Bits

This week has been a different week.  We still have snow on the ground from the storm.  It will be gone by tomorrow as our temps are to head warmer this week.  We did not get the storm as badly as they did in Maine.  Sister and daughters all had power outages (just received notice that the last had their power come back at 0530 this morning). 

The snowflake table runner will turn into a sandwich today.  That is what is next on the list.  Shall start stitching it this week.  Now that I have told you that, I need to get cranking to be able to show something next week.

The last of the Chubby's have been finished.  Fox, Rabbit and Bird from Jeannette Douglas Designs.  I see that she has a Bee for 2024.  Need to look for that one.  These all need to be framed and I need to learn how.  This will be a good place to start as they are small.

Squirrel!

Like many people, I have scraps left over from other projects.  I had seen a video by Conquering Mount Scrapmore with Brenda on making a "potato chip block".  This looked like less thinking than the other scrap block I had made.  Just don't put the same fabric in the block.  (I already messed that up.  Didn't notice until I was pressing the finished block.  Oh well.)

I am spending time cutting out bricks, 30 minutes a day, and my scrap pile is not noticeably smaller.  Cutting two sizes: 1.75 X 3 inches (wrote the wrong measurement down, cut wrong and had to adjust vs tossing fabric) and 2.5 X 4.5.  The smaller brick blocks are what I am showing.  It makes a finished 10-inch square.  When I stich them together, I need to make sure the center start is in different directions.  That way NO matching of seams!  Totally mindless sewing.  I leave one set up next to my machine waiting for me.  (I had to think harder for a crumb block).

Since the chip is waiting for me and I don't have to think, just sew and press.  I am back on a UFO: Little Block 365 by Sentimental Stitches.  I had 217 blocks stitched and several rows put together.  The smallness was driving me crazy as it takes a bit of time to stitch them.  Longer than to stitch a potato chip block.  I wasn't seeing the progress to keep me motivated.  Now it is a pair project.  Hope that helps me.  I want to see it done.  I do like 365, a lot.

NCAA Women's Basketball final this afternoon.  My slow stitching will be work on Season and Time by Moira Blackburn will watching the game.  

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.  Enjoy your threads today.

 

Flimsy

The Snowflake Table Runner from Piecing the Past Quilts has turned into a flimsy.  Not perfect but I am pleased.  The last 18 large leaves and the 18 diamonds went quickly (after stitching 72 of the little leaves).  On the diamonds I was wondering about the pointy end.  It is a bit small, narrow, and I wondered if it would survive the washing machine when its time came for a bath.  So, I used fray check on the sides and tip end of the point.  I haven't used that in a long time and don't remember if I was pleased or not.  It was easy to stitch through.  Shall wait and see.

It needs a good "brushing" before I make it a sandwich.  Between the loose threads and the cats, sigh.  It will become a sandwich this week.

Hand quilting is being thought of around the snowflake parts.  Then machine quilted straight lines following the long side of the runner (but not quilting over snowflake parts).  Shall keep thinking.

There has been other stitching done.  Here is Chubby Bunny from Jeanette Douglas Designs.  Jo from Jo's Country Junction is having a stitch-a-long with this small and two others.

Here is the beginning of Chubby Fox by Jeanette Douglas Designs.  They are being stitched on 40 count linen.  Need my magnifying glasses for this work.  

Enjoy your threads this day and Happy Easter.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Snowflakes

Inside and outside.

Here is where I was with my Snowflake Runner by Piecing the Past Quilts before the NCAA Women began their playoffs today.  All 72 of the little leaves are now in place.  Tomorrow I will trace, cut and shape the 18 bigger leaves that go on the end of the spikes.  Then all that will be left is the 18 diamond shapes. 

I will then have a flimsy.  

The runner and I have been talking as it has been stitched and I think that I have an idea on how it will be quilted.  It should not remain a flimsy very long.  

I would take another picture of the leaves finished except that this has been a very dark day.  We began with snow and ice.  It then warmed up and it has been raining all day (which began as sleet).  Now we are back to snow.  There has not been a lot of snow accumulation and the melt or water is running off the hills behind us.  It travels across the backyard and between our neighbor's house and ours and off to the road.  Thankfully (knock on wood) our cellar has stayed dry. 

Maybe tomorrow this will be a flimsy.  Shall let you know.  Enjoy your threads and may your weather be good.

Linking up to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.
 

Moving Along

The Snowflake Tablerunner appliqué from Piecing the Past Quilts is moving along.  The center snowflake has only six leaf shapes to go at the end of the spikes and then six diamond shape between the spikes.  When those are done, a snowflake will be complete.    

There is a total of 72 of the little leaves to make and stitch.  I cut out 24 for the snowflake that I am working on, shape about 8 at a time and then stitch.  Repeat.  Best Press and the mylar template are being used to make the leaf shapes.  Maybe I will get good at making these (hysterical laughing is heard here).

Stitching of one shape for all three snowflakes is being done before I move on to the next shape.  

There have been other projects worked on this week, but I am not remembering what.  (The mind, sigh.)  

Linking up to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.  Thank you for the visit and enjoy your threads.

 

Appliqué

Block5: Pair of Golden Eagles from A Bountiful Life is almost done.  All that is left is to embroider the eye of each eagle.  It was fussy at the end but not as bad as I was dreading.  Should have finished this long ago.  Now to mark the next one which will be Block 7: Birds with Snacks.

But, before that is getting marked, I am stitching the "spokes" on my Snowflake Runner from Piecing the Past Quilts.  I started this by forming the "spokes" over a mylar template.  

Then they would be stitched onto the runner.  It did not go well.  They are so tiny, skinny.  They have been placed by needle turn appliqué. 

The "spokes" look much nicer to me.  They will be finished up today and then I will either begin leaf shapes or there are diamond shapes to make.  Those are large enough that I will try making the shapes over the mylar templates.

Enjoy your threads today.  Thank you for taking a look at what I am stitching.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Feet

Not what I expected to stitch on this week.  

For some reason Block 5: Pair of Golden Eagles from A Bountiful Life was screaming at me.  It had been longtime ignored but the leaves and branches were starting to get stitched.  The feet were next.  Ick.

My cousin Kathy had done her eagles' feet using a suede fabric and I really like how they looked.  She had given me a piece of the suede.  Tried it and did not like it.  Hers looked so much nicer.  (Forgot to take a picture before the feet were removed.) 

Next, I used a brown cotton and did the needle turn appliqué technique.  Still, I was not happy.  So, I pondered.

Looked through my books on appliqué hoping someone would give great directions on doing bird feet.  Nothing specific but good ideas.  I took Pellon #950 fusible nonwoven interfacing and fused it to the back of my brown material.  (That is a one sided fusible.  For some reason I did not want to fuse it to the block.  No sure what my thinking was.)  Then the feet were traced and trimmed.  The buttonhole stitch was used to attach to the material.  Happier am I.  Not perfect but done.  The body was stitched for one of the eagles and more leaves placed.  She still has to have her eye stitched on.  

A closer view of the feet.

Below are the first feet that I made with the cotton, needle turned appliqué.  They did not make me happy at all.  You can see the piece of fabric with the fusible interfacing on it.  The left feet will be removed, and the new ones stitched in place.  Then the body can be stitched on, then more leaves and branches.

 

Block 5 will be done (maybe today).  My slow stitching on a Sunday and then back to the snowflake runner.  I am thinking that a person has to use all the techniques for appliqué.  

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.  Enjoy your threads and thanks for looking.

Snowflake Runner

It has been an interesting week.  Monday, we left at noon for Boston as my husband was having a knee replacement at New England Baptist the next morning.  Tuesday we were there at 0530 and his surgery began at 0800.

For the next five hours, I appliqued the ovals on my Piecing the Past Quilts: Snowflake Tablerunner.  There were several of us in the waiting area, but I was the only one doing hand work.  

At noon my husband was in his room, and they had him walking with a walker by 1500 (3pm).  We left the next day at noon for the three-hour drive home.  He is doing very well.  Physical Therapy has been in to evaluate and work with him.  This knee replacement recovery has been, knock on wood, so much easier and faster than the other knee eleven years ago.  51 hours door to door turn around.  

Faster than any hand work project that I have ever done.  Today, after a run to Dunkin for him, I will prep the three center circles and start on the snowflake spokes.  

Husband will be doing his exercises and walking in circles in the house.  It is 15 degrees out at the moment so not sure if he will make it outside.  A warmup is to happen later in the week.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.  Enjoy your threads.  I surely do.