Quilt Block Test, Thrift Store Find, Attic 24 Crochet Latest, Another Great SAL, Autumn Love

Saturday, Sunday and Monday were glorious days that showcased perfect October weather. The sun shone all day and warmed the earth. It was pleasant enough to sit on the veranda and stitch.

 I watched leaves gently letting go and kept thinking of the word golden. Ned joined me, keeping a sharp eye on the squirrels and sniffing the air, enjoying autumn in an entirely different way. 

It was perfect to be crocheting and I didn't mind the extra warmth of wool in my lap. I listened to this audio book, Miss Eliza's English Kitchen. A Novel of Victorian Cookery and Friendship by Annabel Abbs.  I am enjoying this one very much.

It is reminding me of my mother, a life long cook and baker. Also a life long recipe collector even into her 80's when she admitted she knew these dishes would not be made by her. But she couldn't resist noting them anyway. Pinterest gave her joy in that way.

Lucy at Attic 24 has revealed her newest project and free pattern, The Fireside Blanket. I love it but am exercising restraint as this year I have a few requests for Christmas stitching.  But isn't it pretty!

I also got a little bit distracted by Karen's Magic Circle blocks as a possible way for me to use up yarn scraps.  Crocheting circles would be a nice break from these very long stripes.

A couple of weeks ago in this post I shared a free pattern from Kristy at Quiet Play to make the paper pieced tree block called Red Herring. She has updated this past pattern of hers to this link now to be found HERE. Thank You Kristy!

I've given it a whirl. I wanted to see if I enjoyed stitching it enough to make a wall hanging. Foundation paper piecing is a little tricky at the start. It is reversal kind of sewing and you have to get in the mindset.  The second one went a lot faster than the first. I decided to turn these two blocks into a mug rug. Photographing it against wood seemed appropriate too, :D.  I will be sharing this with Joy's Table Scraps post...a party to encourage us to scrounge through our scraps and make something!

It also gave me a chance to show you my latest thrift store mug. It was made by the English Mug Co. and it had the tiniest little chip on the bottom rim- I used  sandpaper and rubbed it smooth and almost invisible. It was an "as is" item so just $2.  I love the design and colours-pink and turquoise together...the design reminds me of holly for some reason. I looked it up and found out it is fine bone china and the pattern is called Rosie's Garden.

  I would love to do a hanging in these turquoise greens but deeper ones, more teal I guess...alas none in my stash so more thinking about this. A little shopping might be in order.  I'll share this with Saturday's So Scrappy linky party. 

Anybody joining in the free Sewcialites SAL offered by The Fat Quarter Shop? 

This week I have grandson for one of those PA days the schools run.  We have a couple of appointments of the dreary kind (for me)...accountant/tax stuff -my eyes glaze over when they talk, and they're always so nice, I feel bad I'm not listening.  And my stitching fingers are flying on Plaid Tilda trying to achieve that October OMG. Down to the finale!

Oh and I have to buy Halloween treats...we get no trick or treaters here down our long laneway (might be a little scary if we did!- some of us have seen those movies) but I buy our favourite chocolate bars just in case. 

Autumn is turning out to be an enjoyable and productive season for me. Hope you are feeling the same even if our Autumn is actually your Spring!

Happy to be linking this post with Linda's To Do Party, Brian's Blog,  The Inquiring Quilter, Quilt Fabrication, True Blue Quilts,  Creations, Quilts, Art,  Alycia Quilts, Wendy's Quilts and More, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, ChrisKnits, Sew Can Do and My Corner of the World. 

Window on My World, Fans Finish, Beautiful Ukrainian Eggs

I've turned around my happy chair in the living area so I can face this window and watch the clouds glide by.  I can also keep an eye on the bird bath that is now up and running. So far, lots are taking a drink but only one American Goldfinch and a Robin have availed of a little wash up. 

But as you see, the ice has receded except for shaded areas, and the grass is already showing some greening which always happens surprisingly fast. It is still quite cool with freezing temperatures overnight so I'm holding off on any planting.

Or cleanup just yet.  

SIL dropped us off a little treat to have for Good Friday dinner, a Costco Fish and Chips meal.  It was very tasty and we had leftovers the next day. Costco is putting together more of these meals I noticed when we got inside the store finally after a year or so.

Look what's up on the wall in the back hallway. Yes, Fans is a finish!

I really only had the edging to hand stitch and a couple more embroidered butterflies to add. That did not take too long, one evening actually. Here I lightened the photo to show the butterflies but normally they don't stand out.

Anyway, nice to have another finish for my Done With It All year!

My good friend, Heather who lives at home and I miss,  posted these very lovely Ukrainian Easter Eggs on her Facebook page. She made them years ago using the wax resist method and they are still so beautiful.  And poignant too when thinking of all the troubles in that part of the world. 

I am surprised when I think of how far away I am from the Easters of my youth. Some of you remember too the new bonnets, outfits and gloves to wear to church and the big Sunday. very traditional meal following. 

But still I am so fortunate to live close to the daughters and be able to have family coming over for dinner tonight. We are going very non traditional for Easter and ordering in Indian food. We are all looking forward to it!

SO happy to share this post with the Slow Stitching party at Kathy's Quilts. Also sharing with Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Wendy's Quilts and More, Life in the Scrapatch, Creations Quilts Art Whatever, Home Sewn By Us and Alycia Quilts.

Spring Springing, Slugging, Sashiko Stitching, Self-Soothing Slow Stitching

Hearing birds sing for the first time on a walk March 5 was an amazing moment. The cardinal was singing his tiny heart out then and every morning since.  Here are the pair that have been visiting my feeders all winter. I think they are the same as the female is notably small. Taken through my kitchen window. 

Neddy relaxing with his Star Wars blanket below. One year old last week. On the face book group, SIL asked all the owners of his 8 litter mates to share a birthday photo and all 9 of us chimed in with wonderful shots. It gave SIL and daughter much happiness to see how well loved the puppies all are in their new homes.

Have you heard of slugging?  I'll give you a link and see what you make of it for yourself. Slugging For Essential Skincare I was interested as I'd read decades ago that Marilyn Munroe used only petroleum jelly as a face cream. (That's a perfect example of the kind of useless information this brain of mine holds onto.)

So happy to be making headway with the borders for my Fans quilt. I settled on a sashiko style embroidered butterflies pattern using the same variegated thread I've used throughout this quilt. I drew a couple of butterfly patterns and used little dots of chalk as a guide.  That worked well on the dark navy fabric. Enjoyable slow stitching,

Here is an excellent video detailing how that can work for other Sashiko stitching which is a Japanese style of embroidery.

I think if these strips don't work out as a border, I'll join them to make a runner.  

It was a treat to visit a library last week- like old times. I had reserved both these books and picked them up. Simple Shapes Stunning Quilts by Stuart Hillard and Free Spirit Block Party by 20 modern designers. These books are both great-there are 100 designs in Stuart's book and 40 in the other. I would like to own a copy of both. 

Not finished yet...but I am still diligently adding to the sides of my Tumbling Blocks quilt pieces when the spirit moves me. I so love this process of cutting diamond shapes out of thin cardboard, choosing bits of fabrics to size, gluing them on, then sewing together to make the blocks. Then sewing those together. A process with many steps and I love each and every one of them. (A photo for Joanne (no blog) who asked to see it again and is thinking of making this pattern.)

Someone asked me why I torture myself with so much hand work on each project. Why does everything I make have to be so labour intensive, they wanted to know. After all you have a machine that could do the work in a tenth of the time was said to me.  Well now. What to say...how the thinking about it, researching the patterns, searching your blogs, choosing the bits and bobs is so enjoyable, is my balm really, that the hand work/knitting/crocheting,etc. soothes me like nothing else I do. And while I can be quiet, attentive and contemplative sometimes, I need something in my hands always. (A new thought... Is that OCD-ish?!)

 From my needlepointing days starting when very young in university, living and teaching in isolated communities, up to and including now, stitching has been an enjoyable constant in my life. Just as it has for so many of you too. You guys get it, right?

I'm linking up with Not Afraid of Color; LeeAnna always puts a lot of effort into her Thursday things to like posts so if you have the time, check it out. Also there, you will find the other bloggers who have shared their thankful, happy Thursday things too. 

Also linking with Brian's Home Blog, Love Laugh Quilt, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and Kathy's Quilts. 

Peace and Plenty Here at the Wooden House

We both talked about the sun today as sunny a sun as we have ever seen. It surged brightly behind the curtains before I opened them and blinded us on the morning walk with its clarity and brightness. I kept shielding my eyes wishing my sunglasses were not back at the house. The weather for days before had been gloomy with wind, freezing rain, and yet more snow. Maybe we were prejudiced because of this. Whatever. Sun illuminating all corners of the house is wonderful and spurring notions of spring- at least for this one day.

While the view outside remains decidedly winter.

We went to Costco on Monday and had a great look round; no trouble filling a cart. I was disappointed in the clothes- mostly swimming suits and the need for that is a ways off here for sure. Hubby was happy as we replenished his Moose Tracks Ice Cream supply. I was happy as I bought one of those supper kits; ours was the tacos one. Sure enough I found an article by Brian, a high school teacher who loves food, on how to prepare it HERE. Brian's photo too. It was tasty.

 I almost broke down and started another project just to soothe myself, the news in the world being what it is lately. But I've held strong. I received a little bundle of lovely fabric in the mail so I must content myself with petting this for now. I'm very slowly building a Tilda supply for a special project.  Mauves are a little new to me but so pretty.

The book, Country Quilts For Friends, was in the bargain bin at the local drug store. It caught my eye because of the name Anne Sutton on it. Anne is the designer behind Bunny Hill Designs, a wonderful site to explore and shop. I've purchased her fabric and patterns before. I like how she combines piecing, applique and also sometimes, embroidery, in her quilts. 

Anne's latest fabric line is called Prairie Days and is the prettiest blues with a bold red and whites. 

Meanwhile I've layered up the scrappy Fans quilt and used a little spray fabric glue to hold the layers in place which really helped a lot. I keep forgetting I have this stuff and it is very helpful. 

These fabrics are so pretty to me. I love seeing them up close. (And the sides are really straight; why they photograph with a curve is a mystery to me.)

I quilted around each to fix them in place. I began a little embroidery stitch, abbreviated turkey stitch, around each block. I'm using the same red, white and blue variegated thread as I used for the strings. 

I plan to set up the borders today. 

I've almost finished my Cobble Hill Winter puzzle, The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady version. 

Each bird and plant is labelled which is fun and an aid to getting it together too. 

Frederique has updated the list of ongoing BOM's, etc. here on her blog, Quilting, Patchwork, Applique. I got distracted by one...the Grandmother's Flower Garden, EPP quilt, and think I may join that one by downloading the patterns for now. I've admired the hexie quilts so many of you have made and keep saying I want to make one. 

 I have this image of me sewing little hexagons sitting on my veranda next summer. Sigh 

Happy to be linking with Not Afraid of Color, Kathy's Quilts, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, Quilting Patchwork Applique, My Sunday Snapshot, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and Alycia Quilts. 

 

Loves, 7 or 8 of Them Today

"Love each other or perish."

                           W. H.  Auden

Monday is a public holiday here and in many of the Canadian provinces, Family Day. It's a day for families to take a midwinter rest or get outside and enjoy winter fun together. This year there are lots of planned activities. We will be dog sitting as daughter and family take a little overnight trip. 

 Love these faces...mother Abbey with her offspring, Petey and Ned. These Labradors love the snow.

The family was here last Sunday for snowmobiling. They all had a great time.  Both the grandsons were here.

I love to see them having a good time in the fresh air and the snowmobiles beat down our walking trails which makes them easier to tramp. 

 Truthfully, I'm not getting in the sewing room much lately because it is cold back there. Even with a little heater, it stays cool especially as my sewing machine is by the big window. But one of the milder days, I sewed a few more of the foundation pieced trees which made me feel better. This time in some greens. 

Love this free pattern from the Fat Quarter Shop.  Scrappy Brick House is a quilt I'd like to make someday.  Always fun to dream.

However, I'd made these four houses below for the Sarah Fielke BOM, Grasshopper project back in 2018. Sarah's pattern was easy to follow and I remember enjoying stitching these very much. I was a little new to EPP back then.  That project is resting in its' own big tote. The houses aren't placed together like this in the overall design.

 The fabric line I used is Bloomsbury by Frannie and Jane. It came with this saying by Virginia Woolf...

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well". I could not agree more!

I have all the blocks stitched, just need to finish the central appliqued panel.  At least it is back on my radar!

But up next right now TO DO this week and in line with my plan is to get a few more of the smaller projects completely finished. More hand stitching thoughts as I figure out how to quilt this one below, my Fans piece. I have it prepped and ready to start. I've done some research and will be trying out an idea today. Wish me luck!

We've been enjoying this series, Inventing Anna, on Netflix.  To think it is based on a true story. The audacity of this girl is mind blowing. 

A wonderful performance by Julia Garner of Ozark fame.

Love the internet...I feel lucky to live in a time when I get to experience all that it has to offer which is endless it seems.  And the pleasure of meeting up online with so many of you all over the world. That makes me very happy too.

Also happy and thankful too to join these quilty folks...Kathy's Quilts, Quilting Patchwork Applique, Brian's Home Blog, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Love Laugh Quilt, Texas Quilt Gal and Quilting is More Fun Than Housework.

Critters Big and Small, Imperfect Stitching, Exercise and My Brain

4 Ticks!

Yes, I've picked 4 ticks off myself this season so far. That's three more than average. And I've had to extract one each from Hubby and Ned (though Ned is on a medication to repel parasites-too bad I couldn't have such). A lot of critters have been flourishing this year including these tiny as mites things.

 And the garden continues to grow like crazy...I guess it's the heat. View from my kitchen window this morning showing the lawn on the left where I play ball with Ned.

I was working on my photos this week, an ongoing goal, and came across photos of the Fans quilt I made last fall/winter. I realized I hadn't shown the piece with all the blocks sewn together. Still not quilted and definitely imperfect (perhaps why I hadn't shared it). And I do have regrets about using those two lighter blues though in real life they are the prettiest blue fabric here.

I must share with you this photo...in my last post I wrote about feeling distracted.  Noticed yesterday that my May doesn't have an A. Definitely imperfect! Oh well, a little frogging and it will be remedied. 

Note the specs in that picture.  A couple of blogging friends mentioned these particular readers.  I checked them out and bought a set, 5 pairs for $19 US. And I could get magnification of 4 which I didn't even know was possible. These are well made and I can stitch any thread count with them when I want to take a break from my real magnifiers. Here is the link to Eyekeepers and the women's readers collections.

Garden visitors We continue to be blessed with all form of creatures, great and small, visiting our summer gardens. And that includes the ticks!

These chipping sparrows have flourished the last two summers here though I've yet to find a nest. Many of them in the trees and under the feeders. 

Lots of chipmunks too. Hard to count as they seem to be loners.

There is something about turkeys that fascinate me...their size, the strange featherless heads, the beauty of their large feathers; I don't know. 

Thank you all so much for your thoughtful and encouraging comments on my last post. The heat broke and it is cooler now- to me more pleasant outside.  A swim every day, an early morning little jog to the newspaper box with Ned and playing ball on the lawn with him is making me feel fitter. When I feel fitter, I do feel better mentally which I know is how my brain works.

  Plus I was able to have both grandsons here for a swim (and a float) last Sunday which was wonderful. Things are slowly starting to feel more normal.

Hope everything is even finer than normal where ever you are!

So happy to be joining the group at Not Afraid of Color, Life in the Scrapatch, Viewing Nature With Eileen, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, So Scrappy, Kathy's Quilts, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and Paying Ready Attention. 

  

Moody, Memories, Christmas To Do, Table Runner Finish, December OMG

I've been reading about how long it might take for a vaccine to get around to us. Present thought is September 2021. Well now. Surely that's got to be the direst of predictions. Of course, who knows what the reality will be but it's given me pause to think there might be many more months of this ahead for us especially as our numbers keep rising.

 As you know, I have more than enough to keep me busy in the house and around the property but I do think I'm suffering some by not spending the time with the grandsons, daughters and my few friends that I'm used to.  I guess as Doris Day sang, whatever will be, will be. 

Meanwhile, we have been checking our temperatures, something I've very rarely done before all this. Mine is always lower than 37 degrees which I thought had to do with my cold toes and fingers till I read it's normal for the aged (is that really me!!) to run below the norm. 

A year ago, Daughter and I had our little weekend holiday in downtown Ottawa including an afternoon at the National Art Gallery. Here I am beside a print that was made during the time I lived and taught in the artist's community, Pangnirtung, Nunavut on Baffin Island. What an adventure that was!

Happy memories of both and certainly no idea of what was just around the corner which is a metaphor for life really. 

 Goldfinches at the feeder amidst the snow flakes. Snowflakes are tricky to photograph never mind the birds.

 I've moved along one of my table runner projects and it is finished.  The Scandi Snowflake Runner.

  I used a little heat and bond to adhere the snowflakes.

I found the exact shade of red- DMC 816, garnet, in the thread stash that I inherited from Mom. And embroidered a blanket stitch around the snow flakes.

I did not get to finish my Fans for the November OMG, so I'm moving that ahead to be this December's OMG at the Elm Street Quilts Linky Party . It is fun to find a little bit of pretty fabric in the scrap box that looks oriental in design.

I do have a few other projects to make up the five I want to finish for Christmas.  Included is the one below that is going to be a tabletopper. I have the quilting left to do so I hope to get it done this week. I keep thinking someday I will make a log cabin quilt. 

Do you ever do this?  Dig out orphan blocks from the scraps and see if they could fit together somehow. Here are leftovers from Scandinavian Christmas, Quilty 365- the circles, and a couple from I don't remember where. Every day I move one or two hoping a plan will leap out at me.

Pouring down rain for the last few days with no let up in sight has added to the moody feelings. Our snow is now quite patchy and no longer Christmasy.  But here is a photo of Murphy checking out that new fallen snow last week. Our girl looks a little portly in this photo. :)

Someone asked about the mice....I've stopped counting. Every day there was one if not two in the humane traps, one day two in one of them. However, since this recent warmer weather, the traps have been empty four days in a row. 

I'm slowly getting our Christmas things out.  I've decided against the big tree this year but then realized that meant the bird ornaments will not be out. So I may rethink that. Anyway, hope to have my Christmas hangings, etc. up this week for us to enjoy.  Our second load of wood has arrived so more stacking will have to get done when this rain stops. There is always lots "to do" around here.

So happy to be linking with Home Sewn By Us, Our World Tuesday , Paying Ready Attention, Quilt Fabrication, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Brian's Home Blog, Wendy's Quilts and More and Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.