Art, Craft and Needlework, February 2025

[Twins' Mom]

February saw a flurry of creativity - lots of sewing, work with yarn, projects assessed, craft room clean ups. Nancy has worked on multiple projects this month, knitting, quilting books, and sewing. Harriet, on good days has progressed on sewing a mat rug and assessing her UFO projects. And Twins has stamped and decluttered upstairs, although decluttered items have yet to leave the building.

What creativity does February hold? Join us in exercising our creative muscles.

[Nancy]

I have an old quilt a cutter quilt OMM to deal with.

I have cleared a space for some jelly roll type fabrics to go.
Zone work in here to unstack the long folding table of fabrics.

I am currently knitting one a mini wash cloth to go with the baby blanket I knit up last month.

Also working up a blue ombre prayer shawl project it'snow over half way done
and keeps me warm as I knit on it. I try to do 5-11 rows each time I work on it about every other day EOD.

Worked on the fabric put away from the table in the sewing zone yea for progress I "found" half of it! LOL!

[Twins' Mom]

I’ve gone through all my “new style” stamp sets and verified them in Evernote. Found a few more I can let go, too. I need to start getting some of the excess out the door, I still have plenty to play with. Nice to pick up each set and remind myself of all the fun sets I can play with.

[Nancy]

"Finished a hot pad red white and green for the holidays.
Started another white and green also for holidays. Done.

The mini cloth. Done now.

3/4 this done with the blue prayer knit project now.

[Harriet]

I think I've made that last decision for the large quilt that's almost ready for quilting. It will require some embroidery, unusual for me. I've picked out a blue DMC thread and a hoop and have them ready to order when there are enough other things. Pretty sure I have needle. There is no rush to order these - just glad I am at this point for when I am up to doing it.

I can see how another one of the smaller projects can be worked on sitting on the couch for next step. Constantly monitoring for hand cramps now when I do things by hand.

Happy to hear you are inspired and so comfortable with your supplies, Twins'.

Nancy, I have never worked with Jelly Rolls, only saved-up strips. Hope you have fun.

[Nancy]

I have been trying to come to grips with the Jo Ann's store in my town closing
and have learned all of them are closing as well not just here.

I'll buy a jelly roll if they have one I like the colors of.
Been thinking how to tweak the planner stuff I usually get there.
The Hobby Lobby has not announced when it will open across the river.

But I have plenty of yarn ahead & get most of it a W-mart anyway.
I need a cone of white cotton yarn for my hot pads & dish cloths projects.
My current hot pad is white with yellow and blue stripe in the center portion
a day or two more of work on it and that one should be done. Maybe I can do some
variegated dish cloths on it not sure if I have more of that color or not I'll have to check.

I finished up the knitting part of the blue prayer shawl project now to weave in the ends,
the decide on crochet edging or not for it.

Edited to add I received a gift blanket from late dil it was baby blanket size made from a jelly roll so
.... thinking you need more than one to make it even twin size.

[Nancy]

I have been wondering about art dates I can do ones at home with supplies I have on hand.
But the point of them is to get out and about.

But on a snow day some options look more appealing at home.
Yarn day some cozy knitting and comfortable crocheting.
Cooking Day / doing some of that now.
Baking Day Mon. maybe.
Sewing day I need to put that on my plan.
Painting & drawing use my sketch books. Coloring too.
Writing Day.
A walk a bit further maybe on the hill when snow has finally melted and it warms up bit.
With the umbrealla is always a bit more fun.

[Nancy]

I am SO excited to find the periwinkle blue cotton yarn for dish clothes and hot pads.
As well as the ones with variegated colors blue yellow and white.
Plus a cone of white to do dish cloths that will go with the ones with a white strips
and green and red hot pads sets.

I was frustrated to realize when I got home that I"d totally forgotten to look at the jelly rolls at the fabric store sigh ~
oh well I'll just have to go back I can take the other rig when I do that.
Some good news, even after frogging out some of this project,
I did finish it up, another red dish cloth.
-----
Edited to add.
I have also realized that I need flannel for the back of the Christmas vest as
well as the low loft lining quilt bat or what ever. As least I found some when I was there
but did not get it yet. Hoping to go back soon.
We do have a Hobby Lobby coming across the river to a close by town ten min. away apx.
Hoping I can navigate new round abouts they are putting in.

[Harriet]

Glad you found the periwinkle, Nancy - such a pretty color and most people like it. Will be pleasant to work with. Sounds like you had a happy craft shopping trip. I don't know what communities that depended upon JoAnn's are going to do. We do not have one close to us, but I have ordered from them once before and had a good experience. Years ago, HRH took me to one because of some long trip he needed to take, and it was a lot of fun to be in such a big place dedicated to mostly needle arts.

I read a tutorial on hand embroidering lettering on cloth. I think I would stick with a backstitch and try to be as simple as possible. Maybe 3 strands of floss. I saw my late dfirstmil do it many times, but I haven't done it in years (decades? gasp).

Put a set of embroidery hoops in "cart" online shopping and thinking about it. Seems the only way to get a good price is to buy a set, although I only need one. Buying the one size I need is the same price. Embroidery needles are not something I use much at all, but I did check and have at least one new one on hand here. Not very excited or confident about hand embroidery, but it would get me toward a finish line, able to move on with machine sewing the next steps. Hoping cramps won't affect my hands with it.

[CathyS]

Harriet I would say 2 strands to start. You could easily add another strand if it looks too thin. Have fun! I was sitting around stitching the other day and the thought came to me that I have been cross stitching/doing embroidery for approximately 48 years. (started learning around 1977 I think. My best friend at the time did it and so did her mom and sister. I remember all 3 of them being so distressed when Elvis died, which was around the same summer.)