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.

 

Three

Table runners are one of my favorite things to make, give and use.  

Shabby Fabrics has several using a striped fabric.  The Halloween ones were the first that I made using the pattern, Easy Striped Table Runner by Karen Montgomery.  

There was a striped fabric for Christmas that I liked: Up on the Housetop by Teresa Kogut, Riley Blake.  My resistance button didn't work.

Here is the repeat.

The Easy Striped Table Runner, not quite finished.  The outer borders haven't had their machine quilting finished.  That will happen shortly.  Then it will be trimmed and facing applied. 

A cross hatch was done in the center, but I wasn't thinking.  I should have used the center line as my guide, but I used the point edge.  My cross hatching moved, wasn't centered.  Duh on my part but it is mine and it will be on my table, so it is fine.   

Two striped sections remained but they didn't have the same repeat.  How was I going to use them.  I found a free pattern from Shabby Fabrics: Table Runner Using a Border Stripe.  Perfect.  My runners ended up a bit wider therefore the end curve was adjusted.  Two were made and one has already left home for someone else's table.  Can you believe, a picture wasn't taken before it left.  Another Duh on my part.

Here is the one still at home.  The curve needs to be marked on both ends. trimmed and then facing applied.  I am liking facing these.  The edge border isn't lost.    

This morning these will be finished and facing applied.  When the Patriots are on this afternoon, completing the facing will be my slow stitching.

Enjoy your day and your threads.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

Flimsy

Not an overly productive week.  Life has been busy.  Not sure with what, but busy.

Potato chip quilt #2 has become a flimsy.  Husband is still one armed, so it is laying over furniture.  (He has follow-up tomorrow with his surgeon and may range of motion begin.)

This potato chip block was made smaller than the other in quilt #1 due to my cutting error.  So, four were stitched together to make a bigger block and I wanted to see how it looks with sashing.  I am liking it. 

I will clean it up and get it to my long armer.  This is another that I will finish with a facing and not a binding.

Not sure what I will be slow stitching on today.  Have a project that is waiting for me, really several.

Enjoy your threads.  

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Another Week

We began the week with another Boston trip.  SEW (husband) had a left shoulder rotator cuff repair.  We left on Monday with the thought that he would be first or second for outpatient surgery on Tuesday.  Best laid plans of mice and men.  His surgery was scheduled last, and he was the last patient to leave the building at 6 pm.  That meant a second night in Boston.  Good thing the hotel was right across the street.  All has gone well since.  We go back in two weeks and then our Boston trips stop until next spring.

There was a bit of sitting in the waiting room so, Santa (Old World Santa by Janlynn) has been outlined.  I still have a bit of his collar to do.  I made a mistake and had to unstitch.  His beard was not to be outlined in the dark brown. 

Santa's eyes will be outlined in blue and his mouth in the pink.  There is a little bit to be done on his beard and then I can begin stitching the name.

My slow stitching today will be finishing Santa.  Then to make him into a stocking.  

The sashing between the blocks on my potato chip quilt #2 has been stitched.  Now I need to stitch the sashing between the rows.  Next week I should be able to show you a flimsy, 84 inches by 84 inches.  

Enjoy your threads this day.  

 Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.  

 

Early

I would like you to meet Margie. a Thanksgiving cactus given to me by a good friend.  Her sister had passed, hence the name, and this plant needed a new home.  She came to live with me.  ALL of my Thanksgiving, Christmas cactus spend the summer outside in the shade between the house and the North side of the deck and fend for themselves.  They don't come back in until after one or two early light frosts.  (The frost that is seen out on the lawn but doesn't come up to the house.)  

She is gorgeous this year.  Early but gorgeous.  Her flowers will probably be gone by Thanksgiving.  

She needs to be repotted and have a super haircut.  She is so lopsided as she wasn't turned much while growing.  I should have done it last year but this winter it will be a big project.  She does have children living here and growing well.

My pictures do not do justice to how gorgeous she is.

Slow stitching is happening.  The outline stitching was begun last evening on my stocking and that will be football work today.

Enjoy your threads today.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Not much

Big computer has come home.  Laptop that I did my last entry on became jealous and has now gone to the computer man.  Don't know what I did, but I could not get online.  The laptop is a family hand me down that I only play Mahjong, Solitaire and look at Blogs on.  Who knows what I did when I made it work harder.

Friends were visiting last weekend; we have been to Boston this week.  My five-year evaluation and all is good.  Now I won't go back for a year.  

Looking around my cave to show what I have done over the last two weeks and I don't see much.  The Black Cat runners are finished and two have been given away.  Here is mine on the sideboard.

Two were made at 60-inches long and one at 45-inches.  I kept one of the 60-inch runners.  Next time I make this runner I will stay at the 45-inch.  60-inch on our table going from North to South, too long for me.

Here is a close up of the curvy piano keys from the cat side.  When we were in Boston for the overnight, (I had 0730 and 0830 appointments) I did the facing stitching on the last runner.  I am liking making facing for these, you don't lose the edge pattern.

The other slow stitching that I am doing is a new Christmas stocking for the Grandbaby.  I have three different Santa stockings that I made years ago for the girls.  There are now repeats as family members come in.  Gold thread will be stitched on Santa's ribbons but that will be the last stitching before I begin the outline stitching.

Enjoy your threads today.  Santa will be stitched on during football.  

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.  

 

Squirrel

Well, I am learning something new.  My desktop computer that I write my Blog entries from has gone for a spa treatment.  (Not sure if it has a virus or not.  Our antivirus program has changed.)   So, here I am on a laptop that I never have done a Blog entry on.  So far, so good.  We shall see if I make it to the end.

My Squirrel:  I saw this material, Meow-gical Night by Wilmington Prints and it had been stitched into a table runner.  The pattern is Easy Striped Table Runner by Karen Montgomery.  I am not a person who puts up decorations for Halloween, but I really liked this material.   Three runners have been made, two long, one short.  Two will be given away.

 

They were machine quilted with a cross hatch in the center and a wiggly piano key on the outside border.

You might be able to see the quilting on the backside better.

Sunday I will add the borders and hand stitch while football is on.  Shall see how New England does with a new quarterback.

Enjoy your threads this day.  I think that I have made it to the end. 

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

 

One done and an almost.

Assistance was offered as I was stitching the facing on my potato chip quilt last weekend.  Ziva was making sure that it did not float away from me.  She did not like it when I turned a corner.  Her sleep was being interfered with as the quilt was readjusted.

The quilt facing stitching was finished on Wednesday.  I am so enjoying how it looks.

 

You can see that there is no binding on the edge.  The edge of the chip bits is the end of the quilt.  

Here is the back side with the facing hand stitched down.  Potato chip quilt number one is done.  Now to get back to work on potato chip number two. 

But 3030 is calling to me.  Here she is on the floor before the edges were trimmed.

Edges trimmed to six and a half inches.

Scallops were marked on all four edges.  

 

This is the first time that I have done a scalloped edge and using the Quilt in a Day: Scallop, Vines & Waves Template made it really easy.  Tomorrow I will machine stitch on the scallop markings and then I can cut it.  But I won't cut until I can remember where I put my binding material.  (One of the bad side effects of taking so long to finish.)

With the frame down some cleaning has been done in my Cave.  It desperately needed it.  

Slow Stitching will happen tomorrow when New England plays at 4pm.  A Christmas stocking has been started.  Pictures need to be taken to be able to show you.

Enjoy your threads.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Closer

The Snowflake Tablerunner from Piecing the Past Quilts is done.  Here is the backside of the hand quilting of the snowflake and the machine quilting of the edges.  All the quilting is a spacing of four inches at the farthest distance.  A front picture should have been done but, here it is.  Done.

This week was another busy week for me, and not enough time was spent hand quilting.  There is only about two hours left but a picture needed to be taken to show you what is left.  

My stitching space was just not deep enough to stitch to the final edge of the border.  The last turn of the bars was done, and the final edge is getting finished.  It should be off the frame tomorrow.  Next, I need to plan how to draw, stitch and cut a scalloped edge.  Rulers I do have and will need to look at the video to refresh my mind (and give me courage).

Potato Chip came back from the long-armer this week.  The pattern is just wonderful.  The edges need to be trimmed and then this will have a facing stitched on the back.  A binding will not be stitched on this.  This will be the first time that I will have done a facing.

 

Here is the quilting on the backside.

I am so pleased to have two quilts closer to more hand stitching and a finish.  

May you enjoy your threads.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Finish, Almost

My Snowflake Tablerunner from Piecing the Past Quilts is almost done.  I have hand quilted around the snowflake parts and put on the binding.  The decision has been made to add quilting in the spaces between the snowflakes and also at the ends.  It will be set back into the hoop and be my slow stitching for Sunday (football).

3030 was only stitched on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday this week.  Just couldn't make it back due to other commitments.  You can see that the stitching, piano keys, is at the last border.  Only half the stitching line can be stitched due to distance (arm reach).  One more turn and then it will be all done.

Enjoy your threads today.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

3030 Quilt

Well, my Ellie has been at Brookside Quilt Works for her spa treatment.  She will come home next Wednesday.  Machine piecing hasn't happened as my Grand Dame (1971 Elna Super) told me to leave her alone, go do something else.  

I was going to sandwich the Eagle Runner but 3030 Quilt was yelling at me.  She told me that she had been neglected long enough.  A written record has been kept of the hours that I have hand quilted on her.  She was last stitched on in January 2024!!  That truly is neglect.  There was only one row of blocks to do and then the final border.

So, 13 hours and 50 minutes of stitching has been placed this week.  The end is so close that I shake my head.  Why did I stop?  

Here is my set up.  (The baskets under the frame in the picture have been cut out, a total mess.)  The phone is there as I listen to Podcasts as I stitch.  (The one I listened to today was The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe.  He had Master Bladesmith, Josh Smith on talking about knife making.  Really interesting.)  My thimbles, thread, scissors, bees wax and rulers are all close.  My tray moves around to where I am working.  

This is the pattern that has been used on the blocks.  A wave pattern will be stitched across the red sashing and then piano keys stitched up to the edge.  A little bit needs to be stitched on the right and then across the top begins.  This will be finished, there will not be another pause.  

3030 Quilt should finally come off the frame by the end of this coming week.  You now know where my slow stitching will be tomorrow and the rest of next week.

Enjoy your threads and may you be better at completion than I.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

Flimsy

When we returned from Maine, the first thing that I worked on was my July table runner from Piecing the Past Quilts.  The stars were appliqued on and then the three pieces stitched together.  Then, oh so carefully (with measuring twice or more), it was cut to proper size and the border placed.

Here is a closer up of the Eagle so that you can see the material change of his wings.  

I am so pleased with how he came out.  (Also really pleased that he was begun and became a flimsy in a rather short period of time.)  This will be sandwiched today, and I will begin the machine quilting.

Enjoy your day with threads.  I have some count work for later today.

Linking with Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

Surprise Doll Quilt

We were up in Maine last weekend visiting Daughters #2 and #3, Son-In-Law and Grandbaby.  I did not bring anything to work on in the car or at the house.  I am in between project steps and didn't have anything ready to travel.

Daughter #3 enjoys threads as much as me, so we went to Annie's Teeny Tiny Quilt Shop in Limerick Maine.  I was looking for sashing for my second potato chip quilt and she was just looking.  I did find what will be used for sashing.  Now I need to get it washed and cut.

She was looking in the "scrap baskets" at Annie's.  The baskets (yes, it is plural) have different size and shape material left over from projects, big and little bits, ends.  You put what you want into a plastic bag and if you can close the top of the bag, it is yours for $5.00.  

This panel of blocks caught her eye.  We only used half of the panel for this doll bed quilt.  Super simple to do.  Just a layer of the material, batting and some of her left-over material from another project for backing.  The she did stitching between the blocks and a left-over material binding was sewn on.  

Moxie is showing how much she likes it.

Enjoy your threads today.  The beginning of Grandbaby's Christmas Stocking will be my slow stitching for today.  A decision has been made on a color change.  Shall see how it goes.  

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Squirrel, again

I only had ten blocks left to make on my little potato chip blocks.  I set up all ten and then finished them over two days.  (Everything else in the land of threads stopped to get them done.)  Here are eight of them waiting for me.  

Now all 64 blocks are done, the sashing color has been picked.  The little chips need to be sewn into larger chips, blocks of four, and then the sashing made and added.  (Had a video call with the youngest and showed her possible colors.  She liked the darker sashing colors.  Husband is color blind and was no help.  Friend came for lunch last week and we had a bit of a discussion.  We agree.  It will be the lighter color for sashing.  Here's hoping it works.  Need to look local first, maybe send for material.)  

Monday the mail came like it is supposed to.  But a squirrel was found in the mailbox!!  Delivery from Piecing the Past Quilts Tablerunner Club.  The July runner came in the mail and WOW.  Wow in that I really wanted to start it ASAP and wow in that it is almost together.  

Usually, I do needle turn applique but somehow a new to me product just jumped into my shopping cart a bit back.  Hand-Applique Paper by Masako Wakayama.  I tried it.  I had a longer bit ago bought the Apliquick tools and paper.  Only the tools had been used and I really like them.  

This picture shows the feather on the left ready to stitch.  The feather on the right has the paper ironed on, one side turned.  The blue that you see is Sewline Fabric Glue that holds the material nicely in place.  I have now added a new tool to my applique.  I am so excited.

The runner center is now stitched, (except for the Eagle's eye) and you can see the lay out for the sides.  Would you believe that I always need to be reminded to read directions carefully.  I mucked up on taking a piece out of the blue so the sides can't be done properly.  Waiting for replacement material to come in and then I will stitch the stars on each side.  This is the fastest I think that I have ever finished a stitch.  

Block seven from my A Bountiful Life Quilt has been started.  The leaves have used the paper technique, the little stems were made over a template.  Next will be the branch which I will do needle turn.  Nice to add different techniques in the same block.

Have a grand day with your threads.  

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.