April 14 – plodding along and then ARRRGH!

Sewing & Needlework:

Grandmother’s Choice (Barbara Brackman) quilt (29 of 49 blocks done – blocks 1-3, 5-28, 48, and 49).  Since the last post, locks 21, 23-28, 30 (Parasol, Girls’ Joy, True Blue, Carrie Nation, Ladies Wreath, Grandmother’s Dream, Ocean Wave, Broad Arrow) are done.   I made block 23 using only white and gold – a bit boring, I need to find the color balance without purple becoming overpowering.  Parasol was paper pieced, and then appliqued to the backing fabric.  Block 27 took me about 5 hours to get right with all those Y seams, compounded by a couple of cutting errors.  I used the 8 at a time HST method on block 28, it is a bit faster than piecing each one separately.

March 31 – slow but steady

Finally, it IS Spring.  Not only by the calendar, but also by the red wing blackbirds, and the turkey vultures. Bye bye winter, don’t’ trip over the snow pile on the way out.

Sewing & Needlework:

March 18 Update

Sewing & Needlework:

Grandmother’s Choice (Barbara Brackman) quilt (16 of 49 blocks done) –  I’ve made blocks 1-3, 5-15, 48, and 49.  Block 8 gave me grief.  I finally had to look at how I made block 3 (same but with solid star points).  After some time with the ripper, careful measuring and a bit of resewing, it finally came together.  Not perfect, but done.  Blocks 9-15 (Brick Pavement, New York Susan B Anthony, Little Red School House, Little Boys Breeches, Everybody’s Favorite Universal, Bride’s Knot) are done since the last post.  For Little Red Schoolhouse, I strayed a bit.  The links to the templates for this quilt are broken, so I redrafted the schoolhouse with fewer parts.  I had to re-cut some parts a couple of times due to forgetting to add seam allowance to all sides of a piece.  I also had to draft Little Boys Breeches due to missing templates.  Once I figured out I cut the middle square too large, it went together OK.

March 9, 2021, 2 fully finished items, plus progressing on others

Sewing & Needlework:

Statue of Liberty & Halloween Sampler are now Fully Finished Objects.  I found frames in the stash.  The one for Halloween sampler is perfect color and size, the one for Statue of Liberty is the right size but bright gold – too bright.  I looked for a different frame at a resale shop in Cedar Rapids.  I did find a frame, but it’s a 12″x16″ frame.  My plan is to cut it down to size when I get the right bits to accurately cut and reassemble the frame.

February 20 – Three finishes to report

Sewing & Needlework:

The sewing kitty flannel quilt – WooHoo!  Finished!  I got the binding finished Saturday 2/6, and embroidered my name & year on the backing at the bottom center on 2/7 while watching Puppy Bowl.

Well, I *thought* it was going well…

Halloween Sampler – I  finished up the large “H” and the “Happ” of the “Happy” to the left of that.  Then I realized something wasn’t right – the spacing wrong for the 4 Xs by the little “p”.  I counted from each end of the grid lines, both were right.  Then I saw it – the 6th vertical 10-stitch tick mark was at 8 stitches.  The error is visible on the photo in the 2/1 post.  GAH!  So I corrected the grid and ripped out and re-did the bottom of the “P”s and the “H”.  And double checked the rest of the grid where I hadn’t started stitching yet.  Now to re-finish the lower hook on the large “H” and I’ll be back where I was yesterday.

February 1 – Statue of Liberty cross stitch is finished

Hello February.  Already?  Or finally.  I’m not sure which.    I do know I’m glad January is gone, it’s that much closer to warmer weather.

Sewing & Needlework:

Statue of Liberty cross stitch – This is finished.  I’m glad I recharged the left hand, now it looks like she has 4 fingers, not 5 (can’t see her thumb).   I found a couple of on-line images to use as reference.  After taking it off the frame, and seeing how long The New Colossus poem is, I decided not to add it.  I looked for another patriotic saying, but none struck the right note.  I was trying to find something about neither political party can claim to be the only true patriotic party, or one that clearly celebrated the diversity of our country.  I need to measure and check the frame stash and get it framed.

January 20 – Slowly starting to exhale in relief

Finally.  45 is gone, no longer president, hopefully never to be again.  Now that we have an adult back in the White House, maybe sanity, ethics (yes, I know some of the Ds have problems in this area too), logic, science, and respect for others will regain the status so needed in these times.

New Year, same old same old…

Well, here we are.  2021.  Why do I keep thinking “Welcome 2021.  Come in, sit down, and mind your manners.”   Am I expecting a switch to be flipped and 2021 turns all glitter and rainbows immediately?  Not at all.  Noooo Way.  What I am hoping for is a gradual improvement of things over the whole year.  As is usual, there will be no resolutions, word, or best/worst of the year posts for me.  Just keep plugging away at life, try not to let things get behind (weeds, housecleaning) and do things a bit better each time (quilting, needlework, cooking).

So much for New Year, Better Year Hopes

To the Republican Party – well, you’ve gone and done it…  I’m done with you.