January 2019 OMG or should I say TMG {Three Monthly Goal} project(s)

Feeling blessed and getting better organized so I hope to finish three of my WIPs this month.

1- Glad Tidings Scissor Fob, a counted cross stitch designed by Shepherd's Bush

2- Owl Wool appliqued Pin cushion designed by Buttermilk Basin in their Half Pints Line.

3- Valentine Wall hanging I made a couple of years ago, I think the center panel is a Sandy Gervais design but I am not sure. and I did get the borders on already.  I did get it layered and now the rest needs doing.  Next step is the quilting then the finishing.






I'm linking this post in with Patty at Elm Street Quilts .  It's a great incentive to focus on one, but being small figured I'd shoot for 3 this month.












Off to cut some Bali' Poppies and yardage needed for my 2019 Skitch it designed by Susan Claire's sketching & stitching block a day for the year and you get to play with some inktense coloring too.  What fun, I hope!

TTFN,

Jane

A few finishes cross stitch, books, dish rags.

This small counted cross stitch, Winter Basket by Lizzie Kate was stitched during December and finished in January and now it needs to get framed.  Hopefully I can get to that this week.   A blog I follow, Priscilla who is an incredible stitcher/finisher, designer, decorator, gardener, etc. and mentioned her way of framing several of her larger cross stitch pieces, thinking of giving it a try. 




I've also have been knitting a bit. Finished a red dishrag in honor of Valentine's Day and then promptly started a variegated green blues with the new to me design of Farrow Row Dish Rag.

FARROW ROW DISH RAG:

Used Size 7 needles cast on 40 stitches using Sugar and Cream yarn.

First 6 rows for the border KNIT.
Alternate the following 2 rows until you reach the length desired Less the last 6 border knit rows at the other end.
Row 1:
knit 4 (border edge ), *knit 2, pearl 1, * repeat making sure you knit the last 4 stitches (border edge).
Row 2:
Knit 4 (border edge), *Pearl 1, knit 2, *repeat until the last 4 to knit for border edge.

When get the length you want, KNIT the last 6 rows then bind off and tie in ends.

It's such an easy pattern to do and takes no thought so you can pick it up and do anywhere.




With my READING I've been trying to read a minimum of 2 books a month.  I've exceeded this minimum and am thrilled. So far this year I've read:

The Nest by Cynthia D'Arix Sweeney.....Liked ❤❤❤ BCS (Book Club Selection)

Sisters of Heart and Snow by Margaret Dilloway.........Really liked ❤❤❤❤ BCS

Zero Day by David Baldacci. ......Loved this ❤❤❤❤❤ both genre(John Puller with terrorism threats to Nat'l security)/author

The Absolute True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie  BCS ........Okay read ❤❤(it's a middle grade level book, many issues reminded me of The Round House by Louise Erdrich ❤❤❤❤ a much more appropriate level read and one I enjoyed!)

Dropping Acid: The Reflux Diet Cookbook Cure is currently being read.......Interesting so far!

I'm saving a box of books to share with Mom when I see her.  She's a voracious reader too. I started defacing the inside cover of the books with my initils, that way both Mom and I'll  know we're "Done with it" and we can give them away to let others enjoy. That should help in my trend of downsizing slowly.  Getting rid of a Book here, a ball of yarn there, another project finished and bites the dust pattern givem away or sold, etc..... it's all good!

The Red Thread- AMEN!

I love it and it's gorgeous!

After my last posting about this I did get the required buttons and snaps from the Stitching Post in Maryland to finish this as it was designed and that I teased you with a photo about with them strewn on top.  But after getting them on, didn't personally care for them.  Seemed like their addition took away from the classic effect I was aiming for with this. . not. .so. .classical.  .stitch.  So I ended up removing them all before I could bring it to Michaels to get the framing done.  This shot shows the frame/colors tones more realistically.

Thrilled with how it looks framed with those double mats too  and how they were cut.  The burgandy one I had them edge inward and the green cut mitered showing  That little strip of white reveal is a nice little bright spot.
The frame we selected is the same kind we brought to re-frame our Adirondack chair art last year fall.  Glad it was still available as the green mat I used for the last counted cross stitch piece is no longer available and went with this newer color which I really like too.  This chair art hangs over the antique fridge in the dining room and our plan is that the wall that has wainscoting will be holding up the Red Thread piece.

Since both of these prints will be on adjacent walls, it's a great blend of style and color and am thinking it'll look nice and soothing, especially with those off white and soft sage colored walls.











The only thing to do now is to have hubby move the primitive wall sconces and make sure the supporting hanging bracket is strong enough to hold it up.  It is heavy and quite wide as seen in this next shot.  Here she is setting on our queen size bed. It almost reaches both sides!

Benk Creek, The Red Thread Snapperswas stitched on a 32 ct linen with 2/2 threads
Threads Used
DMC:  225, 644, 3371 and  3865
Gentle Art Sampling Thread (GAST):  Antique Rose, Berry Cobbler, Cidermill Brown, Dungarees, Freedom, Gold Leaf, Liberty, Nutmeg, Slate, Summer Meadow, Tarnished Gold and  Weathered Barn
Weeks Dye Works:  Bark, Chestnut, Cocoa, Galvanized, Kudzu, Lancaster Red,  Purple Haze and Seaweed    

So now it's wrapped back up in the brown paper protection and hopefully DH can take care of it soon.
His older sister, Linda who turns 69 on May 3rd has been in the ICU and has been very sick going on three weeks now. Thankfully the doctors have finally figured out the proper diagnosis and the right medicine is being shipped from Vermont as I type this.  Amazing since she was seen at three different hospitals with the first saying wait and see it's a virus, the second recognizing her serious condition then transporting her within 14 hours to another hospital that could care for her, thus the ICU admission there.

I'm so grateful for the health DH and I do have and also that this CCS- The Red Thread is Done!

That makes item number 2 from my Q-2, 2016 project list completely done!
Whoot - hoot!!!

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

PS: Just so you know it's really me- I still have plenty more to catch up on with blogging.
Am trying to come up with a different way of staying more up to date for my posts and yet still be productive.  I'll let you know how it works.   ; )

Q2 2016 and my OMG for April

Nope!  I was no where close to what I wanted to get done for my  Q-1 list so I'm including those same items to this quarter besides adding a few more that have come onto my horizon.  This finish along FAL has gone global and is a great incentive to get some projects finished besides the focus of OMG (One Monthly Goal) and the monthly numbers being pulled at All people quilt challenge.

The Quick Ripper
this girl loves her gadgets!

Three of those were completed.   Yippee!!!!
I shared only two so far since I never posted about the finished apron, Number 10 on the Q-1 list.

Here are a couple of photos taken while making it.   And you are seeing correctly, I had to use the Quick Ripper not once, but twice while making the pockets would you believe. That really makes quick work of unstitching or reverse sewing as it's sometimes called.  So I ordered one fro my Mom and had one shipped to her too.  In February she went to a quilt retreat with many of her Chatham Quilt Group and The Quick Ripper was the hot trend with every one wanting to know where she got it.   LOL  At the AQS in Daytona, a buddy of hers let me know that if I ever send her another little goodie like that, to multiply what I send by 4 so all of Mom's quilty friends get one too!  Joy is such a Hoot!
After that I settled down and got it finished in a day.  That red fabric shown was used for the lining  the pockets and the entire apron.   It looks great and I wonder why I put such a simple thing off for so long.

More handy gadgets I used for the apron construction was those red polka dot scissors, the purple thang and I finally used that set of curved templates to get a crisp smooth edge after turning the pockets.
I love it when I remember what I have, where it is and actually use them.  

Number 1 of the Hungry Hungry caterpillar pillow completely done.


Number 10 of the Christmas Apron Panel was finished but I never shared a photo of it will be back on Friday to remedy that (DH has an out of state appointment and we're heading over to MQX in Manchester after that for a couple of days.  Editing and adding this photo on 4/30/16.







Number 16 was made into the Valentine's Day wall hanging topper so hopefully this quarter I'll be able to quilt it and get it completely finished.
That is three listed completions realized so far this year with so many more I want need NEED to get truly done this year.




For April's OMG I hereby announce a community quilt to be cut and sewn into a top. The fabrics are black and gold and should work up quickly. (Fingers crossed!)

For my list of  Q-2:



1-Music themed Community Quilt made into a quilt top- April's OMG project.  DONE!

The top is made and will  be getting turned into the community project committee in the Wings Falls Quilt Guild the second Saturday in May.  I worked on this while attending a quilt retreat I go to annually at Dodge Pond in Fine, NY.

2-CCS- Finish the Red Thread - It's all stitched now, just waiting for the heart and star specialty buttons I ordered during The Stitching Post's sale to arrive [Note to self for the GPS directions, they're located in Catonsville, not Baltimore] Only need to attach those buttons and bring it in to be framed which I've already selected and paid for at Michaels. Thank goodness it was at 70% off but ye gads it was costly.  Will share more when it's totally, really and truly done.  (Now, I am hearing a tune for the Wizard of Oz with the Coroner singing about the witch being dead.)  edited this on 4/30/2016 it's DONE!

3-CCS- Daffodil Run designed by Just Nan editing this on 4/30 as it's now stitched and the only things left are to attach the charm fob and then frame it!

Editing on 5/3/16- DONE!

4-CCS- Wee Spring designed by Heart in Hand:
Editing this on 12/1/16 and was able to finish stitching this in November.  Only needs framing and I'm trying to use wwhat I have on hand.

5-CCS- Heart of America designed by Lizzie Kate: 

6-Make Native themed Hockey Seats

7-Make Dog Print Fleece Hockey sets

8-Make Dog Bed with same Dog print fleece for Scout's carrier kennel.

9-Make Boston Red Sox theme -  Hockey Seat fabrics Numbered 6 through 9 are all shown on the right along with the foam in too.

10-Doll quilt made with sea horse themed fabrics pulled.

11-BQ2 quilt assembled into a topper (just the borders left)

12-Braid blocks sewn into into a quilt top shown all together in a jumble with some coordinating fabrics:

 13-Kitchen pot holders made similar or all right then, copied from this one and possibly make an oven scarf too:

14-An Aqua sew together bag cut and sewn with some of these fabrics for myself:

15-Juvenile prints are kitted to make another sew together bag cut out and sewn for PGD#1.

The fabrics are stored downstairs and I will show more after it's made.  

I know there are numerous novelty prints kitted together for this with eye glasses, babushka dolls, and some other very kid friendly themes, all very bright and happy looking.

16-Sofa table runner made into a 9 or 10" by 40" size.  

Made out of this border stripe

or even this patriotic kit with the dimensions changed in order to fit the sofa table.

17-That dang Patchabilities St. Patrick's Day wall hanging 

(I am starting to feel like I'm crowing  and a partridge in a Pear Tree  every time I  include this one!  Go ahead you can hum along.  lol

It's a very old UFO that  needs to get off my back!

editing on 5/3/16 ... finally stitching this now  

18-Wool Table runner as my portable project and since I just loved that Primitive gathering Nesting Time Table Mat when I saw the kit at the AQS show in Daytona.  That one and quite a few others jumped into my shopping bag, but I will share more about that at another time too. 

Not sure I love all the wool with this kit, so I may change a couple of them out for higher soft contrast.

19-Miranda Bag another very old UFO that needs to be finished.

Sorry to say I haven't found this UFO yet so no photo to show.
It's all cut out with creams, pink and peaches with  a soft graphic style fabrics.
I just know it's around here somewhere but where? [typing while scratching my head!]

20-One of the Kim Diehl kits I have in or perhaps a new project that my muse demands to play with....

21- Scalloped table runner that's a topper but I'd love to try some feather quilting and bound it with a scalloped edge.
I started this UFO ions ago using the Moda Charisma fabric line.  Seems to be a recurring theme.....

22-Tater Strip Quilt another very old UFO, needs digging out since this too is packed in the basement and thinking about what stage that one is in.

It's another panel project I've had in since PGS#3 was in his preschool days and he's now in 1st grade. 8 {

23-Tulip Time Table mat from my miniature collection and I'd love to dye/paint the tulip fabric for it.

Or this even this larger project with fabrics painted for the tulips.  

24-Cherry tablecloth finished- Mary Engelbright (sp?) themed quilt top needs to be finished for a tablecloth quilt.  Very kitcheny don't ya think?  I won this topper at a quilt auction for a great price.  Should be perfect for some summer time flair.

Think I'll use some of mom's fabric donation for the backing, (it's that Black patchwork fabric on the right) and use that grunge red I bought in Trenton, FL for the binding.  

25-Rip out and restart the Disappearing Nine Patch which was started in 2015.  Not sure which direction this will go but it's honoring a nudge within me to make something pastel.  Way out of my normal color range I might add! 

26-Rip out? or rethink/redo the Hunter's star now hitting UFO status from 2014

perhaps a dresser scarf for PGD#1 bedroom....... Very bright but way too busy. It really needed to  be toned down with a soft white a bright color in every quilt block to sparkle.  

27-Make a quilt for PGS#3 with the Minion panel:

fabrics with the panel all bagged together.  

28-Make another quilt with the Star wars panel for PGS#3 in honor of us reading the book- Stories of the Jedi and Sith aka: Star Wars book being 187 pages in length and he's only 7.   

Way to go little one!  Makes a Meme proud.

While finally editing this on the 30th of April,  several of these are now done and a couple of them have been happily morphed with the grand children's desires!   Will share and post about them them soon.  Promise!

Yippee Skippee!!!!

I also realize a few more wants that I have tentatively on my want to get done list but didn't share yet because they are in a totally different wheel house.

What that? It's to fix a couple of necklaces I purchased while vacationing in Florida.  They both need at least a 1/2" to 1" added to their lengths so they fall correctly on me.

That's all.  A HUGE list with plenty of wiggle room.
lol

TTFN,
Jane