It's Cool to Be Square Blog Hop

My Quilty Love Cross Stitch is finished and ready to hang!

Welcome to my post of the 

It's Cool to be Square Blog Hop @ Just Let Me Quilt

When I saw this blog hop announcement, I knew just what I wanted to show and tell.

I had recently finished stitching my

Quilty Love Cross Stitch Completed Here

I made some design options from the original pattern,

changing not only the colors, but leaving out some of the smaller hearts

and the ric-rac trim.

These finishing fabrics were in the plans before I picked my floss colors,

as fabric is always my first craft love.

All I knew was that I wanted to finish this cross stitch with these fabrics

but was not sure how to set it.

I decided that I did not want a traditional rectangular frame,
or one of the new trendy sticky board and plaque settings with bows and such.

I wanted something clean, crisp and modern,

like the cross stitch piece itself. 

I wanted to hang it on my wall.

My first thought was to make an actual quilt and give it a 

Faced Quilt Binding ~ Tutorial Here

... but I wanted something that would keep it smooth and flat.

Then I had another thought! 

I bought this this 24" square artist's canvas on a 50% off sale at my local Michael's

just before everything in my state shut down.



I used this artist canvas method many years ago Here
to display another blog hop project
and it has been in my mind to do so again.

It seemed the perfect way to display my cross stitch.



This was very much a figure it out as I cut and sewed  project.

The cross stitch design finished at 9" by 12"
so I knew the fabric would have to be pieced to make it fit the square canvas.
I knew from the start that I do not want the cross stitch itself centered
but off-set in the upper right corner.
I knew I wanted the bright aqua print to frame the cross stitch.
I also knew I wanted to feature the lovely large rose print fabric. 

Sew I cut a 2.5" strips and sewed the fabric to frame my cross stitch HERE

This is how the fabric finished before I attached it to the canvas.

It is square ... about five inches larger than the artist canvas.

I cut a square of thin batting 24" square to pad the top of the canvas.

Then I simply layered batting and "quilt top" and turned it to the back,

stretched it straight and evenly, 

and used my heavy duty stapler to fasten it.

The staples are easily removed if I ever want to clean it or change it up. 

Success!

I created something simple and uncluttered to show off my handwork and fabric.

I really love this method and will use it again to display my cross stitch projects.

Here it is inside on my sunny yellow bedroom wall.

It makes me smile.

May you enjoy all the cool square projects in today ... 

May 18

Creatin' in the Sticks

Life in the Scrapatch (you are here) 

Day Brook Designs

Songbird Design

The Darling Dogwood

Kathleen McMusing

Quilting Gail

Thank you to 

Carol @ Just Let Me Quilt

for hosting this fun blog hop.

It is very cool to be square ... :) 

OMG ~ May Day!

In March, the stitching on my

 Quilty Love Cross Stitch Was Completed Here

But this is still a UFO.

It was started Started Here in January

and these fabrics were my inspiration.

These are also my intended finishing fabrics.

Time to "get 'er done!"

This is my 

OMG May Goal @ Elm Street Quilts

I enjoy setting a small finishing goal each month 

to reduce my UFO and WIP stack.

I am always happy when I get something done.

Do you set monthly goals?

:-) 

I Like Thursday #47 ~ I Like To Stitch

One Cross Stitch Project Done ~ Another Begun!

I like to stitch.

Cross stitch and embroidery and crochet were actually my first love

of thread when I was young, probably around 8-10 years old.

Later in Junior High,  I started to machine sew and made much of my own clothes.

I still liked to hand stitch decorative projects, though.

Quilting in my life did not happen until I was almost 30 and decided 

our first born had to have a quilt.

I did also crochet for my babies.

My cross stitch and embroidery projects were put away 

while our children were growing up. 

This project is my version of the February 

Quilty Love Stitch Along @ FQS

I took this photo in the morning light to try to show the true colors

of the floss which are much brighter and lighter than in my photos.

I may be a late finisher but I am ready now for the next stitch along

I am planning to stitch along with the 

All You Need to Know to SAL Here @ Jolly Jabber

This is the Stitch Along Schedule.

This week calls stitching the frame all the way around the edge 

and between the rows.

Because I am such a slow stitcher, I am rarely able 

to stay on schedule,

but I am going to try.

If I fall behind like I did with my   Quilty Love Cross Stitch 

I will just keep stitching at my own pace.

Since this is a spring and early summer stitch project for me

I have chosen lighter colors than what is shown in the pattern

I am using the variegated Classic Colorworks floss I have been 

gathering in my floss stash for a few months

and will be stitching the frame in white. 

My aida is 14 count DMC in light seafoam green.

This will also work well with the colors in my home.

I like to stitch along with other stitchers

and have found the group at 

 @FQSXStitch on Instagram 

and

 Fat Quarter Shop Floss Tube Channel 

and

Kimberly's Stitch Squad on Facebook

to be very encouraging,  supportive and inspiring.

Since March is National Quilting Month,

I am working on a quilty project when I am not sitting and stitching.

Here are some fun free pattern finds for the week:

Free Tulip Quilt Pattern @ Allspice Abounds

I always love free quilt patterns!

Also encouraging and inspiring, I  always find the lovely 

I Like Thursday Bloggers @ Not Afraid of Color

to only have good words to say.

I appreciate all the kind words and comments

 of all my readers everyday!

May you have a Happy Thursday!

Still Here ~ Still Stitching

How cute are these little llama floss bobbins?

Llama Thread Keeper Floss Bobbins

that I found at 

Fat Quarter Shop

I love them!

Here I am ... still slow stitching on my 

  Quilty Love Cross Stitch 

 My stitching is so slow it almost feels like I am stitching still sometimes.

Today I had to pick out the red heart in the row I am currently working on

and move it down two spaces.

I only have to finish this row and put two small hearts between the quilt motifs

in the middle row.

This pattern calls for a few more hearts, but I decided long ago

that I wanted more white background showing 

for a crisp modern look.

The pattern also calls for strips of ric-rac stitched on between the rows,

but I have also made the design decision to omit this trim

and the button embellishments in the center of the motifs.

It has been a busy few days and I am tired tonight.

It is a damp night and I am thinking to turn in early,

Tomorrow shall be anther day of stitching fun.

Sweet Stitching Dreams! 

One Day and Counting

I am stitching ...and stitching ... and stitching.

I am making progress.

This is my stitching log for this project.

At this point I have been logged 33 and a half hours.

Also,  I forgot to record a few times when I just 

snatched a few minutes of stitching here and there. 

I  am  a  s-l-o-w  s-t-i-t-c-h-e-r.

If you look close in the shadows at the top of this photo,
you will see Nutmeg is sleeping on the job 

on one of her favorite warm spots,

a small quilt folded on top of the steam radiator in the living room.

OMG ... I may not get this done.

February Count Down ends tomorrow 

Better go put in a few more "x"s 

before I get my needed "z"s

Sweet Stitching Dreams 

OMG WIP ~ Stitching Therapy

Stitching Therapy happening here tonight.

The day was filled with problems with delivery people for a new appliance.

Many calls were made before we finally got a good person at the place where

we purchased it to tell us to report it as "damaged" so that steps 

could be taken to get us a new appliance.

This will take several days, during which we will be without a refrigerator.

Oh, well.  This too shall pass.

So I working on my 

One Monthly Goal @ Elm Street Quilts

May you have a happy weekend. 

Last Slow Sunday Stitching of January 2020

Onto Row 3 for my ... 

Quilty Love Cross Stitch

My sewing and stitching have all been slow this weekend 

and my naps have been long.

On Friday I decided it was time to take my fatigue and congestion to the doctor

and I was put on antibiotics for a sinus infection.

Infections of this type are not all that unusual for me in winter

when my indoor allergies fester with the house closed up. 

I am starting to feel better 

and hope to catch up on my quilty commitments 

this week. 

Linking up with the lovely slow stitching in progress at

Slow Sunday Stitching @ Kathy's Quilts

Happy Stitching! 

Quilt ~ Love ~ Stitch

More Stitching Happiness :) 

I am making progress on my 

Quity Love SAL Started Here

I cannot stitch without my 

Halo Go Rechargeable Table Maginfier Lamp

Yes, I know it is expensive, but I need this portable bright light

and magnifier to see to stitch.

The photo above shows how close I need to get to my work.

I carry this lamp with me wherever I sit and stitch.

As seems to happen every winter, my eyesight is declining more rapidly again. 

I see my eye doctor every six months and will be seeing him again soon.

There is another surgery that might help prolong my sight,

 but the recovery is longer and I will not be able to do all my daily tasks 

for an extended period and the risks are greater.

I am delaying this surgery in my "bad eye" until such time

as it may be necessary for me to function.

I may never have my "good eye" done 

as I am dependent on this eye for most of my vision.

I use prescription eye drops several times a day,

which are a help.

I take every day one stitch at a time. 

Just keep stitching ... <3 

A Good Night to Stay In and Stitch

My Motif #1 ~ Top Row Center 

for my Quilty Love Cross Stitch is done!

I am really happy with how this one is working up.

I got to the center of this motif and decided o add a new color.

Green was not a part of the original plan.

I have decided I want to use these fabrics for inspiration and finishing 

and  I do not have a lot of DMC colors so I opened this package

of Cosmo Floss that was in my stash and used that.

The Cosmo floss feels different and I little thinner.,

but it works okay together. 

I am never going to get perfection in cross stitch 

but I feel my efforts are improving.

This Quilty Love Project started here

is my favorite cross stitch project so far.

The motifs are a good size and easy enough to follow 

an the chart is easy to read with my bad eyesight.

My eyesight is getting worse and I have to adapt.

Things I have leaned in my return to cross stitch adventures:

1) I like DMC (which is the least expensive) floss the best.

2) I need to use large count Aida like this 10 Count white.

3) I need to be happy with what I can stitch and not worry about the minute details.

and

4) A "Snag Nab-It" tool is good to have around.

I saw this at 

Dritz Snag Nab-It @ Fat Quarter Shop

tool for $2.24 and wondered if it might be useful

and I have to tell you that is is very useful.

I have used to to pull out the fuzz when I needed to rip out a mistake

and it also helps to pull loose floss threads to the back!

The official use video from Dritz is Here

Here is a Flosstube Video showing how to use it on cross stitch

I am going to get another one or two of these so I can always find one when I need it.

Time to snuggle under the quilts to stay warm .... brrrrr! 

Sweet Quilty Love Dreams <3 

Quilty Love = Cross Stitch Love

I am stitching along with the 

Quilty Love Stitch Along @ Fat Quarter Shop

All info in the link above.

This is another new WIP.

I am beginning to think I need to stop starting new projects

but I saw all the stitching in progress and I just could not resist.  

It is late at night here and was sewing today on one of my quilty commitments

when this project called my name because my floss arrived today!

I am choosing medium red, pink and light seagreen DMC floss for this project.

These seem to be some of my favorite colors brightening the winter this year.

I am also using 10 count Vintage Aida and my Q-Snap Frame again.

I am hoping to accomplish this one in about a month,

working on it only late a night right before sleep.

Sweet Quilty Love Dreams!