This and that, bits and bobs

Happy Valentine's Day

Yesterday I would have said signs of an early Spring are showing up here in Florida with the first blooms on my rhododendron opened

but this morning its 28 degrees and spring feels way too far away to think about. On the up side we have had several days full of sunshine.

After my physical this week with a new doctor I am back monitoring my blood pressure daily for a few weeks with an increase in the dosage of one of my medications.

This week while taking things easy I have been doing some stitching on my Greenman piece

I added a few more embroidery stitches to the crazy quilt block using the stitches from the Joyful Embellishments group, this month we are doing variations with the herringbone stitch

Last week my new sewing machine was delivered while I was writing another post, and this week I finally had time to sit down, wind the bobbin, thread it and made many practice stitches and not once did the bobbin jam. I like the feel of the machine while I sew and as long as it does a straight stitch without the bobbin jamming I am happy.

I missed class on the 6th so I will have to make the log cabin blocks at home for the next class, there wasn't a class yesterday so I have time to catch up and this will give me a chance to see if this machine will behave.

I stopped over at Yards n Yarn shop yesterday to pick up some number 10 crochet cotton to make a few little bags from the pattern book below

royal blue and copper

I have put in the first pattern row so far with the size of the hook one small bag may take months to complete.

I am using a size 6 steel hook, which surprisingly isn't too difficult to crochet with I think the color of the thread is making it easier to see the stitches or perhaps its the metallic threads.

A few weeks ago while buying a few patterns at Joann's I bought a copy of The Day of the Dead coloring book I have wanted to use for hand embroidery patterns

I like the simple lines of the drawings in coloring books which makes it easy to trace the picture onto fabric using a light box.

I made one of these a few years ago and it stitched up beautifully, I really love the bright color of sugar skulls.

Have a Happy Weekend