The next-next generation

Since my children would be the next generation, I have titled this post as the 'next-next' generation. I see my grandchildren often and am lucky enough to babysit them. At times I have tried to show them different crafts that they could do. There is always paper, crayons and markers available. I have even started some of them on needlework. My own children used to do plastic canvas needlepoint and I still have some the pieces they have made. My eldest son actually made a model of his high school in plastic canvas years ago. One of my grandchildren, Esme, has taken to needlework at a very young age. This past summer, when I visited them in Nelson, British Columbia, where they were staying at the time, I brought a small plastic canvas kit. It was actually shown as a cross stitch kit. Esme started it while I was there and when assistance was needed (mainly to thread the needle), I helped out. 

It didn't take long for Esme to figure out how to cross stitch. Here's a photo of the finished piece. The family is now in France. 

Before arriving in France, they were in Barcelona and while there, a small kit was purchased. To remember the family's time in Spain, Esme chose this piece and is hard at work. It's almost finished and I am one happy grandmother (or Mummi.)I was on facetime with Esme and her mom this morning and before hanging up, Esme had to finish the rose. Now, all that's left are cross stitching the leaves. Determination. There are so many other things for Esme to learn - needlepoint, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, wool felting and on and on...

Needlework - embroidery

I'm lucky to have the knowledge to do many different needle crafts that I enjoy doing. My mom taught me to knit as a child and when I was a teen, working as an usherette in a theatre, I learned, along with my fellow usherettes how to crochet. I remember looking in a book and following the steps. I'm pretty sure my mom helped along the way with that too. 

In home economics, in grade 6 or 7, I remember that the first project we did was Swedish Huck embroidery on a towel. I found this in my linen cupboard and the colours I used were purple and green. 

I enjoyed doing it.

There are a few stains where the fold is so I should probably soak it in some Oxy.

It appears as if I still use that combination of colours. 

When my son's twins were born, we didn't know the gender and so I made a cross stitched card with those colours (which are really a lot brighter than the photo.)

Cross stitched bookmarks

 Years ago I cross stitched some bookmarks.

This one was a fun one. I need to give it a backing with some interfacing so it's a bit stiffer.

This one was for my eldest daughter but I never gave it to her. It needs to be cleaned and it too needs backing with interfacing. I'm debating on whether to add her married initial and another balloon.

I found this cross stitch bookmark pattern in a book I borrowed from the library. I changed the colours to suit my preferences. It took a long time because it's full coverage and I left it for months.

Just some cross stitching

Taking a break from quilting for a bit, I decided to do a bit of cross stitching. Nothing too big, just a bookmark.

I didn't realize when I started that this is actually full coverage. I just liked the design and decided to use my own colours. I've done a bit more on this but it's not quite finished yet. The Aida cloth was purchased on Etsy from a fairly local person and I really like the way the edges are finished.

Since the first bookmark was taking so long to finish, I found another design that had way less work on it.

I also started a couple of stitch alongs but they have been put on hold for now. 

On another sad note: My quilting friend Marg suffered a stroke a couple of weeks ago. She had a brain hemorrhage, was operated on, was in ICU for a week and is now in a ward waiting to be admitted to a long term care facility. There is only one person allowed to see her and that is her son. I am told that her speech is indecipherable and that she may suffer another stroke at anytime. Marg was a smoker but never had any kind of cancer. I am hoping that she will be able to communicate with therapy. 

Completed items and other things

 I'm busy sewing a couple of little dresses for my granddaughters who have birthdays next month exactly two weeks apart. Once I'm finished, I will take a photo.

In the meanwhile, I took some time to finish a few things that have been hanging around.

This is called Chilly's Gift. It is a small (4" X 4") card-sized cross stitch. It was a free design years ago and I thought it wouldn't take long to make. The original colours were red and pink but I changed to colours to suit me. There is supposed to be a charm in between the penguin's hands - hence the 'gift.' I haven't found one yet but once I put it in a card, I will go hunting for the charm. It's been hanging around for quite a number of years and I am glad that I finally decided to finish it.

I bake sweet bread almost once a week for my grandchildren who usually request it. It's a braided loaf with cardamom as flavouring called pulla in Finnish. 

This is what it looked like before I baked it. As an Easter surprise, I added red food colouring and on the top, I added sprinkles instead of sugar. It was an idea my little grandchildren had. I just made two more loaves today. They weren't as big as these because I think the yeast I used was a tad old. Nevertheless, my son said it will all get eaten. He has three little girls. The other loaf went to my daughter who has a little girl and a boy. 

I also managed to finish this sweater. I started it for my little granddaughter last year and since her birthday was coming up, I decided to get it totally done. I only had to finish off the sleeves (I knitted them together) and then sew it all up. I dislike sewing up knitted parts. That's the main reason my knitted items sometimes take years to finish.

Just a close-up of the yarn. It's a cotton chunky yarn that I bought decades ago. I have it in this pink, some beige, some blue and some gray. It was on sale and so far, this is the second sweater that I have made with this yarn. Years ago I made a pullover for my then, teenaged son with the beige. I still have the sweater. I need to make more sweaters to use it all up.

This is my hyacinth that started out with only three blooms but ended up with five. They are now done and planted outside to bloom next year.

About three years ago, on Easter Sunday, we were visited by a bunny rabbit in our backyard.

This little guy has come back again. There are actually two of them that we sighted yesterday morning but they were so quick, we didn't get any photos of the duo. This one camouflaged well.

Sometimes they do visit our neighbour next door (centre of the photo, on the other side of the fence) but they prefer our backyard.

Something new

 But not quilt related.

Cross stitch kits.

I treated myself to some kits. Most of them are not that big at all. I don't need any fabric and since I am currently in England, I thought I would save the international shipping charges. Once I am home, I will be in isolation so I will have something to do to keep me occupied. I have done some cross stitch before but they have all been small things. I thought I would work at smaller kits until I feel like doing bigger ones. I think all of these are a 14 count. My friend has a problem with vision and so she uses 11 count. I have seen some of the cross stitch that she does and she has incorporated some of the designs into her quilts.

Cross stitch

Over the years I have done a bit of cross stitching but nothing that was very big. When my children were small I made a couple of bookmarks and since I have had grandchildren, I have always added a cross stitched card with a gift.

This is the little cross stitch that I made into a card to go with the quilt in the previous post. It was a lot of fun to make. I remember when I was looking for some suitable little motifs, I just happened to come across a cross stitch magazine that had about a half dozen just for that purpose. So far, I have used three of those motifs. In 2017 there were four babies born - two in May and two in October. I think the magazine was bought in the summer so the little ones born in October were the recipients of the first two designs.

I'm still knitting things - blankets right now so it's slow going. I see there are a lot of knitters who are working through their stash to make baby clothes and accessories - stockpiling the items for when the virus has been contained. They are being asked to place the items in plastic bags and not just indicate sizes but also to date them so that the recipients know when they have been made.

Walks in the park and elsewhere still continue daily, weather permitting. The little babies are growing before our eyes and now have little double chins and 'thigh rolls' as my daughter describes them. Elsewhere in the world, restrictions are beginning to ease slowly. No one wants to go back to full lockdown again.

Remember to wash your hands. We who do crafts and needlework are used to working with clean hands so it's second nature to us.

Stay safe and stay busy and Happy May Day.

What to choose?

Honestly, there is no reason for anyone to be without a free project these days. One lovely project helps you use up some scraps that were just waiting to be made into something useful (and beautiful.) If you are on Facebook, one group is called "One nine-patch a day..." However, if you aren't a fan of Facebook, you could just make a nine patch a day on your own.

There is also a scrap busting block challenge for 2020. This has been going on for three years now. Here's the link for all the information you need and the pattern. The blocks are either 6 inch finished or 8 inch finished. There are instructions given for both. It also has a Facebook following.

If you like or love paper foundation piecing, this site is for you (just scroll down the page to the bottom.) You can download 52 paper pieced triangles to help you use up your scraps. The way they are put together are numerous and you really can't go wrong. It's only half a 6 inch block that is scrappy because the other half is one piece. Easy peasy.

This is called Marvellous Mystery. If you follow along, you will receive two blocks a month to make. 

Or, you could just go visit Quilters Cache where there are numerous blocks for you to play with.

Then there is the 365 blocks - one 6.5 inch block a day. Just do an internet search and you can find all the information you need. It's still free this year.

Of course, the Canadian Quilters Association is having a row along now instead of the 52 blocks in 52 weeks.

If you are a cross stitcher, there is a free cross stitch sew along happening right now at Lesley Teare's blog. Last year's sew along was a monthly owl that is adorable. I missed that but if I get time, I can always purchase the whole pattern. I think I may start this year's blackwork sew along.

There are lots more that are quilt related. Blocks of the month, blocks of the week and of course, block of the day (the nine patch) and the 365 blocks a year. I'm not that energetic and I have a list of my own projects that I want to complete but it's nice to see the progression of some of the quilts.

I decided to treat myself.

These were in a grocery store a couple of weeks ago and they are still fresh.

I popped in to Value Village and decided that this might just be nice to make.

I also picked this up. I think it's cute and would make a nice backing for a quilt or even a shirt for one of my grandsons.

That's it for today.

I have my 'to do' list to keep me busy but I do like that blackwork cross stitch stitch along...

Baby showers

With two new little ones on the way in the next couple of months, there has been a flurry of excitement and of course, to celebrate the impending births, baby showers have taken place. I haven't posted in a while because I have been busy sewing and knitting. Now that the celebrations have taken place and the new future mom's have received their gifts, I can show you something of what I have accomplished.

First off, a gift can't be given unless there is a card attached. I have always made a cross stitched card to go with the gift for a newborn grandchild. This particular design was found in a summer issue of the Cross Stitcher magazine. I came upon it just at the appropriate time - when I was searching for new baby cross stitch patterns. I had tried free patterns online but didn't really like any of them. 

Here's another one out of the same magazine. The library had some very nice cross stitch card pattern books too and I hope to be able to use some of them in the future.

 Several little hats were knitted. I love making them with variegated yarn. you never know how the pattern is going to end up. I have been asked by one of the future dads if there is a matching one for him. Perhaps when I have a bit more time I can whip one up in an adult size.

Another little hat sitting on a pile of burp cloths.

This pile of fabrics that I was auditioning became a baby quilt for the next one due next month.

The new, modern baby quilt.

And here's the label. My Kenmore has not been well and doesn't seem to be able to produce the letter stitches anymore so I have now started to embroider labels.

That's it for now. I'll post more later.

Just a bit of cross stitch

Whenever a new grandchild was born, I always gave a cross stitched card to go with the gift.

This was the very first card kit that I cross stitched. I made one for Luc and then four years later, I had acquired an identical kit and made it up for Teemu.

This was the second card kit that I made.

I changed the colour a bit because it was for baby Patric's gift.

This one I did when the twins were born in 2014. It was hard to find a 'welcome twins' cross stitch.

Here's the beginnings of yet another card. I took this photo to show just how important the black outlining is. It just defines everything.

Here's the finished card. It was for Esme's gift.

And this last one, the same design but a slightly different colour palette, I made for Darcy's gift. These last two are cards that I cut a window out of and finished myself.

It has been hard to find cross stitch card designs for babies. I remember when cross stitch was the thing to do and there were several stores devoted to cross stitch but now, there is very little and almost nothing for babies. After exhausting the internet and my own cross stitch booklets (I had nothing in way of baby designs), I emailed my friend Judy and she found a booklet that she had. She scanned it for me and these last two are from that booklet. 

I then (finally) thought about the library and, after doing a search of the catalogue, found and borrowed two books on cross stitch card designs. Both books have a couple of designs that I could use. About a week ago I also found the newest Cross Stitcher magazine and not only did it have a cross stitch of my favourite flamingo, it also had several welcome baby designs. So, I'm all set now.

Highlights of a Quilt Show

Here's a few photos of the Rouge Valley Quilt Show that I attended this past weekend. I couldn't dawdle too long because we had matinee tickets to see Strictly Ballroom at 2:00 p.m. I got to the quilt venue just before they opened and met up with Judy. We saw all the quilts first and then checked out the vendors.

Being a 'rower' (one who participates in the Row by Row event) myself, I was immediately attracted to this huge quilt. I know the shops where some of the rows came from.

This took some planning...

Sorry for the glare.

There are still some hand quilters.

A nice story.

I just had to take a photo of this one.

What a nice grandmother.

I have this pattern. My youngest daughter likes elephants so I'll get to it one day.

Another Row quilt.

This is the only thing I purchased. It's Canada's 150th birthday this year and I thought this would make a nice little framed picture on the wall.

That's it for now. I'm off to get some sewing and quilting done.