Applique quilts.

Love Entwined got some more pieces prepped for applique, it is amazing how much is all in the tiny details of this quilt. It may take a long time to do, but it is worth it.  In between many other projects have been started and finished.

The 21st Birthday Quilt top is done, ready for the next step.  All the fabrics from the  The Hobby Horse Quilt Shop.

To know how to wash a knitted article, the temperature at which to wash it, is important information.  So the wrapper from the yarn, is given with the knitted item.  It has all this on the label for the yarn. All it needs is a scarp of yarn, a hole punched in the wrapper, with the yarn looped around a button, so it does not get lost along the way.  The other bit to add, is the size of the jersey.

 A seven hour toddler sweater, took longer, as I am a beginner.

The buttons got sewn onto the knitted dress and jersey.

 The back of the dress.

Finished a baby hat with the leftover yarn, the pattern can be found on Kate's blog.

Did some more stitching on my Four Seasons cross-stitch.

 The cardinal got some work as well.  This piece will go to one of the bird lovers in the family, we have a few of those.

Used Anchor variegated green thread from my stash, over the years we try different floss, so it is interesting to see what we have and how we use it.

 Marguerite made me this scarf.  She started weaving the last couple of years, it is made from linen and cotton.  It is super soft and it is a cuddle scarf.  One cannot but help just squeezing and wanting to hug it .  She was worried that I would not get a chance to wear it this season,  no chance of that happening, with this cold weather this late in Spring.  Put it on and wore it on Friday past.  It keeps one snug as a bug, without getting too hot.

As I was wearing it, one realize just how special weaving as a craft, is.  How it makes the world a better place, we definitely need more people who know this wonderful craft and to weave such amazing pieces.  They are works of art in their own right. What a treasure, a gift of untold wealth!

Spring projects.

The Spring flowers is a joy to watch, as each flower unfolds.

Started the 21st Birthday quilt.  My niece wanted a pink horse. It is now ready for applique.

        

 This toddler sweater is almost finished.  It has been washed, dried flat.  It needs buttons, found this pom pom yarn in my sewing room.

 This little dress was started earlier this year.  The neckband and armholes are now done.  The back is sewn up, it still needs the buttons on the back.

The leftover yarn is being used to make a baby hat.

Also started another cross-stitch piece.

 

 It is "Tis the Season", from Blackbird Designs.

To help me with placement, I used a white "Stabilo" pencil and drew a grid on the the linen.

It will take me a while to do this, just wanted to make a start on it.

Spring flowers together in a pot, they are every shade of bright and colourful.

Smock dresses for Easter.

 

 In some parts of the world, smock dresses are worn traditionally at Easter time. In many parts of the world they are worn as party dresses or to wear to church on Sunday. They were worn by many generations, passed on from one sibling to another.  Many hope chests today, have these treasures, hidden inside, waiting for the next little girl, to give them a twirl.  Memories of spinning in circles, with the dress turning many a little girl into a ballerina comes to mind.

 These two dresses, are examples of just that.  Carole recently discovered them in her Mom's hope chest.  She even found a photograph of her, wearing one of the dresses.

 Carole is a grandma herself, so it is a testament to how well the dresses , stood the test of time.

 They can now be worn again.

 The smocking is beautiful.  The dresses made with lots of love and attention.

 Easter is a special time of year, for families to come together and celebrate.

 We baked yesterday.

 Chocolate chip cookies with chocolate eggs.

Have a wonderful Easter.

Spring and sunshine!

At the beginning of the year a friend sent me a link, to a very useful project sheet.  Not only did I print a number of copies, they got filled in.  With no order of priority. When I came across any projects in my sewing room, they got added to the list.

This is the honest list, by placing them on the list, they are real and will get to be done along the way.  Some projects are intense, some are small, some easy and others may just need a few bits to finish them.  They may have been on the to do list for a while, which could be holding us back.  So without further putting it off, just jump in and start doing.  In the last three and a half months I have finished many projects, including the surprise one's which ended up in my lap.

These have all been finished.  Just doing at least twenty minutes a day, made this happen.  It is amazing when we jump in and just start to do, how much can be achieved.

This is the work in progress which has been discovered, it is now a continuous project for this year.  The reason, the paper pattern where the folds are, have decided they are not meant to last forever.  It was started twenty years ago.  About time it either got finished or passed on to someone else.  It is one of those projects, which is still a wow to this day.  So it is a keeper, it will be finished.

 Knitting has become part of my routine,  it became important, because of stiffness in the hands.  It has helped a lot.  Applique is something which we love, in order to be able to continue to do it by hand, the hands need some tender loving care.

 Knitting for beginners has also challenged parts of my patience, which thanks to Kate has been improved quite a bit.

 Assume that beginners know very little about what pattern designers think they do, patterns for beginners need to be more precise.  It will help a lot.

 The nemesis.  This is the quilt, which have been unpicked more than seven times.  If someone could make this quilt more than a century ago and get it to lie flat, without bubbles.  Then we should be able to do the same today, with all the tools at our disposal?

Diane's 2017 Stitch-a-long.

This one has a band with squirrels and acorns, with bees above it.

I would like give credit to Sandra for the project sheet and the 2019 Finish-a-long for 2019, for getting me inspired to get going on my UFO's. Thank you!  Read all about it here.


(As for my list, it has many projects on it, too long to list here.)

Stitching and quilts.

A few things got finished this week.  Next will be a 21st Birthday Quilt.

Diane's stitching, her Jane Bannister 1855 is coming along, quickly.

My stitching this week.

Knitting the baby sweater.

Baby quilt progress.

 This is the center panel.

 The border fabric. 

Finished this one as well.  Both still need the labels on the back. Babies arriving faster than Spring.
More snow on the way, old man winter missed the memo that said, winter is over, it is time for Spring!