One Stitch At A Time

Though sometimes it feels like one stitch a week lately.
Here is the Blue and White sampler last time :

And this time:

Other than that I don't have very much to show.

I have gotten a few things done, but they don't make for much in the way of blog posts.
I've been playing with my sewing machines, figuring out the perfect quarter inch mark on both, and playing with some invisible thread in them, in preparation for learning some machine applique techniques.
I haven't done that more than once, many years ago, and that on the old Memory Craft 6000, and without invisible thread. I can tell you that both the quarter stitch and the applique was almost intuitive on that machine and is definitely not on the ones I have now. I will probably never stop missing that machine.

I've got a terrible urge for a new start for a couple of weeks now, which is crazy given how slowly I stitch and that I have so little time for it at the moment, but there it is. And the quilting bug has finally bitten again, as I told you recently, and hasn't gone away at all. If anything I've the urge has gotten worse.  I'll have to wait and see how that goes. I did cut a few pieces out today towards a wall hanging, but it will be awhile before I have time to dedicate to it.

Until next time
Happy stitching my friends!

A Quick Note About Links

After someone asked me if I would add their blog to my stitching links I took a good long look at them. I had already added her but suddenly realized it was not showing. I went back and checked and there were one or two others not showing either. I updated those and now they appear to be there.
I only delete links if there has been no post in over 6 months.

Happy Stitching Everyone.

Time Keeps Slipping Away. . .

And it seems there is never enough to do all the things I want to.
Since my last post I've accomplished so little that I'm not sure it is worth updating. I've even thought of breaking the 'no stitching when your tired' rule. It is only fear of the dreaded frog that has stopped me.
Here is the total of my stitching progress this time.
Before:

And After:

I know I'll see more progress when the weather warms. My stitching area isn't heated and I've been keeping this one in the living room or it probably would have had no progress either. It gets grubby, even though I keep it in a tote. I wash my hands before I start, but dogs have no such worries and paws and noses don't care about such things.

So how is everyone else doing? Do you stitch more in the winter or less? I'm aching to piece a quilt right now and I'm thinking of experimenting with machine piecing. Also considering trying my hand at a mini quilt.
I can't help laughing at myself. I make plans for all of these projects when I'm busy doing the other stuff life demands. Now I just need a bit of time!

Until next time, Happy Stitching Ya'll!

The Pleasures of a Crafting Geek!

Sometimes it seems like I can get a ton of stuff done and others as if I can go weeks and nothing seems to progress. This past few weeks has been some where in the middle.
I sincerely wanted to get a ton of stitching done, but that didn't happen. But I did manage enough to satisfy the stitching bug.

The relief of learning that my sweet Dean does not have cancer, combined with having to stay with him so much has got all my crafty thoughts flowing with ideas.

My re-start of SKThe Spider Queen started out rocky. All that test stitching last month after the frogging (the stitchers F word I think, even though it isn't 4 letters!), and when I began stitching it looked terrible to me.
I asked some stitchy friends in a group on facebook for advice but it wasn't much help, which is unusual, but happens. I decided to keep going and see how it went, based largely on the beautiful work of one person who responded. Seeing her results inspired me to keep trying.
Below are the results. My tension is finally evening out. Of course as soon as I got into I realized I was missing one color. I had it before and must have 'loaned' it to another project and not made myself a note. I went on, and while I didn't get scads done it is improving.

At least the colors are vibrant!

Up next is my nativity, which had been set aside but saw a little bit of work this time around, though not much.

Every little bit helps.

My Blue and White Sampler saw so little work that I didn't take a pic this time.
I am basically unable to stitch today due to pain or I would be working on the UFO/SWIP/New Start monthly SAL on my facebook group. Boo, hoping I can pick up with it in a day or two.

In sort of stitchy related crafting news I decided to do an ort jar this year.
I found some old never used jelly jars and lids in a box in the shed and that seemed about right but it wasn't pretty so I had to do something crafty with it.
I've seen these on the web and stuff and worked out a way to do mine without hot glue, since I'm out of glue sticks.
It would have been prettier if I'd painted the lid ring but I had no paint so this is what it looks like at the moment. The Jar:

And the Lid:

And yes, I forgot to take a pic of it all together! Sorry.

In other crafting news I joined a vintage sewing machine group a week or two ago and finally got up enough courage to ask about the sweet vintage sewing machine that belonged to my husband's grandmother. It ran but I've always been scared to use it for fear of messing it up. Through them I've learned how to clean it up and oil it, so I expect I will be using this little tank for years to come. I was even able to find a manual!
Here is a pic of her not yet cleaned up.

I can't wait to sew on her. I'm thinking quilt, should the budget ever loosen up enough to buy quilting cotton!

Happy Sewing, Stitching and Crafting my Friends.

Another Year Has Passed!

February 12 marked my second anniversary of blogging.
Like most of the past year I was a bit busy and somehow let the date go by without marking it.
And like most of the last year there are so many other things going on that it doesn't seem as big a milestone as it probably should.

I sit here now, posting in the most part, to keep myself busy while my sweet Dean is at the vet having his surgeries. It is so hard when our fur babies our ill. Everything else seems to fade into lesser significance until they are well again.

Having said that, I have done a bit of stitching lately, though there were many days that saw no stitching at all. This seems to be the new normal, for the time being at least.

I've spent some time with  the Blue and White again and thought I'd do a few progress photo's for you. I usually enjoy seeing these on other blogs.

On the sewing front I still haven't so much as put the hem in the first skirt, or sewn up the second one. Sigh. I'm planning some curtains for my kitchen, because frankly everything in there is 20 or more years old and looks it and I just want something more attractive. I can't afford to remodel, or put up new wall paper, but curtains are do-able and something is better than nothing.

I'm still thinking about doing a bit more blackwork and there may be a new start to kit up before long on assuming everything works out. I will keep you updated on how that is coming along.

Until next time Happy Stitching!

Cold and Flu Season Again, Vet Visits and a Bit of Stitching and Sewing

So the husband got a cold and decided to share it with me. Such fun! Will this winter never end?
I was doing the HH SAL, which is picking a SWIP or a UFO to work on for that week and got KO'd with a nasty cold. I have gone to work and slept and done as little else as possible since it hit, but before it shut me down I got a little stitching in.
Before:

And After:

 

In sewing news I'm pretty excited about some fairly boring sewing. I faced the horrible truth and measured my waist and hips and drafted a pattern for a simple a-line elastic waisted skirt. I gained back nearly 10 of the 20 pounds I lost a little over a year ago so I decided to try and lose that again and the skirts would need an elastic waist.

For the first muslin I used some fabric left over from a maxi-skirt I made 2 or 3 years ago. Can't beat that cotton/rayon blend. It came out perfectly so now I have that to wear this summer! Yay. I lengthened the pattern I'd made a little bit and cut out 2 more skirts, one in a dark navy blue and the other is a grey tweedy looking fabric from years ago. I decided to line these since hey, winter won't go away this year. I am in need of basics at the moment.

Pic's next time since I only have one of them sewn up and I haven't put the hems in yet. The husband cold didn't slow me down, it stopped me in my tracks! The longer length looks a bit dowdy to me and I may adjust that, but overall I'm in a happy sewing place and feeling more comfortable with drafting my own patterns.

On a scarier note my puppy Dean has a growth on his leg so there have been a few vet trips. He was scheduled to be neutered anyway so he will have the growth removed while under the anesthetic for that, and sent off for biobsy. We took him for preliminary blood work Friday. At just over 60 pounds he isn't exactly easy to handle when he gets scared and nervous and we had to muzzle him for the first time, just as a precaution. He was such a good boy when they took his blood. Prayers that he will be fine for his surgery and that his biopsy will be negative.

Dean, aka Smiley aka Baby Boy. With Samantha being held prisoner in the background.

Until next time Happy Stitching.

The end of the first 5 hours rotation.

My little update on the Blue and White sampler.
At 2 or so hours:

And at 5 or so hours:

This pick is a little more true on the colors, but not perfect.

I'm not sure yet what I'll pick up next. It is back to work tomorrow so there will be even less stitching time. I'll be sure to update you when I know.

Until then Happy Stitching my friends.