Quick week and some sewing time . . .

FINALLY !!!!

I finally got some sewing time in.

It took me three days, but I finally got this month's Growing Up QAL assignment finished.

Something else I got done, although this hasn't really been a priority.

I pulled the ribbons and the other half of the linen from "Welcome".

I want to practice some of the new stitches and what better place than on fabric you are already using. I've also seen "stitch journals" in some of the books I borrowed from the library and thought that would be a fun project for the end result. I still have to decide how I want to section the fabric, but that's for another day. I still have goals to complete.

Thinking about all those who are in the Queensland area as they are dealing with intense weather. It's tornado season here - same thing without the water - but we don't really have much to deal with in my part of the country. We'll get warnings and lots of rain, but fortunately not much else.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with creativity and productivity.

Spring Break - off and running

                                          

Monday morning and we were off and running . . .

First up was another trip to mom's. She needed help with an errand and I volunteered us. We had another nice visit, although short. I'm freeing up some of my time to be able to spend more time with her and make myself more available to her. 

We stopped at the library on the way home and picked up some movies. Newton played a video game and I worked on my blog. :)

So I felt like I had a fairly productive week, even though I didn't get all my goals met.

This is a design from Jenny of Elefantz. It was a free design a few years ago and I'm finally getting it done. It's one I considered a UFO . . . another one off the list.

If I were to do it again, in this layout, I would/should have enlarged the design. The white background is white on white with words (hope, He is risen, etc.) and images (crosses). Very fitting.

I found this print and just knew what project it would compliment.

I attached tabs so that it would hang from my quilt rack and chose the rather modern brown/turquoise print for sashing and binding. I wasn't sure, but I really like the contrast. 

I managed to finish the first block of a spring/Easter wall hanging. Another UFO - there are plenty more where these came from.

This took a couple of weeks of evening stitching to accomplish. I like the added dimension of the weaving through the back stitches just to give it something else.

I LOVE the pinks !! Pink gingham ears and flannel nose just add to the cute factor. 

 

 

 

Spring has sprung in our neighborhood. These are from Sunday evening after raining.  Daffodils are blooming, trees across the street are budding and the dragon's tongue is back for another year. That plant must be 10 years old by now !!! And the grass is a beautiful shade of green and looking pretty healthy. 

Not sure I'll get out in the yard to do much work this week, but I do try to do something each time I go out. That will be how I spend my spring and summer. No point in wasting those trips when there is so much to get done.

Time to hit the road again and see what my pups got into and get my chores done. Have a wonderful afternoon.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with creativity and productivity.

Goals for week ending March 25, 2017

It's been one of those weeks - although, lately, they seem to all be "one of those weeks".

How was your week?

Mine . . .

Monday - Bible Study and the dryer broke. That was after using it on Sunday with no issues . . . 

Tuesday, Children's program and errands, including dropping off my Aunt's sewing machine for repair (which was long overdue). . . 

Wednesday, I worked . . . 

Thursday was great :) Mom and BF. I had great visits with both of them and have missed them horribly. I never realize how much until I spend time with them, then I miss all the missed opportunities. However, visiting with both of them led me to some decisions I have been putting off and have now been made.

Friday, you guessed it, work again. 

And here it is the weekend again. 

The positives: the parts for the dryer arrived several days earlier (Saturday) than expected (Tuesday). So I got it cleaned up and Honey Do did the repairs. By the evening I was drying clothes.

I also had some sewing time after my chores were done :)

That takes us to my goals for this week:

1. Growing Up QAL - no progress made

- make block

- email completion

2. Easter stitchery

- finish stitching first block (of three) - DONE

3. Welcome

- finish tracing design - DONE

mount on frame

4. Redwork

- quilt row one - no progress

5. He is Risen

- finish wall hanging - DONE :)

Goals for the week ending April 4, 2017

 (WOW !!! It's April already !!!)

It's spring break this week, so Newton is home. I'm minimizing my list because there will be other things we do.

1. Redwork

- quilt row one

2. Growing Up QAL

- construct block

- email link

3. Picket Fence

- complete stitching on first half

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a week filled with creativity and productivity.

Goals for the week ending March 18, 2017

So, I've been trying to post this since Saturday. Better late than never, I guess.

Goals for the week ending March 18, 2017

1. Redwork - No progress 

- quilt row one 

2. Sheep

- continue stitching - Block finished

- start sewing strips together - no progress

3. Welcome

- draw off design - Not done, but significant progress made, I just have the branches on the tree to finish (right side of photo).

- mount on scroll frame - nope, not done

4. Easter

- draw off designs - Done

- begin stitching - Yes, I started :)

5. "He is Risen"

- finish as a wall hanging - not done, but progress made.

Quite a few years ago, my Aunt Rose promised me her sewing machine after she passed away. Promise was kept and it came in a really nice cabinet. I hadn't realized that the machine was portable, a Singer or so very heavy !!!

My hope is that it will be heavy enough to handle machine quilting. I took it to a local quilt shop that has a service center. They are going to clean and oil it and then we'll see what I can do with it. I don't know how long it sat for my Aunt. She ended up being blind toward the end, so I know she wasn't using it. Her younger brother handled her estate and when my mom could claim it, she did and brought it to me. It will be a couple of weeks before I get it back from the shop. I'll keep you posted.

On to this week's goals:

1. Growing Up QAL

- make block

- email completion

2. Easter stitchery

- finish stitching first block (of three)

3. Welcome

- finish tracing design

mount on frame

4. Redwork

- quilt row one

5. He is Risen

- finish wall hanging

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a week filled with creativity and productivity.

Mid-Week Progress Report

We dodged the bullet on the last snow storm to come running through on it's way to the east coast. We were forecast for up to a foot on Tuesday, this photo is from Wednesday morning. A lot of snow had blown and drifted away. The worst part is how cold it has gotten, but then this is a noreaster - north winds blowing hard and very cold. 

I had the day off on Wednesday and did my best to take full advantage of it. With working so much lately, it's been hard keeping up on everything - especially household chores, but one must prioritize :)

So here is where I am:

I continue to work on another sheep block. If they take me two weeks to complete, I'm ok with that because there are other projects I want to work on as well.

"WELCOME"

I finally chose my fabric and laid out the pattern.

This took almost all morning to draw off. It's going to be a long slow process. But I LOVE it already.

 

I received the ribbon in the mail, so I'm even more excited to get started on the stitching. Not to mention I finished this week's goal of the "Sheep" block.

 I also managed to get the Valentine's bears put away and some Easter bunnies out.

Makes me happy.

Looks like Thursday will be a day off too, so I'll get my corned beef and cabbage supplies together so it can go in the crockpot Friday morning, I want to dig out my aunt's sewing machine and see if it needs to go in for service. It's been packed away for a number of years and it's time to start using it. It's a much heavier machine and should be able to handle the quilting that my little Brother can't . . . or won't.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with creativity and productivity.

 

Goal Report - Week ending 3/11/17

Goals for the week ending 3/11/17

1. Redwork - UFO 2015

- put first row together - Done

Not only did I get one row assembled - I got all three of them done !! And I'm fairly certain what I'm going to do next :)

2. Sheep - New 10/2016

- start next block (#4 I think of 9) - Done

- cut strips for the first alternate block - Done

Next block is started . . . 

These blocks are big - 18 inches square !! I decided on an alternate block pattern. They finish at only 12 inches square, so after some arithmetic, I cut the strips for those blocks.

These are just some of them. 

I'll use the leftovers from the Redwork quilt so I don't have to purchase more and I know there will be leftovers.

3. "He is Risen" - UFO

- finish stitching - Done

This is a Jenny of Elefantz design. It's free if you are interested.

4. Needlebook - New 3/2017

- sew on binding - Done

This is another Jenny design. It was free too when I downloaded it. Follow the link above to track it down.

I sewed the binding on by hand in front of the TV on Friday evening.

I can never have enough needlebooks and with the sentiment on this one, the fabric was perfect. I have leftovers that I'm gifting to BF so she can have one too. I just haven't decided if I'm going to make it for her or let you make her own. I think she already has the pattern :)

5. Easter bin - UFO

- modify/finalize layout of design - Done?

I decided I didn't really need to change my design layout that I made a few years ago when I found these. The bin is dated 2000 !!!

My floss colors are going to come from my border fabric - isn't it fun? It's so bright and happy :)

I've got my designs, fabric and stabilizer - they are all cut to size and ready. I just have to draw off the designs.

6. "Welcome" - New 2/2017

- shop for "ribbon" - Done

I got on line and found 4mm ribbon for this project. It's ordered and should arrive in about a week. It sure took a chunk out of the crafting budget. BF sends me photos of her progress every few days. If mine turns out half as beautiful as hers, it will be amazing.

Sunday I got a confirmation email for my order and was enticed to purchase a beginner's ribbon embroidery book - can't wait for that either.

- draw off design - no progress, adding it to next week's goals.

Goals for the week ending March 18, 2017

1. Redwork

- quilt row one

2. Sheep

- continue stitching

- start sewing strips together

3. Welcome

- draw off design

- mount on scroll frame

4. Easter

- draw off designs

- begin stitching

5. "He is Risen"

- finish as a wall hanging

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a week filled with creativity and productivity.

Goal report March 4, 2017 and spring is just around the corner . . . ???

Spring is just around the corner ????

Not what it looked like on Friday !!

We ended up with about 5 inches between midnight and 10 a.m.

This was the visibility all morning . . . pretty much non-existent.

Goals for the week ending March 4, 2017

1. Redwork (UFO - 2015)

- sash last two blocks - Done

- figure out next step - Done

 

I chose my fabric and started sewing the final border together.

2. Sheep

- work on next block - Done

- plan alternate blocks - Done

 

Since there are hearts throughout the blocks, I found this pattern for patchwork hearts to use for the alternates. I just have to increase the size a bit to bring them up to the "sheep" blocks. I've already done that and I'll use what Valentine's fabrics I have and round out with the leftovers from the "Redwork".

I found this print on the clearance rack at Hobby Lobby. It has a pretty nice hand and will help to break up the rows.

3. Easter Bin (UFO - unknown date)

- see what's in it - Done, I've gone through it.

- pick something to make Sort of done - I have some drawings and a rough sketch of a design. I'll try to do more with it this week. 

No pictures :(

4. "He is Risen" (UFO)

- pull bin, get started - I started . . . pictures later.

5. "Welcome"

- choose fabric

I chose this linen. It's in the "tan" family. So I guess you would say "natural", since it's linen.

- draw off pattern - I didn't get this done . . . 

but I did start to pull some of the floss. This is going to be a really big project.

Goals for the week ending 3/11/17

1. Redwork - UFO 2015

- put first row together

2. Sheep - New 10/2016

- start next block (#4 I think of 9)

- cut strips for the first alternate block

3. "He is Risen" - UFO

- finish stitching

4. Needlebook - New 3/2017

- sew on binding

5. Easter bin - UFO

- modify/finalize layout of design

6. "Welcome" - New 2/2017

- shop for "ribbon"

- draw off design

I'm stream-lining my goals, hopefully I'll start feeling some progress.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a "week" filled with creativity and productivity.