Chain Link top finished

I finished off my chain link quilt top this week. It has been trimmed now...I should have done that before this picture was taken...  It should be close to single bed size but I am open to adding a border using the background fabric if it isn't. I like the way the coloured chains stand out on the dark background.  

I added more stitches to my perforated paper cross stitch picture.  The paper is stiff which makes it easy to hold and stitch.  I find the needle will fall back through the hole when I am coming up from the back so I have to make sure I keep it from doing this as I stitch. I hope to work on this tonight and tomorrow for Slow Sunday Stitching. 

My husband was away for the day today so I was on Finn duty.  It was a sunny but cold day today.  He loves to be outside in the sunshine so I got lots of reading done while he basked in the sunshine.  I was wearing my winter coat...  

Angela announced that the Rainbow Scrap Challenge colour for April is pink.  I dug out my pink scrap bin and cut out my squares and triangles for my projects at the kitchen counter while Finn supervised.  I still need to cut the background fabrics and then I can make my blocks. 

Finn is vigilant in his supervisory role.  Heaven forbid that I leave his sight. 

I checked the backyard gardens today and saw that the pink hellebore is starting to bloom. This plant came from my MIL's garden. I had one yellow crocus in bloom too but did not get a picture.  I need to plant more crocuses next fall.  Mine have almost all disappeared--perhaps the squirrels thought they were snack food. 

The daffodils are up and have buds.  We will need a bit of warm weather to get them to bloom. 

I made one more poppy for the Legion this week.  I am going to use up the red yarn that I have and then move on to making placemats for Meals on Wheels.  I hope to make 12 of those again this year. 

 I will link up with Kathy, Angela and Frederique.  

Assembling a Quilt Top and a New Cross Stitch Project

I received this cross stitch kit from a friend for Christmas...this is the first time I have cross stitched on perforated paper.  I had to sort all the threads out first before starting to stitch.  It doesn't look like much yet.   

I have made two knitted poppies for the Remembrance Day project.  Others have made dozens...don't forget I am a very slow knitter!

I have fabrics picked out for another Folk Art Doll.  I hope to get this cut out this weekend and sew it next week. 

I decided to add 2.5" sashing between my chain link blocks.  I tweaked the layout on the design wall and set to work adding sashing and corners.  The diagonal rows are sewn together.  The setting triangles are cut out and just needed to be added before I sew the rows together.  It should not take too long to do this. I am aiming for a single bed sized quilt.  I will have to see if I need a border after this part is together. 

I started reading the latest 44 Scotland Street series book this week.  I have enjoyed this series and its quirky characters. 

Finn finds his bed a very comfy place to nap.  He loves a fluffy blanket. 

Our local ice cream place opened this past week so we took a trip over to sample their wares.  Finn is a big fan of a trip to Shaw's.  He had a very small amount of vanilla ice cream in that big bowl.  You would not have known that there was ever ice cream in the bowl when he was done!

You know Spring is almost here when Shaw's is open for the season!

I will link up with Kathy and the Slow Sunday Stitchers as well as Frederique. 

Two Retreats in a Row

 Yes... Christine and I were at quilting retreats two weekends in a row! I had a second set of projects lined up to take to our annual Spring Oxford Guild retreat before the Camp Kintail retreat.  The truth is that I could go on even more retreats and still come up with projects to work on.  Christine is in the same boat!

I finished up my chain link blocks for the vice president's challenge--I have decided to set them on point but have not decided if I want to add sashing or not before sewing them together.  I will have to audition sashing later.   

As you can see, Finn is very willing to help model my quilt blocks, often artfully rearranging them along the way. 

Next, I worked on my red Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks for March.  I put them on the floor for a photo this am and, again, Finn was there to help. 

I sewed the binding on my scrappy baby quilt and got it sewn down by hand at the retreat.  I still need to add a label.   The backing was purchased at an estate sale. 

I started my 12 Green Bottles Quilt, a Threadhouse Academy class with Jo Avery, at the November guild retreat and have not worked on it since then.  I find I need a good chunk of time and lots of space to work on this quilt as I audition colours for each part.  The first picture is going to be the centre block.  I hope to finish it soon.  

This is one of the borders on a corner section. 

As you can see, I have two corner blocks done and two more started.  I was pleased with the progress I made at the retreat.  Our guild is having a quilt show in the spring of 2027 and I hope to have this quilt done in time for the show. 

I will be linking up with the Slow Sunday Stitchers on Sunday morning, with Angela and the RSC group on Saturday and with Frederique too. 

Kintail Retreat Report

 Christine and I spent last weekend at Camp Kintail at the crafter's retreat.  Others were making paper crafts, scrapbooks, knitting and painting. Four participants were quilting.   It's always fun to see what everyone is making. The food and snacks were plentiful and tasty too. 

My first project was an open wide zipper pouch that I had started at home. This one may just stay here for me to use.  This project was a good place to use the large scale print that I loved but would not be good to cut up into smaller pieces 

Next, I made two rainbow scrap challenge blocks.  Yes, I have started a 4th RSC quilt for this year...  All of the blocks I am making are made from squares and HST's.  This newest block was inspired by one I saw on Facebook. I'm going to match the dots in the background fabric to the scrap colour.  This month's colour is red.  I will be working on my red blocks next. 

Every year, the VP of the Oxford Guild hosts a VP quilt day--she chooses the pattern and everyone makes the same quilt with their own fabric choices.  I had a solid jelly roll and the dark gray background fabric in my stash.  The VP day was on Saturday while we were at the retreat so both Christine and I worked on our blocks on Saturday while the others were sewing at our guild meeting place.  I made 14/20 blocks at the retreat and will work on the rest this weekend. 

Christine's big project for the weekend was a queen sized quilt top that had been aging for a while in her sewing room as a bag of fabrics...  She finished the top and will now be looking for a backing and a long armer.  There are lots of lovely low volume fabrics in this quilt top.

I made this scrappy quilt top at the last Kintail retreat and quilted it at this retreat.  I have found some binding in my stash and will get that attached and sewn down soon. 

Finn has come to stay at our house for his annual Spring visit while our daughter is busy at work.  He held the quilt top down while I cut the batting before the retreat.   He is very helpful. 

I added some more hand quilting to my pineapple quilt at the retreat as well. I need to get back to working on this one on a regular basis if I want to finish it...

Finn has been keeping us entertained and supervised...

I made him some banana, peanut butter and yoghurt "Pawsicles" this week.  These are a big hit!

In my "spare" time, I am knitting poppies for a Remembrance Day display in Ingersoll where the quilt guild meets.  I found red and black yarn in my stash and started on my first poppy...  we have already established that I am not the fastest knitter so don't hold your breath waiting to see a large pile of completed poppies next week. 

I finished my second Folk Art Critter--a rabbit this time.  I gave this cute bunny to my daughter for Easter.  It is sitting on her bookshelf.  I hope to make some more critters soon. 

 I will link up with Kathy and the Slow Sunday Stitchers,  Angela and the RSC folks and Frederique this weekend.  

My Bluebird of Happiness!

As I have said previously, I signed up for a year of Threadhouse Academy classes this year and have been working away at several, but not all of the projects.  This month's project is Folk Art Dolls taught by Jo Avery.  They are too cute to resist so I decided to make a bird first.   I used a piece of felted wool for the beak and hand stitched it down with pearl cotton blanket stitches.  I embroidered the eyes and the X's as well as the fly stitches on the body. The legs, feet, and wings also have some hand stitching.  The pieces are quite small, so its a bit fiddly to get everything put together and stitched but I am delighted with the finished bird.  The fabrics are all from the Fablism line of wovens.  You can see they have a tendency to fray... but I managed to get the project put together neatly. 

I'm calling him the "Bluebird of Happiness!"  

I've started a second critter but you will have to wait until next week to see it. There are lots of pieces to keep track of...

I finished off the cross stitching on my Funky Rooster this week and hope to get it assembled next week. I have some felt to use for the beak and waddle.  I plan on putting my name and the date on the blank section in the middle. 

We had a really weird thunder ice storm this past week.  The ground was covered in ice balls the next morning.  They were all melted away by the end of the day. They sure made a lot of racket when they were being lashed upon us from above!

Finn had a haircut this week.  Here are  the before and after pictures. 

I will link up with Kathy and Frederique again this week.  Happy stitching!