Crafters, December 27 through January 2

Always seems surreal as we enter the last week of a year- although the date on the calendar is just a number. Time marches on irregardless of the number of the date. So Happy Monday….and I hope it is a great week for everyone.

CJ- did you get any embroidery work done yesterday? As an embroidery lover, there is just something so peaceful about it and comforting. But then the soft hum of a sewing machine is also soothing, right? No matter what you did, I hope you either enjoyed the blogs or whatever project you are working on. Will you be checking out the quilt shop that is closing soon to see if they have any fabric you are interested in?

Ruth- well perhaps you and Dh will go for a nice drive just for a change of scenery or catch a drive up fast food snack. Looks like you have true winter weather where you are- cold and windy. Stay warm, stay safe. I am sure you will.

Sue - how was your Christmas?

Phyl- hope you are successful at making the diet changes suggested by your medical team. I have IBS- which sometimes comes and goes at will- and at times makes no sense. Hope a nice consistent diet helps solve some of your discomfort.

Yes I did get some crocheting in last night. I had to watch a video for a refresher on half double crochet.

Good afternoon and happy new week. We did go out. We only went to a grocery store. Nothing special. If we had waited until Wed we could have saved more because that day they have a senior discount and when we go we usually buy a lot. WE did that today so did lose out on a bit of money but Wed may have been packed with people buying their NYE foods. It was cold and windy. New Year's day is supposed to be the coldest. I hope that's not a sign that the entire winter will be that cold.

Ginny, I hope that the workmen will do a good job on the sheet rock and the plumbing. Electric heaters are pretty nice to use but there's always the danger of malfunctions, etc which could lead to fires. Most are pretty safe though and have auto shutoff's.We use one in the "winter quarters" because it's more user friendly than the baseboard heater.

I think you asked what blanket I'm making. It's from a video on youtube by a man that calls himself Fiber Spider and it's called "which way filet" It's very easy and it woud go really fast for some people but I somehow keep missing one of the stitches so I do a lot of going back. I let my mind wander and forget to count. I admit that sometimes I just "adapt".There was something else you asked but now I can't remember what it was.

Ginny, I'm glad the family get together went ok. And I'm also glad that things went well with the electrican and that the sheet rock man is doing ok. I hope he's done soon. Having workmen in the house is not a fun thing. Bean soup is really good. I'm going to have to make some soon now that you mentioned it. I need to get some meals ready and that may be one of the things I will prepare along with some pumpernickle bread and some kind of dessert. I don't know what else I'll make yet. 

Hello Everyone - Hope you are all doing well today

Ginny - I'm glad the work is coming along pretty well. And it's great if you can get the sheet rocker guy to do some other projects for you. I'm glad the family get together went well. Did you get the things to make your bean soup? That sounds like a nice winter meal.

Ruth - I checked out the video for that blanket, it's a really pretty pattern. I'm glad you were able to get some groceries and can stay in now while it's so cold. I also hope your winter isn't too bad.

Phyl and Sue - Hope you are doing alright.

I didn't get to any more done on the embroidery piece. I tend to get motivated to work on it and get alot done and then I don't get back to it for a bit. So hopefully I'll get back to it soon.

The weather here has been mild still, most days in the 50s except a few in the 40s.

I had a dental appointment yesterday morning and then this morning I went to the quilt shop that was closing. They had a pretty nice selection of fabric for sale. The cost was $6.00 per yard or if you bought the whole bolt it was only $5.00 per yard. I found lots of nice blender fabrics and then a few pretty prints that I liked. Several of the fabrics were Moda, so getting that for $5.00 or $6.00 a yard was a good deal.

The owner said she is happy about closing the physical shop since she was tired of dealing with problems. She is keeping an online shop and will also be doing longarm quilting, as well as renting the longarms and teaching customers how to use them out of a building attached to her home (with it's own entrance). I took a class from her many years ago, but would like to take one again so maybe that will happen next year.

I'm making a quilt for a mystery quilt along that started on December 26th. I think it only runs for a few days and it's pretty easy and doesn't use a lot of fabric. Here's a link if you want to read about it:

quiltinggail.com/2021/12/26/any-which-way-mystery-quilt-clue-1/

I pulled some Christmas fabric that I just had a few pieces left (and more background) and I have all my squares cut and I'm ready for today's "clue"which is to make HSTs. I also pulled another 3 fabrics and I think I'll make a second quilt at the same time. These fabrics are a floral, a purple and a cream background. I had just enough of the floral and purple to use. It looks like the top will just be HSTs, so that should be easy to put together. It's a table topper size - about 40x40.

Hope all of you get to work on some crafting. Take care

CJ and Sue, good to hear from you.

CJ- if I was not facing so many things to keep me busy I might actually try that really neat mystery quilt. I loved how she uses two contrast 2 fabrics that are the same color. So very cool…..you seem to have an affinity for purple in fabrics….so very pretty and I am anxious to see what you do with this quilt top! The size is perfect and will be done quickly. Hope you enjoy making it. Was your dentist appointment routine work? You got some awesome prices on Moda fabric- which up here usually goes for $12 a yard. Congrats on the bargains…and I know you will put those fabrics to great use. Its very exciting for you that you will be given an opportunity to work on a long armer again. I think working out of the shop owners house should restrict the exposure to the public, which should make you more comfortable. I am really happy for you- you have so many quilt tops to long arm!!!

Sue, after searching through the cabinets…I found both lentils and navy pea beans….as its a quicker cook time I made lentil soup. Yummmmmm!!! Next time I will add cornbread and invite you over. Christmas carols are such a lovely way to enjoy the holiday and warm your heart. Music has such a wonderful way to take us places without going anywhere. That is a shame that your helper is not working out as well as you hoped. With all you are facing I completely agree that you should find another person- and you should find another person to work mornings. (Just hope someone is willing to work !). I will pray that the right person is able to work for you and assist with Dh to make the next few months as stress free as possible.

My sheet rocker is a very hard worker. Tomorrow he is taking on some carpentry repairs/changes…which will have him upstairs. In the early am, as soon as Ds leaves for work, I will end up downstairs and have to do a light sand of the new sheet rock so I can get a coat of primer on it before the plumber starts at 9. I found the carpet tiles I want and will hopefully be driving to Lowes tomorrow to pick them up, and some paint. The beginning of the end is in sight…still a lot of work….but its getting there.

Time to sit and crochet.
Hope everyone is getting some crafting in.
Ginny

CJ, that is so funny that my crochet blanket is called which way filet and your quilt top is any which way. One of the youtubers has the same pattern I'm working on on her video and she calls is Any Which Way.. I'm anxious to see how those purples look when you have them made into the quilt.And congratulations on getting such a great bargain on those fabrics! I hope your dentist visit went well. I know you've had some dental issues in the past. I think you mentioned a crown or something

I thought I posted this morning...ok early afternoon...but it's not here so I guess I didn't hit the send button. In it, one of the things I mentioned was that it's great, Ginny, that your sheet rocker is also a capenter and will be able to complete your dh's unfinished projects. I know you'll be happy to have those done and the lumber used rather than sitting there taking up space. I, also, have lumber and other building materials sitting taking up space.

Sue I'm sorry to hear that your caregiver is not working out for you. I hope you'll find one that you can rely on.

I didn't get any crocheting done yesterday. My crafting consisted of only participating in the crochet groups by reading what was posted and responding to some. Today I've crocheted by am working on a hat. Thought I'd take a break from the blanket and do something that put wear and tear on different parts of my hands. They've been aching lately because of the very repetitive stitches in the blanket.And that's on top of the swelling, and red and purple colors and splits in the creases  on the finger joints that are all caused by Raynauds.

Ginny, I'm sorry you have to rip some out on your afgan. It's so easy to accidentally get an extra stitch or lose one. It's a good thing you did get dressed when you did. When the electrican came to my house to do the required inspection of my defective brand new water heater it was lucky I had dressed much earlier than usual because he showed up early.Yes it does sound like you'll be busy with putting in those carpet tiles. I've never installed carpet tiles only vinyl tiles.

I got my hat done. It's a very textured hat and should keep someone's head warm. It's going into the donate pile and I think someone will love it because it's really pretty if I do say so myself and it's a great color.I made it with Red Heart with love in Iris.It used up a bit of yarn which I'm glad of because I'm trying to use some of my huge stash up. I'm sure we'll be moving at some point and not use having to move all this yarn.

I'm also making dgs' afgan with RHWL and it really shows how much yarn companies have gone the way of food packages in making things smaller while also raising prices. I'm using five colors in his afgan and some are relatively new while one is an older skein. The older skein has 370 yards while the newer ones are 317 and all are solid colors. Also the yarn on the larger skein is thicker than the skeins with only the 317 yards.