Done & Done

Thursday was a good day.  It was warm, the snow was melting and the basement didn't get wet.

Also, Doris the Dragon was finished.  She is from the 2022 TIAS by Jane Eborall. She is now on my design wall with two other dragons that watch over my quilt blocks as they are being made.  I will have to make another and then there will be four.  They will only have to watch one side each.  (She is so cute!!)

My second finish that evening was Three Things by Moira Blackburn.  This was begun on October 17, 2021 and finished February 17,2022.  She will get a spa treatment and then be out to get framed.  I am so pleased with her.

The Three Things are Time, Opportunity and the Unspoken Word.  I will place the answer on the back after it is framed.

I am so pleased that I did this one.  The colors are so beautiful and not ones that I would normally use.  It was good to be taken out of my comfort zone.

Last night as I sat in my chair, I was wondering what my hands would do.   Applique on Heartfelt, here I come.  The center block will get done.

I will be linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching by Kathy's Quilts.  May you enjoy your weekend.  
 

TIAS

Jane Eborall from the United Kingdom ever year does a TIAS, Tat It And See.  This is a pattern that comes out over several days and you follow her directions to find out what you are making.  You can take a look at what is being done on her Tat It And See Blog.  

I have done several of her TIAS.  This was all prepped and ready to go.  I am behind.  This is up to part of day 11.  Last night I stopped before I finished this part as what is next is a lock join and lock chain section.  I remember the chain but need to confirm the join.  Really don't want to muck this up.  Day 13 was the last day I saw printed so I will get caught up today.  Day 14 comes out soon.

Here begins the final run.  As you may be able to see on the upper right corner, is a red pink flower.  Those are needed across the top and then I start down the sides, again.  The little leaves need to be put in that I forgot on my way up.  Then the date and I still haven't figured out what words to put in.  My name, I usually put it in small size and just my first name on any embroidery that I have done but I have been told it should be large and all of it.  Wonder if I should put in the answer to what the three things are or leave that for people to figure out. 

Enjoy your day.  Here it is 22F,grey and spits of snow.  Great day for threads and football.  Cheering on the Bengals.

This is my scheduled hand work for today.  Linking up with Slow Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Again!?!

Last Wednesday, a week ago, I was finishing my evening work on Tree Things.  The embroidery on its scroll frame is place in a pillowcase to protect it and then set in a "safe place".  I picked it up again last Thursday evening to work on it.  When I took it out of the pillowcase there was NO NEEDLE.  What did I do with it?!  I looked around, couldn't find it and had to get another needle to continue my work.  On Friday and Saturday I looked and looked but never found it.  It had finally escaped me.   I sent it good wishes and thanked it for its help.

Like others, I have more than one project going at a time.  Jane Eborall, from the United Kingdom, has done a TIAS, Tat It And See, every year.  She makes a pattern that is published in parts over several days.  No one knows what it is until near the end.  I set up my two shuttles and have tatted up to day 4.  (12 days of instruction are now out)  I am a bit behind as I needed to find a bead and couldn't find them in the Mom Cave.  When I saw my Quilting Cousin Kathy last week, she was able to give me two beads.

So, last night I decided to get back to the TIAS.  The basket that it is kept in, along with another tatting project, was on the floor near my chair.  I picked up the instructions and the shuttles and something caught my eye.  Do you see it?

My missing needle!!

I have no idea how it managed to leave my pin keep and settle here, but it did.  It went back to work on Three Things immediately and we were both pleased to be working together again.  The other needle was placed back in the packet for future use.

I did not get the bead put on my tatting.  Three Things had caught me.  (Darn squirrels, inside and outside at the birdfeeders)  I will catch up with my TIAS and show you what is being made.  If you'd like to see what others have done, (they are up to date) you can look at Jane's Blog Site: Tat It And See.  

I hope to show you my bits later this week.  Oh my, it is already Thursday.

 

The Corner

...it worked!!!!  I have the outer boarder vine done and it matched!  I'm so excited.

The upper left corner was where I ended the outline vine that began at the bottom of this piece.  I kept my fingers crossed that it would link up just fine and it did.  There were a few times that I had to redo areas on my way up but I caught them quickly and they were easily fixed.

I now have seven large flowers to put in and then I start on my way back down.  The little flowers need to be put on the vine across the top and around the corner.  I forgot to put in little stitches on the vine between the flowers.  You can see them across the top and they are on the bottom but I forgot them on the sides.  It will be a quick trip down.

There is one counting mistake that you can see.  The letter A.  I noticed it at the letter K and wasn't going to take all those letters out to fix it.  It made my Q hang over the line by one stitch.  There must be another fudge somewhere but i cannot remember or find it.

Now I need to figure out what my words will be at the bottom.  I know the year will be 2022,

Have a great day, enjoy your threads.  Linking up to Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts.

The Final Section

Good morning.  The sun is out, the wind is quiet and it is a balmy -2F.  We were on the Western edge of the Nor'easter and only received about 4 inches of snow.  But the wind was moving it all around so we have bare spots on the ground.  May those who live in Eastern Massachusetts and along the cost remain safe. 

We went out in the morning and then spent the rest of the day in front of the fireplace where it was warm.  The house was warm (68) but a fireplace, there is something about a fireplace. 

Here is the finish of the third section of Three Things.  I see things that I need to go back and do but will do on the way back down.  I need to put words and date in the bottom yet.

Here is the beginning of my last section.  There is more that was done last night.  What you see are three flower pots and then more alphabet.

I am getting real excited as this will be finished soon, in February.  This is the fastest that I have ever done any count work piece.

The sewing machine has had a bit of a work out but has really been on vacation this month.  The fireplace is just so tempting this winter.  

May your day be safe and warm.  Linking up to Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts

 

Do You Ever....

go crazy looking for the lost needle?  I do!

Last night I was working on Three Things and needed to get something.  I put my magnet board on the floor with my embroidery, in it's frame, on top of it.  I did not put my needle on the magnetic pin keep as I should have.  I just set it into the material.

Here is my magnetic board.  I am using my large one and have the pattern folded in half over it.  That way I can see half the pattern at a time when I flip the board over.  As you can see, I have several magnets holding down the pattern.  Several on this side and several on the back side.  Pin keeps are used to help hold the pattern. 

When I came back from whatever I was doing, my needle was GONE.  No one, not a single cat, had been near the board or embroidery.  What did I do with it?!  I looked all over the floor with a flashlight and could not find it.  After ten minutes, I finally picked up another needle and kept going.  

What was my first thought this morning? Where did that needle go?!

I looked all over the floor again.  (I was getting ready to vacuum it.  I really didn't want to loose that needle.  You would have thought it was worth its weight in gold.) 

Then I picked up my board and shook it.  Nothing fell off.  Then I checked out the magnets again.  Do you see what I saw?

That is a powerful little magnet!  It took the needle right off the thread and flipped it under the pin keep.  I am a happy needle worker now.  And, the vacuuming is done.

Here is the left side of where I am working on Three Things.  That is the new needle on the pin keep.  It will be put away for another project.

Here is the right side done.  The bird is a dark grey.  At first I thought she was a dragon breathing fire but, she is a Mom feeding a worm to her babies.

Today is a good day to keep working on Three Things.  The day started at -6F and we are now up to 2F.  I am glad that the sun is shinning.  It has been grey and cloudy for a good part of this last week.  Can't wait for the snow to come in tomorrow and Monday.  It gets warmer when it snows.  

Enjoy your day and threads.  I will be linking up to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

On The Way Up

I am very pleased to say that I am half way done.

Here is where I hit the bottom and began the border.  I turned the corners and began putting in the flowers.  We have had dark, cloudy, rainy, foggy weather for the end of the year and our beginning of the new.  Dark days, dark pictures using natural light. 

Here is the half way point.  I will continue to add the border as I go up.  The upper part is more words, sayings, more open.  I think that it may go faster.  I shall see.  I will have to return to the lower half to put in the year and my saying.  Need to get that figured out.

May your New Year be filled with threads (and fabrics).  For us I would like to add snow and sunlight. 

Linking up with Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday.

 

Late

By one year.

This bookmark, maybe longer.  

I don't know why it takes me so long to begin the final step, finishing.  I would like to believe that I am not the only one with this problem.

Our youngest (our three girls are all adults but still have designations) is the only one who enjoys threads and material like me.  She made this bookmark while in High school or College.  It was then given to me to finish.  I found it the other day and it took an hour to make.  Why do I....

This Christmas Tree wall hanging she made last year (after she had the material for a bit).  It also was given to me to finish.  This week I sandwiched it, free motion quilted it (using rulers), trimmed it, put on the binding by machine, finished the binding by hand and lastly put on a hanging sleeve.  About six to eight hours work.  It is now ready to be brought to the Post Office tomorrow.  

Why so long to start and get it done?  My forever question.

 

I have been working on Three Things in the evening.  This is the bottom row of flowers.  The last row of green thread is the border that will have a little red(ish) flower with it.  I began it to see what space it would take up;.  

The space between the house row and the flowers will have words.  What the designer has done is her name and a saying.  My full name is to long so I may just put in my first name as I do like her saying.  Right now I am waiting until the end to do those words.

Linking up with Slow Stitching Sunday.  

Three Things will be my focus today.  The New England Patriots have their Bye Week.  No need for (almost) complete attention to the games. 

 

Three Things Continues

I was slowed down a bit as Three Things did not travel to Maine over Thanksgiving. 

The house is done and I am almost finished with this section.  On the right I have flowers to fill in on the tree and another peacock to make.  Then there is that little tree thing to finish.  

The section below is a pattern of flowers and vine and then I begin the outer border.  The outer border goes across the bottom and up the sides.  When I get the border up to where I began, the upper section begins.

Linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching.  May your day have moments of thread.

 

Ella Maria Deacon and Siding the House

This weeks Ella Blocks.  They were made earlier this the year.  You are getting to see them in bits. 

Each of my working quilts has a 3 ring binder where the pattern lives until the quilt is finished.  I keep track of the date the block was made, any great issues (like a total redo of the block) and any notes to make the block.  

Of the 85 Blocks for this quilt, 36 are made.  Block 40 is prepped for visiting on Thanksgiving Day.  (I just cannot watch football without something keeping my hands busy). 

Foundation Paper Pieced-Block 9

Foundation Paper Pieced-Block 18

Pieced and Applique-Block 20

Pieced-Block 21

I have finished 1/4 of Three Things.  When you look to the right, you can see the lower edge of flowers.  That is the bottom of the pattern section that I was working on.  

I am now rolling embroidery under the frame and moving toward the bottom.  The house was worked on for several hours yesterday and the siding is still not finished.  The siding, windows and doors will get done with football today and then I can begin to put in the lawn.  Big, chunky areas take so much time.  They are pretty when done, but I do like to work a more open area.

Linking up with Slow Stitching this morning.  Enjoy your day

 

Did I Do This Right?

This is the first time that I have ever linked to anything.  I have been visiting Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts for quite awhile.   The handwork everyone is working on is beautiful.  

I decided try and share what I am working on.  

Here is my newest start.  Three Things by Moira Blackburn, This is a kit from Bothy Threads.  It called to me for three reasons.  I enjoy count work, the colors are beautiful (not my usual comfort range) and our youngest is named Moira.

My assistant is Ziva.  She is watching the thread under the Aida to make sure it does not get twisted.  She is also holding up the edge of the frame with her backside.  

This pattern has eight parts.  I have put the parts that go across the Aida together and am working across all the way.  I have begun in the center and am working down.  As of present, (not this photo) I am almost finished with the first lower section.  That should be completed while 'watching' the football games today.  Then I will begin the bottom section.  When that is done, I will begin the border across the bottom and work my way up.

Now.  To see if I can link this up and share.  May your slow stitching day be enjoyable.