What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

I thought about the stride thing yesterday with my KMs, and it's NOT the stride. I did measure that way back when I got a FitBit. I tried to verify it last night, but do you think I could find that in the app? Nope! 

The big issue is the translation from my FitBit records to the data on the Virtual Challenge site. It's sporadic, and I have no idea what's happening, but have a look and see what I mean. 

The data from the Virtual Challenge website for the last two days

For comparison, my FitBit ...

Well, it appears that another friend has those open earbuds. I need to encourage my friends to tell me about NEW things when they get them! I'm behind the times. I wore them for the four hours of Monday sewing, and I thought I might be bothered a bit by the band at the back, but all was good. They were very comfortable - they could hear me well, I could listen to them, and I could move around the house without losing the connection. YEP -- I'm glad I bought them. 

DH will be testing mine out today. He ...

There is always something to learn when it comes to computers. I have asked my class participants to put certain words in the subject to track the e-mails when looking for homework pictures. Not everyone listens, so I'll have to be tougher next year. But I always seemed to miss some. However, I learned another way to use the search function this morning, so let's see how that goes!!!

And the next time a man says that all women are chatty? I don't think so. The last two days, I've had an appointment with men. Both ...

It’s always nice to get the chance to sit and do some slow stitching.  I’ve just finished another of my Noah’s Ark blocks, and this one was tiny.  Actually, I had doubled the size of all the blocks, because I wanted to stitch mine with Perle 5 instead of stranded cotton.  So you can image just how tiny this pattern would have been in the original size.  This block contains snails, tiny bees and lady birds, and two very small butterflies.

Insects for the Ark

The other slow stitching I’ve been doing is to hand stitch ...

The last stop on our South Island Trip was Koromiko – where we started our trip back in mid December, all those weeks ago.  This is a beautiful place, surrounded by totara trees, and the cicadas were having a fine old time, making plenty of noise in the trees while looking for mates.  We were to stay here for two nights while we waited to board the Inter Island Ferry on Thursday.

Staying at Koromiko

It’s no secret that both ferry companies have been having maintenance problems.  We received a text telling us our trip the following day had been ...

Those birds were waiting for snow before they hit the birdfeeders! It was like a switch got turned on, and before I knew it, a pair of cardinals, a woodpecker, and many other smaller birds were feasting away, and I loved watching them. 

Mr. Cardinal

Small birds

Woodpecker

Of course, the girls were excited by the snow and couldn't wait to get outside. Our area hasn't had much snow, and it was like a winter wonderland walking in the morning. Then it stopped snowing, but we haven't seen the sun in a long time! Where is the ...

What do you do with left over fabrics?  You know, the ones you cut off from other projects?  I cut mine into usable pieces, usually.  I have made SO many flannel things and have tons of left over bits.  I have been cutting them into 5" squares.  Well, my bag of flannel charms is now 2 bags and both are FULL.I decided that I needed to see if I could use some up.I laid out a boy and a girl version

Although there has not been any quilty type stitching going on here, I’ve been busy with alterations.  Fixing a neckline or four here, and run in a couple of pair of summer trousers.  In fact, I rather feel like Father Christmas does as he sits and mends his Santa hat!  Isn't he cute?  Santa was a gift from Carol of South Dakota several years ago.

HE’s finishing off his mending too

In the absence of any projects, I thought I’d show you a Christmas quilt or two, which I have hanging up.  “Selvedge Christmas Tree” was ...

You may remember that my wedding ring has slipped off my finger a couple of times recently.  Another consequence of loosing a little weight is that items don't fit quite as well as they used to.  Especially around the neck line, and I cant stand it when a top slips off my shoulder.  So rather than getting rid of my favourites and buying new summer tops, I’ve been making a few adjustments.  Gemma has been helping, as she likes to do, keeping the clothing in check on my  sewing cabinet till I’m ready to take in an ...

 Last weekend, I attended a quilting retreat, my first in two years.  Everyone in attendance was double vaccinated and our tables were spaced apart.  I brought along 4 projects plus some mending to work on over the three days of the retreat.  My husband gave me a nifty folding cart for my birthday in February 2020 and this was my first chance to use it since I got it.  With the cart, I was able to bring in all my sewing stuff in one trip as well as my overnight bag. 

Last weekend was spent with our caravan club friends camped at a local dairy farm.

Each day the cows walked along the cattle race to the milking shed,one after the other.  There were plenty of newly weaned heifer calves which came rushing over to the fence, just in case we had some extra food or attention to give them.  And what about this big fellow resting under the shelter – he is sure the Dad of these calves.

Baby heifers and a very large bull

As we were staying on a dairy farm, Rally Captain Dennis had organised a milking ...

 Hello there my Stitching Friends. Today I want to share with you my latest Boro Inspired piece of work. 

I find this Traditional Japanese style of stitching wonderfully relaxing. It's based on need rather than decoration but still manages to produce a visually strong finished piece of work. 

I'm making my piece of Boro fabric into a Bag. But technically that's the wrong way around! Boro traditionally didn't start It's life as Boro. It slowly became Boro over years of daily use and mending.....

Boro is filled with lots of lovely Hand Stitching called Sashiko ...

 This elephant was great to work on.

All ruler work, as you can see, except for a few bits of tusks & toes, a wrinkly nose, and a shaggy tail.

This was pieced by the same gal who did this Unicorn quilt.

It made me think of the crazy elephant jokes we heard on our honeymoon, from another honeymooning couple at Blue Mountain.

GARDENING

After crabbing about mending hubby's pants a few weeks ago, the Universe decided to even the score.

Uh huh.  These are MY pants.  Sigh.

 I've said many times that I love working on sampler quilts.  This purple Kaffe - definitely wanted to keep this!

It was very difficult to see while I was working on the borders and the sashing, but the quilting shows nicely on the back.