Today was the day that the blueberry place mats finally were sent off to Mainely Quilts up in Kennebunk Maine - all 8 of them! I have just enough of the blueberry fabric with the black back ground leftover to make one more apron and then not only am I out of it but also Mainely Quilts, who had several bolts of it but sadly, no more! Four of the pads have the blueberry fabric as the 2 center squares and the border with a light sage green and then 4 different fabrics for the border triangles. Since I was using up scrapes, I actually cut out and sewed triangles rather than the usual way I make a Seminole border by attaching a square 1/4" larger than the other squares and then trimming them to triangles. The other 4 placemats have all different fabrics for the center square and then I repeated that fabric in the border.
For those who read my blog on a regular basis you already know that one of my favorite topics is using up scraps. I started making Seminole border placemats this year with a blueberry theme for a shop up in Maine that sells my work. I made 4 perfectly matched placemats and when I was in their shop recently, I noticed that they had sold one, leaving behind 3. The owner, John said that customers were asking "where's the 4th one? Could I please make a 4th?" He would then sell them as a set of 4.. Oh, oh I had used scraps and had used up ALL the blue fabric on those 4 mats and since this blue fabric had been kicking around awhile, there was no way to find this fabric for sale again so I told John I would make two matching pads that would look good with the ones he had in inventory and then be could put the two new ones with the old ones and sell them as a set of 4 leaving him with just one odd man out.
A good time was had by all at the reception on Saturday for the month long fiber show, "Fiber is Good For You." at the Shelburne Arts Co-op. I am pleased to report that several people that I invited from the North Quabbin area made the 45 plus minute drive to attend! The fiber show has a wonderful variety of different types of fiber art from my quilted wall hangings to fabulous patchwork silk vests and scarves, hand woven rugs, hand knitted items and wonderful embroidery and needle work just to mention a few. There was a nice steady flow of people in and out of the Arts Co-op who seemed to not only enjoy the show but also meeting the artists.
Could not let this day pass without registering that it was one year ago today that I started this web site. So...here I am one year later so guess it is time to take a little stock. Right before I launched the site, my business changed names from Creative Endeavors to New England Fiber Arts. Last year at this time my work was in 5 retail stores...I am currently in 3. One went out of business and the other I pulled out of since my consignment check was not showing up in a timely manner. Due to the lack of retail outlets, I made the decision to do a local OUTDOOR show this year, in October. I have purchased one of those pop-up canopies in anticipation and am scrambling around looking for display items for the 10 X 10 booth. Also this year, I learned how to make coiled fabric bowls and hope they are now for sale of my site.
Made a tri-colored apron yesterday and then a bunch of hot pads today. 2 of the hot pads match the wine themed apron "Cheers" and two match the apron I made yesterday. The fabric has a very sophisticated look to it, almost formal so I combined it with a darker tone on tone olive green. The flip side is where the fun came it...there is this wonderful orchid color in the the print so why not do with that color? There is also a very deep purple in the main print so that came in on the matching hot pads. For the wine themed hot pads I really wanted to show off the lovely design of the wine fabric so I chose the white grade fabric and teamed it up with the wine colored print for the stripes and the center 9 patch which left 4 good sized squares for the 4 corners. The block is called squares and stripes.
On the spur of the moment (late Friday afternoon) we decided to take a trip up to Maine overnight and sleep in air conditioned comfort. The other reason for the trip was to try to scout out a new location that might want to carry my work. First order of business was to find a place to stay. Looking on the coast was going to be a fool's errand so I looked up in the Sebago Lake area. Found what looked to be an interesting place in the lovely village of Naples, ME. We had vacationed in the Sebago Lakes area 3 years ago and had stopped for a beer at one of the local pubs and remembered Naples as being a very lovely village. I found a B & B that looked to be interesting and called and lo & behold...luck was with me, they had a room AND air conditioning so I booked a room (which ended up being the Mea West room) at The Inn on Long Lake http://www.innatlonglake.com/. We headed for the border BRIGHT AND EARLY Saturday morning.
First I must apologize for the lack of blog entries. I was on retreat June 22-30th. Reentry was a bit bumpy along with lots of errands to take care of. It is those hazy, crazy days of summer and we are in the midst of those triple H's days - where sticky is an understatement. Now that I have justified my lack of industry.....I did manage to get an apron done yesterday before I went to a 4th of July party at Walt and Nanji's house. I am not sure what the population is in Royalston, where my friends live but it is probably similar to where I live in New Salem. My DH took a photo of a sign we spied in town common on our way home. Just wanted to let people know we have culture in spite of the size of out towns in the North Quabbin area.
Since we are going to be on retreat next week it was necessary for me to get EVERYTHING ready for the fiber arts show that is going up at the Shelburne Arts Co-op on July 2nd, The questionable name of the show is "Fiber is good for you". I am sincerely hoping folks realize it isn't about Metamucil
The Christmas tree finally came down yesterday since it was pretty much dried out. It gets set up out on the 3 season room which is separated from the rest of the house by sliders. This is necessary since both my husband and I are allergic to balsam. While it was still in the tree stand, I trimmed off the branches. Now I will start processing it so it can be used in pillows and sachets. A small amount of heat is necessary to be able to easily strip the needles off so I have loaded some on the branches into the insulted box that has a 200 watt light bulb in it that my husband made me just for this purpose. I call it the balsam safe since it is about the same size as a small floor safe.
It is rather difficult to get motivated to stay inside and sew in the Summer. The warm breezes and lazy hazy days do not lend themselves to being inside. I know that technically it isn't Summer yet but since it is rainy weather today and working outside is not an option, it seemed like a good time to make a few more balsam pillows. When Laurel Burch's collection"Celestial Dreams" was released, I bought a yard of it and it has been sitting in my stash ever since. Thinking that it would make a nice addition to the Shelburne Arts Cooperative's Fiber Arts show in July, I designed and FINISHED 3 balsam pillows today using the fabric.
Click here to see us on Facebook 
Follow Me on Pinterest
Today was the day that the blueberry place mats finally were sent off to Mainely Quilts up in Kennebunk Maine - all 8 of them! I have just enough of the blueberry fabric with the black back ground leftover to make one more apron and then not only am I out of it but also Mainely Quilts, who had several bolts of it but sadly, no more! Four of the pads have the blueberry fabric as the 2 center squares and the border with a light sage green and then 4 different fabrics for the border triangles. Since I was using up scrapes, I actually cut out and sewed triangles rather than the usual way I make a Seminole border by attaching a square 1/4" larger than the other squares and then trimming them to triangles. The other 4 placemats have all different fabrics for the center square and then I repeated that fabric in the border. 
For those who read my blog on a regular basis you already know that one of my favorite topics is using up scraps. I started making Seminole border placemats this year with a blueberry theme for a shop up in Maine that sells my work. I made 4 perfectly matched placemats and when I was in their shop recently, I noticed that they had sold one, leaving behind 3. The owner, John said that customers were asking "where's the 4th one? Could I please make a 4th?" He would then sell them as a set of 4.. Oh, oh I had used scraps and had used up ALL the blue fabric on those 4 mats and since this blue fabric had been kicking around awhile, there was no way to find this fabric for sale again so I told John I would make two matching pads that would look good with the ones he had in inventory and then be could put the two new ones with the old ones and sell them as a set of 4 leaving him with just one odd man out.
A good time was had by all at the reception on Saturday for the month long fiber show, "Fiber is Good For You." at the Shelburne Arts Co-op. I am pleased to report that several people that I invited from the North Quabbin area made the 45 plus minute drive to attend! The fiber show has a wonderful variety of different types of fiber art from my quilted wall hangings to fabulous patchwork silk vests and scarves, hand woven rugs, hand knitted items and wonderful embroidery and needle work just to mention a few. There was a nice steady flow of people in and out of the Arts Co-op who seemed to not only enjoy the show but also meeting the artists. 
Could not let this day pass without registering that it was one year ago today that I started this web site. So...here I am one year later so guess it is time to take a little stock. Right before I launched the site, my business changed names from Creative Endeavors to New England Fiber Arts. Last year at this time my work was in 5 retail stores...I am currently in 3. One went out of business and the other I pulled out of since my consignment check was not showing up in a timely manner. Due to the lack of retail outlets, I made the decision to do a local OUTDOOR show this year, in October. I have purchased one of those pop-up canopies in anticipation and am scrambling around looking for display items for the 10 X 10 booth. Also this year, I learned how to make coiled fabric bowls and hope they are now for sale of my site. .jpg)
Made a tri-colored apron yesterday and then a bunch of hot pads today. .jpg)
2 of the hot pads match the wine themed apron "Cheers" and two match the apron I made yesterday. The fabric has a very sophisticated look to it, almost formal so I combined it with a darker tone on tone olive green. The flip side is where the fun came it...there is this wonderful orchid color in the the print so why not do with that color? There is also a very deep purple in the main print so that came in on the matching hot pads. For the wine themed hot pads I really wanted to show off the lovely design of the wine fabric so I chose the white grade fabric and teamed it up with the wine colored print for the stripes and the center 9 patch which left 4 good sized squares for the 4 corners. The block is called squares and stripes.
On the spur of the moment (late Friday afternoon) we decided to take a trip up to Maine 
overnight and sleep in air conditioned comfort. The other reason for the trip was to try to scout out a new location that might want to carry my work. First order of business was to find a place to stay. Looking on the coast was going to be a fool's errand so I looked up in the Sebago Lake area. Found what looked to be an interesting place in the lovely village of Naples, ME. We had vacationed in the Sebago Lakes area 3 years ago and had stopped for a beer at one of the local pubs and remembered Naples as being a very lovely village. I found a B & B that looked to be interesting and called and lo & behold...luck was with me, they had a room AND air conditioning so I booked a room (which ended up being the Mea West room) at The Inn on Long Lake 
First I must apologize for the lack of blog
entries. I was on retreat June 22-30th. Reentry was a bit bumpy along with lots of errands to take care of. It is those hazy, crazy days of summer and we are in the midst of those triple H's days - where sticky is an understatement. Now that I have justified my lack of industry.....I did manage to get an apron done yesterday before I went to a 4th of July party at Walt and Nanji's house. I am not sure what the population is in Royalston, where my friends live but it is probably similar to where I live in New Salem. My DH took a photo of a sign we spied in town common on our way home. Just wanted to let people know we have culture in spite of the size of out towns in the North Quabbin area.
Since we are going to be on retreat next week it was necessary for me to get EVERYTHING ready for the fiber arts show that is going up at the Shelburne Arts Co-op on July 2nd, The questionable name of the show is "Fiber is good for you". I am sincerely hoping folks realize it isn't about Metamucil
The Christmas tree finally came down
yesterday since it was pretty much dried out. It gets set up out on the 3 season room which is separated from the rest of the house by sliders. This is necessary since both my husband and I are allergic to balsam. While it was still in the tree stand, I trimmed off the branches. Now I will start processing it so it can be used in pillows and sachets. A small amount of heat is necessary to be able to easily strip the needles off so I have loaded some on the branches into the insulted box that has a 200 watt light bulb in it that my husband made me just for this purpose. I call it the balsam safe since it is about the same size as a small floor safe. .jpg)
It is rather difficult to get motivated to stay inside and sew in the Summer. The warm breezes and lazy hazy days do not lend themselves to being inside. I know that technically it isn't Summer yet but since it is rainy weather today and working outside is not an option, it seemed like a good time to make a few more balsam pillows. When Laurel Burch's collection"Celestial Dreams" was released, I bought a yard of it and it has been sitting in my stash ever since. Thinking that it would make a nice addition to the Shelburne Arts Cooperative's Fiber Arts show in July, I designed and FINISHED 3 balsam pillows today using the fabric.