Tuesday 23 March 2010

Rotating again!

Since working on the Chinese cross-stitch I've decided to go back to my rotation schedule for cross-stitch while still working on the quilts. I'll cross-stitch in the evenings when I feel like sitting and relaxing and quilt during the day when I don't mind going from sewing machine to ironing board to cutting mat.

So I've just finished a two week rotation on Verandas. I chose to do this one as a starter as I just like this project. I've made good progress--finishing House #2 and making a good start on House #1. I figure I could finish the cross-stitching on this in two more rotations and the backstitching in one rotation--maybe! I can't wait to finish it and get it framed and hung!



House #2 all finished



Houses #2 and #3



House #1--this one is as wide or wider than the two houses next to it.

The houses wall-hanging is coming along as well. I have it all put together and pinned for quilting. And I've finally been back to Spotlight and have bought pale green thread to finish quilting Jade's flannel quilt. That one's been sitting idle for a few weeks now. Got to get back into it.



I also thought I would put up a photo of the small project I carry around in my handbag. This one is a Dimensions Daydreams 'quickie' called 'Life is a Journey'. I started it last October on a weekend trip to Canberra and decided it was a great one to keep in my bag and work on whenever I had a few spare minutes. That's been working very well and I'm thinking about doing something like this with another small project after I finish this one.



Life is a Journey--featuring a suitcase

Friday 12 March 2010

Working on 5 projects now!

I'm spreading myself thinner and thinner as I continue to work on a range of projects. Many are well underway and nearing completion so I should soon have several finishes to report.

Firstly there is the rug hooking which I continue to nibble away at. I have about 20 rows on that to finish.

Then last weekend I began to miss cross-stitching so I got out the Chinese themed project which has been in my rotation list but which I've skipped over a few times and not started. It's a small quick project and I finished one of the two designs--ie. half of it--in two days.



Then I went back to quilting Jade's flannel quilt on Monday but quickly ran out of thread so had to stop.

I'd had to stop working on the houses wall-hanging 'Our Street' the week before when the iron broke because I needed it to iron the seams as I sewed. As I'd bought a new iron just before the weekend I decided to go back to sewing the houses rather than rushing off to buy thread to continue with the quilting.



All of the houses finished and laid out in 3 rows.

I've been pushing through that project during the day and finished all the houses last evening. Today I've been putting them together. I've just about got the centre of the wall-hanging finished with only the borders to do. I may buy different fabric to what I have for the borders as I'm not happy with the colours anymore.



You may just be able to see the gold flecked brown fabric I've chosen to be the 'ground' in between the rows of houses.

I did say five projects. Well a few evenings I've been working on my Charleston, South Carolina project Verandas. I've nearly finished House #2. I should finish it in one or two more sittings then will be on to the last house--House #1. That's a large house so it will take a while. But I plan to have this cross-stitch finished this year.

Does that make 5? Two quilts, two cross-stitches and a rug hooking. I've actually got another small cross-stitch that I carry around in my handbag and work on whenever I have a few minutes. I haven't even counted that.

Will I go back to rotations? Or will I rotate my cross-stitches as I was doing but work on quilting during the day? I'll see how I feel after I finish the two quilts I've got going now.

Tuesday 2 March 2010

Update on 3 craft projects



Rather than rotate projects I'm working on three at the same time--just doing which ever one I feel like.

For the most part this has been the 'Our Street' quilted wall hanging. I've completed seven of the houses now. There are four left to go plus one pine tree. I'm making all of the pieces available in the kit rather than copying the photo on the kit which leaves some of the elements out. Not sure how it's all going to work out in the end. The two rows won't come out exactly the same size.

I've also laid out Jade's flannel quilt and layered it and pinned the layers together. It's ready for quilting and is sitting near the sewing machine ready to go.

This week the weather has been cooler so I've picked up the rug hooking again and am getting near the end of the lighthouse. Only 30 rows to go. I may work on Jarrah's rug hooking when I finish this one because he just hasn't managed to get his really going.