Two

Am working on the next block for Laurel Ridge, a Cat's Cradle.  Here is how I set up the blocks for stitching.  This way I chain stitch four at a time.  Hopefully correctly.

   

My fingers were trying to tell me something as the block was passing under them as the machine ran it under the machine foot and needle.  I did not pay attention as I pressed, put the second piece in place and stitched.  Only as I went to press the second seam did I notice my error.  It was fixed and there are now 16 Cat's Cradle blocks made.  16 more to make tomorrow and this block section will be done.  (Need to take a picture of the complete block.)

Here is the squirrel from last week.  Two blocks were stitched last year from Primrose Cottage: Stitching Quilt and Stitching Quaker.  They were both to be finished as pincushions or small pillows.  I really did not want to do that with them and kept mulling about in my mind what to do.  This is what was done:  Tablerunner.

Two jelly rolls were chosen and with the input of other people this set was picked.  Hollyhocks & Roses by Bunny Hill Designs.  The colors are gorgeous but not where I usually find my inspiration.

A log cabin block of a 3/4-inch finished log was placed around each cross-stitch square.  The center block was left empty.  (You can put something on top of that square and not hid the center of the block.)

I didn't turn this picture.  Look at the tomato.  But I did place it proper in the runner.

I forgot to sign one of the blocks.  All my embroidery has my first name and the year it was finished.  My name and year will be stitched on this block below and then I can make a sandwich and begin quilting.  I am thinking of stitch in the ditch for every log.  Then some hand quilting near some of the countwork to just hold it a bit.  Any other ideas?

My slow stitching today will be my name and the year.  Sadly, football is almost over.  But celebration!!  My Patriots are in the Super Bowl.  Whatever the outcome, they have done wonderfully this year.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.  Enjoy your threads today.

 

More Done

Laurel Ridge is moving forward.  Four Patch in a Star block is all done.  For Month 11, 20 were made.  I am glad these are done and, if I may say, I am now good at making flying geese blocks.  Thankfully they are not in the next block that I will be doing.  

But, before the next block begins, a squirrel has run across my path.  It is a UFO that I have been looking at a finish for.  By tomorrow (or maybe this evening) the final decision on material will be made.  Then the stitching will begin.  Hope to show you a small flimsy next week.  Even better, a finish.

As is happening in big piece of the USA, we are under the storm watch.  Today (Saturday as I write this) our warmest has been 3F.  Sunshine with a wind chill of -9F at the moment.  I only went outside once to fill up the bird feeders.  Nippy!!  Snow comes tomorrow which means it will be warmer.  May everyone stay safe and warm.  A great day to stay inside and work with my threads.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts. 

 

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.