Quilting and other Things

My goal for November for Patty's One Monthly Goal was to finish the applique for T,U,V,XYZ and W would be a bonus.  Today I finished W as well and started doing some of the embroidery needed to complete the blocks.  Somehow there was one more stitching Monday that I expected so more got done.  This is the collection of blocks as of this evening.  Applique is completed.  This afternoon, I started adding the embroidery to the remaining blocks.  I had completed up to J so started with Kris Kringle.  Before After.  Not a lot on this one but I do like the little bits Add the electric cord as chain stitch rather than tiny bias This also got chain stitch rather than tiny bias There are 11 blocks left to add embroidery to.  W doesn't get any but I'm not happy with the contrast between the Dove and the background so I'll probably add a small outline stitch to the dove to help it.  The oldest reference I ...

The fabric had dried so yesterday afternoon, I set the light box and traced the pattern for the Birth Month block.  With the way the pattern is printed, it was easier to work with the block upside down to me so that I didn't have to reach over the legend and notes.   One of the suggestions was to mark the edge that doesnt turn under so that the line would show through.  Unfortunately, the colours were too dark so while the pattern was on the light box, I put the bits onto the pattern and used a white marking pen to the line for the overlap.  Then stacked all the pieces up.   All ready for the next pieces to be pinned into place.   Today at Monday sewing, I focused on the Christmas A-Z blocks.  I finished the applique for V is for Vixen and started on the Zeds in Bed for the XYZ block.  Yesterday I also finished tracing the W for Wreath block so its ready for prepping.   At the rate I'm goin...

Yesterday I went to the guild workshop with Kathy K Wylie .  We each worked on a flower from her Birth Flowers collection.  We each picked which month we wanted to work on.  I'm working on December.  While the instructions are written to start at piece 1 which is on the outer wreath in my case, for the class all focused on the center flower.  My centre will be a red poinsettia I haven't decided if the other four will be yellow or pink or a combination.  Probably two of each. Several years ago I purchased the apliquick tools she uses and recommends but hadn't done much with them.  It was good to watch her use them during the demo then practice on the centre flower.  All the pieces are prepared.  I started to stitch the centre blossom.  In looking at it afterwards I wasn't really happy with the tracing so this morning I spritzed the block and removed the markings.  I'll re-trace and keep on working on this block.  ...

When October ended, this is where the T block was.  I'm not sure if you can see those tiny applique pins through the top layer of the tree.  There are 4 of them and the long needle I use to stitch should be just above.  On the weekend I went to a 3 day silent retreat at Loyal House in Guelph.  (Wonderful experience).  One afternoon, I decided to do a bit of stitching in the lounge.  I sat in one of the big wing chairs near the fireplace.  I counted 4 little pins and started to stitch.  Part way around, I dropped one of the pins, stood up and there it was on the seat cushion.  No Problem.  When I was stitching the top layer of the tree on -- just before the star, I dropped the long needle for stitching.  I stood up and no needle on the seat cushion.  It took what seemed like ages but was probably 15 or 20 minutes to find it and involved crawling on my hands and knees a few times and shaking the seat custhion.  It eventual...