Another Finish

Way back in 2021, my pal Debbie and I made 4 (5?) National Parks quilts for the women in our crochet group. The plan for mine was to embroider around the block of each park hubby and I have been to together. 

Dark clouds but no rain for us.

We’ve used it on several of our trips and it’s been back-burnered often. I’d stitch a little here and there when I didn’t have another tv-watching project. Five years later, the 100 Days project has finally pushed it over the finish line.

 The embroidery is more noticeable in person.

At least until we visit another park…

Wildflowers #16

This block might be my favorite - definitely top 5 - and not just because it’s the last one. 

Decided the finished quilt should be wall-hanging-size, so 16 blocks are better than the original project’s 20. 

Tap or click the picture to open a better quality pic with lots more detail.

Next is squaring up the blocks and deciding on fabric for sashing around the squares. Have embroidery on the sashing? Still thinking ‘yes’, although I haven’t found the right design yet. Maybe bees? Or dragonflies? Bees and dragonflies?? Discovered I have a package of printable stick-and-stitch fabric in the stash so that opens up more design possibilities. Gotta think about it on the trip to Cambria. Suggestions welcome!

Double Up #2

March’s second Birdwatchers pattern, a Cerulean Warbler, is done. There’s a slight oopsie but I decided it “adds to the character” so I’m leaving it. (Can you spot it?) Still two birds behind but April’s pattern is cut, color-coded and ready to sew. 

10.5 x 10.5”

Also finished Wildflowers #15. Only one more to go before it’s time to trim the blocks and start on the sashing. 

10.5 x 10

Very happy with the progress. 

Double Up

The next Birdwatchers Project pattern comes out Thursday, so I was motivated to get one finished so I’d be (almost) caught up.

This is the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, one of 2 patterns released in March. Fast, easy pattern except for that tiny black bill. I sewed and ripped and sewed again at least 8 times trying to get the edges to align. Finally accepted that this was as close as I was going to get before the fabric frayed apart. The second March pattern - Cerulean Warbler - is cut, folded, color-coded and ready to sew, hopefully tomorrow.

Also finished Wildflower #14 tonight. TV marathons are really good for getting projects done. 

Here’s the first 13 blocks, in no particular order. I’ll square these up before adding a slightly different blue for sashing. Getting close to done!

100 Days - Newcomer

I don’t think Cyrus has officially joined the 100 Days challenge but she sent me this pic of her freshly finished pomegranate. Gorgeous! I’m envious of people who can do counted cross stitch, especially at this tiny-stitch level. I’ve tried, it’s just not in my skill set. 

Rachel is ready to do the borders on her project. I’m wondering what she’s going to work on next since we still have lots of Days until we hit 100 in June. 

Wildflower #13 is done! And thanks to a new bingable tv series (Tracker) #14 is almost halfway finished too.

100 Days Update - #12 is Done!

Rachel’s 100 days of cross-stitch project is moving right along. It’s going to be spectacular.

Finished #12 on my 100 days project. Only 8 to go (or 4, depending on how big I want the finished quilt to be). 

Been thinking more about how I want to sew this together and quilt it. 

The pattern that came with the kit has sashing between the blocks, which I like. But maybe add embroidery on the sashing? Or on the cornerstones? I think there’s time before 100 days ends… Time to go window shopping for more stick-on embroidery ideas.

Repotting, Plus 100 Days

Block #11 of 20 is complete and #12 is halfway done. Love how doing a little each night is getting this so close to the finish line.

Before Matt started giving me fancy plants, like this pretty thing,

 Aglaonema, aka Chinese Evergreen

I only had a few plants that had survived my black thumb. The two money trees and African violet have been repotted so it was time to do the poor, sad orchid I bought a while back for hubby, and a snake plant that hasn’t grown much in years. Gotta admit I repotted both of these mostly for the practice, although I really hope they survive.

Tiny rootball looks so dry and sad. The pot will be repurposed as a cover for one of the clear pots.

Separating orchid and pot was a pain. The moss was adhered to the sides like it had been glued in. 

After rinsing off the old mossy soil and trimming back its dried out roots, the plant turned out to have a few, very short but (hopefully) viable roots. 

Doesn’t she look better already? Lol. Love these clear pots - so great for observing (crossing my fingers) new root growth. 

The snake plant looked dormant - the one stem it had left (red arrow) hadn’t grown in a long time - so I put it outside on the front porch 2-ish years ago. Imagine my surprise when it *loved* the new environment and produced a pretty little pup. 

The old leaf still wasn’t growing but the pup has gone from a tiny sprout to 3 happy, healthy leaves. Anything that tries that hard deserves another chance to live.

It’s repotted but in quarantine for a week or so to be sure no hitchhikers came indoors with her.

100 Days Update

I missed 2 days of embroidery when we traveled to and from SC, but I’m still moving along on my wildflowers.

Tonight’s finish is #9 of…. I need to look up the pattern and see how many total blocks I need. Still enjoying it!

Rachel is making good progress on her cross-stitch project, 

still a bit more to go though. Such gorgeous colors. 

It’s not part of 100 Days but all the windmill quilt blocks are done and the first 2 rows (of 7) are sewn together. It’s so much prettier in real life where you can see the metallic sparkles.

This will probably go to the quilt guild for donation unless someone claims it beforehand.

100 Days of Cross Stitch

My 100 Days buddy changed her goals today. 

Rachel started out working on her hand-stitched hexagon project but has now switched to cross stitch. 

The center motif makes me think of the teapot in Beauty and the Beast. Anybody else??

Isn’t it pretty?? Love those colors.

Scenes from a long, long drive

They made it! After 12 hours of driving (not counting breaks) Matt and Mary arrived at their temp rental house about 10:30 pm east coast time. 

Now for some much needed rest before the new house closes on Wednesday and the moving van arrives on Thursday. 

100 Days Project + Moving Update

Really and truly done with this Wildflower block, the first finish of 100 Days and the sixth block in the project. 

I thought I was done last night - took it out of the hoop, snapped a picture to celebrate and… realized I hadn’t done any of the little French knot berries. Hooped it back up and finished it off tonight. 

Also started the next block while #6 soaked to remove the water soluble pattern. It looks so different without the white backing!

The packers were at Matt and Mary’s today, boxing everything up (including some things they’d planned to take on the drive. Oops!) 

Most of the furniture is already in the truck and the rest will be loaded in the morning. They may get to start the cross-country drive tomorrow, a day sooner than planned.

I spent the day baking my feelings, making Mary’s favorite cinnamon rolls (the ones that take 8+ hours, as opposed to the faster 4-hour recipe) with her special gluten-free flour. Sent all but 2 home with them to take on the trip after promising Donovan that we’d make another batch - just for us - after mom and dad left tomorrow.

So excited for them and their new adventure, but also 😩😩.

100 Days Project

I’ve been in a creative slump for awhile. I’m blaming it on my craft room being too cold at night - my preferred sewing time - and also on the last grandchild moving across the country. Life is going to be very, very different without little people around, which is sad but also an opportunity. (I’m repeating that several times a day…)

So when I saw The 100 Day Project, I thought ‘hmmm, timely!’ And immediately knew what I wanted to do. It needed to be: portable so it can tag along on trips; flexible so I can do a lot or a little each day; fun so I want to work on it. Bonus that it’s a UFO I really want to finish. 

Part A is embroidery, specifically the Wildflower quilt kit I started back in March 2024 (here). I’d like to learn/practice some new-to-me/renew-my-skills stitches too so Wildflower is a good starting place. Plus, I can finally see close-up again! thanks to last year’s eye surgery and a new pair of up-close glasses. 

Part B is going on a walk everyday, even if it’s just around the block. I’ve gotten badly out of shape (not that I ever exercised much). Being outside, getting some exercise will be good for body, mind and hopefully my sleep schedule. 

Tomorrow is kick off day! Even if I don’t make it the full 100 days, the UFO and I will both be better off than we are today. Win win!

* Judging from past experience, there’s only a slim chance I’ll finish this. Don’t care. It’ll get me moving, with a daily goal, and that’s what I need.