches. They had a very entertaining speaker that evening, Amy Walsh. She and Janine Burke have been publishing patterns under the company name, Blue Underground Studios, since 2005. The patterns are more modern than my usual choices, but they are absolutely lovely.   And lucky me, I won their favorite pattern, “In and Out.”  I can’t wait to try it.   They tell us that their patterns are easy and quick to make and great choices for using up your stash of fabric.

And from Inspired Needle Blog, I won a lovely patriotic needlework pattern.   Please visit her website as well as the blog.   I will save this one to work on for next summer!

 Hope you have enjoyed my photos……….until next time……………Amities,  Averyclaire

Another blog that has been around since the beginning of the year, also delightful with a great sense of humor, is Southpaw Stitcher. I have not posted regularly for quite some time now and have neglected to mention this one as one of my favorites. So check it out. She is an expert needleworker and a new quilter (doing quite well I might say).  Please visit her blog as well.

I have been extremely busy with home dec creations for my daughter’s dining room, so I will post more creative things with photos later.

Thanks for continually visiting my blog space.

Amities, Averyclaire