SAHRR - Stay at Home Round Robin 2023

 Someone needs to tell the daffodils that it is far too early to be poking up their pretty heads. I’m as eager as anyone to see spring arrive, but we are not even through January yet. Don’t they realize that February and March are still ahead of us?  We have had a mild winter thus far, but who knows what Mother Nature has in store for us next month?

One of the many blogs that I follow is Needle and Foot and the other day Bernie wrote about a project that she was taking part in, SAHRR 2023. You may learn more about it at her blog or atQuilting Gail. From  what I have you read,  you begin with any center block that you wish, and then starting January 23, a designer will provide directions for the next row. That will happen for six weeks. This is the third year for SAHRR. Please go to the Quilting Gail blog for more information.

I’m going to give it a try starting with this patriotic themed block. If I stay with it, fingers crossed I’ll then  be able to donate it. 

Covid numbers are down, so I did join friends for lunch at a restaurant today . . . a touch of normalcy. Let’s hope it continues.

That’s it for now.  Keep stitching and smiling.

First Wool Applique Finish for 2023 and MLK Day

 In a recent post,  I wrote about my resolve to do all types of stitching strictly from my stash and of my intention to work on some of my wool applique projects. Last evening, I finished this Simply Sweet January Wool Mat  from Shabby Fabrics. 

It was fun to stitch, but I wasn’t sure as to how to approach the swirl stitching in the middle. I wasn’t  confident that I could accurately draw the guiding lines for the stitching. After a great deal of thought and one or two failed attempts, this is what I did.

I used a slim exacto tool to trace along the lines on the pattern and around the cuffs of two mittens on opposite sides of the pattern. I then removed the two cuff pieces which would work as registration points when I pinned the pattern over my stitching. Finally, I used a Frixon pen to trace through the slit lines on the pattern. It worked great! For those not familiar with Frixon pens, all traces of the markings can be removed with a bit of heat after stitching.

When all the stitching was completed, I followed my regular wool applique pressing procedure. I always place a white terry cloth towel on my ironing board and then place the stitched wool piece face down on the towel and use a medium heat setting.

It makes the perfect spot to display this Simon Pearce blown glass tree which was a beautiful past Christmas gift gift from my godchild and her family. 

As today we honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., let us reflect on his words.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

The time is always right to do what is right.

Have a peaceful, happy week. 

This and That Thursday

 

Well, I have no finished quilts, cross stitching, or wool applique pieces to show you, but I have been making progress on a few things.

This amaryllis was a Christmas gift and the first stalk has five beautiful blossoms. The bulb has now sent up a second stalk. Things are about to get very crowded. :-)

Cuteness Alert!!!

These two handsome brothers belong to my friend Maribeth. I know quilters will want to know about the quilt on which they are napping. A few years back, she made this impressive 365 Day Challenge quilt. Each day a new six inch block design was posted. Each quilter chose his or her own colors. Maribeth has never met a quilt with a zillion or more pieces that she hasn’t enjoyed making. My friend Edith also made this quilt; both ladies are super over achievers! This magnificent quilt is temporarily residing on this chair where Romeo on the left and Wildcard on the right appear quite contentedly snuggling. 

Here’s a better view of this gorgeous quilt. The lads were startled by a noise, and I was able to grab this shot. I love the symmetry of this image with the seam line dividing the image perfectly with each brother getting an equal share of the cushion. :-) 

Continuing the quilt theme. . . here’s a photo of the side of a building at the Derby Street stores in Hingham.

Wouldn’t it be fun to make a few quilt block similar to this and then play with rearranging them? It might make an exciting design, but I am not going to allow myself to get distracted from my other projects. That doesn’t mean, however, that I might not file this idea away for another time. :-) 

Spilling the Tea. . . This has nothing to do with quilting or cross stitching, but what is your take on Prince Harry spilling the tea? For the past week, he has been all over the morning and late night shows hawking his new book Spare. On the first day, 1.4 million copies of his memoir were sold in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. The royal couple are estimated to have received 100 million (yes, you are reading that correctly, 100 million dollars) for their six-part Netflix series and 25 million for their deal with Spotify. I did not watch the Netflix series but did watch the 60 Minutes interview with Anderson Cooper and Harry’s appearance with Steven Colbert on the Late Show. And, no, I have no intention of reading the book.

I am just thankful that it wasn’t published while the Queen was still alive. Personally, I think the whole thing is shameful and am betting that a certain royal couple won’t be receiving an invitation for front row seats at the upcoming coronation.

Covid and flu numbers are rising . . . please stay safe everyone.

Reflections on Reflections

 About twenty plus years ago, the DPW was giving away tiny fir tree saplings on Arbor Day. I had been there to drop off some items for recycling. My brother and I planted it, and it didn’t amount to much for quite a few years. When it grew to five feet, I began decorating it with lights and these ornaments. I did that for five or six years and the little tree grew and grew as trees do;  eventually it grew too tall for me to reach the upper branches. It is at least twenty feet tall at this point.

So, I began hanging the ornaments on the front railings and on the shepherd’s hooks along the fence and in my garden. 

In spite of caps, water gets inside and must be drained from the ornaments before storing them way. Here they are gathered into a large wooden sifter where they can drain. Each year I have fun photographing this scene, and I thought that I would share some photos taken the other day. (All were taken with my iPhone.)

First, an overview of the subject. . . 

Then, I begin going in closer and closer. . . 

Next, I zero in and work the reflections which is my favorite part . . . very cool.

With digital, you can take as many images as you would like. Who knows? Maybe one of these last two images may end up on my Christmas cards next year. :-)

Resolutions, Recap, and Spirit Word for 2023

 Happy New Year!!!

Yesterday after church, I lugged the old sled and the heavy wooden Christmas tree back into the garage. Today the window candles and the spotlight were packed away. The inside decorations will remain for a few more days.

Resolution:

I have decided that “FUSE” will be my spirit word for 2023 for my stitch related endeavors. Finish + Use = Fuse. Yes, I am determined to finish some of the many projects that are in various stages of completion. Finishing one quilt a month seems like a realistic goal as a few just need borders or a few more blocks. Off the top of my head, I think I have five quilts that need to be completed. Wait a second, maybe I will make that finish one quilt every two months. Knowing me, that’s probably more realistic. ;-)

USE . . . Once again I am determined to stitch from my stash. That means no buying any more quilting fabric, patterns, cross stitch charts, floss, etc. Wish me luck in keeping this resolution. Pinky swear. . . I will only use what is already in my stash.

My friend Laurel sent along this timely piece . . . 

Recap:

The other day I read through last year’s posts to determine what I had accomplished during the last twelve months, and I was pleasantly surprised.

5 Quilts (2 had been started last year)

1 Mini Quilt

31 Cross Stitch pieces

2 Wool Applique pieces

6 Pillowcases donated

4 Fleece blankets donated

8 Project Bags ( a few were gifts and a couple were donated)

2 Sets of placemats

My intention is to work on more wool applique pieces this year as I have a numbers of fully kitted projects and two pieces in my stash that I need to finish . . . 

I wish you all a happy, healthy, creative 2023.