Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

About a week ago, my laptop decided that the internet wasn't important and refused to talk to it. At all. After many hours of research and attempting several different "fixes," none of which fixed anything,  I finally bit the bullet and re-installed windows. In between getting it back up and running the way I want and a particularly exhausting week at work, it has been a rather slow going week.

Mini Innocence was at the top of my to do list as I watched TV this week. (Go Commander McGarrett!) By the way, by far my favorite episode of Hawaii Five-O is Season 3, Episode 23.

Before

After

This evening was the first time I felt up to anything other than TV and cross stitch, so I attempted to embroider my very first embroidered quilt label. It came out semi-decent, but I'm still having tension issues that I'm not quite sure how to combat.

The border was part of a purchased pattern that I duplicated and rotated to make a complete square. I attempted to use variegated thread for the lettering but I think a solid would have worked better. This label is for my Kona Slate Rock quilt, which has been renamed "Belisama." The quilting is finally completed, so only the binding still needs to be made.

While that was stitching out, I spent some time playing with the pattern I'm developing for water bottle carriers. It is slow going, but once I have a system I think it will be a quick stitch. This is a piece of test embroidery that I am experimenting with to make the bottle carrier.

I've made some important lifestyle decisions lately, and am hoping that once I detox from certain things I've eliminated that I'll have more energy and feel generally better. At lot of it is learning to listen to myself and not push too hard, working with the natural rhythms of ups and downs rather than fighting against them.  One of the things I am starting to work towards is establishing Sunday as a determined Day of Rest for both Jack and I, which means nothing that we view as work. I'm going to have to step up my game a bit during the week to avoid things like laundry and dishes on Sundays and another monumental task will be changing my attitude towards church and family lunch from things I feel obligated to do into things I can relax and enjoy. Its going to be a long road but a happier one I hope.

May Turtle Trot

Welcome to May Turtle Trot, hosted by Claudette @BAP Attack

I haven't done a lot on these this month, for a couple reasons. I had two new starts (Innocence by Nene Thomas and The Ranger by Matt Stewart). I've also been spending a lot of my spare time stitching dragons onto surcoats and quilting a UFO as well as playing with my embroidery machine. I should have some good posts coming up soon, as I finish the quilt and a couple water bottle holders for Ragnarok. Then I will hopefully (and I know I keep saying this) settle in to do some garbing. I need to make myself two dresses, Jack needs some new pants and a surcoat, and I would really like to finish the ranger hood.

1. World Travel Bookshelf by Aimee Stewart (HAED) - New Start - about 20 stitches done

2. Penguin Family - Finished on 01/31/2015, Framed on 05/09/2015

3. The Castle by Teresa Wentzler - A little bit further along! The blended colors are killing me though.

On 3/10/2015

4. Affairs of the Heart Quilt by Aie Rossman (New Start) - Completed six blocks.

5. Jack's Medieval Medallion Quilt by Me! (New Start) - Not yet started

6. Butterfly Profusion by Dimensions - Lots of Progress! 

On 01/01/2015

On 05/10/2015

8. The Mighty Samurai by Dimensions- No Progress to date

9. Fall Fairy by Dimensions- Good Progress

On 01/01/2015

On 03/10/2015

10. Magnificent Wizard by Dimensions - Good Progress

On 01/01/2015

On 03/10/2015

11. Library Kittens - "Curiosity" by Janlynn - Replacing Penguin Family, New Start. 

On 5/10/2015

Throwback Thursday

I've seen a few of these "Throwback Thursday" posts show up and thought I'd join in on the fun. Turns out I've been blogging consistently for almost 3 years. Yeesh.


So let's throwback a bit. This will be a series of firsts! It amazes me how much my skills have improved

Here is my first attempt at costume applique

My first FMQ practice quilt

The first quilt I hated and threw away without finishing

My first attempt at Raspberry Tiramisu (It wasn't pretty, but it tasted great!)

The first quilt I used EQ7 to help design and layout

My first ever original quilt pattern - the Penrose Square.

My first paper piecing project.

Happy Thursday - the weekend is almost here.

Slow Stitching Sunday and May YOTA

I'm linking this up to both Slow Stitching Sunday@Kathy's Quilts and May YOTA@Pull the Other Thread.

This month I've been working on Innocence and Butterfly Profusion

Innocence Before

Innocence After

I've actually made it onto the second page of Innocence at the top row, which makes it the furthest I've ever gotten with a HAED at about 2000 stitches.

Butterfly Profusion Before

Butterfly Profusion After

  Now I'm almost done with the 6th butterfly and it feels like I'm in the home stretch - a little deceptive with all the back stitching and half stitches that need to be completed.

As a side note, if anyone has any good home remedies for a chronic cough and reoccuring cold, I'd be thrilled to try them. I picked up a cold about a month ago and haven't quite been able to shake the cough - and now I think I have another cold, or at the very least a nasty sinus infection.

Sometimes I Wonder

... about the wisdom of quilting.

You take fabric, cut it apart, and sew it back together.

 becomes

If you are a real sucker, you cut it apart again and sew it back together one more time for good measure. (For example, Twister quilts, Disappearing Four Patch, or Disappearing Nine Patch, etc.)

From here

to here

to this

We must be a crazy bunch.