Long Time no Post

It has been over a year since I posted on here last but I wanted to restart this to keep myself up to date on  various Crafting Projects and Stitch-a-longs. My last post on here was 9/27/2017 so definitely too long.  I figured I would split this up into multiple sections to get caught up:

1. Goals
2. SALs
3. Stash Report


1. GOALS:
    Cross Stitching:

• Year of Ink Circles: All new starts for the year must be Ink Circles patterns
• Stitch from Stash: no new Patterns, floss and or fabric except fabric of the month from Under the Sea Fabrics and Seraphim Hand-dyed Fabrics. This will be tracked via a facebook group.
• Finish #stitch9challenge sponsored by @farmgirl on instagram
• Make Progress on my WIPocalypse.
• Organize my craft studio

    Quilting:

• Complete 5 Quilt tops this calendar year
• Complete 2 table runner commissions
• Complete Baby Quilts as needed

    Knitting

• Knit a Dishrag a month
• Complete 3 pairs of socks this year
• Complete Baby Blankets as needed
• Complete one knitted wrap this year

2. SALs

• Stitch9challenge: finish the 9 projects I identified which are:
• Heart of the Home by Stitchrovia
• ABC's of Halloween by Lizzie Kate
• Pretty Little Tokyo by Satsuma Street
• Pretty Little Sydney by Satsuma Street
• Cirque des Coeurs by Ink Circles
• Chalkboard Mandala by Ink Circles
• Tapestry by Ink Circles
• Coastal Cola by Silver Creek Samplers
• Autumn Sampler (blue Colorway) by *** (I will add it in later)
• WIPocalypse: Try to finish at least 10 projects. I will use the above plus Rosie the Riveter by Hornswoggle studios.
• Magical Stitches and Literature Challenge on Facebook.
• weekly/monthly/yearly challenges for reading and stitching related to the Harry Potter books.

3.Stash Report

• Report monthly purchase and usage of Fabric, Floss, and Yarn.

I will be updating the background, sidebars, and pages of this document in the near future.

Happy Stitching!

Quilting Progress!

I finished the Following Quilt Tops over a sewing weekend with my Aunt:

Jelly Roll Race v1

 This was the first jelly roll Race Quilt Top I ever finished. It was fun but very hard to keep the initial first few seams straight. I think I am going to try another one in the future as I got an extension table for my sewing machine that I LOVE LOVE LOVE.

NOEL -

I actually completed 2 of these Tops. One will be for my Grandmother in Law and one will be for my Mother in Law. Never never again will I make 2 of something.

All in all a productive weekend as I was able to cross 2 things off my to do list!

Happy Stitching!

August and September Stitching Updates

Well it has been a long time since I last Updated but I do Have a lot to share! My plan is to get caught up in a few posts. I am going to recommit to my Crafting Blog as I really need it to help me stay on task.

Cross-Stitching:
I have been working heavily on 2 projects:

Brigid's Shamrock

This is a HAED pattern that uses DMC threads and I chose to put it on 18CT AIDA as it is 100% Coverage. The Pciture above was the starting point in July. I worked on this project on 2 summer stitch days sponsored by my LNS and got to this point:

Then I spent concentrated time on the project in August and some of September am at this point currently:

My plan is to get to 1/4 complete before I move to another Focus project for awhile. I have already consumed 5 Skiens of DMC (2 black, 1 each of white, 906 and 907). I also made the grime guard on my Qsnap as well :)

I also worked on Tapestry by Ink Circles.

This is using the called for threads on Autumn by Under the Sea Fabrics on 32ct lugana. this was a true joy to work on but decided to take a break to focus on Brigid's Above.

Finally, I completed the following that was my travel stitching:

I used the called for DMC and a piece of 28ct. evenweave from my stash. It's a Cute Pattern from Lizzie and Kate Called Live Well

The plan for October is to get to the 1/4 point on Brigid'd and move to a Halloween pattern of some sort.

Happy Stitching everyone!

Final Feb Finish

I was able to finally finish Pretty Little Toronto by Satsuma Street this past weekend.

I used the called for DMC and Tarnished Silver Fabric from Under the Sea Fabrics. I love all of the Cities patterns but for some reason this one was harder for me finish. It could be because i was in the middle of it when my surgery happened and the recovery has been a pain, Who knows? I haven't decided what my next project will be but I am thinking about working on a WIP.

Happy Stitching Everyone!

I finished 2 dishrags since the start of the year. They were completed on my road trip to see my inlaws as they were for my MIL. They were made with Knitpicks - Dishie Yarn and the called for needles for guage but the pattern is something I made up as I was knitting.

The Colors are ones that she requested as she redecorated her kitchen. She is also the one who taught me how to knit and can't knit right now herself due to arthritis.

Happy Stitching everyone!

Final Finishes of the year

I was able to finish stitching 4 more Ornaments before the end of the year. They are part of a kit from Craftways that I added to my stash sometime in 2014 (I think?). There are a total of 12 mug patterns but I only see myself finishing 9 of them at most.

All in all they are relatively easy stitches. I am in the process of formulating my Goals for 2017 and will post about them once I get back from a road trip to see my inlaws in Minnesota.

I did just realize that I never took photos of the bound quilts for my niece and nephew but they did sleep with them on Christmas eve so I consider that a win from a 3 and 5 year old.

Now onto deciding what is the next stitch for the Q -snaps?

Have a great day and Happy Stitching!

7 Hours...

So I learned that if I put my mind to it and chose the right yarn I can knit a hat (my first) in under 7 hours.  I chose the Barley Hat by Tin Can Knits. It was a super simple pattern to follow and I knit it up in the Void colorway in MadTosh DK by Madelintosh using the called for needle sizes.

As you can see below my dad loved the Hat and wore it most of the night.

Happy stitching everyone!

Holiday Gifts part 1

Every year 3 friends and I exchange gifts for the holidays. I am always trying to outdo myself on the homemade side and I made fabric baskets this year.

I filled the fabric baskets with a Christmas Ornament and some dishrags which are always requested.

I loved making these and am actually planning on making a few more for some last minute gifts in the next few days. I also may be making a few for a retreat in the new year as well.

Happy Stitching Everyone!

Periodic Commission

A close friend of mine is graduating with a Masters degree in Textile chemistry after a Bachelors in Chemical Engineering. While we were eating lunch a month or so ago, she asked me if I could make her a periodic table quilt wall hanging. I thought about it for a minute, asked a bunch of questions, busted out some graph paper to map it out and said yes. Well I gave it to her on Saturday for her graduation party. I made a collage of the finished work and some close-up shots.

I really love how it all came out! The best part...it was all from my stash! Back to the needles of a large variety for Christmas!

Happy Stitching!

Finally a Finished Pair!

Earlier this year I posted that I finished 1 sock of a pair. One of my goals for 2016 was to learn how to knit socks. Last week I finished the second sock of the pair. Below you can see the two of them together.

First Socks - finished 11/25/2016 - Deborah Norville Sock yarn (I think)

2 ornaments Complete

Well I finished the 2016 ornaments for my Niece and nephew last night. I decided to get a head start on the 2017 ones as next. I used the caller for DMC from my stash and AIDA I had on hand. the patterns are from a Leisure arts book.

I made them the first 2 Gingerbread people last year and 2017 will finish the set. This month is looking to be a good craft month from an accomplishment perspective.

I also decided to take part in the Stitch from my Stash 2017 group. I am giving myself $10.00 for a monthly budget. I am allowed to continue the one Fabric of the month group that I have been a part of for over a year. I am also allowed to pay for framing and finishing as needed. My Stitching retreat is also already paid for so that is covered. The trunk shows are going to be interesting for me at the retreat as I will need to rely on my 10.00 budget and any Christmas gifts I my get. (YIKES)

I also decided to carry this budget through to all my stash related purchases for crafting, including yarn and fabric. I will be allowed to pay for long arming of quilting as needed.

I am still trying to understand how I feel about classes? I was thinking of taking a quilting class so who knows?

I also will state that the budget started November 1 for me.

Happy Stitching everyone!

Quilt Weekend Roundup!

So I figured it was a good time to get caught up on the rest of the quilting weekend I had with my Aunt in mid-August. My Mom and I decided it would be best to have the weekend at her house as I was coming back from a work trip and wouldn't have the time to prep my own space for the event. My mom is a clean freak and loves to have the social time even if she isn't a Sewer (yet!). My aunt came down on Friday and we started right after dinner. My aunt is also the one that I completed a quilt 30 Years in the making for last year (Post here). She has accompanied me to fabric stores in the past and for some reason in July she decided she wanted to have sewing as a hobby. I was definitely shocked but love the idea of having someone to share all the craziness. She realized after a few classes on her machine that in person project work was the best way to learn. The goals for the weekend were to learn the steps in the quilting process, including Cutting, piecing, pressing, and basting.

She brought with her, her first project that she started sewing on. She bought a Jellyroll of various batiks and started sewing them together in strips. I then coached her on pressing them. As we were pressing them I realized that the seams were off due to the issue that the 1/4" on her machine was really a 3/8" like I mentioned in my post on the Allegiance Top from a few days ago.  It wasn't a huge issue on this one as the blocked were all squared up to the same size and a white border was added. She and my mom then Pin-basted the whole quilt together. The goal was for her to be able to take it home and stitch in the ditch to quilt.

First Quilt - Aunt B.

We didn't find the Seam issue until we started putting together the Stained Glass Quilt blocks.

Stained Glass -Aunt B

It lead to a lot of Seam ripping (thanks MOM) and a few tears but the blocks are in a Much better place than they would have been otherwise. I also went home and brought over my machine to help increase the sewing output as my Aunt had the goal of getting all of these blocks together before she left on Sunday. I can say that I did donate a few fabrics to this one which makes me happy.

While she was completing these blocks, I whizzed through an UFO to make some Blocks. The strips were first sewn together in January of 2015.

Purple ZigZag - Top #7 (almost)

I left one of the blocks at home so I couldn't sew it all together. This is the next thing on my quilting to-do list.

All in all it was a great weekend and my Aunt is just buzzing along.

Happy Stitching everyone!

Footballs even in the offseason...Quilting is always in season!

I love sports and so does my husband. He is also super supportive of all my craft adventures. As such I thought he deserved something nice from his wife. I decided a Quilt for him to cuddle with while watching sports was the best next step. Hence the Footballs Quilt (pattern by Cluck Cluck Sew).

I changed the pattern by using solid sashing that was 5" wide on the horizontal and vertical in a gold batik with 5" cornerstones in maroon batik. Those are the colors of the University of Minnesota which is where I was going to school when I met my husband and are his favorite college team.

The next quilts are for my niece and nephew. I made dolly quilts for my niece and then they proceeded to tell me they were cold and wanted their own blankets too. :)

Happy stitching everyone

Slainte!

My Cross Stitch project for the Monthly Stitch-in at my LNS has been Slainte by A. Fox Original. I used Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Floss in Holly Leaves. It gave it a nice gradual Varigated look.

 The fabric was left over from the butterfly pillow/cushion that I made for my grandmother in in 2014. My hope is to frame this one and put in my entry way. I am also happy to say this was a total Stash stitch.

I just put "99" back on the Q-snaps as I only have the bottom 3rd to finish or 33 bottles to go.

Happy stiching everyone!

Pink Quilt Tops!

My niece called me this week to tell me her Dollies we cold and they needed me to make them some quilts. BUT they needed to be PINK! Now let me be clear, I am not a huge fan of the color pink so the ability for me to make them all out of my stash was very limited. I was able to complete the tops from my stash except for a fat quarter I purchased. Here they are:

 

Pink Dolly Quilt Top #1

Pink Dolly Quilt Top #2

My plan for the weekend is to quilt them. Hopefully all will go well. I am linking the top completion with Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom quilts.

Happy Stitching everyone!