An unfortunate anniversary....

 I was listening to TV this weekend, and a commentator pointed out that this was our last normal weekend in 2020... before the lockdowns began. So I looked back on my Instagram posts-- I was doing the daily March IGQuiltFest postings, and sure enough, March 11th was the last day I could mentally handle it. At that point, I remember fatalistically thinking-- "We probably all have it by now!"... while at the same time, we were optimistically thinking "Fifteen days to slow the spread," remember?

This past year, my thoughts have continued to roll between the dark and the hopeful-- but I always try to be optimistic when dealing with others-- FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT-- it's gotten me through. All the sewing projects are the constant that keeps me moving forward-- I do love to sew. I never hesitate to recommend an obssesive hobby to those who are floundering!

I'm a little late on my post-- you probably didn't notice, but I usually try to do it on the weekend. So last week, I really made it happen again, and just didn't take the time to write about it!

First of all, the last Stitches of the Sea design posted-- what a sense of accomplishment that is! I am going to photoshop all the designs together and start sketching the finishing kit-- some one asked what that was, and it's basically the border. Once I have some sketches, I am going to post them here, and you can all give me your input-- I really value it. There have been some fabulous posts on the Facebook group of your blocks and some have even gone ahead and finished-- keep them coming-- it is honestly the very best part of what I do-- to see what YOU do!

After the finishing kit, well, I always have trouble saying goodbye to a good series, so I may do three or four more designs-- there are still some on my list that you were interested in.

I finished my hand stitching project-- the dresden quilt blocks, and I won't show that again until they are stitched together with the borders. So I pulled out yet another 1990s cross stitch project... you may think this box of old cross stitch is bottomless, but it isn't. There are only two left, and one of them was hardly started at all!

This one is called "The House of Hardanger." Hardanger is an embroidery technique where you pull out threads of linen and weave what is left... it's terrifying! You can see I did the one set of windows over the door-- but that isn't why I stopped working on it-- it was the interminable, repetitive border. Just BORING! So I am starting to work on the border again-- I'm almost half way, and then I will have to learn all over again how to pull the threads, and there are also a ton of fancy stitches in this, too.

That's always the problem when we put projects away, isn't it?

Remembering what you were doing!

It's lovely, I'm committed now,
and I'll give it a go till June maybe. 

Maybe. 

Next up, I finished the February Table Runner of the Month.

This was from the Fat Quarter Shop's Sew Sampler Box. I love the fabric and the pattern, but I decided to use scraps from my stash instead of the white background in the pattern- you always have to spend extra to buy that.

So I'm really not sure about this one-- it's kind of modern for me-- and yes, I know that brown in the middle is too dark-- the room I wanted it for is dark though, so I am rationalizing it makes sense. What do you think? I probably have enough left over to make another one for a gift.

And here's one I hope you all will love!

"Scrappy Carrots" is on the site today-- this was made with an old charm pack of Fig Tree fabric-- I'm really looking forward to see how YOU make it your own!

The bunny borders came out really cute.

Last week, I said projects made for the website don't count for my tablerunner of the month challenge, but this week, I say, HECK YEA, they do! So this is March's tablerunner of the Month-- done in the first week, but I'm gonna need the time because...

I'm stitching together my Alaska blocks! So here's my first row hanging on my "Design Bannister..." Yes, with all this stitching, "craft creep" is starting to take over the house... again.

So that's the first week of March in... I'm off my posting schedule now, but I'm still hoping to have tons of progress to show you again this weekend. Until then, FAKE IT TIL YOU MAKE IT-- have a great week!

xoxo

Carol