Slow Sunday stitches

Like always, I managed to get some stitching done early today with my morning coffee.

I finished the Bathing Beauties block for my A Curious Journey quilt...

They aren't supposed to have faces but I feel like they at least need eyes??? We'll see...they are pretty cute, as is, also.

I also got one of these blocks almost done...there will be four of these...

I think the next time I do a post I should try to get everything up on the design wall that is completed for this quilt. There are 4 large blocks, and many, many 6" blocks. It's a mystery quilt, so I won't know the placement of anything yet, but it'll be nice to see what I've accomplished so far.

I did finally finish the final Windswept block for this quilt....

.....twenty of them, in all!!! I do like the bit of embroidery that is on  some of the blocks.

So, many of you know that I became a runner four years ago. During Covid it's become more and more difficult to find motivation to get out there for a run. Even remembering that my doctor told me months ago when the pandemic was in it's infancy that I should continue to run for the mental benefits. 

I haven't had a real attempt at running for over a month now....and even then it was pathetic....so discouraging. I've actually had thoughts of not running again...but I've invested so much energy into it already....and I remember how it was difficult for me to breathe while walking up Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls only a few months before I took up running. The heart health from running has been incredible.

A couple of days ago I finally started to read this book that I've had for probably 2 years now...

The Galloway Method focuses on short run/walk intervals...something good for older runners to avoid injury.

I actually got myself out there this morning on my favourite route in Waterford and experimented with the Galloway Method. I have to say, I felt like a "real" runner again, and I finished feeling strong. I needed this confidence booster!

In Ontario we are under Stay At Home orders, except for a few reasons, one being exercise. I can see why, as I feel terrific now after getting some fresh air and exercise. (Around my neck is a face covering that I pulled up when I chanced upon other people on the trail. There was actually a few young families out for a stroll today.)

On top of the Black Bridge...

I hope I remember this feeling through the week. It's going to inspire me to get out there again! I encourage (challenge?) everyone to get outside for a walk in the next few days. 

I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching. 

Rainbow Scrap Challenge for January....complete!

 I'm off to a good start with my January blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. This month the colour is pink.

I'd decided to make at least ten blocks per month for my Chapman Coverlet to help move this quilt along a bit. Usually this is an excellent take-along project....but with a "stay at home" order now in effect there is nowhere to take this along to! 

The blocks are only 2" finished, so they whip up in no time. Afterwards they will be sewn into "four-sies".

Below is  a picture of what I have accomplished so far. Some of the top ones have been sewn together.

 

I had a nice comment on Instagram from a quilter who has completed her Chapman Coverlet. I took a look at hers and she says it took 1400 blocks! I don't know if she meant the individual blocks or 1400 of the sewn-together ones. I'll be able to do the math, as she also told me how big her quilt is. 

I had the thought to calculate how big I want my quilt to be so I would know how many blocks I need....but I don't think I want to know just yet....sounds too scary, lol.

It's a pretty laid-back day today. I'm using some of the day to do some applique prep-work for my Curious Journey quilt. 

This BOM is a mystery quilt. Maybe after I complete a few more of the small blocks I'll put everything up on the design wall to get an idea of how this may go together. I know some people can't handle the though of doing a mystery quilt...but I love them!....and, of course, I'm a sucker for a sewalong.

It's a beautiful, sunny day outside...we've been having such extremely dreary days lately. Maybe I'll put on some real clothes later and go for a walk to soak up some Vitamin D. 

I am linking up with SoScrappy for the RSC21 (Rainbow Scrap Challenge '21). 

How is everyone?

 Here we are...a week already into the new year. 

In Ontario, where I live, we are in a lockdown situation to try to curb the numbers of Covid cases. I think the next week should give us a bit of an idea of whether it is working or not, as we are now 2 weeks into lockdown...which is also 2 weeks after the pre-Christmas scramble. 

I'm going to try to continue to look on the bright side of things. I feel fortunate to be someone who has always been a homebody....and extremely fortunate to have a number of hobby's to keep me active...quilting, knitting, reading. 

I have to admit, this time of year is always difficult for me so I'm going to double my efforts to look on the bright side and keep somewhat active. Maybe a nice walk is in order today.

I've been enjoying my knitting...I had started this sweater early in 2020 but it got put aside so I could work on Christmas knitting. I knitted the sleeves since Christmas and it's now complete. It's also very comfortable and I'm so glad it fits!

Of course, I had to start on the next sweater right away!...

As for applique, on Saturday I worked on some of the blocks for my A Curious Journey BOM...

There are so many assorted 6.5" blocks that I still need to do for this BOM...but it's getting there!

This morning I worked on some of the applique blocks for my Spice Market quilt. This quilt is mostly machine-piecing, but there are 5 circle blocks to do. Here are the three that are done, so far...

See the little block in the above picture?...68 more are needed!...so I'll just do a few every once in a while and they'll get done.

The difficult part of these blocks is that I feel no forgiveness with the solid fabrics. It's hard to hide stitches!....I will just do my best and be happy with them. 

These blocks start with some reverse applique. Here is the block from this morning...

Here it is stitched, and cutting away a layer to start the next bit of reverse applique...

....and here is where I left things this morning....

I think next time I'll have to get pictures of the design wall showing my progress on Spice Market and on A Curious Journey. 

I've continued to "cull the herd" when it comes to my UFO's. It is such a relief to let go of some of them. I'm hoping this will free something in me to actually get some of them completed!

I did finish my Farm Girl Vintage quilt this week. This was a UFO that I never had doubts on finishing. I just need to do the hand-sewing on the binding....not my favourite thing, although I know many who enjoy it. 

That's all for now. I hope everyone is doing well...as well as possible...and keeping busy doing something you love doing. 

I  am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching.

Goodbye 2020

 Well, we've made it to the end of what has probably been one of the most difficult year's most of us have ever been through. 

I do want to reflect a bit today on what good I want to take from this pandemic time into my future....things like slowing down the pace a bit, and enjoying life's little pleasures.

I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, but I do have one in mind inspired by my friend Terry. 2021 will be the year of tackling UFO's!!! Really, I mean it this time!!!

I also want to continue the Intermittent Fasting lifestyle that I've enjoyed for over two years now. I can't see any reason that I would stop since I feel much healthier and younger for it.

Yesterday I pulled out the first UFO that I had in mind to tackle...my Geometric Fun quilt...

This is three of the 20 blocks in the quilt. I have to say, it is not a user-friendly pattern...which is why I walked away from it in May 2019. But, I've always intended to get back to it.

Looking at it on the design wall I just felt a bit of dread. So, I've let this one go...no longer a UFO, but a ______ (we have to think of an acronym for a quilt that we decide to never finish). Quilting is something I do for fun...this quilt is not fun and there is still much to complete. I do feel a sense of relief making the decision to not continue....so it must be the right choice.

So many choices of what to work on. I've decided on returning to my Midnight at the Oasis, a Jen Kingwell design...

I'll say this one is 4yrs old....I know I was hand-piecing the triangles on the centre medallion on an airplane in December of 2016. There are a number of small churn-dash blocks on one of the following rounds and that stopped me from continuing. I am glad to return to this quilt...what a difference from when I had the previous quilt up on the design wall!

You'll notice that I've added a new "button" over in the right-hand margin for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2021. I think I may join in on it this year (crap, did I just break my resolution before 2021 even started????). It's a way of busting the stash a bit....it's worth a look if you want to consider joining in. Just click on the button and it will take you over to SoScrappy's blog, the host of the RSC. The colour for January is pink. 

I've finally had time during my Christmas break to do a bit of sewing. I think I'll try to incorporate a bit of sewing in each of my days....I really do seem to get a lot more done by hand than machine!

Here is what I've been working on this week, my Spice Market quilt...

This is not the final layout for Spice Market, it's just all the blocks completed so far, hung willy-nilly. The next step is many, many appliqued circle blocks. I find the solid fabrics very unforgiving when doing needleturn applique....I will have to some fancy quilting later on to disguise that fact!

I've just thought of something to work on for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!....and I won't be breaking my "no new project" resolution!  I have been working sporadically on my Chapman Coverlet....well, not quite sporadically, make that rarely. So I will make 10 blocks per month....they are quick and so easy, they just measure 2.5" unfinished. Easy peasy.

I will be very happy to get back to my Chapman Coverlet. It will be a glorious quilt, I'm sure....if you like scrappy, and I do.

 Has anyone watched Bridgerton on Netflix? I finished it yesterday, and I find myself reading this post in the narrator's voice, who happens to be Julie Andrews. 

Well, I'd better go and get something accomplished...or not. It may be a lazy day today. I've actually dressed up a bit to usher out the old year in style....so maybe I'll relax with an extra cup of coffee and my book. 

I am linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get A Whoop, Whoop?

Happy New Year everyone!

Christmas balls and a special gift...

Looks like a good day to do a bit of extra slow stitching...dreary, rainy.

I've not done any applique for a while. I've been enjoying taking part in a knit-along hosted by knitting gurus, Arne and Carlos. 

It's an Advent project...knitting a Christmas ball every day from December 1st to the 24th. They knit up fairly quickly...I work on them during my morning coffee, and try to finish it off through the day at some point. 

Arne and Carlos do a short YouTube video every day to introduce the ball of the day, and share a story or two...usually relating to Norwegian or Swedish Christmas traditions. I usually knit along while watching their daily "Sit and knit for a bit" videos.  

I wish I had learned to knit the Norwegian way, it looks very efficient. I think I would have a hard time switching up my method after so many years of knitting the way that I do. I am gifting one of my son's some knitting needles and lovely yarn for Christmas so he can try his hand at knitting. I plan on teaching him....but I'll also suggest he try to start out using the Norwegian method. What is your preferred method???

Here are a few of my favourite Christmas balls....so far...

I'm quite disappointed in the white yarn I bought for these. The red and green are 100% wool...but there was no white in that particular brand. I was in a rush that day and picked up a white ball of yarn that had "Merino" in big bold letters on the label. After working with it a bit and not liking it I looked a bit closer at the label....10% merino wool, and 90% acrylic!! Lesson learned!

I will make more of these through the year from time to time but I will use some proper yarn that I actually have on backorder right now.

What I have enjoyed, also, with this project is the learning I have done along the way. For instance, the first batch of balls looked a bit 
"off" in my increases and decreases. I realised that I was doing it incorrectly, and actually learned a new-to-me way of increasing stitches. Nice!

I had such a nice surprise this week. I received a gift in the mail from Gail, a fellow blogger....you can visit her HERE, The Cozy Quilter.

Gail had seen a picture I had posted on Instagram...

....and she says that the very next day she saw a pattern for a quilt block that reminded her of my picture. She decided to make it up and send it along to me as a surprise gift!

I love it!!!...

In these days of bad news on a ongoing basis, it sure makes one treasure the kindness that others show one another. Thanks again, Gail, xo. I think this "portrait of me from the knees down" (as you put it) will hang in my sewing room all year round!

I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching. I think I'll sit back with an extra cup of coffee and see what everyone else is working on today. 

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 :)

One Monthly Goal - November

I just have time for a quick post today to state my One Monthly Goal for November.

This is such a busy time as a longarmer...we're right smack-dab in the season of the Christmas rush as far as longarming goes! 

But I do have to make time for a goal this month. 

I have a 3yr-old granddaughter and thought it would be nice to buy her a baby doll for Christmas...complete with a doll quilt.

When I started looking for dolls, I found a set of fraternal twin dolls. My granddaughter happens to be a fraternal twin so I couldn't pass up on the dolls! And we know what that means....two doll quilts are needed!

I figured I'd use some orphan blocks so as to speed this project along, if I had any appropriate orphan blocks.

Well, of course I do! These 3.5" blocks are some of many that I made a couple of years ago for a sew-along called the 365 Challenge(?). I became disenchanted with my design choice and let this project go.

There are even more of these blocks, so lots to choose from.

I'll try to use a few of these fabrics that were recently gifted to me, they should work for sashing...

So my goal for November will be to have the two quilt tops completed...then they will be ready to finish off in December in time for Christmas. 

I am linking up with Elm Street Quilts for One Monthly Goal, November.