Camp Loopy

Posted By drsao on July 9, 2011

I have been at CAMP LOOPY for the past few weeks! YES FOR REAL. ME …. at CAMP LOOPY! It is a VIRTUAL CAMP (no snakes, mosquitoes or moths) but a camp nonetheless!

The first assignment for phase one of Camp Loopy was to be a knitted shawl, cape or scarf using two different colors. It was to be finished, blocked, and submitted to The Loopy Ewe by July 15……I don’t think that I will send my photograph there because I didn’t buy my yarn at the LOOPY EWE…..also my scarf isn’t totally knitted. It is MOSTLY knitted but the EDGE is crocheted. I think THEORETICALLY that my scarf would be disallowed by the CAMP LOOPY FOLKS. But, oh well, I had fun pretending to be at CAMP and I learned some new things (like using waste yarn to add knitting to the opposite of your work!)

OK – so I will share my project with you all.

TA DA….here is my ruffle scarf in knitted – in two colors….cotton candy pink and soft yellow.

sao's CAMP LOOPY Ruffle Scarf

Like I mentioned, this first project wasn’t really due until July 15 – but since I am going to be in Kansas City, MO during that time, I needed to be finished early ……… and I just finished and graduated from PHASE 1 of Camp Loopy tonight. I am so happy to be finished and it wasn’t an easy task because my CATS insisted on helping (you know how cats love yarn – and especially yarn that moves!!!!)

My Camp Loopy Ruffle Scarf found a model…..

Grandangel Leanna likes the ruffle scarf

And the scarf now has a home…..LOL!

Grandangel Leanna looks so cozy

I think that I might have to be a CAMP LOOPY drop out – I nearly fainted when I read the project for Phase 2…….mittens or socks with a cable stitch included. GROAN…..we ALL KNOW how I have struggled just to make ONE PLAIN knitted sock WITHOUT A CABLE!!! But I love a challenge – so who knows……it COULD HAPPEN!!!

Category: Knitting, Ruffle Scarf | 3 Comments »
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Another SEW SEW DAY July 7, 2011!

Posted By drsao on July 8, 2011

What a lot of fun……a whole day of creativity and sewing!! A SEW SEW DAY IN POWHATAN WITH CATHERINE.

I finished another mini-quilt which I named “ENJOY YOURSELF.” The little stamp on the front says “enjoy yourself, it is later than you think.” I made this top during a VCQ class on EMBELLISHMENT taught by Catherine. It sure was fun and I am happy with my mini-quilt!

sao's MINI QUIT - ENJOY YOURSELF

Here is the back…….thanks to encouragement by Sara, I am now putting labels on most of my quilts!

Back of ENJOY YOURSELF

You can’t see it very well becaues it is black – but at the top are two 3 1/2″ squares folded into a triangle and sewn into the binding…..so this can be hung on a plastic photgraph display frame – or you can put a wooden dowel into the triangle tabs and hang it on the wall.

Catherine GLAMMED UP

Catherine was glammed up for the day! I loved her necklace – such artistry (of course she made it!) I took a close up picture…..love the back closure!

I finished my JB TAKES A WIFE #1 Binding……and that made me happy. I thought about dancing on the table to celebrate – but decided a better idea would be just to stand on a chair for a picture!

JB Takes a Wife #1

If you are new to my blog I will tell you that this is a modification of Bonnie Hunter’s design “Jarad Takes A Wife.” The pattern is free at www.quiltville.com. Bonnie put sashing and cornerstones in hers but I decided that I liked the look for mine without it. This quilt is MEANINGFUL because it includes plaids from both of my parents’ shirts.

Here is the back.

Back of JB TAKES A WIFE #1

Catherine got a lot done!

Catherine was very productive too and you can see how happy she is that she got a lot done!

I love our SEW SEW DAYS! Quilting can help your health! (Read my previous post! LOL)

Category: Enjoy Yourself, JB TAKES A WIFE #1, Quilt Retreat, Quilts Finished in 2011, Sew Sew Days July 2011 | 1 Comment »
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Quilting is good for you

Posted By drsao on July 8, 2011

Doing something that is creative, fun,

and social is GOOD FOR YOU!

Making a Peach Upside Down Cake is fun and social!

In fact, when I was doing research a few years ago, over and over again we found that social support was one of the NUMBER ONE PREDICTORS of life satisfaction and well-being in older adulthood. A few other predictors of good assessment of well-being were creativity, a sense of humor, and spirituality!

Grandangel Sarah waiting to swim

Exercise *AND CHEERING* are good for you too!

OK – so I sew with friends…..CHECK…..I am on the road to great health!

Creativity with Friends is GOOD FOR YOU

…..I have fun with grandangels……CHECK…….great recipe for health.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO BE CREATIVE AND SOCIAL TO HAVE FUN AND BE HEALTHY?!

I thought you would enjoy this article….you can click on the link below to read the entire thing!

AND KEEP ON QUILTING – and KEEP ON HAVING FUN!

This Patriotic Dandelion Parade Quilt was fun to make – and I am MUCH MORE HEALTHY NOW!

sao's Patriotic Dandelion Quilt

Thanks to Judy Laquidara of www.patchworktimes.com for this great Dandelion Parade pattern. Isn’t Judy a great designer?

Why quilting improves your health in ways even exercise can’t manage

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 10:36 AM on 13th June 2011

As devotees of a quiet and contemplative pastime, they would be the last to make a fuss about it.

But quilters, it seems, have every right to celebrate their craft after researchers found that it is ‘uniquely’ good for you.

A study found quilting improved well-being in ways that physical and outdoor activities could not, and offered a creativity that had been ‘stifled’ in the modern world.

Uniquely good: The study found the activity helped cognitive, creative and emotional well-being, particularly among older people

The University of Glasgow team concluded that all hobbies – ‘from reading to train spotting’ – should be looked at for their mental and physical benefits.

They interviewed quilters and found the activity helped their cognitive, creative and emotional well-being, particularly among older people.

The use of bright colours was ‘uplifting’, the activity distracted from the stress of work, and quilting offered challenges such as maths and geometry. It also increased confidence and had an important social side.

Professor Jacqueline Atkinson, co-author of the study and a quilter herself for five decades, said: ‘Doing something that engages you and that you enjoy is key. As adults, we don’t often do enough that includes fun and play.

Category: Life Comments, Patriotic Dandelion Parade, Quilting Makes Us Healthy, Quilts in Progress, SAO's Grandangels | 2 Comments »
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What’s on my Design Wall, July 4, 2011

Posted By drsao on July 4, 2011

FIRST – HAPPY 4th of July, 2011!

We just got home from the parade – it was WONDERFUL! Abe Lincoln was in the parade…..:)

Abe Lincoln

Grandangel Sarah was in the parade with her swim team….and that is my SIL shooting a water gun at us!

Grandangel Sarah and SIL

Kenzie and Leanna

We had so much fun decorating ourselves…..love Grandangel Leanna’s hat and beautiful hair!

OK – so the parade and the picnic are over – on to my DESIGN FLOOR for a few hours before the fireworks celebration begins.

ON MY DESIGN FLOOR THIS WEEK….is TA DA…..the last border of my PATRIOTIC DANDELION PARADE! It will be red scrappy fabric.

ALL BUT LAST BORDER

……also on my design floor is CLUE 2 of the Fabricaholics Summer Mystery *designed by Marge Gordon.

Clue 2 Summer Mystery

Category: 4th of July 11, Design Wall, Life Comments, Patriotic Dandelion Parade, Quilts in Progress, SAO's Grandangels, Summer Mystery 2011 | 3 Comments »
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Patchwork Times UFO Challenge for June 2011

Posted By drsao on July 1, 2011

It is that time – the posting of our PATCHWORK TIMES UFO for June. Judy Laquidara of Patchwork times chose #8 on our list for us to finish in June. That was my GRANDMOTHER’S FLOWER GARDEN QUILT and I am happy to say that I finished that early this year.

I will show you a picture even though I have posted it before – have to play the UFO GAME!

Since I have already posted a picture, today I am showing a CLOSE UP of the binding…….! Sara Parrish did the quilting and you can see that she sewed a little star in each hexagon in the white path……fantastic quilting!

If you go to www.patchworktimes.com you can see what UFO’s other quilters around the country finished for June 2011.

The binding.....

Since I had already finished my #8 UFO when it was announced I worked on a NEW QUILT….

Judy Laquidara’s DANDELION GARDEN. Mine is a quilt of valor so I am using red, white and blue…..so here is my progress on my UFO SUBSTITUTE! I named it PATRIOTIC DANDELION PARADE!