SAL: Christmas Greetings

Time again for the SAL 3 week update. At our last posting I had finished ‘Wild Flower Jar’ but did not post what I would be working on next. Scanning ebay and amazon I settled on my next project, a Christmas in July pick.

It’s a kit by Joy Sunday from amazon. Titled The Skating Santa Claus, I will be calling it ‘Christmas Greetings’

It’s an interesting kit. I have never worked a kit with the pre-colored stitching directions. I admit I was a bit shaken when it arrived and I opened it. Was it because it was something new, was it too challenging, or was it that it’s actually pretty darn simple to follow? Notice it says ‘Ecology cotton floss’ on the above photo.

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The 14 ct aida cloth came with the edging bound – that was nice. Once I began the kit, I discovered the cotton ecology floss seems cheap and low quality. With my small start to this project I can already tell it will be a challenge to work with. The floss splits and tangles easily. I toyed with the idea of changing out the floss but decided to keep going. I really loved the design but I am sitting in the fence with this.

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I also bought a second kit. I am not the best online shopper – This kit was also by Joy Sunday and is exactly the same. It arrived just a few days ago. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. I am sure I was drawn to the whimsie ness of these kits. We’ll see how this first one proceeds before deciding if I will be working the owls or these become Goodwill items.

This SAL is organized by Avis. Below is the list of fellow SAL members. Everyone is working on different projects and live in many different time zones and around the world. So check back often. Our next posting will be August 15th.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan,

Deborah, Renee, Carmela, Sharon, Daisy, Anne, AJ, Laura, Cathie, Linda, Helen

About the SAL

Please note this SAL is not accepting any more new members until further notice but this is what it’s all about anyway. This SAL (Stitch Along) is slightly different to other SALs in that we don’t all stitch the same design at the same rate. We choose ONE unfinished project, or ONE new one, and show progress of its completion over a series of three weekly updates. There are no deadlines and no set amount to stitch. The result is that the space in our drawers full of WIPs (works in progress) is gradually being freed up to store lots of new crafty goodness. It’s surprising how much motivation I’ve gained from being in this SAL.

Another Dahlia Panel Quilt

Back in mid December, 2020, I completed a Dahlia panel quilt. Almost immediately I had heard from a cousin, Eric, asking if I would considering making one for him.

How could I say no. (he is one of those very precious dear ones)

Here is his quilt

The panel is from the Fat Quarter Shop (online) and is from the Hoffman Dream Big collection

We had fun picking out (all via texting) his favorite color panel and then the backing – all his choosing

I loved his backing choice.

It’s relatively easy to use a sewing machine to piece a basic quilt pattern and then quilt it – one most certainly can be done in a few days. I let him know this would be no next week process. I was able to complete her in 7 months.

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Now I am off to send her in the mail.

From Washington to Florida with love

HQAL: Log Cabin Update

I am always amazed at how quickly the three weeks pass but this time around I am amazed at the amount of hand quilting I got done. I wanted to remind you that this was a Quilt Block of the Month kit I had picked up at our local Goodwill. The design and instructions seemed way to complicated and time consuming for me so using most of the material included and adding a few choices of my own, I tweaked the design and went with a basic log cabin pattern.

At our last posting I had completed 5 out of 12 blocks. At this posting I have completed 3 more. On most of my updates I’ve simply shown the same 1 block since the process is just repetitive quilting. Today a peak at 4 blocks together.

The back is taking shape with some puckering showing too.

I have a number of other hand quilting projects in the works that I am dividing my time between. I am so thankful for the accountability of this quilt along to keep me on track and moving forward with this one. I should have her done for a fall roll out: and so appropriate with her fall colors.

Until our next posting ~

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, and Daisy

SAL: Wild Flower Update

For our July 4th update I am happy to report I have a finish on Wild Flowers in a jar.

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Playing around with the photo, I thought the gray tones looked interesting, like a black and white photo.

I have not picked out my next project so I guess it will be a surprise for both you and me 🙂 See you all in 3 weeks 🙂

Please check out what everyone else has been up to by clicking their names below. There are some amazing projects in the works.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, 

Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Renee, Carmela, Sharon, 

Daisy, Anne, AJ, Laura, Cathie, Linda, Helen

And if you’ll indulge me for this posting – a few of my wild flowers from the garden ~ wouldn’t they make a gorgeous arrangement in a mason jar!

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HQAL: Log Cabin Update

I wish I could say I have made monumental progress this time around but I haven’t. I did get 1 more block quilted though, which makes 5 out of 12 now. They all look the same, so here is a reminder of what I am working on.

I wanted to add a bit more visual appeal to this posting which is easy since on Friday my husband and I took a short drive out to the town of Lynden to visit his sister. Founded in 1874 by Phoebe and Holden Judson, some sites say American pioneers others Canadian, by the turn of the century, a group of Dutch settlers immigrated and settled there, this began a huge influx of Dutch settlers. As the town grew so did the Dutch influence. By 1950 the town had more Dutch families than non Dutch. While the demographics are beginning to change the Dutch influence remains as does the Dutch language spoken by many. Driving through town, the flower displays were simply amazing ~ here is just a few of the photo’s I snapped.

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Slow but steady, I am making progress on my Log Cabin quilt, enjoying the process and the beautiful outdoor spring weather. Like most of us, I have a few other projects in the works that I am alternating with.

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy, Connie, and Sherrie

SAL: Wildflower Update

A beautiful spring day and the perfect time for another 3 weeks update on my Wildflower Jar. Below is where I was up to at our last posting .

This is where I am up to now.

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There’s still some more to do as you can see. Do I dare say I am feeling confident that in another three weeks I just might have this finished?

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Now it’s off to check in with the other crafters in this SAL. Please join me by clicking up the links below. Enjoy!

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, 

Cindy, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Renee, Carmela, 

Sharon (me), Daisy, Anne, AJ, Laura, Cathie, Linda, Helen

It May Be Spring Time But

It may be spring time but there is a lot of holiday magic going on here.

I have been busy working on some cross-stitch Christmas cards. With 4 in the set, I’ve got 3 completed. I think I like the Santa the most, although the candy canes are cute and I can hear the church bells ringing with this sweet bell.

You may notice on the bell there’s a green border. I had accidentally trimmed one side to short when prepping it. To fix it, I found some green material and added it to both sides. You’d never know 🙂

Nothing like a tea towel for gift giving. I bought some new transfer patterns at the beginning of the year. I really love this one. I like adding red potholders or those holiday boxed tea bags along with the towel.

I was able to get one more transfer out of this pattern from the year before.

This is a set of 2 of the Happy Hanukkah pattern. This transfer was actually not good for a 2nd try. The pattern did not show well and I am really struggling with seeing and getting her done.

Have you started anything for the holidays yet? Here we are in June and I know, I know I know, I shouldn’t dare say it, the holiday season is just another six months away.

HQAL: Log Cabin Update

Three weeks can seem like an eternity when I am waiting for something special to happen. It doesn’t even have to be special, let’s say an appointment, like taking the dog to be groomed. But three weeks in terms of posting my quilting progress, always seems like just days since our last posting and this week is no exception.

Checking back I had completed 2 blocks and part of a third at our last posting. This posting I have completed four blocks. Below, a picture from last time.

With all the blocks the same there’s not much visual change, in fact none, so I won’t post any additional photos.

Below is what the back is beginning to look like

I won’t say working on this is boring, I’ll say monotonous and to add a bit of zip to this posting I wanted to show you another hand quilting project I have been alternating with this one. It is the Scap Dance Pachanga Mystery Quilt Along hosted by Carol ~ From My Carolina Home.

I thought it would be fun, and it was, joining this Quilt Along, however it just reinforced something I already knew about myself. I don’t do well reading directions ~ I must have the visual to make sense of directions. I did ok up until ‘some point’ and when it came time to begin putting all of it together, I realized I had missed a few beats here and there. With pattern pieces already completed I was not giving up. I had picked the table runner for the project and decided to continue and make a table runner.

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With the extra pattern pieces, I’ve sandwiched them together, two of each pattern, and have them ready for quilting

I almost hate to say this, but I am thinking ahead and will be putting this aside for a Christmas gift.

Now I am off and looking forward to catching up with the others in this hand quilt along. You can join me by clicking on the links below.

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy, Connie, and Sherrie

SAL: Wild Flower Update

Time again to update on my progress with the Wild Flower Jar I am working on. Between the real wild flowers blooming and tending the garden, I have been tending my cross stitch garden too. At our last check in I was here

Three weeks and the jar garden is filling up with flowers 🙂

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The best part of working on this has been working on it outside, in the garden, amoung the flowers. Now for the fun part, it’s off to check out the progress of the others in this SAL. Please join me by clicking on their links below.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Renee, Carmela, Sharon, Daisy, Anne, AJ, Laura, Cathie, Linda, Helen

HQAL: Log Cabin Update

Hi all ~ Another three weeks and some progress. At our last posting, I had sandwiched the quilt top with its batting and backing. I showed you a picture of the back material. Using three materials to make one big piece 🙂

As you can see below I now have two blocks quilted. I have a third block started.

I am toying with adding a pattern to the center square to give a little more interest to the block.

Along with this, I was pushing with another hand quilting project for a daughter. You may remember I had posted about two National Parks panels I had purchased. Zion and Denali Parks. My daughter and son-in-law arrived for a long week end visit (from Alaska) last weekend and I wanted the Denali panel done for her. I got it finished and was excited to surprise her with it. (she loved it)

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It’s been a busy fun filled last three weeks and I am looking forward to see what the next three weeks brings.

Please join me in checking in with the others in this hand quilt along to see their projects in the works 🙂

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, Daisy, Connie, and Sherrie