October 2022 finishes

Although I have been busy sewing along with two SALs, it is only the cross-stitch pieces that I've finished.

Spellville by Barbara Ana is one of three items left in our group UFO challenge. I failed to do anything on the September challenge but this one is finished for November / December. 

I also finished one more branch on The Tree, also by Barbara Ana. So close to a finish.

Another Prairie Schooler Santa is finished, leaving just seven more to stitch for a whole set. Again, so close.

Join me on Wednesday to see what my plans are for November.

Friday finish - Sewology block 4

 

I stitched the seam ripper which is block 4 during this month’s BOM Zoom call. A pleasant two hours spent with stitchy ladies. I had precut this block so it was a quick stitch.

During the call I also stitched some of the 81 HSTs needed for the 18” block for The Quilting Life sewalong. I am using Christmas fabrics and was pleased to be able to cut the HSTs on my Accuquilt machine.

WIP Wednesday - Mini series SAL bonus

 

It's week 6 of the Mini Series SAL with Alison Glass and Guicy Guice and it is a bonus sewing week. As you can see, I have completed the eight prescribed blocks to date so I thought I would stitch up the 2020 bonus block. In 2020 I stitched eight 2" blocks but this time I've stitched four 4" blocks. As yet I have no plan other than to keep up with the blocks. There is a 2022 bonus block which I am planning to modify and incorporate in my final project.

I will need to order more of the Oakshott background fabric, but I should be able to finish all of the blocks before I formulate a plan for the final project and calculate exactly what I need for backing, sashing and binding too.

Monday Make - Halloween

 

Spellville by Barbara Ana was a sew along which I didn't finish at the time. It is my number 7 UFO for our group UFO challenge. It uses just three DMC thread colours. Barbara Ana is known for including a key somewhere in her design and this design has a large key which is the base of the design and a small hanging key.

I had stitched some more of this design earlier in the year and this only took a couple of days stitching to complete. I'm not sure how I'm going to fully finish it.

I'm not sure what to work on next, another UFO or a new start? I'm thinking a UFO and then I can claim a new start for having completed two cross stitch UFOs.

Friday Finish - sewology block 9

 I am joining in with the Modern Quilt Club sewalong of the Sewology pattern by Pen + Paper Patterns. I am using a variety of Ruby Star Society prints paired with a Kona silver background.

I am now waiting for some Kona from Sew Hot so I can cut out the scissors block next to take to retreat. I will also stitch block 4 before retreat as we have a Zoom call for the sewalong this weekend. 

Block 9 is the embroidery stitches and brings my tally of completed blocks to five out of a total of twelve. I have two further blocks kitted up to sew at retreat.

WIP Wednesday - zickzack scarf

This is quite an old knitting WIP that I may not have shared with you before. The pattern is from Ravelry and is the ZickZack scarf. It is a free download from this link 

The scarf is knit with two 100g balls of self striping wool. I chose similar shades, but you could choose contrasting yarns. You alternate the balls every four rows. I take this project to my Wednesday morning group, so progress is slow but steady. The Regia yarn is two 50g balls and I have started the second, so I am more than 50% complete.

My yarn is:

Blue Gemini by Dragon Hill Studio on Etsy

Arne & Carlos for Regia colour  03653

I am knitting on a size 3mm circular needle.

Monday make - mini series Sal week 5

 

I have finished the two blocks for the 2022 Mini series SAL so added to those I've already stitched I have the first eight completed and one in hand for a future week. I have also made a very small start on the rainbow block and printed out four copies of the 2020 block ready to stitch. I couldn't quickly find the bonus block in my computer files but once I could picture the block, I made a concerted effort and found it in the trinkets folder from another Alison Glass sewalong. Just a few hours later the week 5 newsletter from Alison popped into my in box and it included a link to download the 2020 bonus block.

I have an all day Jersey Modern Quilt Group meeting on Saturday and I might take this project to work on. Once all of the blocks are stitched I will work out a layout but already plan to make four 4" bonus blocks. There is a 2022 bonus block but it's a bit chunky for me, so I will either not include it or modify in some way.

Friday finish - The tree

 

I have been beating myself over not having worked on this piece in August and September, but I hadn't realised that I had made good progress already on branch number 8. It only took one day of working on the piece to complete the branch and start working on the blue decoration on the tree trunk.

I am going to put it away for now and work on one of my UFO challenge pieces - also by Barbara Ana designs.

WIP Wednesday- stretched geese

 

This week is week 5 of the mini series SAL with Alison Glass and Giucy Giuce. It’s been almost a month since I stitched on these blocks.

Yesterday I pulled out my project to check what I had started and what I need to stitch this week. Week 5 is triangle geese and bloom blocks.  The bloom block is complete. I had two blocks in progress so stitched on those and finished the stretched geese (seen below) and make progress on the triangle geese. I also made a small start on the rainbow block which has a lot of pieces (week 8).

My plan, such as it is, is to make one of each block and then decide on a layout and make more blocks where necessary.

Monday Make - 1997 Santa

 

I have now finished the 1997 Prairie Schooler Santa. You'll be pleased to hear that I only have six more to stitch to have a complete set. I have prepped the 1998 Santa and put it away for next month.

Next I need to stitch on the Barbara Ana Christmas Tree.

Friday finish - block 5 Sewology

I wanted to stitch something quick today so I picked out block 5 of the Sewology BOM with Modern Quilt Club. I still have a stinking cold which is slowly getting better, but simple is all I can cope with at the minute.

I also stitched block 3 to blocks 1 and 2. This is going to be a big quilt!!

I also have three bocks cut and ready for the Modern Quilt Club retreat at the end of the month.

 

October 2022 plans

My only travel plans this month is to the Modern Quilt Cub retreat at the end of the month, so I am hoping to make more progress this month.

1. 1997 Prairie Schooler Santa which I started last weekend as I was full of cold and not up to doing anything but being a couch potato.

2. The Tree by Barbara Ana designs. Five branches have been finished and three more to go. No progress made on it for months.

3. The October UFO for our Guild Challenge is 2006 Prairie Schooler Santa which is already finished, so I will also work on Spellville by Barbara Ana

4. Stitch three more Sewology blocks, which I will do at the Modern Quilt Club retreat if not before!

5. Stitch three more Mini Series SAL blocks.

I have two other projects ready for retreat but those will need to be pieced at retreat and then quilted and finished in November.

September 2022 achivements

My first finish for September was the 2003 Prairie Schooler Santa. I have no idea why I thought this was the next one, so I then went on to stitch the 1995 prairie Schooler Santa. I now have only seven more to stitch for a full set.

I then started work on the Sewology BOM with Modern Quilt Club. I have two blocks cut out to sew at retreat and will sew on one during the Zoom call at the end of the month.

I also made good progress on the Mini Series SAL and have six out of twelve blocks complete.

After an unscheduled trip to London, I developed a stinking cold so I didn't even start my UFO challenge for September.