Needle Guardian

I've almost finished the stitching on Terese Wentzler's  Needle Guardian.  I am not going to nun stitch around the edges as the pattern directs.  Instead, I'm backstitching around the design and will line the needlebook with the same linen.

 This pattern takes longer to stitch than it looks like it would.  Almost all of the DMC stitching uses a blended needle, and there is a lot of backstitching.

Linking up: http://www.supermomnocape.com/2016/08/01/vintage-embroidery-monday-stitchery-link-party-69/

http://myplvl.blogspot.com/2017/01/tuesday-archives-144-needle-books_10.html

Let's Hear It For Color Catchers!

I am a big proponent of color catchers, and I've blogged about them before.

 http://sewingoutofmycomfortzone.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-many-color-catchers-do-you-need.html

Here's my latest experience.  I just bought 4 1/2 yards of red flannel for backing for two quilts.  I always wash flannel before using it because flannel shrinks so much, and since it was red, I threw in 4 color catchers.  This is what they looked like after the first wash with cold water.

I know there are only 3 in the picture. I don't know what happened to number 4.  Down the drain, maybe, or wrapped up in the flannel. 

 In any event, I knew I had to wash the flannel again. This time I tried warm water.  The color catchers still came out pink.   I washed it a total of 8 times, twice in hot water, until I got color catchers that could pass as light pink.   

                                           That's acceptable to me.  It is in the dryer now.

Jamestown Landing Center Pieced

I got the center of Jamestown Landing put together this week.  It took 2 and a half movies.

I'm not going to get any sewing done this weekend, but I'd like to get the borders on by next Wednesday.  Maybe!

Linking up:  http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-challenge-update-5/

http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/2016/07/lets-bee-social-135.html

Stash Report, Exchanges Received

I received both of my exchanges this week.  Here are my I Spy squares:

And my Birds in the Air  blocks:

I have no immediate plans for the I Spy blocks, but at least I'll have them on hand the next time I need to make a baby quilt.  I'm playing around with a Birds in the Air layout, but there's no hurry on that one either.  

I did get a couple more pillowcases made, so I have some fabric used to report.

Used this week:2.375 (pillowcases)

Used Year to Date: 63.375 yards
Added this week: 5 ( I Spy and Birds in the Air blocks)
Added Year to Date:66.375 yards
Net Added: 3.0 yards

Linking up:  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2016/07/24/stash-report-july-24-2016/

RSC: Hot PInk

Hot pink is the color this month, but I don't have very many pinks in my scrap bin, hot or not.  So I made nineteen pink string blocks using whatever pinks I could find.

Linking up: http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2016/07/scraphappy-saturday.html

Jamestown Landing Again

While I was visiting my parents last week, my niece and sister helped me remove the paper from my Jamestown Landing string blocks. That saved me a ton of time!  When I got back in town, I started piecing the rows together.

This quilt is a little tricky to piece.  You have to make sure your string blocks are leaning in the right direction.  A design wall is a big help, but as much as I love my wall, I wish it were a couple of feet longer.  

Linking up: http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-challenge-update-4/

http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/2016/07/lets-bee-social-134.html

Stash Report

It was a big fabric buying week for me.  I tried to compensate a little by making 3 pillowcases.

Used this week:3.375 (pillowcases)
Used Year to Date: 61.0 yards
Added this week: 9.5 (backing for Daylight, neutral, 2 FQ)
Added Year to Date:61.375 yards
Net Added: 0.375 yards

Linking up:  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2016/07/10/stash-report-july-10-2016/