I Like Thursday #240

It's time for I Like Thursday! A bunch of bloggers post happy and fun content every Thursday. Please visit LeeAnna to link up to more blogs. I finished my third cross stitch ornament. The background is actually a sky blue although it looks grayish in the photo. I love the red and white border. It frames the ornament so nicely. This ornament has lots of details. The chimneys have smoke coming out. There's a few flakes of snow falling. Some of the windows have garlands with red and white balls (French knots) as decorations. This one was rated easy but I felt it was a little more difficult. 

My borders are done for Alaska! I love how it looks. I still have one more border but it's just a plain one using the background fabric. This quilt wasn't easy for me so I'm really glad to see the results. I really love it! It should measure approximately 90" square when complete.

I recommend this book for any avid sewist! Scarlet is an aspiring designer and seamstress trying to make a career of her passion. The book even explains how to make duct tape dress form. It's a fun read with some information thrown in for good measure. 

Our prompt this week asks how our schedule changes once it's summer. I feel I cook less because I'm just not as hungry. Also, my husband likes to cook on the grill so he takes over cooking a little bit. Being retired and having no grandchildren, I go to bed and get up around the same time. I probably eat lighter which includes more salad and fruits. I feel the summer flies by so fast but winter tends to linger. I try to go outside more so I can enjoy the fresh air.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Alaska Rounds the Corner!

I made 2 corner squares and completed the third side of the border for Alaska. I made the corner blocks from a picture Edyta Sitar posted so I wasn't sure I had the fabrics in the right place to continue the pattern. I was happy to see the corners fit perfectly!

The remaining 2 corner squares are almost done. They'll be the last blocks I need to make for this quilt. Once I attach these 2 borders, I have one border to go. It's just a simple border using the background fabric in the quilt. This quilt took me a while but I love the results. It was definitely worth the time and effort!

I Like Thursday #239

It's time for I Like Thursday. A bunch of us bloggers post happy and uplifting posts once a week. Please visit LeeAnna to link up with more blogs. We're having a heat wave and I've been staying indoors enjoying my air conditioning. I've gone out if I have to but prefer staying home. Even the cats are getting sluggish. Look at Lily stretching out and relaxing in the family room! I think she's enjoying the cool air although that fur keeps her warm!

I was determined to get the binding sewn onto my son's wedding quilt. The quilt is so big that I have to lug my machine to the formal living room and use the dining room table to hold the quilt. It never takes long but setting up can be a pain. Anyway, I got it done yesterday. I started sewing it down by hand last night but it definitely makes me warm. I can only sew for a short time before I feel hot.  I have until October to get it finished so I can take my time. 

 This is my latest counted cross stitch ornament. I still have some windows to finish as well as outlining, a border and words. It's small but it has a lot to it. I love those little houses! These ornaments are so fun for me. 

I never went to summer camp. I always wanted to but I don't think my parents understood what it was. It wasn't common in their childhood in Italy. I always loved to read and knit so I usually kept myself busy. I would have loved to go and spend the whole day outside with other kids. My son went to cub scout camp but it was only for the day. He loved it. My daughter did dance camp but it was at the studio so it wasn't an outdoor event.  My summers were long and I was quite ready for school to start up again in September. 

I hope you can stay cool wherever you live. This heat wave is supposed to break tomorrow but the weather that's coming isn't much cooler. Have a great weekend!

Projects in the Works

It's a super hot day up here. I think we reached 95 degrees. This is only day one of a heat wave. I did go out this morning but stayed inside all afternoon enjoying my air conditioning. I managed to finish the owl ornament. I even used bugle beads to embellish the wintry scene. I love how the snowflakes look so lacy!

I now have 2 rows made for Oopsie Daisy. I was going to sew them together today but I just didn't feel like it. I figured I'd get hot so I'm hoping to sew them together tomorrow. Maybe!

 I cut the last 4 blocks for Alaska. These last blocks will be the corners in the border. I used Edyta Sitar's photo to figure out what to cut. I'm hoping the fabrics are set up correctly to continue the border around each corner. I have plenty of fabric left if I've made an error but I hope I didn't!

It's time to think about dinner but I'm not very hungry. I guess that's one good thing about the heat. Maybe I'll lose some weight!!

I Like Thursday #238

Is it Thursday already!? Time to share some fun posts with everyone. Please visit LeeAnna to link up with more bloggers. I have three peony plants and they are all blooming like crazy. I made this little bouquet and put it in my family room. It makes the whole room smell so nice! I love that light pink color.

I'm sewing together Oopsie Daisy from Bonnie Hunter. Each block measures 9" finished. I made 81 blocks. I'll also be adding a couple of borders. It should be a good sized quilt. The piecing is slow since there are quite a few seams to match up. Slow is fine!!

I did make the binding for my son's wedding quilt. It's sitting very nicely and ready to go. I'll probably sew it on the quilt sometime this weekend. The quilt is big so I'm going to carve out a few hours to get the job done! I can't believe it's almost finished!

The prompt this week asks what we did after school was over for the summer. We all remember having to clean out our desks or lockers. As soon as I was 16, I worked at the local super market. I made a ton of friends there and we had a lot of fun when we were off. But before I worked, I had a best friend who lived in my neighborhood. We used to get together and sit on my front porch. We'd get the radio and our knitting needles and try to figure out how to knit. We never finished anything and it took years before I knew what I was doing. But it was so fun to sit outside in the warm weather, talk to my friend while listening to music and knitting. It may sound boring to some people but we really enjoyed it. We would take turns eating at each other's house. Those days seemed so long and never ending. Ahhh, to be young again with no responsibilities. 

I hope you're having great weather wherever you live. Have a great Father's Day weekend!!

 

Latest Cross Stitch Ornaments

I finished one Christmas ornament over the weekend. I love the use of white floss on a beige background. It definitely looks like snow! I have to find a snowflake button for the area under the house but above the red stitches. I have a silver snowflake but I think the white one would look better in this piece. I have some time before the holidays! Haha!

My son sent me a video of an owl near his house. As soon as I saw this ornament, I knew I had to make it for him! This one uses white floss on a black background. There are actually 2 colors making up the owl in this piece so far. One is white but the other color is a very light grey. I think it makes a little bit of shading and makes the owl look more dimensional. The eyes are made using a 3/4 stitch. I had to look it up before I could do it. I love the effect of the eyes staring out at us! Both ornaments use Aida 14 count fabric. 

These ornaments are so fun to make! They're quick and fun to see the design evolve. They're very addictive!!

I Like Thursday #237

 

It's time for Thursday likes! Please visit LeeAnna to link up to more fun blogs. I finished cross stitching my dresser scarf and started on Christmas ornaments. I figured if I started early enough I could make quite a few Christmas gifts. I love making these little projects. They're so manageable and portable. This one measures about 4.5" square. I have no idea who will get this as a gift. I'll decide later on!

This is as far as I got on the binding for my son's wedding quilt. It needs to be ironed and sewn on. It's been warm and humid the last few days so I've sort of kept away from a hot iron. I'll get to it eventually!

The prompt this week asks if we can rest during free time or do you feel as though you constantly have to do something. I do have a hard time just sitting. It makes me feel guilty. I think that's why I like to do hand work. It keeps me busy even when watching television. I usually only take a nap if I'm not feeling well. I always feel I have too much to do. I really think I should learn to relax more. I think it's got for your mind and body to just do nothing sometimes. 

This is the latest book I've been reading. A friend of mine bought it for me and said I would love it. It's a bit trashy but still enjoyable. However, it's over 900 pages! It's going to take me forever to finish it. No wonder I don't relax! I told you, I have too much to do! Haha!

It's a dark and humid day here. Thunder storms may pop up. I hope you're having better weather where you live! Have a great weekend!!

State Fair Sampler Quilted

The Sate Fair Sampler is all quilted and off the longarm! I checked the quilt a few times before I took it off the frame. I've missed quilting areas in the past and didn't want to reload any parts of the quilt. It was all good so I took it off and trimmed the edges. It always looks so much better after the edges are all trimmed nice and evenly.

 Here's a nice picture of the back. The quilt is nice and flat and no puckers! I've cut the strips for the binding but haven't sewn them together yet. This quilt seemed to take forever but it's done! I'm happy to have it finished way ahead of time. I'd like to give it to them at their wedding!