More Blocks

Have been finished and I am getting good at making geese.  Twelve of the needed red blocks are done.  Seven of the blue blocks (need twelve) are also done.  A miscut happened so more material needed to be starched before they will be completed.

This block is known as Four Patch in a Star.  It was the first block made for this quilt.  Four in gold and four in orange.  When the blue blocks are finished, twenty still need to be made in a yellow.

In December, the youngest and I looked at my left-over yarn collection.  She took some yarn home. Hats were knit for her to give away with the local library program.  She asked if I would knit a co-worker a pair of mittens with some of the left over yarn.  

They traced the hands of the co-worker and now the mittens are knit.  I think that they are too big but won't know until she tries them on.  If they are too big, I recommend "felting" them.  They are wool and it will make them shape closer to the hand.  

Eighty more geese will be made today.  Need to think of some slow work to do, football playoff games this afternoon.    

Enjoy your threads. 

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.
 

Lost and Found

Geese and four-patch have been made.  The geese are being attached to the four-patch.  Twelve blocks of two different colors. 

I have an Elna Expressive 900, Ellie.  She is not liking the layers of the geese and four patch being stitched together.  Skipping stitches in the middle where the most layers are.  Not good.

I have an Elna Super from 1971.  The Grand Dame.  She has been in a bit of retirement, but she was glad to work with me.  I had to get out the directions to make sure the bobbin was put in properly.  You can see the instruction booklet to the right of the machine.  Really glad that I knew where to find it.  The cabinet next to my cutting table where other directions are kept. 

Twelve blocks are being made in the red color.  Everything was going fine but I only had eleven blocks.  I knew that I began with twelve.  The hunt was begun.  Everywhere was looked in my sewing cave.  A bit of cleaning was even done.  Nothing.  Back to the machine I go.

 

Did you see the block in the picture above?  

All that was done was to move the direction booklet.  Bits can disappear so quickly.

Here are the twelve red four-patch attached to the geese.  Now the blue ones will be stitched.  Then the other two parts of each block will be made.  

Then there are twenty left to make of a third color.

Enjoy your threads today.  

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Hello

Haven't been here for a bit.  Life has been busy in a mostly good way.  Also, don't have much to show made from my hands.

Here are my Blossie baskets finished.  There were some more that I made and gave away, and they never had their picture taken.  These are enjoyable to make, all hand stitching.  I haven't made one for myself yet.

It is now 2026 as I am sure you are all aware.  What it means to me is a review what did I in 2025 and what I did not.  That review has told me, oops, not so good.

Yesterday and today, I finished Month #6 for Laurel Ridge.  There were 20 blocks to make.  Not perfect but done.  

My next Block will be for Month 7 and 11.  They are the same block but in three different colorways.  It has four geese per block, and it looks like they are the same material in all 44 blocks.  That is 164 geese unfinished size 3 X 1 3/4-inch (if I did my math correctly).  My goal for tomorrow is to reread the directions and make sure that I am thinking properly.  Then on to all the geese.  

May you enjoy your threads this day.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Remembered

I remembered the third thing that I was to do.  Grandbaby wears cloth diapers and they are set in a cover known as the cloth diaper outer.  The waterproof part.  One of the leg elastics had stretched out and I was to replace it.  It is now done.

The broken stretched elastic that was found when I took the diaper apart.

The cover was taken apart at both ends.  I had to open it larger at one end versus the other in order to find the broken part.  

A new piece of elastic was placed in, the ends machine stitched and then I did a ladder stitch to close it back up.

Repair job not so bad.  Now on its way to Maine.  Shall see if it survives the washing machine.

Laurel Ridge progress: 120 HSTs were made, 1.5 inches unfinished.  When trimming them to proper size, there were only 119.  See the one at the bottom, off the cutting mat?  It went on an adventure.  It took me two days to find it.

My cave is cluttered at times (like almost always).  When looking for the HST, pick up needed to be done.  A piece of material had fallen to the floor at the base of the cutting table.

When it was picked up, what did I find?  The missing HST!  It has now been put with the others.  It is telling tall tales about its floor adventure.  I need to finish cutting a small bit of fabric and then do the block assembly.

Tuesday was a trip to Boston, and another two Blossie Basket set of parts were pieced.  One has been assembled.  

When we left for Boston at 0700, we had a skiff of snow on the back deck.  No snow as we traveled East down the Pike.  When we returned home, we had 3 inches of snow on the ground.  As we came up the hill on the Pike after crossing the Westfield River, we could see the snow bands in front of us.  It was fascinating watching the snow come.  When we exited the Pike 30 minutes later, we were in sunshine.  Winter is coming.  (I love the winter and snow)

Enjoy your threads today.  I am not yet sure what I will be working on.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts. 

 

Something

I had three things on my mind when I sat down to write this, but now I can only think of three.

Laurel Ridge is being worked on again.  Block #5 Basket is the one now in progress.  I need to make 20 of those blocks.  The center HSTs have been done and now 120, 1 1/2-inch HSTs are in the works.  The sewing is done; cutting has begun.  They are being done in the eight at a time fashion.  Cutting is being done assembly style.

Using my Tucker Trimmer for these little ones.

This is working well as this is the leftover bits and all are 1 1/2-inch square.

Hand stitching has been happening.  These are Blossie Baskets made from bits.  I tried making one hexagon by machine but did not like how it looked.  The hexagon parts were all stitched by hand and then the hexagons all stitched together by hand, ladder stitch.  I need to make a lid for each and then they will be a notion basket or a basket for whatever the person delights in.  Several more will be made and given away to our girls at Christmas.

 They are fun to stitch up.  And another way to get rid of bits.  Still can't think of the third thought.

Enjoy your day and threads.  Maybe I will remember for next week.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.
 

First

This was a first for me.  My Mother always knit the mittens for us as kids and the Grandkids.  I have knit mittens before, but for me.  (I love a mitten.)  Never little ones.  

Our Granddaughter is now almost two and in need of mittens.  Here is the first pair that was knitted out of left-over wool yarn.  To evaluate the gauge, the mitten on the left used a 3.25 needle where the one on the right used a 3.75 needle.  (The pair measures at 6 inches long, cuff to tip and about 2.5 inches wide.)  Little one won't mind the slight difference, and Daughter can tell me which she thinks is better.  

Since I was knitting and looking at yarn bits, here is a pair of what I call a left-over sock.  Left over bits of sock yarn.  They will still keep the foot warm.  I have more left-over bits to use up.

Both are now on their way to Maine.

Only one Laurel Ridge applique block is left to finish.  That will happen during today's football games. 

Sewing machine came home from the spa on Friday so I will get back into piecing shortly.

Enjoy your day with threads, yarn, fabric, needles......etc.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.
 

Two

Two of my eight blocks are finished.  Twelve leaves per block.  Twenty-four leaves stitched down.  Seventy-two leaves to go.  Here is the left-side and right-side block.  Not much else was done as life is (and I was a bit lazy).   

A squirrel did get in my way, but pictures were not taken.  I found a knit hat that was all done except for the thread ends to be woven in (who can remember when it was made).  That has been done and sent on its way.  (It took all of fifteen minutes.  What is with not finishing things.)  It is going to a library program that gives away winter clothing to kids in need. 

My slow stitching today will be more leaves.  My machine, Ellie, has gone in for her annual spa visit.

Enjoy your threads.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.