Saturday, January 6, 2024

Stitching Everyday!

Kathy, our Slow Sunday Stitching organizer and cheerleader, keeps a journal/calendar where she documents what she sews/knits etc.  each day.  I decided I would track my stitching activities each day this year on a wall calendar which I will keep in my sewing room. So far, I have stitched and/or knitted every day this year!  We will see how this goes.  I don't have a goal of how many days each week I want to stitch--I'm just going to track my activities.  


I added more stitches to my counted cross stitch Christmas project.  This will continue to be my winter stitching. I have actually added more of the purple borders already and will be working on a reindeer next--to the right of the wreath. 

Christine and I got together to sew on Friday and I put my Rainbow Scrap Challenge pineapple log cabin blocks together.  I had to use a lot of pins to keep all of the seams matched up.  The seams are pressed open because each block is foundation pieced on fabric so there are lots of layers.  I'm not sure how I'm going to quilt this yet. 



I added the new binding to my daughter's quilt and noticed that the batting is getting a bit bunchy--this quilt has been washed many times.  My daughter loves how soft it feels and doesn't care about bunchy batting. The new binding is a light blue Kona cotton and should be more durable than the flannel binding that I took off.  It is the same colour as the previous binding.  I got three sides of the hand stitching done in the car when we took Finn and our daughter home after the holidays.  The quilt is at her place and I will finish the hand stitching when I am there in February to visit.  I also repaired a few small holes and covered a larger area of wear on the back of the quilt with a new piece of flannel. 






The moose hat is done and my husband wore it today when we went for a walk.  I like how the crown of the hat swirls into the middle. (This picture was taken before I worked all the yarn ends in). The hat goes well with his navy blue coat as you can see in the second picture. 



I took a zoom class today with Maria Shell on Half Circles and Lines.  Here is my fabric pull for the class.  The dotty fabric is leftover from two RSC quilt backings.  I only have a 5" strip of it left--enough to inspire the colours I chose for this quilt.  Maria showed us how to piece an improv half circle into a block.  I have done lots of quarter circles in Drunkard's Path blocks but never a half circle.  Her tips and tricks made it fairly easy.  I made three blocks during the class.  There are other types of blocks that she showed us in the class so I will be making more to add to this collection.  It will eventually become a quilt.  (I have not trimmed the blocks yet, so, yes, they look a bit wonky.)




I got a new iron for Christmas and it matches one of the fabrics I used today in my class!  My old iron bit the dust in November so I sent a note to Santa requesting a new iron. 


Finn is up to his usual displays of cuteness.  Belly rubs?  Yes please!


Finn is sitting on the quilt I made him for his first Christmas.  He often lies on it while my daughter is working. 


My daughter ordered herself a sweatshirt with a picture of Finn. (short for Findley). She had to send a photo in and then they made the image for the shirt.  She had shirts made for her two cousins with pictures of their two dogs and cat on their shirts.  Very cute!


I will link up with the RSC group and with the Slow Sunday Stitchers.  Happy New Year!

13 comments:

  1. The moose hat turned out great! Your husband is lucky he married such a talented, giving gal! Glad to hear you've managed to quilt every day this year so far. I find I'm so much easier to get along with when I sew at least 30 mins/day. We sure eat better when I sew -- I actually feel inspired to make "fun" meals then!

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  2. Your pineapple log cabin blocks are stunning, Gail. I love old, well used squishy squashy quilts, even though they are threadbare in places. There is something about well loved quilts. Your husband's hat is terrific. A lovely finish. Gorgeous colours and fabulous pattern. Those circles look fascinating and as for Finn's image on your daughter's T-shirt...so adorable.

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  3. Your pineapple blocks are stunning! Such fun with the circle class. Curves can be so tricky.

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  4. You are busy on so many lovely things I love the hat! what a great idea to have Finn printed on a sweatshirt he is so cute. Have a great Sunday.

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  5. I love the Finn shirt idea. I will have to keep this in mind for my SIL. The hat you made for your husband is gorgeous. It looks so warm. I started keeping a journal of my stitching on a free monthly planner I got in the mail. Sadly, I have had several days with no stitching so far. Totally unacceptable. I love your pineapple log cabin quilt and your pretty cross-stitch. Happy stitching!

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  6. Those RSC blocks are so beautiful with that smokey dark background. The hat is beautiful.

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  7. I like how that hat swirls in the middle too I wish I could knit that well. I just don't spend enough time on it to learn

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  8. Lovely projects! I love this cross-stitch embroidery, pretty colors. Your pineapples are stunning, as are your half circles. Cut knitted hat, and printed sweatshirt!
    Thank you for sharing, and Happy New Year ;)

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  9. Your husband's hat turned out beautifully, Gail! I bet he'll get a lot of use out of it. I love your pineapple quilt top, too - such a pretty and colorful design. Happy stitching today!

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  10. I love your husband's hat! Great work on the pineapple quilt top, and love your daughter's sweatshirt with Finn on it! He is always so adorable. Happy stitching!

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  11. Your hubby's hat is cute and looks great with his coat. And I'm impressed with the pineapple quilt

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  12. Very much enjoyed reading this post, Gail. So many lovely projects esp. that pineapple one and I think that knitted hat is stellar. I have the same iron and I go through them somehow. Finn is a sweetheart and how nice he loves his quilty gift.

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  13. Nice work on the pineapple blocks! I like the gray used for the background! Finn is so cute and cuddly!

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