Sunday 2 February 2020

Red Big Stitch Quilting, Orange Flag Blocks, Hearty Chili


A neat Christmas gift was this glass ball I hung in the window; one day it spun colours on the floor which was really pretty. One of these days I'll get a photo of that if only the light will cooperate again. Yes our sun has been very shy since Christmas.  We've had to add Vitamin D drops to our meals.

Ahh but this season is such a great time for hearty food. This post at Marilyn's Treats features the recipe for her 3 Bean Firehouse Chili.  I tried this and we had enough for several meals with a salad and pita bread. It was good.

                                        Three kinds of beans add a real taste treat to this crock pot chili. Topped with crackers or nachos and sour cream and cheese and you have prepared one good warm and hearty meal.
I guess it's appropriate to be working in red this month.  Here is how I'm quilting the Dresdens...you must be sick of me talking about them. Sorry 
I guess it's kind of big stitch hand quilting but no matter what you call it, enjoyable stitching in front of the TV. My goal will be to finish the quilting on this project this month and I'll make that official by linking with Patty and the Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal gang.
I've never quilted with a brightly coloured thread before, always something neutral.
You're going to be happy I have something else to share...I revived my Flag blocks yesterday and had a great time digging deep in the stash for more oranges.  That's the colour of this month's RSC at So Scrappy so I figured why not go with it.  Seldom do I coordinate with the monthly colour but I do enjoy seeing what you are making with the colour of the moment.
That was fun! Hope there is fun and joyfulness in your stitching too.

I had this thought when reading about this couple who are living completely off the grid in an abandoned Newfoundland outport. There are whole towns abandoned in so many places in Canada.
Here in our section of Ontario, there are no abandoned buildings even.  Any of those have been bought and renovated, if large enough, into condos or apartments.  There is nothing too shabby left standing or if there is something, you can bet a builder has an eye on it. Location is everything, I guess.
                         Image result for february poetry"
  I am fortunate to feel this way in my past lives and now living in my little corner of the Ottawa Valley.  Hope you feel like it too wherever the first Sunday in February, 2020 finds you.
Also fortunate to link this post with Kathy's Quilts, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Show Me Something, Sum of Their Stories and Love Laugh Quilt.



26 comments :

Michele McLaughlin said...

Wow! I LOVE the red stitching around the dresdens! It's fantastic and brings out the dresdens so much! Your flag blogs are adorable! Love that saying!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I like the red stitching - I didn't know that block was called a Flag block

Julierose said...

I never get sick of dresdens at all--they are favorites of mine--I like your stitching around these...very pretty..your flag blocks are so nice with that bit of orange in the corners...nice work hugs, Julierose

Jenn Jilks said...

I like the reads. Oops, reds, too!
I really like the ball. Yes, we're eeding some sun!

Karrin Hurd said...

Lovely Dresdens! I like the look of the flag blocks with that bit of orange! Happy stitching!

Brian's Home Blog said...

That glass ball sure is pretty and the red thread is darn cool too.

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I never get tired of seeing your Dresden project, and love how you are quilting it, Jocelyn! Do you use a hoop for hand-quilting? I'm trying to decide if I should get myself one. Glad to see those flag blocks come out again - they are a favorite of mine! Have a wonderful Sunday!

Jenny said...

Pretty glass ball, pretty Dresdens and lots of colourful orange flags!

Quilting Babcia said...

I read about that couple living off the grid in Newfoundland. We have some friends living about 15 miles from us off the grid on top of a mountain. She will soon have her 86th birthday, and he's just a few years younger. Love those folks, I couldn't do that!

piecefulwendy said...

I sure don't tire of seeing your dresdens - they are so pretty. I love your orange blocks too. The little sentiment is nice too, and so right.

CathieJ said...

I enjoy seeing your progress on your dresdens. Your orange blocks are very pretty. I really like your glass ball. So very pretty.

Karen said...

Hello from my little corner of the Ottawa Valley. Enjoy looking at your quilting projects.

loulee said...

I enjoy seeing your dresdens, it's one of my favorite blocks.
Your wee orange flags look cute.

Kim Sharman said...

I will never tire of looking at your Dresdens. Love the red quilting. Your orange flags are looking lovely and I can just imagine the glorious coloured reflection from glass ball on the floor. When the sun appears again you will have to take a photo.

Carla A Few Of My Favorite Things said...

I was feeling thankful this week too! You can never tire of seeing hand quilted stitches on such pretty petals

Denise :) said...

I like what you're doing quilting-wise with your Dresdens! Is that regular thread or perle cotton? :)

Radka said...

Enjoy your lovely quilting; I like using thicker colourful threads for quilting too, they seem "bring out" the fabrics.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I enjoy seeing your dresdens - and it's wonderful the way you're quilting them. I like the bigger stitches and the colourful thread too. I have a glass ball almost identical to yours - mine goes on the Christmas tree.

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

I never made a dresden block. I'll give them a try some time I'm sure. I like the red stitching. So now I have an interested questions. Are you using perle cotton? How are you performing the stitches, pecking or rocking motion. What needle are you using if you are rocking. I have not gotten acceptable results rock motion stitching on a sandwiched quilt. I like the saying on the heart. It's good to realize your blessings. There is something in each day to be thankful for, if only the fact that you woke up.
xx, Carol

Out To Pasture said...

Coincidentally, I just made a three-bean chili from my 'How Not To Die' cookbook! Very tasty, but I should have used the two tablespoons of chili powder called for instead of only the timid one tablespoon I used. Yes, your red stitching on the Dresdens really enhanced their profile!

Linda said...

I never tire of your redwork or your Dresdens! Such pretty stitching.
That chili looks great. One of my favorite recipes is what I call "veggie chili". I make it with two kinds of beans, and even my vegan granddaughter loves it.

Rose said...

I love your 'orange' quilt...I am still working with oranges. I expanded the view of the photogragh in a new tab till it would be bigger. I don't think I have a single orange fabric that you have in yours.

Jennie in GA said...

Love the quote, and feel as you do. I have the exact same ball as yours and I love it. Your quilting projects are showing real progress....like the quilting on the dresdens .

Angie said...

Jocelyn - we have a crystal that hangs in our kitchen window, and it scatters prisms all over when the sun (rarely) shines - and the cat likes to chase it! Enjoy the rest of your week!

Mary in Peoria Handmade said...

I deliberately stay away from stationery stores and kitchen stores because all those lovelies are so tempting! Congrats to hubby-that is good news. What a great idea to use those red stitches for quilting the Dresdens.

Patty said...

Happy stitching! Thanks for linking up with Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal and good luck with your project.