Friday, September 27, 2013

CRAZY ABOUT WOOL Blog Hop !!

My Turn is today for the Crazy About Wool Blog Hop!  This hop has been lots of fun!  So many cute ideas and giveaways !!  I'm excited to share a bit about wool today because it is soooo easy to love working with wool!

How many of you have NOT done wool applique?  If not, you've just got to try it!  It is such a rewarding method of stitching.  You can do wool applique by hand using the blanket stitch or the whip stitch or even a simple running stitch.  You can do wool applique by machine also, using any decorative stitch you like, or as you see in the project I've designed for today, you can simply drop your feed dogs and use a freehand straight stitch to sew the applique on very easily. 

 
Working with wool is so relaxing...and quick...and it doesn't make me itch like wearing wool does...
It doesn't make my fingers dry like I thought it would...and it isn't difficult to work with. 
 
 
 
Working with wool is so fast because you don't have to turn under any raw edges.  There's no need to hide your stitches because usually we wool applique lovers like the stitches to show! 
 

It's also forgiving...you can stretch it just a bit here and there to make it fit just right.  Unless you use fusible webbing to attach the pieces in place...then it's not quite so forgiving.  I love to use glue sticks to hold my pieces in place and some ladies use pins or even more interesting things which I'll tell you about soon!

I love to use wools and cottons together as you've seen in past posts.  That makes me the happiest!
What about you?  All wool?  Or a mixture of wool and cotton?  I'd love to hear about what you like.

The best part about working with wool is that it is so very beautiful.  The colors are rich and deeply textured when you find some wonderfully hand dyed wools. 

For all of you blog hoppers, I've created a PDF pattern called Punkin Mug Rug that you can download free! 
Just click HERE to go to my website, Traditional Primitives (formerly Hallbrook Designs).  You will find the free file on my Blog Page of the site.  Just click on the file and print!  Please send me a picture of the Mug Rug you make.  I'd love to see how you put your touch on this easy little pattern.
 
For my regular followers, you did read my website name above correctly!  I am changing my little business name back to it's original name as of now.  A few years ago I had someone tell me they would never look at my patterns in a store based on the name of my company.  After a few years of repeating "Hallbrook" so folks can understand me, spelling it for people, and explaining where the name came from, I've decided it just isn't working and I'll go with what my "gut" originally told me to name my pattern design business.  Traditional Primitives from Missie Carpenter explains my style so well...Traditional with a touch of Primitive.  I hope you like it too!   From now on, I'll be posting from my NEW BLOG...TRADITIONAL PRIMITIVES.  Click on the name and you will be redirected.  Please take a moment to become a follower of the new site so you don't miss out on any new posts!  I'd love to keep in touch of course!!
 
I bid you farewell from Hallbrook Designs and welcome you to join me at
Traditional Primitives from Missie Carpenter, my new website.  For a little while longer you will be directed to the old website for shopping, but you'll see the transition complete in just a few weeks!  Please make changes if you've saved my website and update my email address as we correspond with each other by email.  
 
 
Take care,
Missie

PS!!  Don't forget to head on over to my new blog, Traditional Primitives and become a follower!  :-D
 

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Welcome to my NEW Blog! Traditional Primitives from Missie Carpenter!

Introducing...Traditional Primitives from Missie Carpenter

(Formerly Hallbrook Designs from Missie Carpenter)

Same company, new name!  Why you ask??  I was constantly repeating, spelling & explaining my name of Hallbrook Designs...so the time is right to change back to my original company name of...
Traditional Primitives.  It describes my style just right...Traditional with a touch of Primitive!


 
 

From now on, I'll be posting from this location so please become a follower of this blog so you can get my updates!  You can become a follower or follow by email.  I'd love to know which you choose if you can make a comment for me.  (I'm always surprised to find out someone follows by email and I never new it!) 

I'll be making another post soon!  I just wanted to get the word out there is a change that's happening now!  Thanks so much for being such a great bunch of followers.  It is so wonderful to be able to share a chat across the country and across the world, and this world of blogging makes it possible!

Thanks for checking out the new location here at Traditional Primitives today!  I'll be making more posts very soon!!  The AQS Quilt show is here in Des Moines next week and I'll take some pictures to share...

Take care,
Missie



Monday, September 23, 2013

I Quilted All Day Yesterday...

 

Yesterday was spent focusing on quilting and I got the entire center quilted on my new quilt! Yippee!! This morning I am clipping threads on my lap. To make this task manageable, usually I fold the quilt into quarters so it fits over my lap easily. I focus on threads on the quarter that lands on top, clip them all nice and orderly, covering the entire section easily because the size is small. Once that top quarter is clipped, I flip it over to the quarter that was on the bottom. After that side is neatly clipped, I will unfold the quarter fold and and refold so I can do the same with the two quarters that were folded inside. Sounds a little confusing, but it works wonderful and eliminates confusion about finding the threads that need to be clipped easily.

On this quilt, there are two- three threads on each layered circle that I need to find because I did not do continuous stitches between each layered circle.

Can you see those two threads on the penny above? That's what I'm clipping this morning. I'll be done before I know it and will flip it to the backside of the quilt and clip those as well. Today I plan to quilt the outer side of the border and get the binding on! Yippee Again!! You can see that my quilting is not perfect, but it's good enough for me. I enjoy doing the work of finishing the quilts I make, even though my quilting is not perfect. I dread coming up with the quilting designs because I am still new at freehand quilting, but each time I finish one, it gets a little easier and I get a little more confidant!

It's so exciting to get to the end of a new quilt! This one seems like it's taken a long time, but it really hasn't. Much of my time this summer has been spent on other things, like teaching, traveling, working on other projects, etc., and this quilt has been so easy to have to work on when I have snippets of time here and there. I know I've said it before, but I can't wait to introduce you to the whole quilt!

The next few weeks will be super busy for me. Today is the start of the Blog Hop, Crazy About Wool! My post will be on Friday the 27th, so be sure to come back and see what I have to offer for the hop!

 

This coming Saturday, Sept 28th, I'll be teaching my class, 5 Ways To Do English Paper Piecing, in Hills, IA at the wonderful quilt store, Inspirations. I'm so excited to share my techniques and strive for each student to walk away having found a few ways to baste EPP in a way they enjoy.

Next week, I'll be helping to set up the Des Moines Quilt Show which is the show within the show AQS Quilt Week. The show runs Wednesday, Oct. 2-5 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. We'll have a few hundred vendors and close to 1000 quilts between both shows! It will be great fun! If you plan to come, please let me know...I'd love to meet up!! This is where the raffle quilt I mentioned HERE will be shown and raffled off!

The following weekend, Oct 11-13, I'll be headed to South Dakota for a weekend retreat with the Stately Stitchers Quilt Guild to teach English Paper Piecing at their retreat. This is especially exciting because this will be happening in Pierre, SD! We lived there for 9 years and this is where I learned to appliqué and the women I stitched with weekly were so inspiring, supportive and fun. I am so flattered that they want me to come teach. It will be so wonderful to see these ladies again as well as to meet new members of the guild since I left in 1998.

Have a great day!

Take care,

Missie

 

Friday, September 20, 2013

Crazy About Wool Blog Hop!

Join me soon for the Crazy About Wool Blog Hop! I am scheduled for the 27th so come back soon to see some more wool eye candy! This blog is hosted by Pieced Brain and this should be a great hop! How can you go wrong with wool?!?

How many out there love to do wool appliqué? Just curious!

Have a great day full of stitching!

Missie

 

Thursday, September 19, 2013

It's Been A Busy Time Recently!

It's been a while since I've had time to post...I've been to Rogers to teach at The Rabbit's Lair...

And I've been so humbled to find my design offered as a BOM, and on the same page with such wonderful quilts also offered. Check out the link above...

When I arrived, I found they had made a beautiful display of my quilts for the trunk show.

 

The building is so beautiful with wonderful wood trim and floors.

 

Unique little cubbies here and there, and this beautiful window bench where they arranged my trunk show.

 

I sat upstairs in this area to visit with customers as they shopped the wool area during the shop hop. In the afternoon, the class went well. There were 16 students there to learn 5 ways to baste English Paper Piecing. We had lots of fun together and I'm pretty sure most left having found a way they enjoy EPP.

When I returned, I found that my Clematis has bloomed...as you can see, it has been allowed to take over the bike parked under the porch! Looked cute, and Katie drives now, so I let it grow for fun.

It grows up the step railing, taking over at times!

But it sure is pretty to look at as we sit on the porch swing now that the evenings are a bit cooler

Since returning home, I'm finishing up the latest quilt! Only a few more stitches to go and then I can quilt it! I'll show you the finished quilt after it's completed!


Most of these pictures were taken with a new camera. I'm not sure it's right for me as the pictures seem to take a long while to load! Please let me know if this post takes an abnormal time to load on your computers. I may be returning the camera! Miss Ginger did a little modeling for me!
Thanks for stopping by today! Happy Stitching!
Take Care,

Missie

 

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Wool Scraps Project!

Ok Ladies, I have sent the wool scraps pattern! If you signed up for this little freebie, look in your email inbox and see if it's there. Please let me know if you did not recieve it. You can shrink it, or blow it up a bit larger to suit your desires. You can duplicate it and make a wall hanging or table topper. Get creative and use those tiny scraps...then show me what you have made!

I'm going to start with a few of these scraps...

These will make good branches...

And I'm going to make colorful fall leaves...

Use the tiniest pieces to make leaves, scrap strips to build the tree trunk and branches, and maybe you'll want to add an apple, pear, or tiny pineapple.

Just take it easy and cut a half circle to start the leaf, (those scissor blades are about an inch long)

Then flip it around and cut another half circle to form the leaf! Very easy. They don't need to be the same size or shape...get creative!

Stitch each down with a few stitches of your choice. Perhaps a tiny blanket stitch, a slip stitch, a star or an x- stitch. Think about putting a small bead on top of each leaf...that might be cute! And perhaps a few embroidery stitches out on the background. Fill it full and use those scraps! And don't forget to send me pics as you go. I will give updates and post them in future posts so everyone can get good ideas

My youngest is a Senior in High School this year. We had some family pictures done along with her senior portraits while the other two sisters were in town. We just needed my super Son In Law and the picture would be complete. We love the pic though and were so glad all our girls were home at the same time! The girls from left to right are the middle DD, the youngest DD and the oldest DD! Of course, that's Miss Ginger in the grass, and Hubs on the right! Our happy little family.

I've been packing up for my trip to Rogers and am looking forward to meeting all the ladies who are taking the class on English Paper Piecing at The Rabbit's Lair. There will be a trunk show of my designs during the morning and I can visit with shoppers. It will be such fun to share my passion for EPP! When the day is done, I'll be heading a bit north to my folks area to do a trunk show for my Mom's Neighbors and Friends group. Should be a fun few days!

In between, I'm still working on the borders for the penny quilt. It's coming along nicely and is quick work since the main flowers and leaves are already sewn together. All I'm doing now is outlining each shape to sew it on. It worked great to sew the pieces together before placing the larger shape on the background!

I may be out of touch for a few days due to traveling. I'll be back in touch next week!

Take Care,

Missie