Margo Duke

I've got some catching up and some explaining to do! It's been a while since my last posting and what have I been up to? As any productive person will tell you -- if we try to go in too many directions, then nothing gets done well and I needed a break to restore my energy -- so this summer instead of my usual evening activities of embellishing or crocheting, I've been spending a lot of time reading except that is, if you don't count the endless hours of starting and ripping out a lacy shawl I've had trouble knitting. -- I don't know whether it is me or the directions but if I'm to be honest then I must confess it is a bit of both! If it wasn't that the colors were so gorgous then I'd had given up 20 hours ago!!! but I keep on trying and I will make it if it takes me a lifetime! You can see the gorgous colorways here http://strickwear.com/

This all began during our annual trip to the Outer Banks where we spend time with some close family members and do nothing much at all except read and eat. We joke around that when it comes to the food which always seems to be the top priority; we are either talking about it, shopping for it, cooking it, or eating it! We do have fun. I also managed to read two excellent books that tweaked my interest for more and I also found the time to roll the eight skeins of lace-weight wool for my shawl which ranges from the palest green all the way to a deep blue.

I was invited to teach at an event held by Nancy's Notions in April -- the folks who work there are unbelievably organized and kind -- be sure to sign up for a class if you are anywhere near Wisconsin I also met a new friend, Susann Carlson. We had so much in common but, unfortunately, we just didn't have enough time together.

In June, I travelled to Nashville to teach at an event hosted by Sally Cheney or AAA Sewing and Vacuum. Sally and her staff know how to show students a good time and we made many new converts to our beloved Embellisher. If you have an opportunity, visit Sally's store in Madison as she and her staff go all out for the customer! I also had the good fortune to meet Brian Bailie (Designer Gallery Software) as well as Eileen Roche, Margaret Tully and Joan Friedrich. Margaret and Joan together are surely as funny as any comedy team during their serger presentation!

Lately I've been working with fabrics that inspired me to make a bag for my darling Mom's upcoming birthday (shhh! she's going to be 84 years old!) The fabric collection is "Garden Etchints" and I bought a fat quarter in each colorway! My dear friend, Barbara, took me to her favorite quilt store in Purcellville, Virginia, Web Fabrics. They've been doing business on line but now have a gorgeous new store packed to the gills with tempting quilting fabrics and supplies.

To begin with I layered the one fat quarter of the fabric, cotton batting, and muslin underneath. I then used my Embellisher to attach the yarns at random -- with some of them I embellished down multiple strands one at a time, side-by-side to add interest. The next step as to free motion stitch completely over the fat quarter and the yarns as well to anchor them well.