productivity . . .

It's been a productive week and I've gotten in some quality time towards my crafts (and I use that word in the highest sense of its definition) almost every day, thanks to some lunch time stitching.  In the class I'm taking we started to put together our first block, which I was able to finish:

It's a small class this go around, which is nice ... everyone gets the one-on-one if they need it. I'm learning some new things, too, which is awesome!

I decided to go ahead and make a fabric spreadsheet, to help me keep straight which fabrics were going where . . . 

I love organizational stuff like this; I daresay it's my forte! 

I also decided to go ahead and add another row of blocks, so it'll be 3 by 4, instead of 3 by 3.  I input it into EQ, just to get an idea of how much more fabric I'd need (if any).

The only print that's actually from my quilt is the focal/border fabric.  The rest is just pretty close. Close enough to give me a fairly good representation.  The only thing I needed more of was the focal, and that's only because I fussy cut my center blocks.

Our Stitcher's Etc. group had a stitch-in on Saturday.  That allowed me to get everything cut and prepped!

I like production/assembly work, so now everything I need to construct each block is pinned together and I can focus on stitching them together.  We also discussed our 2020 block swap at the stitch-in . . .

This should be very fun and very scrappy happy!  We have 20 participants!

I went home and took my stuff out to the Nook.  Since I was already there, I went ahead and made a  second block.  

Yeah, I'm loving this one!  I have Monday off, so I'll be out in the Nook at work on the rest of the blocks! Our class homework was to have four to six blocks finished. But we don't have class this week, so I will try to have all twelve finished. Since two are done and everything's prepped, I feel that's *very* doable.

If you visited last week, I talked about my owl and pussy-cat scissors and alluded to a bigger story.

I posted about it here, just in case you're interested!

My handwork is coming along, too!  Last night I finished the final block in the piece. 

I had left this one until last because it looked the most difficult, but it was so much fun to do those cross-hatches on the scarf!

Now all that's left are the border stitches.  I hope to make that my slow stitching for this afternoon!  :)

I really do need to finish this one up ... because guess what came in the mail on Friday?

LOL!  I can't seem to help myself!  This is another Kathy Schmitz sampler.  Isn't it cute?  ♥ Viva l'amour! ♥

Linking up today with Kathy's Quilts and her slow stitching post!  Have a happy Sunday--and if you're off tomorrow, enjoy that, too!  

:)

swap happy . . .

It's said that it's better to give than to receive, and believe me, I'm all about that. But if you've ever been in a swap with Janet of Rogue Quilter fame, you know it's awesome to receive, too!  Janet and I did a little swap between our birthdays (mine is early in October and hers is later in November). I stitched up a mug rug for her and she stitched up one of her marvelous pin cushions for me. We both stayed in our comfort zones!

Along with this beautiful pin cushion (which reminds me of swirling snow), she sent a ton of lovely goodies, including some of her fabulous soaps, a lovely set of Temecula note cards, a note pad (I use the heck out of note pads in the Nook when I'm trying to figure out dimensions or measurements), Orange & Cinnamon Spice tea that's just lovely and smells like this holiday season, patchwork pins (because who can have enough of these?!), and a bag of raspberry flavored, chocolate dusted almonds.  YUM!

See what I mean??

Janet's mug rug was my secret stitching over the past couple of weeks . . .

I love this sweet Kathy Schmitz pattern!  It paired nicely with the patchwork, too.

And of course, I padded my envelope.  It tickles me how similarly we think when gifting each other! She's a precious friend. 

Monday was Veteran's Day.  I shared this pic (along with a couple of others) on social media . . .

Look at the tiny waistline!  This is March, 1985, right after I graduated from boot camp.  Just a baby. Of course, I didn't think so at the time!

I had off on Veteran's Day, but Todd didn't, so I took advantage of the alone time and walked through the woods.  This is one of my all-time favorite trees on the camp's property . . .

Todd believes it's close to (if not older than) 200 years old.  It's a massive oak.  I found a sprouted acorn under it.

I'm taking it to Joc for her to plant in her yard!  A walk deeper into the woods shows how green the trees still are were. (The bitter cold snap we had on Monday night took care of that!) 

The beech trees stay green longer than most everything.  And after they change, they stay on the limbs until spring!

It was a pretty afternoon for a leisurely hike.  I love that I live where I do and have access to God's creation like I do!  The afternoon netted me a good handful of great acorn caps for some more woolies.  

These have a lot of character!  They're all dried out and ready to craft!

Monday night I put stitching away and pulled out the makings for cream cheese mints:

Joc needs them for a baby shower she's hosting tomorrow evening.  The things we do for love! ♥

But last night I was able to pull out the stitching again.  Making very good progress on my pumpkin . . . 

I'm very pleased with it!  I just need to finish stitching the leaves in the acorn panel and do the pumpkin outline and then it's done.  Still not sure how I'm going to use it (the pattern intends it as a pillow, and I didn't want a pillow), but I'll figure something out, eventually. ;)

Have a great day -- make good choices!

:)