2013 Year in Review

     2013 has been a year of ups and downs, joys and sorrows and goodbyes. I was amazed at how much I accomplished in both stitching and quilting during the year.  I hope you enjoy the photo journey!

Stitching

A&E - The Scarlett House

Arabella Graves - Traveling  Stitcher

Bird in Bough - Scarlet Letter

Butternut Tavern - Stacy Nash

Emma Miles - Scarlet Letter

Garden Glade - Carriage House Samplings

Needleworker - Little House Needleworks

Strawberry Marking Sampler - Handwork Samplers

Summer at Hollyberry Farm - Stacy Nash

Quilting

Amaryllis Tablerunner

Fa-La-La - Fig Tree Wheels pattern

Field Study - Tula Pink

French General BOM

Fresh Mini Club

Love - Tula Pink

Civil War Era Tumblers Tablerunner

Goodbyes

Janet Lea Thompson

May 21, 1952 - May 23, 2013

Rest in Peace Sweet Pea

Emma

April 26, 2008 - July 26, 2008

May All the Joys of the Season Be Yours

         I hope despite the hustle and bustle of  the Season you've had some time to relax with your needles.. I found time to celebrate the Season in both stitching and quilting. Threadwork Primitives has become my 'new' favorite designers. Here is one of  her designs finished and waiting for me to decide what type of finishing technique to use for the finished finish.

Beggars' Christmas - Threadwork Primitives 

      I've kept the Bernina humming in order to finish up my Fa-La-La quilt top. I used fabrics from Kate Spain and Jan Shade Beach collections. The pattern is Wheels by Fig Tree & Co.

Fa-La-La

      I celebrated a milestone birthday since my last blog post. On the 6th of December I turned 60! A very special thank you to two very special friends for remembering me on my special day and spoiling me with lovely birthday presents. Thank you Margaret and Nicola for making my day extra special. Owen thanks Margaret too... for including a gift for him!

 

During this Season of Peace

May Your Home be Filled with Joy

Arabella

     I loved every minute of stitching on Arabella S. Graves. It was my first project stitched on Lakeside Linen's 52/64 ct. unevenweave linen and it won't be the last. I can't wait to get my package from The Attic with the linen and Tudor Silks to stitch Scarlet Lettter's Ann Thompson.

     If you've been reluctant to try the 52/64 ct. unevenweave linen... give it a try. You won't be disappointed. If you can stitch on 40 ct. linen you can stitch on the higher count unevenweave linen. I had difficulty using the sewing method on the 45 ct. linen, my preferred method of stitching, but had no problems using the sewing method on the 52/64 ct. linen. Go ahead... you know you want to give it a try!!!

Arabella S. Graves 1862 - Traveling Stitcher 

 

 

      I was very happy to put the final stitches onto Summer at Hollyberry Farm this past week. A wonderful piece to add to my Americana collection of stitchery. Thanks Stacy Nash for your wonderful design!

Summer at Hollyberry Farm - Stacy Nash Primitives

     I also added another small piece to the "To Be Finished' pile.

Noel House - Chessie & Me

     I've been busy this weekend stitching an ornament for our Guild's Christmas Party Ornament Exchange. I'll make sure to take a photo and include it in my next blog post. I want to keep it a 'secret' until after the party.

     I think my little man is dreaming of the perfect gift he'd like to receive from Santa this year. His throne chair is already decked out for the holidays!

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving

Finally... the Promised Quilt Post

      In no particular order I present you with my current quilts in progress and my finished quilt tops. I took a three year hiatus from quilt making. In March 2013 I went to a Tula Pink presentation at Olive Juice Quilt Shop in Onalaska, WI. That was the jumpstart I needed to dust off the Bernina and get back to piecing those quilt blocks.

      The first quilt top to be completed was Tula Pink's Field Study.

Field Study - Tula Pink

Next up... my French General BOM that still needs the narrow and wider border applied.

French General BOM

Love - Tula Pink

I picked up these lovely Civil War Repro pre-cut 2" tumblers at the Quilt Expo in Madison, WI. It's going to make a lovely tablerunner.

Civil War Repro Tumbler Tablerunner

I splurged on some quilt classes on Craftsy. I took the Wheels pattern from the Simple Fresh Quilts - Fig Tree class and started my FaLaLa Quilt with fabrics from Kate Spain's collections.

FaLaLa - Fig Tree

Who doesn't love a good Block of the Month??? If you don't already know about Homestead Hearth's Special Programs.... clink on the link at your own risk. Their BOMs are addictive.

Recently I received the first packet of patterns and fabrics for Hampton Ridge. We're using the Single Star papers for the HSTs. Perfect HSTs every time!

Hampton Ridge BOM - Homestead Hearth

      It's been a lot of fun selecting and piecing the blocks for the City Sampler quilt from Tula Pink's book. Here's a selection of blocks completed. I'm half way through the project. Just 50 more blocks to piece!

City Sampler - Tula Pink

      A young woman who grew up in the area, worked at the local quilt shop since her teens and is now the Manager of Pine Needles Quilt Shop in Rochester, MN, has also started designing modern quilts.
Megan, of Canoe Ridge Creations, started the Fresh Mini  Quilt Club last year. I learned about her Club recently and was in time to join the Fresh Mini Quilt Club Two. Here's my first mini quilt.

Fresh Mini Quilt Club - Canoe Ridge Creations

     I'm sure I'm missing a quilt project or two. But we'll get you all caught up eventually. Owen's ready for me to take him for a walk!

New Beginnings

      Welcome to my new blog!  I've been keeping myself busy with gardening, stitching, quilting and reading these past few months. Owen has been enjoying his 'solo' dog status and his personality has blossomed with all my attention focused on him. We're both trying to get into better shape with long, sometimes very long, morning walks. The cooler temperatures had been a blessing and we both have more bounce in our steps lately.

     I thought I'd catch you up on what's been in my stitching basket - which projects have been completed and how many new projects I've started! Next time I'll get you all caught up on my quilting projects.... of which there have been many. I almost have as many quilting WIPs as I do stitching WIPs now.

     I've worked on more 'small' projects lately.

Betsy's House - Plum Street Samplers

Glory House - Chessie & Me

The Strawberry Marking Sampler - Handwork Samplers

A Red Cottage - Plum Street Samplers

Her Majesty - Blackbird Designs

 

 

Butternut Tavern - Stacy Nash Primitive - 40 ct. Lakeside Pear linen - GAST

The Garden Glade - Carriage House Samplings - 40 ct. Lakeside Vintage Bluegrass - Various hand-dyed silks

A Valentine's Stocking - Complimentary Design from Plum Street Samplers

A Lady's Trimkeep & Companion - Plum Street Samplers

A&E Scissors Fob Design - Dianne Stokesberry - MRSG 

      As you've already probably realized - I'm a big fan of  Plum Street Samplers. Paulette has hit the ball out of the park with so many of her new designs.  I have finished the 'stitching' on these small designs but I have yet to finish the 'finishing' on these projects. So stay tuned... I hope it won't be too long before I'll be posting photos of my finished finishes.

      The projects currently in my stitching basket:

Summer at Hollyberry Farm - Stacy Nash Primitives - 40 ct. Vanilla Double Dip linen - GAST

A Yuletide Welcome - Plum Street Samplers

Arabella S. Graves - The Traveling Stitcher - 50 ct. Lakeside Meadow Rule - Tudor Silk

All this stitching just wears a poor pup out!

      Thank you for visiting my blog today. I hope you'll return again to find out what quilt projects I've been working out in the past few months.