Thursday, March 14, 2024

I Like Thursday ~ Spring in in the Air

 


Spring in in the air!

Today when I was sitting and working on my

Spring Crochet Along with Any Day Crochet

I had the windows open on the south side of the house.


My Wordless Wednesday photo this week
 was of this lovely spring looking zipper pouch 
sent to me as a gift 
from my online Quilty Bestie,

Dorian @ Ridge Top Quilts

You can see the sewing in progress on this zipper bag in the link above.  I love how Dorian takes her smallest scraps and adds beautiful hand stitched touches to make such beautiful and useful things. I am sew blessed to be the recipient of this lovely. I have tucked my crochet needs like small scissors, yarn needles and markers and extra hooks into this pretty pouch and tucked it in the top on my yarn bag.

Thank you, my dear friend, Dorian!



I am up to date on Day 11 of the Spring Blanket Crochet Along

with the cute blueberry bobbles on top of the orange basket stitch rows.

See the adorable purple and blue iced cupcakes row?

Tulips and Bunny Ears and Dragonflies, oh my!

I think the Carrots row is my favorite. 

Maybe. They are all so cute!

As you can see, it is bright and sunny 

but there are no flowers outside my door yet.


I am also up to date on my Temperature Quilt Tree Blocks.

As you can see, this week the trees are all pink,

which means the day temperatures 

have been in the 40s and 50s, Fahrenheit.

The night has dipped into the 20's though and it has been windy.

As you can also see, Nutmeg has approved these blocks.

Time to sew them into the row!

~~~

Although it getting warmer is much too early in my corner of the world 

for spring flowers as each night it goes below freezing.

The I Like Thursday question of the week is what are my favorite

spring flowers.

Though they are not blooming yet, I have two.

In my yard, I love the brave little crocuses 

which will be my first garden blooms.

I also love to fill my window boxes and hanging planters

with spring pansies.

There are not available to purchase yet at the garden centers yet.

Soon.


For more Thursday fun, visit all my friends at


I Like Thursday @ Not Afraid of Color

Happy Thursday! 



Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Slow Sunday Stitching ~ Spring Crochet

 

Day 7 is complete for my 


Spring Crochet Blanket Started Here

This is a free crochet along.

All information, patterns and tips can be found  at

Any Day Crochet @ TikTok

Nutmeg is my ever helpful crochet kitty.


Her favorite part of the job is testing our crochet blankets for comfort.


Nutmeg and I are linking up today with all of the lovely creations at

Slow Sunday Stitching @ Kathy's Quilts


It has been a weekend of heavy rain and now clearing skies

 in my corner of the world.

The forecast is for more spring like weather.

We were able to start a little yard cleanup and found 

our crocuses and tulips are sending up green shoots.

No spring flowers yet.

Soon ... very soon ... :) 


I hope your weekend has been full of good times and happy stitches.




Thursday, March 7, 2024

I Like Thursday ~ March Sttches

 


The first week of March has been blustery, rainy and busy.

There has been plenty of fun with fabric and threads stitched in.


I sewed my new month block for my 

Temperature Quilt 2024

The pieces for the shamrock block are cut slightly oversized and

trimmed to size to make a 5.5" square 

with narrow border strips on top and bottom.


It fits nicely with the other blocks.

I now have four rows done and the fifth begun. 


Maestro has bene very helpful with the quality inspection of these blocks.


I have also been working on the next block for my 

Vintage Flower Sampler Quilt

I am working on this challenging Sugar Plum Block.

I made plastic templates for this block last week.

When it came time to cut, I extended the inner points

as I had seen a block made this way on a website.


I sewed these curves on my machine.

I started on the outside edge leaving a quarter inch seam start.

I am very comfortable sewing curved seams on my machine with no pins.

I just ease the seam as feed the fabric.


In the end, I trimmed the center back to what is shown 

in the template in the book and it came together well.

The center appilque circle cover the center of the Sugar Plum swirl.

I am now working on the outer pieced circle of triangles

and preparing to sew it to this center.


On Monday evening I went on an adventure to a Hobby Lobby

 which opened near me in New Hampshire. 

I am not sure how long this one has been there.

I have not been to a Hobby Lobby in many years.

I have actually not been to a large box craft store since before Covid

closed us in our houses.  

I have been buying all of my crafty stuff online

except for a few stops at my small local quilt shop.

I felt lovely and new to go to a store and look at all the pretty 

yarns and fabric and craft supplies and spring decor.

The reason for my adventure was to purchase the same yarn and colors

 for a this fun


 Spring Blanket Crochet Along @

Any Day Crochet on Tik Tok

The videos are colorful and give all information needed to 

stitch by stitch and row by row make a lovely spring blanket. 

The hosts are two very creative sisters.

It is free and there is nothing to buy.

My idea of a fun creative endeavor.


I set up my iPad on my lap desk and watch as I stitch.

This started with a green foundation row and 

then a pretty pink tulip field under a blue sky.

Maestro helped.


Then the next rows were an orange dragon fly filet crochet section.

Nutmeg helped.


There is a section a day of 2-5 rows.

I am a day behind because I had to find my yarn

and hope to catch up by the weekend.

This yarn is made for Hobby Lobby,

My "I Love This Yarn" is acrylic 

although there is a cotton version of the yarn, too. 

While I was at Hobby Lobby, I looked at the notions

and saw this new-to-me Yarnology Crochet Hook.

Normally I do not like plastic crochet hooks,

but this looked interesting so I thought I would give it a try.

I do have a lot of arthritis in my hands these days.

You can see how bent by this is my pinky,

which can be quite painful at times.


This Yarnology hook is very lightweight 

and the shape of the ergonomic handle fits well in my hand. 

The hook is tapered and round and it has a deep hook to hold the yarn.

I like this in a hook.

I did a few rows with my favorite old aluminum Boye crochet hook

and quickly switched back to this one.

It is much gentler on my hands.

I will likely be purchasing more of these in different sizes, as needed.

I had not crocheted in over a year in part because of the pain in my hands.

My trip to the store and coming home with the yarn and new hook

for under $30 to start this new spring crochet adventure

has brightened this gray and rainy week considerably.


I hope your week has been filled with happy stitches.

For more Thursday fun, visit all my friends at

I Like Thursday @ Not Afraid of Color

Happy Thursday!