Vision

Good day.  This is being written on Saturday afternoon.  The last two weeks have been busy and wonderful.  April 2nd and 16th, Cataract surgery was done on my eyes.  The results have been very pleasing except for one thing.  I can easily see the dust in my house now.  Darn, I need to remedy that.  

I used to wear contacts to see and used readers to do handwork.  You need to be without contacts for one month before they can measure your eyes for IOL lens.  My contacts ran out at the end of November and my bifocal glasses weren't proper enough to be able to see to sew fine work.  (My cataract evaluation was the first week in December.  First opening in the schedule for surgery was April.)  

No problem now.

My April block for Laurel Ridge BOM is now done.  

The buttons have now been stitched onto this project bag.  

The pincushion has also been stitched.  It is amazing how much clearer I can see the linen, easier to stitch.  Now on to the scissor fob.  That will be my slow stitching for Sunday.

May all of you have a Blessed Easter.  

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Block 10

Another block has been finished for A Bountiful Life.  This is Block #10: Ostrich Pair.  I need to stitch in their eyes.  When I look at the picture in the book of this block their eyes are light.  I shall do the same.    

Stitching with black thread on black material is not my favorite thing to stitch.  I could only do it during the day.  Even with the Ott light there was not enough light for me to stitch comfortably.

Now on to Block #11: Bird of Paradise.  The block was traced today, materials will be picked tomorrow and then stitching begins.

As I write this, it is Saturday and we are grey, mist and rain.  A Weather Storm Watch says we are to expect freezing rain overnight and sleet into tomorrow morning.  Two daughters in Maine are under a Weather Storm Watch of up to six inches of snow today with the sleet, freezing rain on Sunday.  Spring in New England.  

Enjoy your threads.  I am enjoying mine.  

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

A Bountiful Life: Block #10

Handwork has been getting stitched.  Block 10: Ostrich Pair from A Bountiful Life has grown.  Once again, several different ways of applique have been used.  The leaves were done with "back-basting needle turn applique".

The flowers were done by "needle turn applique with paper on top".

The center pink and green circles were done using my applipops and starch.  That makes the circles firm, and they stay nice and round.

 

Tomorrow, Sunday, I will work on the ostriches.  They are larger pieces and right now I am thinking of the back-basting needle turn method. The final decision on what material to use will be made tomorrow.  (Two color ways have been set out.)  Another block will then be done.

Enjoy your threads.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.
 

Twelve

That is the number of my next set of blocks for Laurel Ridge.  This set is applique, which I do like, slow stitching.  There are many ways to applique.  For the melon shapes on this block, I did a back-basting needle turn technique.  Here is where I drew the shape on the back of the block.

The shapes were then basted, the edge needle turned and then stitched down, all twelve blocks.

For making my circles I have used Applipops and starch.  A small applique pin is used to hold the circle in place as I start to stitch. Five blocks have come this far.  When all the circles are done, they will be half finished.

A squirrel did come by and was caught.  The two January Tea and Cookies mats from Shabby Fabrics were made.  Larger than a mug mat but smaller than a place mat.  Zig zag stitches are still needed around the snowflakes on the mug.  That is a fusible piece of applique. 

The last two weeks here have been snow, ice, grey, cold and windy.  Today the sun is shining and that makes 18F enjoyable.  With the wind chill, we have felt like -18F at times.

Slow Stitching today will be applique on my blocks.  May you enjoy your threads and stay warm and safe.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

New Squirrel

At the end of 2024, Lynn at Sew'n Wild Oaks Blog was talking about her new line of fabric and a new 2025 BOM, Laurel Ridge.  I was watching, hemming and hawing, and decided to late to order the kit for the BOM.  That was good, one less squirrel.  Then a message was left on my phone last week that I was next in line for a kit and someone had returned one.  (They decided it was more than their skill level.)  Was I still interested?  It was a weak moment, and I replied, yes.   

The kit came early this week and the material is gorgeous.  It took me a bit to jump in (I was actually nervous).  After over thinking the first block, I began.  The first block is a star block.  When was the last time that I made flying geese?  

It was this week I can now say.  Using the four geese at a time method.  My trimming was done properly, and I am pleased. 

But I love to use a steam iron.  I was able to distort a section before I remembered not to use steam.  I did frog it and restitch it.  It is now good.  I stitched four blocks and then had four blocks left to make this morning.

When I went to begin, a goose was missing.  I know that it did not fly away.  Gibbs likes to sit behind my sewing machine and watch the birds at the suet feeder.  What did he do with the goose? 

It took me a bit to find it but find it I did.  It was on a lower shelf to the side of the sewing machine.  The second set of blocks have now been stitched and all are looking good.

One goal accomplished.  Now what will be my next one?  I do need to stitch the eyes for the birds that were appliqued last week.  That is one bit of slow stitching but I need to plan more.  Super Bowl is tomorrow, hmmm.

Enjoy your threads and may the squirrels leave you alone.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy' Quilts.
 

February

Hello.  January was a good month for me, it is my favorite month of the year. It just did not go as planned.  Chest head ickiness began on Christmas Day and lasted three weeks.  Threads did not interest me, nothing much was getting done so I didn't write.   

But I was looking at Blogs.  gladiquilts.wordpress.com by Gladi Porsche is one that I visit regularly.  On 13 January 2025 she showed how she does needleturn applique with paper on top.  She was taught this method by Elly Sienkiewicz who has written several books on applique.  The book referenced was Baltimore Beauties and Beyond, which I now have.  I enjoy hand applique and have tried several different methods.  Not being energetic, this was a good thing to do while sitting in the chair.  My Block #7; Birds with Snacks from the A Bountiful Life quilt (Civil War Bride) was sitting in its basket, just sitting.  

The hummer, two bigger birds and their snacks were all done with this method.  You can see the paper sitting on the butterfly that will be worked on this evening.  I thank you Gladi for sharing this method. I am really enjoying it.

 

I am back to normal (or what passes as normal) and my Cave has been picked up.  Interest is returning for running machines.  Shall see what I can get accomplished this week and hope to return next week with evidence of progress.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

Enjoy your threads.

 

Seven

Back in 1992 I made Christmas stockings for our three girls.  (That was written about in an earlier post.)  The pattern is by Janlynn, counted cross stitch.  Each girl had a different Santa: European, Traditional and Old-World.

When the older girls moved out, they took their Christmas boxes with them to set up their own homes.  In 2013 stockings were stitched for my husband and me.  That way one stocking would not be alone.  The Santas that stitched were the ones made for the big girls.  There were still three different ones hanging.  I have the Old-World Santa, and he has the Traditional Santa.

  

Then in 2020 our youngest was married.  SIL received his Traditional Santa Christmas stocking that year.  

Youngest gave us our first grandchild in 2023 and a First Christmas stocking was made.  That will now be a Christmas tree decoration.  A big Christmas stocking needed to be stitched.  Since there are three of them in their family that means, to me, there needs to be three different stockings.  Grandbaby now has the Old-World Santa stocking.  

Here are three Old-World Santa stockings.  

I have stitched three Old-World Santas, three Traditional Santas but only one European Santa Stocking.  Our family groupings come in three.  Hmmm.

Enjoy your threads today.  Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays with those that you love.  Sending you blessings for a wonderful day.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.