A finish and a start....

This week it feels so good to be back to a bit of needle-turn applique.

I've been doing a lot of knitting lately, and a bit of handquilting. 

I added a few pieces to this block of my Animal Album quilt, designed by Kim McLean, one of my favourite designers. I think this is the third of her quilts that I have done.

What got me back to my applique was receiving the instructions this week for Block 2 in a BOM I'm doing, A Curious Journey by Susan Smith. I've started a Susan Smith quilt in the past which is currently in the UFO pile :(

Here is Block 1 of this quilt...

For Block 2, I decided to actually follow instructions. Some designers will have you glue all the pieces onto the background all at once, then start stitching. I thought the un-sewn pieces would just get in the way...and at first they seemed to, but after just this morning working on this block it feels ok. 

Will I continue with this method?...probably not. But I do believe in at least trying because you just never know when you'll find something that will just tweak what you already have in your tool box.

That is not all of the applique pieces, there will some fish swimming about in the middle, etc.

Here is what I accomplished this morning....a little bit of stems and tulips...

Some other slow-stitching this week was sewing the binding on my Unity quilt, which was the latest Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt. Man, I worked hard on the piecing in the last week to get this done. I didn't do the last border because I just needed this one done. I hurried so much that my final border did not work out just right. I regret that, but told myself that the 4-year old that was receiving this for a birthday present would not notice, or care....what a rotten attitude, I know....and I'm not usually one to think this way. I hate to admit it, but there you go...now you know!

And here is Lachlan with his quilt....only a week late for his birthday!

Coming up this week is Canada Day. To celebrate, my grandson, Kirby, and I signed up for a Canada Day Virtual 5k (all the races so far this year are virtual, so sad).

We ran the race yesterday at the track that is in the Fisherville Lion's Park.

It was hot...too hot for me. I'm not a good runner in the heat and humidity, but we got it done! 

It makes me so happy that my grandson likes to run with me!

I always wear a "buff" on my head when I run and I bought this one for my race in Scotland last year...

It was nice to wear it again yesterday to celebrate our Canada Day Virtual 5k!

On that note, I'll wish you a happy Canada Day...hopefully we can all find a way to celebrate even if that means a little extra time to get some slow-stitching done!

I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching. I think I'll take a bit of time to see what others are working on today, hopefully you can, too!

Peaceful handquilting

I thought I was finished with making PPE. 

I haven't made any masks, but I've sewn scrub gowns and many scrub caps. I liked the fact that I was helping out in a way that we sewers can, but I was happy to be done with it.

Then I went to the dentist this past week to have a tooth repaired. The dental assistant had a home-sewn scrub cap on and I commented that she must have a sewer in her family...but, no, she bought it off of Marketplace online. That got the conversation going....on how the dental office were now looking for more of these caps. 

So, what's a quilter to do??? 

When I try the caps on they kind of make me feel like I belong in Little House of the Prairie...

It was quite an eye-opener, seeing the new protocol they are utilizing at the dentist. I feel sorry for them....but I was glad they were able to fix my tooth.

My Slow Sunday Stitching consisted of sewing buttons onto the caps that I've completed. The buttons are to hook the mask elastic onto, to help avoid constant friction on the ears. My son, who works in a hospital, says the buttons are a "game changer". I have four more caps to finish off today....then I'm done!....lol, we'll see.

Like I said, I haven't made any masks, but a good friend of mine made me a nice one...

...can you tell that she is a running friend???

After I finished sewing the buttons onto the caps I picked up some hand-quilting that I haven't touched in months. This is a pattern called Shimmer...

I'm using Coral YLI quilting thread which is showing up nicely on the front and on the back.

I always seem to forget the feeling of peace that comes over  me as I hand-quilt. In these stressful times I should make more time for quilting as I do look at it as my yoga.

I had wanted to have this one ready for the Fall fair this year...but in all probability the fair will be cancelled for 2020.  Here's my opinion....maybe they could reduce the fair this year to just agriculture/animal displays and the Homecraft displays. I'd better keep stitching on this quilt "just in case".

A couple of years ago I started working on Jen Kingwell's Halo quilt. I think I made two blocks and stalled. A couple of months ago I spotted an Instagram sewalong for Halo and figured this is what I needed to get me sewing on this UFO.

Here are my blocks, so far, not necessarily in their final spot...

My kind of quilt....full of jolly scrappiness!!!

Everyone's gardens seem so wonderful this year. For me, I was overcome at the beauty of my Wisteria. I've never seen it so lush and full of blooms...

....and the aroma was just as wonderful.

That's all for now....I'd better get at the last few scrub caps and hopefully make some progress on my Bonnie Hunter Unity quilt....which is intended to be a birthday present for my grandson who will be turning 4 next week. I've given myself an extra week lee-way to get this done. Hopefully by the next Slow Sunday Stitching day I will be working on the binding!

I am linking up with Kathy today for Slow Sunday Stitching.