Please share what you are working on

[Marsha Cassada]

I can't supply pictures since I already gave her the runners but if I get a chance over the holidays and am at her house when she is actually using them I will take a picture of her table and share it here.

I am considering getting some sheep and would like to factor in the type of fleece they grow when I am shopping. I would like to actually have the wool be useful rather than just something that must be clipped off and disposed of (I would use some myself but really not enough to not end up with lots of unused wool) . Around here no one seems to want the standard wools from sheep like suffolk or cheviot so I am increasingly curious about other options.

I love using raw wool for stuffing. I don't have any idea what breed the local show lambs here are; I just love the wool for stuffing. Nothing works as nicely for stuffing as raw wool. But choosing a breed because you have a plan for its wool is a great idea.

 

[Shari]

I can't supply pictures since I already gave her the runners but if I get a chance over the holidays and am at her house when she is actually using them I will take a picture of her table and share it here.

I am considering getting some sheep and would like to factor in the type of fleece they grow when I am shopping. I would like to actually have the wool be useful rather than just something that must be clipped off and disposed of (I would use some myself but really not enough to not end up with lots of unused wool) . Around here no one seems to want the standard wools from sheep like suffolk or cheviot so I am increasingly curious about other options.

Any breed with next to the skin softness is always easier to sell.

Blue Faced Leicester.... is always a favorite with handspinners.

Border Leicesters

Finn.... the softer lines, great for handspinner and or felting

Romney

Cormo

Coopworth ...

Just to name a few. But with in each breed, there will be lines with more fine/soft wool.

How I sold my fleece back when I was breeding... is showing the fleece at the local State fairs. Won the first time out and had more buyers than fleece every year.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Now that is interesting information thank you Shari. What do you think about the Rambouillet? Any experience? They are said to be a dual purpose animal with a merino foundation. I thought they sounded interesting and not a common sheep around here where everyone seems to breed suffolk , cheviot and the odd hampshire or for a few the hair sheep crosses.

 

[Shari]

They are a really big sheep, ones I saw were taller than the A & B sized minis around 33 3/4" to 36" tall.
Know of a couple of people that bred them up in Canada.

Some lines can be dumber than a box of rocks..... (found most of the sheep breeds I have had, are quite smart)

But I see no reason why you couldn't get these sheep. Heard they have nice fleece.
If you want easy to handle, check out who either halter trains them, have to admit that is rare... or the sheep will follow the owners around and you can at least pet faces.

Personally I have always halter trained my sheep, just a whole lot easier to deal with.

The little Finn ewe lamb, with the super soft wool, I ended up not to long ago... though never handled, she halter trained out right quick. Can go on walks with her. VBG

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

They are a really big sheep, ones I saw were taller than the A & B sized minis around 33 3/4" to 36" tall.

Know of a couple of people that bred them up in Canada.

Some lines can be dumber than a box of rocks..... (found most of the sheep breeds I have had, are quite smart)

OK now that was just too funny, thanks for the laugh. It seems that whatever animal you deal with some are bright but there are always those that are just so not .

But I see no reason why you couldn't get these sheep. Heard they have nice fleece.

If you want easy to handle, check out who either halter trains them, have to admit that is rare... or the sheep will follow the owners around and you can at least pet faces.

Personally I have always halter trained my sheep, just a whole lot easier to deal with.

The little Finn ewe lamb, with the super soft wool, I ended up not to long ago... though never handled, she halter trained out right quick. Can go on walks with her. VBG

I like all my animals to know how to lead, stand tied etc. It makes it so much easier when they need some attention or medical treatment or they get out and must be returned to their pen/pasture. I even halter train any cows we have if I can (depending on their age and attitude when we get them and how long they are staying)

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I hate to shop, but I do enjoy wrapping. I have mostly children to wrap for now, and men, so there isn't much scope to get creative. I'm using a lot of crepe paper streamers for the childrens' wraps. I can make rosettes, layered bows, and there are so many colors. I cut up old Christmas cards to use for labels. The angel is one I made with paper and cotton batting.

I'd enjoy seeing other wrapping ideas.

I tried to attach a thumbnail. Hope it works.

 

[Charley]

I love to wrap also but am not as creative as you. One year I used lace but mostly I use ribbon..used ribbon this year. I do love a beautifully wrapped present!

 

[madmax]

What a great idea using crepe paper! I still utilize curling ribbon into my bows. In the past I would use old cards, cutting out figures, trees, etc., glue bases so they would stand up, kind of a diorama effect. No photos of it.

You do beautiful work.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

What a great idea using crepe paper! I still utilize curling ribbon into my bows. In the past I would use old cards, cutting out figures, trees, etc., glue bases so they would stand up, kind of a diorama effect. No photos of it.

You do beautiful work.

That idea using the old cards is interesting. I have saved all our Xmas cards for too many years. It's fun to go back through them and remember friends and relatives. I like curling ribbon also! Brings back great memories, though we had to be skimpy with it when I was a kid.

The crepe paper is surprisingly tough.

 

[Shari]

Marsha, your gift wrapping is very beautiful!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Marsha, your gift wrapping is very beautiful!

Thank you.

I wrapped a friend's gift with your horse paper. I used brown crepe paper and a beaded wire star. It looks elegant!

 

[Charley]

I have just finished piecing the baby girl quilt top that I have been working on. I am going to let it sit for a week before I get it ready to quilt. I am enjoying seeing it hanging on my planning board…all pieced.

Meanwhile I have two new toys to play with. I am just starting a hat on a knitting circular loom. I have no idea what I am doing but will watch some youtube videos and get started on it. Also yesterday, I bought a bead loom. Nothing fancy just basic but think it let me try my hand at it and see if I like working with it.

I also asked my husband to put up some more pegboard. I have the one four foot section already up filled up with sewing and embroidery tools and supplies and have more embroidery, weaving, and jewelry things that I would like to put up. I pulled out my beads and got them organized in partitioned plastic craft boxes. I was hoping that some ideas would come to me for using them but I didn't get any. So I guess they will just sit for awhile.

Yesterday, I pulled out six lap quilt blocks that I embroidered when I was teaching my daughter to embroider. They are all basic stitches but still pretty. I matched the main color of the embroidery and went to Lynchburg to buy some fabric for the sashing. I wanted a solid color and nothing that I had matched. I knew I couldn't match it online so I went to a brick and mortar store and found the perfect color material. It will not take long to get this one ready to quilt once I get going on it. I am hoping that the backing I have is wide enough for this lap quilt. Since I did not prewash the blocks, I will not prewash this new material. So it is ready to cut and sew.

What projects are y'all working on? Just wondering how many projects you have going at one time? I usually have ideas in my head, some on paper, and three to four projects that I rotate and actively work on. I also always have a list of things to make for friends and family birthdays and holidays.

 

[chandab]

Finished the yellow star with blue background quilt I found on FB, I think I posted a picture.

Started a quilt called Wickedly Easy, just baby size to use up more odd FQs in the stash.

And, have the next one planned and fabric picked out.

I'm trying to use up my stash fabric, but its pretty hard as there are several "what was I thinking" pieces in there, but I'm going to use them up some how, even if just as backing.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Bead and Button magazine has lots of good starter projects for your bead inspiration Charley. You can access it online.

I am working on a cross stitch project. It will be a primitive pin cushion when finished. I had to order the raw linen, as no way could I have found it in a store near me. I find I cannot do complex cross stitch projects any more--poor brain cannot process all that tiny information any more. 6-7 colors in a square inch is too much for me now. I did order Mageyes from a sewing catalog. I'm hoping that will help. Anyone used that product? (My husband uses Optivisor in his workshop, but I don't want to commandeer his tool; thought I'd better order my own.)

 

[Charley]

Just looked up Bead and Button magazine and thanks for the suggestion. Looks like lots of neat things to look at. I do hope to get inspired. Played with my horses today instead of working on much this afternoon. It was a nice day, cool (in the 40's) but not windy.

Like the idea of the Mageyes…would come in handy with the little #15 seed beads. Will have to put it on my wish list. Please update us when you get to using them.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Mageyes arrived and I really like it! Very light weight headpiece and two lenses, light and medium strength. I'm using the light lens and it makes my 32 count linen look like burlap! Wow! So easy to work with.

 

[Charley]

Good to hear! They are definitely going on my wish list.

 

[Charley]

I finished my first beading on the bead loom and I like the piece. Not sure whether I will make it into a bracelet or add it to a future project. Those Mageyes would be handy with seed beads. I opted for larger beads on my first beading loom project, so it went quickly.

Now I am jumping back into piecing a lap quilt and thinking of starting a new crochet project.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Love the MagEyes. I can even cross stitch while on the road. Even makes threading the needle easier. I wish I'd had them when I worked on a recent beading project!

I made some mice recently using a Stacy Mead pattern. I added twig legs on these mice, as in the pattern the mouse hangs from a cat's mouth by it's tail, and has no legs. I've had fun with the little critters. I was going to put them in my Etsy shop, but have decided to keep them all.

I am a crafter, not an artist.

 

[Charley]

Aw, just cute, cute, cute! Love the little twig legs! …and the friendly cat!

I find that I keep very little of what I make. I do have a bird cage that I keep saying I am going to make birds to put in it. And, I do hope to do that soon and when I do, they will be for me. lol