I had some errands to do yesterday, and there were construction workers blocking my driveway. I decided that I would go out and stay out, as my first appointment was at 10:15 and my last at 3:00pm. I needed to go pick up the new Serger foot I had ordered and I was going to look for a little fabric. I got to the store and found a cute print, I think its “Gastlies”, its got fish of all kinds and a cat (catfish?) on a neutral background. I got some thread for the Cotton Couture quilts too. It was sort of a lack luster shopping trip and I kinda knew it would be. The owner of the shop has been downsizing since before the pandemic, and talking about retirement. He has also been focusing on machine sales and repair more than fabric and notions. The shop used to take up two stories with classrooms upstairs and four large areas for fabric/notions – the rest of the floor space was machines. The store is in a former bank building, so there is lots of open space. Yesterdays visit was to a shop that had further reduced fabric bolt shelves, lots of machines, and a pared down selection of notions. I have been shopping at this store for about 25 years, followed it through a move, a change in ownership (one co-owner left) and now this downsizing. Believe me, I know the competition is fierce from Michaels, Joanns et al, and on-line shopping, its really tough to have an independent shop. It makes me sad to remember the lively community that used to gather and how there was always someone to talk quilting to, or just hang out with and pet the fabrics. I think that’s what I miss the most, and I wanted to find that feeling yesterday. I was sitting in the parking lot with two and a half hours till my next appointment, when I thought of a different shop, and wondered if it was open. Google maps, yes! open and only seven miles away. I used to shop at The Granary about 15 years ago, it was close to the place I took my daughter for school tutoring. I would drop her off and go shop while she did her session. There were a few people in the shop, and I was greeted when I came in, so nice and welcoming. Fresh fabrics, bright lighting, patterns and samples and that community feeling. I ended up with a few half yards, a pattern and a quilt kit, plus I signed up for their email list and rewards card. The quilt kit I got is for a Julie Paschkis Quilt, called “Snowy”. I couldn’t resist, funny how I finally used up most of my Paschkis fabrics and now I have more. I think it is really pretty and I hadn’t seen it before. Wintery scenes with saturated colors, Polar bears, penguins and white foxes. There is a matching pillow, as seen on bottom right.

I sewed together the blocks for the second Cotton Couture quilt top yesterday. I want to figure out some kind of borders, the pattern has them on top and bottom only with finished size being 60″ X 70″. I need to think on it a bit.

It’s another rainy day here, so I think I’ll stay in and sew.

Be Kind.

I caved yesterday, no spelunking here, caved in on not buying more cross stitch supplies/projects. I had this PDF chart, Vintage Pansies by 2X2 Stitch Art that I bought in November last year. I want to start a new project after I finish the Moth. I don’t want to do anther sampler right now, so the pansies won out. I didn’t have all the flosses, there are 44 different colors in this one. A trip to 123 Stitch solved that, and I saw another chart and floss which jumped into my cart. They make it easy to order flosses, just enter all the numbers in the box, separated by commas, and press enter. They all magically pop into your cart where you can double check them. The other chart I got is Live and Let Live by Long Dog Samplers, I like this one for its composition and colors. I probably should have checked the DMC flosses I had before ordering the kit, but there are only 12, so how many could/do I have?

The Moth stitchery is coming along, I am almost finished with the lower left wing. I keep making mistakes and ripping though. My new tablet, (Christmas gift 🙂 is helping me keep track, I am trying out Pattern Keeper. I really like that I can take a photo of the chart and import it into the app and use it. I can also use pattern PDFs, and it will separate colors and count stitches too. The photo import part will only allow marking or highlighting stitches done, but it’s really helpful. I especially like that I can enlarge the pattern with a touch and with the nifty pen my tablet has, mark individual stitches. Its funny, I never thought I would like a tablet, my laptop is so light and does all the “things” I need it to do. This tablet has changed my view, and the way I stitch for the better.

I worked a bit on the Cotton Couture quilts, I am getting the four corners put together. I like the way my stash fabrics look together with the ones from the Cotton Couture collection. Maybe these tops will be together for the return of the Longarm.

This being the first Monday of 2022, I am itching to start doing something, the holidays are done, and it’s time to start anew. I want to make an Optometrist appointment (yay! new glasses) and an appointment to get my rugs picked up for cleaning. It would be nice if the tile guys showed up today to finish tiling my bathroom too. That project has been going on for too long, I am ready to be done, its like having an UFO that you can’t finish, but you see it every day.

Time’s a-wastin’ !

Be Kind.

Another week has passed, along with it, our sunny December weather. We have rain in the forecast for at least the next eight days. All very conducive to staying in and sewing, baking and puzzling. My sons are coming back home for the holidays, with my new daughter in-law, and an SO. A full house so to speak. Today will be a day of tidying up, shopping (food) a bit, and staying warm and dry.

I have been sewing the blocks for the quilt kit I got a few months ago, its called Cotton Couture. Once I got all the individual blocks sewn, I put together nine parts. I may get those together today, and then its just a few borders. Looking at the picture, I am noticing a turned section, I’ll fix it before going on.

Cross stitch corner has a resident moth, a Cecropia moth, I am working on the wing. This is on a scrap of 40 count linen I had. I think it looks better on the rust colored linen, like the photo, but this off-white is okay. Shopping for colored linen on-line makes me think twice about buying it. There is so much variation in color from dye lot to dye lot, and the names confuse me too. Some of them sound like a Starbucks drink order, vintage mocha light brown. Others look like a color catcher sheet, or a drop cloth from under the dye pot. The splotchy look isn’t my favorite, I figure in about 25 years all the pieces will looked aged and splotchy on their own why start out that way? Then there is the fact that one has no real control over the splotches, I wanna know where my design is going to be on the cloth. I start thinking “what if I get a splotch under an element of the design, like a flower?” then I think about not liking said splotch, and ripping out stitching.

The frame kit came for the Irish saying piece, and I got it all done in time for gift-ing. I like this saying, and I hope the recipients do too. Still have to finish “Comfort and Joy”, I got these cute pompoms for the edging too. I just can’t decide if I want to make a pillow or a plaque, or ???

Last hat gift is knitted too. I was knitting a striped one for this person, but when I finished it, I didn’t like it. The horizontal stranding makes it too tight, and it seems like one of those hats that tries to pop off your head at inopportune times. Yesterday I whipped up this solid one, YAY! for bulky yarn.

I’m contemplating joining a KAL for January-March 2022, the Self Care Sweater KAL from Bare Naked Woods. They have a pattern called Birches, a double breasted cardigan, with texture and drape.

I know I have some yarn around here that would be suitable, lol. Then I do have a few sweater projects kitted up, that need to be done as well. It seems like most bloggers and floss tube people are looking to use more stash for 2022. I’m thinking that I should have some kind of goal too, I can’t see myself doing a No-Buy year. I was thinking maybe I could work on a reward system, make something from stash, or complete a UFO and then get to buy something.

Be Kind.

I was excited to start the second month block kit for the Reunion BOM. Especially because my sewing table was clean and clear. When I opened the bag up, I discovered it was actually 4 blocks, 2 of each orientation. These blocks are large too, 18 inches square, it took me two sessions of sewing to complete them. The pieces are based on 2 ½ squares and HSTs, so it wasn’t too difficult to cut and piece. Some of the fabric is directional, which I discovered about half way through. The blue and gold print was a little wonky, I tried to cut it on the straight of the print, but then realized that I was wasting too much fabric. I also made a whoops cut, and ended up with just enough for the 16 squares.

This BOM is a large quilt (107″x107″), and I had originally liked it because of the colors and variety of blocks. I signed up a while ago, maybe in the spring, when I saw the picture of it at The Homespun Hearth. I should have looked a bit more closely at the fabric line featured. It is decidedly 1800’s reproduction themed, which is pretty, just not my first choice in prints. It is clearly stated in the description that it is a reproduction fabric line inspired by the artistry of Judie Rothermel. Coincidentally, the other BOM I signed up for, “A Ribbon Runs Through it” is also 1800 reproduction prints it is called ‘A Return to Elegance collection’ by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics. Hmm, looking back through my finished quilts I have made quite a few that are Repro themed. Time to own up to the fact that I do indeed like the theme, its the blues, they catch my eye.

In cross stitch land, I framed the Newcastle Bouquet, and I am making progress on the small “Comfort and Joy”. Trying to decide what to start next, something big or something medium? I have a moth, a coffee word sampler, a pansy bouquet, kitted up. Then there’s the large Pilgrims Progress Longdog sampler and the Heaven and Nature Sing sampler, also kitted up. Which will be the New Year’s start? Decisions, decisions…

Be Kind.

Yesterday I finished up the Christmas sewing gifts, the rest of the bowl cozies, but mostly embroidering a few stockings, a few ornaments and a fun bookmark. The bookmark was done on card-stock, or watercolor paper as that is what I had. It took a while to stitch, but it’s pretty and functional. My MIL reads a lot of “real” books, so I think she’ll appreciate it. I still have one more knitted hat to finish before 12-25, but I’m half way through, and closing in on the decreases at the crown. I also cleared off my sewing table while the embroidery machine was working, and was able to wrap all my gifts on the clean wide open surface. I have an adjustable height desk top under my cutting mat, which makes wrapping a breeze. So much better than kneeling on the floor to wrap (as I did last week) – ugh, even my husband commented on how he couldn’t imagine doing that.

My long arm is in need of repair. Last week it was acting up, and I updated all its software, which made it communicate with the robotics again, but now it seems to have a mechanical issue. The upper thread tension assembly seems to stick in the closed position. Definitely not conducive to sewing more than 10 stitches at a time. As is the way of things, I had about 10 more inches of the Spider and The Fly quilt to finish. I’m going to call my dealer tomorrow, they are closed today, and see if he can come out and fix it. It is really hard for me to take it off the frame, put it in the car and bring it to his shop.

I am sewing today, I have a block from the Reunion BOM quilt to do, and I think I want to start something new. I bought these small panels earlier this year, and thought they would look pretty as lap quilts with the coordinating fabrics (left overs from a different quilt). The panels are 18″ x 22″, FQ size, which makes adding blocks easier. I will have to fire up the EQ7 and try to remember how to use it effectively.

The Newcastle Bouquet is finished, and the frame I ordered for it arrived. It would be nice to finish putting it together today. The other cross stitch piece that is for a gift, has been finished for a few weeks, and the frame I ordered for it isn’t here yet. Strange because I ordered it before the frame for the NB piece. Hope it gets here before New Years, as that is when the recipients will be leaving.

It’s pouring down rain today, I have to go to the post office, and maybe buy some food for this upcoming week. First sewing!

Be Kind.