Another First Ever

I've spent the last three Wednesday nights driving to Madison, Wisconsin taking a class to learn to knit socks. Madison is a 1 hour and 30 minute drive from my house. I guess I'm a bit possessed but when I want to learn something, I'll go just about anywhere to take the class. I learned how to knit socks on a circular needle instead of on double pointed needles. It's actually a pretty cool method called the "Magic Loop". Here's a picture of my first ever sock. It was actually a practice sock to learn the method. The pink yarn was used in the toe to learn a method of invisible seaming. In the real thing, you would use matching yarn. This is the sock that I'm making that will (I hope) fit me. This shows the sock on the circular needle. I'll post a picture of the pair when I finish them. Next week, I'm taking a class to learn a quilt that has been driving me crazy. I've been trying to help a friend make a quilt called "Rootbeer & Cotton Candy". I have never had so much trouble with one quilt in my life. It's a double square in a square and for the life of me, I can't get it to come out right. The lady who wrote the pattern is teaching it so hopefully I'll get it to come out correctly. Thank you to all who commented on my first blog. I really enjoyed reading your comments. Thanks for visiting, Coleen

My First Ever Blog Post

My name is Coleen. I have been quilting for over 25 years. I both hand and machine quilt. The above picture, also in my header, is a quilt I have been hand quilting for over 10 years!! I am taking my time!! I have an HQ16 mid-arm quilting machine which I have been learning to use recently. I practiced free hand feathers this past week.

I still need more practice, however, for the first time out, it's not too bad! I am still working on getting the machine at the correct height for my 4'9" self.

Here is a flimsy that will be the first actual quilt to be quilted on the mid-arm. I plan to put feathers in the borders and flowers in the sashing. The blocks will be outlined...maybe.My full time retail job limits my practice time.

My friend Bren is helping me to set up this blog. We have been friends for 14 years. She helped me baste the feathered log cabin quilt at the top of this post. Speaking of that, here is a picture of the corners of that quilt.

Thanks for visiting,

Coleen