This Cat Is A Real McCoy!!!

A Cats Motto:  No matter what you've done wrong, always try to make it look like the dog did it!

That sounds about right to me since I don't have a Cat! 

 I have Dogs and they don't need a cat around to make it look like they did it.
Altho, they'd probably like to have one around to blame for what they do!

Did you hear about the cat that swallowed a ball of yarn?
She had Mittens!

That's the Cat that I have.  Altho, she hasn't been Knittin any Mittens, but then neither have I.

Yep, this Cat's a Real McCoy!  Made by McCoy Pottery as a String Dispenser.  Mine is in the signature Pink Glaze that McCoy made popular in the 1930's and 1940's.  The String Cat was also glazed in turquoise, green and light blue.

 I really don't use this Kitty as a Caddy!  It won't hold a big enough ball of yarn for Knitting or Crocheting.  However, when string was used to hold packages together it would hold a tightly wrapped ball of string. 

 I guess McCoy didn't think much of Scotch Tape putting their Cat out to Litter.

I'm so glad it's time for Vintage Thingie Thursday and time to join Suzanne and all the VTT Bloggers over at ColoradoLady.

Do you know what you get when you cross a pole with a kitty?
A Polecat!

My ChaWiennies, Dolly and Ruby told me that one!  No Foolin!

So, Are You Ready to Sow or Sew?

So, how many ways can you spell SO?

Well, if you are SuKnitWitty and make up words with definitions to suit your needs, the possiblities are unlimited. 

SO...SEW...SOW, now let me think they are ....be right back....gotta go Google!

They are Homophones!  Ya, know I completely forgot about that application for Homo and for that matter....Phone!

Whatever! So, let's skip the English lesson and get on to the SuKnitWitty Sew-Sow Post...I don't mean it's going to be So-So...or maybe it will as  I'm already thinking, "Sue, you are So going to mess this up, but here goes.  This is a Sewn Sign about Sowing!  So, why am I showing it at this time?  Cause it's time to Sow seeds So they can get Water during April Showers for May Flowers. 

Yes, I know the flowers on the sign are SewnYoYo's....that's why I skipped the word WEED.  Of course, if you are Mr. SKW, the weeding comes before the sowing and will come again when the flowering weeds bloom in May when the Sown Flower Seeds don't....bloom that is! 

His idea of flowers and mine are as different as Sew and Sow!

Or as different as Oranges and Lemons.  Sewn or Grown!!
No worries...No Orange or Lemon Trees to WEED.

PS...SO, now that we are all straight about it being time to SOW, SOSO on the time to Weed , and know  that Water Fall in May has a SOSO chance, I think I'll go SEW.  Are you wondering about WAIT?  Me too! 

Sue's Bonnets and Baskets...Sue ToThe Rescue!

I'm a girl named Sue.

I'm a girl who Quilts.

I'm a SunBonnetSue Quilter!

Who is SunBonnetSue?

Girls named Sue want to know!

So, HERE is SunBonnetSue.com

How many SunBonnetSue Quilts has this GirlNamedSue Quilted?

Too many to show in ONE Post!

Since it's Bonnet and Basket season, here is a 1930's Sue that was Rescued from an old quilt top.

As part of the Rescue, Sue's Bonnet was dressed up with machine embroidery and lace.  Sue lasted many years on the old muslin without a hand to hold her basket.  As part of her makeover, she got a basket of posies, a new background with RickRack, YoYo's and Vintage Buttons.
 Sue's now a 21st Century Gal sayin, "How do ya like Me now"?

All of the embroidery and quilting was done on my Janome 10000, and the finished small quilt was a Sample for a Machine Quilting and Embroidery Class.

Just last week, I found these NEW Bonnet Girl embroidery patterns. 

How is it that Aunt Martha can KeepKrankin  them out?  She's gotta be gettin up there in years.

Just goes to show that Sittin,Sewin and Embroiderin are good for the Heart!

More of Aunt Martha's Patterns HERE.

PS...I'm plannin on some Sittin an Embroiderin a Bonnet or two or three for Easter!  I hope you will join me!  I'll be postin here on SKW my progress.  Sew, come back soon.

Ten Steps to The Business of Quilt Salvage

The Business of Quilt Salvage!

Sorry Granny, but  somebody had to do it!

From the depths of an old trunk came this tattered, torn, and beyond repair quilt top made by Joe's Granny!

Sue, can you fix it?
 NO!!!!
But, I can Salvage It!!!

So, let's get started! 

Step One...Press out the wrinkles and cut out the best circular pieces.

Step Two...Cut the circles down to Hexagons.

Step Three...Sew raveled seams back together.  Don't worry about the piece not being square.

Step Four... From muslin cut triangles at least one inch larger than the edge of the hexagon.

Step Five...Sew the triangles to Four Corners of the hexagon.  Don't worry about petal points or matching corners.

Step Six...Square up the block by triming the triangles.

Step Seven...Sew squared blocks together.
I was able to salvage enough to make 15 blocks for a 3 block by 5 block arrangement.

Step Eight...Add borders.  Be sure to measure through the Center with each border.

Step Nine...Quilt...I machine quilted  with a Medium Meander stitch.  QuiltaLotty did a nice job of catching any fabrics that may be a bit fragile and flower centers that needed an extra stitch for reinforcing.

Step Ten...Sew on the Binding...I stitch to the top using a Walking Foot and then hand stitch it down to the backing. 

Sew, there ya go Joe's Granny!

I hope you are smiling up there in Quilt  Heaven!

By the way, Granny, are you an Aquarian?

I am!

Vintage to Vogue Crocheted Pineapple PinCushion

Victorian To Vogue

The Crocheted Pineapple PinCushion

was a favorite crochet design during the Victorian Era...as seen on the right.

It endured through the 40's and 50's, and today is a highly collectible antique. 

Being a Collector of Needlework, I have often admired this Vintage Crocheted Pincushion for a number of reasons:
1  It's Victorian
2  It's Crocheted with a TinyHook and ThinThread
3  It's useful as a Pincushion
4  The RIBBON

How did they do that Ribbon?  It has been a MYSTERY to me.....until now......sorta!  I'll get back to that in a few...

As I mentioned in the Post Below, I found the pattern for the Pineapple Heart  and showed my first attempt with the TinyHook and Thin Thread.  Getting through the first one was a study in concentration on Triple Crocheted Shells and Chain 8s!  Then the pattern wanted me to MAKE TWO just alike.
That didn't happen.

That's right!!! I SuRuled the pattern!

~Crocheted ONE Pineapple.
~Sewed the Heart shaped Lining with a 21st Century 'Vogue' fabric.
~ Hand sewed the crocheted pineapple to the stuffed heart.
~Hand sewed the lace and ribbon around the heart back.  The back must look pretty, too!  Even tho I said I wasn't gonna turn it over.
~Rather than Satin Ribbon that was used in the 19th and 20th Centuries, I selected a Modern PolkaDot Grossgrain Ribbon.

How'd they do that RIBBON weave Thingy?

Well, it ain't easy!  I read and re-read the instructions!  I tried and re-tried and re-tried! 
Finally, I turned the heart from working on the outside edge to working the ribbon from the inside!
There YaGo SKW!  You are a 'Backwards Doer'!
The first time was a pure accident...then it was "How'd I do that"?
One of the SuRules is that it must be useful!  Well, could you Stick this Beautiful Heart full of sewing and quilting pins?  Nope, not gonna happen!  So, I will use it to display another kind of PIN!  

The 'Grape Cluster' Brooch belonged to my Dear Mother-In-Law Ruth.  I wear it on special occasions like the birth of Her Great-Grandson!

Am I going to be 'OverDoSue' on Crocheted Pineapple Hearts? 
Yep!  So far there's a PINK one DONE and several others as WIP's.
 And of course I now have all the TinyHooks and ThinThreads known to 21st Century Victorian WannaBee's.
If you WannaBe with me, HERE's the pattern I found for FREE . 

Crochet...My Way...OK...Mrs. B's Way!!!

Purple Pineapple???  Sure!!!  Why Not???
Afterall, It Is ONE of SKW's Favorite colors!

Of course I don't plan on eating this one.  Not after all the work with the itty bitty size 7 crochet hook, the thin strand of crochet thread, and micro mini shell stitches.

And...I'm So Pumped!!! The last time I used these MicroMediums was in Mrs. Brownings HomeEc Class in 1964.  It was my first attempt at crochet and the intended doilly ended up as a Bar Tenders Jigger Cover.  I didn't know a thing about Jiggers, but I sure wanted to make one of those fancy ruffled doillies that were starched stiff enough to use as a serving tray.

No matter how many times I started over, I could not get the tension right for anything that resembled 'Flat'!  Mrs. Browning put me back on the sewing machine where the tension was permanently set!

 Forever, I have seen these Vintage Crocheted Pineapple Heart Pin Cushions and always wanted one.  Anytime I found one, my first thought was "I can make one of those", and leave it for someone who was willing to pay and couldn't crochet.

 You see, I did learn to crochet.

Yep, when the size J Hook and Yarn made it's Crochet Debut, I was a crocheting fool.  I made everyone in my family a Varigated Poncho with Fringe to the WhaZoo and Granny Square Afghans out the WhaZoo!

I only recently overcame my fear of the ThinThread TinyHook TensionItis!  While browsing in an antique shop, I came across a stack of Crochet Booklets full of TTTH patterns.

Star Book No.121...Crochet Suggestions for
Fairs and Bazaars  published by The American Thread Co. in the 1950's and sold for 10 cents.

You guessed it!  I bought it!  Not for 10 cents....I wish!
And the ONE thing that I bought it for.....
The Pineapple Pincushion!!

According to the Pattern, I'm half way finished with the crocheting.  It calls for TWO of the pineapple hearts.  One for the Front and one for the Back.  I'm like...who's gonna turn it over?  Not me!  So, I'm thinking it's time for a SueRule change to the pattern. 

PS...I'll get back to ya on the rule change and pattern re-write!  BTW, after this many years...the pattern is considered public domain, so I don't have to get Mrs. Brownings permission to adjust the Tension!
PPS...Thank-you Mrs. Browning for teaching me to crochet Jigger Covers!

Enough Winter Weather....Bring On March Maddness!

Daffodils

"I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze."

- William Wordsworth

March Flower of the Month ~ Daffodil
 
 

 

 

March Birthstone ~ Aquamarine

 

Aquamarine is a blue-green stone that comes from Colombia and Brazil.

 It has been called "Water of the Sea", because of its color.

The aquamarine is the stone of sailors, believing it would be protection for them on water.

Folklore says the aquamarine will protect against gossip.

 It is also said the aquamarine will pick up spirits. It is an excellent stone to use for meditating.

March is a Lucky Charm Quilting Month for SuKnitWitty! 

Yep, the Quilting Studio and QuiltaLotty are about to be 'Fired Up' as in

 'Turnin On the Heaters' and Turnin On the Power! 

No more 'It's too COLD to Quilt'! 

Starting with this recently pieced Lucky Charm Quilt Top!

And...although I'm not Irish, I am a Lucky Gal.

So I say to PutzyPhil...

"Get Real Phil...Take a Chill Pill"

I'm Done with Winter!