Cross Stitch Update

 

Here's my progress on the June block of Anniversaries of the Heart. At this point I got stuck. I was going to personalize this to honor all the dogs we've owned, but then I couldn't figure out exactly how I wanted to do so. After staring at it for a couple of days, I decided to quit wasting time and go on to the July block! 

As for the above June block? Now I'm thinking that this will be dedicated to our new grandson, Little Dude (as I call him), due later this year. The block has so much blue and I think this will be appropriate. I'll stitch his name and birthdate in the box at the top once he arrives. DONE!

And here is my progress on the July block. I think it's a pretty good start considering July is not even here yet! It was easiest to start working on this one from the bottom up.

I haven't stitched on this any this week...I've been too tired in the evenings. Maybe tonight? Hope so!

Enjoy your day!

I Bit of Sewing on the Weekend

What a busy week we had! But I did manage a few more blocks for Little Dude's eye spy quilt. It's growing! Excuse my crowded design wall...

I'm not sure how I managed this (BUSY WEEKEND!), but I did finish another row on the Sadie quilt. Woohoo! I'm so glad the rows are getting shorter!

Hubby decided we should do a switcheroo on some rooms in our home. So we spent most of the weekend moving furniture, taking down pictures, rehanging pictures, spackling holes, sanding, and touch up painting. Whew! I love Hubby, but I hope things are moved around to stay this time! Haha! 

And of course, after we finished the house needed to be vacuumed and mopped - thank goodness Hubby was up for those tasks (while I sewed).

Sadie will be surprised when she arrives this morning to see her room! 

Cooper was a bit worried about the entire process, but finally took a nap on a pile of bedding and a rug. He's glad we're finished, too!

I'm so happy that the weather will be a touch cooler this week. Last week was unbearable. We're looking forward to getting outside a bit more! Enjoy your week!

 

A Bit of Portrait Progress...and Eye Spy a Baby Quilt

 

I didn't accomplish much on the Sadie portrait this week - only 3 little 2" squares. But those squares did finish a row and said row in now sewn in place. I'm officially over half way done with this! And each row is getting easier and easier! 

I'm also trying to pick up speed on the Eye Spy quilt. Remember these are hand appliqued on Cherrywood backgrounds? I wasn't thrilled with the charm pack of conversational (novelty) prints that I purchased in Houston last year. So many of them wouldn't work in this quilt. They were too girly or the images were not in the center of the squares.

I ordered 2 more packs of novelty charms last week. One came in yesterday from Ebay and I am so happy with the prints! Yay! I'm back on track, trying to stitch one or two of these each day.

I went to another thrift store Friday and bought a few more blue/orange shirts for another baby quilt for Little Dude. I think I have plenty now. I washed them all and spent Saturday 'deboning' them. Now this fabric is ready to sew! I've been researching patterns for this quilt. I'm leaning toward Bonnie Hunter's Hour Glass Leader and Ender pattern: 

Imagine this much smaller in total size, but with bigger blocks, and made in orange/blue shirting. You can find the free pattern HERE.

And while we're in baby quilt mode (for Little Dude), I have a third quilt in mind. I found out the theme of the nursery - it will be very traditional, blues and white. So I ordered this fabric:

This is Moda French General - the blues. You probably are more familiar with the reds of this line. I'm not sure what pattern I'll make with this. 

That will be three baby quilts for Little Dude, which is the number I made for Sadie. I feel better now that the planning is almost done!

I realize I didn't share a cross stitch update this past week. I'm still trucking along and will share again mid week. Any progress is good progress. 

Enjoy your week!

Portrait Update! AND A Baby Quilt!

I made lots of progress over the weekend on this quilt! I finished a row yesterday. And today I almost finished another row. I'm going faster because I'm getting to the point that it is less complicated - there are more squares that are only one piece of fabric. 

I finished Sadie's face! There's still some hair left, but that's not hard. It will be smooth sailing soon, as soon as I finish those striped pants!

Do you remember this Eye Spy quilt I started earlier this year? I've had it on the back burner lately. Who am I kidding? Everything has been on the back burner while I concentrated on the Sadie portrait! 

Well...it's time to get back at it! I need a baby quilt! Sadie is having a little brother later this year! We are all so excited, except for Sadie. She's a bit indifferent about the entire situation. 

You may remember that I made Sadie THREE quilts before she was born. I'm not sure what is planned for a nursery theme, but I may make a quilt to match that, too.

AND....I think I'll have to make an orange and blue baby quilt, too. I've started collecting orange and blue men's shirts for this one. It will make for a very soft quilt, don't you think? Not sure of a pattern yet...

Lots going on around here! 

Enjoy your week!!!!

 

Cross Stitch Update

 

I made decent progress on the June block of Anniversaries of the Heart, despite skipping two nights of stitching (due to exhaustion!) I do my cross stitching in the evenings and sometimes I'm just to tired at the end of the day. But I'm very happy with the progress! 

That tan 'E' shaped thing will be a house. I haven't decided yet on whether or not I'll personalize this one. We'll see! 

Stay cool!

A Tiny Bit of Sewing

It was a very busy week, so I only made a bit of progress on this. If you look closely (and compare to last week's photo seen below), you'll see that I did complete a row and I did a bit more around her face.

Those white papers are the patterns I've drawn for the bottom of the next row.

I want to finish those two incomplete diagonal rows before I go further. 

We were on vacation all week - which really means that our daughter was on vacation from work, so we didn't have Sadie with us during the week. Of course we spent a few days at the lake and this project didn't come with me. 

Plus we took a day to go to the zoo with Sadie and her mom one day...

....where we fed the giraffes with their very long tongues. What fun! One of the best parts of being around little kids is seeing the world through their eyes. 

Today we are back on schedule and ready to play with Sadie. In fact, I think a trip to the brand new inclusive playground here in town is in order this morning before it gets too hot. I hear it's spectacular. And we need to make banana bread, too. It will be a fun day!

I did get my second Covid booster on Friday - no ill effects for me! I had to wait 90 days post Covid to have this, but I'm all for any immunizations I can get. I'm convinced that the vaccines were why I did have only a mild case. I've heard of people who have gotten Covid twice, so I'll keep up my guard and defenses.

That's all for today. Have a great week!

 

Cross Stitch Update

As you may guess from this picture, we are at our lake home enjoying a few days of R&R.  Mickey and Cooper love a boat ride!

Here was my view a few minute ago before the heat sent me back to the house. We'll go back outside after dinner when it's cooler.

I brought my cross stitch along, of course. Last night...on the last day of May...I finished this block. I always have to work extra hard at the end of the month to finish in time. Maybe in June I won't skip any days of stitching and won't have to hurry at the end.

I did a lot of personalization on this one in honor of Daughter 1. Her birth year is in the roof of the house. Her birth month and day are in the lower left. On the left side I stitched, 'AU Software Engineer' in honor of her degree and then added '+MBA' just above the house. The red T on the right side of the roof is for her husband, who is a football coach at a school with the colors of red and black. I also added their two dogs and their first initials - Scout - the black dog, and Boomer - the golden brown dog. 

So glad I got it done! Now I'm ready for June - bring it on!