Project Quilting 17.6 A Happy Handful

 

 The last and final prompt from Trish.  This year I  missed #4, Of Another Era. I started and failed in the completion.  Also I missed starting, doing, completing #5, My Complements. No post! I had company and doctor’s appointments. I planned on an Orange and Blue Tablerunner.

Anyway here we are. A Happy Handful.  The rules

Your project does not need to be a traditional quilt, but must meet at least one of these three requirements:

• include patchwork

• include appliqué

• have 3 layers stitched together by hand or machine.
  And this week, small enough to fit in your hand. For a while now I have been thinking of a year long and rather intense project. I want to make initial pincushions for every member of my stitching group. When I first had the thought, we had about 8 members. Now we are up to 15. So, I’d better get a move on!
  They will be birthday gists and this challenge is just what I needed to get going. The alphabet charts are from Jenny of Elefantz. The free alphabet is no longer on her blog, but there are lots of tutorials for her lovely designs.
  I started with L. The next birthday is in April. So this lovely will go to Lynn. The rickrack defines a tiny pocket. It could hold a small embroidery scissors, or snips, or a tube of beads for her projects.
  

  
  
  Thanks Kim and Trish for another fabulous year of pushing me to think outside the box and “gitter done” !
  I’m linking this up at Persimon Dreams, Kim’s blog.
  Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy and Hopeful. 
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

Slow Sunday Stitching. March 15th

 

Today I will finish Lucky into a dough bowl pillow. As I looked at this photo on my messy table, I realized I had missed backstitching the tiny sheep on the tail of the Y. The called for white floss on the white Aida disappeared. So I selected the lightest gray from my stash and back stitched around the bigger sheep. I think it helped.

I’ll quickly backstitch the tiny sheep and finish the pillow. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.  

Are you wondering about the frozen juice can lids in the upper left?  It’s a hack learned from a wonderful friend.  Beads stay on my work space due the small indented edge. I’ve seen the sticky mats and they work too. But recycle, use what you have is my motto, most of the time. 

Linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching. 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy and Hopeful.

ScrapHappy Saturday

 

I’m linking up with Angela and friends for the 2nd Red Saturday of March and Rainbow Scrap Challenge.. I made 2 16-patch Star blocks. And one is ready to sew. 

I’ve done a bit of math and decided I’ll need at least 4 of each color.  I got 2 green ones made for Feb and none for blue January. I guess I have some catching up to do. 

Tomorrow is the last for Project Quilting 17. I missed completing 17.5 “ of Another Era” and 17.6 “ My Complements “. I really hope I can complete this last one. Stay tuned. 

Also I started the quilting  on Make Do and Mend for 2026 SAHRR. The parade is the 25th, so I need to have it done by then. NO PRESSURE!!  LOL

I have just started reading. So far I like it and it’s RED. 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy and Hopeful. 

I LIKE Thursday #272

 

Pulled from the Web. 

Sometimes I ask myself. What do I do with all these placemats, coasters, minis, etc. Then I remind myself, it’s all about the journey. 

Last Thursday we had some Show & Tell at our gathering. 

Caroline finished a UFO from a State Guild class a few years back. She did the quilting on her sit-down machine.  

Our most prolific quilter, Carol. I love the pale aqua background. 

Snowbird Wanda back from Arizona. The cutest bag, with bows!

This weekend my brother and SIL visited. We had a great time. we ate out, we watched a movie on Peacock, we sat in our PJs and drank Sunday morning coffee, we played Rummikub . And,  of course, talked non stop. A selfie snapped by my brother as they headed home. 

L to R: My brother, sister-in-law, me and Mr, Busy.

Monday morning we woke up to fog. It lifted by 10 AM. I’m ready for spring, and some leaves on the trees. So dreary!

If you could bring back any fashion trend what would it be?

I thought and thought about this. Since I’ve shrunk some vertically and expanded some horizontally, there are not many things I feel attractive in. Current fashion shows too much skin for me. I think I still feel best in dark slacks, a light blouse or top and a jacket. Blazer, jean jackets, hoodies that unzip all the way. It’s a pretty classic look I think and one that I like. If I was 20 again, and it was 1966, I  like the looks of a shirtwaist dress. 

Off to my stitching group  this morning. Working again on the octopus pincushion. 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy and Hopeful. 

I LIKE Thursday #271

 

Joining LeeAnna  at Not Afraid of Color. Today, the conversation starter is one that brings back memories. 

March 5 2026

What was the worst haircut you ever had?

There have been a few! Luckily I don’t have photos. lol. My mom always cut our bangs. Some were good, some not so much. In fact, I’m never really satisfied with a haircut until it’s about 10 days old. But I had a friend that had a real mishap. Back in the 70’s it was popular to razor cut fringe bangs. Her stylist was happily cutting her bangs when her hand slipped and cut a slice off the top of N’s nose!

But this week no haircut problems, though I’m not happy with this current one either. 

I put away the February Valentine decor. Slowly there is some March themed things appearing.  

A Kathy Schmitz seasonal stitch, a mostly green and shamrock table runner and March Alphabet Shamrocks from  Melisa at Pinker n Punkin Quilts and Stitching and a-made-years-ago, Patchabilities Shamrock skinny wall hanging. If you click on the link to Melisa’s blog and scroll down you will find a plethora a stitch charts for March. 

I received a late birthday gift from my daughter. It’s a journal. 

Yup. I’m 80. Can you see my name as part of the flower stem?  I thinks that’s so cool. 

The color is truer in the photo of the back. A lovely lavender.

It was a sunny warm day on Tuesday. We drove to Spearfish SD for lunch. While there we checked out their animal shelter. Many, many cats, one huge dog, and 4 medium sized. Mr Busy was really interested in one. Wish I’d taken a photo, but she barked and barked and barred her teeth. The attendant said she didn’t like kids, and would take some getting used to. But she just didn’t warm up to Mr. Busy. As soon as he said to her, “well I guess you’re not going home with me” she quit barking and laid down in the shade next to her kennel. 

My holiday cactus thinks it’s an Easter Cactus, by flowering early. Silly thing. 

And my birthday flowers are starting to fade.  Such a pretty pink. 

Off to my stitching group this morning. I’ll probably work on the St Patrick’s Day themed stitch. 

I love the green color, but not sure about the white sheep. Probably should have tea dyed this white fabric first. Hmmmm?

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy and Hopeful. 

Slow Sunday Stitching. March 1, 2026

 

I’m sharing over at Kathy’s Quilts even though there isn’t much to share. 

A bit of progress made on the Winter Row

Sorry about the shadows . I’m working backwards toward A and another snowman. The twiggy tree between the E and the F will get branches, but last!

But no progress on the octopus biscornu. 

I hope to start on this seasonal small this week. 

Hope everyone had some time today, to sit and enjoy some stitching time. I will do some this evening while we watch the new series Marshals on CBS. 

I hope it is as good as I expect!

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy and Hopeful. 

Rainbow Scrap Challenge. End of February Green.

 

 I was a slow starter in February. But I kicked into high gear on Friday. The crumb blocks kept growing. This more muted slab will become a topper for my side table in the living room.

You can see I need to add a piece on the right side of the bottom part. Then it will be ready for backing , batting, and quilting. 

Then this pice is long enough, but needs some more width. About 2.5 inches, to be 12 x 11. Then it will fit on the nesting smaller table.

I have this type of table beside my chair, but mine are oak. 

Then I can get my March stitcheries out and put Valentines away!

I’m linking late Sunday afternoon with ScrapHappy Saturday. Then I’ll begin sewing Red tomorrow. 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy and Hopeful.