Great Giveaway

I am so excited to be a small part of Handmade Christmas Cheer by Pat Wys.  When Pat started writing this book, she knew that she wanted to include several wool projects and wanted me to supply the wool!!!  I couldn't believe it.  What an opportunity, I was soooooo excited.  I was even more excited  a few weeks ago to see a copy of the book.  Every project in the book is absolutely over the top.  If you are going to purchase a new Christmas book this year, this is definitely the one to buy.  I received a copy of the book from Pat's publisher, Martingale, to use in a giveaway.  So here goes.  To win a copy of Handmade Christmas Cheer and a bundle of 4 fat quarters, one each in red, green, blue and white.  Perfect for any Christmas project.  For an opportunity to win, go over to Pig in a Blanket Wools  and leave a comment about your favorite type of handwork, wool applique, applique, stitchery or something else. The winner will be announced on Sunday.  Good luck.

My first time as a Vendor

Pig in a Blanket Little Woolie Bundles

Scrap bags will be a show special, reg. $15.00, special for $10.00

Wish  me luck this weekend with my first show.  I will be at the Stars 'N' Stitches Quilt Show this weekend.  I am both excited and nervous!!!  If you live in the Atlanta area check it out.  I will have lots and lots of my hand dyed wool, some patterns, needles, steam a seam lite, kits, and lots of other goodies.

I put the binding on this last night.  It is a pattern and kit that I will have at the show.

I am a follower of Lisa Bongean and a firm believer in Lite Steam-A-Seam 2.  This product is just now back on the market and I will have it available to sell.

I also will have Pocket Full of Posies patterns and kits.  This makes a great sewing bag, or little bag for goodies.

Oops, forgot to announce the winner

I apologize for not announcing the winner of my wool giveaway on Saturday.  All of this snow and bad weather has just messed with my mind.  I enjoyed reading about everyone's favorite kind of handwork.  The winner of the wool and pattern is Michelle T.  Michelle email me your mailing address and I will get it in the  mail to you.  Thanks to everyone who replied.  Watch for more wool news soon.

Slowly back in the groove

 Wow, this has been a really busy week.  My DH had back surgery on Wednesday, everything went well.  He went into the surgery thinking that he would have to have a fusion, thankfully he didn't have to have a fusion.  Overall he is doing well.  I took three days off to help him out, and he really hasn't needed that much help which meant that I could get a few things done that I wanted to.  I did some wool dyeing.  Love the reds that I came up with.  I also had time to get  my etsy shop up and running, I only have a couple of items on it, but check it out, Pig in a Blanket Wools.

Also did some mustards, or golds.  Love the plaid one!!

I have also started working on a penny rug, this is my first penny rug.  I was inspired by seeing the one that Sarah was making last week at Thimbles and I thought I can do that.  I have plenty of little wool pieces and I really like doing this.  I think I might make some coasters like this later.  I really just like putting all of the wool together and seeing what color combinations I can come up with.  This is a Primitive Gatherings pattern, don't remember the name of it but you could find it on their website. 

Pigs on Parade

After dyeing wool for the last few weeks, I decided that I really should make somethhing out of it.  I decided on a pincushion.  Since I love pigs it was a no brainer, a pig pincushion.  I think they turned out pretty good.  I am keeping the yellow and pink one, the purple and pink one is for a friend who likes purple.  The next one I make I think will be "when pigs fly" all I have to do is add a pair of wings.  Wish me luck. 

More wool dyeing

 

My friend Becky gave me a great looking plaid skirt on Friday that I couldn't wait to cut up and dye.  Saturday morning I got up when DH left to go deer hunting at 4:30 and started dyeing some fabric, including the great looking plaid.  Unfortunately my camera battery was dead, so I didn't get to take photos of most of the fabric I worked on and good for  me I sold everything that I dyed that moring later that day!!! Yeah me!  I dyed some blues, golds, and light boysenberry. (this is for spring)

Love the way the plaid turned out.  Can't wait to dye more.  Now I need to start some wool projects.

Seeing Red

I am really getting into dyeing wool it is so much fun!!!  I have dyed several different colors but I think these are some of my best and of course they are red.  I have solid red and five different textures.  Can't wait to  start a holiday project with some of these. 

New Project

New Project???  Like a I really need one.  I haven't been doing much sewing recently for lots of reasons, work, visiting my mom, having my MIL visit me, sinus infection, and my new project.  A couple of months ago, I decided that dyeing wool would probably be a lot of fun.  Big Mistake, it is too much fun.  I started out  buying skirts at the Salvation Army, I always go on Wednesday since that is 1/2 price day for clothes.  It is amazing the wool skirts I have found, one skirt had over a yard in one piece, all you have to do is be willing to cut them apart and felt them.  Then I decided to branch out and actually buy a piece of off white wool at JoAnn's with a coupon. 

My next stop was Big Lots to buy some canning jars, yes canning jars.  ( The first batch I dyed was with Koolaide, I have now moved on to "real dye".  When you use the canning jars you are able to dye a range of colors. 

I felt like a mad scientist.  I had already dyed some yellows with Koolaide, but wanted to try real dye.  I really like the way they turned out.  The only thing I will do differently with the next batch is try to make the colors vary a little more.  Some of the yellows were very similar.  I am getting so into this that I am setting up my own etsy shop.  Watch for more details. 

Salvation Army shopping

A couple of weeks ago I wandered into the Salvation Army store down the street from the school where I work.  I had never been in there, for no other reason that I had simply not taken the time to go in.  It was a Wednesday afternoon, and lucky for me, it was 1/2 price clothing day.  I bought 4 wool skirts to use for wool applique. 

I took them room, cut them apart and felted them.  Three of the skirts came out really nice, one just ok.  (the red plaid one didn't do too well).  I am so excited over the way they turned out.  Now I just need to find a wool applique project to use them in. If anyone has a great suggestion for a cute fall applique pattern that uses wool I would love to hear about it.    I am also thinking about dyeing some of the wool. Can't wait to see how that would turn out.

Treat jar

My version of the treat jar from the Fall-o-ween blog shop hop last week.  This was my first project using wool and I really enjoyed it.    I guess this  means that I now need to have a wool stash!  Oh, my!!  I filled the jar with candy corn and peanuts and brought it in to school for the office staff.