Stitching and knitting...

It's been a while since I've posted....this is always such a busy time of year for longarm quilters!

I've also been out of touch due to a severe lack of sleep, but I think I've got this managed (I hope!).

Last time I posted that I needed to get two doll quilts done for Christmas. You can read about it HERE.

I ended up switching things up and taking a much easier route to getting these made up. I took the Naive Melody quilt that I had been working on and used it for the two doll quilts.

The doll quilts are completed and ready for wrapping.

I've also finished my Snowflake quilt, and it will be a Christmas gift also. 

My goal for the new year is to be motivated by my friend Terry....she decided not to start any new projects all these months of being stuck at home due to Covid....she's managed to get a lot of progress done on finishing up UFO's. Part of me is chuckling at myself at the thought of sticking to this....but I'll try.

I have got a few knitting projects planned for the new year, so they won't count as they are already in the queue! 

This month I've put my applique aside so that I can take part in a knit-along with knitting gurus, Arne and Carlos. They came up with a Christmas Advent KAL of their Christmas balls. Everyday they have a fun little YouTube video about each ball. 

Here are a couple of pictures of the balls I've knitted so far...

I knew I'd been doing something incorrect in my increasing and decreasing technique with the balls. The pictures I've seen on Instagram are much smoother. I did a bit of research and found out what I was doing wrong...so the balls from here on out should be a little bit improved!

I always tell quilters that are just starting out and a bit dejected when comparing their work to seasoned quilters that they need to allow themselves to be beginners....we were all there at some point. So, that's how I look at the progress of my knitted Christmas balls...I've allowed myself to be a beginner...I won't discard the balls I've made so far, I will take note of my improvement instead. 

As a friend (SS) commented to me....isn't it fun to learn?....and, yes, it is!

Also, Arne and Carlos were correct...knitting these balls can be addictive! Lots of fun with a new Christmas ball pattern each day.

I'm pretty happy with my Christmas socks...

....but instead of wearing them I've hung them on the mantel and they look great!

I had thought to get a new ornament to remember 2020 by (but really, will we ever forget?). I'm glad I held off, as I received this ornament on Saturday (Dofasco gifts employees/retirees with a nutcracker each year)...

That's all for now. I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching. I think I'll take a look at what every one is stitching on as I finish up the binding on my Snowflake quilt, and knit on today's Christmas ball. Also, thanks go to Gail, aka The Cozy Quilter, for giving me a friendly kick in the butt :)

Slow stitching on a Sunday

It's a lovely morning here, and, as always I've started my day with a bit of hand-stitching.

I'm almost finished with this "Covid squirrel"...my Hills 'n' Hollers quilt...

...only one more piece to applique, then it will be done. I'll sit down and do that after writing today's post. 

I did have an unexpected bit of applique to do on this quilt this week. I added these bits...

No one will ever know (except you) that they are not actually a design element, but a cover-up for the dreaded "unfortunate scissors incident", lol! Life happens....but in quilting it just presents another good use for some creative applique, am I right??

Here is the quilt up on the design wall...so close to being done...

I feel like this one will need "big-stitch quilting", which I think will be difficult for me...after all, I've spent the last forty years trying to do small, even, traditional stitches! Another thing, how does one even know how much perle cotton to buy to quilt a piece? Oh well, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I'm actually just remembering that I have done big-stitch quilting on a piece a couple of years ago, so I'm sure I'll be fine.

In this past week, wouldn't you know it, I've come across yet again another sewalong. 

This one is offered by Lucy Engels out of Scotland and is called the Naive Melody quilt. It is a quilt that evolved out of herk own Covid lock-down experience.

The sewalong starts on September 1st and consists of doing a block per day for 100 days, and is an Instagram sewalong. You can look up the hashtag #naivemelodysewalong....and Lucy at @_lucyengels.

Here is a link to the sign-up page, and you can have a peek at the quilt...https://mailchi.mp/ddd2442d077b/naive-melody-sal

When you sign up for the sewalong you get an email with a discount code for buying the pattern, which is very reasonably priced. The blocks are 6 1/2" unfinished.

It's a quilt that can be easily made from your stash, can be done with hand applique or machine applique, and the simple shapes are repeated in many blocks.

Of course, I've had to test the first 2 blocks...

I hope some of you will join me in this sewalong! 

Edited to add: I've just found out that instead of 100 blocks in 100 days, the sewalong will be 4 blocks per week....so even more manageable!

I'll end with showing off my latest attempt at sourdough bread. Just for fun I threw in a handful of dates and walnuts. It was definitely a success!

Have a lovely Sunday. I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching.

Oh, and another thing....I've tried to change the commenting on my posts so that I need to approve them first....I'm not sure if it's working properly. I've done this as I've been getting so many spam comments lately. I'll have to see how to add on the captcha(sp?) about "not being a robot".