"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer 29:11 (NIV)

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

My Day on the Stitch It and Gift It Blog Hop

Today's the day for my post for the Stitch It and Gift It blog hop.

I've been working on getting a bunch of teddy bears made from shirts that had belonged to the father-in-law of my adopted niece.  And of course there is material and pieces left over from the shirts that are used in the bears.  The shirt plackets are one of the sections that didn't work in the bear.

I wanted to make something for his widow, so I decided to make a pillow using the plackets to give to my niece (or her MIL).  First layout was with space between the plackets to see how that looked.










The second layout, and the one I ended up keeping, had the plackets right next to each other.  The plackets are pinned down as I weave them so that they don't shift.

Once all pinned, then I straight stitch along each side of the plackets to hold them in place on the finished pillow.




Final layout of the pillow with one of shirt pockets added in the upper corner added for a bit of pizzazz.


















I've also made a pincushion using the same technique using the plackets from just a single shirt.  This will end up as a gift for some quilting friend at some point.

Check out what the rest of the hoppers are making to give today.



Wednesday, November 13th


Gratitudes:

1. For being able to bless others with what God has given to me.

2. For the food that I have to eat.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Stitch It and Gift It blog hop starts today




The Stitch It and Gift It blog hop starts today.  Below is the schedule for the hop.   Stop by and check out the gifts that everyone are working on!   Thanks go to Carla at Creatin' in the Sticks for the blog hop because she did all the work to set it up.

See below for the blog hop schedule this week.  Click on the links to see what kind of gifts everyone has been working on.

Monday, November 11th



Tuesday, November 12th

Wednesday, November 13th



Thursday, November 14th


Friday, November 15th
Seams To Be Sew
Ms P Designs USA
Just Because Quilts
Inquiring Quilter
Susie’s World
Creatin' in the Sticks

Gratitudes:

1. For safety in my daily commute

2. For my parents safe travels

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Stretching Art 2020 - Community

It's that time again when the new Stretching Art Challenge theme has been given out.   And this year's theme is "Community".  there are two main definitions for "community" on the internet - the first is "a group of people living in the same place or having a specific characteristic in common", and the second is "a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals".   It will be interesting incorporating those ideas into my piece.

 While going through the tote with all of the panels in it, I found two batik panels.   The first one was this figure of a woman.  I'm sure someone gave it to me but don't have any clue now who it would have been. 

It isn't my usual type of subject for sure.   But I did think about using it as the basis of my challenge piece.   Thinking of it as an homage to all of the women in my life past, present and future.   However, it really isn't my type, so I've decided to just list it for sale.
The second batik panel that I found was given to me by a friend who had been a missionary to Papua New Guinea with her husband.   this panel was one of the things that she brought back to me when they moved back.

I'm going to use this as the center point of my challenge piece.   I'll have to do some piecing of a border for it to get it up to the correct size (18" wide by 36" tall), but that will be easy.   Not so easy is deciding what colors to make the border for it.   Ideas?

I've got an idea of how this panel (the birds are the national birds of Papua) fits into the theme.    So I'm happy that I'm well into planning for my quilt for the challenge..........I need that this year.





Gratitudes:

1. Finding the panel in my stash that will work with the theme

2. For my brother, tho he is no longer here, my life is forever richer for him having been a part of it for 19 yrs.

Oct 10 Update

A mixed bag this week - some sewing and some sorting & cleaning happened this week.

First up was finishing this UFO.  Center part is cross-stitched and then sewn onto a fabric 'quilt'.


















Scraps were used for the backing and binding.



 Teddy bear #7 has been completed.   I'm thinking of using the collar on the bear.  Have been told tho that if I do, then he needs a bowtie to complete the look.   Hmmm, gotta think about that.


 My last creation for the week was this wool ornament.  Still need to add a ribbon hanger, but I think it turned out well.
Also started this week was updating the UFO pages of my quilt tracking spreadsheet, something I try to do once a year for the sheets in it that I don't use frequently.   And that let to me going through some totes to figure out if what was on my spreadsheet was still in my stash or now....and if I was missing things that I need to list on it.   The two pages I've been concentrating on are the Quilt UFO's and the Cross-stitch UFO's.   

In going through one of the totes I found some interesting things - An embroidered eagle block, and a blank embroidered quilt label.  The latter was given to me at some point but I haven't a clue who now.
Then I found two personlized, embroidered quilt labels, that had been made to go with specific sets of swap blocks.    Ummmm, guess who isn't sure of which sets those might be...oops...guess I need to look at the UFO blocks and see if I can figure that out.  It I can't then I need to figure out what to do with these labels....lol

 One of the totes I went thru was the one with various panels and other things in it.   While going thru it I weeded out ones that I figured I was never going to use.   These have been flung to someone who will use them to make Sunshine quilts with.  Two of the panels have coordinates with them.
 And these blocks were pulled out to make quilt for Sunshine.

More was pulled out, but I'll write about that in another post.


Gratitudes:

1. For the warm temps of the weekend in the face of the frigid temps that are coming tomorrow.

2. For my knees and joints feeling better now that the storm is closer to here.

Monday, November 4, 2019

UFOs of the Cross-Stitch Variety

I counted up my UFO's this past weekend and all I can say is Yikes!  LOL    I knew I had a lot, but until you see the numbers they can sort of be ignored.   Among those UFO's are a lot of cross-stitch pieces or embroidery pieces that I've completed the stitching on but then never did anything with after that.   Also in the number are oodles of kits that are either actual kits that I've collected or put together out of my stash for kits.

To start whittling down the number, I've pulled four of them to work on and complete.

 First up was this abstract piece of cross stitch.   It is on the way to becoming either a pin cushion or a needle book.  It is approximately 3.5" tall by 7.5" wide. 

It was stitched with scraps of floss that were from various completed kits on a scrap of 14 count aida cloth.
 Back of the piece made by piecing  a red scrap of fabric together to get it big enough.
 Next up was this piece.   Also made from leftover aida cloth and scraps of floss that were from various completed kits on 14 ct aida cloth.

The plan is to finish it up so that it may be used as a pin holder/earring holder. 

At the moment I'm still trying to decide how best to finish the edges on it..

These were two kits that I had bought last Christmas that are now finished and ready to be used as gifts.

 This is a mini wall-hanging that I did the stitching on yrs ago and is currently in process of being finished.   It will be used as a gift when finished.



Gratitudes:

1. For my "401UFO" that means I have lots of projects to work on and pull when I have time.

2. For still having a job at the present time




Weekend Completions, November 3rd

Made progress on commissioned projects and sale items this past weekend.

First project up with working on the basketball quilt commission.   All blocks are pieced and the sections are together and pressed.   Next up is making the 30" square (finished size) medallion center for the quilt.  2 names and a jersey number are to be appliqued in the center.
 I then finished up these 26 Christmas themed postcards.   Added the backing fabrics and satin-stitched around the outsides.
 And these 5 everyday postcards were also finished up.

Memory bear #7 was also prepped for sewing over the weekend.


Gratitudes:

1. That the new furnace & ac units were installed in less than 24 hrs from when the furnace quit working.

2. for the beautiful sunny day today.