Saturday, March 1, 2024

I spent all morning cutting out fabric for various projects I have on my list for March.

My March UFO Challenge requires, among other things, 77 half-square triangles. I managed to get enough lights and darks that I think will work. Mine will be a very scrappy version and if I don’t get good contrast with the pieces I’ve chosen I’ll have to cut more. I’ve definitely learned that contrast is important.

Yesterday I picked the fabric for my new mystery quilt. Today I got the strips cut but not all of the sub-cutting is done. I originally was going to make a baby size but changed my mind to make a lap size. When I measured my fabric this morning I didn’t have enough for a lap so I’m back to a baby quilt. I didn’t have need of either size but a smaller size might get done quicker.

My April birthday cards all came up as reminders today – there are five of them. I’m using an English paper-piecing pattern for these. They will be reversible and the directions to make them are different from what I’ve done in the past. I have one set basted and I’ll put it together first to see how it works. I have the extra templates printed and some of them are cut so if I can proceed further I’ll be ready.

I hoped to get to my fourth chicken block today but ran out of time. I printed the next ten patterns for my grad gift; it has been neglected since we came back from Texada.

The film festival starts today so I may not get back to any of these except in short bursts in the mornings.

February 29, 2024

What did you do with your extra day this year?

Here’s what I did –

Chatted online with my sisters.

Picked out fabric for a new mystery sew-along quilt.

Sewed the eyes on my latest chicken block (the one on the bottom).

Finished a postage stamp block and set out another to use as a leader and ender.

And speaking of postage, I mail a parcel to Elizabeth and dropped a book off at the library.

Had coffee with a friend.

Tonight I’ll watch the hockey game and do more crocheting.

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Winter seems to be back today – if, in fact, we’ve actually had any winter this year. Snow was predicted for this afternoon and, while I ate lunch, I watched it coming in over the water from the Island. So far it is only sticking on the rooftops – at least on the rooftop next door. I suspect if it keeps up at this rate it may stick to the roads and sidewalks later in the day.

I’m glad I got out for my walk this morning. We were going to go out yesterday but it was so windy and cold that we went for a drive instead. Pat needed to drop a couple of guitars off for repair. We seldom take any of the backroads that I’d love to explore but just being out (and in the warmth of the truck) was nice.

I’ve spent quite a lot of time over the past few days on my chickens. I’ve used a few fancier stitches on this block thanks to the new stitch book I purchased. Nothing too fancy but I’m enjoying it – for me the hardest part is settling down to start.

I’ve finished, except for the binding, my March card (just one birthday in March). I thought I might save the binding for my Thursday sewing visit but I think I’ll go ahead and do it now so I can cross it off my list.

I’m making excellent progress on the afghan. There’s another hockey game tonight so I’ll be even closer to a finish.

Sunday, February 25, 2024

I went out to the back deck to put away some recycling and noticed the first bit of colour in our crocuses. It felt like a sure sign of Spring but then Pat was looking at the forecast and there is a chance of snow this week. Since the crocuses are in a pot on the deck they should be fine.

I spent the morning doing some accounting work. We’re getting lots of mail these days as the T4s and T5s and all the other receipts come in. The accountant has sent out her notice about tax prep so it was time for me to catch up on Pat’s accounting. It shouldn’t be so difficult to keep it up to date but I put it off as long as I can. All done now though so I can take it off the list.

I got some prep work done for my March birthday cards and, hopefully, I’ll get one put together tomorrow. My April notifications will be coming up in a few days so I should at least try to get the March cards off the list. I got an early reveal of the March UFO Challenge – a scrap quilt from a pattern I got from Stacia (Pinwheels for Caroline).

I’ve taken a few stitches on my chicken block. As I said to Pat, it would go a lot faster if I didn’t take everything out at least twice before I was satisfied with the look. I wish the pattern told you what stitches to use where. No guarantee but I think I could learn a new stitch if I knew the best place to put it. The stitches are all new to me and I’m not very creative with them. At times I wish I had just stuck with whip stitching the pieces onto the background but it is too late for that now.

I’d better get back to it.