stitching

So glad that a Christmas pillow has finally been made. It's been hanging around my studio for 15 months so I could repair it. Took it apart to fix and the filling was just loose green colored fiber without a lining. So I purchased a pillow form at Joann's this past February and finally finished this project last night. The tapestry Santa cloth is perfect with the living room colors and I was able to find a very dark burgandy and black synthetic fabric that looks like leather to use for the zippered backing and the piping. Voila a finished pillow. Also got the valance back from daughter about a month ago so I'd know what length she wanted it for little man's room. Was able to get the project off my list too. Phew, barely a second finish for the month in my one a month challenge and I've been able to get 2 done each month instead. With both of these, used 2.5 yards of fabric.

Just finished stitching my Winter Whites designed by Diane Williams of Little House Needleworks. Used all the recommended floss with a couple of exceptions. I used:
Wisper - White (mohair and nylon blend 70/30)
DMC- white, 676, 729, 3371 and 3862,
Crescent Colors - Red currant, Erin Go Emerald and Caterpillar
The Thread Gatherer - Dark Forest SNC 089 (Silk-Yummy to stitch with, now I know what all the fuss about is for!)
Kreinek - Balger Blending filaments metallic 032 with the gold in the moon and white in the star shine. Has a holographic sparkle and not too bad to use.


Stitched 2 threads over 2 threads on a 28 count Graziano Linen.

I have a white frame on hand that I think will be perfect with it. It's too late now and hopefully I get to it in the next couple of days. The flu has been rampant through my families homes. Can't wait til we get over this bout.

Stay Well,
Jane

Geez, by the looks of this posting it seems more like Christmas than Springtime with Easter being celebrated this weekend! Either I am sooooo late, but I think I'm just a bit early. VBG

Look what came today

Recently I ran across a destashing blog from Edgar listing his excess patterns. He is a wonderful blogger that I routinely check out to see what he has going on. Well, being interested in a few of the patterns he wanted to be rid of I contacted him on how to go about it and the ones I was interested in. Two of the pattterns I was interested in were already taken, but he said he'd be happy to give me the others and where could he send them? Boy, What a sweetheart!
So today in the mail came these....



WOW! He even threw in a couple more hoping I could use them too. Thanks Edgar!

Enjoy your day, mine is off to a great start.

Jane

Stash Report #13 and my Montana Log Cabin

Used this week: 5.25 yards
Used Year To date: 16.25 yards

Added This week: 0 yards
Added Year To Date: 40.5 yards

Net Fabric Gained (Loss or used): 24.25 yards

A finish for this past week is the Montana Log Cabin. Yippee! I did finish echo quilting all the silhouettes, choose a meander stipple for the background filler and then for the outside border, I used a "paisley, echo meander". Since some of the fabrics showed paisley designs within, I choose to imitate a simplistic paisley and then echoed it 2 additional times and then meandered to the next paisley design. Overall, I am pleased with the effect AND the finish. Here are the photos:





As for the "fringed" quilting that happened, I can't explain it. Despite whichever needle used, it was present but less so with each change. I ended up finally with a ball point 70/12 schmetz needle and the fringed effect was still present, but not as prevalent. This being the fourth quilt I've made without a batting and just having the minkee as the backing that way it's quite fluid, I am quite perplexed by this. Also, I may have to use a batting if this ever happens again. I am putting it down to something with that particular piece of Minkee even though it came from a reputable quilt shop.

Stay well and enjoy life,
Jane

Giveaway

Check out this fantastic giveaway that Terrie is having and good luck! It's a Shakespeare's Peddler design as well as the floss pack for Jenny Bean Humble Servant Sampler. The floss pack has 15 full skeins of Gentle Art Sampler Floss which includes: Royal Purple, Portabella, Chives, Endive, Wood Trail, Jasmine, Antique Rose, Baby Spinach, Grecian Gold, Chamomile, Hyacinth, Lavender Potpourri, Old Purple Paint, Toasted Barley and Onyx. Lovely!

Have Almost finished my Winter Whites CXS and am wondering which chart I'll be working on next. Stay tuned.

Be well,
Jane

Stash report, week #12

Another week with nothing extra to report for usage, but I also didn't gain any fabric either.

Used this week: 0 yards
Used Year To date: 11 yards

Added This week: 3 yards
Added Year To Date: 40.5 yards

Net Fabric Gained (Loss or used): 29.5 yards

Have been finishing my Winter WHites Counted Cross Stitch when feeling creative. I still have to quilt the Montana Log Cabin. I did change to a smaller needle and their is still fringing but not as bad. A stsash buster mentioned changing to a ball point needle and I had an ah hah moment. I think I usesd that needle for all my previous minkee backed quilts since it's a knit. DUH! So I'll be changing the needle and hopefully this week I'll be able to get back to it. My back, shoulder neck problems are bothersome and I can only do so much at a time when possible.

Jane

National Quilting Day and others

Happy New Year, Happy Spring and Happy National Quilting Day! It's surprising that all of these notable holidays are occurring on the same date this year. Usually I attend an annual quilt retreat this weekend too, but unfortunately I couldn't this year. ;~(
Majorly bummed. I had too many other expenses and commitments already planned to blaze forward with my typical spring retreat. Next year, I definitely plan on attending. I wonder how my friends are doing. It is usually such a warm and wonderful time all the while getting much accomplished besides the nourishment of the creative soul. The letter W is wickedly used as adjectives for this gathering, otherwise known as the Wild, Wonderful, Wacky Women of Wadhams. I miss you. Alias, Happy Day, whichever one you celebrate.

Jane

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Since today is St Patrick's Day, I am grateful for the blessings in my life. I relish that I visited Ireland ten years ago. I can't believe it's been so long already. County Naul, a friend's family's farm, Blarney Castle and their woolen mills, New Grange, the Park in Dublin, Trinity College, the shopping district, County Cork, New Bern, Cliffs of Moire (I think my spelling is way off here- sorry), Bunratty Castle, Dirty Nellies, Galway and Galway Bay, and beautiful Connemara are just some of the highlights I remember with love. What a wonderful trip. And one I was able to share with my youngest sister. While having decorations out in my home for March, many little souveners of that trip are about and I fondly gaze at them and remember. It's with a touch of longing to go back and revisit such a beautiful country while I post this. The openess of the Irish people were incredible. The one regret is that we never got a chance to get to County Waterford, the land of my forefathers. Perhaps I'll get a chance some day to go back and can try to trace some family roots. Another interest of mine is to visit cemetaries and witness different trends and oh, look at that moments. I never made the trip to an older Irish cemetary when there and vow I will upon my return. Thank you Ireland for my roots and my wings.

Jane

May the luck of the Irish be with you.

Fringe Quilting?!

Bet you have never heard of that before have you? Well that is what is happening while I'm trying to echo quilt the silhouettes in my current quilt, Montana Log Cabin.




See what I mean. I've used minkee for the backing of quite a few quilts and this has never happened before. Talking with some quilters last night about it and am wondering if it's my needle. Perhaps it's too large and a smaller needle will do. I think I even inserted a new quilting needle when I started this a couple of weeks ago since it's my first attempt at echo quilting. Will be workin gon this until I get it finished. Good thing this quilt is for me, so I won't sweat about it, just keep going all the while, trying to get this fringing to stop.

Enjoy your day, I'm off to several appointments.
Jane

Stash Report week #11

Used this week: 0 yards
Used Year To date: 11 yards

Added This week: 3 yards
Added Year To Date: 40.5 yards

Net Fabric Gained (Loss or used): 29.5 yards

Finally am feeling better! Wow that was a nasty head cold and really got me down for quite a few days. I actually improved somewhat just in time before our little getaway down south at Queensbury to a Six Flags Water Park with our daughter and her family.
It was nice to get away and play with the grandchildren in the water park. But talk about sensory overload! The littlest grandson is 15 months old and initially he just clung on to his Mother in a very frightened manner. Meme came to help. I removed the life jacket first, it was too much pressure on him without he getting used to the place, the noise and all that water. Can I say again, "The NOISE"! It was so overwhelming.
Then to comfort him I sat in a puddle away from most of the action in the quietest spot I could find and just cuddled him for about 20 minutes. After awhile he wanted to get off my lap and splash in the water and you know what many people say after that.... " the rest is history". He was off and in command of all the water and the people in our group. His 4 year old sister was in her element. She is absolutely fearless. But I think she had a bit too much adrenaline pumping through her little system. Go, Go And go more. Whenever we left the water park area, she was on "high". Her Mom and Dad said she didn't stop talking and take a little car nap as is her normal behavior for the 2 hour ride home so I think it was still coursing through her veins then.


All in all, it was a nice little getaway. Glad we went and glad to be back home.

Jane

Stash Report #10

Used this week: 0 yards
Used Year To date: 11 yards

Added This week: 0 yards
Added Year To Date: 37.5 yards

Net Fabric Gained (Loss or used): 26.5 yards

Not feeling well, my back is acting up fiercely and I have a head cold to boot! So I will get be back at a later date.

Jane

Look what came in the mail

Megg Jack from Artnomadix participated in the One World One Heart blogging event and selected my name as the winner of her giveaway. The package contained some lovely post cards of Northern North South Wales, Australia that she lives in besides this painting she did of her landscape.

She is a very talented artist and the details in this painting of Magic Wollumbin(Wolumbin), aka: Mt. Warning Caldera are amazing. The colors in it are gorgeous and my photo of it just doesn't do it justice. Here's another attempt at trying to get a better picture of it:



I love it so much. She wrote that she lives next to the large tree pictured. Imagine the history and stories from where she lives. Mystic Lake and Mount Warning both sound so exotic. She also makes and sells on etsy some very colorful hats and hand dyed shirts. Some with emu or tree silhouettes besides loads of color. So if you are interested, check them out.

Enjoy your day. Mine is wonderful with receiving this package from Australia and now my grand children will be visiting DH and me this afternoon. Our daughter has an appointment to see if she'll be able to get back to work after her surgery.

Here's a little peak of my current project.



I had wanted to get this finished in January, but I guess it's a good thing I didn't specify which year. Ah-hummm. Now, I need to get to the framers and select a frame worthy of Wollumbin. Thank you so much Megg, I really will cherish it.

Smiling,
Jane