Lynn Carson Harris

Fall Focus

My goal this week is to focus and make significant progress on my current sewing projects.

I need to clear the decks for some projects that have been in my head for a while. 

I have been thinking about where I want to go with my quilting and have realized that I enjoy my creative process more when the design and fabric choice is completely mine.  I want to get back to that type of quilting. There is a limited amount of time available for sewing and I want to fill it with the kind of sewing that I love. 

In addition to making quilts and longarm quilting for others, I will be doing more teaching. I have a few new classes in the works and will be making some sample quilts for those techniques.

I am excited to give my business some focus and a new direction.

 

Scrappy Happy Bee Blocks

I may have mentioned that I joined another online bee this year. I love this talented group of women. We agreed at the beginning that this would be a low stress swap and that we wouldn't be upset or grumble if anyone was a month, or three, or four late with our blocks. It's a good thing because I don't think any of us have stayed on schedule. I spent some time this week catching up on my blocks.

This Feather Bed Quilt pattern became an instant favorite of mine when Anna Maria Horner first posted it. I put it on my mental list of quilts I'd like to try but had never gotten around to trying it and was thrilled when one of my bee mates chose it for her month. It was easy to adjust the pattern so that I could use scraps. 

This is going to be an AMAZING quilt and I may have to make a whole scrappy feather quilt for myself! . 

The Linton block was another I could make from my scraps. You know I love sewing little triangles. 

I can't wait to see the deliciously scrappy quilt these will become!

I always have fun playing with my scraps and now I'm ALMOST caught up on the bee blocks!

 

Picnic Quilt

I thought I'd share this fun picnic quilt I quilted for a client this week. I love the mix of straight lines and curves. I think the quilting enhances that "lava lamp" feel of the quilt. 

Even though it's almost October the weather is making me want to have some picnics on a quilt like this. Actually, I suggested a picnic for dinner tonight and Miss P said it was TOO HOT for a picnic. 

We really have been having some gorgeous weather this week and I hope to get out to enjoy more of it tomorrow. I'm feeling too lazy to do much in the way of yard work but maybe I'll do some knitting outside. I do have a couple pair of socks in the works.

Postage Stamp Quilt

As a longtime attendee of Gwen Marston's Beaver Island retreat, I was excited to attend the first annual Holly Girls Quilt Retreat last week.  Pat Holly and Sue Nickels continued the retreat on the heels of Gwen's retirement.  They planned a theme of "machine quilting" and I was glad to practice free motion skills in a small scale on the old Bernina 1230.  Pat and Sue brought a large collection of antique quilts along with quilts they had made and we all learned a lot about quilting design from them and each other.  Next year the retreat will focus on applique border design.  I've already reserved my spot for next year- sign up and I'll see you there!

Between free motion practice sessions I worked on piecing this postage stamp quilt.

A few weeks ago miss P and I cut some mini charm packs and a lot of scraps into 2 inch squares. It was nice to have a "quilt kit" ready to piece at reatreat.

The piecing process for this quilt was easy. First I made four patches from all of the scraps. Then, I pieced those into sixteen patches. I sewed the sixteen patch blocks together in rows to finish the quilt. I was able to rotate the fourpatches so that all of the seams nest throughout the quilt. 

I am smitten by the finished quilt. It is so cheery and reminds me of this favorite quilt made by B's grandmother.

I am eager to use my new quilting skills and ideas but I think this quilt needs some straight line quilting.

Finished size 48" by 60"

 

Sweetheart Socks - take two

You guys! Adele and I finished another pair of socks! It took me two years to knit the first sock and Adele was lightening fast knitting up the mate.

We knit our first pair of these back in 2011. I loved the first pair so much that I needed to have another. I think I can safely say, however, that both Adele and I have had enough of this pattern for a while. All of the cable crossings are rather tedious on this thin yarn. The results are fabulous though.

The pattern is Sweetheart Socks by Chrissy Gardener in Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2007. We used size 0 needles and Stroll heather by Knit Picks. The color is sprinkle heather. 

Details on my ravelry page.

Adele has chosen a quicker pattern for us to knit next.

I'm linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts.

End of Summer

Here we are at the close of the final weekend of summer vacation. 

Autumns approach is in the air and the first leaves are beginning to fall. 

It is always bittersweet time for me. I am glad that the kids are in school and have that structure. They love the extra activities and to spend more time with their friends while I miss the extra family time that summer allows. The sweet part is that I'll soon have more tim e to myself and be able to accomplish a lot of sewing!

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful weekend.