Old SAL Quilt Finish, Hawk Run Hallow Stitching, Thank You Readers

I took this photo from the sewing room. He was so close to the window I could study his ears, which I noted moved independently of each other.  

The day before we had our Easter company, I took advantage of a burst of energy and spent the day going full tilt. Do you know what that means? Is it an expression you use?  Anyway, I vacuumed the whole house and then put Nellie to work mopping it all too. I put out the garbage but before that I'd cleared out a huge cupboard in the back basement and a number of items made it into that garbage. The clearing out mood continued with a deep dive into one of those huge side bottom cupboards in the kitchen, the matching pair I have that are so deep and dark things get put in there and lost forever. Will you think badly of me if I tell you I found a package of black rice dated 2019. I was sorry I'd forgotten about it and never ate it because it seems like an interesting food. I later tossed it around in the woods and then worried it might sicken some animal or bird that ate it. I wonder would it...😞 But I kept going...dusted the tv room and cleaned all the bits in the two bathrooms. I also swept the front and back verandas. Then I said we're going out to get McDonalds for supper which we did. I had my "jump over the moon" energetic, spring cleaning kind of day. About three times a year, the whole of the house gets a clean like that. 

Have you ever had a day like that?  Where you have boundless energy and feel so good getting badly needed things done. That reminded me of this cute cartoon I came across on Etsy...from Feral Town. I got a chuckle from the other featured animals and the very clever remarks, too. 

Thanks Readers!

Recently a couple of you let me know you'd gotten suspicious emails from me. I appreciated this and had Tony look at my laptop. He ran a program to clean it up...ok that's as technical I can get about whatever it was he did. There are a few more safety measures in place now and how my comments are working has changed. But online security is an important issue these days and I wish I had more interest in computer matters. So big thanks! 

Several of you wrote to say the pattern formed by those HST's was called Broken Dishes. I should have remembered that but forgot. 

When I spoke about my problem with the threads looking crowded on that sheep motif of England Quakers, I heard from two readers. Patricia M. and Sandra O. (not the actor, LOL). They both kindly mentioned perhaps I should be stitching on this particular 36 count linen with just one thread not two. I've never cross stitched with one thread and hadn't thought of that as a reason why I'm not liking how my stitches are looking. I'm going to have a think about it...maybe I need to start over with the one thread or maybe find another piece of linen in my stash to start it again. But thanks, ladies, for mentioning that. I always love suggestions. Further to this, I've done more research and it seems I should be using one thread on this linen. It seems I am still learning...you'd think being into your 70's, you'd have your act together. Well clearly, I don't!! 

So my slow stitching in the meantime is on my Year at Hawk Run Hallow project, working on the August block while mulling over that other issue. This is where I was.

 I found stitching on this linen so easy compared to the England Quakers fabric, I couldn't believe it. I've made good progress.

Meanwhile I also want to share with you this quilt below, one I don't think I ever showed fully finished. I came across it in the old sewing room closet during that cleaning spree I was on. I have a habit of not sharing the things I fully finish. By the time I stitch the binding which is so boring to me, I figure you are tired of seeing it too. During Covid, Quiltmania offered a free SAL (which they did every year).

Here on the wall in the back hallway.

And this one taken outside in natural light.

Should have given it a press!

 Many quilt designers offered an easy to stitch block and these were the 11 I chose.  Some of these blocks were sewn for the RSC when red or pink rolled around. I especially enjoyed stitching the applique blocks and think this one below might be my favourite, tiny hexagons surrounded by hearts. Remember how the whole world seemed so united during that crisis. That part of it was amazing in a good way. Funny and strange how that feeling has shifted to the opposite in now not dire circumstances.

 And on the baking front...lately I've been making batches of the Jumbo Breakfast Cookies to have on hand, each time using Rice Krispies instead of Cheerios. I add oats, pumpkin, sunflower, chia seeds, walnuts, etc. and cut the sugar about a third and use mostly honey. They are a bulky cookie that you can make quite large if you want to. I really like them for a mid afternoon snack with a cup of tea. Sally's Baking Addiction

Anybody else notice how tiny packaged store bought cookies are these days? 

I've noted a couple of wonderful free patterns that I'll share next time. Meanwhile, I'm off to the library to have a poke about. Hope you are all doing well and your stitching fingers are able and flying!

So happy to join these linky parties...So Scrappy, Creations Art Quilts, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Melva Loves Scraps, The Inquiring Quilter, The Quiltery and Kathy's Quilts.