Update:Knitting Socks

I thot you'd like an update.

I may finish one sock, I doubt I'll make two.

After all,

Summer Quilt Festival

is in July

And

Seven Sisters Quilt Show

San Luis Obispo

Madonna Inn Conference Center

is in April

natalie.

Knitting Socks...I knit!

It's true.

I knit.

You saw the February post about knitting...

I knit to keep my hands busy when I am done quilting.

I knit to let my mind wander.

The yarns, the colors, the textures take my creative mind

in directions my fabrics don't always take me.

And.

I get to make a lot of great gifts for friends.

I knit so that my quilting brain can 'recharge'.

Yes.

I knit.

But I'm really mind quilting!

I don't knit like Lisa or Kenna, tho.

I knit big chunky simple things.

h o w e v e r

 I am always willing to learn new things.

I am always willing to put in the time and effort to try something different.

So when I saw this Martingale & Company book

I thot - I'd like to try THAT!!!

I had to go to the local cottage knit shop and get size - sigh - 2 needles

and then I had to select but just ONE skein of sock yarn.

I had no idea sock yarn was designed to make patterns!

Overall, stripe, flame, fair isle, did I say stripe?

Well, I was sold.

 So, I got set up and opened the book.

Simple.

This book really has the best instructions ever.  And great pictures.

I think I can DO this, if I can ever get past the mental block against the size - sigh - 2 needles...

 Terrific Toe-Up Socks

Knit to Fit

with the tag line, 

"Start  at the toe - try on as you go!"

by Janet Rehfeldt

 is a very informative 62 page book

that is willing to teach you a whole lot about knitting, casting on, increases, patterns 

and more.

The first 29 pages are detailed and illustrated

instructions

to use on the ten different sock patterns

in the rest of the book.

Want to enter the giveaway

for this book?

I'll announce the giveaway winner

on 

SATURDAY

You may not see the completed socks, tho, 

before the winner is announced.

I may just finish my size 9 needle project first.

To enter the giveaway,

leave a comment about what you knit

and, as a quilter, why you knit.

It's as simple as that!

HappiestDays.

Natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

Book Giveaway WINNER is.....

c o n g r a t u l a t i o n s
l i s a

"Hi, I am now a follower and 'like' you on FB. 
Wow, the biggest quilt is easy to remember, it was a king...my smallest, probably the 20x20 Christmas quilt 
for the Children's Hospital here in San Antonio. 
I would love to win this book, have seen so many great reviews! Lisa in Texas"

Now, dontcha know
I gotta go finish that quilt from this book that I started sewing!!


Thank you again to Martingale for this great opportunity.


HappiestDays.
natalie.






If you want your own copy of Amy's book,
remember, you can always link to Amazon
from our website
www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

JUST ONE STAR

 Just One Star + Just One Star

along with
Quilts of Valor
and
Polly Minick and Laurie Simpson
have asked for some help
from the quilting community.

The challenge is on.
piece + quilt + bind
100 quilts in 100 days

So I had a girlfriend sewing day

and made

"just one star"

(well, we made a stack of blocks - - cmmmon)

 I know you can do it too.
Any excuse for girls nite, right?


It will take
1800
star blocks
to reach the goal
of this project


won't you do your part too?
the deadline is approaching
may 1

The Semper Fi organization will donate the completed 100 quilts.

Send untrimmed blocks to:

United Notions/Moda Fabrics

Attn: Just One Star Project

13800 Hutton

Dallas, TX 75234

a warm thank you to Moda, Marianne Fons, Minick and Simpson, Quilts of Valor and the Semper Fi fund
(for the use of their images as well as for the organization of this project)

natalie.
www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

Modern Basics Quilting

Well, I finally started sewing.

The instructions in the book were just perfect.

 And before I knew it, I had a lot of sewing done, ready to cut and sew again.

hint

Have you ever thought about your pressing?

Yes, at first glance, you are always told, "press to the dark"

but I say, press towards the item you want to 

"sit on top"

and in this case, it will be the 'strips' that create the cross in these blocks.

 But.  No matter how much I wanted to finish my blocks...

Buddy had other plans...

Remember, become a blog and facebook follower,

and leave a comment

to be in the running to win this wonderful book.

HappiestDays.

natalie

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

To really know a person...

We blog.

We talk.

We spend time reading about it.

How do you really know a person?

Other than a handful of people that read this that really know me, 

how do you know me?

You take it on faith, a feeling, a notion

that I'm okay.

That we have things in common.

That it's worth the time you spend.

Well, let me just say,

I appreciate your faith in the fact that it's worth it.

Because, after all.

Isn't that what life is for.

Showing up.

Believing.

Deciding that it's worth it.

HappiestDays.

natalie

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

the inspiration for this post - a blog reader, who emailed me, and said

"I often drop by at your blog to get inspiration

and sometimes some picker up mood"

I don't know from what country she sends her reply

I have readers from across the globe.

but it touched me so deeply, that I thought I should share a bit about me

photos:  natalie barnes/home

Book Giveaway - Amy Ellis

Please welcome Amy Ellis!

 Now, I know you have probably seen a lot of press about this book.

I hope to bring you a little something different.

Of course, first and foremost, I have to thank our friends at Martingale and Company 
for bringing us such a great book.

And now, let me introduce you to Amy!

Thanks for visiting with us, Amy.  Family First.  

I understand you have four children; congratulations! 
Do they each have their own sewing machine?

Without knowing the ages of your children, do you let them sew on your machine?

Thanks!  My girls are 11, 7, & 6 and the boy is almost 4.  The oldest has used mine some, but mostly uses the Janome Jem that is about as old as her now.  With the other two girls, we've mostly done handwork in an embroidery hoop, but I have hopes of introducing the machine this summer.  Owen has sat on my lap for hours of sewing, and has learned not to touch anything -  although the speed control is his favorite!

Speaking of machines, have you ever sewn on a treadle machine? 

What is the oldest sewing machine you have sewn on? 

Do you remember your mother's machine? 

I've not sewn on a treadle machine.  My mom's machine, when I was learning, was a white Singer, it had automatic buttonholes, so I don't think it was terribly old.  It has since been replaced though. 

Do you remember your grandmother's sewing machine? 

My grandmother is a hand work specialist!  She knits, does cross-stitch and hardanger.  She always has a project or two on the needles or waiting close by.  I remember sitting with on the couch and starting a number of projects with her - not necessarily finishing them though!

 I know from my own personal experience, people always want to know how their favorite designers 'work'.

When you finally put your head down and start 'power sewing', 

do you listen to music, books on tape, or are you a 'quiet' quilter?  

It really depends on the time of day!  If the kids are up and busy, I usually don't listen to anything so that I can keep an ear on what they are up to, and intervene as necessary.  After they have gone to bed I will turn on music or a podcast, or stream some netflix.

Do your neighbors know what your third profession is? (after wife, and mother, of course) 

If so, how do they react? 

I've told a couple of them!  One was really excited for me and has read the blog off and on.  

The other kinda looked at me like I was crazy. 

You have been so good natured to answer our questions - thank you. 

Amy, I have just one more question for you. And I'm sure our readers can't wait to hear - -

What is your next book and when will it be released?

I'm putting together a proposal actually - how'd you know!?  

The production phase of writing is a big push so I'm taking my time before jumping in again!

Let me give you my quick summary of this book's character, now that you've heard from Amy.

I must say, the cover did not say 'modern' to me.

Having said that, once I picked up the book and looked at the projects, (see above)
I was sure I wanted to make quite a few of these projects, and they were indeed modern quilts.


The instructions are clear, the yardage well thought out.
And of course, the photography, fantastic.
Thank you Martingale for another great title!

So.
If you would like to be the recipient of this great project filled book, 
please.....become a beyond the reef blog follower
and 'like' our beyond the reef facebook page
and
answer the question
what's the smallest quilt you have ever made, 
what's the largest quilt you have ever made?

The random number generator will pick the lucky recipient of the book giveaway
on Sunday afternoon - yep - one week from today


next blog - natalie makes an Amy Ellis quilt!!


HappiestDays.
Natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

(and if you can't wait for the book giveaway to get your own copy of this great title,
please use the amazon link here at our blog site)

Fabric Bundle Sale

Have you seen these before?

(sorry for the shadows - they are all white/white cotton)

These little prints are a-dorable.

The little black print on white-white fabric designs are small, small, small.

Maybe only an inch or inch and a half.

I can't decide which is my favorite - the girl with the umbrella and basket?

Maybe the girl with the dog/cat in the car?

Fishing?

All of them, I think.

Rather than putting these in the shop,

I thought I would post four of these fat quarter bundles

for sale here on the blog.

The first four people to reply

"mine, mine, mine"

(as they say at vintageweave interiors)

will take these home.

I will invoice you for the fabric only, and I will pay the domestic shipping.

(beyondthereef fabric is still $8.99/yard)

What do you think of this format?

Let me know.

HappiestDays.

Natalie.

Quilt!

I received the most exciting email this afternoon
from a friend at
Luella's Quilt Basket

It's true.
I wanted to 'leak the news' to all of you
before it happened.
But.
Well.
Here it is!

RJR Fabrics "Asante"

Thank you.

Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting

easy quilts

Thank you.

I'm so proud.

natalie.
beyond the reef

Book Giveaways are here!

Where do you want to start?

Thank you Martingale & Company

Knitting?

Modern Quilting?

Pieced Quilts?

Applique?

Holiday Country?

Holiday brights?

Techniques?

Quick, place your vote.

And I'll take your direction,

contact the author,

make a sample,

and we'll post our first giveaway.

HappiestDays.

natalie

What's a girl to do?

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!?"

Well, sometimes a girl's best friend is NOT her sewing machine or her quilting hoop, 

but the tea kettle.

and a little soup.

And not much more than that.

But, in my case, since I have NO penchant for lounging, napping, or 'being down',

a little knitting here and there was all I really could do to stay put.

(casein needles, one strand wool, one strand 'fuzzy' and two mittens in progress)

Okay, more than just a little knitting.

This is a great 'cable' primer project from Martha Stewart.

Oh, and yes, I made two - one for a friend and one for me.

Thank you Kenna (Madison Cottage Design) for sharing this pattern with me!

Lambs Pride purple, and mine is Lambs Pride Bulky black...mmmm, warm.

And then, I finished this entrelac project.

I received the headband on the left as a gift, and then decided to make the purple one on the right

as a gift for my namesake.

Hint, hint:  If you get a long enough "blend" in the variegated yarn you choose for this project,

you'll have that look of having switched yarns for every 'block"  (purple project on the right)

in comparison to having an all over pattern like the project on the left

Both are beautiful...take your pick!

And then, of course, I found two more balls of yarn to make these funny mittens

as a thank you gift for someone special.

This was a Knitropolis pattern...I miss that little cozy shop...and the creativity they put out for all to enjoy.

In the mean time...

I have blocks completed for a high school graduation present.

And I have three fourths of a lap quilt completed.

And I have cut out two new projects.

The first is a set of Jacobs/Kaffe fabrics cut for Aardvark Quilts Squares Squared.

And the other is a historic looking applique-over-pieced back.

I am just completing the applique for a block in a memory quilt for one of my Friendship Group friends,

and I have fourteen wool needle keepers cut out and ready to stitch 

for Holiday Gifts for that same group.

Finally,

I received a box of books for Martingale & Company.

Thank you to this wonderful publishing company for their continued support.

You know what this means, right?

It's time to take a look at a new project from a new book,

share it with you,

and ask you to become a follower

for a chance to take home a new book!

Someone tell my sewing machine...

it's time to get going again!!

natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com