Looking Ahead and Back

Last week several of us met at Jeanette's for a stitch day and gabfest. It was a lovely way to spend a lazy day over the holidays. I got lots of stitching done on the Pumpkin Lane piece (more later) and got some ideas for what I might want to stitch in the future.

Barb, Marilyn, Jen1, and I all love Winter Rose Manor and all of us already had the chart so we thought, "Why not do our own stitchalong?".  I mined my stash for some possible fabric and headed to Kim's yesterday to buy the flosses I need beyond what I have in my stash. I did a couple of substitutions - a pinker shade (CCW Bella Rosa) for the house, and a whiter shade (Khaki Mocha) for the snow and basket.

The fabric is Picture This Plus 40ct Fawn - a piece from Kim's remnant box from a while back.

You see, one of my 'resolutions' is to use up as much of my stash as I can before shopping for more stuff. I only buy items to fill in the gaps - what I don't have for a particular project.

Another start I want to do is the Redwork Pears chart that I got when we visited Hobby House Needleworks. It's an Annie Beez Folk Art design. I purchased the called-for Cranberry Cocktail silk to go with it. Again, I will find a suitable fabric from my stash for this project.

It will be a very quick stitch.

There are lots of wool felt appliqué projects I'd like to work on. I never did work on any of the ugly Christmas sweater ornaments. Jen1 gave me a French General mini charm pack which are the perfect size for an English Paper Piecing project. It has all these beautiful patterns in the 2 1/2" squares.

I also have the 5" squares of Liberty fabrics.

Then there's a bunch of sewing I'd like to do. I could use some more project bags. Of course, I could finish some projects to free up some I already have...

I'd also like to make myself another project roll and something for all my cute Peanuts prints. I received more selvages from Sue and Jen1 so would like to create more items from them.

Yesterday I put the final stitches into the model for 'Houses on Pumpkin Lane' by Pansy Patch Quilts and Stitchery. I can't show you the last three houses yet but you can see how big a project it was to put them all onto one piece of fabric - 347 x 277 or 19.3" x 15.4" on 36ct. The first four houses are available from your LNS or the Pansy Patch website. Butternut House and Candy Apple House release to shops next Thursday, January 5, 2023. The last three will be available at Market the first weekend in March. They are sold individually but the layout and borders are a free .pdf download from the website. 

I started it about June 25 and I'm so pleased to have it finished before year end. I don't think I've ever worked so much on one piece in such a short time. Especially one this big. The called-for fabric is 36ct Sand by Picture This Plus.

I have another model I would like to get finished ASAP. Teresa Kogut sent it to me back in August and I've only been able to work on it intermittently.

The colours are very rich and very much in the palette that Teresa uses a lot.

Today also would have been my sister, Valerie's, 78th birthday. 

I have been thinking about her and her daughters a lot and know they'll be missing her terribly. 

I will be very glad to put 2022 behind me and look forward to lots of crafty pursuits, fun with friends and family, and a very Happy New Year and 2023. I wish all the same to you as well.