Cross stitch on Titania – I only stitched on her once.
Continue knitting daily on my morning socks and Weasley Sweater. I want to get to this 100% next week. – I skipped my bullet journal last week so I’m not sure how well I did. I believe I knit probably 3 times last week and for my Weasley Sweater I’m about 1/4 of the way through. It’s almost 1/3 of the quarter so I’m a little behind schedule.
Gardening – My friend Julie gave me some more seedlings so I’ll need to get those planted this week. – I planted one of the seedlings. I’ve got pole beans and something else to plant. I just can’t decide where to put them. I will need to determine that this week though.
Quilting –
finish quilting the orange quilt top – not done
wash the new fabric for the border of the Jan Krentz quilt – done
Judy Neimeyer – Double Wedding Rings – trim the pieces – done
Simple Days – embroider the 3rd block of the January clue – worked on. It’s not done but it’s in progress
Dancing with the Stars – continue piecing more of block A. – yes. I did this. It’s not finished but I’m working on it.
this week –
For my cross stitch – I’m switching projects. More on this another time. But my tiny decisions app picked “bountiful blossoms”.
continue knitting on my morning socks and do at least 10 rows on my Weasley Sweater.
Gardening – Plan the seedlings Julie gave me, as well as the others I bought this weekend. 🙂
Quilting
finish quilting the orange quilt top
Simple Days – continue embroidering the 3rd block of the January clue
Dancing with the stars – continue piecing more of block A
I really want to cross stitch on Gamer! – Done I tried to cross stitch every day but I couldn’t do it. But I did a bit, and that’s all that matters.
continue knitting daily on my morning socks and weasley sweater.. and anything else I’m able to knit is bonus – Again, I did a bit most mornings and days.
for gardening – done. every day, I go out about 10am as my morning break. I water the plants, check on them and take care of anything that needs to be taken care.
For quilting: start quilting my orange quilt top. – done.
Go to the quilt shop and pick fabric for the border of my Jan Krentz quilt. – done
Reacquaint myself with dancing with the stars – done and grassy creek. – not done.
So I got a lot of a little bit done last week. and I keep working on it.
This week –
Cross stitch on Titania
Continue knitting daily on my morning socks and Weasley Sweater. I want to get to this 100% next week.
Gardening – My friend Julie gave me some more seedlings so I’ll need to get those planted this week.
Quilting –
finish quilting the orange quilt top
wash the new fabric for the border of the Jan Krentz quilt
Judy Neimeyer – Double Wedding Rings – trim the pieces
Simple Days – embroider the 3rd block of the January clue
Dancing with the Stars – continue piecing more of block A.
Another tough work week passed but I did get a lot of my to do’s done from last week. First and foremost, I finished the cushion project! Yay! I posted pictures on yesterday’s Sunday Stash post. But here you go again
I am regularly knitting on my morning socks and I’ve almost knit daily on my Weasley Sweater. I was able to spend some time Thursday with my knit group and got to my Tranquil Shawl and my advent blanket. Progress has been made!
In regards to my gardening, I made it to Green Thumb nursery and bought soil for my gardening project that I mentioned last week.
I planted a strawberry tower. I originally planned to put strawberries in every pot but decided to plant some seeds in some of them. I’ll plant chives, onions, basil, parsley because that’s what I have seeds of. I also did all my normal gardening chores – fed the worms, turned the compost, put together the new compost bin! and planted all the seedlings I had to be planted. All in all, my gardening work is getting there.
For quilting, I was able to baste my orange quilt. I applique’d the center star and now all I need is to add a border. I searched my fabric stash and nothing went right with this so I plan to make a trip to my LQS, Quilt Emporium, to pick something out. I didn’t touch grassy creek or dancing with the stars. I did do some hand work and finished the first little bit of embroidery on Simple Days.
So now what’s next? This upcoming week, here are my goals –
I really want to cross stitch on Gamer!
continue knitting daily on my morning socks and weasley sweater.. and anything else I’m able to knit is bonus
for gardening – keep watering it, Saturday garden work: feed the worms, turn the compost, empty the kitchen bin into the compost and wash it. repot some of the plants that I potted before, plant some seeds. Put the mulch where I want it to go.
For quilting: start quilting my orange quilt top. Go to the quilt shop and pick fabric for the border of my Jan Krentz quilt. Reacquaint myself with dancing with the stars and grassy creek.
Wish me luck! It’s a short list this week as I’m being realistic and motivated.
I really thought this would be done by now. Last I wrote about this was a couple of weeks ago, here. I had just started on the pineapple blocks.
Finished Pineapple blocks
Then I had to do my big stitch quilting. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it or not but I always try things at least once (sometimes multiple times, but at least once!) So I tried it on the flying gees.
And I loved it. I decided to big stitch all the blocks. With that decision, I knew I wouldn’t have enough time to get all the pieces done before the next class on 3/28. So I took my time and enjoyed the process. I figured I could watch the class, do the moving of the screens (I am the zoom person my guild looks to in these situations), and stitch. This would also take the stress out of having to try to keep up with the class as it felt like a race. And so that’s what I did.
I finished the big stitch quilting on all the pieces the Monday night after the class, 3/29.
If you read my Monday to do post, you’ll know that last week was a difficult week to get anything done. So here’s the little bit I got done after that.
I attached the welting/cording to both sides.
Friday night I put the zipper together. The instructor said this is the technique she was taught during home ec. I do not know how old the instructor was but I never took home ec. It was the easiest zipper technique I learned and I hope I remember to use this method the next time I put a zipper on.
Then I covered the handle with my fabric choice, which was the background fabric of the pieces.
Then I put the zipper (at the bottom), the handle and the side piece (flying geese) together. I loved the look but quickly realized that I had put the handle wrong side up. I ripped and redid.
So hear is where I’m at. I hope to get this finished this week. There is not much more left to do. I have to attach the side to the top piece and then the bottom to that, and that’s it. Hopefully it fits.
Last week was an awful week of not getting everything or hardly anything done! I take that back. I got stuff done, just not much from my last Monday post.
There continues to be way too much to do and not enough time. In reality there’s just enough time, I just put way too much on my to do list and other things keep sliding to the top of that list pushing my crafty and garden items to the bottom. I really have to give myself some credit. Days have passed and all I can think about on this Monday post is that I didn’t get this stuff done. But, I got my first shot earlier in the week and I had to take it easy. I had the normal symptoms, sore arm, some nausea, and some tiredness. That explains it all. By Thursday I was feeling better, but that was 4/1 and the start of the new quarter which means I have quarterly tasks for work to do and I worked long hours both days. I made it on to knit night. So, what did I do from my list…
Monday – Last Monday my goal was to finish the hand stitching on the cushion project and I did! It was also my goal to plant the 2nd blueberry plant and I did! Today, my goal is to finish the cushion project! I have my minigroup, Nimble Thimbles, meets and I’ll be able to spend a few hours on it.
Tuesday – Last Tuesday, my goal was to plant the last blueberry and attach the welting/cording onto the front and back piece of the cushion. I did plant the last blueberry and I spent some time on the cushion but I only had enough energy to look for the fabric I wanted to use for the welting/cording. I may have pressed it, cut it and got it ready to attach. But the attaching did not happen. This Tuesday, I want to do some cross stitching. I haven’t cross stitched in a month and I want to get back to it.
Wednesday – Last Wednesday, my goal was to plant my last tomato plant and it didn’t happen. I did plant it on Saturday so that did get done eventually. A win in my book. This Wednesday, I’m hosting a new minigroup for newer members of my quilt guild. Those who have joined since the last part of 2019 have not had a real opportunity to meet our members because of the pandemic and I find joining mini groups the best way to form friendships in a guild.
Thursday – Last Thursday, I didn’t plan much because it was knit night and the start of my next busy season. This was smart on my end. This Thursday it will be knit night again, so my goal is to work on my knitting projects.
Friday – Last Friday, I was supposed to buy more potting soil because I was expecting some of my gardening purchases to have arrived by then. And they didn’t. At least not the item that needed the potting soil. So we didn’t go to Green Thumb nursery. They are supposed to arrive this coming week, Tuesday and Wednesday, so I’ll be needing to buy the soil this week. I could have gone to buy the soil last Friday but again, busy with work so I opted not to. I will need to go this Friday. On the quilty, crafty front I still have my orange top that I’m preparing for quilting. This is now the third weekend in a row that this has been on my list to do and I want to knock this thing out this week. There are so many quilts I need to quilt (I think 6) and I just need to do it.
Saturday – Garden – feed the worms, turn the compost, put together the new compost bin I purchased from the city (because I didn’t do this last week) and plant more of the seedlings I have to be planted. And, set up the garden purchases that should have arrived. I want to work on my Jan Krentz quilt, the Grassy Creek quilt, and my long term UFO, Dancing with the Stars by Linda Ballard. Linda will be at our guild sometime in 2022 so I want this quilt to be done for me to show her.
Sunday – We normally zoom from 10-1 every Sunday but I’ll probably spend most of the day in my sewing room finishing up the cushion project and reacquainting myself with some of the other projects on my list – most notably, Grassy Creek, my Jan Krentz top that is really almost done, and possibly Dancing with the Stars (a Linda Ballard UFO from 2012).
I didn’t get my homework done for my cushion class in time for our Sunday class. But it’s okay. I’ll go over the details another day as it’s Monday and it’s time for this week’s plan.
Last week went well in that I did the things I planned to do. There was just too much to do and not enough time to do it all. So this week, here’s the plan. This is garden heavy because it’s spring and in Los Angeles, spring is a short time before the full heat of summer.
the loan blueberry waiting for its friends
Monday – I’m still hand stitching the Jasmine blocks for the cushion project. I’m almost done and hope to get this done this day. I also want to spend an hour in the garden as its spring and I’ve got a lot of planting to do. Right now I’ve got a couple of blueberries to plant and my goal would be to do one on Monday and the other on Tuesday.
Dragon fruit has been planted and placed in it’s home
Tuesday – We have a number of home projects that are happening this day and I’m not sure how much of that will spill on to me and my time. I do not know if I’ll be able to do anything. But I hope to get an hour of gardening in so I can plant the last blueberry as well as spend an hour on the cushion project. By this point all 3 pieces of the cushion should be ready to go and the next step is to attach the welting/cording to the front and back pieces.
more plants waiting to be planted
Wednesday – So, I think I’ll have enough soil to plant another growbag with my last tomato plant that needs planting. I have 4 currently planted. My mom thinks that’s too much and she’s probably right but I love home grown tomatoes and it’s been years since I’ve been of the mind to plant them. I’m trying 2 new to me varieties that I purchased at TomatoMania. Next step in the cushion project is to make the handle, zipper pieces and attach the strip of flying geese. And if the time is available, connect that piece with the front.
Cala Lily found in my front yard
Thursday – Knit night so nothing else is planned. This is also April 1st and the start of my next busy season. I’ve got quarterly reports and tasks that I need to get started on and while I don’t like working long hours or even on the weekends, I’ll be working overtime and over the weekend to get some of these things done and out of the way.
One of the pepper plants waiting to be planted
Friday – Head out to Green Thumb nursery before they close at 5 to buy more potting soil for my remaining growbags. I am expecting some other gardening purchases to arrive by this point but we’ll see if I’ll be able to do anything other than buy more potting soil. On the quilty, crafty front – I still have my orange top that I’m preparing for quilting. Last week my plan was to spray baste it and I didn’t have time to do that. So I hope to get that done this Friday.
Saturday – Garden – feed the worms, turn the compost, put together the new compost bin I purchased from the city, plant more things, set up the garden purchases that should have arrived, etc. etc. And on the crafty front, pull out my cross stitching for a bit. It’s been almost a month since I’ve touched these projects and I’m itching to get back to these.
a close up of the blueberry plant
Sunday – We normally zoom from 10-1 every Sunday but I’ll probably spend most of the day in my sewing room, finishing up the cushion project and reacquainting myself with some of the other projects on my list – most notably, Grassy Creek, my Jan Krentz top that is really almost done, and possibly Dancing with the Stars (a Linda Ballard UFO from 2012).
One of my favorite pictures from our trip to Fresno’s Blossom Trail
Happy crafting, friends! Wish me luck with the gardening as this is something I’ve not done in many years. Now that we have a forever home, the gardening bug is stronger than ever.
Just a recap on the week and how it has gone. I’m not a monogamous crafter or even monogamous within the craft. I always have several projects going on at a time. And this is the first time in a long time, I have been working on a single project straight. I did have some knitting in there since Thursday is knit night but other than that, I’ve been working on this cushion. And to be honest, I’m not enjoying it. I absolutely hate not having the time to cross stitch or work on other quilty projects and being on a deadline. But I still want to have everything ready to put the cushion together so I’m putting my big girl panties on and moving forward. I am liking how things are turning out. I just don’t like rushing.
As you know from Tuesday’s evening post, I completed the Star of Jasmine.
Becky McDaniel Cushion Class Star of Jasmine step 1 3/15/2021
And on Tuesday, I was halfway through the flying geese.
Becky McDaniel
Cushion Class
Flying Geese
step 2
3/16/2021
I finished the flying geese on Wednesday evening.
Step 2 – Flying Geese blocks
Finished 3/17/2021
Thursday was knit night so did no quilting. On Friday, I finished putting the Flying Geese blocks together to make a long string of them.
Flying Geese
String
3/19/2021
I finished the evening by starting the pineapple blocks.
Pineapple Blocks
Just started
3/19/2021
I know. They don’t look anything like pineapple blocks yet. I have to do 4 and they were going pretty quickly when I was working on them.
I did make it TomatoMania (which I mistakenly called Tomatania) Friday and picked up several tomato plants, a couple of peppers, an eggplant, basil, and strawberry plants.
I also (as planned) spent a lot of the day today (Saturday) out in the garden as it was a nice 70 degrees here in Southern California. It’s been in the 40’s at night the past few weeks so I haven’t wanted to plant anything but I think it’s starting to warm up. A little bit. I did as much as I could until I ran out of soil. I totally misjudged how much soil I would need. Rookie mistake. So now, tomorrow, I’ll need to run over to the nursery to pick up more soil for my containers.
Planter #1
black cherry tomato in the middle,
basil, marigolds, and parsley (seeds)
3/20/2021
And I got the batting prepped for the orange quilt top.
So tonight I will continue to work on my pineapple blocks. The plan is to finish them by tomorrow, Sunday and to create a new plan for next week. 🙂
