Design Wall Monday, December 30, 2024

 

I took Snowman Society cut units to make the 16 snowman blocks to work on while at my parent's home.  Not a lot of down time, but there usually is in the evenings after parent's retire for the night.  I stitched all 16 then realized I made a mistake that affected all 16.  Well needless to say the seam ripper came out to remove the head section from the middle section.  My error was in the scarves.  They were supposed to be different from the background...DUH!  Fortunately I had not sewn the blocks to the sashing.

Mom's projects were a few this time.  Cutting isn't something that works well with her arthritic hands.  I finished a Christmas table runner, cut out a crafty project, and cut out a Valentines charity quilt.

That's it for 2024!

Sunday Stash Report, December 29, 2024

Received the back from Shabby Fabrics that will be used for Indigo Way.  It was on sale at a good price so I grabbed the deal.  Right now I am at Part 5 with this yet to be named project.

I have been working my mom's stash and of course can't claim anything of hers as used.  Since this is the last Stash Report for 2024 I am happy with the numbers.  First projects to finish in 2025 are in full swing!

Used this week: 0 yards 
Used YTD: 268.75 yards 
Purchased this week: 5 yards
Purchased YTD: 147.75 yards
Net used in 2024: 121 yards

Wednesday Workings, December 25, 2024

 

Merry Christmas!

I am into the spirit of Christmas with my parents today.  Who knows what's in store, but it won't be with kitties.  Tim has them at home warm our home while I am out braving the cold.  I arrived last evening and stayed the night at my sister's home.  This morning I woke up and made haste to drive a couple of hours to my destination.  Hugs and more hugs awaited me.  

I will be working on the stitchery of my Grandma Alice's project that will be Austin's.  I started and nearly finished the one block that was partially done on Monday evening.  Finished it on the Tuesday flight and started on the new block that matches the others.  Needed to have nine blocks so I traced the design on white fabric and soon there will be nine.

I hope your Christmas is full of the love that is this day.

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

 

Just like that it's Christmas Eve.  I am wishing for a NOT SO SNOWY travel day.  Wishing you get to your destination without much craziness =^.^=

Design Wall Monday, December 23, 2024

The fox was the last block to finish in the quilt project Forest Friends for Levi.  Now if I can just find an appropriate sashing/border fabric.  It must be a small scale print that goes with sage and of course the rest of the stitchery.  So far I have been looking at ETSY a manufacture called Spoonflower.  Will wait to look through others including my first Rosie's day of 2025 on the third.  Excited it is all stitched and a little bit sad.  Next up will be to finish the stitchery started by my grandmother Alice.  I will be working on this project on the plane to my parents home.

I did pick this fabric up to use in the microwave popcorn bags mom and I will be making.  I already have the popcorn fabric and instructions ready to go.  Isn't this a fun fabric of a little bit of everything?  It will be the bag liner/outside band.

Since I have nothing to stitch, this 2024 Jolly Box project was cut out.  I have the blocks ready for my trip too.  There will be plenty of time to cut the sashing and border when I get home.

Need to get myself together for a busy Monday.  Indulge yourself if you can with a few minutes in your sewing room =^.^=

Sunday Stash Report, December 22, 2024

Beaver done and now stitching the last block a fox.

I'm further along than this photo shows.  I have the head and much of the dark brown outlining done along with the nose and eyes.  I'll work on another photo on my Design Wall post tomorrow.

This past Friday was a Rosie's day.  Not many quilters showed up; such a busy time right before Christmas.  I needed some more aqua to accomplish Part 5 of Krakow (Old Town).  I loved the blue star fabric; thinking it would work well with Indigo Way (it didn't).  The popcorn fabric is for a project that mom and I will be working on during my visit.  

Part 5 of Krakow is finished.  I found it funny that both mysteries had a square in a square being made in Part 5.  The difference is the size of the block and Krakow had a bit more cutting of 2 1/2 inch red and neutral squares.

Part 5 of Indigo Way is finished too.  You may think I'm missing some corners, but I'm following the instructions.  Some units are full square in a square, about half as many are on three corners, and then a few with just two corners.  I'm making only half the project size still.

So there is a small change in the stats this week.  Nothing can be claimed as used (regardless notice that number WOW).  This might be the stats that I end with this year.  I don't have anything going except stitchery and the two mysteries.  Maybe it's time I cut up a new project =^.^=

Used this week: 0 yards 
Used YTD: 268.75 yards 
Purchased this week: 3.5 yards
Purchased YTD: 142.75 yards
Net used in 2024: 126 yards

Wednesday Workings, December 18, 2024

 Part 4 is complete for Krakow.  Like the melon colors.

Part 4 is complete for Indigo Way.  Got to really get to thinking about a name for this project.  Looking very patriotic in this part.

Also finished Sunshine December BOM.  It will be ready when the time comes.  Thanks Jean for a cute project.  I know it took some time to cut each of the paper foundations, but it will make the turned in blocks more true to size.  Really liked the background you provided.  Hope you have more for the winner.

If I don't start putting the parts of the mystery projects together soon I will need more clips!  Celebrate...it is Hump Day =^.^=

Design Wall Monday, December 16, 2024

 

All cut and ready to sew is Part 4 of the 2023 Winter Mystery, Indigo Way by Bonnie Hunter.  What you see are the wrong side of the light blue.  These units are teamed up with the solid red that I choose to use.

All cut and ready to sew is Part 4 of Krakow, the 2024 Winter Mystery, Old Town (Starowka) by Bonnie Hunter.  Once again you are seeing the wrong side of the melon.  These units are to go with the neutrals.

I had a rather busy weekend getting Christmas doings done =^.^=.  I was happy to get my Christmas cards in the mail.  Today was Aqua Fit class, preparing all three meals at home, and Monday Night Football.  Tomorrow will be a busy day breaking bread with friends for both lunch in San Marcos and dinner in Del Mar.  Life is good...  I should be able to get these two parts complete and finish stitching the rows of Grandma Alice's for Austin project together.  I will be leaving the last stitchery row off until the stitchery is finished.

Just a little over a week before traveling to Maryland for Christmas with Mom and Dad!

Sunday Stash Report, December 15, 2024

Friday I met up for the day with Kerry.  We exchanged Christmas gifts.  Look at all the fun things that came to me =^.^=  Kerry was equally as happy with her various sewing related trinkets.  I will be visiting her in January for a few days.  Unless I go for a day trip only our plans for RD2CA were cancelled this year as she has a trip scheduled with her Mom.

I know I shouldn't have done it, but darn it is hard to resist adding to my collection.  Love this Margaret Le Van Alley Cat called Kittypatra Queen.  If you come to visit make sure you see my collection.

Nothing finished or purchased this week.  I'm close to a finish on Forest Friends stamped cross stitch project, ready to start the last two blocks of Grandma Alice's stitchery project for Austin, cutting Part 4 of both Krakow and Indigo Way.  Yesterday I adorned our home with outside Christmas lights and finished our Christmas Letter.  Let the Christmas Cards sending begin!

Used this week: 0 yards 
Used YTD: 268.75 yards 
Purchased this week: 0 yards
Purchased YTD: 139.25 yards
Net used in 2024: 129.5 yards

I'll leave you with this black cat that I chuckled about at first glimpse.  Mine would look as angry if I tried to dress them up with a bow...no matter what color that bow might be =^.^=

Wednesday Workings, December 11, 2024

 

I finished the snail yesterday.  The last stitches were the shell, the darker brown, round and round.  Next up is the beaver.

The darkest brown is done.  I am working on the logs now.  This is the 11th block to stitch.  Getting real close to a completion on the stitching.  I will be framing these blocks with a sage green.  I am hoping to find a small scale forest animal print for the sashing and the border.  Wish me luck on this venture!

Kondensation finished completely on Monday.  It was a mission to have the binding done before Tuesday's Sunshine Quilt Guild Monthly Meeting.  I always aspire to show my quilts completed; accept of course on this here blog =^.^=

Sunshine's meeting was a pot luck with the spirit of the holidays.  I won the door prize by sitting in a secretly selected seat at one of the nine tables.  The snowman platter and tin of peppermints was the prize.  Pam did a great job on reading a story; a game actually of left, right, or around, passing a gift to others who participated.  My take away was the handmade table runner and box of See's Candy.  I also got a special gift from Jo of the cup with goodies inside.  DH has already decided he likes the cup.

We had one of our sponsors at the meeting who brings wide backs a plenty at great prices.  I picked this piece up for Krakow, the Bonnie Hunter 2025 Winter Mystery.  I looked at other fabrics for backs needed for Indigo Way, but nothing jumped out.  

Today I will be working on Grandma Alice's project that Austin will own when finished.  I have sewn the snowball blocks and will tackle the sashing next.

Hope your Wednesday is terrific =^.^=

Design Wall Monday, December 9, 2024

Grandma Alice's stitchery that I am finishing for Austin is on the Design Wall today.  You may wonder about the two blocks center right and bottom right.  I actually thought she had finished eight blocks.  As it turns out one block was only partially stitched.  I wanted nine blocks...what could I do to fill the spot?  Stitch another!  Yes, I can pull this off =^.^=

I used the partially stitched portions of the design to trace another block!  

I placed it on my light box and started with a pencil tracing it onto the white fabric that is a very close match to original blocks.  This same white fabric will be used in the center of the sashing.

I flipped the block around to do the rest of the block.

With floss that was found in my Mom's "floss container" (believe it or not).  I am set to finish the block already started and the one just traced.  Just can't believe the luck that comes to finish this project into something of a keepsake for Austin.
 

My friend Sue helped me find a masculine sashing that compliments the project.  Not on my Design Wall, but ready to use are the white centers of the sashing.

Austin is somewhere around 6' 7" tall and when the seams are sewn the project will shrink up a bit.  I may be adding a border so that it ends up being big enough for him to use.  I definitely have in mind right now to use the darkest blue for the binding.

This project will keep me busy while I wait for Part 4 to be released on Friday.  Enjoy your week ahead =^.^=

Sunday Stash Report, December 8, 2024

This is Part 3 of Indigo Way.  Indigo Way was Bonnie Hunter's 2024 Winter Mystery.  I am making only half the units.  It's a catch 22...on one hand I want a smaller finished project and on the other hand I want to use up fabrics.  Gosh what to do?  I suppose I wouldn't mind making the larger project, but I do use my check book for the quilting.  These larger quilts have an extra number behind the dollar sign =^.^=  

My project is all set for Part 4.

Part 3 of Karkow is complete also.  I have the same feelings about making the full size project on Bonnie's 2025 Winter Mystery called Old Town (Starowka).  Bring on Part 4!

I am getting excited to use the coral to melon color fabrics.  Notice the one red fabric strip in the bottom left corner.  I only had two 2 1/2 inch strips, but wouldn't it have been great for a back?

Nothing to note changes my stats this week.  I'm doing incredibly well using up stash.  Only wish I could stop purchasing.  Oh well, shopping is necessary when you are working to use up your stash =^.^=  Tomorrow I will be sharing my Grandma Alice's blue cross stitch project that Austin will receive when finished.  I leave you with a recent funny cat image.  Enjoy these picketing cats.

Used this week: 0 yards 
Used YTD: 268.75 yards 
Purchased this week: 0 yards
Purchased YTD: 139.25 yards
Net used in 2024: 129.5 yards

Wednesday Workings, December 4, 2024

Kondensation finally made it home.  It was in transit for a bit longer than usual.  Have to say I was getting a bit concerned.  Apparently it was delayed in San Diego.  I have it trimmed down and looking for a fabric to bind it with.  I'm thinking a dark blue.  Kondensation is a 2022 UFO.

Part 2 of Indigo Way is complete.  I did like Bonnie Hunter using just one red fabric for the project.  This red is a rich one =^.^=  Indigo Way is a 2024 UFO.  Any ideas for a name for it are welcome.

Part 2 of Old Town (Starowka) is also complete.  Funny how both Winter Mysteries used red and neutral fabrics.  The reds are scrappy in this project.  I am calling this project Karkow.  This is a 2025 UFO.  I always start my yearly UFO list with Bonnie Hunter's Winter Mystery.

I have been stitching the snail.  This week hasn't seen much progress on this guy!  Forest Friends is also a 2025 UFO if it makes it into next year.  I have been stitching pretty fast.  There are just three blocks yet to stitch.

I leave you with a very satisfied kitty.  This is imparts how I feel having both mystery projects stitched and waiting for Part 3 that comes Friday.  Hope your week is going fine. 

 

Design Wall Monday, December 2, 2024

Here is my Design Wall today.  This is Part 2 of Old Town (Starowka).  Each unit is sewn into a two patch that will be sewn to a second two patch to make...a four patch.  I have started doing this as you will note from the ten that are done on the top left.  This will go together quick once I sit down to the sewing machine.

Part 2 of Indigo Way is cut.  I will be using the same red throughout the project.  I purchased enough for the full quilt, but presently this is only half the triangle in a square units.  I really would rather a smaller project if it can be achieved.

The 2024 Jolly Box arrived.  The pattern is cute with a bunch of scarved snowmen.  Looks like I will need a white for the snowmen.  Haven't read the pattern yet, but I don't see enough in the FQ pack.  Also included in the box are buttons for the snowmen and thread to sew them in place.  A snowmen tray and gift tags in the box too.  I have ordered the finishing kit.  I am hoping fabric is in the finishing kit for the snowmen.  If not there might end up being scrappy whites...hey that might be cute too.

Hope you are having fun decking your home with Christmas spirit and working with your fabrics.  Happy Monday =^.^=

Sunday Stash Report, December 1, 2024

Kendra is complete.  I just love how it turned out.  I was sitting back admiring it and thought it could be displayed at Christmastime, but much of these greens have a shamrock print in them.  I already have several Christmas quilts so this one will wait for St. Patrick's Day.

Kristmas Kandy Kollection is complete too.  This one is definitely a Christmas quilt.  It will be displayed during the month.  Can you believe we are in to the first day of the last month of 2024?

Part 1 on both Bonnie Hunter's Winter Mysteries are finished.  Pulled reds for both Part 2s.  It was nice to dig into my 1 1/2 inch strips.  Seems I'm always adding to this drawer rather than using in a project.  I am doing my darndest to use rather than purchase =^.^=

I am expecting Kondensation back from Kerry and the 2024 Jolly Box from Fat Quarter Shop.  Thought both would arrive on Friday or Saturday, but alas that was not to be.  Gives me something to hope for tomorrow.

No purchases were made this week and the yardage for these two quilts has already been counted.  Thanksgiving is behind us and now we look forward to Christmas.  I have two events on the calendar for this week.  Do you have any events on your schedule?  Check back tomorrow for progress on the Mysteries.

Used this week: 0 yards 
Used YTD: 268.75 yards 
Purchased this week: 0 yards
Purchased YTD: 139.25 yards
Net used in 2024: 129.5 yards