September 20, 2020

September HQAL Update

This HQAL (Hand Quilt-A-Long) update is not going to be about the project I chose for the HQAL – The Grandmother’s Garden. Grandmother’s Garden is laying dormant on the table behind the couch and although it has been calling to me, I have been ignoring it. She is in the same state as she was at the last update:

I have been working on the plan for the embroidery for each flower and will show that on a later update. I have seriously gotten the embroidery bug:

Heirloom Family Sampler for our summer EGA project.

Embroidery class project – San Francisco School of Needlework and Design (online classes)

Stitches learned – Raised Stem, Coral Knot, Wheat.

This is the wing for the bird above. The class was on stumpwork. I learned the Long and Short stitch

Pulled thread class at my EGA. This coming week we will be learning different kinds of hem stitching to do over the pulled thread part.

Something I saw on FB and wanted to recreate. It was a video showing different fun stitches – I will be putting rosebuds on the stems of the vine.

3-D hair. My grand uncle used to bring my sister and I postcards with 3-D images on them. This is nothing like those, but it reminded me of them.

So this is what I have been working on. I will get to my Grandmother’s Flower Garden soon, I have just been floating to whatever project, media and skill that calls me at any given moment. It just seems to be what I need to do right now.

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another. If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Tracy, Deb, Susan, Nanette, Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, Daisy, Connie, Monica and Sherrie

I’m also linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitch Sunday.

August 30, 2020

August HQAL Update

I have been busy this month!! Deconstructing the Grandmother’s Flower Garden Quilt

These flowers were previously attached to green hexi “leaves” and then attached to each other. There are 18 separate flowers now.

These are all the green hexis that were used for the leaves and vines. I did not count them, but there are lots!

I am so glad I finally made the decision to take this apart. I was not feeling good about the project and now I’m feeling great. I can’t wait to lay them out and organize them and start putting them together again.

I did finish a new flower and get part of the way done with another

I just love the little monsters!

Once again, I am excited to work on this project now that I can see a new path with it.

Kathy, Margaret, Tracy, Deb, Susan, Nanette, Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, Daisy, Monica and Sherrie

I am also sharing over at Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday.

August 9, 2020

August HQAL Update

It’s time for the three week updater on our HQAL. I’ve gotten a little bit done on the Grandmother’s Flower Garden.

There was a little bit of sewing.

And prepping of new hexis.

More hexis.

And more hexis prepped.

I have decided to take the whole thing apart. Not the individual flowers, but all the green. The way it is attached is a bit wonky and will never fit the table. Hopefully by next time I’ll be ready to start stitching them together again.

It seems like every project I have going has some major fixes that need doing – this one, my big cross stitch (fixed, YAY!), a pair of socks that had been almost finished (completely ripped and restarted), and my garden is being devoured by the neighborhood rats. We don’t poison the rats because there are so many cats around so we are building cages for the raised garden beds. That is a huge chore!!

Kathy, Margaret, Tracy, Deb, Susan, Nanette, Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, Kathi, Daisy, Monica and Sherrie

June 28, 2020

June HQAL Update

It’s that time! Time to update on how I’ve been doing on the project that I’ve chosen for my hand-quilt-a-long. The project I’m working on is called Grandmother’s Flower Garden. I have a few more “flowers” complete and at the end a question (I need some advice).

Number one flower. I love these little cats and I’ve now used that fabric to patch a pair of my favorite gardening pants.

Number two flower. As you can tell, I’ve deviated from flower fabrics. I’m just sewing whatever makes me happy at the time.

Flower number three. I love these bunnies so much! I also used this one as a patch on the same pair of gardening pants even though there wasn’t a hole to mend.

Flower number four.

Flower number five almost complete. I’m having a bit of a challenge with sewing the white fabric – it’s a little thicker than all the rest and my fingers hurt. I’m sure they will toughen up as I keep sewing!

I couldn’t help but do a close up of these hexis!! Now onto my question:

That configuration of flowers looks a little odd. Have I attached them strangely or do I just need to add another one in the middle right over the orange and purple flowers?

It would be good for you to know also that this will no longer be a quilt for the bed. I knitted one right after my husband and I were married and that one is on our bed right now (almost 29 years later). My husband is quite attached to it and does not want another one, he very much likes the one that is there.

I have decided that this will be a table covering (I’m open to someone telling me this isn’t a good idea)

And now the details of this HQAL:

Kathy, Margaret, Tracy, Deb, Susan, Nanette, Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, Kathi, Daisy, Monica and Sherrie

I’m also linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitch Sunday.

June 14, 2020

Slow Stitch Sunday

SIP hasn’t been all bad for me. I’ve been getting together via zoom with friends and since they can’t really see what I’m doing, I’ve been knitting. Usually there are two non-knitting groups I meet up with during the week for coffee. I don’t bring my knitting because none of them knits and it just feels a little strange. Now I’m knitting during these “coffees” and it’s great! Once we can go back to normal, I will most likely bring my knitting again.

Drachenfels by Melanie Berg

This is a super fun and easy knit. I like the black and white color as well as the pop of blue now that I’m in the color stripes section.

I could be done soon if I were a monogamous crafter, but alas, I am not. I bounce around between this project, a pair of socks, a cross stitch project, some hand quilting and of course gardening. Today will bring a bike ride and hike with the family. What will you be doing today?

I’m linking up with Kathy for Slow Stitch Sunday.

June 7, 2020

HQAL and Slow Stitch Sunday

Today it is time to update on my project for the Hand Quilt-A-Long. I had chosen Grandmother’s Flower Garden and I am slowly plugging away at it. For the past three weeks I have been working on putting all the green on the flowers that are attached to the main piece.

I don’t think anyone except me can tell how very many green pieces were added – even my husband, who sits right next to me on the couch while I’m working on this can’t see progress. Oh, well. I know I made progress because I ran out of prepared green hexis and now have to make more! I continued working on another flower that I had previously cut pieces and sewn a few hexis together,

This is the project that I work on in the evenings after dinner. The hubby and I like to watch a show or two and lately the kids have been joining us – so nice.

HQAL details:

Kathy, Margaret, Tracy, Deb, Susan, Nanette, Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, Kathi, Bella, Daisy, Monica and Sherrie

I’m also sharing with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitch Sunday.

May 31, 2020

Sal Update for May

Whew! Another three weeks gone by – another three weeks in SIP. The weather has been so nice here and I have been gardening on most days. Sitting outside chatting with friends (over zoom) has become the norm. My last SAL post showed progress up to this point:

4/19/20 – SAL Update

And now I am here:

5/31/20 – SAL Update.

Th whole thing looks like this:

5/31/20

Slowly, but surely! Please take a look at all the other beautiful projects done by others taking part in this SAL:

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Sue, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley, Megan, Deborah, Mary Margaret, Renee, Carmela, Jocelyn, Sharon, Daisy, Anne,, AJ, Jenny, Laura, Cathie, Linda, Sherrie, Helen

I’m also taking part in Kathy’s Slow Stitch Sunday.

May 17, 2020

May HQAL Update

I find hand work of any kind right now to be such a relaxing balm to my soul. I have been distracted from my HQAL project, Grandmother’s Flower Garden, by some knitting, crochet, cross stitch and of course gardening. Yesterday I knew I was going to need to update on the progress for my HQAL, so I put a little time into it and realize again how much I enjoy it.

Before SIP, I was at a Walmart in Santa Barbara (we were visiting my daughter). Both my younger daughters were with me and they fell in love with this fabric. Both of them said it was perfect for my garden quilt.

They also found these two. I know I have been making this quilt out of scraps, but since the girls picked these fabrics and were so excited, I decided to use them. They have been cut but not made into flowers yet. img_9505-1

I have been adding the green hexis around and between all the flowers. I really like the scrappy way all the different greens look.

Kathy, Margaret, Tracy, Deb, Susan, Nanette, Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, Kathi, Bella, Daisy, Monica and Sherrie

Also sharing with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitch Sunday.

April 19, 2020

April SAL Update

A SAL is a stitch-a-long. This particular one is super fun because everyone has a different project that they are working and post about it every three weeks. If you’d like to join us, please contact AVIS at the link below the post.

AND a big welcome to Sherrie! I can’t wait to hop over to her blog to see what she’s been up to.

Whew!! That was a quick three weeks! It is still shelter in place where we live – you are not supposed to leave your home unless you are going on an essential errand or walking the dog. Our dog now runs away when she sees us get the leash. There are four kids at home — walking the dog has become one of the coveted chores!

I did not get all that much done on the Candy Cane Christmas Stocking. This is where I was last update:

3/29/20 – SAL close up Update

And this is where I am now:

4/19/20 – SAL Update

I’ve been scattered lately, not really able to concentrate on any one thing. I’m like a pin ball, bouncing from one activity to another. I have lots of unfinished things: weeding (done in patches), gardening (also done in patches), different areas of organization in our home (lots started, nothing finished). I read somewhere about a syndrome called IGAD – I Got All Day. I think in some ways I am experiencing that. Each day is open and free, one very similar to the next, it is a very strange feeling. I have never had my days look like this. I’ve always been working, studying, raising kids, running a business, keeping things running smoothly in the home. I’ve never experienced long swaths of time like this. On the plus side, we are walking as a family at least once a day, playing board and card games at every meal (we eat them all together now), do puzzles and have lots of movie nights. The time together as a family has been really nice. OK… now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, I just watched a YouTube video on how to grow ginger from fresh ginger you buy at the store. I have some here and I’m off to plant it!

Please take a look at the other stitchers in this group. There are so many fantastic things going on:

I’m also sharing with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitch Sunday.

April 5, 2020

HQAL & Slow Stitch Sunday

I belong to a group called the Hand Quilt-A-Long run by Kathy. We are to pick a project that we want to make progress and then update every three weeks. This is my three week check-in on the Grandmother’s Flower Garden.

I finished the bee one from last week. This still makes me so happy to look at! As I sit here typing this up, it’s raining outside and our area is still practicing social distancing. The flower above makes me think of spring, walking outside with friends, gathering for coffee and seeing my knitting and embroidery groups in person. The thing I’m missing most right now… seeing my oldest daughter. She lives in an apartment in another city. We talk frequently, but don’t get to see each other (except on FaceTime)… I miss physically seeing her – and hugging her. Hopefully soon!

I sewed up another one. This one still needs the white hexis attached.

And started this little cutie! I had started out making these only with flower fabrics, but seem to have branched out a little bit!

Please take some time to see what the other stitchers in our group are stitching:

Kathy, Margaret, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Susan, Nanette, Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, Kathi, Bella, Daisy

I’m also linking up with Slow Stitch Sunday.

Connie's Creations

My little place on the web to share my creative spirit.

Slow Stitch Sundays

September HQAL Update

August HQAL Update

August HQAL Update

June HQAL Update

Slow Stitch Sunday

HQAL and Slow Stitch Sunday

Sal Update for May

May HQAL Update

April SAL Update

HQAL & Slow Stitch Sunday