6 out of 10

That's right. I have finally finished the 6th out of 10 pages of Baker Beach. 

Now I need to work on the four pages to the left of what is completed. I have adjusted the scroll bars to expose the next area to be stitch. 

I also put in a grid of green thread. That way I will more easily be able to keep track of where I am. Oh how I am looking forward to stitching with blue again. The last ten colors that I was working with were variations of brown and orange. 

I have managed to get a little bit of a start on that beautiful blue. I am excited now. There are still 4 more full pages to stitch, but I think I may be able to finish this by the end of 2017. When I started this picture, I never thought it would take quite this long, but now I am much more realistic.

I will be joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. On Monday I will join the Stitchery Link Party at Super Mom - No Cape. Pop on over to these sites to see what other bloggers are stitching.

Thanks for stopping by!

Casting on!

I had finished all of my projects that were keeping me busy in the evening so of course I had to cast on something new.

I have made this Wasatch Backcountry Hat twice before, but I have some more of the yarn and it is so easy to knit. This time I am making the hat the lighter color grey with the edge the darker color because that is how much yarn I have. 

I am still reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I am enjoying this book, but it is definitely not a page turner for me. I will finish reading it so that I can know what all the hype was about. 

I am joining Ginny for Yarn Along today. What are you knitting/crocheting? What are you reading? Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are up to.

Thanks for stopping by!

Going to the Beach

It is really hot outside so I am going to the beach.....Baker Beach that is. I'm no dummy. I am not going to venture to the beach in 90 degree weather when I can sit in my air-conditioned house and work on Baker Beach. I really don't like the beach anyway which is quite odd for a Long Islander, but all the sand getting in your shorts/bathing suit and on your feet. Needing to bring baby powder to get it off before getting in the car. Schlepping the cooler, blanket, chair and umbrella from the car to the beach. Finding a relatively quiet place to claim your spot. The constant application of sun-screen so that you don't burn and then getting gritty when you put it on because there was sand on your hands. Oh and don't get me started about trying to eat at the beach and not have sand in you food. Ugh. I like sitting by a lake much better.

Nope, I am going to enjoy my cross-stitched beach thank you very much. 

As you can see I am oh so close to finishing page 6 out of 10. There are less than 500 stitches in that little corner. Then I can move on to the left side of this large picture and work on the other 4 pages. I wonder if I can finish those stitches today. 

I am joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. You can guess what I will be working on. On Monday I will join the Stitchery Link Party over at Super Mom - No Cape. Pop on over to these sites to see what other bloggers are stitching. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Tree Skirt

I have finished crocheting my Mini-Christmas Tree. There are a whole lot of parts.

Now I am working on the skirt. It just needs two rounds of single crochet in red and then I will be done with the crocheting.

I have also bought all the supplies that I need to complete it. 

Are wondering why I have knitting needles for this crocheted tree? One of the knitting needles serves as the tree trunk and holds all those crocheted layers in place. The assembly should be interesting. I just need to find a 3" mini tree star for the top. 

I can also say that I have finished stitching my Gratitude Key!

All that is left is deciding exactly how I want to finish it. Pillow or placard. I am leaning toward a pillow with a hanger of some type. Hmmm......I need to look at my fabrics.

I have been reading some too. I just finished The Red Tent by Anita Diamant.

This was one of the books I picked up at the school where I worked and it is not my usual type of novel to read, but I really enjoyed it. It is the fictionalized story of Dinah, only daughter of Jacob and Leah from the Bible. The story is told through Dinah's point of view and gives her impressions of all of the members of her family....father, mothers and brothers...as well as husband(s), son and friends.

I am now reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. 

I know that I am way behind the times in reading this as it has already been made into a long gone movie and the author is now divorcing the man about whom she wrote in this book. This is another school book and yet another book I may never have picked up save that it was readily available. I am only a few chapters in, but so far I am enjoying the author's writing style and I am quite interested in seeing where it goes. I haven't seen the movie either, so the whole story is new to me.

I am a day late in joining Ginny for Yarn Along, but pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are knitting/crocheting and reading. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Slowly Stitching

My cross-stitching has slowed way down as I have been on a roll at the sewing machine working on my quilt top. All 32 of the first block are now finished.

I have also sewn all 31 four-patches together.

Now I need to finish sewing the maroon frame around each of these.

I really have to finish my Gratitude Key. It is so close to being done, but the border is slow going for some reason.

 I think that will be my Slow Stitching today. It is my motivation to finish it. 

I am joining Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching today. Tomorrow I will join Super Mom - No Cape for the Stitchery Link Party. Pop on over to these sites to see what other bloggers are up to.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sewing Table Fix

A caster on my sewing table broke off leaving me with a wobbly, unstable table. Thankfully, I keep all of the paperwork for any large purchase and I was able to track down the company and get a replacement caster. They apologized that the new caster was black while the old one was brown. It is in the back and on the floor. I really don't care about the color. A five dollar black caster versus a replacement cabinet. No contest. Hubby was easily able to attach the new caster and I have been back in business.

What have I been working on? These blocks for my Royal Squares quilt.

I actually have a few more of them made now.

Matching up the seams is giving me a little bit of trouble. The directions say to chain piece, but that is just not possible as the maroon blocks are slightly undersized. I'm not sure why as all of my cutting was accurate. I think it has to do with the fact that all of the other fabrics came from a jelly roll and the pinked edges threw off my seams.

I am pinning the seams and sewing from each end to the middle. I am taking my time and ripping out when necessary. Now that I am going more slowly there is less seam-ripping.

I am hoping to finish this quilt top over the summer. I need 32 of these blocks and I now have 17 made. I also have to make 31 of a second type of block. I am trying to sew about 5 a day. I was questioning my choice of the maroon fabric rather than a lighter on, but I am liking this more each day.

Thanks for stopping by!

Halfway there!

 I have finally reached and passed the halfway point on Baker Beach! I know that some of my readers have thought that I was nearing the end of this project, but there are actually 4 more full pages to be stitched on the left side of the picture. Not to mention the partial page that I am currently working on.

This is where I was on my last update. 

And here is Baker Beach at the wonderful halfway point!!!

I have added more stitches since this picture was taken.

I have also managed to finally assemble Spring Angel into a placard. 

I had some time on my hands on the morning of July 4th and decided to bite the bullet and just cut the fabric, mat board and start glueing. I don't understand why I was putting it off as once I got started, despite the wait time for the glue to dry, it went quite quickly.

I think she looks pretty good. 

I didn't think I would have any trim that would complement the colors in this picture, but I have a bag of old yarn hair ribbons (mine from over 40 years ago) that had one that was just the right color. Yes, I really do save that kind of stuff for that long.  My daughter wore some of the yarn ribbons when she was little and they have been used as gift decorations also. I was thrilled when I thought of them for this project.

On Sunday I will be joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. On Monday I will join the Stitchery Link Party at Super Mom - No Cape. Pop on over to these sites to see what other bloggers are up to.

Thanks for stopping by!

Layer by layer

My Christmas tree is growing layer by layer. Actually all seven layers have been crocheted.

 Do you see those three little puffs over to the right?

 Those are 3 of the 14 spacers that need to be made to sit in between the layers. I also still have to make the tree skirt. This has been a really fast project.

Our baby bunny has been back for many visits. Last night he took a liking for this small pansy. 

 Hmm, maybe this side of the flower tastes good.

 Are you watching me eat?

I ended up having to go outside and put this flower pot on the railing so bunny couldn't reach it. I felt bad about it but I didn't plant them to be food.

I am joining Ginny for Yarn Along today. What are you knitting/crocheting? What are you reading? Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are up to.

As for my reading, I have quickly finished reading the two Nora Roberts books you see here. I loved them. They were just what I needed to start my summer reading. Now I am going to read the third book in this picture. 

I am not really sure what it will be like, but I know it was recommended by another blogger at one time. 

Thanks for visiting!

The pup is finished

The pup is finished, but unfortunately he needs a washing. One of those creases on the upper right is actually dirt. Ugh! I have to buy or borrow some Dawn and do a little scrubbing. I also have to do a whole lot of pressing. 

He is quite adorable. I want to frame the pup and also make my Spring Angel into a standing placard. I know, I know, Spring has passed, but I want her done so that she is ready for use next year. I haven't even finished designing my Summer or Autumn Angels. Of course, then they will have to be stitched. They might be completed this summer, but somehow I doubt that. There are so many other things that I want to work on and try my hand at.

Talking about adorable. Look at this little bunny that visited our back yard last night as we were finishing dinner.

It sat under the leaves of this hosta plant for a long time just twitching its nose at us. 

Now I'm really glad that the pup is done as I want to get back to Baker Beach and my Gratitude Key. I started stitching the Key again last night.

I am joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. Baker Beach is in my sights for today. On Monday I will join the Stitchery Link Party at Super Mom - No Cape and Design Wall Monday at Bits 'n Bobs. Pop on over to these sites to see what other bloggers are up to.

Thanks for stopping by!