Starting All the Things

 

The past couple of weeks have been busy with holiday prep, which I am sure is no different than what you have been doing.

 

I did have a few starts because…well, I just can’t seem to refrain from adding more to my already full crafting schedule. I just want to do it all!

This is Claus Christmas by Stitching with the Housewives.  I’ve made a little more progress on it since I took the photo.

This is Christmas Morning at Santa’s Kitchen by Twin Peak Primitives.  It is the second chart in their “Santa’s Home” series.  The first is A Patriotic Christmas Eve which I hope to stitch as well.

I started Halloween Quilt Sampler with my friend EJ from the Sunshine Stitchers Flosstube on YouTube. This chart is by Rosewood Manor. It contains a TON of backstitching.  My plan is to stitch this on the 13^th and 31^st of each month (in the months that have 31 days, obviously).

One of my goals for 2022 is to make more quilts.  Since my fabric stash is still in storage, kits will be the easiest way for me to accomplish this goal.  

I had joined the Fat Quarter Shop’s Halloween Figs block of the month.  I collected the monthly shipments in a box and decided this will be one of the kits I’ll work with over the course of next year.

I pulled it out last Friday intending to just pet the fabric and read the pattern.  I couldn’t resist and had to make the blocks for month 1.

One other kit was delivered over the weekend which I’ll share once the backing fabric arrives.

 

I’m working this week so the holiday baking will get done in the evenings.  Maybe I’ll have some photos to share when I pop back in to wish you a Merry Christmas 😊

 

Have a great week!

Thanksgiving Recap and A Finish

Hi friends!  I hope all of you in the USA had a nice Thanksgiving last week.  And for those who aren’t in the USA, or do not celebrate, I hope you had a nice week as well.

 

We had both of our kids home for the first time in 10 years to celebrate Thanksgiving and my birthday which was on the 26^th.  I’m ashamed to say that I did not take any photos ☹ But trust me when I tell you we enjoyed all of our favorite holiday foods as well as some quality family time.

 

I want to share one of my birthday gifts.

It’s a hand-turned bee skep scissor holder.  The pecan wood is so pretty and the workmanship is amazing.

My husband ordered it from Pete and Kathy Firth who are @carolinacrosssticher on Instagram.  They typically post Pete’s finished pieces on Sunday’s.

 

I finished the December Calendar Crates pattern from Stitching with the Housewives and fully finished it for the piece that hangs in my mom’s foyer.

I took advantage of a Cyber Monday sale at GaRon Stitchery and ordered three berry patterns.  They came today…you can’t beat those guys for quick shipping!

 

They are all Erica Michaels designs.

 

I found batting so I hope to finish the JOY banner / table runner that I made for Mom. And I’ll continue to stitch Christmas charts.

 

What are your plans for the weekend?  Hope you have a nice one.

FNSI – November

Wendy at Sugarlane Designs hosted Friday Night Sew In last night.  I look forward to this event on the 3^rd Friday of each month because it gives me the encouragement to put down the cross stitch and spend quality time with my sewing machine.

 

I was inspired by a project that my friends Dawn -  Relaxing Robin and Julierose – JulieroseQuilts were working on, so I grabbed a bad of Christmas scraps and the Accuquilt GO cutter.

I’m not usually a scrappy quilter but I’m trying…

There wasn't a pattern.  Dawn saw a picture of a similiar finish and provided some general instructions.  I grabbed a piece of graph paper and went to work.

Just need to get some batting then prep for quilting.  I imaging a simple cross hatch through the squares will suffice.

This will be a runner for my Mom.  I’ll also put a hanging sleeve on the back in case she wants to hang it instead.

Thank you Dawn and Julierose, this has been fun.

 

Check out Wendy’s blog to see what everyone else got up to…and see the pictures of her new grandson.  Congratulations Wendy and thank you for hosting FNSI.

 

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

Last Week’s Finishes

 

Plaid Farmhouse Quilt designed by Stitching with the Housewives.

I finished piecing the top early last week but then it rained for almost 3 days straight.  The breeze off the lake made it difficult to get a decent photo.

The backing is the black/white plaid, same as the outer border.  It's ready to go to the long-armer.

 

I have several quilts ready for long-arming but it won’t happen until after the first of the year.  The person I use is fully booked with holiday quilts, which is completely understandable.

 

I also finished stitching November’s Calendar Crates, designed by Stitching with the Housewives.

This hangs in my Mom’s foyer.

 

large chart

 

small chart

 

I’m ready for some Christmas stitching and I also need to plan the remainder of my year.  It will be time to look ahead to 2022 before we know it.

 

Hope everyone is having a great week.  I'm off to catch up with blog reading...I'm a few days behind.

 

See you soon,

FNwF: Plaid Farmhouse Quilt Progress

The good, the bad and the ugly…

 

I was able to complete the pin wheel and flying geese pin wheel units for the Plaid Farmhouse quilt.  Some blocks look better than others…you’ll see when I share the finished top.

Stopping for tonight because I’ll be leaving very early tomorrow morning for a drive to Orlando to spend a couple of days with my son and daughter…and my daughter’s significant other.  Hubby has an event to attend out of state so I may as well go ride roller coasters with the kids…carefully…very carefully.

 

Thank you so much to Cheryll for the encouragement her FNwF provides.  I’m really hoping to have a different project to work on next month.  Please visit Cheryll's blog and linky to see what everyone else accomplished tonight.

 

Hugs…

Our Week and FNwF Sign-Ups

 Happy Friday, Friends!

 

We had a nice few days away in the camper.  It was our first time at Little Manatee River State Park which is on the west coast of Florida.  We drove through some cute small towns to get there.  I love the old buildings.

Even though I worked during the day, we took long bike rides during my lunch break. 

Saw this little fellow having his lunch.  He was such a poser, didn't even hide in his shell when I got close enough for the photo.

The weather was so nice we had the camper open much of the time.

Enjoyed a couple of campfires, so relaxing.

I started a new cross stitch project, November Calendar Crates.  This should already be fully finished and on display so it will be a focus piece next week.

I’m joining Cheryll at Gone Stitchin' for her virtual sewing event -  Friday Night with Friends.  I'm hoping to make progress on the Plaid Farmhouse quilt. Check out the linky party on Cheryll's blog over the weekend and see everyone's projects.

 

What are your plans for this weekend?  Any sewing or stitching? 

 

Whatever it is, I hope you have a good one 😊

A Finish!

Happy Friday, Friends!

 

Mom had a successful two days at the Mayo Clinic last week. It made last weekend very enjoyable.  What made it even more so was my daughter and her boyfriend were home to help celebrate Mom’s 78^th birthday.

Her only request was my homemade coconut cream pie and I was happy to oblige…

 

As I suspected, I didn’t get back to the Plaid Farmhouse quilt but I did visit the sewing machine, albeit briefly.

 

My very first strawberry, don’t look to close 😊

 

Chart Name: All Hallows Eve Berry

Designer: Erica Michaels Needleart Designs

Fabric: 32 count linen, Timberwolf by Seraphim Hand Dyed Fabrics

Stitch Count: 127 x 72

 

This is an exclusive chart for GaRon Stitchery.  It was included in their Halloween Box.  Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures when I received the box last month ☹

 

I was nervous at first.  But as I got into the process and saw it coming together, I relaxed and enjoyed it.  I look forward to making more.

 

There won’t be any sewing over the next week either.  We are off in the camper starting tomorrow.  I’ll be working during the day and visiting with our son in the evening.

 

Hope you have a great weekend and get in some stitching…by machine or by hand!

Weekend Fails

 

My weekend didn’t turn out quite like I expected.

 

My flying geese required some unsewing!

 

I became frustrated when I ripped into some fabric and decided to just walk away.

I expected to get back to it Saturday but my best friend came to visit.  We went to JoAnn in search of some items I needed for finishing pillows and then had a nice lunch.

 

Sunday was my last chance to do something productive and I managed to make one pillow.

Chart Name: In Full Glory

Designer: Blackbird Designs

Fabric: 28 count evenweave, Pardon Me from Fortnight Fabrics

Stitch count: 65 x 81

Finished size: 4.65” x 5.8”

 

It took me all afternoon to stuff this little pillow.  I didn’t want any lumps so the process was slow going for me.

 

This was my last goal for 1^st quarter WIPS-B-GONE challenge.  I made it just under the wire!

 

As a reminder, these were my first quarter goals.

 

Finished all three 😊

These are my 2^nd quarter goals.  

Since the Plaid Farmhouse quilt is quickly becoming a UFO, don’t you think it should be #1 on the list?  I do!

 

I’m not sure when I will get to it. I’ll be driving my mom to Jacksonville, FL on Wednesday.  She has two days worth of medical appointments at the Mayo Clinic.  Then the kids will be home for the weekend to celebrate Mom’s 78^th birthday.

 

My Friday Sew-In plans were a bust…maybe next time.

 

Have a great week, my friends.

Finishing and FNSI

 

Happy Friday, Friends!

 

To start, I’ll warn you my photo quality is off.  The pictures were taken with my iPhone and look a bit grainy ☹  So, I apologize.

 

I finished stitching this…

 

In Full Glory by Blackbird Designs.  I’m hoping to finish it into a pillow soon and will share all of the details then.

 

I had finished this one a while ago…

 

Another Blackbird Design called Sweet Land of Liberty.  This design was meant to be finished round, which is why it looks like there are missing stitches at the bottom right of the house.  I want to turn this into a pillow also.  I plan to fill in the ‘missing’ stitches.

 

Both of these designs came from Blackbird’s book named Sweet Land of Liberty.

 

Another finish from a while ago is Quilting Bird by Heart in Hand.  You guess it…I want another pillow.

 

Before starting the pillow making, I am joining Wendy at Sugarlane Designs for her Friday Night Sew In.  

I’ll continue to work on my Plaid Farmhouse quilt that I started last week.

 

Please tell me what you have planned for the weekend.  Inquiring minds…an all 😊

 

Have great weekend.