Gourds

Gourd identification charts

 I am trying to recruit GCSA members to submit painted gourds for our Flower Show in April.

January 5, 2014

March 29:
I just discovered that I never posted this in January so here it is. (It is never too late to list all the tasks I plan to complete--well, perhaps someday it will be too late but until them I will just keep procrastinating.)
NOTE: I did complete one of the tasks listed.  It is only the end of March after all. That means 9 months to go. And we all know what happens at the end of 9 months. HARD LABOR.


So, from January 5:
I post so seldom in this blog that I always have to look up how to do it. It seems that there should be an icon for posting somewhere on the blog page but I never find it. Or perhaps I should post more often so that I remember how it is to be done. One of my Yahoo groups is for the Women of the Bible quilt. It will be starting up again on January 19. Every year since I joined, I vow that this will be the year that I actually do the study and the blocks. This year, a visual aide was posted in the form of a blog from  True Blue Quilters, and it has inspired me to restart this blog and perhaps report on my progress on my many, many, many unfinished projects. The best way for me to start is to list those projects so that is what I plan to do today. Of course, Husband Dearest (also known as "The Big Dog," but only by our tiny toy poodle), would prefer it if I were outside helping him pull weeds, so this writing compulsion is just another form of procrastination. And procrastination is my true vocation.

Writing Projects

1. Finish writing the story of Sarah, my 6X great-grandmother on my father's side and my 7X great-aunt on my mother's side, who was taken captive in the Deerfield Massacre in 1702.

Quilting Projects

1. Finish the applique Christmas quilt that my grandmother gave me 25 years ago.
2. Finish last year's challenge quilt.
3. Finish son's king-sized flannel quilt.
4. Finish the comfort quilts in my sewing room that need quilting and binding.
5. Finish the log cabin Christmas quilt and the snowman wall hanging kit.
6. Finish the Row by Row shophop quilt started last summer.

Spinning Projects

1. Spin the red and white wool into a candy cane striped yarn.  DONE! DONE! DONE!
2. Finish spinning the peas and carrots wool.
3. Ply the Shetland homespun singles into yarn for weaving.
4. Spin the  BFL I bought last year.
5. Comb the black Shetland fleece.

Knitting Projects

1. Finish the green poly blend sweater.
2. Finish the green and blue shawl.

Weaving Projects

1. Finish a small woven bag.
2. Finish the circle weaving bag.
3. Finish the green and red placemat on the rigid heddle loom.

Sewing projects

1. Make the valance to match the table runner Sue gave me.
2. Finish a knitting bag.
3. Mend/alter clothes in sewing room.
4. Embroider the felted wool table mat started this fall.
5. Sew some more cathedral window blocks.

Of course, while doing all this "finishing," I will also start some new projects so that the UFOs will never be done. The planned new projects include:

1. Start the fall Bunny Hill Designs applique quilt using the pattern I won last summer.
2. Start a new Christmas quilt.
3. Knit some alpaca slippers.
4. Knit a lace shawl. Weave a table runner from the gold and green thread.
5. Weave a shawl from the homespun Shetland.
6. Make a skirt for the British Period with the blue striped linen I bought 2 years ago.
7. Make a new bodice for the Early Spanish Colonial Period.

I will post some photos as I take up each of these UFOs and new projects.

Whew! Too much to think about. I think I will go take a nap before I get started.

We had a great day at the St. Augustine Spin-In today. We had spinners, weavers, knitters, felters and even a tatter join us for a fun day at the St. Augustine Visitors Information Center (VIC). Members of the Textile Arts Guild of St. Augustine participated in period clothing (this year the periods varied from 16th century through the 21st century) and fiber aficionadas came from Jacksonville, Orlando, Middleburg, and further.


Some of us also took advantage of the opportunity to tour the VIC’s exceptionally informative and compelling exhibit on the history of African-Americans and the Civil Rights movement in St. Augustine. This exhibit will continue in the VIC until July. It is worth the trip to see it.


Mark your calendars for next year. The Spin-In is traditionally held the last Saturday in March. Next year will be extra-special as we will also be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Textile Arts Guild and the 450th anniversary of the founding of St. Augustine, the oldest continuing European settlement in our nation.

October 17, 2013

I am finally getting around to posting some of my spinning from this year's Tour de Fleece on Ravelry. I am only showing my spindle work as I didn't make much progress at all on my Lendrum DT wheel. The best result this year though was being chosen as a prize winner by Trindleman. I will soon receive a new Trindle that he generously donated to the cause. What a great prize!

These are some of the quilts made by members of the St. Augustine Piecemakers Guild to donate to a local service for victims of domestic violence. Don't our members do great work?

This is what I have spun so far (Day 18) in the TDF 2012.

This is my Tour de Fleece spindling up until today.