Wednesday Workings, November 27, 2024

Part 1 of Old Town (Starowka) is finished.  Like Indigo Way only half as many units will be made.  If it is decided to make this the original size of the pattern I can always make more units =^.^=  So now I am ready for Part 2 of Old Town (Starowka) when it is released on Friday.  This also frees me up to move to Part 2 of Indigo Way.  I like these aqua to turquoise fabrics.

The deer, squirrel, and panda are finished.  The words "panda" still need a stitch or two, but the animal is done.  Next up is a snail.  The snail is the tenth of 12 blocks to stitch.  Looking like I will have this project stitched with plenty of time before Levi is born in February.

Wishing you a very fulfilling Thanksgiving.  I am off to do a bit of cooking and binding =^.^=

Design Wall Monday, November 25, 2024

Nothing is on my Design Wall today, but Part 1 of Indigo Way is complete on my sewing cabinet.  I have fabrics ready to cut for Part 1 of Old Town, but this has yet to take place.  I will be making half the quantity of units for now on both projects.  I wish to keep them smaller than the size the pattern calls out.

Kristmas Kandy Kollection is all set for a few hours of stitching.  I just love the look of a stripe binding; especially when it is on the diagonal.  Don't get me wrong a stripe can also look great horizontal.  I have cut out a block of each of the two designs in this project with a gold background in hopes that Mom will get the enthusiasm to make one of these projects too.

Kendra is also ready for a few hours of binding.  This project will a be a bit more challenging to stitch at night since the binding is black with a small green clover.

This last project to share is a Sunshine project put together by Lorna.  It is hoped that it will be quilted and ready for a possible purchase at Summers Past Farms Craft Fair.

Hope your Design Wall or Sewing Cabinet has something fun in the works =^.^=
 

Sunday Stash Report, November 24, 2024

I could start off today with my first finish of the past week, but this one certainly fits the week ahead.  Kork is a 2024 UFO that I am happy to have completed.  It took a variety of fabrics in orange and brown mostly from Squirely Girl fabric line.  (More on the pattern name and designer by the tag "Kork" below.)  Kork is a small project pieced and applique.  I put a chocolate brown on the back.

Next finish from the week past is Kolorado.  This one never got to a UFO list, but it has been around since 2016 or there abouts.  It was a "row by row" project from Ruth's Stitchery out of Colorado and a gift to me from Marti.  (more on the pattern name and designer by the tag "Kolorado".  I enjoyed the little bits of applique and one of my favorite techniques, paper piecing.  I used the red/black check as the borders to carry the theme of the tree skirt made last year.

My last finish are these ornaments for the Summers Past Farms Craft Show that Sunshine Guild will participate.  It runs December 7-8; something fun to do if you enjoy craft shows.  This pattern was in the December 2024 issue of Better Homes & Gardens American Patchwork & Quilting periodical.

As for purchases, 3.25 yards towards the Bonnie Hunter Winter Mysteries (2024 and 2025) that I am working on at the same time.  I stopped by Lowe's for paint chips on my way home from a sew in on Friday.  I was having a hard time with the aqua to turquoise fabric in the 2025 Mystery Old Town and needed a solid red for the entire yardage in the 2024 Indigo Way hence a stop for fabric too.  I am busy in to cutting and sewing on these two projects.  I am even using the Acuter on the 2024 project with the 2.5 inch die.

Fun finishes and fun starts last week and into this week.  =^.^=

Used this week: 8.25 yards 
Used YTD: 268.75 yards 
Purchased this week: 3.25 yards
Purchased YTD: 139.25 yards
Net used in 2024: 129.5 yards

Wednesday Workings, November 20, 2024

Someone was at Rosie's on Friday purchasing fabrics for Bonnie Hunter's 2025 Winter Mystery.  I am going to have to start sorting out my fabrics soon for this one called Old Town (Starowka).  I am planning on making her 2024 Winter Mystery (Indigo Way) at the same time.  Both will be using her suggested colors.  Those of you who know, Bonnie brings to us big quilts with many units will think good grief!  I will be making each of them a smaller version so I can keep up!

Kolorado is finished with the exception of the applique.  There is a snow board leaning up against the house, head lights on the truck, skis on the barn, and finally the barn quilt above the barn.  I will be working on these later tonight.  The outside boarder was chosen in part because it uses the same fabric as the tree skirt I made last year.  This will be a finish come Sunday.

These are Christmas ornaments that I will donate to the Summers Past Craft Fair that Sunshine Guild will participate in early December.  They are made to look like iced cookies with sprinkles.  I have a bit more to stitch before they finish.

Kork is ready for the final steps adding sashing and boarders.  There is an orange plaid fabric used in a few of the acorns that will also become the binding.  This will be a finish come Sunday.

To break things up a bit and because it would be nice to donate the top to the Summers Past Craft Fair event, I got this project going.  Lorna put it together with donations to Sunshine Guild.  The printed blocks in Christmas scenes are surrounded by either the green or the red and pulled together by matching four patches.  There is a beige plaid for an inner border and the plaid for the outer boarder and back.  The red comes back again as the binding.

Cross stitch project Forest Friends moves right along.  I still need to get floss 632 to finish the deer.  I suppose I could move on to the panda, but I would rather complete the deer first.  I do have other hand work to keep my hands busy!

Happy Wednesday =^.^=

Design Wall Monday, November 18, 2024

Since this cold I caught has me home all of the prepared acorns have been stitched.  Only seven more to stitch before Kork can be assembled.  You can see why I wanted more tan browns.  I am heavy into orange acorns.  These next seven will correct that!  This is a 2024 UFO.

It was a paper piecing weekend.  First I made four more of the 100 that are necessary for the Kottages project (the red one was the first).  A long way to go in making these cute 2 1/2" houses.  This is a 2022 UFO.

Next and what occupied me most of the time is a project that I picked up from Marti when she was working at Ruth's Stitchery in Colorado Springs in 2016.  It is called Rocky Mountain Escape and was part of the Row by Row Home Sweet Home Experience.  I'll be calling my project Kolorado.  This is a toughie!  The instructions are good except for the log cabin block.  Yeah I know what is to explain in the making of a log cabin block.  Size!

On the left is the first sew with the widths as cut from the instructions.  Well the fabric provided in the kit seemed wrong so I changed it out to my own similar fabrics.  It finished at 4 1/2" unfinished.  Then finding out where it belonged in the design had me make it with the original fabrics and it finished at 2 1/2" unfinished.  Well it still won't fit and I really like how it looks in the project.  I may try again or remove the last four rows so it will.

This is where I left off on Sunday evening.  The log cabin unit is to be appliqued above the barn doors.  Right now it is about 1/4" too big since it is to be set on point.  All of these units sit on a bed of snow and surrounded by three borders.  It finishes at 9" x 36".  Think tiny pieces =^.^=

Sunday Stash Report, November 17, 2024

 

Let me begin this post with my adds.  The stitched blocks were done by my Grandma Alice.  I have been looking for a good setting and these four fabrics will go for it.  I am still experimenting.  These fabrics as are the rest you will see today all from Rosie's Calico Cupboard.

I already have this Grandma Alice stitchery top in a setting.  I needed a back for it before sending it off to Kerry.  Some might know that I had intended to visit Kerry for a few days starting yesterday.  Well I came down with a cold so sadly enough I had to postpone my trip.  This project was just one of many that were going in my luggage.

The last fabric purchase is the brown on the right.  It blends in pretty well with the two on the left that I already had for acorns in my Kork project.  I searched high and low for more of this shade of tan.  I was going to get two new tans, but one it will be.

For the used this week is Witchy Manor that has been named Kaaaary.  Pretty clever Christy!  I had the perfect back in my stash yeah!

Used this week: 7.5 yards 
Used YTD: 260.5 yards 
Purchased this week: 6.25 yards
Purchased YTD: 136 yards
Net used in 2024: 124.5 yards

I have been homebound working to rid myself of this cold.  Check in tomorrow to see what projects I have been stitching.  Happy Sewing =^.^=

Wednesday Workings, November 13, 2024

I have Witchy Manor all together now.  I found a good backing in my yardage so a plus all around.  Now to come up with a clever "K" name...help!

I am continuing to work on Kork.  These all have the bottoms sewn in place.  The stem is next and then the caps.  I still have another seven to go.  Want to look for and purchase a couple of light tans on Friday when I am at Rosie's.

The deer is getting close to done.  All the rest to finish the body is the floss color 436.  The feet and eye lashes will be black.  When finished there are five more to stitch.  I think the squirrel is next.

Happy Wednesday =^.^=

Design Wall Monday, November 11, 2024

Prepared several more acorn blocks.  These applique quite fast.  Mixing and matching, trying not to duplicate as I go.  You may wonder about my applique method.  Learned it a few years back at a Sunshine Guild meeting.  This method uses Avery Label sheets.  You trace the shape onto the sheet, cut on the line, adhere the shape onto the right side of the fabric, and cut the fabric 1/4 inch or less (preferably 1/8 inch).  You are all set to roll under the fabric around your shape to the background and stitch.  Trust me the adhesive shape stays put until you are ready to remove it.  No residue is left behind and you may be able to get a second use from the adhesive shape.

These are done as of today with six more prepared for stitching.  I can see a finish coming in the next couple of week for this 2024 UFO.

Witchy Manor from the 2024 Spooky Box from Fat Quarter Shop is in progress and sharing space with Kork on my Design Wall.  Aren't the bats just the cutest?  These units make up the top part of the project.

I am ready to sew the bottom section of the project after making all these spooky HSTs.  They were all trimmed down to 6 1/2 inches.  Trimming is necessary and the Bloc Lock rulers come in handy for the job.

Here is the top section ready to sew together.  Bats, Autumn and Evening Stars, Witch Hat, Manor, and Spooky Star.  This project needs a Hallowed name.  It finishes at 40 x 43.  Anxious to finish yet another Halloween project =^.^= 

Have a wonderful week everyone.

 

Sunday Stash Report, November 10, 2024

You may remember that I finished Twist & Treat last week.  There were lots of fabrics left after making it.  I wanted to put them to good use so this table runner was created.  Zoom in on the border if you can.  It is so darn cute.  Still working on names for these two projects.  For now the table runner will be called Twist & Treat table runner...LOL! 

This is Kellie a 2024 UFO completion.  It came from a kit called Little 4 Patch by Kellie Willey of littlequiltscreations.com.  Kellie was a speaker and presented a workshop in February 2021.

Now this is an oops project.  When I cut out Kellie I made a mistake in the orientation of the all important novelty fabric (mouse).  It was to be cut on point not straight.  These little one inch finish units were not going to be tossed...they took too much time to cut!  With extra fabric from Kellie at hand voila!  Kellie 2 completed too.

This is just one of the 20 acorns to be stitched in my Kork project also a 2024 UFO.  Somehow this one got a crooked top.  It was just driving me crazy so it was corrected.  You just know when there needs to be a fix =^.^=

As you can see that's much better.  I'm continuing to make more of these in the evenings.  I need a couple more dark browns that I just can't find in my stash.  Next week I'll find something at Rosie's.

So for this week I have four completions and nothing added.  Yeah for me!

Used this week: 15 yards 
Used YTD: 253 yards 
Purchased this week: 0 yards
Purchased YTD: 129.75 yards
Net used in 2024: 123.25 yards

Wednesday Workings, November 6, 2024

My Twist & Treat project is complete.  I'm happy with how it looks.  I have enough fabric left to create a second project.  This second project will be a table runner using more of the border print that was in the yardage.  It is a bit different, but it will be just as cute.

My Kork project is in work too.  I started the first block at the Back in Time event, but realized that applique just wasn't in the cards during the event.  There are several of these blocks to be made.  I will be working them in while also working on my cross stitch project.

Speaking of Forest Friends...the Raccoon was completed since the last time I shared my progress.  He is joined by a few more completions.

Meet the Owl and the Skunk =^.^=  The Deer is in progress.  Five more blocks in this project that I am working to have complete sometime in January.  The baby whose name will be Levi is due in early February.

More sewing projects in work today that will be shared on Sunday.  Enjoy your day!



 

Design Wall Monday, November 4, 2024

Just getting into the cutting and assembly of Twist & Treat.  The first part is making strip sets.  Then cutting each set into 4 1/2 inch units. The first strip set and four more of the same fabric placement (Block A).  The second strip set and two more of the same fabric placement (Block B).  There are just three fabrics in the top.  Sew two of Block As on either side of Block B.

With the template positioned just so in the top right corner of a large square, the 9 1/2" works perfect.

Cut ten blocks with the template going one direction and the remaining ten blocks with the template in reverse.

Since I wanted to see progress on my Design Wall the blocks were positioned...and...since I didn't want to see it without the very cute borders...

The corners of the borders will be mitered, but you can see just how cute this will sew out.  I was very happy the yardage for the borders had the cats exactly the size width needed for the project.  My mind is already churning on what to do with the unused yardage from the borders with the most adorable words; all a play on cats drinking wine, eating from a charcuterie board, having a party!

Have a purfect day =^.^=

Sunday Stash Report, November 3, 2024

This is one of two Grandma Alice's cross stitchery projects I wanted to finish.  It's done and ready for quilting.  It finishes at 55" square.  An unbleached muslin will be the back and a greyish brown to match the brown cross stitch will be the binding.  Tiffany will appreciate something from her Great Grandma Alice.  The second Grandma Alice's cross stitchery blocks will be made into something for Austin.  Ideas for a setting are right now percolating =^.^=

As mentioned on Wednesday there has been cutting of projects going on.  Starting with cats...  This project looks a bit like Halloween, but actually it is cats enjoying wine having a party =^.^=  I have yet to cut the border (top fabric on the left).  It only has two blocks using different fabric combinations.  It starts with a nine patch.  The fabric on the bottom left will be the back with more of the middle fabric being the binding.  My project will use a light grey fabric as the background.  I am anxious to get this one started.  A quicky to stitch.

Pumpkins are next...  This is from the 2024 Spooky Box.  It will go together quickly.

Then there are acorns...  This is an applique project using browns, oranges, and two cream backgrounds.  The fabric on the top right will be the backing.  I have in mind a dark brown for the binding.  This one will keep me busy in the evenings along with Forest Friends cross stitch.  It will go a bit slower than the first two.  This is a 2024 UFO that I will be calling Kork.

Last but not least are mice.  This project took the most time to prepare.  I first fussy cut all the 1 1/2 inch mice blocks in a straight set then realized (read the pattern first URGH) they were to be on point.  Between the 20 wrong and the same amount right it took be the better part of the day to cut.  This was a kit and a 2024 UFO.

So two project finished; Kendra earlier this week and Grandma Alice's for Tiffany.  There is something to add.  A back for Kendra and Garnets & Lilies.

Used this week: 12.5 yards 
Used YTD: 238 yards 
Purchased this week: 7.25 yards
Purchased YTD: 129.75 yards
Net used in 2024: 108.25 yards