Weekly Stitching and Hydrangea

 I did get six squares finished this week, all little floral wreaths. Simple stitching, but pretty designs. When I started this project I was restricting myself to certain color threads that I thought would look good on the dyed fabric. No purples, oranges, pink. etc. But recently I decided that any color thread will work because it is the fabric that ties everything together. I ordered some new colors from DMC and they came in two days. I was surprised because they are in Canada and it usually takes at least a week, but apparently they have a warehouse in New Jersey because that's where these come. Free shipping for orders over $30 (easy to do).

I also decided that, as much as I enjoy making these, I am going to slow down and only do what I can while watching nightly TV. I have mostly abandoned my other hobbies/crafts. You know that I like to make greeting cards and I haven't made any in weeks. You may recall the cute little origami dresses I made awhile back. Well all but one of those are gone. I like to send birthday cards, get well, thinking of you, sympathy, etc. Since I got into card making, I only send my handmade. I am definitely carving out some time for that this week.

I make my own Christmas cards, too (crazy, I know) and last year I sent 50 and started making them in August.  I have not started yet this year. 

And then I have a quilt to free-motion quilt for a friend and I have to get ready for an exhibit in September. It is a group show and I only have to do one, but I am usually farther along by now.

It has been a  very good year for Hydrangeas here it CT. It has to do with the winter conditions, but I'm not sure what they are. There are Hydrangeas everywhere in all the pretty colors they come in. I only have one bush. It starts out as purple and white, as in the picture below and then turns a rich solid purple.

I never had any luck keeping them in the house as cut flowers, but I went online and found out what to do. Pick your flowers early in the morning or late in the evening. Strip them of all leaves and make a cut up the stem so that it can absorb more water. Put them in lukewarm water. These on my kitchen table, looking so good on that lavender and yellow Damask tablecloth I purchased in Provence several years ago, were picked over a week ago. I have changed the water once. They drink a lot of water in the garden and in the house. 

I am having some of my landscaping done over this Fall and there will be two new Hydrangea bushes, among other things.

I am linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Weekly Stitching

 I only managed to get four squares done this week because they were a little labor intensive and I spent way too much time on my monthly challenge page.

Last winter before I went to Florida I snow dyed several yards of fabric, knowing that what I had would not be enough. Last weekend I spray basted some of it to flannel and cut out about 135 more four inch squares. That should hold me for awhile. I still have a lot of fabric left and it should be enough for a backing.

I'm still having fun with little flower circles using those cute woven spoke flowers, lazy daisy and French knots.

You will see more of these variations next week.

My prompt for my July page was DOOR. I first made a set of doors that I thought were just right, but when I put them down on the page, they were all wrong so I took them off and did them over, I used the print in the fabric as a guide for the embroidery.

And a nice little surprise wheń you open the doors. I'm not sure what I'm doing for August, but I will try not to let it go until the last minute.

I'm as little late in linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Weekly Stitching and a New Book

 My more astute and observant readers will see that I've changed my title to Weekly Stitching instead of Daily Stitching. I only seem to get five squares done a week and this week I also completed the page of my challenge book for June, a little behind. More about that later.

Again I saw this cute free form(ish) border design and adapted it to a small circle. I did it over and over, changing the fabric and the thread to coordinate with fabric. Oye! I am running out of ideas but I will persevere. I am also running out of squares, altho I have plenty of ice dyed fabric that I did last winter before I went to Florida. I bought some white flannel yesterday, which gets spray basted to the back, and I will cut some more this weekend.

To date I have made 185 squares. Not sure when I will stop. Maybe when I run out of design wall

My June page for my fabric book. The prompt was Concentric Circles. Oh, I thought, easy peasy for me because I have done so many on my 4 inch squares. Not so! Working directly on the page gave me all sorts of problems and I had to resort to the simplest of stitches. I also added a bit of red to break up the monotony of all that blue and white. As on other pages, I edged it in lace, this time red. You can see the lace from previous pages peeking through. I am working on my July page and I will have it finished for next week. On time!

I have long been a fan of Paula Kavorik with her whimsical, quirky style. I have stood in awe front of her quilts at Quilt National. I couldn't get enough. Especially the year that her quilt was made out of a large round vintage tablecloth. There was so much going on with that piece and it was all just free motion quilting. Saying "just" does not do it justice because there were so many stories going on. The first quilt on her website is that round quilt. You will see what I mean.

So when she told us she had published a book, I knew I had to have it. Mine came today from Amazon and it does not disappoint. I only briefly flipped through it and read the first few pages, but I know I am going to love it. There are exercises to try and step by step suggestions to loosen you up and get your creative juices flowing. I can't wait to try some. 

I am linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Daily Stitching and Day Lilies

 Maybe I should call this challenge Five a Week because that seems to be what I get done each week. I did another new-to-me stitch that goes by  a few names.....Whipped Spider Web, Wrapped Spider Web, and Ribbed Spider Web. This was not a difficult stitch, but it was very easy to make a mistake and I did my share of taking out. Again I tried to do something a little different for each one.

 Think this is my favorite of the week. It reminds me of a Ferris Wheel, one of the only rides I enjoyed at the carnival.

I am very fond of day lilies, even tho their beautiful flowers only last for one day. So no picking them to bring into the house. However there are many flowers on each scape so they give you a long blooming time. They just started opening last week.

You can see that I tend to bicolors and ruffled edges. I am linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Daily Stitching and a Party

   I used a new-to-me stitch this week, woven wheel, and played with variations. You stitch down five spokes and weave in and out until the spokes are covered. Very easy, if a little time consuming.

This was the first one I did, using filled lazy daisy stitch for the leaves.

Similar to the first with different leaf placements and a center leaf cluster.

Played around with the stems and leaves and got this nice kaleidoscope effect.

What would happen if I didn't cover up all the spokes and made them of a different color. Well, I think they look like little rose buds.

There's those little rose buds again and another kaleidoscope. I think this is my favorite of the week.

I said I would tell you about my party and so I shall. It did rain, a lot, so we were inside, but it all worked out and everyone had a table or coffee table to sit at for the meal. 

I used my shibori napkins and tied the flatware up with red checked ribbons. They are in a shibori printed box that I bought at Joanne's a couple of years ago. It's also where I store my shibori napkins when not in use.

I used my laundry room as a bar. Martini fixings on the card table (blocking the door to the garage) and wine and martini glasses on the washer and dryer. I think it worked out just fine. On the wall to your right and partly hidden by the door is my very tacky Forth of July wreath that I bought a couple of years ago at Home Depot, on sale.

 

I bought 4 bunches of flowers at Costco (great price) red roses, red carnations, white mums and white alstroemeria. I was able to make three arrangements. This was on the coffee table in the family room.

This was on the dining room table, but I moved it later to the living room, where I could enjoy seeing it.

This was on the kitchen table, where some people ate and decorated it with the ribbons from the flatware tie-ups.

Some of us gathered in the kitchen.

Some of the ladies enjoying their watermelon martinis in the family room. As at most parties, the men clumped together as did the women.  Not too many men. Most of my friends are widowed or divorced.

In spite of the weather a good time was had by all and we were all so grateful to be able to meet and greet in person.

I'm linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Daily Stitching and Party Prep

 Five squares finished again this busy week because I am having my annual Fourth of July party tomorrow (on the second of July). Of course last year was a no-show because of Covid and I am so glad that I can entertain again. I will show you pictures next week.

Pinterest continues to be a source of inspiration and there are so many border designs that I will try to adapt to my little circles. This one was supposed to be a border for a round neckline but an abbreviated version worked out just fine for me.

I especially liked the lazy daisy stitches filled in with the same or contrasting color.  I tried to do something a little different on each one.

My party was supposed to be outside on my good-sized deck with its  pretty flowers, but Mother Nature is not cooperating. Thank goodness that the horrible heat wave is over, but now we have cloudy, cooler and rainy. Sooooo I had to switch my plans to inside. I think we will be a bit crowed, but I am trying not to stress out over it. I had to be a bit creative about seating, the bar and buffet area. If the weather should clear up, people can go outside, but I am prepared for the rain.

Happy Fourth of July to all my American readers! Let's be glad for our freedom, in more ways than one.