Rest Stop WIP

I have made some progress on my Stoney Creek chart called Rest Stop.  I want to keep moving along on this because as usual when January comes around I reflect on the dozens of projects that I didn't even get started in the prior year and the many wips that I didn't even add one stitch to.
I like the frame that is displayed with this but I think it will look nice in a regular frame too.
Have a great week of stitching.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Crochet Hat Finish

This is three different shots of the same hat.  I just finished crocheting the hat that my daughter would like to take to a baby shower on saturday.  The pattern was a little difficult for me to figure out at first but just as I was about to give up my brain started to work.  The pattern is on Craftsy under NewbornKnots.  I think it's on Ravelery and Etsy, too.  This is the 0-3 months size.  Now that I think about it, I am not sure that a newborn can actually wear a cowboy hat unless someone is holding their head up for them.  Perhaps this would make a nice doll's hat size.
I am going to make another cowboy hat but I think a larger size would be more usable.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Sarah is having a drawing ♥

You have until February 2 to go over to Sarah in Stitches to find out how to enter her drawing for some wonderful stitching prizes celebrating her blogoversary.  Good Luck

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Recipe Black Eyed Pea Soup

I didn't take a picture before we ate it but this could be my go to recipe for our annual episode of "We Should Eat Black Eyed Peas on New Year's Day for good luck".  I never really thought they were particularly tasty but I was always able to eat them once a year.

I saw a recipe on Kalyn's blog for Hopping John Soup - Black-eyed Pea, Ham, and Collard Green Soup (CLICK HERE) and I was inspired to do something different with our 2 cans of black eyed peas this year.

Here is the recipe that we loved:

Black Eyed Pea Soup
 

1 T dehydrated onion flakes

1 large celery stalk,  finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

1/2 tsp.garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

5 cups homemade chicken stock
(or use water with chicken soup base or canned chicken broth)

2 cans black-eyed peas

2 large potatoes, diced

Fresh kale, chopped (about 2 cups when measured after chopping) 


Combine everything except potatoes and kale in large stockpot and bring to a boil.  
Meanwhile, peel and chop potatoes.  
Add potatoes to boiling soup - reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Rinse kale, remove leaves from stalks.  Chop kale and add to soup that has been simmered for an hour.
Continue simmering soup for another hour.

Makes about 8 servings (or just 4 servings, if you are really hungry and it's really cold outside)


If you try it, I hope you like it as much as we did.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Happy New Year and a WIP

I can't believe I started this almost 2 months ago.  I have only been stitching on it since the holidays ended so November and December are busy enough without trying to work in a new WIP.  Did I actually believe I might finish this by Christmas 2014?
Yesterday morning it started snowing and it snowed all day and more fell during the night.  We now live in a beautiful winter wonderland but neither of us wants to go to the street to check the mailbox until the sun comes out and melts the snow covering everything.

I decided to add a picture of our pop up camper taken  from our deck this morning.  The layer of snow accumulated on the top is 10 1/2 inches deep.  There certainly won't be any camping with this any time before next spring.  We have had this pop up since 1979 and it has so many fun family outings in its history.

Sending best wishes and blessings to everyone in the new year.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Merry Christmas and a Finish

Well, I see it's not quite finished - I just noticed the duck  goose on the right does not have a ribbon around her neck.  This is on 22 count fabric but I will always check for 1/4 stitches before I use 22 count fabric again.  I still need to determine how I will mount it on the small washboard that will hang in the laundry room.  This might well be my last finish for 2014.   My list of finishes seems a bit short this year but rather than trying to figure out what I did all year I will just look forward to a more productive 2015.

We are having a Merry Christmas and I hope everyone else also has a wonderful day.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Too Much Hand sewing

It seems I couldn't stop making trees (see this post for info about the pattern).
Then someone on the 123Stitch message board posted a link to the Santa ornament (Click Here) on Pinwheel Ponders' site.
Well they are so cute I had to make a few of those, too.  I also saw a tutorial for strip piecing the ornament here.
Now I just spent the morning sewing the openings closed on the bottom of the trees and attaching a jingle bell on top of each.
Then I sewed a 6mm gold bead to each Santa's hat and stitched the opening closed that was used to turn it right side out.
My fingers do not want to do any more hand sewing today but I do smile every time I look at a tree or a Santa.

Edit regarding Santa ornaments:
I had little hat shaped pieces left over when I traced the pattern onto the strip pieced fabric set so if I make more I think I will sew more fabric strips to the opposite side of the hat piece for another face and beard.  Then I can rotate and trace the pattern upside down in between the traced snowmen on the first side.
I also found it was easier to turn them right side out by leaving the opening on one lower edge of the beard so I wasn't turning where there were seams of the face.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

No More Achy Breaky Back

I have been using a standard (30" x 60") folding table as a cutting table for over 30 years - probably the same one, if I could remember that far back.
Anyway, when I really get into cutting fabric I never want to stop and the next day I often have a dull ache in my lower back.  A couple of days ago I spent too much time at my cutting table and starting whining about the ache in  my lower back from bending over my table.
DH immediately said, "Well I can fix that - how high do you want your table to be?"  Of course, I had no idea how much higher it needed to be but the next day I did some cutting at our kitchen island which is very comfortable height for making pie crust or cookies.  I loved it.
So DH got some pvc pipe and figured how long to cut the pieces so that when they hit the turn/support area of the leg there would be enough pvc pipe to raise the table to the same height as the kitchen counter.
I was so excited - I did an immediate happy dance followed by a very big hug and many thank you, thank you, thank yous . . .
DH said I really should thank our youngest son because he had mentioned that many of the people who set up tables for various events in downtown Phoenix have modified their tables in this fashion.
After spending another day with my "new" table I am so delighted and my back is very happy with me.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Because I have nothing to do

Actually my to do list is huge, but nothing looked like fun to me today.
Over on the 123Stitch message board a lady posted pictures of her stuffed Christmas Trees and a link to the instructions soon followed.
This took me several hours but it was such fun I think I must make another one.
Here is a link to the instructions - CLICK HERE to see the tutorial.
Have a great month.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Oh no not another start

I blame DH for this new start.  After another productive day of yard saling, he brought home a small wash board for use in a sink and I immediately remembered that I have been wanting to stitch this chart for my laundry room.  I measured the top of the wash board and determined that if I used 22 count fabric my chart would fit in the little space at the top of the washboard.  I thought how long could it take to stitch such a cute little pattern, right?  I should have studied the chart more carefully before I started because there are a lot of 1/4 stitches, which I have never attempted on 22 count fabric - my eyes are not a bit happy about this latest start so it won't be such a quick finish.  The chart is in the April 1989 Leisure Arts magazine pictured.  The Paula Vaughn cover picture is also on my to do list.

Have a great month of happy stitching.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

2 Quilt Tops are Finished

Each jar is different food fabric.

I have only assembled the tops so far.
I still need to make the sandwich (top, batting and backing), baste that, and then I will quilt it on my old singer 403A for which I have a walking foot attachment.
The backing fabric for the green top is pink with white cotton candy and the backing fabric for the orange top has colored jelly beans scattered over a pink background.

My goal is to finish these before Thanksgiving when I will see my 2 young granddaughters. 

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Another Start!

I know there isn't very much to see yet but it's always good to document when I start my many wips so here is Stoney Creek's Rest Stop.  I received this chart from a very nice lady on the 123 Stitch message board.
I received a package of miscellaneous parts for my 221.  It's been cleaned, oiled and greased so it purrs like a kitten and sews a wonderful seam.  I don't believe I will need another birthday present for a long time. :)
It still needs a new light unit which is on back order from  http://www.sew-classic.com/ .  I have ordered from them a few times and I am always very pleased with the customer service so if you are looking for anything for your sewing machine, check them out.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]