Friday Favorites and Sock Animals

I have been missing my Friday Favorites so I am starting them back up again but first let me show you some sock animals I have made to donate to a local nonprofit that provides Christmas presents to disadvantaged children in Maine.  Here are the links to the  Kitty Cat pattern I used although mine looks much different.  I am also making dogs, bunnies, lions, and a couple of frogs from free patterns on the internet or Brenna Maloney's books.  I love her book; it is full of wit and makes me laugh while I try to figure out the patterns.  If you are in the vicinity of Waterville Maine, feel free to come to a workshop to make the stuffed animal socks this Saturday, Nov 10, from 9 am to noon.

 

Friday Favorites
I have posted a 5-post tutorial on extreme texture on And Then We Set It On Fire.  One of the tips was to check out Sharon's blog, Pintangle, for very textural hand stitches.  Here is a tutorial of hers on creating an Open Based Needlewoven Picot.  It would be a perfect stitch to use in an Extreme Texture piece.

Nina Marie has started her 3rd Cross Quilt.  Take a look.  Isn't it going to be fabulous?  I love, love, love her blocks!  On the first quick look they simple--just slightly different crosses in slightly different locations on the block in slightly different colors. But then a closer look lets you see the additional piecing in each block that really provides the additional texture and depth to make the block unique.  That little extra work shows you that is is not a kit quilt but one created by an artist.

Lately I have started making hand bound books so I really got excited to see Diana Trout's free tutorial on making fabric cloth.  She has provided both the text and a YouTube video.  I have tried the technique once but it never occurred to me to use the finished cloth as a book cover.  Here is a picture of my first attempt and the history behind it.  I need to do some stitching on it and get it finished. Perhaps I will use it for a hand made book for my daughter to keep in remembrance of her father.

Clare at Threads of Loveliness lost her mother a couple of weeks ago and has also turned to her art for comfort. She has been sewing a beautiful small journal quilt using the poem, Do Not Stand By My Grave and Weep.  It is healing to make something beautiful out of our sorrow.