Knock, knock

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Ima.

Ima who?

Ima bad blogger who hasn't posted in, well, longer-than-expected and hasn't produced a lot either... at least not much that's easy to show.  No exciting reason... heavy on work, light on energy. 

Let's skip the stuff that's not as "show-able"... practicing hand quilting, playing with expanding a design of a table runner* into a larger size.  (* Sweet Escape pattern from the book "On the Run" by Heather of Anka's Treasures, pic here.) 

Yesterday I gave in to this temptation. 

Little 3" hand-pieced Klosjes (which translates to spools).  Very cute. 

Take a few hundred and .......... what, did I lose some of you?  a few hundred sounds too daunting? .......... maybe you need to see how neat it looks.  Check this out.  Pretty, isn't it? 

I liked a slightly larger middle square than you get with a 9 square layout, so I drafted my own pattern.  I think I know how I can share it and will let you know in a couple days. 

Sensible-me was asking impulsive-me to explain why we were taking on another project.  Why?  It's one of those take anywhere projects... very portable.  Requires templates for only 2 shapes.  It will improve my hand-piecing speed and skill, including y-seams.   

Yes, but what about the time it will take?  If you stop yourself because how long something might take, it's important to remember that time will move on anyhow... and rather than having something wonderful in 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, or even 10 years, there will be nothing except the passing of years. 

Plus, I get to play with lots of fabric.  I switched my rotary blade, and wavy-cut the edges and washed and pressed some new additions.

A few weeks back, I made some other purchases. 

I bought a honey bun of Patisserie and a pattern.  The pattern is made up of three simple blocks: a rail fence, a 9-patch and setting squares.  That'll be my next machine-stitched project. 

I also gave in to another temptation.  I'd seen such beautiful cross stitch on blogs, especially the Quaker samplers.  I visited a wonderful shop, Stitchville USA, and ended up with the following pattern.  It's not a Quaker sampler, but once I saw it I had to have it.

I'm enjoying my first time using linen and silk floss.  The linen is 32 count... requiring great light and my cheaters. 

Originally I only stitched guidelines on the outside edge and center lines.  I knew better, but was anxious to start.  I added the red guidelines after I discovered that the top row is off by one thread (which will be redone). 

I've wanted to use variegated thread for a project, and chose some lovely floss. But some of the light shades are too similar to the color of the linen and aren't showing well. If I'm going to do that much stitching, it needs to be seen! I'll be making another trip to Stitchville soon. :-)

Yesterday was a gorgeous, sunny day.  It is the first ever March that there hasn't been snow.  EVER! ... or at least in the 100 plus years they've been keeping records.  These little guys are starting to poke up and it won't be long till they bloom.

Officially, there is no snow on the ground.  My yard has always been a straggler and hangs on to snow longer.  I resisted taking the shovel and tossing it all in the street, lol.  (Yes, I've done it in previous years.)

My blog reading is soooo behind and I'm slowly working on making my visits and seeing what everyone else has been doing.  I need to be strong and resist any more temptations.  :-)