This project has been in a drawer for over twenty years, it’s a cross stitch on linen. Note the date of the magazine, 1995. I recently bought a new pattern for a sampler called ‘Pet All the Dogs’ from Teresa Kogut . I saw it on Jo’s Country Junction a few weeks ago, and decided that since I finished the Bright and Shiny wreath, I would like another hand sewing project. I got the pattern and started looking through the piles of DMC floss for the colors used in this project. That’s when I came across the UFO. I pulled it out and everything was ready to sew, there was the pattern and all the right DMC skeins even two needles. I worked on it for about an hour. I think I’ll work on in a bit more before starting the sampler.

I did have a bit of fun finding and ordering all the threads for the sampler though. I thought that I would use the Weeks dyed threads that are called for in the pattern. I like the way the space dyed threads work up in a project. I used a lot of Cosmo variegated threads in my Crabapple Garden Sampler quilt. You can see it in the lettering, the brown is all the same skien. The greens are too. It saves a little time by not having to switch thread colors and gives a little more interest.

I was a little surprised about the price of the Weeks floss, especially after seeing a price tag on the white Anchor skein from the UFO bag – .39 cents. The Cosmo floss isn’t cheap either, but its not hand dyed expensive. The store I bought the Anchor floss at, Flowertime, was a garden center-craft store chain. I worked there in the late 1980’s. I was into cross stitch back then, before quilting. Anyway, I ended up at the Fat Quarter Shop and ordered the called for threads, and linen fabric. I remember cross stitch as being a relatively inexpensive craft, but as with most things crafty the prices have risen. Between the Floss, pattern and linen cloth, this new pattern/kit is going to top 70.00, wow.

Be Kind

I am working on a few things right now, sort of in the middle of all of them. The newness and excitement has worn off, and the “work” stage has begun. This is the stage before the doldrum stage, which is the” if I have to do this one more time” part. There is still enthusiasm, but not the same as that of when the end of the project is in sight.

For me it goes like this:

1. Oh! Pretty, let me think about that.
2. Excited about new project
3. Design and planning stage or Purchase
4. Reading through the pattern
5. Creativity flowing
6. Discovering alternate ways to achieve better results
7. Cutting and assembling blocks
8. Work Stage – assembly line
9. Doldrums – resisting putting it away for a bit (UFO land)
10. Resist temptation to start something new, or not
11. The end is in sight
12. Excited to sew/see the finished top
13. Load on frame to quilt and start at 1 again.

I’m at number 8 now with Alaska/Sewards Folly. I am making 20 of this color way.

So many pieces and steps times 20, after this I am looking forward to a bit of variety, as the blocks left are made in quantities of four or less.

Yesterday I finished the BOM blocks for Halloween Figs and Botanica. Got a little break from the above. Botanica is a large quilt, 102″ square, and the Halloween Figs is a bit smaller at around 65″ square. I like that they are very different from each other, and that I have a month to finish the blocks. Which can make the above list of Quilty feelings a bit more manageable. Or condensed into a few days.

Looking at my last post, I have accomplished a few things on my list, well, most of them. A good start to the week.

Be Kind

There wasn’t much time spent in the studio this past week. I spent a few days away from home on a much needed retreat. I brought the yarn and needles to start the first clue of the Stillness MKAL with me, but it stayed in the bag.

I have plenty to do this week though.

1. Halloween figs sampler block #1
2. Botanica Block
3. Load new quilt on frame
4. Make more Alaska blocks
5. Work on shawl clue #1 (new clue Thursday)
6. Mail out quilt
7. Make more masks for friends

Hmm, seven items and seven days. I started figuring out the Halloween Fig block last Wednesday. I am trying to avoid making the blocks the way they do in the pattern. I want to use my rulers and avoid (what I feel is) the inaccurate way they show how to make them. I have an aversion to making HST’s by layering two squares and sewing 1/4 inch from a diagonal line and then cutting on said line. They just always come out wonky for me. I’m an Easy Angle devotee. There are a few other block assembly issues I have with this BOM, but its just me being picky. It seems to be a well written pattern in any case.

I have to finish last months Botanica clue, before moving on to this months. I ran out of one of the fabrics last month, I contacted the coordinator and she sent me another piece with my block fabric this month.

I did do a little sewing yesterday, I made two masks for friends, and one for me and one for my DH. The friends had seen my squirrel fabric masks and each wanted one. Then I realized that my DH only had one mask, made from his favorite NFL team fabric, and I didn’t feel it was appropriate to wear out to dinner. Also I made one to match my washi dress, which I wore to the dinner.

Be Kind

Some things are getting done around here. I’m at a point where I have three, no four things in the works that are going to be done soon.

The Turkish delight quilt is quilted, needs squaring up and binding. I’m trying to decide on a name for this quilt, the kit name is Gloriana’s dream, or something like that. It reminds me of Turkish or middle eastern tiles with the colors and the block shapes. I thought the name Arabesque might work too, but for some reason the Narnia story popped into my head and Turkish delight. Maybe its the rose colors, TD has rosewater and lemon juice in it and it is a dark pink gel-thing.

The baby quilt is quilted. This was a custom order, so I had to wait for the name and birthdate to embroider on it before quilting. I made the top in January, then the whole SIP thing started, the baby was born in April and the customer didn’t see the recipient until last week to get the info. So now it’s a rush job, it’s small, and all it needed was quilting and binding. I’m hoping to finish it today and get it in the mail tomorrow.

I am still stitching on the Shiny and Bright wreath. Only the metallic threads left. I usually stitch in bed before going to sleep, its relaxing as I stitch and listen to my book. However, my DH says that its too noisy. The thread makes a growling sound as I pull it through the fabric. I can’t really hear it though as I have ear buds in, so it doesn’t bother me. After a few minutes of complaining, he manages to fall asleep though. This is the same guy who sleeps through midnight dog barking sessions and crying children.

Alaska is chugging along too. I have 60 blocks made, out of 121, yay for halfway. I have been cutting the pieces in the AM and then sewing them together in the PM. I may need to order a bit more of the tan fabric I have, I initially doubled the amounts that the pattern called for, but then I changed the colors of some blocks. I thought it might be enough, but just in case, I’m going to get two more yards.

Next week the MKAL I signed up for starts. It’s a mystery shawl patten called Stillness, from Curious Handmade. A clue a week for a 5 weeks, a lot of knitting, about 1200 yards. I had two skeins that I liked in my stash (secretly I like all the skeins though) and I bought the navy blue one from a local dyer, Serendipidye Yarns. The pattern calls for a light a medium and a dark color. I really should be working on my Nieve sweater, but it is resting, in a basket, waiting for sleeves.

Thats all I got.

Be Kind

This past weekend I started the Alaska quilt. I got 32 blocks made, out of 121, a good start. I am wishing for an Accuquilt die for these shapes though. I have the Laundry Basket templates that go with the pattern, so there is less measuring, just strips and then pieces. So much bias though, lots of triangular pieces, now that I think of it, they are all triangles of some kind or another.

I spent a few hours last week with EQ8, making this quilt into a large, 100″x100″ bed size. I changed the coloring of a few blocks to get my version. I have to be a little careful when I use the LBQ pattern as a reference though. It has 13 different colorations of two blocks, my version has 18 different colorations. Most differences are left and right versions, or opposite/mirror images. There is a lot of checking and rechecking of color placement. I am thinking of renaming this quilt “Sewards Folly”, Secretary of State, William H Seward was instrumental in purchasing Alaska from Russia in 1867. Everyone thought it was a waste, but then gold was discovered and later oil, the rest is history. One day I hope to make it up there, it’s on my list.

Fun fact: After an all-night negotiating session, the treaty was signed at 4am on March 30th, 1867. The agreed price was $7.2 million, equivalent to around $120 million today, which works out at about two cents an acre.

I am also working on my current long arm quilt “Turkish Delight”, I picked a simple panto called kaleidoscope from Karlee Porter designs. This quilt is a long twin size, 80 x 108, which translates into lots of rows. While the Q24 is working through this, I stitch on my Shiny and Bright embroidery piece. I am done with most of the cotton floss parts and have moved on to the metallic threads. I got a skein of the Cosmo brand gold, and it is a little less fiddly than the DMC metallic threads. Short lengths are the key here, it shreds after a while, too much friction. I am sewing through two layers, which doesn’t help the thread last. The two layers does make it look nicer, somehow a richer hand to the fabric, plus less thread ends shadowing.

I am awaiting my first installment of the Halloween Figs BOM, it shipped out last week. This is going to be my BOM for 2020.

It’s got some interesting blocks and it is wall hanging size. I just have my Baltimore Halloween quilt that I hang every October, so this will get into the rotation for 2021.

Linking up with Judy at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts for https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/2020/06/design-wall-monday-june-15-2020.html

Be Kind