Hello December

December 1, 2023 My Time Stitching14 Comments

Hello my blogging friends and Happy December. The days keep moving faster than I can keep up and here we are ; December 1. If I blink, it will probably be Christmas! As you may have noticed in my feature photo, I have finished my December pillow. As per most of the months, I pulled it out just a few days before the start of the month.

I can’t believe this is the final pillow!

This pillow went as fast as the others. I worked on it a little at a time over 2 days.

For some reason I decided to be a messy stitcher for this one. I didn’t bother taking the time to separate the threads ahead of time or put them on floss drops or anything. It was ok. Sometimes you just have to be a messy stitcher. And in a flash it was finished!

I am a little disappointed that the green fabric is upside down. But I think the bows kind of hide that imperfection. And there was a rip on the side where the fabric was supposed to be joined to the cross stitch fabric. I had to stitch that up before getting started. But it is finished and I am so happy !

My monthly pillows are now all finished and I can pull them out each month knowing that I won’t have to stitch any of them up before displaying them. They have been in my stash for a lot of years and it feels great to get this project out of my WIP pile. The patterns are from Pine Mountain Designs and are no longer available. Though you may be able to find them on a secondary market.

So what else have I been up to? Well, I had put my Ocean Pearl piece in for framing to see how the framer would do with framing needlework. You know I have been on the hunt for a new framer or framing service.

It took me a while to decide on a frame for this one. I ended up picking a black frame with some swirls on it. And here it is all framed up.

She turned out beautifully. I am happy with it and have since put another piece in for framing.

Knitting. What is on my knitting needles?

I started the Impulse Buy shawl. The yarn is La Jolla from Baah yarns in color Sleigh Ride. When my Mother in Law was here in October, we visited a yarn shop and both picked up a skein of this beautiful yarn. The colors are so gorgeous and will go with so many tops in my wardrobe.

This pattern is super easy and very relaxing to knit. After the initial cast on and a few rows, it is just a 4 row repeat. I love stitching on this. The yarn is soft and squishy and the pattern is so lovely even though you can see it so well with all of the busy colors. The lace is just on the edges, so I am hoping it will show much more after I finish it and block it.

Now for what I have been stitching on. I added the 5th shop on my Beach Boardwalk series.

The Souvenir shop is the latest shop and it is so cute with the sand castle on top of the shop. I am really loving this series and will be sad when it ends. Just 2 more shops left. I received a shipping notice yesterday that my next shop is on the way. Can’t wait to get it and add it to my Boardwalk. Patterns are from Country Cottage Needleworks and I am stitching on 16ct Aida Friendship Greene from Fabrics by Steph.

I also pulled Rosamund out and gave her some love.

Oh how I have missed stitching on her. She is so beautiful!

I am loving every stitch on her.

And here is where I stopped with her. I put her away to stitch on the Boardwalk. I’m not sure if she will get worked on again this year, but I am definitely planning on finishing her next year. The pattern is Rosamund from Mirabilia. I am stitching her on 16ct Aida Salem from Fiberlicious Yummy Fibers.

So that is some of what I have been up to. I had started making my Christmas Cards about a month ago and I need to get back to that and get them finished. I also want to decorate for Christmas this weekend. Busy, busy time of year. Trying to balance it all and keep up with everything has been an issue for me the last few months, but I am doing what I can, when I can. How about you? What have you been up to? I hope you are getting some stitching in and taking some time for you. Take care and Happy Stitching.

Stitchy Hugs,

ginny

Bella Filipina Designs · cross stitch · Hand Dyed Fabrics · Knitted Shawl · Knitting · Pixie · yarn

Sunday Stitching

March 5, 2023 My Time Stitching13 Comments

Happy Sunday, my blogging friends. We had a snowstorm on Friday with a dumping of 10″ of the heavy white stuff. There was Thundersnow and lightning and white out conditions. The sun came out on Saturday and quite a bit of it has melted. Today was just an easy Sunday inside, doing a little laundry and some stitching.

I spent quite a bit of time stitching on Holly Berry Pixie. The designer is Bella Filipina Designs and I am stitching her on a one of a kind 16ct Aida from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics (she is no longer dying fabric). When I last posted about her, I had her skirt done and the berries at the bottom.

Since then I have added many stitches.

Look at that beautiful face! I have added some back stitching and more of the ribbons along the sides.

I have so enjoyed seeing this sweet pixie come to life. The colors are so bright and vibrant. And this is where I left her today.

Just a few more berries and then filling in of all the sparkles and draping strands of blue Kreinik, which I may need another spool of. I am not sure I started with a partial spool or not, but I don’t think I will have enough left for the amount of strands I need to stitch. And then I can get onto the beading. Lots of beautiful, sparkly beads. I will pick this up again tonight and maybe get my berries finished. I like to do most of my cross stitch at night. A habit I fell into after I had my children and while they were growing up. I like to spend my morning knitting with my coffee and I do have a new knitting project.

I recently purchased this yarn cake from The Yarn Garden. The Head Gardner there, Lindsay, talked about this yarn on her Feature Friday video a little over a week ago. If you are looking for something to do on Friday mornings, her facebook videos are great and I always learn something from her. You can find her videos on her facebook page The Yarn Garden. Her live videos are on Friday from 11:00 am to noon ET. Anyway, she talked about Wonderland Yarns doing a year long series with their Garden Club Blossoms called Ocean. Each month will include a Blossom Cake, a pattern and a stitch marker. This cake is the February cake and the color is called Great Barrier Reef Anemones. It came with a hat pattern that is cute, but I didn’t feel like making a hat. So I spent a lot of time on Ravelry looking for a shawl or cowl pattern that would work with this yarn. I wasn’t coming up with anything and sought the help of a friend. She came up with a couple of great ideas and I decided on the 22 Little Clouds pattern by Martina Behm. It is a free pattern on Ravelry and I think it is more of a shawlette, a smaller shawl.

I got started right away and couldn’t help but notice that my nails matched my knitting again. I like when that happens 😉 And here is where I left off this morning.

I am enjoying this knit and am really looking forward to seeing the color changes. I like knitting with this Mad Hatter Sport yarn. It is soft and knits up nicely. I did find a shop online that had 1 skein left of the January cake and I will show that one in a future post. Oh, I did forget to mention that each month comes with a post card with some beautiful artwork on one side and project tracking information on the other. Here is the February card.

So that is how I spent my Sunday. Doing what I love; Stitching. What did you work on today?

Happy Stitching,

Ginny

Bella Filipina Designs · cross stitch · Hand Dyed Fabrics · Knitted Shawl · Knitting · Mermaids · Project Bags

Stitching, Knitting and Shopping

November 12, 2021 My Time Stitching8 Comments

Hello blogging friends. The temps are getting cooler here after a few days of surprisingly wonderful warm and sunny days. The dreaded white stuff is coming though. About an inch or two of snow is predicted for this weekend 😦 Are you a fan of snow and cold weather? I am not looking forward to winter and can only hope that it will fly by as fast as my summer did.

I need to plan out some projects for the winter. But for now, let’s talk about what I am stitching on right now.

I finished the tail on Pearl of the Orient Seas, minus the beads. I have moved scrolls to the middle of the design to work upwards.

While I am enjoying the stitching on this one, the colors are starting to bring me down and I am getting the itch to start something new. I am trying really hard to resist, but I do see some smaller projects creeping into my plans. For now, I stitch on 🙂 Just to remind you, the design is Pearl of the Orient Seas by Bella Filipina Designs. Fabric is 16ct aida, a one of a kind dye from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics.

The Marit Shawl by Amy Christoffers is still on my needles. It is going well, but still looking a little small to me.

I am actually on the decrease tier now and making half triangles for the top edge.

Maybe blocking will give me the size I need. This shawl will also have tassels.

Now onto the shopping as mentioned in my title. Last week Shop Hop started at local yarn shops. I decided not to shop hop this year, but just visit my very local shop, The Knitting Nest. I picked up some yarn for the newly published on Ravelery, Urchins and Scallops shawl from Soft Yarn Designs. This one should definitely be put into my winter knitting plans 😉

After getting home, I realized the yarn colors are very similar to the colors used in the pattern. I think they are perfect. The lovely shop owners also pointed out that they had some new stitch markers that they knew I would be interested it. Mermaids! Yes, please. And I couldn’t help but pick up another Project Bag by CleverGirl Designs. This one is a little bigger than the bags I usually order from her. It just fits into the bin I keep them in, but is taller than the other bags. I don’t think I can ever have too many of Kristine’s bags. Hubby ordered me another year of the Bag of the Month from her in August. I have received August, September and October, but I cannot find the pictures. Today I was surprised with the November and December bags and they are Awesome! Here is my November bag…ready?

Oh my gosh! It’s Gnomies!! so stinking cute! I LOVE it! And here is the back;

My December bag was just as awesome.

She knows my love for mermaids and I do love this one. In fact, it matched the mask I was wearing when I went to the yarn shop to pick them up. Did you catch that cute Seashell zipper pull/progress marker? So cute! And check out that cute wallet looking matching piece! Have to show the back and the open wallet, too!

Just look at that cute little Floss Catcher! I just love all of Kristine’s bags. They are so well made and her attention to detail and choice of fabrics is amazing. You can find her on Instagram @clevergirldesignsco

This is how I store my CleverGirl Project Bags.

There are 20 bags in these bins. It doesn’t include the one I am using for Pearl or the 2 new ones I picked up today. I can still use some more, LOL

This been is full of not so pretty bags filled with wonderful projects. Some day it will be filled with pretty CleverGirl Design bags.

While at the Yarn Shop today, I was looking for even more yarn. This time for a sweater. Yep, a sweater, not a shawl! I haven’t made a sweater in years and I think I need to add one to my winter stitching plan 😉 I didn’t buy any, as I need to figure out what I want to use. So, I am off to make a swatch. What are you up to? What are your crafty plans for the weekend?

cross stitch · Knitted Shawl · Knitting · Passione Ricamo

Rainy Days and Stitching

July 16, 2021 My Time Stitching15 Comments

This summer has been such a rainy summer so far. It is raining again today. Rainy days are perfect for being inside and crafting or snuggling up with a soft blanket and a good book. I usually spend mine crafting or cleaning. Today I did a little knitting and a little cross stitching. I will show you what I am cross stitching on, but first let me show you what I finished last week.

Well, she is not actually finished, but I finished section 11 and am now caught up. The 12th and final section will come out August 1. I am assuming it will be backstitching and beading. I did skip 2 elements; her crown and the corner ornaments. I am for sure leaving off the corner elements. I haven’t fully decided about the crown, but I am leaning towards leaving it off also. II think she looks fine the way she is. The fabric is 16ct Aida Iris and is actually purple and blue, but with all of the rainy days, I haven’t been able to get a good photo. Hopefully the next time I photograph her, I will capture her true colors. So now what am I cross stitching on?

I have pulled out the 20 Year Celebration from Passione Ricamo. I have the block I am working on to finish, and below this row, there is another row of 4 blocks to do. And then beading on all of the blocks. This is such a fabulous design and I will be so thrilled to finish it. The fabric is 16ct Aida Nantucket Sky. So perfect for all of the fairies.

Here is my progress on Jolie. It is a relaxing knit and the yarn is so nice to work with.

Can you see the sparkle? The yarn band says it is Gold Stellina, but it is clearly silver (which I prefer). I love it! This is going to be a light and airy shawl, so delicate. Yarn is from Britty Rae Knits.

So that is what I have been up to on this rainy day today. What do you like to do on rainy days?

Knitted Shawl

My Merfolk Shawl is Growing

May 27, 2021 My Time Stitching6 Comments

I usually spend some time in the morning knitting on whatever project I have going. It is my new normal during Covid this last year. I am really loving stitching on the Merfolk Fade shawl. The pattern has been easy to follow and the patterns are pretty easy to pick up and remember without too much looking at the pattern. I did run into a minor snag the other morning and I couldn’t get the correct number of stitches on one side of the stitch marker. So I messaged the designer and she was quick to respond and corrected the pattern and messaged me back. She was grateful that I brought it to her attention and even gifted me the pattern in my Ravelry. The pattern that I have was included in the Merfolk Fade kit that I purchased from Cape May Fiber Co. So I am really happy to have it in my Ravelry forever. So here is where I am with the pattern so far.

These yarns are really out of my comfort zone, but when I saw them as a kit, I instantly fell in love with them. And I am loving how they are knitting up together. I could have never put these colors together myself. Soon I will be adding the third color, which is my favorite. It has a lot of pink in it and I can’t wait to see how it knits up. Here is a close up of the patterns in the shawl.

Even with all of the colors in the yarn, the patterns are easy to see. I love everything about this shawl; the pattern, the soft, squishy yarn and the colors.

So what is on your needles, knitting, cross stitch or even crochet?

Knitted Shawl

There Is A Light At The End of The Tunnel

May 15, 2021 My Time Stitching8 Comments

The CDC announced that we can unmask in most situations if we are fully vaccinated. This is great news, but still scary or awkward. My husband and I just had our first vaccine about 10 days ago. We will get our 2nd dose in a few weeks. Maybe then I will feel a little better about going without a mask, but this has been our normal for 14 months and I am feeling a little uneasy about unmasking. I won’t go into it all, but I am hoping this is a good sign of getting back to some normalcy.

So, I am still keeping busy by crafting. I am also trying to get myself into some kind of routine since hubby will probably being going back to working in the office soon. And that includes making sure that blogging is in my routine again. So where did I last leave off…Oh, I finished the Fairies in the Snow shawl that I was working on.

It turned out really nice and I even had a chance to wear it. I love it and can see myself making another one in different colors in the future. The pattern is available on Ravelry and the designer is Lena Matheson. The yarn I used is from The Speckled Finch.

Since then I have made another shawl. This one was a kit made especially for Local Yarn Shop Day April 2021.

When I started this kit, I wasn’t really sure I was going to like it. The directions were not very specific as in when to change colors and how many rows to do. I am one of those people that pretty much follows a pattern. So having to make some of my own decisions was a bit scary. But, I dived right in.

The pattern is You Are Enough by Sarah B. Abram. I met a very sweet gal on Ravelry who reached out to me about something I had placed on my project. So glad she did, as we chatted together throughout and she made some wonderful notes about her project and took some great photos. She was a big help when I had questions and she cheered me on to keep going.

Here is where I was working on the Picot edge bind off. I had never knitted a picot edge nor did I ever bind off this way. Be prepared on this one. It took me about 2 half days to get this bound off. But it was so worth it.

This week I got around to blocking it. Just look at how that lace opened up!! Knitting the lace was my favorite part of this pattern. I left out one of the repeats in the burgundy/gray section. So I added a few rows of garter stitch and that also brought my stitch count up to where it needed to be for the lace section. Yep, I added my own element! This pattern also suggested to add 2 rows of the next color, then 2 rows of the current color then continue with the next color. This meant lines of color in each pattern section. I knew from the beginning I did not want those lines of color, so I just switched colors when I was ready to. This really is a forgiving pattern.

It really turned out beautifully. It was finally a nice day out so I had to take a photo outside. This photo shows the true colors, too. I was a little leery about the colors together, but they have grown on me. I can’t wait to wear it in the fall.

The colors in this photo are off. But it looks so pretty hanging like this. In the end this was a really nice pattern and I really enjoyed it. If you have this kit and are looking to knit it up, be sure to check out the projects on Ravelry as there are some really good note takers there. I learned a few new stitches with shawl, and for that I am grateful. I am happy I knitted this one.

Next time I will talk about my cross stitch. So what have you been up to? Drop me a comment and tell me about it. I have missed you so much and I would love to hear about what you are up to.

Autumn Lane Stitchery · cross stitch · Cross Stitch Patterns · Fabric · Hand Dyed Fabrics · knitted scarves · Knitted Shawl · Knitting · Mermaids · Mirabilia · Queen · Sunny Dyes Fabrics · yarn

Time To Catch Up

March 6, 2021 My Time Stitching11 Comments

Hello my blogging friends! It has been a long time. Not sure why, other than while crafting, time just got away from me. I can’t believe that just about 4 months have gone by since my last post. But I am doing well and still crafting away.

So, where to begin…How about I share with what projects I am currently working on? A couple of weeks ago I started stitching on Mermaid Perfume by Mirabilia.

I couldn’t wait to get everything I needed to get started on her. I am stitching her on 16ct Aida Hidden Cove, a hand painted fabric from Sunny Dyes Fabrics. I can’t wait to see how she emerges on this fabric.

I found this fabric on the Design and Fabric Viewer. This is a site where you can see what fabrics would look good with a particular design. If you have never been, you should go and check it out. You will have to create an account (just an email and password) and then you can play with the designs there along with many fabric dyers’ fabrics. And if you haven’t visited this site in a while, I urge you to check it out. It is all new, with a subscription level to allow you to save more than 3 picks. The first 3 are on the FREE viewing. And with a subscription, you can upload your own fabrics so that you can see how your favorite designs there will look on your exact fabric. It really is a great tool for cross stitchers and I encourage you to check it out. You will have so much fun matching fabrics to designs.

The other cross stitch project I have worked on is the Dark Queen of the Seas MSAL (Mystery Stitch A Long)

This MSAL is by Autumn Lane Stitchery. It started in September 2020 and each section is released on the 1st of the month until August 2021. I am stitching her on 16ct Aida Iris from Fabrics By Stephanie. This photo was taken after I finished section 6 a few weeks ago. Section 7 just came out on March 1, but I am not a fan of the added pieces, so for now I will leave them off. I may add them later when I see more of the design, but for now, I am leaving them off. I hear that next month we will start working on the lower portion of the design. I can’t wait! She is such a beauty! Just look at her face!

The designer has done a great job designing her. That face is so awesome. And those eyes! The shading is fabulous, too.

Last month I started knitting on Fairies In The Snow Shawl MKAL (Mystery Knit A Long) I have really been enjoying this knit.

This MKAL is by Softyarn Designs and is on Ravelry if you want to join. The last part, clue#4 just came out on Thursday, March 4, but there a lot of people in the group that are on different parts of the pattern. There is a chat group on Ravelry, too. The yarn I am using is from Speckled Finch Studios in colors Kismet 4 Magic Stone (the darker color) and Champagne Wishes. I love how these 2 yarns look together and the yarn is so soft. I should finish the last clue this week, and then decide if I want to add another section to use up yarn, or leave as is.

Last month I finished a scarf that I started in January. It turned out gorgeous and I have to say it is now my favorite scarf and have worn it several times already.

I call it my rainbow scarf, but the actual name of the pattern is The Adventurer Scarf and Wrap by Ambah O’Brien. I knitted the scarf version in Basic Sock Mini’s from AJHC Wools. I love everything about this scarf; the yarn, the colors, the weight, the knitting, the pattern.

I have many, many more knitting projects and cross stitch projects I want to work on, as well as stamping and scrapbooking that needs tending to. For now, I am enjoying whatever it is I am working on. I have missed all of you and I hope that my blogging mojo is back. I look forward to hearing from you and catching up on all of the blogs I have missed in the last few moths.

So, what have you been up to? What are you working on today?

Knitted Shawl · Knitting · yarn

I Keep Crafting

October 13, 2020 My Time Stitching5 Comments

Hello my blogging friends! Can you believe that it is just about mid October already? The days, weeks, seasons, keep going by and I am still crafting and doing things at home. While home is my happy place, I won’t lie; I miss going out, doing things, and going places. But I continue to stay home to protect myself, my husband and my mother. I wish I could blog more, but, sadly I still have not found my routine. My daily schedule has been altered drastically and I am still trying to find my way. So I do what I can when I can and fill my days and evenings with crafting when possible. So just what have I been up to? Well, a couple of weeks ago I finished 3 shawls during a week. The first shawl, The Mermaids Garden Shawl by Soft Yarn Designs, was finished, but I finally got around to blocking it.

It is quite large and a very interesting shape. I am not sure how I will wear it yet. I guess I will figure that out when I get to wear it. But I love how it turned out. It blocked so nice and drapes very nice.

The yarn is from AJHC Wools; Basic Sock in colors Min and Blushing Bride. So pretty 🙂 This pattern is available on Raverly.

The next shawl I knitted up is the Inspire Create Repeat shawl by JL Creations. It is knitted with Blue Sky Alpacas Sport weight yarn. I have become a fingering weight snob, so I was not sure how this shawl was going to turn out.

It knitted well. The yarn is soft. And I loved the patterns.

It blocked really well and I was able to add a considerable amount to the length, which is what I wanted. Once it blocked, I threw it on and was able to get it to lay the way I wanted on the first try. That is definitely a plus for me. This pattern is available on Ravelry.

The last shawl I finished that week, is the Sharon Show shawl by Casapinka. I wrote about my progress in previous posts. I LOVED knitting this shawl. I learned a few new stitches and the pattern was well written. I was, however, disappointed that the last section was pushed out a week. To me it seemed like it was not ready for release and was rather written while on vacation. While this is not a drastic thing, I based my schedule of other projects around finishing this one. And I must say that the crazy cat stories and talking from the view of the cat in the facebook group was a bit weird for me. So I am not sure that I would do another one of her MKAL’s. But I did finish it right after the last section came out and blocked it right away.

The blocking process was perfect; it stretched out those stitches and opened them up nicely and now the edges don’t roll in.

The yarn used is Miss Babs Caroline and it is so soft, having 10% cashmere in it. It drapes so nicely, too. This was my first time using Miss Babs yarn, and it won’t be my last. If fact I ordered some for a cowl I want to make. It is a different yarn in DK, but I can’t wait to get it and try it out.

If you are looking to knit up a fun shawl in lots of different stitches, I definitely recommend this one. It knitted up pretty quick and was fun. The pattern is available on Ravelry.

So that is what I have knitted lately. Tomorrow I will share what I have been cross stitching. What have you been up to?

Bella Filipina Designs · cross stitch · Cross Stitch Patterns · Elegant Ladies · Knitted Shawl · Knitting · Mermaids · Project Bags · Storage · storage bags · WIP

Still At Home, Still Crafting

July 6, 2020July 6, 2020 My Time Stitching12 Comments

It’s been almost 4 months at home during this Pandemic. I am sad, frustrated, depressed, angry and lost. I am sad for all of those that have been sick with this virus and for those that have lost loved ones. I am frustrated and depressed because I can’t go out and do the things I used to do or go to the places I used to go. And I am angry because the numbers of cases are going up again and hospitals are reaching capacity in some states. I cry watching the news, wishing I could magically make everything ok. And I have periods where I just don’t want to do anything. My husband is going back to work tomorrow, and I am really sad about this. I will miss him being home and I worry about him being in a place where the risk goes up. So I turn to my crafting to take my mind off of things. So, what exactly have I been up to?

First, I want to talk about a product that I purchased on-line a month or so ago from a yarn shop. I saw this product last summer at a fiber fest, but chose to spend my money on yarn at the time. But it has been in the back of my mind as a great organizational piece. How do you store your circular needles? This is what I decided to use:

Sorry about the poor photo. It was the best I could get while it was empty. It is hand made by Wonderfully Made and I thought it was a great idea. So as soon as it arrived, I started pulling my needles out of their original packages and threading them onto the holder.

Now I am not so sure. Now I will have to put the needles in a needle gauge to find the size I want (which was included with this holder) and will have to measure to see how long they are. And I always forget if I am supposed to measure from tip to tip or just the cable. I think it was easier to flip through the packages in my accordion needle holder to find what I wanted. It looks nice and I love the concept. Maybe in time I will forget all of the packages. What do you think?

In my last post, I forgot to post my May project bag. It took 19 days to get to me by mail and from a driving distance of about 20 minutes. It really took the scenic route.

This is the front. I love the pink and yellow watercolor top of this one. And the striped border looks awesome with the Spring colors.

Here is the back. Just look at all of those pink boots! So fun and totally a surprise. And since then, I have received the June bag. It arrived in record time, getting to me in a day.

I was over the moon when I received this one. It is now my favorite 😉

And here is the back. SO SWEET! Kristine knows me well. And she does an awesome job with all of her project bags. Different shapes and styles for everything you want to store. She is Clevergirl Designs and you can find her on intsagram. Oh, and this bag is already filled with a project gifted to me from a very sweet friend.

I can’t wait to start stitching this beauty. I still need to find a fabric. So for now, I am still stitching on Lady Mirabilia and here is how she looks this morning.

She is getting there. She has been a joy to stitch and I find myself relaxing while stitching on her. Unlike my knitting project…

I pulled out the Wingspan yesterday and knitted 3 rows and was so done. This pattern is not hard, just requires my complete attention and I feel like I hold my breath and really tense up during every row. Ugh! But it is my only knitting project on needles right now and I really would love to get it finished. A few rows every day 😉 So far, I am very proud of myself that I have not started anything new. Still trying to get WIP’s finished.

I spent last weekend getting some of this and that done. And I crossed 2 bigger projects off of my to do list. I finally redid all of my cross stitch files. They were still mostly in boxes from when we remodeled the basement. They all wouldn’t fit in the 2 filing drawers I had planned, so they went into the old file cabinet and with a few more files added.

It took 2 1/2 drawers, but they are like I want them. And all patterns are filed. Woo Hoo!

I also reorganized most of my yarn. I put a lot of it in the 2 file drawers that would not hold all of my cross stitch files. the top drawer is all AJHC Wools yarn. Just love her yarn. The 2nd drawer is mostly 2 skein project yarns. It will be fun to rummage through the drawers when I want to start a new project.

My ottoman is also home to some pretty yarn, Mostly one skeiners.

So that is what I have been up to. Trying to keep myself a little busy and away from the tv, except to watch Vampire Diaries. How are you spending your time these days?

Bella Filipina Designs · cross stitch · Hand Dyed Fabrics · Knitting · Mermaids · Project Bags · Uncategorized · yarn

Shelter In Place and Craft

April 25, 2020 My Time Stitching20 Comments

Wow! It has been over a month since my last post. So much has happened in the world since then. Just 2 days after my last post, we decided to shelter in place. Hubby’s work suggested that people who can work from home, do so. The next week our state issued a stay at home order. Today is day 42. Home is my happy place, but I can’t say that it has been totally easy. There are some days that just get away from me without getting much done. I have so many things to do that sometimes I don’t know what to do and I do nothing. But I am trying to get something done everyday. Today, is my blog post 🙂 So I have pulled my pictures to share with you what I have been up to this last month. I actually have a couple of finishes! First, remember the black and white photo I shared of a project I had started last month?

Well, it is a baby blanket. The yarn is AJHC Wools in color Aether. It is so gorgeous and I knew it was the perfect color for a friend who was expecting a little boy.

The pattern is Simple Eyelet Baby Blanket by LeeLee Knits and is available on Ravelry. I really enjoyed working on this blanket. The pattern was nice and simple, but elegant looking.

Sadly, my friend lost her baby. My heart aches for her and her husband. I cannot even imagine what they are going through. I finished the blanket. It still needs to be blocked. Then I will tuck it away for now.

I also finished Aquamarina this last week and she turned out so beautiful and sparkly!

I am thrilled with how she turned out. She is my first Bella Filipina finish and I can honestly say she will not be my last. The fabric is 16ct Aida, a one of a kind from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics and is really is the perfect fabric for her.

So far I have not pulled another cross stitch out to work on, but I am really itching to. Instead, I have been knitting in the evenings on a cowl project I had started last September. The Wilma Cowl.

It is a project I picked up last September during a Shop Hop. The pattern is from a book and the yarn is Heritage from Cascade Yarns in colorway #502. It is supposed to have chevron pattern all around, but they really are not showing up well in this yarn, even though it is the yarn called for. When I stretch it I can see it somewhat, but for the most part it just looks like random knitting. The yarn is soft and the color is perfect for fall, so I will continue on with it in between working on this project:

Yeah, it is the Wingspan. And if I wasn’t turning gray from the Corona Virus, I would be from this project. I pulled it out and put in my second lifeline right away. Knitted 4 or 5 rows and had to rip back to the lifeline. Picked up the stitches and knit the rows back in. Now I am up to Section D, another transition section. So I add another lifeline. I hold my breath the entire row and UGH! I have 2 stitches left over. So I rip out to the lifeline and boy were they a bear to pick back up this time! Finally got them back on the needle and knitted the row again. Perfect. Thank heavens for Lifelines. But for now, the project is in a time out! I wanted to knit a couple of rows everyday so I can get this finished, but it is too stressful some days. So I will wait until later this week to take it out of time out. I thought I had been working on this project for 2 years, but turns out that I started in June 2019, so it hasn’t even been a year. Just maybe I can get it done before the year is up 😉 But then again…maybe not. There is a newproject start in my near future! More about that in a minute…

I have also pulled out my sewing machine and have been making masks for family and friends. I made 25 until I ran out of elastic. I received a small shipment of elastic on Thursday, so I need to get back to sewing to fill some more orders I have received. I will sew again until I run out of elastic and wait for my original shipment to arrive, hopefully soon. It is a little something I can do to help out during this pandemic.

Since I last posted, I have received my March and April project bags from CleverGirl Designs. They are so cute!

I love the knitting on the March bag on the left. And the April bag has such cheery colors!

This is the back side of both bags. March on the left with little kitties to go with the yarn balls. Fun, vintage typewriters on the back of the April bag. I love them both and have yet to fill them with a future cross stitch project. But don’t worry. I have a gazillion projects to choose from 😉 They won’t be empty for too long. I have really enjoyed getting these happy mail packages every month, especially now during stay at home.

So, this leads me to the very near future project I mentioned earlier. If you are a knitter, you probably have heard about Casapinka’s new shawl pattern that is out this weekend. This weekend was supposed to be National LYS day and she designed a pattern for the shops to give for FREE when purchasing the yarn for the shawl. This is the Breathe and Hope shawl:

I fell in love with this as soon as I saw it in my email!! I love the colors and the pattern. She is not telling us the yarn used, so that we can shop at the yarn shops. I do hope that someday she reveals the yarn used, as it definitely deserves recognition. The day before this photo arrived in my email, I had purchased a special bag and matching yarn from Tippy Tree Yarns. The spring bag made by Knit 2 Together, has a matching skein of yarn dyed by Tippy Tree Yarns. I contacted her after receiving the email from Casapinka asking if she had a solid color to match the yarn. She did and I ordered it and it should arrive this week. It is a dark coral and I think it will be perfect with the yarn I just received yesterday.

I am so excited for a new start this week. I know I shouldn’t, but the Breathe and Hope shawl is perfect for this situation we are all in.

So, that is what I have been up to. How are you spending your days while sheltering in place? Do you have any new projects started? Finish anything during our quarantine? I’d love to hear about it! And as always, be safe and stay healthy.

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