Hand Stitching On Sunday

My poor hexi project has been kind of ignored.  I haven't worked on in for a while.  I've been in sewing and knitting mode with a few self imposed challenges and deadlines.

One evening I added another cream row and used up the fabrics I had cut. I spent some time the other day cutting cream fabrics and finding some blues and grays for the sky. You can see my EQ7 plan here.  This is a long term project because there are too many Christmas projects to get done.

I think in the deep dark winter this will help me look forward to spring.  Until then, I will put it up on the shelf and make a dates with myself to get it out and work on it once in a while.  Do you ever do that?  Mark the calendar with something special just for you?  I think I might do that more often...

Today I'm linking up with Kathy's Quilts Slow Sunday Stitching.

On The Needles

Daughter Crystal has a birthday Monday 

and requested fingerless mittens.

I chose this pattern and Chroma fingering sock yarn from Knit Picks.

She chose this color called forest floor.

I tried to get the stripes to match up but on the third attempt,

I decided if she doesn't like these, I do.

The Jeck socks are coming along nicely. I want to hurry and finish them before the

 Opal Sock Challenge for Soctoberfest starts Monday.

I feel like I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself to get both of these finished before Monday.

Truth is, I'm going to work on the mittens

and ignore the socks.

I must get ready for Soctoberfest.........

 I need to wind my yarn so I can make my socks 2 at a time.

I'm going to use the Circle Socks pattern.

I need the needles the mittens are on to start my Opal socks.

Monday will be here too soon.....

Oh the pressure!!!

I've heard it's going to rain for a few days.....

Perfect cuddle in the chair and knit weather.

I wonder when that's supposed to happen...

Check out Judy L's socks and see

what others have On The Needles here.

Happy Dancing

I'm happy dancing today because 600 flying geese are now 100 units!  I am ready to start working on some 4 and 9 patches for the Hawaiian Sunset 1845 quilt.

See the lone goose in front?  I thought I was one short so I made another one.  Then when I was doing the final pressing and stacking, one unit looked funny.  It has 7 geese...so now there is a lonely little bird.

I think next I will pin these into groups of 4 since that is what goes into each block.  I am so happy with how these turned out.  

I almost forgot to sew yesterday.  The father of these 2 lovelies put in a new sliding glass door for us.  I was pretty busy being Gramma and then when they went home, I kind of collapsed into the recliner for a while.  After dinner, I started knitting and the next thing I know, I'm in bed.  Then I remembered I hadn't sewed yet so I got up and sewed for a few minutes........seriously.  Am I nuts or what! So it's now 27 days of sewing every day!!!

What's next for me today?  The garden......green beans need to be picked and canned.  Good thing I got that sewing out of the way early today.

Design Wall Monday

Hawaiian Sunset 1845---please don't let me get tired of flying geese.  I am so close to the end of these and anxious to start the 9 and 4 patches....so anxious that I have started pulling strips out for them.  Just a few, it's going to take lots more.  I see progress on others and it makes me want to forget about the box of apples and the bucket of green beans I have waiting for me this morning.

And my precious bow ties.....I have 4 more twosies to sew together and then I can get the remaining 4 patches finished.  Daughter Crystal was here the other day and didn't like the way I had them paired up so she rearranged some for me.  She doesn't know it yet but when the 4 patches are laid out, she has to work her magic on them.  

Day 24 of National Sewing Month--I continue on my journey of sewing every day.  I'm quite amazed with myself...I thought I would fizzle out after the first few days but haven't.  Let's hope the mojo sticks around for a few more days. I'm thinking of buying myself a nice prize when I complete the month.  Something special, sewing related of course!

Check out what Judy L has on her wall today and what other fabulous projects are being shown on DWM.

On The Needles

The heel flap is being made on the Jeck socks. I think this might me my new favorite pattern.  I was happily knitting along last night when I came to the dreaded knot in the yarn!  Ugh!  I wanted to continue to match my pattern.  I pulled and pulled and pulled and didn't find the repeat.  I gave up before I had a huge mess in my lap and retied it and kept knitting.  My heels will be different colors and that will make these socks even more fun.

I have to hurry and get them finished though because the Socktoberfest 2012 Opal Challenge will start soon and I caved and bought some Opal yarn from Simply Socks Yarn Company.  And because my wonderful, dear, sweet friend sent me a surprise package of Opal--and she made me cry! So how can I not play along by committing to 2 pair for the month.  I need socks for September and October!!!!  Oh my, the pressure..............

The May socks are coming along nicely.  I spent some recliner time on them to get through the heel and gusset and then put them back in my bag.  I've held down the passenger seat a few times this week and had more time to work on these. I must be getting faster or I'm spending more time knitting than I realize.  That's not such a bad thing, is it???

Check out Judy L's fun sock and see what others have On The Needles.

Families of Geese

It's time for these geese to find their soul mates.  I've always heard that geese mate for life.  I'm kind of the same way......we just celebrated our 40th anniversary so I've been thinking a lot about that.

I know, my mind is kind of quirky sometimes but I'm OK with that.  I have to think things through in my own way. You know what I mean!  And see that little pile of bow tie twosies?  That's all that remains of the twosie leader/ender pile.  Soooo close to making foursies.  And the timer set at 22 minutes........yip, that is still going on. Wonder why I didn't set it for 23 minutes??? 

 The geese units were counted and pinned into sets of 10 as they were finished.  When all 600 were complete (sigh of relief!), I pulled out 20 sets to use as the completer geese.  Then I started sewing them into pairs.  When the 400 geese have found their soul mates, I will start to make a families of 4.

Then I'll make the complete family of 6 using the completers.  You know I had to make 1 family so the rest of the flock will follow.  99 families to go before we can have the family reunion.............

See the extras in the top of the photo?  The goose on the left is single.......the one on the right needs a left wing and will hopefully be needed and the pinks are all that I had leftover.  Funny/not so funny:  I tried sewing 26 wings on without bobbin thread. 26!!!  I'm shocked my machine didn't eat the top thread but it didn't, it let me go on and on and on...

Not too bad for resisting the Hawaiian Sunset  1845 quilt.  And the best news of all???  I have sewn everyday of September as I celebrate National Sewing Month.  Even today before 6:30 am I have had the machine on and sewed 2 seams.  But there will be more sewing later today.  I have families to complete!

Design Wall Monday

After a fabulous weekend Quiltathon, I decided to lay out my bow tie twosies into foursies.  I've been using the twosies for leader/enders all weekend.  I was quite surprised at how many I had put together.  There is still a little stack left so I won't do the final pair up of these until they are finished.  I'm getting quite anxious to sew this into a quilt top, but I'll be patient.

See Judy L's fabulous pink project and other great projects here.  I love Monday in Blogland.

September Quiltathon Final Report

 What a wonderful Quiltathon weekend this was for me.  Even with all the other things going on this weekend, I managed to get so many Hawaiian Sunset flying geese done.  There are 420!  I can't believe it.

I ran out of chunks yesterday so I had to cut more this morning and cut more pink squares.  It's so hard to judge when you aren't counting.  I know I don't have 180 chunks cut but now I'm going to wait until these are done and then I'll just cut what I need.

Thanks Judy L for hosting a great weekend.  Can't wait until next month.  Check Judy's post here to see what others did this weekend.

Quiltathon Day 3

First things first.  

This is my Facebook status for today.

For better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish....

Happy 40th Anniversary to my best friend. 

Up early again this morning.  

Added 70 move geese to the bin.

Sewed the left wings on the remaining chunks.

Now it's time for grand kiddos soccer games 

and picnic lunch.

Quiltathon Day 2

Quiltathon Day 2 started early for me.  I have a dr. appt this morning so I decided to go into the sewing room and finish up the flock of geese that I never returned to yesterday.  There were 93 geese in that pile.

As of 7:30 this morning, I have a total of 240 geese and 3 more to start the next flock with.  See those scissors on the right side there?  Those are Karen Kay Buckley Perfect Scissors. On QuiltCam the other night, Bonnie Hunter was saying how great they are and let me tell you, they are!!!  I am so glad I ordered them.  I think I have finally found the perfect scissors! 

I'm linking up with Judy L's progress post here.  I'll be back later.

6:30 pm   

Dr appt. went well.  No more sewing has gone on yet.  Had a great visit with daughter DeeDee.  Not too often does she get to come out on a weekday.  Then dinner went into the oven and while it was cooking, more pink strips were cut to make squares.  Then a few more strips of goose fabric was chunked up and added to the pile.  I think I'm real close to the 600 needed if I guesstimated right.  I'm not going to cut any more until I get all those chunks turned into geese just to see how close I am.  I love to play simple, silly games with myself.

Now that dinner is over, I'm going to head in and sew for just a while.  I'll tell you about that later.

Oh, and my National Sewing Month goal to sew every day???  I haven't missed a day!  That makes me happy.  

On The Needles

 I finished the Baby Beanie. 

Quick, easy and cute.

I did modify the little top knot.

I made a 4 stitch i-cord instead of following the pattern directions.

I got past half way on this scarf.  

It won't be a hooded scarf.

I don't want the wearer to look like a skunk.

So she will be able to wrap this scarf instead.

See that gob of black yarn on the left?

This is what I really dislike about this huge skein.

Too many times, big gobs have to be untangled.

I won't be buying huge skeins again.

Blurry picture of my to go sock.

Weekend runarounds make it possible to knit quite a bit.

Now I will settle down in my recliner to get the heel turned

and the gusset knitted before it goes back into my bag.

I need to put another project in there for this weekend.

You know, just in case we have to go somewhere!

See other On The Needles posts by visiting Judy L at Patchwork Times.

September Quiltathon

Judy L at Patchwork Times is hosting a Quiltathon.  I love a good Quiltathon!  And she is posting progress updates throughout the day.  That sounds fun.

So here is my sewing table.  Grey's Anatomy is on the tablet.  I'm making scrappy flying geese for the Hawaiian Sunset quilt.  In the background you can see my bow tie twosies that I'm using for l/e.

I had 83 finished this morning before I started sewing.  I now have 151 complete.  I'm having a gooseathon instead of a quiltathon.  LOL........sometimes I crack myself up!

This pile is waiting for pressing and trimming and the second side sewn on.  I have no clue how many are here.  From the looks of my pink squares pile, I'm going to have to cut more.

But first.......I have a load of laundry to hang out, I am going on a short walk about and then fix some lunch.  Then I better dance with the vacuum cleaner before I go back and sew.

3:30  hung out clothes, went for short walk, ate lunch, napped   :0)  Hubster just got home from work......he's gonna want dinner.

Peer Pressure

Look Angela, I started Hawaiian Sunset 1845.

If you are being weighted down by peer pressure,

(or if you are like me and fell in love with this quilt)

you can order your own digital copy of 

Quilter's Newsletter right here. 

The pattern starts on page 56.

Do I blame Jo of Jo's Country Junction?

That's where I first saw the picture and fell in love with it.

Do I blame Angela of soscrappy?

Because on August 29th she posts 3 blog posts about this quilt?

And because she is constantly goading me to start?  

What about Amy of Amy's Passions.  

She showing her cute little 4 and 9 patches.

And so many others are making this great quilt

What's a follower to do?

She orders her own digital copy of the magazine.

Work like a crazy woman to get a few things sewn up 

and then start making a few flying geese.

You know, just to see if they will be cute or not!

Of course they are cute!

So now I need to cut more pink squares 

and more geese bodies.

And find some great pieces of fabric for cute little 4 patches and 9 patches.

~~~~~Oh the pressure~~~~~

Just kidding!

I love this quilt and had planned to make it someday.

I just didn't think it would be now.

NSM-Day 10

On my weekend list of sewing projects (that was interrupted several times) was the BOM for the Carol Doak Yahoo group.  Today was the day it made it to the top of the list.  The pages were already printed, the fabric is in it's own tote so everything was ready to start cutting the fabric pieces.  I love that Carol figures out the sizes of the fabrics for us.

After cutting, numbering and stacking, I was ready to sew, press, trim and pretty quick another cool block was placed with the others.

Day 10 of National Sewing Month is another huge success.  The bow tie blocks are finished.  They are now in the process of becoming twosies.  The final Sow-A-Long block is complete.  Next up on my list is to work on this month's UFO.

Design Wall Monday

National Sewing Month has really put a bee in my bonnet.  I have been sewing up a storm!  Day 9 had me up early to work on my Sow-A-Long blocks.  So far, each day has me sewing on something.  That's a good thing.

After the corn was finished yesterday, I went right back to work.  I only have 1 block left to make before the new ones are posted.  I have a plan for the pink and brown blocks that will use 50 blocks.  We have 47 so far. I'll make the scrappy version until she is finished posting blocks.

And this is part of the final set of 10 bow tie leader/ender blocks.  I have 4 more to finish and then I'll start pairing them up into twosies.  I have 72 blocks that need to be made into 4 patches. Then the real fun begins with the layout of the quilt top.  

Visit Judy L today to see her absolutely adorable quilt top and what others are working on.  I love Monday in Blogland!

Corny Day

This morning I got up early so I could go in and sew before Ernie got up.  I knew once he was up and the paper was read, we were going to go.  He needed to go to the shop at work and I wanted to go shop at Walmart for a couple pair of jeans.  So after breakfast, off we went.

On the normal way home, he saw a sign for fresh corn, asked if I wanted some and of course I did.  We got our 80 ears of corn and decided to take a different way home.  I haven't been the "back" way for a long time.  So much has changed, lots of new fancy houses dot the old farmlands.  Saw some fabulous vegetable gardens and beautiful flower gardens. 

Once home, we got to work.  I loaded all the bags of corn into my big yellow wagon.  Then we pulled up a garbage can and a couple chairs and started husking.  Doug, Lacey and baby Estella stopped by so Gramma had to hold Stellie and Doug and Lacey took over husking.  Pretty smart on my part! Then they left.....before the real work started.  But it was nice to visit with them.  I don't see my son often enough.

So Ernie set up the outside kitchen.  The turkey fryer is filled with water and boiling to blanch the corn, the canner kettle is filled (and refilled several times) with cold water and ice.  The the corn cutting begins.  Under the green towel is where I dump the corn when the dishes were full.

When the first tub is full, I bring it in the house and start bagging it into gallon freezer bags.  When we want corn for dinner, I just break off a hunk and cook it.  Works for me and saves bags.

We ended up with 16 bags in the freezer. I figure there are at least 4 dinners in each bag for the 2 of us--each bag has 6-7 cups of corn--so 64 dinners......corn once a week or so.  We are all set!  
The chickens will get the cobs.  The deer can eat the husks. We all win.

Oh, and see those pop-cycles?  Those are blackberry smoothie pop-cycles.  The kiddos picked me some blackberries the other day and I promised to make pop-cycles with them.  They turned out delicious.  See that half eaten one???  Those are too big for little boys.  I need to make some smaller ones.

NSM Day 8

I got up super early this morning feeling great.  Maybe I have licked this cold-well mostly.  I worked on finishing up the Pineapple Crazy blocks.  15 done, 209 to go.

Then I started on my Sow-A-Long blocks from Barrister's Block.  And the pink and brown block is ready with all the triangles made and trimmed.  They just need to be sewn together.  1 done, 5 to go to be caught up--I'm making 2 of each block.  I'm thinking about working up a design in EQ7 to use the pink and brown blocks to make a smaller quilt.

A funny:  Today we took a nice drive to get tractor parts.  Ernie asked what I was sewing on this morning.  So I started telling him about National Sewing Month and that I want to celebrate by sewing every day.  His response:  "Why would ANYONE want to do that?"  That made me laugh!  I told him it was kind of like hunting season.  I think he might understand now.

NSM-Days 5, 6 & 7

So far, so good.  I've sewn every day of National Sewing Month.  Wednesday I finished the greens and cut the cream fabrics. Thursday I stitched around the templates and today I stitched the row together.  It's still early enough that maybe I will get the row sewn on.  Maybe.

I'm hoping the weekend will be spent with the sewing machine.  The cold is on it's way out, I'm starting to feel human again.  Human enough that I actually did some housework, laundry and cooked today.  Is that a good sign?

On The Needles

Not much yarn fondling this week.  

I spent most of my recliner time napping under a quilt. 

Crazy, nasty cold!

I did knit a few rows on the Baby Beanie.

I did not touch my Jeck socks.

I did order this book from Amazon.

I have not given up on making myself a sweater.

I made myself a sweater once.  

It was big enough to cover the house.

I took it all apart.

I made myself a shawl instead.

I love my shawl.

I am wearing it right now.

What's on your needles?

Check out Judy's socks and other needled projects here.

NSM-Day 4

Is it just me thinking that it's impossible to be night time on the 4th of September already?  Goodness!

Today I spent most of the day in the recliner snoozing off and on.  My precious grands visited the other day with their nasty noses and left enough stuff here for Gramma now have a nasty nose.

This evening I decided if I didn't sew on my hexis, nothing would get sewn today.  Ernie left for a meeting, I got out my bin and got busy.  I only have the last 6 greens to attach and can start making the creams for the mid section.  It's fun to have a plan for this old UFO.

NSM-Day 3

Today's National Sewing Month report doesn't seem like much but gosh, these little 5" pineapple blocks take some serious time to make.  That is not a complaint, not at all. I love doing them.  These 8 blocks need 2 more rounds each.

Before I started sewing, I trimmed up the quilt as you go string blocks that I wrote about this morning and I found the perfect greens for the hexagon project.  So those all 3 projects have moved forward today.  Yeah me!

I would love to go in and crash in the recliner but stupid rasslin' is on and I can't stand it, so I'm going to sew for a while longer.  Maybe Bonnie will have quilt cam going and I can sew with friends tonight.

Design Wall Monday

Sometimes I have too many irons in the fire. Like right now. I should settle down with one project and work it through but I know I won't.  If I could do that, I wouldn't have a stack of UFOs, of ongoing projects or any hand sewing projects. And besides, that would not be fun.

These are my 8 Pineapple Crazy blocks I am working on right now. I want to get myself so I am working in groups of 10, these are blocks 8 through 15.  I started out just making 2 to see if I really wanted to do this.  After these, I'll do 5 more, then I can start my group of 10 at a time.  Groups of 10 blocks pinned together make the counting and keeping track so simple.

This is my September UFO for the 2012 UFO Challenge.  I started this one February 2011.  I have a stack of blocks to trim and I think I'll make a few more to make this a nice sized couch quilt.

And I am working on this wall hanging. I need to get out my green scrap box and find 4 good pieces to complete the ground section.  Then I can start on the 76 off white pieces for the middle section.  

Never a dull moment in my sewing room!  How about your's? What's on your design wall? See others at Patchwork Times.  I love Monday in Blogland! 

National Sewing Month-Day 2

Not much sewing time today.  I managed to add 6 more pieces to 8 of my Pineapple Crazy blocks.

Grandkiddos stayed with us while their mommy and daddy went on a date.  I was able to sneak in a few minutes of sewing time while baby napped and the other 3 were having quiet time while watching a movie with Poppy  .  It wasn't very quiet.  There was lots of chatting and laughing.  It was awesome!

Hand Stitching On Sunday

Back in the olden days when I was still working, I was able to sew, stitch, knit, crochet, read, whatever if my work was all done.  I worked as a scale master in a rock pit so certain times of the year we were so busy I couldn't think and other times I just had to be there. I cannot be bored so I always had something to do.  I loved that my bosses were always interested (or pretended to be) in what I was doing.

One of the projects I worked on was hand stitching this hexagon quilt using plastic templates called Quilt Patis. (Julie at JayBird Quilts has an excellent tutorial on using these.)  This is still one of my favorite quilts.   I remember I wanted to make a small quilt just to see if I liked the working with these things.  I used up old fabrics that I didn't want for anything else.  I still love this quilt!

The other morning at 0 dark 30, I woke up thinking about a project I had started several years ago. I have never counted this as a UFO because I completely forgot about it. After finding it, I remembered I had planned to use these green hexagons in a vest.  I don't know what I was thinking because I have never been a vest wearer. So now a new plan is happening.

I started thinking of a wall hanging and the next thing I knew, I had it drawn out in EQ7 and couldn't wait to get started.  I thought I would replace some of the teals with truer greens but I've decided to leave them in.  I have several sizes of Quilt Patis and will make all the applique flowers from hexagons.  This coming from a person that wasn't going to do any more hexagons!

A few more greens to be sewn on and I can move on to the creams and blues. This is going to be so much fun!

See Kathy's fabulous project and check out what others are showing at Kathy's Hand Stitching on Sunday link party.

National Sewing Month-Day 1

September is National Sewing Month.  Isn't it fabulous that we have a whole month to celebrate what we love to do.  I've loved to sew since I was 6 years old.  I cannot remember a time in my life when sewing wasn't at the forefront.

I'm going to celebrate National Sewing Month by trying my best to sew every day.  Today I have just a little bit of time so I thought it would be fun to start my next batch of Pineapple Crazy blocks.  I'm off to a good start on these using little crumb bits for the centers.

Now I'm going to put my pjs on and maybe knit for a while.