Umbrella is a top!

I finished stitching the last umbrella this morning while the kids decorated the tree. After lunch (yummy turkey enchilada soup) I decided to find the sewing room and see if the machine still works! The good news - it does!

I didn't have a 'rainy' fabric so I went with light blue and they might be sun parasols. We will see how they want to be quilted if they want rain drops or not.

This below is the template I have been using. I just drew it onto paper with a sharpie. I turn it over to get it for the umbrella handle turned the other direction. I also drew some with the under part and some without. I used 6 inch squares.

Linking up on Saturday with the RSC Challenge and Oh Scrap.

Happy Thanksgiving

And for those not in the USA - Happy Thursday!

The turkey is stuffed and in the oven. Potato's are peeled and sitting in cold water on the stove. Things for the green bean casserole are ready to go. Heavenly hash and rolls are arriving with Grandma and Scruffy the dog. Em will do a taco salad - cause Grandpa has not had one since July and we are celebrating him being back to normal and home again. I'll plan to add some rows to Emily's afghan since we hit Joann's on Tuesday and got 6 more skeins of orchid. I also got the knitting needles needed for Aidan's pillow. Maybe I'll even find time to sew later tonight!

My co-leader found a cute craft we'll do with the girls on Monday night. We have some clear ornaments leftover from last year so we'll each make a melted snowman (epsom salt, felt orange nose and whole peppercorns for eyes and buttons). I found that one looking for clear bulb ornaments. They did unicorns last year with them. We will also make these hat ornaments. Should keep them entertained and I have yarn and everyone has tp rolls! We will hand those out when we go caroling next week at an assisted living facility.

Umbrellas....

I stitched up these 2 umbrellas yesterday. I believe I need to prep 2 more and then all the umbrellas will be done for the year!

Sunday.....

The kids are off to Grandma's soon. Greg will be off to work and I get the house to myself! In between some laundry and cleaning I'll take some breaks.

I'll add some crochet stitches to Emily's afghan. This is a blanket stitch and very soothing to work. I have another 5 rows added from this photo.

Aidan pulled out this pillow kit he has. It is knitting. I need to find a 4mm and 5mm that will hold 74 stitches. He wants to 'help'. We will see how that goes!

I'm still on block 3 of Happy little things. I need to trim this to 4.5 inches and then cut out the surrounding pieces for it. These might just get machine sewn this month to get it done.... so I can start on the embroidery for block #4!

I also need to prep a block or 2 for the Ella Maria Deacon quilt along at Sentimental Stitches. I have the first 8 blocks done - all by hand. The last 2 still need pressing and the applique needs to be trimmed to size.

The kids are off school this week with Thanksgiving on Thursday. I got the turkey last night and all 13.5 pounds of him is defrosting in the fridge. That was the smallest.... all the others were 20 pounds or more! At about 5 pounds per day in the fridge.... they would not work for me! Still at .49 cents a pound it was not bad.

I'll let the kids start decorating the house this week to keep them occupied and out of my hair while I am working. Peanut has a vet appt on Monday afternoon for annual shots. Ollie went on Saturday and the pins on the second cage got broken getting him into the cage so only he went. Sophie went in September. A rodeo on Friday night in Inverness with Grandma and a parade with girl scouts for Light up Ocala yesterday afternoon and evening has made for a busy weekend already. I'm looking forward to some hand work time today.

Linking with Slow Sunday Stitching.

Crochet - blanket stitch afghan for Emily

Seems someone wanted a bigger afghan.... and asked for purple. Light, medium or dark I asked? Not dark and not too light. Orchard in Caron Simply Soft it is. I grabbed 2 skeins at Joann's last Friday up in Vermont... with them on sale and an extra 20% off. They both came to $4.79 total. Normally they are 4.99 each! I was traveling so only got 2. They are non dye lot - so I should be able to get them here in Florida. I am almost done one skein - I started this last night while watching Home Alone with the kids. I took it to bowling... where everyone had to come and look and ask for the stitches or pattern.

This one is called the blanket stitch and I found the pattern with a nice tutorial here at Mama in a stitch. It is a multiple of 3 pattern - I chained 138 to start.  It should be a nice lap size for her.

That prompted Aidan to pull out the craft kit he ordered from Craftsy (now Bluprint). One is a knitted pillowcase with sheep. The other is a hat pattern with a crochet pattern. I told him I'd start on it Saturday.

Near the start of bowling.

After bowling and car lines - 9 rows done.

Umbrella's...

Long time between posts. I seem to have gotten some bug flying - probably from the first set of flights - oh goody! Lack of energy, splitting headache and lots of sleep all day Monday and last night around 5 it hit again. Guess I did too much yesterday..... Lets hope the second plane ride bugs don't hit as that will be next week with Thanksgiving!

Tom - my FIL finally got released home yesterday afternoon. Must call and check on him today and see how he slept in his own bed last night. It has been since Sept 23 since he was home. A long time.

I have little to show for my time off. I did manage to finally finish up the second set of 4 Ella Maria Deacon blocks last week. This one needs a good press and a fingers crossed it is 9.5 inches square. I printed out set 3 yesterday. I'll have to prep the first block for hand piecing tonight for tomorrow's bowling time. Lots of tiny flying geese without true measurements so I'll be making templates and cutting fabrics.

I think I showed the grey top umbrella I did last Sunday. I managed to do the rainbow one this Sunday and started the orange one in car lines yesterday. I just need to finish the needle turn applique on that one today in car lines. Once that is done I only need 4 more umbrellas! I have 2 prepped and just need to prep and pull fabrics for 2 more. Hmmm. I wonder if I have any more of the blue fabric I used on Emily's sailboat quilt 10 years ago.... that would make great 'raindrops' for the setting triangles..... Must search the stash and scrap buckets this week. If not... maybe the circles can be hand quilted on the selected setting triangle fabrics and within the umbrella blocks. Just thinking as I type. Things are always subject to change!

Monday umbrella to ward off the snow?

Just a little stitching in the hotel tonight while watching the snow fall. Yes, I had to brush about 2 inches off the SUV to head to dinner tonight..... and yes another 1-2 got brushed off to get back to the hotel! We just went a few blocks up to the Healthy Living Store so my co-worker had options for food. I loved their cheddar ale soup last night... and got some again tonight. Snow = soup weather. 

The umbrella in grey was stitched at my parents yesterday. I might stitch another umbrella tonight if I finish the 8th block for Ella Marie Deacon. The middle part is done and one set of the triangles. A few stitches here and there add up.... just like the snow falling outside the window. We will see if the projected 8-12 inches happens... although it is looking like it will. Fingers crossed for a delayed opening tomorrow.... more stitching time!

Slow Sunday...

Why yes, it will be a slow Sunday! I prepped a few blocks at the last minute on Friday to take with me on my business trip. I plan to work on one or two of them today.

The #6 Ella Maria Deacon block was completed this week and I prepped the next 2 the ones with blue on the top left hand side.

I just did this block this morning! Love my little snowman in the center.

I also prepped a few of the umbrella blocks to finish off the blocks needed for that little quilt. Prep work was easier on that one - just cut the 6 inch square and draw the pattern onto the back of the fabric. Pull some fabrics for the umbrella parts and done! I am back basting these so the prep work is easy peasy.

I also put the scrubby yarn and a crochet hook into the bag.

Those projects should keep me busy this week while I am up in Vermont on my business trip. I also have the kindle loaded with books to read. Looks like a nice snowstorm will arrive Mon/Tues..... I get to test the winter driving skills! At least the drive to the office is just one exit up the road and not too bad.

Linking up with the other Slow Sunday Stitchers.

Sunday Slow Stitching....

I will be adding a few stitches into a few different projects today.

I plan to finish up the last 4 applique peels for the Ella Maria Deacon block #5 today.

Start the Happy Little Things embroidery for block 3.... yikes, how did I forget to do this one? The next one is released tomorrow!

Add some stitches into the trip quilt on the frame. I was able to turn it this week after another fix to the batting and started in on the orange block. I am officially half way through this big 90x90 quilt.

Around all that.... I'll finish picking up and cleaning the house and pick up the sewing area and finally get things up on the walls. I also need to figure out how to put my Thomas Kincade big framed photo back up in the living room. It fell in the middle of the night last week and I have yet to figure out why it fell (was a cat involved?) as it had been hanging fine for 9 years!

Linking up with the other slow stitchers at Kathy's Quilts.