Marching toward Spring with a few new stitches and a good book.

Well here we are with a new month ahead of us anxious to brush off the last remnants of winter and head into Spring.

Last Friday's quilt class was good despite me having a very off day from the start, when I arrived at the quilt shop I caught up with Dee Ann who was the instructor for the Hand Embroidery classes I attended last October, she will be offering a few new hand embroidery classes in the coming months

While looking at the pattern for the class she is teaching on the 3rd,  I don't care for the quilt so I didn't sign up for the class. I do like the embroidery centerpiece.

I came across this pattern hanging right next to the one she is doing for class and bought it.

If you know me I love the beach and just the other day I was looking for a seahorse embroidery pattern for a friend so I picked up the pattern which includes these motifs to hand embroider.

If I make this quilt I'm thinking seashell fabric or some light pastels to frame each block, change all the thread colors too. The pattern would not be my only purchase of the day, as I said earlier my day didn't go so well from the start I was feeling sick in the morning, my blood pressure has been wonky and my medications tweaked, which often leaves me feeling out of sorts, Friday was one of those days, I left my cutting mat and large ruler at home, so I purchased new ones so I wouldn't hold up class borrowing from someone, which believe me was offered, thank you ladies. 

Here are a few more blocks pieced from the quilt class, we did my favorite quilt block the log cabin. I used the same fabrics for both blocks but changed the piecing just a bit.

The other block pieces are flying geese which I am not overly thrilled with so I may remake them. All need to be pressed again after spending a few hours packed in my messy bag of fabric.  I was not feeling so good on Friday morning but didn't want to miss this class since I  missed class on the 6th.
The log cabin blocks were supposed to be done on the 6th and I was going to work it at home but I could not grasp the instructions in the book for the piecing method, lucky for me the instructor switched the blocks to be pieced and then changed the piecing method to the one I have used for decades which is sewing one piece at a time. 

I have to complete another log cabin block as well as two set of the flying geese and I need to make 3 friendship stars before next weeks class. We have 2 more classes to go and next week we should be ready to sew the blocks and add the borders. (I better count all my blocks to be sure I have them all).

On the Greenman #2 hand embroidery piece, the first few stitches were added last night 

This piece is approximately on a 16 inch block of white muslin fabric with another block of white adhered to the block to give the stitching more stability and to keep the threads in back from showing through.

On Thursday I attended the Thread Therapy group and made good progress crocheting the little bag, I am making the purple bag in the photo.

I managed to get 40 rows stitched which may not seem like much but using steel hook number 7 its great well at least it is for me. I also picked up a few more balls of crochet thread.

The silver thread in the photo has sequins throughout, I am not sure how well it will work up alone, depending on the results I may use it combined with another thread or yarn.

My new Brother sewing machine didn't give me any problems during class except user error when I reached across the top and somehow reset the stitch width and had to rip out stitches 3 times when it dawned on me what I had happened,  readjusted and I was off and stitching my last two pieces. 

When I not putting together a quilt block or hand stitching I can usually be found reading a book or two. This week I am reading

If ever I was going to reread a book the China Bayles mysteries would be my choice hands down. My love of reading, herbs and gardening keeps me turning the pages long into the night. 

It was while reading these novels that had me planning my first outdoor herb garden here in Florida, I had several herbs on the window sill of my first apartment when I decided I could plant more herbs in the space outside my bedroom window, it was a small space indeed but it thrived for the few years I gardened there, in fact that little 3x5 foot space was the most successful garden I have had since moving here twenty years ago and some day I would like to have my garden thrive like that again, but it won't be this year.

Last Saturday while shopping for the elusive comfy chair I found this very comfortable love seat and bought it, I should be delivered in about 4 weeks. I am still looking for a comfy chain but I think this may fill the need. This is a stock photo of the chair which is dark brown and turquoise, I have a dark brown sofa, this will add a little color to the room.