Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Updates!

First, here's a cross stitch update!  Last time:

 And tonight.  Not a great deal of progress but I should be ready for backstitching by Monday, I hope.

 Next for quilting updates-  I'm still plodding along hand quilting the one on the left, not quite half way done.  Hope to finish it in June.


This burgundy and blue quilt is my oldest, quilting, UFO!  Begun sometime in 1993-94, I quilted it by hand using a quilt as you go method so the center is finished.  It's been waiting for borders since 2000!  I just couldn't figure out what to do.  I had four extra blocks but I didn't want to add them to the center for two reasons, one, I HATED that Quilt as you go method and two, the quilt would have been square or very oddly rectangular.  Every so often I take it out and try to figure out what to do, I finally came up with this!
I took apart the four blocks and am using them in this wrap around corner and filled in with the blue background fabric.  I think I'll like it.  I'll especially like the fact that it's finished!  I have the top and bottom borders sewn on and will add the sides tonight, then I'll add the backing and batting.  I wanted to add the backing as I went but this wrap around thing is fiddly to get everything as I want it so I have to work in stages.  After that's done I'll quilt the  borders-  might be done by the end of summer!

I've been making really good progress on the "Secret" and should have the top finished by the end of the month!  Then it'll have to be quilted, by hand I think, but I haven't decided the pattern.  Since it's a wall hanging it will need heavy quilting I think.  Hope to have it finished by fall.

I finally found border fabric, I think, for the two pink quilts.  Once that is on, I'm going to send them out to be long armed.  I've never done that so I'm really going to have my fingers crossed!

I've really been struggling to work at anything since the knee lay off, etc.  I'm still not fully recovered from the cold, in fact I'm actually thinking of calling the Doc, and have been hitting the pillows pretty early.  Add in Daylight Savings Time (which is always a difficult adjustment for me) and the fact that  winter has returned with gray clouds and snow in the forecast!  I just want to bury my head under a pillow and sleep!  Always makes me lazy, on the other hand I get upset with myself for not accomplishing anything-it's a no win situation!

Here's hoping the next week is more productive here at Gail's Place!

Thursday, March 14, 2013

I'm back, I think. . .I hope

Today, I actually managed to do some things on my "to do" list!  Yeah me!  I think it's the first time in weeks I've done more than one or two things a day (and those only the things that simply MUST BE DONE!)  I'm still coughing and yes the allergies have begun but over all I'm feeling much better.  I think it helps that it is 65 degrees outside today, the sun is shinning and there's a breeze.  Spring is in the air! Tomorrow is to be even nicer, if that's possible, but then winter returns for a few days, sigh.

I have been stitching the past few days, making slow progress on hand quilting and a bit quicker progress on the "Secret".  Last night I even put a few stitches in the Bri's stocking, so close to being ready for backstitching.

I joined a Quilt Guild on Monday, something I've been intending to do for a while now.  Trying to get out more as I find I've let myself become really isolated.  Sometimes I think technology isolates us more and more-but I love the connections I've made with folks I'd have never had the opportunity to meet. Okay most of them I have never met but you know what I mean!

In case you didn't know---This is Pi Day!  Celebrating all my geek boys, Have a happy Pi Day!

Friday, March 8, 2013

Still around

I know I've not been posting much lately.  I am done with this winter.  Knee issues and then surgery, cold then two major dumps of snow totally something like 18.5 inches.  Now, I have a cold.  I haven't touched a needle for several days, just laying around, sniffling, coughing and sleeping.  The way things have been going once all this snow is gone (hello mud-already) every tree and bush is going to bud out and bloom at one time-helllo allergies!  Grumble, grumble!  Hope to be back soon.