Technical Difficulties

 Life in the Scrapatch is a rocky place right now,

but we are blooming as best be can.

Hope to be back soon ... :) 

I Like Thursday # 164 ~ The Scent of Spring

 

Good Morning!  

Today is ...

I Like Thursday @ Not Afraid of Color 

This week LeeAnna asked us to make a list of my favorite scents.

"Raindrops on roses ..."  immediately popped into my mind.

Yes, I do like the scent of roses ... and spring rain ...

and, well, then, raindrops on roses.

My roses are not blooming so I shall show a photo

of one of my favorite scented bushes that is blooming.  

This sweet and spicy scented bush has been blooming each spring

 in our yard as long as I can remember, which means the 1950s.

It is too cold today, almost freezing, so I cut a small bouquet

 and now it is perfuming my home.

It is my very favorite scent of spring.

Another favorite morning scent ... coffee.

The first whiff of coffee each morning is the one my hubby brews 

when he gets up to feed the kitties and get ready for work.  

My nose peeks out of the quilts each morning to this lovely aroma 

and my feet soon follow to the kitchen coffeemaker.

Today there was also the scent of fresh baked blueberry donuts

from a local shop to add to the lovey morning coffee scented air.

Mr. Scrapatch picked these up on his way to work 

and stopped back at home to drop this yummy treat off for me

 before he got on the highway.

This donut shop is a small local place 

and it is within walking distance to my home. It makes the best donuts.

I have saved the second donut which is lemon iced blueberry

for my afternoon tea break.

Time to stitch! 

This is my progress on hand stitching my crochet collage motifs to my pillow top.

Yesterday I was watching Mr. Harris go to Paris on my Ipad while I stitched.

This was a fun movie. I could almost smell the roses.

What should I watch next while I stitch. 

Katniss is keeping me company while she naps in the sunny window.

Katniss wishes to supply the "whiskers on kittens" part of the song

and is one of my favorite things, too. 

May your Thursday also be filled with lovely snacks and sounds and scenes and scents today!

Crochet Collage Garden ~ Pillow Cover Plan ~ 1st Stitches

Today I took the first stitches in turning my first

 Crochet Collage ~ Pillow Cover Plan

into reality. 

It is a gray and rainy day here today so my photos are shadowed.

I am using my old 12.5" square Quilters Ruler

and actually have the pices laid out on the back which has raised grips

that hold them in place while I am working.

I cut the fabric and a piece of Fusible Fleece into 19" squares

so that I have a wide border and plenty of fabric to make a pillow cover.

I am thinking I will add some large stitch quilting lines of sashiko threads 

around the outside of the center collage to frame it. 

I like to press fusible fleece to the back of appliqued pillow tops

 for a firm, smooth top surface.

I decided to start with the three large leaves on the bottom center.

My thread of choice is from these two Frosted Donuts of Superior Thread

pre-wound bobbins.  I never use these as actual bobbins.

I like to use them for applique, English Paper Piecing 

and sometimes binding threads.

My first leaf is appliqued.

This is back showing my messy stitching.

The top looks good, though... ;) 

I also made the first flower for my next crochet collage garden project

which I showed yesterday.

My flower does not look quite like the one in the book.

I think I sometimes forget to translate the English Crochet terminology

into USA terminology and make the wrong size crochet,

but I like it and it is a keeper.

I will make another or add applique another leaf or two tonight.

I hope your work week has started 

with a happy day of sewing and stitching!

 

 

Slow Sunday Stitching ~ This is the Plan

 

This is the layout for my first

Crochet Collage Garden Project

I am making a cover for a toss pillow.

I am getting ready to hand applique these motifs in place 

on the background fabric 

with a sewing needle and matching thread color.

Then the plan is to finish the edges with a white crochet edging.

Will post how-to when I figure it out as I go.

I bought this fabric at my favorite local quilt shop;

Melange 4506-607 Light Gray @ Bits'n'Pieces Quilt Shop

I think they have the complete line of this fabric

in their basics section in the back of the store.

You can order online; call if you need help.

I am already starting the plan my next project from this lovely book

from  Chris.made.this

Inspired by this fabric.

I am this slow crochet stitching.

Linking up today with

Slow Sunday Stitching @ Kathy's Quilts

May you have a happy week of stitching!

Sewing Machine Spa Day

 

Wednesday I hosted another Sewing Machine Spa Day

October 2019 Sewing Machine Spa Day

... as I have done in the past in this photo.

If you live in Rhode Island, Massachusetts or eastern Connecticut

and want to have a sewing machine spa day in your home,  call or contact ...

Antony also does sewing machine service repair days at quilt shops in this area.

Third Generation Repairman Anthony's Sewing Machine Service & Repair Provides Sewing Machine Service & Repair, In-Home Sewing Machine Repair Service, And Service For All Makes & Models Of Sewing Machines To The Lincoln, RI Area.

This is my friend Helen's 50 year old Sears Kenmore.

What a solid, heavy duty machine.

It is humming along like new after it's spa treatments.

You can see in the background of this photo how the shelves in my sewing corner 

are empty so they can be moved during our floor renovation project. 

Next up was my 20 year old Brother XR-65 machine

which has been in its box in one of my closets for the last 12 years.

I made many quilts on this machine and even quilted bed sized quilts on this baby.

How I did this with that 9-inch throat space is now a mystery to me.

For the last 12 years I have been using this workhorse off a machine ... 

my Janome MC600p.

I love this machine. 

I thought it might have had to go back to Anthony's Repair Shop 

to be taken apart and to have parts replaced

 and I was going to be using the XR-65 as a back-up machine.

The computerized parts of this machine have never given me any issues,

but mechanically it was not longer producing the perfect even stitches

 that I have come to expect.

Fortunately, Anthony was able to open up the tension unit

 and adjust it manually and it is working like a charm now.

My Janome is back under it's cover now 

and is going back into the other room for awhile 

so we can finish the home improvement project.

I hope to se sewing my Scrappy Irish Chain Quilt again soon.

So no Scrappy Saturday Sewing for me today.

So Sewing Machine Spa Day was a big success.

Oh, Happy Day!

May you have a happy and safe weekend!

Friday Focus ~ Moda ~ Free and Not Free

 

Moda Fabrics ~ Sew Sweet

Moda fabrics are wonderful and they generously release many free patterns,

such as this 

Flag of Valor Quilt by Minick & Simpson

which features many of the Belle Isle fabrics gathered in my above photo.

There are many, many, many more wonderful freebies in the link below: 

Free Patterns from Moda Fabrics

Moda Fabrics also hosts many free quilt-alongs.

Here are a few of the Quilt-Alongs in 2023,

some may require purchase of book or pattern:

Quilt~Along with Moda 2023

One of these is the 

Summer Memories Quilt Along @ FQS

that I featured last week. 

The photo at the top of the page is the fabrics choices

 that I have now assembled for this quilt-along.

The border print is from  

Belle Isle by Minick & Simpson for Moda @ FQS

My choice of background fabric is from

 Eyelet by Fig Tree for Moda @ FQS

This is my current fabric pull for the Summer Memories QAL.

The large print border rose fabric is from Belle Isle.

The blue plaid and red flower and flag motif

are my choices for sashing and post fabrics,

which are also from Belle Isle.

The other fabrics range from Corey Yoder to Lori Holt

 to Fig Tree and Bonne and Camille and more.

My sewing machine is still idle and under cover

while my sewing corner is under reconstruction,

but I am dreaming o summer quilts.

Today we also had summer heat.

The temperature locally soared to 89 degrees F.

That is hot for April in New England!

May you have a safe and happy quilty weekend!

 

I Like Thursday # 163 ~ Good Morning!

Good Morning!  

Today is ...

I Like Thursday @ Not Afraid of Color 

This week LeeAnna asked us if we are a night owl or morning person

and if we are happy with what we are.

I am a bit of both and have a seasonal approach.

The phrase I think of when I hear this question is:

"Turn Around and Say Good Morning to the Night" 

Listen to "Good Morning To the Night" 

by Elton John ~ Remix Lyric Video

In winter, when the days are short and the temperatures are well below freezing

 and we keep the thermostat low, I am a night owl.

I hunker under the warm toasty quilts with the kitties to keep me warm,

long after Mr Scrapatch gets up and goes to work.

I do not turn up the heat until I get up for my morning brew 

and am puttering about.

I stay up late and have even been known to be sewing or crocheting at midnight,

long after my hard-working hubby has gone to bed.

In spring my body starts to wake up from its self imposed mini-hibernation.

As soon as it starts getting lighter in the morning, 

I start getting up earlier and earlier.

Then daylight savings time arrives and my body wakes me up. 

I look outside the window and I think, "Why is it so dark?" 

Then I often snuggle back in for another hour.

My internal seasonal clock is now just starting to arrive

 at the point between the seasons 

where I can get up when it is still dark and enjoy watching the morning sun

 creep around the houses to the east of me and shine in my windows 

and slide around the south side of the house. 

The sleepy eyed kitties join me. 

This is one of my favorite times of year.

I am up. I am energized. 

I start getting out into the yard to clean up winter's debris.

I am content.

I am always happy with who I am, what I am, when I am.

I am what I am. 

I am a fabric lover.

This is a new line and I could not resist. 

My favorite print is the width-of-fabric ombre garden, 

Wild Blossoms Rainbow 48730 11

This is a half-yard cut.

Wild Blossoms by Robin Pickens for Moda Fabrics

I love Robin Pickens fabric, patterns and use of color.

Robin Pickens Website

I found my Wild Blossoms fabric at 

Wild Blossoms ~ Fat Quarter Shop

May you and yours have a Happy Thursday! 

Scrappy Saturday Sewing ~ Folded Hexagons

A Little Scrappy Saturday Stitching

With my sewing machine tucked out of the home project way, 

I have been crocheting, but missing the feel of the fabric.

Today I decided to pull open this small hand sewing project box 

and do a little hand stitching.

These folded hexagon flowers are destined for an old WIP:

My Kingfisher Quilt ~ UFO

This is what it looked like the last time it was out of my project box. 

I have long admired the colorful quilts that I have seen in the 

Kingfisher Stitch-Along @ Stitched in Color 

I am making my own version of this with my hexagon flowers. 

These folded hexagon flowers are not EPP.

They were made from this tutorial: 

Tuna Can Hexagon Flowers by Cindy Prince @ Q&N

Over the years, I have developed my own method of cutting and folding.

My hand stitching skills are definitely a little rusty today.

I was not entirely happy with how my stitches looked.

I am going to need to work on that if 

I am ever to have enough flowers for my planned quilt. 

I need about 9 more.

Hope this one gets done someday soon, too.

Hope you are having a Happy Easter Weekend!

Friday Focus ~ Patterns by Susan Ache ~ Free and Not Free

It has come to my quilty attention 

that I have never made a bed size red, white and blue quilt.

How is this possible?

I love these colors. 

Some of these fabrics I pulled for a quilt a ew years back that never was sewn.

I am going to be adding and subtracting but this is a good start for the upcoming

Summer Memories Quilt Along @ FQS

Susan Ache is not new to quilt-alongs.

I followed along but did not sew for this lovely

Stitching Kindness SAL by Susan Ache @ Moda, 2022

I love the beautiful quilty goodness of 

Susan Ache @yardgrl60

Of course, I saved the pattern:

Stitching Kindness Free Pattern PDF Here

This sew and stitch along also could be found at 

Stitching Kindness @ Auribuzz 2022

I thought at the time that this would be a nice red, white and blue quilt.

For more of Susan's creative kindness, you may find ...

6 Free Cross Stitch Patterns by Susan Ache @ FQS Here

As not everything may not be free 

and pattern designers need to earn a living, too.

I have also purchased and enjoyed 

Susan Ache Books and Patterns

So when I saw this beautiful new book

Summer Memories by Susan Ache @ FQS

I was intrigued.

Then I saw this announcement and was even more intrigued ... 

Summer Memories Quilt Along @ Fat Quarter Shop

This is Not-A-Free-Quilt-Along 

as you must purchase the book. 

The book is well written and it has six quilts and 10 cross stitch patterns

and all of them are wonderful!

I think the flag quilt is the best flag quilt pattern that I have seen.

It is well worth the purchase price in my humble opinion.

To see all of the quilts, watch the following video preview ... 

Trunk Show Here @ Fat Quarter Shop

I so enjoyed the trunk show that I also enjoyed the 

Video of Livestream with Susan Ache @ FQS Here

I particularly enjoyed learning how Susan sorts and selects her fabrics.

The quilts are scrappy and could be made with stash fabrics.

Purchase the Summer Memories Book Here

I have all the fabrics I need in my stash.

I need more medium to light blue fabrics and a border fabric 

and I know I have just what I need in my fabric closet. 

I will go spelunking in there as soon as I dig out my quilting room.

I do hope to be back to work in my sewing corner in time

 to start this on May 1st.

Time will tell.