I started cutting out the squares from this panel, The Hungry Animal Alphabet sampler, to make a throw quilt. I saw the free pattern on Just Let Me Quilt, back in November and I really liked the character of the animals pictured, so I bought a panel. Then some yardage fell into my cart from this Riley Blake line, and the rest is history.

The panel squares are all the same size, the pattern calls for cutting them to 7 ½ inches square, but I want to use as much of them as possible, so I cut them to 8 inches square. Look how cute the S block is, Sheep, suitcases, sunflowers, snow, saddle shoes etc.

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I got all the green sashing cut, but I am waiting on the yellow for the corner stones. It should be here next week. I put everything in a bag and pulled out the panel of Savannah animals, the charm pack that goes with it and the pattern I thought I was going to use. Well, the pattern seems to go with a different panel from this line, as the main animal blocks are not the same size as those in the pattern. To make it more fun, the giraffe is a tall rectangle. I decided to do some improv piecing and practice my partial seams. Its working out pretty well.

This Cat head cross stitch was in the same bin as the floral one I completed in November. I have been stitching on it everyday. I wish I had a before picture, but when I restarted it, there was only one eye, no nose and very little fill of the left ear. It’s also a piece done on linen, lots of shading, even colors with two different strands of floss. It reminds me of my cat, Sharkie, who has been gone for a long time now. I think I started this piece in 1995, as that’s when the magazine is dated from. It’s a Mary Hickmont pattern, she used to publish a magazine called New Stitches. She is on Facebook now, and the magazine ended with issue 261. This cat is from issue 51. She is still making and selling her cross stitch designs on Etsy at MaryHickmottDesigns She has really lovely designs, also Black work and Hardinger. I have a bunch of old magazines that I saved. I should go through them and re-find the ones I like.

I got the Farm charm top together, I’m just waiting for a yard of the strawberry color to come in, and I’ll add borders. The other Farm Charm quilt top needs a border too. Speaking of borders, I got the final installment of the Botanica BOM quilt yesterday. I also got the first installment of the Holiday square BOM, and notification that the Halloween figs December block has been shipped (I still have one block left from November to do). I went from a clear plate to overflowing. Let’s not forget clue 4 for the Bonnie Hunter Grassy Creek quilt is out tomorrow.

Just Keep Sewing, just keep sewing.

Be Kind