Livin' La Needle Loca

 ...last day or April. The Husband has been busy working in the garden. He planted some new petunias: and did some clean-up This was my view of the garden this morning: Yesterday I finished the machine quilting of the Deco Royale quilt. I decided to sew on the binding while I was at the machine. I spent the rest of the day burying loose threads. After I finish that, I'll handsew the binding on the back and find something to use for the label.

 ...and things are humming along. I have one more section of the Deco Royale quilt to machine-quilt. When I've completed that section, I will machine-quilt the border.  Then I'll have to decide whether to bury all of the loose threads or sew on the binding. The next project will be to make a table-top ironing pad using the heat-resistant fabric pictured above. Several years ago, I bought a Sullivan ironing cover that was the largest ironing pad that I could find at the time. It was intended for Sullivan's Home Hobby table, which is 59 x 36-inches. My table is 63 x 31.5-inches. It's worked OK, but it slips around a lot. I'm finally going to make one that fits my table and add more padding. The end result is to get a cover that fits and uses up some of the batting scraps that I've saved up. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Marionberry Shawl [ Ravelry ] Started the next pattern repeat. Deco Royale (quilting...

...and I'm still on a high from Sunday's visit with The Daughter. We got to hug our daughter for the first time since February(?) of last year! We shared a meal and had a wonderful visit. I'm looking forward to getting to spending more time with her now hat we are all fully vaccinated. The Neil Diamond roses are slowly opening and they are beautiful. I've been working on the Deco Royale most days, except when my shoulders get too sore from wrestling the quilt through the sewing machine. When I'm not working on the quilt, I'm cycling through the Mermaid sampler, the Marionberry Shawl [ Ravelry ], and the Pure Comfort Cardigan (knitting) [ Ravelry ]. I haven't touched my tapestry project in several days. There's just not enough time in the day to do everything that I want.

...and we're looking forward to the weekend. We get to see our Daughter in person for the first time since September. 😊 This week we have sea lavender blooming in the courtyard... ...plumbago in the backyard ...and Neil Diamond roses in the backyard.

 ...and I'm happy to be machine quilting again! I've probably made more work for myself, but the Deco Royale quilt really called for something than a simple squares and rectangles. I typically quilt along the fabric's motifs, but several of the fabrics in the quilt are marbled or have tiny patterns. I looked up some art deco designs and picked a couple that would be interesting, but not too complex. Here's a first look at the machine quilting for the quilt: I've quilted about 1/3 of the quilt. There's quite a bit of set-up for some of these patterns and a lot of quilt wrestling. I've been stopping around mid-afternoon to work on something else and to rest my shoulders. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Marionberry Shawl [ Ravelry ] Back on track, after having to unknit another pattern repeat. I can't seem to get the count right on this section Deco Royale (quilting) 4/16 Started machine quilting; about...

 ...the week always goes quickly when I'm busy. When I retired, i wanted to spend more time with my DSLR camera, but that hasn't really happened yet. In an effect to get back into my DSLR, I attached my macro lens for today's photos.  The garden continues to bloom. We have more snapdragons: These drosanthemum micans are growing next to the snapdragons: Our Blenheim apricot tree has baby apricots: and my Frida Kahlo rose is starting to bloom! I'm looking forward to quilting all weekend!

 ...and things are humming along! I've been busy piecing quilt backing and pin basting quilts. I have pin basted 3 and will do the 4th and last one today. Then it will be time to start machine quilting. While I'm basting the quilts, I have 2 helpers: They are fascinated by the whole process! WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Marionberry Shawl [ Ravelry ] I had 2 pull put about 3 inches of the shawl. I was totally off on my count because of an extra yarn-over. Pin basted: Deco Royale (quilting) Mermaid Songs (quilting) Noche de los Muertos quilt (quilting) Pure Comfort Cardigan (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Still working away on the last side of the collar The Mermaid and the Sea (cross stitch) Continuing to make progress. This is a nice project to work on as I can complete one or more motifs at a sitting. Works In Progress: Illusion hexagons [ Ravelry ] Look Through My Window quilt for ...

 ...(not Tuesday as I previously listed...oops) and I'm in quilter heaven. I picked up my sewing machine on Saturday! Happy dance! I spent yesterday piecing the backing for 3 quilts, piecing some batting for the smallest quilt, and making binding for the mermaid quilt. A whole day at my sewing machine! Today, we'll move some furniture and I'll sandwich at least one of the quilts. I've been trying to knit a few rows on the Pure Comfort Cardigan [ Ravelry ] every day. I figure for the next couple of days or when the novelty of having my sewing machine wears off, I'll be working on quilts.

 ...and I'm loving the warmer days. This morning's sunrise was gorgeous: We have freesias growing in our front yard... ...as well as geraniums. The Husband planted a new rose bush in the courtyard and it has lots of buds. I can't wait for the roses to open!

...and I started a new project. I couldn't decide which long-term project to work on, so I started a new one. 😁 This is The Mermaid and The Sea sampler: I like the design, but I'm not quite happy about some of the chosen Weeks Dye Works colors. For example, most of the fish in the photo are done in Mallard, which has abrupt color changes when stitched. It looks like the fish are stitched in two different colors, when they are really stitched in the same color. I'm going to leave them for now, but might revisit them if I end up hating the way they look. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting) Working on the block arrangement Pure Comfort Cardigan (knitting) [ Ravelry ] I have knitted past the second shoulder and am knitting the last side of the sweater. Yay! The Mermaid and the Sea (cross stitch) Started 4/4/2021 Works In Progress: Illusion hexagons [ Ravelry...

...and I'm glad this one is done.  This is By The Sea (cross stitch): Specs: Started 6/20/2020 Finished 4/3/2021 Kit from Sweetheart Tree Modifications: Shortened the phrase to By The Sea to make the letters more legible There is a matching By The Sea scissor fob by this designer that I planned on stitching. After completing this sampler, I have no desire to stitch it. Back in the stash it goes! I spent a couple of hours redoing the way that I store my sewing thread. I found this post ( http://lacy-life.blogspot.com/p/diy-spool-thread-organizer.html ) that showed how to make in-drawer organizers. My drawers are pretty shallow, so standing up the spools on dowels wasn't going to work for me. By reversing the direction of the organizers, I can lay the spools in the drawer and easily see the colors. I made some risers out of leftover foam core that fit in the three-drawer storage cube closest to my sewing machine. By spreading my thread out int...

 ...and two more big projects are done! Finished: 3/31 Earthen Hues (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Camel-Silk (4.0 oz.) from Greenwood Fiberworks 181.6 yds. chain-ply, 13 WPI 3/23 Blue Moon mini (cross stitch) 3/20 Peacock Majesty  3/21 Tucson Twilight 3/14 Face masks for me (2) 3/4 Minty Fresh handspun [ Ravelry ] Corriedale top (4.0 oz) in Exhaust from Judy’s Novelty Wool Plied with Plied with Sesia Carioca in Shamrock 65 yds., bulky weight Books Return to Virgin River, Robyn Carr Sex and Vanity, Kevin Kwan Blood Heir, Ilona Andrews Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder, Joanne Fluke Fast Track, Julie Garwood Wild Sign, Patricia Briggs Strawberry Shortcake Murder, Joanne Fluke Sea Glass Island, Sherryl Woods Started: 3/21 Blue Moon mini (cross stitch) 3/15 Earthen Hues (spinning) [ Ravelry ] 3/14 Face masks for me (2) 3/4 Minty Fresh handspun [ Ravelry ] Works In Progress: By the Sea needle roll (cross stitch) Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting)...

...and a finished object. First, the eye candy.  I really love spring because there is something new blooming every day. There are more blanket flowers: The Spanish bluebells have appeared: Our large cherry tree is now blossoming: and there are bearded irises in the front yard. For my last finish of March, I plied Earthen Hues (spinning) [ Ravelry ]: and the close-up: Specs: Started 3/15/2021 Finished 3/31/2021 Camel-Silk (4.0 oz.) from Greenwood Fiberworks 181.6 yds chain-ply, 13 WPI