Stitching on a Sunday

I feel like I usually start my posts with a comment about the weather...so why should today be any different?

After a beautiful day yesterday, today seems blustery and grey. It's milder so the precipitation is rain instead of the white stuff. 

Seems like a perfect day for extra slow stitching time, a bit of book reading and continued de-stashing in the sewing room.

Yes, finally this week I began the ruthless process of packing up fabrics that I'm not in love with anymore. 

You see, the problem the last while has been that my newer additions to the stash have accumulated into piles here and there in the sewing room. I've known that I wanted to do a major overhaul, but it's difficult to make the time. 

My goal is to just take a half hour here and there to make progress. I have to say, I've already filled 2.5 of those large, clear garbage bags and it feels so good! 

These fabrics will find a new home and be used by someone else.


On Friday I went to the third of four classes at Quilt Junction on wool applique stitching....featuring little Sue Spargo kits.

Here is the block that I've recently completed...

This is the block we worked on this month...

Some of the stitches seem like they are going to be so difficult, such as the Pekinese Stitch that we learned this month. This is the stitching around the upper wings on the butterfly. Turns out it is super simple and quite lovely.

This mornings slow stitching was prepping the block for next month's class. All the pieces get stitched down with a fine, blind stitch.....

So, one of the reasons I took this class is that I've been stitching away at my Summertime Sampler BOM and quite enjoying it. Here you can see a block stitched as instructed using a blanket-stitch around all the pieces....which is quite nice....

....but when I heard of the stitching class being offered, I thought wouldn't it be fun to add some "Spargo" to these blocks!

Here is the Summertime Sampler block that I am currently working on...

Yup, I'm in love with the look of the stitches, and the process of figuring out which stitches to use!


I took part in the St. Patricks Day 5k down in Hamilton yesterday...such a beautiful, sunny day...not too cold, although there was a crisp breeze coming in off of Lake Ontario. Perfect conditions for me!

Here are Paula and I waiting for the starting gun...

Note to self....wear green next year! 

Paula runs a bit quicker than I do...typically by the 1k marker I lose sight of her. Yesterday I seemed to be always within 100' of her and the thought crossed my mind that she was having an "off" day.

Well, it turns out that I happened to run my fastest 5k ever! If it hadn't been a timed event I would have been sure my watch had malfunctioned!!! I'm still on Cloud 9 this morning :)

I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching. Hopefully you can visit with her today as she has a particularly interesting project to share with you.