I Like Thursday #303

Welcome to Thursday Likes! Please visit LeeAnna to link up with more participating blogs posting positive content. The temperatures have gone up this week but I went to the library yesterday and took this picture. There are still so many areas of ice that look they're here to stay awhile! This picture was taken in front of a gate with a plant in front of it. It made me cold just to look at it. 

Does anyone else use Duolingo? I finished the Italian course. Italian was my first language however, the Italian I spoke was a dialect. This course teaches the proper Italian. I've asked my mother about some of the words and she hasn't even heard of them! Italian only has 60 levels on this app so it didn't take too long to finish up. I also started to learn chess. I'm terrible at it but it's fun to learn. If you're on Duolingo, let me know so we can follow each other. 

If you subscribe to Primrose Cottage Stitches, this is the freebie for the month! So cute! Perfect for St. Patrick's Day! This one looks like a quick one to stitch up. 

Our conversation starter this week asks us if we exchanged Valentine's Day cards in grammar school. I remember decorating a shoe box to place the cards in. I remember buying a box of cards and signing and sending one to each of my classmates. We always had a party with cookies and juice! So fun!!

Have a great weekend!! Stay warm!!

Cat Pillow Cross Stitch

 It's actually over 32 degrees outside! Some of the snow is starting to melt. It will take many more days like these to melt this snow pack but it's a start. I heard the cold will be back this weekend so I can't get too excited. Anyways, does anyone remember this cross stitch pillow I made last year?? I ended up giving it as a gift. 

I liked it so much that I started another one. It seems a bit easier this time around. There are too many thread changes but I do love how this looks when it's done. The shading makes it look so realistic. I'm glad I have something to do when I watch TV. It's almost time for General Hospital! Time to get ready!

Quilting and Freezing

 Although we haven't had anymore snow, the weather has not been good. The temperatures are low and the wind chill just makes them lower. The temp was -1 this morning without the windchill. Ugh.  I've gone out most days and noticed there aren't as many cars out there. I think a lot of people are staying home and trying to keep warm. I've made 7 blocks as you can see in this picture. They're getting faster to make. They measure 6.5" square. The Facets quilt is really coming along!

I went to a quilt shop one day and bought a few more turquoise fabrics for this round of the Facets quilt. It's such a pretty color. I'm surprised I didn't have more in my stash!

Now that Laurel Ridge is completed, I needed a label. I used the alphabet on my sewing machine and got this one done today. I added some interfacing to make it a little more stable. I always add the label and then wash the quilt. Then, the quilt is finally finished!

Well, I heard our temperature may finally reach over 30 degrees on Monday. It will feel like a heat wave! Stay warm!!

Snow and Quilting

 Well, we survived the storm! I've heard differing amounts but it's safe to say we got around 20" of snow. This is a picture of the end of my driveway. It's difficult backing into the street. You can't see much with those mounds of snow on either side. I move very slowly! I've been indoors since Saturday. I did go to the grocery store and my mother's house. It's so cold! I was happy to get home. 

I did get some sewing done. The pink round is all sewn onto Facets. Now I'm working on the last full round. It's turquoise with yellow middles and magenta little triangles. I have to make a total of 52 blocks! This is definitely going to take awhile! I'm very comfortable making this block and it doesn't take me very long. 

The weather is expected to stay cold with a possible snowstorm Sunday evening. I'm trying to block that out for now until the forecasters get a better idea if it's really coming. I'm not sure where we'll put the snow if we get this storm. There's no space left!!!

I Like Thursday #302

It's time for Thursday Likes! Please visit LeeAnna to find more blogs that participate with us! I swapped out my Christmas table runner with this one. It has a winter theme but not Christmas. I love the pop of color from the bright red stars. It's nice to see something fun now that we're in the heart of winter and the holidays are over. We need fun and cheerful for this time of year!

I've sewn one pink side onto the Facets quilt. This is going together quicker than I had expected. I already have the next round of fabrics ready to sew! This next round will be the last full round. Then, I'll have a smaller round that will act as a border. 

I just finished reading this book. So good! Lots of ugly crying at the end. (Which means it was good!) I highly recommend it.

The question this week asks us if we buy calendars. I get a cat calendar every year from my mother. I usually hang it in my sewing room. I'm surrounded by fabric and cats in my sewing room and I love it! I don't care for the desk calendars where you have to rip a page everyday. I like the traditional month at a time calendars. 

That's it for me. We're preparing for a huge snowstorm like most of the US. Stay safe and stay warm!!

Valentine's Day Cross Stitch Pillow

I finished my cute Valentine's Day project from Primrose Cottage. I used 14 count Aida. It measures 5.5" X 4.5". I wasn't sure how I wanted to finish it but decided on a plan after watching a few YouTube videos. 

I ironed a thin fabric stabilizer to both the cross stitch front as well as the backing. I marked 1/2 inch around the design using an air soluble marker. I used that line as a guide to sew the rick rack. I cut the rick rack at each corner so I didn't have to turn a corner. I used that sewing line as a guide to sew the backing and front together. 

The backing is one piece but I sewed a seam down the middle.  I opened up a small piece of that seam to add the stuffing. The stuffing was a combination of polyester pillow stuffing as well as some crushed walnut shells at the bottom to give it some stability. I propped it up next to a floral centerpiece in my family room. It's just so cute!!! 

I Like Thursday #301

 It's time for Thursday Likes! A few of us bloggers post positive and fun content every week. Please visit our fearless leader, LeeAnna, to link up with more blogs. I haven't been out for dinner in ages so I ordered myself a nice drink last weekend. It's a Winter Sangria. I asked our waitress what is in it and never realized they put vodka in sangria drinks. No wonder this drink really hit me! Anyways, it tasted good and was quite enjoyable!

I changed the quilt on one of my couches. It's a little big for the couch but I love the color it adds! I made this one a few years ago. I did all the applique by hand. Since then, I haven't done too much applique. I think this quilt took about a year to make. I still need a break from applique after this one!

I haven't been to a quilt shop since well before the holidays. I got a gift card for Christmas that came in handy today. I bought a few fabrics for my next round of Facets. It's the final full round. The principal color is supposed to be aqua but I'll probably change that to blue fabrics. I have a ton of blues in my stash. The background will be this light fabric and the corners will be magenta. It should be a pretty round to finish up this quilt!

Our question this week asks us if we've ever lived anywhere else? I've been living in Massachusetts my whole life. I've lived in 4 different towns/cities within the state. I lived in Boston for college and grad school. Those were my most fun years! The city was very accessible and I had no worries except for my grades! What a fun time! 

Have a wonderful weekend!