Hello - it is Labor Day weekend... the end of Summer... the weather has gotten much nicer... cooler temps and low humidity ... I've spent several days sitting out on the sunroom porch with the windows open, stitching, reading, watching the squirrels eat out of my "squirrel resistant" bird feeder, napping... it has been wonderful... and as I close out the Summer I'm so happy that I've completed ALL the items on my "you gotta take care of this stuff, Carol" list... let me enumerate, cause it makes me feel so good...LOL
- Cleaned out and re-organized storage room, which allowed me to have Duke Energy come & inspect my meters ... I needed to give them a path to the back of the space... soooo much stuff... and not that there is less stuff now, but it has been better categorized and organized... more plastic bins!! and you know I LOVE plastic bins...
- Go get new driver's license for me and an new ID for my son... I dragged my feet on this because I hate going to the BMV, but I was pleasantly surprised this time as Ohio has a new website where you can get in line online for an appointment... we went on a Friday afternoon and after making the appointment on my phone we drove over to the BMV office and got right in... and the new cards came in the mail yesterday.
- Make appointments for eye exams for me and my son and go get new glasses... appointments have happened and I'm waiting to hear from Costco that the glasses are in...hmmm... seems like I should have gotten a text about them already...need to look into that after the weekend ...not doing Costco on the weekend... as my friend Darlene says "too people-y"...
- Make baby quilt for my handyman Dan's first grandbaby... sewn, quilted by Delinda, and delivered... quilt was a bit hit...yeah!
- Finish stitching the needlepoint Christmas stocking for my daughter-in-law... DONE!! Finished it up yesterday morning...and here is the proof...
I'll be taking this to the finisher next week... deadline for Christmas stuff is October 1 so I'm ahead of the game.
So what to do now??? So many things I want to do that I've been putting off. Well I thought about it for a little while and decided that one of the first things I wanted to do was start a new sampler and Bucklebury by Rosewood Manor had been calling my name... and an added bonus is it is #samplerseptember2021 on IG... I already had purchased all the DMC flosses and I had a piece of unknown linen in my stash that was on the yellow side, but not yellow enough for me... so I overpainted it with Rit Dye Golden Yellow and added some Apple Green splotches... I like it a lot!
Here's how far I've gotten while sitting out on the sunroom porch...
There are a ton of color changes in this band... so far I've used 15 of the 18 colors called for... to me this sampler has an English garden feel to it... and you know how I love gardens!! And I think I'd describe it as delicate and dainty... not a lot of what I do fits that description... Also I'm going to admit something kinda controversial here... although I like looking at reproduction samplers and I respect all of the work that goes into stitching a reproduction sampler, when I'm done stitching a sampler I want to be able to put my name or initials on it. I've always loved samplers... the 2nd piece of cross stitch I ever stitched was a sampler, but I gravitate to those that may have vintage look and feel but are original. On my walls I have a lot of Ewe & Eye & Friend and Blackbird Designs... and while these designers make have taken inspiration from a vintage piece they created something new that I can stitch and put a bit of me into it. So while I love watching Flosstube videos of stitchers doing reproduction samplers I'm gonna stick with what I enjoy and everyone should stitch what makes them HAPPY!!
And being a bit mesmerized by the different samplers I saw on IG, I may start another one...oooohh I feel quite giddy about this... there is a couple of other BIG samplers I've kitted up but didn't let myself start until I had the deadline projects done... I may put a few stitches in them too! The weather has been so nice for sitting on the porch ... don't want to waste it...
As for quilting, I got the last of these blocks sewn and this is my final layout ... I moved things around a 100 times and I suspect that this is the layout I started with... LOL ... the pattern is High Tide Remix by Woodberry Way... you can see it here...
This is a great pattern... I swear it takes longer to cut the block out than to sew it together... I timed myself and I could sew a block up in about 6 minutes...no pins required... but now that I think of it, it probably didn't take any more than that to cut out a block (and I cut 2 at a time)... it just seemed longer cause I dithered over what fabrics to put together... This pattern uses FQ... my fabrics are Tiny Treaters by Jill Howarth ... you can see all the fabrics here... I added a hot pink tone on tone ... I want to do this pattern again... I'm thinking large scale prints... maybe Amy Butler and Anna Maria Horner ... I have FQ packs of both of their latest collections...and some Moda Grunge... I got the idea from this post on IG...
However, before I get to that I think I'll try and finish up a project or two that is already started... I dragged out a bunch of plastic bins the other day and found at least 10 UFOs that I still like... maybe I'll try to get one old project done before I start a new one... LOL... I know me and that will only last a hot minute...
So the upcoming week looks pretty open...no appointments or plans so far... I do need to work in my yard... my window boxes are desperately need attention... time to pull out the dead vinca and petunias and move on to pumpkins... I am still considering resin pumpkins... need to go to the hardware store and find something I could use to stake them so they wouldn't blow away... the upfront outlay will be more than real pumpkins but they would pay for themselves in 3 years...and as my son reminded me there would be no rotten goop to scoop out of the boxes come November... he has a point...
Hope you are having a lovely weekend and that your week ahead will be productive... I have high hopes for mine! I'll link up with Kathy's Quilts today and spend some time there seeing what everyone else is up to...
happy stitching..
carol fun
Congratulations on finishing the stocking! Looks like you have a lot of great projects going! Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI adore that graphic quilt. That stocking is beautiful. I don't think I am going to be able to finish the one I am making for my son-in-law in time for this Christmas, but you never know. I like the new sampler that you have started.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on meeting your goals, Carol! That must feel soooo good!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Graphic quilt is stunning. It certainly draws the eyes in. Fabulous, you have finished stitching the stocking. Such an incredible amount of gorgeous stitching you have done.
ReplyDeleteIt really does feel so good to meet your goals! I have a few for Sept. as my sister and BIL are coming in October. Now about the pumpkins. My neighbor cut a hole in the bottom and put sand in the pumpkin. She then put the cut out part back and used some kind of tape to seal the bottom. They did not blow away. Maybe she used gravel I'm not sure. Maybe duct tape would hold it shut. That stocking is so beautiful. I hope she realizes what a very special gift that is! That is such a fun quilt! I do hope you have a great week!!
ReplyDeleteThose sampler colors are beautiful! That stocking: WOW!
ReplyDeleteYour stocking looks amazing, Carol and great start on your sampler. I am going to have to join in on Sampler September. Have a great week and a happy Labor Day
ReplyDeleteYou've been a busy stitcher, needlepointer, quilter, gardener and mom. It's definitely way too people-y out there on the week ends. Ugh! LOL
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