You may remember from last Sunday that my sock knitting hit a snag where the tension wasn’t right and I had to rip out an entire sock. I started with this last Sunday.
My knitting fingers have been flying and I am now here. 
I am on track to have these done in time. All other slow stitching is on hold until after these are done.
I’m linking to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching
I’ve been going quite well on a pair of socks all week. And all week something about them has been saying to me that something isn’t quite right. It’s a new to me yarn and I think it must be just slightly thicker than my usual sock yarns. I got to the decrease on the toes and realized that it was a very large sock that used up way more than half of the ball of yarn. So my week of slow stitching has resulted in this.
I’ve found a set of smaller double pointed needles and will start over. It’s a good thing I have the basic sock pattern memorized and can do them quickly since these are supposed to be a Christmas gift. All other hand work has been put on hold until these are done.
I’m going to link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching, and then cast on take 2 on these socks.
I’m continuing to make good progress on my Quilting Bee cross stitch sampler. The flowers on three sides are done now. After I finish the last side I have to go back and put beads into the centre of each flower and then I can move on to the next border in this cross stitched quilt. 
Have I already mentioned how much I’m enjoying this piece? Of course I have..... sorry for the repetition. I suspect progress on this will be slowing for the next while. There are Christmas gifts to finish and at some point I will need to do a little baking, For sure there will be some ginger bread men done with our delightful grand daughter’s help. I’d also like to do some mincemeat tarts and maybe some shortbread. I’ll have to canvas the family opinion to see what everyone would like.
I’m linking to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching
When I left all of you last week I was getting ready to start on the stitching for the large quilt on my Quilting Bee cross stitch sampler. I’m quite surprised at the progress I’ve made. One of the things I love about the Victoria Sampler designs is their wonderful detailed instructions. For this section they say to work from the outside of the quilt to the middle. So I started that. All of the outer blanket stitches are done and also the stems of the vines are finished. 
I have to add in some lazy daisy leaves and some flowers to that particular border and then move in to the next. All of the quilt blocks in the centre are little mini samplers all on their own. I love doing this type of embroidery. Most of the designs from Victoria Samplers that I’ve purchased in the past have also come with what they used to call Acc Packs, where they provided all the threads and beads necessary to complete the designs. Unfortunately they no longer do this, so I’m coming up with my own colours. I have lots of threads left over from previous projects, so I’m using some of those for this. I need to dig in my bin and find some silk for the leaves. I started out using DMC floss, but I think I like the silks better. They stitch up so much smoother with much less drag and tangling when doing the stitching.
I’m linking up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching
I’ve gotten the top section of my Quilters’ Bee Sampler completely finished. All the beads are added and the threads and needles in the quilters’ hand are done. 
I can now move my hoop and start in on the large quilt section under them. To give a reminder, the sampler I am doing is available at Victoria Samplers here.They have scaled back their services and no longer offer printed patterns, but all their designs are still available through PDF purchases.
I’ve made progress on my grey/blue sock too. 
I’m at the point of starting the heel for the second sock.
Most of the snow that was forecast to hit us over the last few days missed us, thankfully. I suspect there is about 4 inches of it out there. or at the most 6 inches. Enough to make it look pretty and clean without causing too much of a problem. Also thankfully, we have a son-in-law with a snow blower to do out the drive way which is long and on a slope, not a safe thing for old bones to be doing.
I’m linking up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching.
My Quilting Bee cross stitch was in time out for a couple of weeks. I’d gotten to the 1 thread of floss over 1 thread of fabric section for the lettering and I was finding it difficult to see and I didn’t have enough patience for it. So it got put away, That seems to have passed and I’ve picked it back up again and made good progress on it. 
Not only is the lettering done, but so are the quilt blocks and I’ve started on the floral border of the quilt. I still have to do the threads in the quilters’ hands and some beads around the floral arbour which will finish this section.
In the meantime I continue with knitting mindless hand occupying socks. I have more than enough bright eye catching pairs of socks, so I’ve gone over to more muted shades of grey this time. It seemed to suit my mood somehow.
Once these are done I’ll likely go diving into my box of stash yarns and find some more bright ones.
I’m linking to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching
I seem to be getting my quilting mojo firmly back in place. I finished the Moda Blockheads 4 Sampler. 
It is layered and ready for quilting.
I’m continuing to work on my A Quilting life Sampler and have 8 out of 12 blocks done. It will get sashing and nine patches as corner stones when the blocks are done.
And I’ve started a new quilt, a design also from A Quilting life called Fresh Flowers. It is bright and wild and fun. It will get sashed and bordered with the same dotted fabric as the outer background squares and triangles.
I’m in the never ending process of trying to use up my fabrics. Part of that process is trying to cut them up into useable sizes rather than put them back into their boxes. So as I’ve been cutting the fabrics for this quilt, I’ve been cutting the remainder into usable strips or squares. I start at 3 1/2 inches and work my way down to 2 1/2 then 2 and then finally 1 1/2 inch strips until all the fabric is cut up and gone into the appropriate size strip box. I hope to continue this process into other quilts and thus be able to use the fabrics that are currently stuffed into boxes and totes.
I’ve been doing lots of work on my Quilters Bee cross stitch and making good progress. I’ve started on the words. After this are done I will be doing the specialty stitches to fill the quilt blocks and to do the border around the quilt that the ladies are stitching. 
Then I can move on down to the next area. As always with the patterns from the Victoria Sampler people this is an extremely enjoyable stitch.
I’ve also started a new pair of socks. 
No surprise there. Once my eyes go all wonky after doing the small cross stitching I switch over to knitting where my eyes don’t necessarily need to completely focus.
I have been working on some quilt projects too. But I’ll hopefully get a separate post written about them later this week.
I’ll link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching
I’ve started a new cross stitch project. I’m enjoying it so much that I can’t seem to stop working on it so I’ve made really good progress on it. It is the Quilting Bee Sampler. 
How perfect is this...... quilting and cross stitch together. I love it! Wouldn’t that be a fun location for a quilting bee, outdoors under a flowering arbour.
I will link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching.
I have finished all of the stitching for the Harbour Village Sampler. All that remains to do is add in some beads and it can be called finished. 
WOOHOO!!!! I am planning on doing the beads this afternoon when I know I will have good light and relatively steady hands for picking up the tiny beads. After that is done I can pull out the linen for my next project and get started on putting in the grid lines. But I am determined to get this one done first. I don’t want to take the chance of putting it aside and then not finishing it.
I will link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching and then get right at it.
I’m still working on the Harbour Village cross stitch piece. It is getting so close now to being done. I’ve finished the picnic scene and also the border under it. The last border of the piece is now in progress. 
After this, I still have to go back and add in the beading on some of the sections and then I can call it done. So very exciting! I was able to pull out all the single threads I put in as a grid to follow to keep track of where I am in the pattern chart. It has paid off on the time invested in doing the grid numerous times as it revealed that I was a thread or two off from the pattern. It saves lots of ripping out time.
I’m already planning for my next cross stitch piece. I went through all my baggies of linen fabric, really there are only 2. One with scraps from previous projects and one that had a whole piece. I’ve put it together with the threads I bought for doing the piece called The Quilting Bee. Unlike my quilts however, I don’t want to have more than one cross stitch project going at once. So I will persevere and finish this one.
I’m linking up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching.
I don’t think there is a whole lot of difference between today’s picture and the last one I took..... not from a distance at least. Sometimes I wonder why I bother with all the backstitching details that don’t necessarily show. But I will never the less persevere on. Yet to be done are the details for the kayakers, their hats and oars and a bit more in the picnic scene. 
But it is almost there. I’m trying to figure out a Canadian flag to go on top of the gazebo pole. The pattern shows an American flag. It might be as simple as a couple of lines of red on either side of a white centre that has a red cross stitch in the middle of the white. Yep, that sounds like a plan.
I’m linking up toKathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching.
Maybe by this time next week this whole section will be finished. After this there are 3 rows left to do. 
And then I need to go back and add in beads to several of the rows where the stitching is finished but I left the beads off. I thought they might get in the way of the hoop. Then it will be time to start looking for a frame for it. I’m looking forward to having this done and hanging on the wall. It has been a truly enjoyable stitching project. I’ve gotten six more Moda Blockheads 4 blocks finished since last I posted. These 2 blocks finished the third row.
I’m still pulling from my red and greys and yellow scrap bins. Here are the three rows all sew together. 
And then the four for the next row.
I believe the last of the blocks from Moda will be released in the middle of September. I’m hoping to have all the blocks done by October. I think that’s a do-able goal. I’m going to link this post up to Mid Week Makers.
The end of this section of my Harbour Village cross stitch is getting closer. Depending on how much time I spend on it in the next week or two, it just might be done. 
I’ve started filling in the little bits where there are only two or three crosses of a colour before moving on to the next little bit of colour. There is still a fair amount of stuff left to stitch down at the bottom right and then some boats to add in and also all the detail back stitching. There is a reason it is called slow stitching and I enjoy it for that reason...... slow and relaxing.
We had thought of going out this afternoon for a walk along one of the rivers, and may still do that. Then again, laziness and a desire to stitch may take over. We will decide once we’ve finished lunch.
I’m linking to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching.
I’ve managed to get a few more the Moda Blockheads 4 squares done.
I’m hoping to get at a few more today. In the meantime, here are the three I have finished. 
I think this takes me up to 14 finished now. These are mostly being done out of my blacks and red scraps. 
The yellow background is yardage I had left over from other projects and I have yardage to do some borders when all the blocks are finished and together.
I was able to go to the Prayers and Squares group this week. Last week was occupied quite enjoyably with our grand daughter at the park. This week she has day camp, so I was able to go. Anyhow, the stacked bricks quilt we have been working on is now a finished top. 
After I took this picture we were actually able to get it sandwiched and some ties put into it. Next week will hopefully see it quilted and bound and then it can go to its new home.
I’ve only gotten 3 quilt squares done in the past week or so. One for the Moda Blockheads 4 which I am using reds and yellows and grays to make. 
The other 2 are for the block of the month from A Quilting Life which I am doing out of my blues bins.
Everything else going on here involves our garden output and then an impulse buy from our semi local garden market. We have been enjoying the pickles and relishes from our home grown cucumbers so much that I impulsively bought a half bushel of pickling cucumbers on Monday. I seriously underestimated the amount that would be in that half bushel. I also didn’t account for in my planning all the different sized cucumbers that would be in it. So after cleaning them all, I sorted into sizes... small for whole dill pickles, medium for sliced sweet pickles, 
large for dill pickles quartered down the length of the cucumber 
and extra large for sweet pickle relish. The pickle relish is currently almost finished its 2 hour soak in cold salt water. Once that is done I will drain it and cook it up in its vinegar/sugar solution and get it into jars and then water bath it. Another couple of hours should do it. It is a lot of work, but I love the satisfaction of seeing the finished jars lined up and cooling on the counter.
I am almost exclusively working on my Harbour Village cross stitch as my hand work project these days. The intense village scene is almost finished. 
After that there are 3 more borders to it and it can be called finished, except for framing of course. That could be a bit of a challenge as the one place in town that I know of that did framing for cross stitch pieces has changed ownership and no longer does it. However, I just did a quick online search and there is another place in town that I can try, so I’m good to go.
It is another gorgeous day out so I am going to make this a quick post, link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching and then take my stitching and myself outside to enjoy it.
I’m continuing to work on my Moda Blockheads 4 sampler, the patterns for which are found here. Over the years my tastes in fabrics and quilts have changed. I used to only like sampler designs that were based on the same type blocks together, four patch or nine patch type, and they needed to have sashings to divide and highlight the blocks. Now I really like samplers that have all different type blocks in them, set side by side. That’s what this particular sampler does. In the past week I’ve made six more blocks for a total of 10 so far.
I’ve been sewing them into rows of five as I go. I’ve noticed a goof in the top left block which I am going to have to fix.
What a gorgeous day it is outside today. A perfect summer Sunday. We won’t be going too far, since it is also a long weekend here so everywhere will be stacked with people. So once I’m done with this post my first task will be to check the garden for cucumbers ready to be picked and then I will pull up a chair on the porch and happily stitch the day away.
I’ve made great progress with my Harbour Village cross stitch. Most of the left hand side of the picnic scene is done. 
There are a few little things left and some outline stitching to do. But I’m going to work on the right hand side and get it done. The little bits of stitches that are left can be done when I’m using those colours on the other side. Then I’ll do all the backstitching and detail highlighting all at the same time.
I’ve also been doing a little knitting, mostly while down at the town playground while watching Abbie run and play with other kids. I’ve finished another wash cloth. 
I am working from a website I found many years ago that lists about 100 different stitch patterns. I go through them and look for designs that will work on limited number of stitches and then try it. I add the garter stitch borders to the stitch counts of the individual patterns. This is the second I have done from this site, found here.
I’m going to link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching before heading outside.
My quilting mojo has definitely returned. While surfing various blogs last week I came across another sampler that caught my eye. I’ve seen this sampler before, but it didn’t catch my attention until last week. I saw it and fabric colours and combinations immediately started cascading in my mind. That immediately led to pulling fabric bins and cutting and assembling. Over the course of a couple of days last week I had 4 blocks done. It will be a controlled scrappy using blacks, greys, yellows and reds.
The sampler patterns are from Moda Blockheads 4. This sampler started quite a while ago, with a new block being released every week. It’s been going for 18 weeks so there are at least 18 blocks patterns already released. I figure I’ll work on it a couple of blocks at a time. There is no rush. I like the variety of doing samplers and the feeling of accomplishment when a single block is finished. I am going to sew them together in rows of 5 as I go. The sampler blocks are given in 2 sizes, 4 1/2 inch finished and 9 inch finished. I’m doing the 9 inch blocks.
I’ve finished my most recent pair of socks 
and have now decided to switch gears a bit in my knitting projects. I think I have enough socks to keep me going... someday I should count them..... then again, maybe not, I probably don’t want to know. So I made a trip 5 minutes down the road to my local yarn shop, Knitting Three Together. and picked up some cotton yarn for making wash cloths. They are quick and mostly easily done with not a lot of concentration. I’ve done 2 already just over the course of 4 evenings.
I’ll do a combination of knitted and crochet. Knitted for when I have full ball of yarn and then crochet for the partial balls.
I’m continuing to work on my Harbour Village cross stitch sampler. 
The hillside beach scene is starting to fill in now. The easy large amounts of the same colour sections are done. Now it is time to do the details with lots of colour changes which always takes longer but is so worth it in the end.
I’m linking to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching
A small group of ladies meet most Thursday afternoons to make quilts for the Prayers and Squares organization. More information about that organization can be found here. About a month ago I took my Accuquilt Go cutter along with its 2 1/2 inch strip die and cut up a whole pile of fabric into 2 1/2inch strips. Those were further cut down into 4 1/2 inch bricks. We’ve been working on sewing these bricks into quilts. We have 2 going at the moment. One with the bricks offset into rows 
and a second using 4 bricks paired with a dark blue rectangle. 
It’s quite amazing what a small group of people sewing together can get accomplished. There are many more fabric bricks yet to be sewn together. I will update these quilts as we get more of them finished.
Back in the winter I was doing really well with getting quilting projects done and out of their bags or boxes. But then it dried up. I think it had something to do with the nice weather and gardening season coming. It was too nice to stay inside and sew. But this morning as I was reading through blogs I came upon Kathy’s post about a BOM she is doing. I love the concept of a block within a churn dash block. So I went and checked out the website producing this free BOM A Quilting Life. I am hooked. I have two container full of blue fabrics.... one in darks and another medium to lights. It’s the most of any one colour I have so I thought I’d do this BOM in blues with the odd hint of yellow and green here and there. I’m coming in halfway though the year, so I will do the current block and a previously posted block at the same time. Here are January and July. 
This is going to be fun. It will end up a lap sized quilt which can be donated.
It’s been a couple of weeks since I posted, so I have some progress to show. I’m still working on the Harbour Village cross stitch. The harbour front picnic scene is starting to take shape. 
I’ve recently discovered a way to import the cross stitch chart into my iPad. I can keep it open beside me and zoom into the sections I’m working on which makes it much easier to see what I’m doing. Before this I had been using the chart on my computer and zooming in that way. But that was limited to times I wasn’t using my computer for other things, like watching movies while stitching. There’s an added bonus that I can take the iPad outside so I can now sit out on the porch and stitch.
My sweater is on a time out while I wait for an opportunity to wind up the last 2 skeins of yarn I need for it. Plus it’s a bit too warm these days to be working on a lap full of wool and mohair. In the meantime, I’ve started another pair of socks. 
And lastly, I’ve purchased the last 4 instalments of the Noah’s Journey embroidery quilt from Crabapple Hill Studios, found here. I’ve got the stitcheries traced and a few of them coloured and I’ve started stitching on one of them,
brown bears and ducks. This is going to take a while to finish, but that’s the fun part of slow stitching, seeing the gradual progress towards finishing and enjoying the process on the way.
I’m linking to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching before going out to the porch with my cross stitching and iPad to enjoy the day.
