WHAT I'M UP TO TODAY

I finally got brave enough to try it: I guess it's called "needle turn applique". Maybe that term refers to something else, I don't know--told you I was a novice quilter. Anyway I did the old freezer paper trick. Googled for directions, only to learn that the directions are right on the freezer paper box! Who knew?! Not perfect, but not bad for a beginner:

This is the plan for my first hand applique. It will be a crib quilt--part of a layette donation for a silent auction at a fund raiser for my church. The little bear that you see (my practice piece) will have a twin jumping out of a "jack in the box". I copy-enlarged the figure from my flannel print which happens to have brown lettering. What a pleasant way to be able to coordinate daughter Anna Maria's Chocolate Lollipop fabric.

The gold/brown polka dot I found yesterday at my local quilt shop, Mammaw's Thimble. It was the perfect place to meet a cyber quilting friend from Florida who is visiting her mother in Knoxville. Actually it was this sweet lady who told me about Mammaw's . The ladies there were quite helpful yesterday and even obliged us to take this photo. Jan (on the right) is much prettier than the photo, but I wanted to prove to all our cyber quilting friends that we really did meet and in a wonderful quilt shop!

And speaking of shops, for my knitting buddies, look what I found on Saturday. Check out the needles. The convenience of a circular's flexibility without the constant twisting. The needles are bamboo and they are basically like a circular needle that has been cut in half with wooden tips on the end. No doubt a handy item for plane travel. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm really behind and most of you have several pairs of them, but I was really excited to get my first pair.
(By the way: yes, I know, there's a mistake in my knitting. I found it and fixed it!)

Until next time, happy quilting and/or knitting, whatever suits your fancy!