Hardrock Woodworks Etsy Shop

Visit the Hardrock Woodworks Etsy shop, and use the special promo code STEPH10 for 10 percent off. The clapper comes in several sizes, and would make a wonderful holiday gift for a sewing/quilty friend. I also like the thread cutter that has a replaceable blade.

Custom size clapper in Ambrosia Maple wood

Tiny Piecing Workshop

I went to this in person workshop a couple weeks ago, which was the first in person class I have been to in almost two years. The workshop instructor was Giuseppe Ribaudo aka “Giucy Giuce”. We learned tiny foundation paper piecing, and worked on a few of his patterns in class. There were about 22 of us in a large community college classroom, and we had a large 5’ table each to ourselves. This would never have been the case in pre-covid times. Workshops then usually placed two people to a single table.

I usually get more out of online classes from the comfort of my own sewing studio, and I love that I do not have to pack up a portable sewing studio, lug it out to and from the car, driving time to and from etc. This class felt totally worth the lug, travel and pack/unpack a sewing machine and notions. I do not feel like this with every in person class. The reason it was so good this time, was that we were allotted a nice amount of time to work on what the instructor just taught. I also felt that Giuseppe provided a fair amount of time with everyone. Finally, I went home with a complete mini block that looks amazing! It was a great experience.

This is a quilt Giuseppe brought to class. He made it last year for the Alison Glass collab sew a long… you know, the one I joined and then never made a single block?! Now I have the knowledge of the techniques to give it another go.

Norwegian Knitting Technique

I am so excited about learning this traditional Norwegian knitting technique. It seems so much easier to learn than all of the other ways that I have tried. If you are trying to learn knitting or are still in the novice level, consider trying this method. Now I understand how Arne knits so freaking fast! I have already increased my knitting speed, although still slow compared to the experts. The photo here is my elementary wrap I am knitting. You can see the before and after I learned the new purl technique.