Hummers

 

We were up in Maine for the end of August through the first week of September.  Wells Beach, up to Bar Harbor and then to Limerick.  

While we were away a friend took care of my hummer feeders.  It was too early to take them in.  Travelers were beginning to come through.

One hummer came for breakfast this morning.  (I leave them out for two weeks after the last viewed hummer.)  During the summer I have three feeders and some days can go through six cups of hummer water.  Now there is just one feeder out and over two days not quite one cup is eaten.  The males have headed south, and the females and juveniles are the ones coming through.

As a thank you to my friend, the hummers asked me to make her something.  I found a FPP pattern from Lillyella Stitchery called Sugar Baby.  The hummers were pleased and so was my friend.  

I am always trying to improve what I have done.  So, this time I used cotton batting sandwiching Insul-bright.  It was good but too thick in my preference.  Won't make it that way again.  Prefer two layers; one cotton, one Insul-bright.

When we are traveling, I like to have something to do with my hands. (So does my husband.  It keeps my eyes off the road.  He doesn't need my help driving.)  The drive to Maine is a four-hour trip and I worked on the binding of my eagle table runner.  The binding was finished while we were in Maine.

Here is the hand quilting seen from the back side.  I am very pleased how this finished up.

On the way home I did not have anything to do with my hands.  But the trip went well (I was quiet).

Enjoy your threads today.  Football season has started and I have hand work lined up.  Shall show you next week.  It is at the not exciting part right now.  

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.  

June

It has been busy since I was last here.  My Cave has been overwhelmed with the quilting stash that belonged to the grandmother of one of our daughters' friends.  It had been in storage, an attic, for 15 years.  It now needed a new home.  My daughter volunteered to help, that included me.  The machines and books have gone to new homes and so has about 4 boxes of material.  Still have maybe 12 boxes of material left to find new homes.  It will be accomplished. 

Also, May was a cold wet month here and I did not go and work in the gardens.  I am paying for that now.  Still have not caught up.  The deer have also liked my tomato plants this year.  I think I may have found a fence that does not make me feel shut it.  So far, it has worked in keeping them out and I am happy working there.  Maybe I will have tomatoes.  

This table runner, Patriotic Eagle from Piecing the Past Quilts was made into a flimsy Sept 2024.  It told me that it wanted to be hand quilted.  I agreed.  First quilted in the ditch around the eagle and then the tail was done. 

The shield is now being worked on and am thinking of what more may need to be done to the wings.  Crosshatch is what is being thought of for the background.  

I am thinking of feathers on his neck.  Will keep talking with him to see what he wants.

Glad to be back and may your day be wonderful.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy' Quilts.
 

Lazy

Lazy when it comes to taking a picture or writing a blog post.  My last post was back in March, and it is now the first of May.  

There has been activity on the thread and fabric front.  Laurel Ridge had all her blocks put together.  A pause needed to be taken.  Now I am ready to put on her two borders.  One is 1.5 inches in width (which finishes at 1 inch), and the outer border is 4.5 inches.  Then she will be done and shall have to think of how she will be quilted.

 

Slow stitching: these are from a kit by Herrschners from many years ago.  I was looking for something for my fingers to work with, so these were begun.  They are supposed to be ornaments but I may turn the blocks into a quilt or a runner.  There are 30 different designs in total.

Here is the last one that I began before a squirrel came by.  Getting ready to get back to this.

Here is the squirrel.  Stitcher's Garden Berries by Erica Michaels.  They are all being worked on the same piece of linen.  I marked the outline of the berry before stitching so the placement of the stitching would workout.  So far, so good.  

Then a quilt top that I had made in 2024: On the Farm by Sweet Jane.  It had been sandwiched and then machine quilted around the blocks.  Could not come up with an idea on how to continue.  It sat.

My mind made the decision to hand quilt this.  (A wonderful decision if I may say so.)  I am using my Barnett hoop on its stand.  The outside of each baby animal has been quilted and then inside each wreath.

You can see the pattern quilting in the border of the square blocks.  I am thinking of a small animal or heart in the green centers.  My favorite square is the "hairy coo" (baby Highland cow), and then the donkey.

Alphabet letters and numbers will go around the border.  This is made for our granddaughter so her name will also be quilted in the border.  Maybe also the names of the pets and her parents.  Shall see how much space there is to do this.  

My daughter asked that I use a flannel sheet of hers.  (It had never been used as we use a duvet to cover the bed comforter.)  Wonderful way to use up something.

Well, lazy to post in April but not really lazy when working with threads.  

Spring is slow in coming to the Berkshires and all that I have done in the yard is clean up where the peonies are.  Our days are staying mostly in the 40s and I have become such a wuss. When I do get out there, it is enjoyable.   

Enjoy your day and threads.

 

Hello

I am surprised that I haven't been here since August 24.  Projects have been worked on and have already left the house.  

Here is the Peter Rabbit quilt that is a panel with a border added to it.  Easy but it was not finished.  Only the border quilting needed to be done and then to decide what to do in the animal blocks.

At church we have a book club that meets every two weeks.  Our new book is The Road Back to You by Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile.  It is about the Enneagram, self-discovery and personality types.  (A different direction from the Myers-Briggs from my college and clinical learning days.)  I am only mentioning this because reading it made me look at my UFOs.  My number on the Enneagram says I don't finish projects as I may not be able to do them to the best of my ability.  (Smack myself on the forehead.)

I always make lists and have grand ideas.  But it is hard for me to carry through.  This is something that I have known about myself but never really put a lot of energy into improving.  

Seeing it again in writing, and I guess at the right time, things are getting completed.  Peter Rabbit quilt was begun 20 months ago.  It did not take long to machine quilt the border.  Then I hand quilted around the rabbits (and remembered the stories.  Peter Rabbit is one of my favorites. Along with Winnie the Pooh.) finished the binding and sent it on its way.

A knitted hat was also finished.  But I am not really happy with it, so it is now for a doll.  When the second is finished I will document it here, I am waiting for more pink yarn.  

Socks that were started a long while ago are being worked on and that will be my slow work today.  

When a project list is being made it is now more realistic and getting completed.  

Enjoy your threads today.  I will.

 

3030 Done, Almost

Early Thursday morning, 0230, I woke up think of my 3030 Quilt which has been waiting for me to trim the scallops and stitch on the binding.  I couldn't get back to sleep until a promise was made to the quilt.  

First thing in the morning, after filling my hummer feeders, the binding was made, cut and ironed.  Thankfully the binding material was inside the folded quilt.  There was no need for a frantic search.  

Then my machine was moved into the dining room next to the table as the quilt needed extra support.  It was stay stitched next to the scallop markings as I did not want any of the hand quilting to come undone.  Then it was trimmed on my markings for the scallops.  

The binding was stitched on without any problem.  This is the first time that I have done a scalloped border.  Much was learned from watching videos and doing it myself.  It won't be my last scallop border.  A lot was learned with room for improvement.

Starting from the bottom left, the corner needs to be completely stitched and then only five scallops left.  Then done!!  

Machine pieced, hand applique and hand quilted.  Done!!

The backing is a paint splatter pattern that I really like.  Here are the unfinished scallops.  

The five scallops will be finished today.  Then totally done!!  

Thank you, Gay, at Sentimental Stitches for this great pattern.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

Enjoy your threads today.  The Happy Dance is being done here.

 

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.

 

2024

Good morning.  We were in Maine for Christmas with two of our girls and their families.  We met our first grandchild, and she is wonderful.  (Aren't they all.)  We are all so blessed.

The edge of the Nor'easter has given us only one inch of snow.  It is snowing more now than it did all night.  They promised us 6-12 inches but, so far, not there. This will be our second measurable snowfall of this winter.  As I may have said before, the snow is the water for our well.  I love the stuff.

Hand quilting has begun again.  Don't know why I leave it for longish periods of time, but I do.  So close to the end, and I had a summer, fall pause.    

156 hours of quilting time has been done to this point.  A written record is kept on when and how much time.  (I also write notes of something I heard on a podcast.  That is an Author's name and book written on the lower left.)

My sewing machine hasn't been running since we came back from the holiday in Maine.  But I am hand stitching.  Here is a new small, Give Thanks Always by Tina Richards Herman at Shepard's Bush.  It is made to be a pincushion, but I really have enough.  Wanting to turn this into a small, framed stitch.  Thinking of doing it myself.  Shall have to watch floss tube and see how others complete their smalls.

This is also to be a pincushion, but I want to frame it.  Or turn it into some other type of small.  

The scissor fobs will become fobs.  I never knew how useful they were until I made my first.  Now I can find my scissors easier when I am stitching in my chair.  Doesn't mean one doesn't hide on me and I have to use a second pair.  But they are easier to find when I stand up.

May you all stay safe and warm wherever you are.  Enjoy your threads.  Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

1985

1985 was the year that I took my first quilting class and made my first quilt.  This quilt was made with stencils.  Each piece marked, cut and hand stitched together.  I then quilted each block, put the blocks together with sashing and quilted the sashing.  I used a cotton batting.  

I still have the course work: stencils and directions.

It has been used for 38 years.  I guess we took good care of it as it had not been washed.  I wish I had a before picture of this quilt. 

Last week I was sorting a bedroom and there was a small pile of kid quilts made by my Mom or me.  I decided that they needed to be washed and put away.  (The cats had been napping on them.)  My 1985 quilt, my first quilt, was with them, and I added it to the pile.  I wish I had a before picture of this quilt.

The kid quilts all made it through the wash without any issues.  They have been washed before and had either a polyester or newer cotton batting.  

What was I thinking.  My first ever quilt from1985 did not fare so well.  I don't think cotton batting from 1985 was the best.  When I took it out of the washer it was all puckered up, super puckered.  Like really ugly puckered.  I wish I had a before picture of this quilt.  

Some of the blocks.

This quilt will not be thrown out.  My slow stitching for a bit will be the un-quilting of this quilt.  I need to see how it will deconstruct.  Will I have to bring it back to the blocks or will it be one piece.  I will iron it smooth and put it back together.  This time I will use a wool batting.  It will once again be hand quilted.  I need to make a good diagram of the quilting and quilt it the same or very closely to what was stitched before.  

I wish I had a before picture of this quilt.  I am very glad that I have the quilt and that I can put a new batting it in.  Jack and I have a date today to take off the binding and begin to slowly un-quilt.  Shall keep you informed on how it goes.

I will be linking up to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

Update: I finally had the courage to measure this quilt.  It puckered up 16 inches in length and 14 inches in width.
 

Moving along

I thought I had taken more pictures than this.  But this is all that I have.

I am pleased to say that the center of my 3030 quilt is done.  The red border around the center has also been finished.  I am so pleased to see that I really am over halfway done.  I have been stitching about 1.5 to 2 hours a day this week.  It feels so good.

A new stitch along project was begun on January 1, 2023.  This is happening over at Jo's Country Junction.  The Black Dog Sampler by The Scarlett House.  I am working on 36 count linen and stitching with Needlepoint Silk.  Jo is doing this stitch along over the year.  It shouldn't take me that long.  Stitching with this silk is enjoyable and I usually only stitch on one project at a time.  (Doesn't mean that the project makes it to completion or framing.  Only that the stitching is done.)

I thought that I had a picture of the mittens.  Only the thumbs need to be finished and the threads run in.  Then I will begin a second pair with a different pattern, snowflakes.  A larger size knitting needle will be used to make them just a bit bigger.  I know that I should be a sample knitter, but it doesn't always happen.  

Enoy your Slow Stitching Sunday.  This will be linked to Kathy's Quilts.

 

The World Laughed

When you make plans, they don't always work out.  

Two weeks ago, I was going to show you another finish.  I was busy making plans for Christmas in Maine and never wrote the Blog entry.  Here is the Queen Bee pincushion from Shepards Bush.

and two scissor fobs

The entire set completed.  I just love this one.

Remember I said I was making plans.  The World laughed.  

On the 22 December, my Most Handsome came down with COVID.  Then me two days later.  We did not make it to Maine.  (I am so glad that we have had our vaccines.  I cannot imagine what it would have been like without them.)  

There was a loss of energy (among other fine stuff you don't need to hear about).  Sitting in the chair in front of the fire was about all we did.  But I cannot just sit.  I needed to think of something easy for me to do.  Knitting works.  I have been doing it forever and it doesn't take much energy.  

Over Thanksgiving our youngest was looking in my yarn stash and found this Woodland Winter Mittens kit from Knit Picks.  I have had this for a long time, and she requested a set of the mittens.  

Right hand and left palm

Left and right hand

I knit them at the same time.  When I am done, I am done.  I don't like going back and starting the second mitten (or sock).

Today is the first day that I have sat at my 3030 Quilt in two weeks (or more).  It felt so good.  The best part was finishing half of the top of the center block.  That was celebration!!! 

 

I just have the right side to do tomorrow, and the center is DONE.  I am so excited.  I wanted to have more done by now but....

Thread meditation is wonderful.  The cats come in and curl up on the lower shelves of the plant stand.  Blankets are there for them to lie on and they can watch Kitty TV (the bird feeders).

2022 will be leaving us in a few hours.  May your 2023 be a healthy and happy year for everyone. 

Linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts. 

Finally, a Turn of the Frame

We have not been home much the last two weeks.  Family gatherings.  I am so pleased that I was able to turn the quilt frame for my 3030 Quilt today.  That means that I am just pass halfway.  What is more exciting is that the center block is more than halfway.  

I still like the rays in the center, but it is taking a bit of time.  Which seems to take forever when you aren't home.  We will stay put for a bit now.  Hope to turn again soon.

I have been stitching for two hours each day and wishing I could stitch longer.  This is where I will be after the Patriot's game tomorrow.  Enjoy your day.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

Halfway and 3 finishes

I am at the halfway on the center of my 3030 Quilt.  When I started the center, I was thinking of 1-inch spacing on the rays that.  I do like it at 1-inch but next time I may do a 2-inch spacing of the rays.  Every ray goes to the center and that is a bit of stitching and thread congestion.  I may go back and take out some.  It will all depend on how it looks when the upper part of the ray is stitched.  I still have the blue flower and the pink buds to stitch around the appliqué.  Blue flower will get some petals like the purple one.  

A second Thankful Scalloped Table Topper was completed.  The same thread colors were used for the stitching but different material for the scallops.

My 60-degree Diamond Table Topper: Love has been finished.  Well, almost.  I just realized when looking at the picture that I have to do a blanket stitch around the hearts.  They are only on with fabric adhesive that may lift off when washed.

The second pumpkin table runner is bound.

I used some fat quarters that I had to piece the backing.   Great way to use up novelty material.

 Enjoy your day and threads.  Linking up to Kathy's Quilts and Slow Sunday Stitching.