Special Shares, Peppermint Trees, Quilting "Christmas Presents", Raisin Tea Buns

I read that the last full moon of the year, called the Cold Moon, is tonight and it is going to be very special by how high in the sky it will rise. Such a height won't be seen again till 2043. It's dark here now at 5 o'clock. Yesterday I took this photo of the back yard bathed in moonlight at that time. Unfortunately, the clouds kept sailing past hiding the moon. Sometimes, clouds add much beautiful moodiness to a December winter sky but my photo didn't capture that sadly. 

To celebrate December 2025, I stitched a few trees. I was going to say Christmas trees but these do not look like your typical Christmas trees. Last year, I saw Helen Philips had made a quilt she called Peppermint Trees in pinks and greens. I loved it and found the PDF download for the pattern at her Etsy Shop. These are appliqued with my usual blanket stitch border. In an attempt to have this at least a flimsy for Christmas, I'm sewing the blocks together as I go. Here is the first four combo. This is also a super way to use up those slightly larger scraps too.

One of the reasons I'm really happy to be staying with Helen's pink choice is because I bought a few yards of this pink fabric way back and it isn't the best material. It is just a tiny bit flimsy but will be perfect for a wall quilt. Yes, those were the days when I hadn't learned enough about fabric and couldn't resist a good deal either. Still can't resist a good deal. 

Meanwhile, my hand quilting on Christmas Presents has been a torturous experience so far. Now that's a strong word but I am finding the handling of such a large project very challenging. I've tried it on a table, in a big hoop and now in my floor stand hoop. I can't seem to get comfortable with the stitching no matter how I've set it up. I've read that the floor hoop takes getting used to but I did quilt something else using it and I don't remember having this dilema. 

And figuring out how exactly to quilt it has also been a challenge. I looked at a lot of online similar quilts to see how they were quilted. Many of those hand quilting laid outline stitches around each box and ribbon. Others used machine quilting with a loopy pattern all throughout which was pretty. So far, I've drawn a loopy doodle to use in the white ribbon parts which might be a softening kind of effect to all the straight lines in this quilt. Then maybe I'll do outline stitching for the rest of the block.

Maybe I'm just not settled down enough to work on this particular slow stitching now but I'm determined to make some headway with it. I'm happy as long as I can do that. 

Shares Too Good To Miss

I love this site, the Embroiderers Guild of America. The stitching is magnificent. And they have a lovely selection of free patterns you can download too. HERE is the link.

And this site is one I've returned to countless times over the years for instructions, patterns and ideas to stitch. I'm so happy to share again the Needle 'n Thread Network. Our friend, Mary Corbett, a lifelong embroiderer, has a wonderful page of free embroidery patterns which she keeps adding to. It is quite extensive. Also, she offers many tutorials and links. 

I made raisin tea buns as my baked treat this week. I always add the raisins for Tony. They are great with a little jam and a cup of tea, of course. Good on a cold winter day, one with a blowing snow warning. Here is Rock Recipies recipe for  Newfoundland Raisin Tea Buns.

I love my Morris thermos. What a beautiful shade of blue! But there are also shades of green, orange, tan and cream put together the way only Morris could. These would work well in a quilt, don't you think? It is also useful as I can fill it with tea and take it to the sewing room. Then it stays warm even if forgotten for a while which always happens.

Talking about food made me wonder how many of you know about Mrs. Brown's Kitchen. HERE is the Instagram link where I noticed that among her million followers is Kathy Schmitz which made me smile. Heather is a Newfoundlander who has been successful enough to have a cookbook published. She has a straight forward attitude, uses pretty simple ingredients, and has a way about her that makes me smile. 

I spent time at a thrift store recently and bought a couple of items and I'll share those next post. Something quilty and interesting came home with me. Doesn't it always!

I'm just off now to walk the dogs and will bundle up. It's -10C here in the Ottawa Valley with a brisk wind making it feel like -19C. So how's this lead up to Christmas going for you? All good I hope. Happy Shopping and Stitching too!

So wonderful to have linky parties to share this post with....Sew Can Do and Alycia Quilts.

Free Patterns, Special Video, Appliqued House and Knitting Again

I've been thinking about all the turkey dinners this week and put in an order to Farm Boy for our Christmas one. We've done this twice before and enjoyed it very much. Their turkeys are amazing and they even include dessert. Of course, I'll make a couple of our traditional side dishes too and a trifle. 

  I was switching out the mugs to start using the Christmas/winter ones and thought I'd show this one below again. I'd used Rifle Paper Co fabrics in the Christmas Present quilt I shared last post and here is one of my winter mugs from them as well in the same design. They produce a wide range of  high quality items from mugs to rugs and you can check them out HERE. When I was in Winners a couple of weeks ago, I saw a teapot in this design as well.

 The house on my Christmas table runner is taking up a large chunk of my stitching time lately. This one block is the largest appliqued piece I've ever stitched. Here is the photo from the book.

And here is my version. It's not quite finished but almost there. I found the leaf bits fiddly just like the windows and needed a lot of reoganizing. I had them all placed perfectly and a dog jumped up and they flew everywhere. That taught me to use a little glue to hold them in place. 

I've used blanket stitch around these leaves.

We've been watching The Americans and enjoying it. They feature their bedroom quite a lot in the show and you can't miss this quilt hanging behind the bed. It is a Lone Star design in what appears to be white with greys and black. And there are interesting little pieces in deep reds here and there. I tried to find the maker but couldn't. 

I like the idea that supposedly the Russians would think a quilt should be a part of American decor. 

I went down a rabbit hole this morning while visiting Magpies Mumblings and I had been warned by Mary Anne too. She had included a link to the Smart Knit Crocheting site and at that link was a list of 30 sites, yes, 30 of them!, offering free knitting and crocheting patterns. I just got out of there to write this post...so many glorious wonderful patterns! 

Meanwhile, I have knitted a couple of rounds on my own afghan. The pinks in this are brilliant and it feels great to be working with wool. 

I'm up early most mornings and lately that means getting up in total darkness. One morning, not wanting to disturb hubby, I got dressed and felt my way out of the bedroom, down the hall to the main area without turning on a light. (I've since put a flashlight by my bed).That made me remember the line below. It's been written in many of my journals over the years right from the very young me years when I was definitely trying to figure out myself. Like so many young people, I was smart enough in school but clueless in life.

But I was lucky. The people I found myself surrounded by were all good people. I'm so sorry for any of the young women out there who do not have such luck when first venturing away from home.

You know by now that I love whimsy and I adore these creatures below and their woodland world all fashioned by the enormously talented Victoria Beata. This little video is called A Fairy Tale From the Glen/For Those Who've Forgotten How Gentle the World Can be.

Yes, we must hold fast to that knowledge too. In this world, there are many soft, safe places to fall too. I hope my family will always know I'm one of them. 

Giving thanks here always! And now all the goodness that is Christmas awaits!

So happy to share this post with Quilting Patchwork Applique, Songbird Designs, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Sew Can Do, The Inquiring Quilter, Creations Quilts Art and Quilting Art Whatever.

 

Nifty November Stitching, Cooking and Playing

A November sky if ever I saw one...Milder and wet, then a big freeze overnight turned the morning landscape into an ice covered fairyland. I thought it was hoar frost but I've read since it was rime frost, a dangerous frost for ships at sea. This kind of ice is thick and grows in the direction of the wind. 

Whatever the name, it was especially beautiful down by the pond where the tall grasses grow. By noon, it had all disappeared so I felt lucky to have witnessed such fleeting beauty. And my photos don't do it justice.

There has been a lot of stitching going on this week. But it no longer feels like autumn stitching here so I made the decision to put away the big Pumpkin quilt and save it for quilting at a later time. I did finish off the little appliqued 4 Pumpkin topper though. 

I embroidered the outer edges in Herringbone stitches just to add a little more interest. 

I also cross stitched another corn cob on the Hawk Run Hallow September block and now put that aside as well. This week I'll go through my little group of cross stitch projects to see what to put stitches in next. 

The Christmas Present quilt I started last year had one more row to stitch when I took it out of the bin. I used two sewing sessions to do that and then prepped it for quilting. I love these Rifle Paper Company fabrics. There are many tutorials for sewing this block and I used the one

 at the Center Street Quilts site where you'll find tutorials for other

neat blocks too.

Here it is as a flimsy. It's a very easy quilt to put together if you need a scrappy quilt that sews up fast.

And I layered it up ready for quilting. For the backing, I used a thrifted Tommy Hilfiger very light hue of blue sheet that has a navy blue and red tiny design throughout. It's 100% cotton and has a soft feel to it. I will enjoy stitching this.

Pretty fabrics.

Last week I made Shepherd's Pie for Tony, something he loves. I don't use a recipe for this anymore. He'll eat anything that has mashed potatoes and cheese on it so he didn't notice there was chopped spinach in the meat mixture. 

One day I said to him, I don't suppose you could sew could you. I meant use the machine and even though I pointed out to him how much he loves machines, I couldn't get him interested.  A shame, as I think he'd be good at it because he's very meticulous about everything he works on. 

Well, our American friends are looking through their files, pulling out the old favourite recipes to prepare for the big Thanksgiving feast. That always reminds me of favourite movies featuring the American Thanksgiving. Perhaps the funniest was this one below. I've watched it a number of times over the years and still laugh at the jokes. 1987...phew, where have those years gone!

,

And the delicious snacks can be so good and, yes, very filling too.

We've had Abby joining Ned and Petey here this weekend while the family is out of town for a hockey tournament. Ned is in his glee as he loves his mother so much. It's been wonderful walking them and playing ball with them outside. They are such loving dogs and look striking together with the beige, black and chocolate. We were surprised to see how much grayer and sadly, older looking, Abby is now.

Hope your stitching fingers are flying and there is something wonderful each of you are looking forward to. Like these pups, we all need our treats!

Happily sharing this post with nifty parties at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Quilting Patchwork Applique, Life in Pieces, Kathy's Quilts, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework and Melva Loves Scraps.

                        

Wildlife Shenanigans, EPP Project, Christmas Embroideries

Well, my heart was in my mouth this morning as I let out the dogs. While opening the patio door, there was a tiny rabbit hopping into the garden and going under the deck. Luckily the dogs were headed off in the opposite direction. I stomped my feet on the deck so it would hide and it must have as they didn't even smell it. A close call and so happy this does not happen often, maybe once a year. The fencing around the back area is doubled in some places to keep the dogs in and wildlife out. Unfortunately something very little can still get in under the gates. 

Meanwhile, a small flock of turkeys meandered through the front yard on Tuesday. It was the most together I've seen since last year. While watching, they suddenly did something I've never seen before. They alerted to something, bunched up together, then fanned themselves out along the edge of the laneway all the while making loud noises. I have never ever heard a turkey make a sound before. And the sound was not a comical gobble, gobble. More of a strange honk. Can you see what they were reacting to?

 At first I just couldn't figure out what was going on with them. Then I saw it. 

Sorry for the awful photos as I had to run and get my phone. And then was worried as I didn't want to witness something awful let alone photograph it. And the fox hung around for a bit and was obviously weighing its chances. But luckily for the turkeys and me, it finally moved off. 

There's safety in numbers!

Enough wildlife drama. I worked on my 2025 RSC EPP project last weekend. Here it is on the sofa. I still have about as many Hexagons to sew on. It is very, very scrappy and colourful. 

Thank you for the ideas about how to stitch orphan blocks together. I do have lots of white fabric and as I said before, reds as well. There are options. I did a check online and there are a number of Youtube videos showing how to do this very thing. More on that later.

Someone asked for a close up photo of the embroderies and here they are together under the dining room light which is yellowing. 

Perhaps this one is better. Simple running stitch which works up quite fast.

When I gave this one a turn, I was struck by how different the design looked. Threads, ugh.

We just finished this series, Death By Lightening. The performances, especially Matthew MacFadyen's, were wonderful. I love learning about the presidents and their wives. Here in Canada, our Prime Minister's personal life is very private and the wives usually have a very minor public role and are seldom seen. 

The phrase death by lightening was a line written in a letter by Garfield himself ..." Assassination can  no more be guarded against than death by lightening" just months before he was assassinated, as it turned out. Our politics here in Canada seem so tame and boring by comparison. 

Back in the fall, I discovered this new to me tea and I've been enjoying a cup with frothed almond milk for a mid afternoon little treat.  

LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color's prompt this week was about making paper turkeys in school. I don't remember doing that; in fact, there was very little time spent on art back in my school days. Much more time was spent on learning cursive writing. But my daughters definitely made those paper turkeys in early school days. 

Isn't this time of year a wonderful time for stitchers! There are so many beautiful fabrics and patterns flooding the sites. I'm sorely tempted but sticking to my 2025 plan of not buying any new fabrics. Don't have that long to go now so just might make it. 

Hope your plans are working out too. Take care all of you!

So happy to have linky parties to visit and share with like The Inquiring Quilter, Days Filled With Joy  Alycia Quilts, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, Kathy's Quilts, Songbird Designs and Creations Art Quilts.

 

Free Patterns, Christmas /Winter Stitching, Orphan Blocks

 Below are a few early winter photos while the snow is a novelty. While walking the dogs, I'm finding the air so wonderful and bracing. But I am a little shocked with just how cold it is already in the season. It was minus 12 with strong wind gusts that took my breath away one day, but it's back to mild and kind of damp feeling today.

Here is my usual kitchen window photo; it was dark enough very early for the big garage light to stay on. That's another thing; here in the Northern Hemisphere we are now tilting further away from the sun and our daylight is noticably and suddently it seems to me, shortened. It's dark earlier in the evenings and I'm getting up in darkness already.

And here's a sewing room window shot. 

Yes, winter has arrived. 

Source:homeschoolfrench.com

"Little by little, the bird builds its' nest." I've watched them build nests, twig by twig, grass blade by grass blade, even in the rain, and their perseverance is amazing. A lesson is in that for me/us that something significant can be achieved by doing even just the tiniest of steps. I'm trying to keep this thought in mind with my stitching these days. Even a few stitches here and there count.

And in the sewing room I'm building my house too. I have the windows constructed and am ready to applique them down. These were small but fiddly.

There is not a good photo of this table runner in the book and I couldn't find one online. The book again is Blackbird Designs, Tending the Garden.

In an effort to put old orphan blocks to use, I pulled out these in reds and put them up on the back hallway wall. I must have been trying out star blocks. Isn't it funny how you can forget you made things. I wonder if this is enough for a Christmasy hanging. Potential maybe? I know some of these were stitched for past So Scrappy RSC parties when red came around. 

 I've added the Christmas embroideries I stitched along with Nanette, A Passionate Quilter, at the time, I think in 2020. I still miss her and wish her blog was still available so I could visit and look at her wonderful quilting. The free patterns are still available at this link- Holiday Stitch-a-Long, Moda. Anyway, perhaps there is a way to cobble these together that would make pretty sense. I have lots of red fabrics for borders, etc. which I'd love to use up. Any ideas?? 

That mention of embroidering reminds me- our pal, Melisa, at Pinker n Pumpkin Quilting, is posting sets of Country Christmas Doodles, very cute little free patterns for Christmas. Thank you, Melisa, for sharing your talent with us!

And the stars reminded me I watched Rachel on her YouTube channel, Stitch With Rachel, share step by step instrucitons on how to sew a beautiful Christmas quilt using a Tilda panel. There are lots of beautiful panels that could suit this star treatment. 

For Cross Stitching friends, below is Liz Matthews' free download called Winter Celebration which is appropriate for us folks here in Ontario right now. Isn't it sweet! Love Cardinals and Houses. Link to Liz's lovely free patterns page is HERE.

We are surrounded by inspiration, wonderful ideas, and beautiful images. 

Ok, back to reality. The first thing I have to do today after clicking publish is take the last of the  summer stuff down to the basement closet and bring up our heavier coats and boots. Then we will be fully prepared.  

I have a lot more to talk about so next time then. Hope you are feeling content and keeping busy whether it is winter or summer where you are. 
 So thankful for linky parties; thank you all for hosting! Quilting Patchwork Applique, Creations Art Quilts, Kathy's Quilts, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, Melva Loves Scraps and Days Filled With Joy.

November Colours, Red Blackbird House, Interesting Podcasts

There are heavy frosts most mornings now and we have our first snowstorm warning for today. Who knows, perhaps it won't materialize. But it has snowed a tiny bit as I found out one very early morning out with the dogs. So far it has been melting. This morning most of the pond had frozen over, just a light skimming though. Home we would say it "caught over". 

I noticed how much colour is standing out in the landscape and still to be enjoyed before the white blankets everything. Here are my latest photos and these may be my last chance to capture them. 

The deep green Hostas have evolved into beautiful yellows/greens with murky browns and a hint of purple.  How many times do I have to tell my assistant to keep his nose out of my pictures!

Oranges glimpsed on the back of the side lawn meadow turned out to be the Smoke Tree's final colour change; beautiful right to the end.

And these eye catching cherry red berries below stood out against the November ground which is still sporting the odd bit of orange and green too.

I think they are DMC 321, one of the Christmas colours.

These are not wild but so pretty. I took this photo recently of a huge planter overflowing with Begonia blooms outside the accountant's office. They are still okay because they're being covered at night. Who knew Begonias were so hardy!

Inside I'm continuing the hand quilting on the little Four Pumpkin piece. For this one, I'm stitching lines in the pumpkins first. I'd thought of using a coloured thread but then I changed to a neutral that won't show up as much if I wobble a bit.  

 I am having a good time in the sewing room too working on the Blackbird Designs piece. I have zeroxed my patterns for the Christmas tabletop, cut them out, labelled and sorted them. I started with the Red House. The fun part was going through my stash to find fabrics that would suit this design. The makers had chosen a deep red/burgundy which is rather large at 20 x 21 inches. As it turned out I didn't have any deep red of that size and had to sew two pieces together. I also don't have much brown but luckily enough so the roof could be one piece as featured. 

That background fabric has been in my stash for a long time-I've looked at it often and always put it back on the shelf. I love the leafy design and happy now to be using it in this project.  I love house quilts and would like to make another one with just houses one of these days. But which pattern to choose, there are so many!

LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color's question this week had to do with which podcasts we enjoy. Being a monarchist, I listen to many of the royal pundits and youtube royal experts. For the record I was always appalled by Prince Andrew's behaviour and so glad the titles have been stripped. For general health, I listen to many podcasts but I'll mention just one- Diary of a Ceo where Steven interviews all the doctors/experts who have ideas about how to improve our physical and mental health. These include topics such as fasting, vitamins, exercising, even whether you should be tongue scraping regularly. I find this talk interesting and I learn so much. Since I'm a true crime nut, I also listen to a group of those too, for entertainment. A favourite is Somebody Knows Something. I also enjoy conversations with authors and discussions around writing and listen to those. This side of technology is such a marvel and how wonderful to be living in these times with so many resources at our fingertips.  

I just checked and there is still a snowfall warning for us starting around noon. And dirty old ice pellets in the mix for tomorrow...I hate ice. Oh well. I hope your forecast is so much better wherever you are. I know it's summer for some of you reading this. 

I'm off to take the dogs for a walk. Take Care!

Sharing this post with parties at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Melva Loves Scraps, Alycia Quilts, The Inquiring Quilter and Songbird Designs.