Livin' La Needle Loca

...and there continues to be progress in the studio. We moved in some furniture and unpacked the handspun and spinning fiber.  I spend the good part of two days searching for my sewing thread. I finally found it and was able to start working on one of the quilts. Yay! In the garden, the squirrels have decimated the apricots. I was able to eat a few of them. Score 1 for the squirrels. I'm glad that I took photos of them when I did. Our garden path: We have clematis blooming: Society garlic: Calibrachoa and purslane: And lots of blackberries:

...with a finished object. I finished the top for The Road to Chaos quilt.  Specs: Started 2/10/2025 Top completed  6/11/2025 Pattern: Yellow Brick Road by Atkinson with some modifications Fabric: Happy Hour March 2020 Fat Quarter pack from The Granary; Grunge Basics in Blue Steel from Moda  I now have 3 quilt tops ready for sandwiching. My only problem now is that I need to buy the batting for the quilts.I used to get the batting from JoAnn, but with the company in bankruptcy and all the stores closed, I need to find a new local source. I've already tried the local quilt store, but they don't have enough in stock. I may have to order from an online source. WIPs Roll Call Worked On:  Mom's cookbook (cooking) Added 19 more recipes to the app. Worked on queueing more projects. No Work This Week: California Red Poppy Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ]   Happy Bluebird mini (cross stitch) Look Through My W...

...and a couple of finishes. First, I finally finished the Teal No-Noro Hat [ Ravelry ] that has been my car project for a while. Also when Cassia decided she needed to be in my lap, I'd work on the hat since I couldn't work on anything else.   Specs: Started 11/12/2024 Finished 5/12/2025 Pattern: Noro Spiral one-skein hat by Manuèle Ducret On Cinco de Mayo, I started working on another cat quilt, this one based on a Day of The Dead quilt panel from Timeless Treasures. I made a quick trip to the quilt store to get fabric for an additional border. Yesterday, I finished adding the borders. This is La Cat-trina: Specs: Started 5/5/2025 Top completed 5/13/2025 Fabrics from the Day of the Dead line by Timeless Treasures; additional raspberry batik fabric for border WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Color Chaos quilt, formerly Brighter Day (quilting) Still rearranging the blocks; switched some fabrics in the blocks Sea Merch...

...making progress. I completed sewing together the blocks for the Harding Cats quilt. I am considering adding a wider border in a lighter colored cat fabric. The top is pretty big right now, but I think it might benefits from the contrast of the lighter fabric. I'll give it a few days before I decide.  WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Brighter Day quilt (quilting) Working on block layout. Herding Cats quilt (quilting) Preliminary top completed 3/2 Sea Merchant's Wife (cross stitch) Working on lower tail. No Work This Week: Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting) Finishing work  Mom's cookbook (cooking) Teal No-Noro Hat (knitting) [ Ravelry ]   Finishing Work In Progress: Collector's Heart 2024 (cross stitch) Crystal Heart mini (cross stitch) Dreaming Cleo (cross stitch)  Frost Flower mini (cross stitch) Jasmine Mix mini (cross stitch) Pearl Orchid mini (cross stitch) Tu...

 Wow, 17 years blogging! It’s been hard blogging regularly for the past couple of years. I’m hoping that 2024 lets me get back to some of my normal routines.  I finished the Hip to be Square quilt - my first finish of the year. Specs: Started 8/28/2023 Finished 01/04/2024 No pattern Fabrics: Grunge Basics, Grunge Hits the Spot, and Grunge Seeing Stars fabrics by Moda

 ...just under the wire! This is the completed Mid Century Deco quilt: Specs: Started 4/10/2023 Top completed 4/21/2023 Finished 9/30/2023 Quilt based on Carbide quilt by Modern Moon Quilt Design and Deco Quilt Pattern blog post by Brittany Lloyd Mid Century Modern fabric colors I love how it turned out! Using metallic thread to quilt the silver sections was a pain, but they look good. Now that I've finished this quilt, I can work on the Hip To Be Square quilt. I've already sewn together all of the squares. I need to cut out and attach the two borders, then the top will be done. After that, I'll piece the backing and it will be ready to make the quilt sandwich.

 ...hooray!  I finished Good Day Sunshine yesterday. Specs: Started 1/30/2023 Top finished 2/11/2023 Completed 6/11/2023 Sun & Sea fabric line, designed by David Galchutt for QT Fabrics; Season of the Sun fabric line, designed by David Galchutt for Benartex There are some chalk marks that are not coming out by the usual means. I'll probably have to wash them out. That will be for another day.

 ...making progress on a few things. I painted additional Mid Century Modern coasters. I still had a paint leakage problem, but overall I'm pretty happy with them. I may back them with some felt to add another level of absorption. Specs: MCM Painted Coasters Started 5/9/2023 Finished 5/12/2023 Based on an idea from the internet I had been struggling with how to pin the two quilts in my finishing queue. We installed wonderful new floors with the remodel and I did not want to scratch them up with safety pins. Enter puzzle mats! They provide enough protection for the floor and give me a cushioned surface to work on. I ordered two sets on an Amazon timed deal. When they arrived, I laid them out and sandwiched both quilts. They were barely big enough for the larger of the two quilts, so I'll order another set to have on hand when I make big quilts. My biggest problem now if where to store them! I really need to do more purging in my studi...

 ...with a couple of finished items. I've been working through the finishing work this month. Here are 3 items that are now complete. This is Summer Garden, finished as a flat: Specs: Started 6/2/2022 Finished 6/6/2022 Finishing work complete 4/11/2023 Pattern and buttons from JABC This is Beach Please, finished as a pillow: Specs: Started 10/1/2022 Finished 1/4/2023 Finishing work complete 4/11/2023 Design by Hands On Design This is Frida Kathlo, also finished as a pillow: Specs: Started 3/5/2023 Finished 3/29/2023 Finishing work complete 4/11/2023 Pattern by Barbara Ana Designs I finished assembling the Mid Century Deco quilt top: Specs: Started 4/10/2023 Top completed 4/21/2023 Quilt based on Carbide quilt by Modern Moon Quilt Design and Deco Quilt Pattern blog post by Brittany Lloyd Mid Century Modern fabric colors And a little eye candy in the form of sunrise on 4/18, as seen from our backyard.

 ...in the category of In The Eye Of The Beholder. I am trying to blend two fabric lines into one quilt. Although the fabrics come from two fabric companies, they are both designed by the David Galchutt and both feature suns. Left: Season of the Sun fabric line, designed by David Galchutt for Benartex Right: Sun & Sea fabric line, designed by David Galchutt for QT Fabrics I have a slight preference for the Sun & Sea fabrics, but I think i might be able to get the two lines to blend together in one quilt. In the course of putting things back in order after the remodel, I went through my everyday/costume jewelry to see what I could donate. Since I'm no longer working, I don't need that many necklaces and bracelets. I found a bunch of jewelry that I made from kits that I purchased at cross stitch festivals over the years. Apparently, I never documented them or photographed them  (oops) with one exception. Specs: Started ...

 ...long time no 'e. It's been a zoo, but we're finally on the other side of the remodel (mostly). We are still waiting for a window to arrive and our new front door will be installed on Friday. However, the rest is done and we are so happy. To give you an idea of the work we did: Today, they picked up the POD container we used to store our furniture and things. Its the first time since July that I've been able to park in the driveway. We've mostly put things back in place. Now that Christmas is over, we'll get the rest of it our of boxes. Anyway, we're glad there are no more daily work crews and we're very happy to be out of the chaos! My last finished object of 2022 was the quilt for my Aunt Rachel. I visited mom after Christmas and was able to give it to her in person. She loved it! This is "Sun, Sun, Sun, Here We Come." Specs: Started 10/27/2022 Finished 12/18/2022 Based on Baby Honu by Lisa Boyer ...

 ...that last quilt from the tops I completed in 2020/ This is Mermaid Songs: Specs: Started 3/19/2020 Top completed 3/27/2020 Finished 5/24/2022 All patterned fabrics are Laurel Burch Ocean Songs panel and fabrics; Dark navy borders from my stash; No quilt pattern used Now that I've finished this quilt, I can allow myself to start another large project. Yay!

 ...hooray! First up, Noche de los Muertos: Specs: Started 5/5/2020 Top finished 9/6/2020 Completed 5/5/2022 Day of the Dead fabrics No pattern I love how this quilt turned out! The colors are vibrant and it just makes me happy. :) This is Bean Me Up! Specs: Started 1/31/2021 Top finished 3/1/2021 Completed 5/10/2022 Jumping Java panels and fabrics from Clothworks No pattern - winging it again When I first started quilting around motifs in a quilt, I regularly used invisible thread. It disappears into the square and highlights the motif with a little shine. As time goes on, I use it less and less because it's a pain in the a$$. It bunches up/knots if you look at it cross-eyed and it's hard to see to thread a needle when I'm burying the ends. I'm much happier if I can use a cotton thread close to the background color. I just need to remember that for the next quilt! WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Effortless Cardigan (k...

...and the last finished objects from 2021. Here is the first photo of 2022 - the sunrise: The Daughter prefers a white and gray color scheme for her home. That includes her Christmas tree. I've been wanting to make her something for her home, but hadn't figured out anything until I ran across some  fabric in my stash. I found 1/2 yard of a cream-based Fairy Frost and 1/2 yard of a white-based Fairy Frost. After a quick trip to the fabric store, I had some Moda Grunge fabrics in whites, silvers, and grays. I kept the pattern simple as she prefers clean lines and since Christmas was just 9 days away, I kept the machine-quilting simple as well. This is Shades of Winter: Specs: Started 12/16/2021 Finished 12/20/2021 Fabrics from the Moda Grunge By BasicGrey and Michael Miller Fairy Frost No pattern It's hard to take a good photo of a mostly white quilt so this was the best I could get after about 30 tries (gotta love digital cameras!) ...

 ...it has arrived at its destination. This is At the Zoo, a baby quilt for a friend's new daughter. My friend loves bright colors, so this seemed perfect. Specs: Started 10/12/2021 Finished 11/1/2021 Zoo Parade and stash fabrics Pattern and fabrics: Zoo Parade by Andover Fabrics

 ...and another finished object (sort of). I finished the top of the Bean Me Up! quilt: Specs: Started 1/31/2021 Top completed 3/1/2021 Pattern: none, winging it Fabrics: Jumping Java panels and fabrics from Clothworks In honor of the sourdough bread class that I took last year (right before COVID impacted our lives), I fed my sourdough starter and made bread dough on Monday. After 24 hours of proofing in the refrigerator, I baked it last night. It turned out beautifully! WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Marionberry Shawl [ Ravelry ] Working on the second round of the pattern repeats Pure Comfort Cardigan (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Still working towards the center point of the collar. Tucson Twilight (needlepoint) Finished one diagonal section; starting another Works In Progress: By the Sea needle roll (cross stitch) Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting)  Illusion hexagons [ Ravelry ] Ma...

...I'm on a roll! I finished the Gatitas quilt last night. This is the label: Specs: Started 9/15/2020 Top finished 9/17/2020 Completed 10/26/2020 2 Nine Lives fabric panel and stash fabrics Quilt for the kittens

 ...Happy Labor Day! I finished the top of the Noche de los Muertos quilt: Specs: Started 5/5/2020 Finished 9/6/2020 Day of the Dead fabrics No pattern I also finished a scissor fob. This is Peter Pumpkin: Specs: Started 8/31/2020 Finished 9/6/2020 Kit from Ewe & Eye & Friends It's been too hot to work on anything but cross stitch. I hope the weatherman is correct and it gets cooler after today!

...combined with Eye Candy Friday. I finished the Mermaid Happiness Quilt yesterday! Here's the quilt: and the quilt label: Specs: Started 10/6/2019 Finished 1/9/2020 Mermaid Happiness panel, plus fabrics from stash No pattern This is the third time I've used the wide border fabric. I originally bought it as backing for a king-size quilt and ended up using it as a border instead. Last year, I used it as a border for my mother-in-law's quilt, and now this quilt. I still have enough to use it again as a border if it's appropriate. Our garden is very sparse right now. The only thing blooming are the cyclamen: Up this weekend: It's a weekend? LOL! The days are running into each other, one thing I didn't expect to happen when I retired. With my husband not working either, it's hard to keep track. Spin-In is on Saturday. I have some biscotti that I can take, so I don't need to bake anything. I plan on concentrating on my weaving pr...

....and it's March! Wasn't Christmas just a couple of weeks ago? Things are starting to bloom in the garden. And some of them are being killed by the pouring rain that keeps happening. One of our cool new succulents bit the dust in the last week and others are drowning. The crocuses are surviving OK: and another view: And the pink hyacinths are happy: and another view: The echeveria derenbergii has set a flower cluster and they are opening one after the other: Up this weekend:  Work on my mother-in-law's quilt. I'd like to get it done because I have so many other things that are crying for attention (including our 17.5-year-old cat!). I don't think that I can finish the machine quilting this weekend. It's not hard to do, but wrestling with the quilt takes a lot out of my shoulders. I will swap off with the Dragon Scales handspun [ Ravelry ] that I'm in the middle of plying. I can feel the start-itis coming on...too many beaut...