Tuesday this and that

 There is not a whole lot of productivity going on around here but that is partially because my main project is hand work.

Actually I feel more curling up and taking a nap like Skyler.  Once the winter moisture condensation settles down on the window frame DJ and I will displacing Skyler from his favorite perch to scrap and paint the window sill and get this thing re-seated properly.  The velcro band that holds it in place is half on and half off with the sheer from him jumping from the bed to the perch.    Recently we had to make him get off of there as the thing was hanging at a wonky angle and we were afraid he would soon find himself on the floor!   We got the supplies needed on a store run today.

Not to give too much away of the "Stitch Me Up" blog hop that will run from March 20-29th this is the project I chose from the group of 8 patterns.  Oh there were other choices but this one just appealed to me more and may go with some other collected patterns in the long run.  There is lots and lots of stitching to be done!  I am a little further along than when I took this picture on Sunday but it  WILL take some time.  Jane, Aline and I plan to go to our guild sew-in on Saturday rather than all three days and I know this is what I will be working on.  Not only will it prevent having to lug the sewing machine and attendant supplies but this needs to be moved along.

I did a bit of knitting last night after laying off for about a week or so.  I had started this same hat once before with the needles called for and thought it looked huge for supposedly age 8 to 12 head.  I dropped down to 10's from the 11's and I still think it looks a little big.   I've done enough rows (11) to establish the pattern and am about half way to the crown shaping.  TV viewing time project.

I am off to see what the participants have done for the current blog hop "It's All About Me".  I hope that you will join me!  Some may have giveaways but to me the best part is seeing the eye candy!!

Here is today's list of participants-----

Tuesday, February 19


Just Let Me Quilt
Sunshine Quilting
Karen at That Other Blog
Grammie Q
Gracie Oliver Arts
Marjorie's Busy Corner
SnippetsNScraps
Sowing Stitches
Pigtales and Quilts
Stitchin'ByTheLake

Have fun!

Break time

Most of the thorough house cleaning is done--at least for me.  After stringing it all out over two days, I am ready for a break!  My two rooms are done, my bathroom and all the dusting in the living room and kitchen.  I'm on my third load of wash in as many days.  Bedding, curtains, table skirt, etc.  Towels, rugs, shower curtain.  Now regular laundry.    DJ has his marching orders for tomorrow to move the kitchen chairs out and sweep/vacuum so I can mop plus vacuum the living room and hall.   I hate to vacuum, he hates to dust so that division of labor works for us.  

I know what I am going to fix Monday evening while Cindy is here and what I will take to the Belles Sew-In on Tuesday.  Just need to get groceries tomorrow.  I already did the Dollar General run along with a stop at the Oriental grocer and the meat market spot that has a 5/$20 deal on some bulk frozen items we use.   It is all getting done.   I got supper covered so just re-heating required.  

So what can I do that won't make a huge mess?  Hand quilt on my "Here Comes Santa" OR binding on any of the recently quilted pieces OR embroidery.  I think you know the answer to that!  Yep, the Bird Brain "Witches Hooray" piece that will go in my FAB Halloween Row at some point.  

My lefthandquilter pal and the "other" Linda are doing what they call what they have called a "Leisurely Turtle Race to Christmas with Squirrels Allowed (LTRCWSA).    Both of them have been trying to convince me to join along.  I do have some Christmas stuff waiting in the wings that I could work on.  She even told me that the twister wreath might count, even the hand quilting on the Santa piece so maybe I am already in.  They must be rubbing me off on me, do you think??   Christmas Joy deserves to see the light of day or I could work on my long planned adapted Oxmoor House Christmas sampler piece.  Or start something totally different---my niece/godchild was teasing me about a tree skirt.  If she really wants one, I might be persuaded.  

The 3 sew-in days that I am involved with next week are for pro bono stuff.  I have not forgotten that I am due a reward project for doing all that quilting.  I am thinking that I might do the Joined at the Hip BU #19  "Happy Halloween" piece even though there is no way on God's green Earth that I will hang this year.   Still I could play with the stuff that is holiday themed.

The other choice would be the modified to be a button up  "Harvest" piece that would span the fall months from the Joined at the Hip gals book Folk Art Favorites.    The material is copyrighted but you can look for the book in amazon, search the images and you might be able to see what I am talking about.    The length is piece is fine but the button ups finish at 22 inches wide while the door banner is 18.  I know how I will do it.  I also like the "Bloom" piece for the spring.   The only other Button Up that I would like to do after that is the May basket piece.  Those 4 and I'll move onto another themed project---probably Amy Bradley's "Seasoned Quilter".  I mentioned this on Facebook the other day and a friend of mine who had started these got busy with hers and prepped the 4 or 5 little quilts she had left.  Too cute!  Of course, that just gives me the itch to want to start on my own version!

So I plan  quilts even if I am NOT actually able to sew them.  Get those priorities set when the opportunity comes.  Actually I should also be thinking about what I want to do for sure for the Belles "use that black tone on tone" yardage thing----I kind of know but have not done any cutting on the top.  Deadline:  Christmas party in early December but just a top is fine.  

For now, some hand stitching then-------

hot off the press

Cropped a bit but just finished up after stitching parts of two days. Fun!

Pattern Source:  Aunt Martha's Transfers from the Bonnie Bonnet 3920 packet.  I re-sized it to fit the block size requested by the group quilt organizers.  Because I liked the look of the brown pigma pen I used to draw it off from the printout I made from the re-sized image.  (where is that red pigma pen anyway?) I just went with DMC 632 for stitching.

Now I am off to the kitchen to make some meatballs for tonight's supper. I guess I am being creative in a far different way then?  I promised DJ I would make spaghetti sometime this week. 

Tomorrow I'll be back to stitching on my PopStix top and probably laundry in between strip sets.