It's Been a Minute!

 

When I wrote my last post, little did I know how long it would take me to get back to these pages.  It's been a busy time -- and oh! How our culture loves it when we're busy!  But truth be told, it was more "doing what's required" than it was "doing what I want". 

Here's the list:

• Get the (new) spring/summer tires put on the car and have a car maintenance service.  I'd planned for the cost of most of that but...the brakes needed work, and 'oh, by the way' there was a special lubricant 'thing' that needed to be done...so ka-ching! I'm now a chunk of change poorer than I expected to be!
• Have an annual eye exam -- nothing untoward there, thank goodness! And...
• Come down with a head cold.  Aaaargh!

I am really only now beginning to return to my more normal self.  The only advantage to having our colder-than-usual spring weather is that it's been preferable to stay inside with my 'making' than it's been to try to do any yard work.

Blessedly, the garden kept doing what gardens do -- giving me flowers all by themselves.  There were surprise croci in the little grove of trees near my garage -- two white (one is shown above) and one a deep purple.  In the way of croci, they were "here today, and gone tomorrow", but they were lovely little bursts of joy while they were blooming.

And with careful protection from the deer, two lovely tulips in the south-facing flower bed near the house have come, blossomed, and are now fading.  Here they were a few days ago at their very best:

Not to be out-done, my flowering houseplants set to and produced this!

My pink-and-white African Violet

My seasonally confused 
Christmas cactus!

Once past the worst of my cold, things began to bloom in my studio too.  

As to quilting, I finished piecing a pink-and-white top that I wanted to make up for friends who are expecting a new grandbaby -- a girl -- in June.  It's now pin-basted and waiting to be quilted:

If you look closely, you'll see tiny pinwheels in the corner and centre blocks.  I made these out of 'bonus triangles' left from Bonnie Hunter's "Lupines and Laughter" 2025/2026 Mystery pattern that I finished a bit ago (still needs to be quilted!)

I didn't have enough of them to make an entire top, but I wanted to use them so did my best.  The quilt is about 42" x 52", so I'll quilt it simply on my domestic machine.

With things the way they were, I fell a bit behind with the 2026 BOM from A Quilting Life, but this week I finally caught up, making both the April and May blocks:

April 2026 Block

May 2026 Block

To date, I'd been using my left-overs from the "Canada 150" collection from Northcott Fabrics -- and even before I made these last two blocks I was concerned I'd be playing "fabric chicken" by the time the end of the year rolled around.

Northcott, unbeknownst to them, came to the rescue!  A couple of weeks ago, my LQS (Wild Flower Creations in Lacombe, AB) posted on its Facebook page that it had a new Canadian line in from that fabric company!  It's called "Oh Canada", and includes some of the original line plus some new designs, all of which play nicely together.

Well!  Between the Sugar Pine booth at the Central Alberta Quilt Show -- I was well enough to go on May 9 -- and a stop in at Wild Flower this week, I was able to purchase what I think will take me to the end of the year, without much left over (except the neutral Stonehenge, which is always useful).

Even when I was ill, I managed a bit of knitting every day.  I stuck to mindless projects, especially the "Bustleton Tee" -- that I'm making with the pattern merely as a guide.  I started it in late April 2025, and am now on the decreases for the second sleeve.

Yes; I'm making it with long sleeves, and with irregular stripes which are composed largely of left-over sock yarn and other fingering-weight bits.  It's why I've dubbed mine the "Not-So-Bustleton Tee". 😉

The only part of the sweater that's not from yarn left-overs is the sleeves, which I'm knitting out of a full skein of "Georgian Fingering 50" from Numana Yarns, which I bought at the Prairie Fibre Festival a few years ago.  The colour is a luscious variegated one entitled "Crushing It".  It's 50% Superwash Merino and 50% Silk, and no way was I ever going to make that into socks!

Rug-hooking took a bit of a back seat while I was ill, but as I began to have more energy, I turned to it, and finished a little piece I'm calling "Prairie Spring Abstract".  It's my adaptation of a portion of Deanne Fitzpatrick's "Sea Garden Abstract" pattern, part of the online course of the same name that I bought a while back when she put it on sale.

In the colours I selected, I was trying to give the impression of the greens and golds of the grasses as they 'woke' in the spring in these parts, dotted with the occasional Prairie Crocus:

Now off the frame, it measures about 9" x 12"; I'm thinking of turning it into a small cushion.

Earlier this week I put another pattern up on my small frame (a made-over embroidery frame with scroll bars): "Starfish Cove".  This is a little design that was available in April from the Makers' Meet-up group at Deanne Fitzpatrick Studio; I'm not sure it will be released to the general public.  It features a house and some trees and in front, a row of starfish.  Well, I don't live anywhere near an ocean -- there are no starfish in our prairie lakes and sloughs!  So...I've turned the starfish into large daisies, and am calling my piece "Daisy Cottage".  All will be revealed when it's finished, so stay tuned!

And yes...of course there's been some cross-stitch in the mix!

In my early April post, I showed my progress on the "Quick Quaker SAL" (Stitch-ALong) from Jacob at Modern Folk Embroidery.  With the art show and then my bad cold, I fell a bit behind, but I managed to finish it on May 2.  No idea yet on a frame or any other way of finally finishing it, but here it is...

Fabric: 36-count "Bramble"
from Picture This Plus
Thread: DMC colour #824
1 strand of floss over 2 linen threads

I'm not up-to-date with the year-long "Little Acorns" SAL, but I made some progress there too.  Here it is as of the end of this week:

Fabric: 40-count "Platinum"
from Roxy Floss Co/Evertote
Thread: "Pippy" from Roxy Floss Co.
1 strand of floss over 2 fabric threads

And then -- in a burst of Spring Fever -- I started three new little pieces, and finished one of them!

First, I started and finished "Bloom Where You Are", a little kit from Shepherd's Bush.  It's stitched on a very loose, large-weave fabric of unknown origin -- there was nothing in the kit that said anything about it!  This, however, made it a very quick stitch, with 3 threads of floss much of the time.  It's very cute, and I've finished it into a little wall hanging, using some fabric I bought on my trip to Scotland in 2017:

Front

The 'quilting' isn't very even -- it was hard to judge where I was on that weird fabric, even with my trusty 1/4" foot!

All I have to do now is attach the hanging sleeve,and it will be done -- and hung either in my studio or out in my back room, where I house my plants when they're not outside.

Back

The second new start I made was the "Spring" section of a very old 4-season pattern from Elsa Williams.  You may recall from my March 20th post that I'd finished the "Winter" section, which was surprisingly enjoyable, so now I'm gung-ho to finish all of them over time.  (They're all done on one piece of fabric.)

In a couple of stitching sessions, I started some of the background and managed to finish the house.  I think it's going to be really pretty!

My last spring-themed start is from a little freebie pattern from Helen D., aka Eastcoast Crafter.  It's called "Bulbs, Blooms, Blossoms...". I'm stitching it on a small piece of 32-count Lambswool Linen, using DMC floss (mostly called-for colours), 1 strand of floss over 2 fabric threads.

I've just finished the text and have moved on to the garden motifs,so will show you a photo (hopefully a finish!) in my next post.  😊

And there you are, Gentle Readers, caught up on the making in my little corner of the world.

It's Victoria Day Weekend (aka "May Long" or "May 2-4") in Canada -- a time we designate the Official Start of Gardening Season.  While my friends and family in other parts of our fair land might be planting this weekend...I'm not.  Well...maybe by Monday, which is the holiday.  We've had snow southwest of here -- closer to the Rockies -- and "mixed precipitation" as near as an hour's drive west...and it's cloudy and only about 3 degrees Celsius right now (8:35 a.m. Mountain Time)....so...I may just stay in hibernation, with my recently-purchased bedding plants safely tucked in their containers in my garage!

Alas, I'm unable as of this writing to link you up with Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday.  She seems to be away this week.  I've sent her a note via Facebook to ask if all is well in her world, which I truly hope it is -- and in yours, too, Gentle Readers.

And so... pour le moment, a bientot!*

*"For the moment, a bientot!"

I Want to Make *All* the Things!

We had snow a few days ago.  It began as our usual "First Snowfall" does: with rain, then wet snow, then "regular" snow.  It's melted off the streets and sidewalks now, of course, but when it first fell, it decorated everything with a sparkling covering of white - including the trees.  The photo at left is of my double willow in the "Meadow" lot next to my house.  It lost many of its leaves before the snowfall, but had enough on its branches to look like it was wearing a fancy gown, on its way to a "Snow Ball"! 😉

The snow is off the trees now, too, but still all over the grass.  It's likely here to stay until spring, and will, of course, receive a fresh covering from time to time.

The computer craziness about which I wrote in my last post continues, with a faulty power port (in the computer, where you plug in the cord), and a need to retest the battery now that the port has been replaced.  It wasn't charging properly, even with the new cord.  It's still in the shop, so I'm here again on my old (2013) machie that's serving me rather well, actually, despite its age.  I will still be happy to have the newer (2021) model home again.  

I'd have given up on computers of any and all kinds by now, if they didn't provide me with such pleasure -- communications near and far, music (radio and otherwise) -- and the ability to share my making with whoever cares to see it.

And my making is what is keeping me from tipping into...well, as I've said before, creating beauty and texture, and making art for me and comfort for my friends, family and others -- that's what gives me a measure of peace, a dollop of joy, and helps me sleep at night.

With the coming of the colder weather this year, my usual Autumnal Startitis has ramped up several notches!  As the title of this post says, I want to make ALL the things!

BUT having a rather over-active conscience, I had to finish some things first.  On the knitting front, I finished the third of three Simple Gift Cowls for my son and his family:

Pattern: Simple Gift Cowl
Designer: Amy Curletto
Yarn: Schoeller & Stahl Limbo Mexiko Color
in "Mango" colour-way

I also knit up two pair of baby socks for a young neighbour and his partner, who are expecting their first baby a few days before Xmas.  In my last post, I'd just started the first sock of the first pair; now that pair is finished (newborn to 3-month size) and another larger pair (3 to 6 month size) too:

Pattern: "Baby Socks"
Designer: River City Yarns
Yarn: Knit Picks Sock Landscape
in the Rocky Mountain Dusk colour-way
Newborn - 3 months - shown with cuffs standing up

Same pattern, same designer
Yarn: Pro-Lana Golden Socks 4-fache
in the "Fashion R" colour-way
Three-to-six months size, shown with cuffs folded down

The remaining 'Christmas Knit' is the Back Bay Boomerang shawlette/scarf that I started some time ago.  It's simple garter stitch, but in a light fingering, it's been taking me a while.  It's my 'car knitting' -- for waiting at the train crossing, or for knitting while enjoying coffee with friends -- so it hasn't had quite the attention the other projects have, but rest assured, it will be finished in time to send away for Xmas!

Here's what it looked like when I last showed a photo:

And here's what it looked like as of last evening:

Pattern: "Back Bay Boomerang"
Designer: Susie von Reyn 
Yarn: Queensland Collection Perth
 in Colour #107 - "Tasmanian Bay"

I've only about 15 grams left of the 100 gram ball, and when it's finished, the shawlette will be too!

Three cowls for Xmas gifts and 2 pair of baby socks finished, plus one vest 2/3 of the way there ought to permit me to start a new knit, right? 😉

And what did I want to start?  Yes, I know; I have at least 3 two pair of socks, two shawls and at least 3 sweaters on the needles already, plus a vest.  But I've been watching assorted knitting podcasts, and have kitted up some new starts from my stash. 

The gals at The Woolly Thistle and at A Lovely Yarn have me hankering for a cardigan.  A colour-work cardigan.  Steeked, if possible.  So, yesterday I caked up 3 skeins with which to make a start on the "Stranded and Steeked Knit Cardigan" designed by Katherine Poole-Fournier for Patons Yarn and Yarnspirations.  It calls for a main colour and 4 others, but I'm using only a main colour and two others.  

The maroon is Briggs & Little Regal; the white/cream is Briggs & Little Heritage 2-ply and the teal blue is Gathering Yarn Haynes Creek Heathers Aran.

All have been set aside for a bit, because having read the pattern, I realize I've got to finish at least one mind-bending project before starting another.

The current "mind-bender" is the aforementioned "Presto Vesto" I've been constructing for my daughter for Xmas/her January 2025 birthday.  In my last post I showed you the finished back and right front (the two-thirds accounted for above).  The final third -- the left front -- is now on the needles, its ribbed hem finished, and I've split for the pocket.  You can see that in this photo if you look slightly right of centre and notice the second ball of yarn attached there.  

It remains a project that is anything but "presto" to knit!

To fulfill my hankering for new sweater starts, and for something a bit less challenging than multiple cables or colour-work with steeks, in the past two days I've cast on the following:

• The "Basic Pullover" by Sally Melville from her book, The Knitting Experience. Book 2: The Purl Stitch which I've had in my library since 2004.  Again I'm using yarn from stash: Gedifra Ombretta  in the colour-way #4402: "Midnight Wine".  Here's my start:

It's all wines and deep blue-purples -- yummy!  And perfectly mindless to knit.

• In the slightly less mindless but still simple category, yesterday I cast on the "Crayon Etching" pullover from Natsuko Iida for NORO yarns.  I'm knitting it in Noro Kureyon in colour #40 -- a blue/green/purple colour-way.  It's knit top-down (simple enough) in Linen Stitch, which is simple enough but I'd never used it before and the first dozen rounds of the neckline included short rows.  Riiiiight. Linen Stitch while doing short rows. That's why I consider it "slightly less mindless".  Blessedly the short rows are finished and I'm simply on the body/raglan increases...!!!

Yes, there's still quilting, stitching and art-mat hooking, too.  I've sandwiched and pin-basted the Pink Pinwheels top as that little blankie will go with the baby socks to the new parents.  The new parents-to-be are experiencing some financial challenges as the business the prospective father was working at is...um...not doing well, and in the last week he's either been temporarily or permanently laid off (I'm not sure which).

As I finished the twelve blocks for my son's birthday quilt, I began the sashing -- which is pieced.  Quarter-square triangles (QSTs), that is.  Pieced.  To make enough to go between the blocks, between the rows of blocks and around the outside as an inner border -- per the pattern -- I've had to cut 206 squares, put them in random pairs and create QSTs. 

QSTs under construction

QST sashing - 6 block units per sash
to go between the blocks in each row

Not quite as complex as the "Presto Vesto" project, but still a labour of love.  The things we do for our kids! 😉 💗😊

My stitching in the last part of October was focused on Christmas gifts too.  I started -- and finished -- a couple of small items.  One was autumn/Hallowe'en themed, for a friend of mine who loves both coffee and holiday decor and has been having a bit of a rough time lately:

Pattern: "Brew Haha"
Designer: Plum Street Designs
Done 2 threads over 2, in 28-count Cashel linen
from Zweigart in "Light Mocha" -- a scrap, really
Cotton floss - over-dyed and DMC, some called for,
some subsitutes, all from stash

The next one is finished -- but not fully.  I want to put it into a 7" wooden embroidery hoop, but have yet to do that:

Pattern: "Precious Friend"
Designer: Bent Creek
Done 2 threads over 2, on 28-count even-weave
or perhaps Lugana (no label) -- a scrap
Cotton floss - some over-dyed and some DMC,
some called-for, some substitutes, all from stash

The spacing for that one is a bit 'off' (it is for "Brew Haha" too) but I fudged it (per usual) as I refuse to let Perfect be the enemy of Good!  I enjoyed both of these stitches.

Once these were finished I started another Christmas gift stitch -- one of Jeannette Douglas' smalls, which I fell in love with when Caroline of Evertote.ca announced them.  Jeannette collaborated with Evertote/Roxy Floss on these projects: two small wooden spools, one which was designed to hang as an ornament and the other, to be used as a scissor holder, covered in motifs from Jeannette's reproduction of the Margreat Meadows sampler.  I chose the latter, and I'm stitching this up for a stitchy friend.  Although tiny -- I'm using 1 thread over 1 on 36-count Doubloon from Picture this Plus.  It's a mottled (but not splotchy) caramel linen, and this photo of my start doesn't do it justice, really, as it has more character than that:

I'm working from left to right; what you see above is the first two sets of motifs -- out of a total of five.  Yes, it's really tiny: about 2 1/4" high and about 4 1/4" long on this fabric.  That tells you how small the spool is that will be wrapped with it!  I had the fabric at home, but bought the kitted pattern and Roxy Floss threads -- yummy!  And Evertote's "Floss Boss", Hannah, gives the floss colours such wonderfully punny names.  I smile when I pick up each one!

For November, my focus will be on finishing the Margreat Meadows spool cover, and fully finishing it along with the "Precious Friends" piece.  For other stitching, though, I've dug out a 'black sampler' -- a Vierlande-style sampler from Jacob at Modern Folk Embroidery: "When This You See, Remember Me".  

I began it on Good Friday this year (in March), not long after it was first published, and posted about it then, but set it aside as I knew I'd want to work on it again this November.  I'm working it 2 threads over 2 on 32-count Vintage Smoky White (a printed linen) from Zweigart, using Roxy Floss hand-dyed cotton floss in the 'Vierlande' colour-way especially commissioned by Jacob for his Vierlandese designs.

Here's what it looked like when I set it aside:

Stay tuned for progress towards month-end!

And yes...there's hooked art!  In September, I joined the Inspirations Sessions at Deanne Fitzpatrick Studio, for a year only, and am enjoying them immensely.  They've really been a source of encouragement as I've been preparing new work to put into the 2024 "Under $100 Art Market" in Lacombe at the end of this month.  To date I've finished five miniature landscapes, each 6" square, and mounted the first one on painted stretched canvas, which I showed in my last post:

"Turning" (c) 2024
6" square, hooked, mounted on canvas

Here are the latest additions to the "collection", also 6" square, which have yet to be mounted:

"Little Shed on the Prairie" (c) 2024

"All That Blue, Green & Gold!" (c) 2024

"Harvest Hills" (c) 2024

"Winter Sunrise" (c) 2024

The ideas for these came in part from current scenes around me and in part from pieces I'd made as "matted minis" (small art quilts) some years ago.  I was pleased to see that I could translate them from fused applique, thread-painted and quilted fabric, to hooked wool yarn, and wool or silk fabric strips.

I'm now in the process of painting some canvases and some wooden panels (shallow boxes, really, which I'll use "upside down") for mounting, and should have that work done in the next week or so.  I have to wire them for hanging, so picked up some more small 'D' rings and some more picture wire at the hardware store yesterday.  And I have to deliver them to the exhibit venue in the last week of the month, priced and ready to hang -- so I'd best get going!

So, Gentle Readers, you're now all caught up with my exploits, and I'm about ready to take a brisk walk in the wintry sunshine that I can see out my window.  As usual, I'll leave you with a link to Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday.  When she posted her linky party, she admitted that she was handing out Hallowe'en candy that evening -- getting a dose of creativity in the costumes being worn by her little neighbours.  I hope you all had a happy time of it that night -- if you observe those festivities -- and I wish you more creative delights until we meet again.  A bientot!

It's a WIPGO Weekend PUSH!

 I can't believe it's almost been a month since my last post.  That Polar Vortex is long gone -- and we've had wintry but moderate temps since then, thank goodness!  I've just gotten into a great daily routine, and while I've taken photos along the way and often thought of posting, well, I wasn't always sure I had enough to say!

Let's begin with a bit of a catch-up on the Art Quilt front, okay?  

In my last post, I mentioned that I was taking 3 art pieces in to the Viewpoint Gallery in Red Deer, well in advance of the hanging of the up-coming exhibit, "Craft & Care"  -- and that's now 'mission accomplished'.  That said, while the Vortex had left us, the streets in Red Deer were so slick -- especially at those intersections conveniently placed at the bottom of a hill just past a curve -- well, let's just say that while I arrived safely at my destination, I did so with several more grey hairs! 😆

(Photo above: "Frayed" (2020) -- one of three of my pieces that will be in that exhibit.)

The installation of the exhibit is scheduled for next week -- Feb. 15 -- and I only hope the weather will be good enough (and the roads dry enough!) for me to go and help out.  Aside from helping, it'll be an opportunity to meet the other artists in the exhibit.  I've met a couple of them, but there are at least eight others I don't know at all.)  Stay tuned for info about the opening, etc.!

I've also managed to make a wee piece of Original Art -- my first in several months.  The SAQA Conference is coming up, and every year they hold a fund-raising auction -- sometimes only online and sometimes in person as well: the SAQA Spotlight Auction.  This year the conference is online, highlighting the Europe & Middle East Region -- from April 12-20.  The Auction will be online during the conference.  Right now, members are frantically making their pieces (only one per member!) to get them in before the March 1 deadline.

I confess I wasn't sure I had anything to offer this year -- my artistic mojo was at an all-time LOW -- but inspiration struck and here's the little piece I submitted last week (I know, eh?!  Well ahead of deadline!)

"Ring Around the Moon" - 2024
6" x 8" - will be matted by SAQA
with a 1/2" x 6 1/2" opening
Commercial fabrics, fused applique,
thread painting, fabric painting

I wasn't sure of its quality but have been reassured by the positive response from my colleagues on Facebook.  Phew!

Now then...what's all this about a WIPGO Weekend PUSH?!

I belong to two cross-stitch-related Facebook Groups: "WIPGO2024" and "Alberta Cross Stitchers".  The former was created by the wonderful young stitcher, Jessie Marie of "Jessie Marie Does Stuff" fame on YouTube, and the creator of the "WIPGO" game -- modelled after BINGO -- designed for stitchers, but adapted in various ways, shapes and forms by makers of all stripes and genres.   I talked about it at length in an earlier post, which you can see HERE.

First, to WIPGO:

For every month, Jessie Marie has assigned a "WIPGO Weekend" -- and Feb. 9-11, 2024 is this month's event.  It's on in the FB group and it's a weekend to inspire participants to work on the called-for blocks for the particular month -- or whatever else you want!  Just plan some crafting time, folks!

The February "calls" were #3 and #24.  For me, #3 meant "MFE" (Modern Folk Embroidery) and  #24 meant "Newest Knitting WIP" -- the socks I cast on Jan. 14 for my daughter -- her choice for her January birthday.

As of yesterday, I'd finished my assigned "calls" -- 7 'days' (meaning anything from 15 minutes to several hours' work) on each.  

My "MFE" piece was my attempt at the Evertotes Holiday Countdown 2022 -- pattern only.  I decided to do a deep stash dive for thread and fabric, and do the pattern in a single colour.

Here's were I left it in 2022:

LOL!  Not really.  I did have some of it started, but I never took a photo.  Go figure!

Anyway, here's where it was as of the "7th day" on my WIPGO "call":

I'm doing this on a mystery fabric that feels like it's a wool-linen blend, about 28 count, and rather slubby.  I'm using 1 strand of Waterlilies by Caron, colour 078 - "Pearl", over 2 fabric threads.  Because it's a mystery, there are gaps here and there -- you can see some spaces in the 2nd and 3rd bands (above) -- that will be filled in.  It's a Frisian band sampler done in two side-by-side sections, and I'm currently working on the first section.  It was meant to be done in several colours but I chose to use what I had and go monochromatic.  You can purchase the pattern here, though...and create your own.  No longer a mystery, but just as lovely!

As for those socks -- the first one is finished and the second one is past the cuff and onto the leg pattern:

Pattern: "Vestigial" 
Designer:Beata Jezek 
Yarn: Pro Lana Golden Socks 4-fach
Colour-way:"Fashion R"

Now to the Weekend PUSH!

Alberta Cross-stitchers is a Facebook Group of stitchers in Alberta, Canada (where I live).  We share what we're stitching, and our finishes and new starts.  We share resources and help newbies learn the craft.  Every once in a awhile the Moderator calls for a Weekend PUSH.  This means you decide to work on one piece (at least) and PUSH towards a finish (not required) by the end of the weekend.

Having finished my WIPGO2024 assignments, then, I've decided on a single item for both the WIPGO Weekend and the Alberta Weekend PUSH: the lovely sampler I started for my birthday last fall: "Memories of the Past" from Hands Across the Sea.  Here's the only photo I have -- of my very earliest progress:

I've done more since then, but never took a photo, and am not going to bother now.  That will make whatever progress I have to show for this weekend look exceptional! LOL!

And yes, of course, since my last post there's been knitting and quilting.

1. I finished my friend's "Woodpile Socks", mailed them off and she's thrilled:

2. I finished the little top for my friends' granddaughter:

Pattern: Wee Lima 
Designer: Taiga Hilliard
Yarn: Berroco Vintage - Colour 5181 - "Black Cherry"

3. I quilted up the one baby quilt top I had for her new baby sister:

Pattern: "Chandelier"
Designer: Vanessa Goertzen

4. And this week I've been working on a couple of patterns from the latest issue of "QuiltMaker", which I found at my "local" (43 km away) drugstore's magazine rack (thank you Rexall of Lacombe, Alberta!)

In this issue I found 3 patterns I want to work on.  First up is the "Scrappy Starburst" pattern because -- lo and behold! -- its centre block was straight out of all those 'postage stamp' blocks I've been making (at last count I had 83!!)  Sure...the pattern used 2 1/2" squares and mine were made of 2" x 7" strips sewn together and cross-cut, but what did I have to lose?  I mean, I could adjust the sizes, and wasn't it all about using stash and keeping it out of the landfill?  

Here's what the first few units looked like on my off-the-wall design board:

Next, there were 4 smaller corner units created, and all were assembled together with grey sashing (polycotton, of which I had an abundance inherited from an elderly friend's estate).  This was followed by borders of 2" squares -- barely made a dent in my supply, but...

Yes, after this photo, another patchwork border was added!

Then I added plain blue borders -- more of my inherited polycotton.  The day was sunny so I took the photo out on my back stoop:

The pattern calls for yet another border -- a combination of rectangles and two-patches.  But not likely today or tomorrow -- I've got other fish to fry!

The second pattern is from Bonnie Hunter's regular "Addicted to Scraps" column in the same magazine.  It's called "Four-Patch Fun" and will (I hope!) use up more of those 2" squares plus some 2" x 3 1/2" rectangles  So far I've made only four, shown here on my ironing board:

The corners of each block are supposed to be...um...unified -- like the green one on the right -- but I'm working with what I have, so mine will usually have a scrappier look!

That's all the news that's fit to print for this post, Gentle Readers.  Once again, thanks for following along when so many others are opting for Instagram's quick visuals, and other ways to share our creativity.  

I'll leave you, as usual, with a link to Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday. This week she and her hubby are planning a holiday at a 'folk school', where she's taking a class in improv piecing.  Not being anywhere near such a place in Canada, I've been thankful for SAQA's annual "Seminar" series -- because this week I watched videos from Jean Wells, Sherry Lynn Wood and one of my faves -- Joe Cunningham -- on their respective improvisational techniques, all while I was cutting and piecing in the comfort of my own studio!

You have to be a SAQA member to participate in the Seminar series -- which is all online -- but it (among other benefits) is one of my favourite reasons why I've been one since 2008 -- 16 years this May!

Speaking of anniversaries -- well -- a few days ago this very blog and I marked 21 years together.  As my kids would say, "Now it's Legal Everywhere".  Time for a toast!

Until we meet again, friends, may you be warm (or cool), well, safe and creative.  A bientot!

Plans, Hopes, Dreams...

 Do you make New Year's Resolutions?  I don't -- any more, that is.  Haven't for years.  That said, I've often written in this blog about my susceptibility to "Startitis" -- both in September (the start of a school year) and now, as we move from one calendar year to another.

This year, for the first time, I'm going to try to corral that "infection" by jumping on the WIPGO bandwagon.

"What's WIPGO?!" you might ask.  It's...a process for working on ones WIPs (Works In Progress) in order to finish them -- or at least make some progress on them -- throughout a given year.  

It's 'founder' is Jessie Marie, who created it some years ago now, in order to manage her cross-stitch WIPs.  It's a flexible game, really, that's adopted from Bingo -- and uses a 25-square "board".  You assign either projects or processes or categories of project -- or whatever you want, really -- to each square.  Each month -- on the 25th -- Jessie Marie "calls" (posts) two numbers to be worked on in the following month.  They're called about a week before the end of the month so you can prep your projects ahead of time -- the better to accomplish whatever your goals are for the month.

You might be able to tell that I've put both cross-stitch and knitting on my 'board'.  No quilting?  No spinning?  No rug hooking?  Nope.  I don't have a plethora of WIPs for any of those crafts.

If you want company, or advice, or encouragement, there's a Facebook Group (you have to answer questions to join) and there's action on Instagram (but I don't do Instagram so you'll have to look for it there yourself).  

Here's a link to her "how-to" video from 2022:

I found both of these resources very helpful when setting up my first "board". 

The mantra for the process is "Your board; your rules."  Some folks discover it doesn't work for them, and that's okay.  If you're a first-timer, though, you're encouraged to try it for the year before you decide whether or not it suits your practice.

And of course, just because only two board numbers are called each month doesn't mean that's all you work on!  Heck, no!  Work on any and all of your other crafts, hobbies and practices.  After all, there are 28 to 31 days in any given month (and 2024 is a Leap Year so February has 29 this go 'round) -- you can decide to work on a project for "100 stitches" or "300 stitches" or "3 days" (and a 'day' is what you say it is -- five minutes or 12 hours!) 

I've decided that when a number is called, I'll work on a project in the designated category for 7 days during the given month.  I decided to use categories of project rather than get specific, because I have 19 cross-stitch WIPs and 16 knitting WIPs, and some fall into more than one category.  

For January, the numbers 9 and 22 have been called. 

Looking at my 'board' -- photo above --  "9" is designated "Full Coverage"!  I've only one of those, which I began...oh...some twenty years ago (give or take).  Entitled "Bag Ladies", it came as a kit from Sunset Counted Cross Stitch of Reading, PA.  The pattern cover indicates it was designed by Braldt Bralds -- or perhaps more appropriately, used a design based on one of his paintings or illustrations -- and was kitted up for stitchers in 1999.  It included a large two-page pattern, all the floss, a needle and a  piece of 16-count grey aida.  

When planning my WIPGO board, I dug it out -- only to discover some sort of weird rust-coloured stain on a portion of the fabric!  Having stored it carefully (I thought) in a cloth tote, and having no recollection of having spilled anything on it, I'm at a loss as to what it is.  I tried soaking it in my eco-friendly laundry detergent and warm water.  No visible change.  Tried again with blue Dawn in slightly hotter water.  Ditto.  Scrubbed with a soft brush and mild hand soap.  Maybe it's a bit lighter.

And then I took a close look at what I had left to stitch.  Lo and behold, I think the remaining stitching will cover most -- if not all -- of it up!  Here's what it would look like finished:

Photo source: Pinterest

The red bag with the feathery tail at the upper right will cover quite a bit -- as will the rest of the bags and cats therein!  And the background is only partly bare fabric -- there are stitches all along the top, creating shading and dimension.

With my love of cats, and the fact that I'm just starting the second page of the pattern, how can I not finish it -- or at least, try to?!

As for square #22 -- that's "Monochromatic".  I have two stitching pieces that fit that description.  One is the Holiday Countdown 2022 from Evertote and Modern Folk Embroidery.  I decided to stitch it on a piece of fabric in a gorgeous red, using a creamy perle cotton from Caron.  Both are from deep stash:  

That said, my start was so small that I didn't even photograph it!

My second monochromatic WIP is the one I really want to return to, especially seeing as the 'holiday' season is drawing to a close.  It's a Carolyn Manning design from her "One Color Wonder" Collection: "Peace":

I'm stitchiing it on a piece of 28-count pearl grey linen that I got from a sale table somewhere.  It has no identifying maker, but it also hasn't the trade-mark orange stripe in the selvedge that would say "Zweigart".  It's perfect for this project though, and suits my choice of thread perfectly, to my mind.  I'm stitching it with a single strand of a hand-dyed tencel yarn (!) that I bought at the vendor's market at Olds Fibre Week last June; it's in a variegated purple:

Dyer/vendor: Trail Yarn
Colour-way: "Badass Babe"!

Preparing my WIPGO board gave me a great opportunity to track down all my WIPs -- including some which were tipping into the UFO category.  The  Mystery shawls fit that bill, along with a pair of socks that had succumbed to Serious Second Sock Syndrome:

One piece that's probably not going to get on the board is "No Winter Lasts Forever" from Silver Creek Samplers.  That's because I'm planning to finish it this weekend!  

I'm not following the "12 x 12" event closely, but I'm going to stitch like I am.  For one thing, I won't get home from church before noon on December 31; for another, I'm in bed by 9 p.m. and sleep through the entry of the New Year!  But I expect to have a good six or seven hours in which to stitch, and "No Winter" will be part of that (if it isn't finished even before that!)

All I have left to stitch is the snow, my initials and the year at the bottom!

Pattern: No Winter Lasts Forever
Designer: Silver Creek Samplers
Fabric: 28-count Pewter from Picture This Plus
Floss: DMC and a bit of Weeks Dye Works

Another item that probably won't make the WIPGO board is a sweater I'm knitting for a just-turned-18-months-old little girl  -- the granddaughter of a long-time friend, who lives in Ontario.  

Pattern: "Wee Lima"
Designer: Taiga Hilliard
Yarn: Berroco "Vintage" in "Black Cherry"
(from stash)

As you can see, I've only a portion of a sleeve to knit -- and it'll be finished except for sewing on the buttons (See the large stitch holder, shaped like a safety pin? That's where the buttons go!), sewing in the ends, and washing/blocking it.

Now little Sophie -- the future recipient -- also has a new baby sister, Ivy (2 months old).  She'll be getting a little crib quilt.  I made the top last March and when I learned of her arrival I decided to quilt it up for her.  Here's a photo of the top:

Pattern: "Chandelier"
Info: see my post HERE

Note that neither of those projects is on the WIPGO board.  That's because I've classified them as Priority Projects because they're gifts -- and will be finished come heck or high water, WIPGO or no WIPGO!

Speaking of gifts...being who I am, and being who my friends and family are, I received some lovely yarny and stitchy gifts for Christmas and "just because"!

My son's partner gave me a gift certificate for a southern Alberta indie yarn dyer -- Arcane Fibre Works.  His colours are fantastic -- but his yarn base is all extra-fine merino.  His prices are reasonable but I was hoping for a skein of fingering for socks.  And y'all probably know by now that unless colour palate is an issue, I won't make socks from high-grade merino.  They don't wear well.  They might stretch/slouch more than other socks.  They pill.  And they might felt -- even if they're super-wash treated.  Oh -- and feet don't need socks that soft.  Never test sock yarn on your face or neck. Your feet aren't that fussy!!

So...I've got a colour-way in mind but will reserve a purchase until I can afford (even with the gift cert) two skeins for a shawl.  (And yes; two skeins will equal free shipping -- at least in Canada.)  I'm willing to bide my time...

My friend Mary W. gave me two balls of yarn.  This is admirable, because a) she doesn't wear wool; and b) she doesn't knit!  (True friendship: supporting a friend's passion even when you don't share it!)

She gave me a lovely ball of German sock yarn (NOT 'extra-fine merino' -- the Germans know their sock yarn!) in one of my daughter's favourite colour-ways.  And my daugher?  She's always up for a pair of sturdy, well-wearing, hand-knit-by-Mom socks!  So...her January birthday prezzie is taken care of!

She also gave me a ball of 80% acrylic (!)/20% wool yarn from James C. Brett -- a lovely UK-based company.  The colours are similar, but the yarn is clearly for a shawl or something cozy; it has a 'halo' that makes it look like mohair but there's no mohair to be found in it.  And...I have a friend who suits this colour palate (she has auburn hair and complexion)...so maybe this will become something for her.  Hmmmm....or given to her -- because she knits.  She knits shawls (and I found a pattern for this yarn).  Prayer shawls, even.  Hmmmmm....the possibilities!

Isn't it delicious?!

Yarn: "Shhh" DK (but it's more like fingering)
Supplier: James C. Brett
Fibre: 80% acrylic, 20% wool

I'm not lacking in stitchy gifts, either.  Today I had lunch with my friend C. (we do this every 2-3 weeks -- two-hour lunches at Mae's Kitchen here in Mirror, AB.  Food and friendliness par excellence!)  She had a major reno to her home this past summer (don't ask; it wasn't planned!) and now is putting things back where they should go.  In the course of doing that, she's sifting and sorting her "stuff" and gave me this beautiful book: Sampler & Antique Needlework: A Year in Stitches.  It's available on Amazon.ca (and probably "dot com") for a pretty reasonable price but oh!  The treasure of it!

I managed some years decades ago to procure a couple of the original magazines by that name, which used to be published quarterly, but I wasn't aware of this book.  The publisher of the magazine is/was Phyllis Hoffman, and she published the book under the company called "Symbol of Excellence Publishers, Inc."  That title is appropriate -- even as I gaze on the cover of the book, having yet to open it and go through it.  C. is a stitcher too -- but she knows how I've fallen in love with reproduction samplers, and so this is a very special gift honouring that affection for this genre.

And then...the piece de resistance!  My friend A. is a quilter known for her album quilts and the beauty of her applique and hand-quilting.  She also knits and stitches, and is a lot of fun to be with.

This year, she gave me the most delightful, exquisitely executed gift for Christmas.  I have it out on the table in my living room, where I hang out to stitch, where I can see it.  It's useful, yes, but the artistry and detail make it so very special.  The pattern is from the "Block Party Series" from Hands On Designs; this one is "Meow".  A. knows I'm a Certified Cat Person...with an Elder Grumpy Cat and two 6-month old kittens...so she paid tribute!

I just had to show you the top and all four sides (the bottom is plain but for her initials and the date):

Her stitching is par excellence, because she never does anything by halves.  💓

And now, my friends...I've spoken of plans and gifts -- but what about hopes and dreams?

My hopes for 2024 are too numerous to list, but in the main consist of these:

1. "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." -- Isaiah 2:4 -- that the lust for power and dominance globally, nationally, regionally, locally and within families disappear and be gone forever.
2. That the US doesn't fall into fascism; 
3. That in all times and all places we can -- as Fred Rogers' mother instructed -- look for AND FIND the Helpers.  May there always be helpers.

My Dreams? Well...in a concrete sense, I've only one.  It's far smaller than my plans or hopes.  I long to return to Scotland...just one more time.  I have a friend -- Anne H. -- who is willing and eager to come with me.  Both of us knit.  She crochets; I do a bit.  She weaves; I do not.  I spin; she doesn't.  We both walk.  And we are on a wait list to be notified for the registration to sign on to a Knitting/Walking Tour of the Shetland Isles in 2025.  

I may never go home (to Quebec) again this side of heaven (though I'd like to do so too) but if I get to Shetland...to walk the isles, experience the sheep, the scenery, the skills of the knitters there...oh!  That's my Dream.

All that said, I told Anne recently that if I never made it there, I'd not die disappointed.  Sometimes the Dream is enough.

And so, Gentle Readers, I close this with a message of thanksgiving, and hope for you all: that you will find your space, your purpose, your calling.  That you will know the peace of God (however you understand that) that passes all understanding.  May that Peace enfold you, enable you, inspire you, encourage you and bring you to where you need to be for your own equanimity and for your giving of who you are and what you are to others -- a light in the darkness; a safe haven in the storm; a quiet centre in the whirlwind; a refuge.  May you be given the resources to do and be so -- and may you know that you are held in love in the Everlasting Arms -- however you understand that to be.

A bientot!