Poor Man Cookies, Quilt Flimsy

Yes, it is April and I wish you all a wonderful month whether it be spring or autumn where you are. I love both seasons! 

Here underfoot is changing. Every walk outside and the ground is different ranging from soft snow to bare earth emerging underneath trees. This morning it was -17 C wind chill so the snow banks were quite frozen and firm enough to walk on which made the walking very smooth. It was brisk but with bright sunshine very beautiful. And an added bonus was being accompanied by many bird songs. The cardinals were singing so sweetly, I kept stopping to listen. At one point, a line of geese flew overhead, honking loudly. It all was quite the early morning spring symphony! 

The female Cardinal at a feeder this morning.

Hubby put in a request for a full English breakfast for lunch on Sunday. It's a 3 frying pan meal and includes eggs, sausages, pancakes and toast with marmalade (I omitted the tinned beans this time). It was all washed down with large cups of tea; a great easy and very filling weekend meal. 

Since the kitchen was dirtied up anyway, I decided to make a batch of these cookies. Have you ever heard of them? There are many variations of Poor Man's cookies. Here is the recipe I tried...Poor Man's Cookies from the Glue Sticks blog. Mine are not especially pretty and I added chocolate chips for Tony. I cut back on the sugar and they are a little lacking in flavour. I think I may have forgotten the vanilla. I have no doubt they will get eaten though.

They are called poor man's because they don't call for eggs, butter or milk. Lots of oats though. They are also popular to make ice cream sandwiches with I read.

I am keen to start spring cleaning and two things about that. I have to clear out one of those very large bottom cupboards that I have to practically crawl into to retrieve things. There are items in it I never use and they don't need to be there anymore, I've decided.  And my laundry cupboard needs a reorganization as I put away the flannel sheets and winter duvet and change over to summer bedding. Neither of these chores will take long and I really should set more goals to get done this week. 

Ultra scrappy Wheel Within A Wheel is at this stage now, a rather large near flimsy...yes I found the lost blocks. 

On our queen sized bed

And in a little sunshine outside to reveal its real colours. Hubby trying to hold it against the breeze and telling me this is his favourite quilt so far. Ned, however, totally unimpressed.

There are still more "wheels" to add, small ones for each corner which I will do this week and of course, border decisions to be made. I would love for this to be a fully finished flimsy this month. Will make it a monthly goal at the Elm Street Quilts  April Monthly Goal party which might spur me on.

In that photo you can see the ice is receding on the deck and also the damage done to the drain pipe by ice. There are mangled bits all around the house. 

Something that I would like to do but don’t …is make a point to look at the night sky and photograph special phases of the moon or the planets, etc. Part of the reason I don’t is I would have to put on a coat and boots and walk away from the house as the trees block sky views for the most part. And at night I’m kind of tired or lazy or maybe even a little afraid of what might be out in those woods, LOL. 

The fall we had trail cams out they captured these three critters over and over during the night, nothing too scary. We were surprised by how busy all three were during hours of darkness. Deer, fox and rabbits.

It also caught the local firestarter out stick collecting...told you I used an Ikea bag. 

Rambled on long enough. Hope your week will be a good one!

Happy to share this post with Songbird Designs, Wendy's Quilts and More, Alycia Quilts, My Quilt Infatuation, Creations, Quilts, Art, It's a Small Town Life, The Inquiring Quilter, Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Quilt Schmilt.

Carrot Cake Cheesecake, Projects Updates, A Show to Watch

 Picture me that cloudy end of February morning gathering sticks on land that most of the year is a foot under water. A cardinal was singing its song in the background. This is usually the only time of year I can walk through there and the pickings are good. I  could see where some animal had clawed bark off quite a few of the trees. Porcupine perhaps. Ned trotted from tree to tree with me then patiently sat and waited while I filled the bag. So full I had a hard slog getting him and it back to the house. But yet invigorating too with the fresh air and exercise. 

 I usually have my small camera with me and took this photo in a little forest I came across. An interesting glowing colour, quite striking in the midst of greys and white. What colour would you call this?  Reminds me of autumn which my friends in the southern hemisphere are experiencing. I just looked it up... Eastern Redcedar which tends to "bronze", as the writer termed it, in winter. 

We've eaten an extraordinary cake from Daughter, a Carrot Cake Cheesecake, since I last wrote you.

Sounds like too much of a good thing and yes it was and so delicious.

 Recipe here at Rock Recipes where Barry calls it a genius combination.

We are thoroughly enjoying this show, 1883, found on Paramount +. Always enjoy Sam Elliot but it is Isobel May that is stealing the show with her performance as a coming of age young woman. I'm enjoying her "voice over" remarks very much. These pioneer wagon train series remind us of how treacherous the journey was for those brave souls making it and also for those equally brave souls already inhabiting the land. 

 I don't usually set stitching goals because I have a firm track record of not keeping them. However, I am happy with how Wheels is moving forward these days with a little attention. Perhaps I'll keep that momentum going this week. 

That and stitching one more diamond for the Lone Star Medallion. Linking up with Carol at Quilt Schmilt for the To Do Tuesday party helps keep me mindful.

Corey Yoder at Coriander Quilts is launching her Sunny Patches BOM 2023 on March 18. I wonder if this would work out to be a good way to use up scraps. 

I also want to share with those of you who embroider the work of Alice Makabe. Pretty kits of her designs are available from The French Needle and also other sites. This brief video gives you an idea of Alice's work.

So much to enjoy and dream about. Hope that is how you are feeling this first day of a brand new month. 

Wonderful to join linky parties like these....Quilt Fabrication, Alycia Quilts, Quilting Patchwork Applique, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Creations, Quilts, Art and Wendy's Quilts and More.

Free Patterns, Renewed Interest in an Old Project

It's all about the weather again here in south eastern Ontario. Weather does not know borders, LOL. It's a good thing I love the snow, with the caveat that I don't have to drive in it. 

It started snowing yesterday mid day and is still snowing. Looking out my kitchen window this morning. Everything swaddled in a fresh blanket of white.

Ned and I ventured out for our early morning walk and didn't get too far. We wound up walking just the laneway and even then the going was tough.  I know it's hard for some to understand how invigorating walking in winter air is. But it always makes me feel great. Bundled up, it is not cold at all. The cool air clears my sinuses, my mind and science says it boosts my immune system too which I believe. It also makes me feel grateful I can walk like this and then have a warm house to return to.

We are finally watching this series, The Morning Show, and enjoying it very much. For some reason, I am always surprised by how well Jennifer Anniston can act.

Thank you for all the encouraging words about the recent quilting projects I've shared. Yes, the yellow is working out for the Panama Pyramids.  And I'm feeling a renewed interest in the Wheel Within a Wheel project. Have the sections all sorted again and will continue the hand stitching parts tonight. 

Our prompt this week from LeeAnna, Not Afraid of Color, is what is our favourite colour/colours. I like the idea of thinking about colours now with my outside world white, white, white. However, it is hard for me to pin down a colour I adore as such. Having a colourful flower garden and also flowering bushes has added so much enjoyment to my life in general. And now that I am white haired, I've been wearing brighter colours, red, for instance, which used to be my least favourite next to purple and orange. I used to wear camel and grey which totally wash me out out now. 

But in keeping with red, look at how joyous the Sumac become when the summer season starts drawing to a close. Who could not feel brighter in spirit when looking at this. 

What about you? Do you favour one colour over another? Have your colour choices in clothes changed like mine over the years?

I keep saying I want to make placemats. Perhaps with tea cups. I was totally smitten with Anna-Jantina and her beautiful cups. I love everything she sews and you will see why if you look her up. She is on Instagram and I had sincerely wished that she kept her blog going. 

Thursday's Three Free

So I'm looking at free patterns for cups and there are so many. Here is one from the kind folks at Bear Creek Quilting.

And another freebie from  the Quilting Daily site...I've downloaded this template.

Sewing cups/mugs would be fun. 

 From Moda Fabrics comes this unique design called "Latitude". I think batiks were use to make this one but the free pattern includes a colouring sheet to work out your own pretty palette.

For my slow stitching friends...do check out Mary Corbet's Needle n Thread site if you haven't already. I've been a fan ever since I got the internet years back. I've followed her stitching lessons, copied patterns and bought patterns and books through her site as well. Mary has a wonderful bank of free patterns and links to patterns for both embroidery and cross stitch. Besides loads of tutorials. 

I need to draw this post to a close. Thanks yet again for the lovely comments, emails, suggestions, etc. I read them all and take them to heart. They mean the world to me!

Love to share this post with the weekly linky parties at Alycia Quilts, Kathy's Quilts, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, So Scrappy, Quilting Patchwork Applique, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and Wendy's Quilts and More.

Pixie Hair Cut, Heart Love, Free Patterns, Quilt Decision

I gave myself a pixie cut. Following Amanda as she cut her hair made it very simple and easy. She is a good teacher.

Though I must admit using the clipper attachment that gave such a close cut to the back did give me pause. Then I thought, it's hair, it'll grow back; I'm wearing winter hats outside the house anyway so it can be covered. But I'm actually happy enough with it. That window light sure smoothed the wrinkles nicely but Lordy, look at those jowls!

This gives me a chance to show you my new blouse from Talbots. I love the blues but was a little taken aback by the size of the blooms on it.  Scale is important!

This week's prompt from LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color was if and how we make lists. I've talked about being a list maker way back.  Put your hand into any of my coat pockets and you are likely to haul out a piece of paper with a list on it.  You might find it odd to be printed in large letters but that is so I can read it in a store without getting out my reading glasses. I have a number of notebooks around that I use for recording all kinds of information, always in black ink- about the only pen/paper preference I can think of that I've had all my adult life.

 

What about you? Are you a list maker? Perhaps you use your phone for such these days.

I had started the process of unpicking the sewing lines on this project. The Wheel Within a Wheel quilt. I kept looking at it on the wall and realized I didn't care for all the different fabrics being put into each block. A bit of a jumble it seems.

I thought it would look better with just neutrals for the backgrounds. I say I started as I almost immediately stopped; I have 8 of these blocks sewn and they are large.  So much hand work to be cutting out. I've decided to persevere and finish this one in the way that I had started it and the way it shows in the photo by the designer too. I must say I do love working with these pretty fabrics from Minick and Simpson who seem to specialize in the blues. 

Thursday's Three Free

Lisa at Stitching the Journey shares several free patterns like this sweet hand pieced hexagon mat. 

I also appreciated Lisa's post called When Your Lap is Empty about how stitching can be such a balm when experiencing grief. 

Speaking of grief, this item appeared on my Facebook account. Interesting to me as I do find forest walking amongst the trees soothing. 

How an Unconnected Phone on a Nature Trail is bringing comfort to grieving people.  Interesting idea. What do you think?  I was also impressed that Deer Lake, a town of about 6000 in Newfoundland, has a designated Health and Wellness committee. 

 British designer, Nicola Dodd of Cakestand Quilts is starting the year off by offering her free pattern for a sweet French Hen block to her subscribers. I love keeping up with what Nicola is creating. I especially like her encouragement to stitch what you love the way you want to, especially hand quilting if you have the time. As she says, quilting should not require fancy equipment. 

Heart Love  I'm not surprised by the huge number of free heart quilt block patterns out there.  

The pattern for this pretty Rainbow quilt is found here at the Andover free quilt patterns page.

In This 2020 Post on her blog, Quilt Fabrications, generous Susan shared a bank of links to quilt patterns featuring hearts if you are interested in getting a head start on Valentine's stitching.

From Tiny Modernist comes this sweet free pattern- a Valentine's Heart to cross stitch.

January is usually the month when most of the Flosstube regulars on YouTube feature round ups of all their projects- Finishes, WIP's and those patterns they are eyeing to work on next. It is a great time to see what's new out there from all the designers- inspiring for sure.

 

We've been informed a Colorado low is going to be bringing us a couple of inches of snow overnight and into Friday morning. So far just an advisory and I hope it stays that way!

Hope your week ends on a good note and your weekend will be even better!

Better as well to be linking with So Scrappy, Alycia Quilts, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and Quilting Patchwork Applique.

Thursday's Three Free, September 20th Design Wall, Christmas Movie Favourite, Rare Bird

Design Wall September 20.  The Wheel Within a Wheel blocks are each labour intensive I'm finding...so many bits and bobs to each one and most of it sewn by hand. Though I've lagged recently while getting Karnak finished for a gift, I'm still liking this. 

See the bit of Kaffe fabric on the bottom...it is Roman Glass and I heard him say in a video interview that this was their best selling pattern of all time. Kind of surprised me as it is brown but he said people thought it blended well. Update...folks are telling me it is available in a lot of colours which makes more sense to me.

I'm curious if this was a thing- covering school text books in brown paper,  anywhere else but Canada? Mom would iron the paper I remember.  We had to do this in my younger grades...it seemed to have ended by the middle grades. 

I was fortunate to get a photo of this bird or one like her several times at the bird bath. Up till this summer, I'd only seen and gotten a photo of one before.  A small female Rose Breasted Grosbeak so may be a younger one. Leeanna at Not Afraid of Color's prompt this week was what favourite movie we have that we might watch over and over. I seldom watch a movie a second time unless a lot of time has elapsed between viewings. But there is another exception and that is Christmas movies. For instance, I've watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation many times. I know it is a little lewd and silly but I can still smile when I think of the 25000 Christmas lights fiasco, the out of control hill slide and the fussy couple next door featuring Julia Louis-Dreyfus. 

Is there a movie that fits that category for You?

                     

Thursday's Three Free

Jennifer at the Hopeful Homemaker still has all the steps on her site to make this delightful quilt though she made it a while ago in 2013. By following her directions, I think I could do this.  It's basic squares and hst's. 

This quilt caught my eye. It is popular around the net and I've seen it in a number of different colourways. I clicked a lot of buttons searching for the pattern and had to smile when it led me to the Fat Quarter Shop. 

From the Smart Cross Stitch Folks comes this great little Autumn cross stitch design. You can download the pattern at that link. And here is the link to over 150 free patterns they so generously offer. I especially liked the Christmas Deer one.

I need to share the QAL's I've noted that have popped up now with autumn here almost, and Christmas on the horizon. I'll include one in each of the next few posts.

Meanwhile, hope you are feeling energetic and inspired and gearing up for a great weekend. 

Happy to be linking with Kathy's Quilts, Life in Pieces, Wendy's Quilts and More, Love Laugh Quilt, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and Quilting is More Fun Than Housework. 

Dog Days of August, Geometry in Quilting, Lori Holt's "Stitch"

 Enjoying the free buffet are these three Chipping Sparrows. I've begun including small seeds with the sunflower and that has attracted more sparrows this summer.

The three dogs are enjoying their summer days together. The vernal pond is back to nearly its full level and of course, being Labradors, they love the water. They enjoy watching and trying to chase the odd frog but luckily have never caught one. 

This was the indoor/now outdoor Geraniums at their glory. I was so happy with this colourful display.  Geraniums never disappoint!

Here is a block of the Wheel Within A Wheel project showing additional "wheels". Still some adjustments needed here.  I have ten blocks now more or less to this stage and would like to have them all sewn to this stage soon. My main TO DO stitching the rest of this week. I'll be linking with Linda's To Do Tuesday Party.

My July project to practice accuracy was the Kaffe table runner. This month I've been using more of the HST's to continue some colour play with different colours (for me) and geometric arrangements while keeping the HST's points, etc.  I'm not good at this and critical of my efforts even when following someone else's pattern. More about this pattern I'm trying to achieve later. Hopefully, I'll do better with it than I've been so far. 

I ordered this bundle of Lori Holt's fabric line for Riley Blake called Stitch. I really like the turquoise greens and the range of browns too.  I was also intrigued with the motifs mimicking crochet and cross stitching in particular.

.

This guy, Petey, is under my feet whether at the computer or the sewing machine. Daughter works from home and he spends his time under her desk so he's just carried on with that I guess. 

Here he is pawing me while his eyes are saying please it's time to play ball, Nana. 

Which I'm off to do now. Hope you all have a great week!

Linking up with the folks at My Corner of the World, Quilt Fabrication, Quilting Patchwork Applique, Floral Passions, Brian's Home Blog, Alycia Quilts, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and Quilt Paint Create.

Three Thrift Store Finds, Wheel Within a Wheel Block, Floral Motif Sampler

The American Robins love the bird bath. This is a young one who just wouldn't leave it one day last week. Despite his grumpy look, he took such enjoyment it put a smile on my face watching hm.

I had this very odd thing happen to my finger on Thursday last.  Felt a searing pain and saw a blood vessel swell very suddenly in my right pointer finger. As I was thinking I need to get to the hospital, it stopped as quickly as it had started.  I now have a reddish bruise in the spot.

 Google has told me I had a Paroxysmal Finger Hematoma. Never heard of it and did not know this could actually happen to people. Benign occurrence and two things -  being female and over 60 increase your chances of getting these, neither of which I can do anything about! Weird, huh? Any of you ever have this??

Out to a thrift shop with older daughter and had a good poke about...it had been a while. Here are three of my "finds". 

Love these two blouses. This first is Westbound brand, heavier feel cotton, a little longer in length with side slits. Very comfortable fit. I liked the paisley design and the pearl like buttons. A tiny bit dressier.

Daughter found this one below. She said perfect for you Mom...it's Olsen and has birds!

I thought that the little design would make an interesting quilt motif. Reminds me of Charley Harper. Who once asked the question...Can a nature lover ever find true happiness at the top of the food chain? So I love him.

And number three which we have had to press into service when our old teapot bit the dust. This matches my winter dish set, The Friendly Village by Johnson Brothers.

 It pours beautifully and Hubby likes the way it makes enough tea to hold him all day. He doesn't mind at all that it is actually a coffee pot. I enjoy admiring the little paintings with delicate colouring which feature The Village Green.  

I paid $14.98 for it and figured I could use it as a flower vase or planter.  I've found one online for $100 and at Amazon for almost $150 C.  I don't think it was used before now and when are we going to formally serve coffee in it. Like never.

I got one block of Wheel Within a Wheel almost finished. I really like the tiny American flags in that corner piece. A little nod to my American blogging buddies.

I wound up appliquing the whole piece onto the 4 piece backing block. Getting all the blades perfectly circular - well, tried to!, and lying flat was tricky for me for some reason. I learned a few things and think I've sorted how to make rest of the blocks go smoother. Hopefully, this will get its center circle and the corner quarters plus as well as another one finished this week.

Just look where I am with my Floral Motif Sampler.  Perhaps a finish this week too of this cross stitched piece. 

Some of you may remember that I enjoy using men's shirts in my quilting, ones that I find at the thrift store. In fact, the large center basket in my current OMG, Basket Case, is made from a man's shirt material and in the photo above, the top left stripe is from a shirt. 

 I came across this video and had to have a view. Here Cathy of The Catbird Quilts channel says so many things I agree with and I do believe thrift store men's shirts are an untapped source of both well priced and excellent fabric for stitching projects. Recycling is a good thing!

FYI   Frederique of Quilting Applique Patchwork and a weekly link up party has updated her 2022 QAL page. Here is the link.

 I've had a couple of questions about Michele's Basket Case pattern. Here is the link to Michelle's 2020 post where she shares the photo of her basket. She suggests we download her photo to copy the pattern. 

Hope your day and the rest of the week are wonderful!

So happy to link this post with Texas Quilt Gal, The Inquiring Quilter, Creations, Quilting, Art, Whatever, Alycia Quilts and Quilt Fabrication.