"You Grow"

 I’m loosely participating in a 100 day stitch book challenge. #stitchbookchallenge2026 hosted by @annwood 

Ms. Ann has set the 100 day challenge to slow stitch for at least 15 minutes a day and 5 days per page. I can definitely do that! I stitch for hours most days, 15 minutes is nothing! I’m in 👍!!

This is a great opportunity to use the smaller pieces in my stash! Picking out page pieces was fairly easy because I figured it’s basically going to be a foundation that’s covered by stitching. Perfect for pieces that I’m not likely to choose to put into a quilt any time soon. I had all the pages cut out and ready to get started. 

But I soon learned it wasn't going to be that easy.
The next day, I sat I staring at that first blank page...  I had no idea what to stitch on it.
I felt like I was blank inside. nothing.

Ms. Ann Wood stitches beauty onto her pages with linens and rich earthy colors that create luscious texture. (https://www.annwoodhandmade.com/stitch-book-100-day-project/) 
I don’t really have linens or hand dyed fibers in my stash.
I'm calicos and prints, a lot of bright colors. How can I make my page look like Ms. Ann Woods sample?!
Honestly, I was doubting my decision to do this challenge.

That’s when I realized that the challenge is really about getting creative flow going. It’s about embracing MY own style of stitching. It’s about STARTING...

So, I reached into a scrap bin and pulled out a piece of fabric. The words “You” and “Grow” printed on the fabric seemed serendipitous and I thought, “how appropriate!” Day 1 was simply appliquéing that one piece. I didn't trim it or shape it, just needle turned it as it was. 

When I returned to it the next day, I was doubting my choice again. That single appliqué looked like a blob on the page. I wish I had been taking pics from the start and you could see what I mean.
How/what can I possibly add to make it flow.

I decided to use color and 3D texture.
A little bitty blue yo-yo that matched a blue in the You Grow piece and a folded hexagon.
I stitched those on and completed Day 2.

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The blue triangle on the left was next. Stitched raw edged with running stitches and quilting thread. Day 3.

By this time, I was really despairing. What a mishmash of shapes dropped onto my page.

Oh well. I’ve come this far… I have plenty of cut off triangles from other projects, I might as well drop more triangles onto my page. Placing the black triangle in the top corner seemed to balance the “You Grow” appliqué. I stitched it on with 2 strands of varigated yellow/orange embroidery floss and a variety of embroidery stitches. Day 4 (but I think I stopped counting.)

Wanting to continue with embroidery, I stitched hearts on the folded hexagon and blanket stitched with 2 strands black floss around the yo-yo (photos shown above). And needle turn appliquéd the pink triangle. Day 5. But before I left, I had visions of swirls and I finally felt I knew how to pull it all together. I drew them on for the next day.

It may have taken me 2 or 3 days to stitch the swirls. Two strands green embroidery floss for stem stitched vines and lazy daisy leaves. 2 strands light blue embroidery floss for pistol stitches. 2 strand red 50 wt aurifil thread for a little accent color.

I once again learned the lesson of trusting the process. Seeing that blank page and then stitching the first appliqué had me doubting that I could make it into something pleasing to my eye.

The thing is, I don't HAVE to know what the end will look like. The whole point is to just start! and trust that I will go somewhere. It doesn't matter where. 
I'll test ideas. I'll experiment. I'll discover.

In the process I will learn. I'll start recognizing what I like, what I don't like. 

When you work like this and trust the process... 

                

                                       "You Grow!!"

 

Thanks for stopping by and visiting with me. I'll try to get better progress pics as I stitch the next page.
Wishing you happiness in whatever growing you do.
See you soon!!

"home camping"

 Is "home camping" a thing?

We moved into our house on November 1st.  

We only had what we packed into our suitcases to fly to the Netherlands. Our household items are being shipped over. The latest update on delivery is 22nd of December, though it has been pushed back once.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed! 

In the meantime, we are living with the barest of essentials.
(...  oh, I know that's a bit dramatic. It's not the barest. Many have less. I am grateful that we are comfortable.)

It's not bad, really. We made a considerable downsize from the house in Texas. Nevertheless, what I am experiencing at the moment is that with not much in this house, it feels big! It doesn't feel like a downsize at all!

See what I mean? My studio looks huge!! 😄

So, now that we are settled in, and we are comfortable,

I can stitch in my studio!

Except, I had the desire, but no oomph to get started. I kept looking at the scrap bags I brought with me, but I needed inspiration to get started.

I decided it was time for a trip to the Quilt Puzzel store. I needed to soak in some quilter energy. 

Browsing the shop was a bit meditative, 

walking through the fabric isles, letting my fingers pet the fabrics...

... breath in quilting vibes,

... breath out moving tension.

Then the "Caution! Curves Ahead" book by Jen Kingwell magically appeared in my hands.
I am positive there was a glowing light on the book and I heard celestial choir music.
Yes, this book, along with a few fat 1/8ths for background fabrics, is just what I needed for inspiration to get started!

However, at home with my newly acquired book, I soon realized I didn't have my regular supply of notions. No way to transfer the patterns from the book to the fabric, no pencil or fabric pen, no plastic template sheets, no paper or cardstock, or even a printer to make copies.... 

I considered my situation and decided this was not going to be a "make do with what I got" moment.

Luckily, a few days ago, I noticed a copy shop near my house! It took a couple days for me to work up the courage to step in. But there was no need to be anxious, the clerk there was super nice! I had copies of the pattern pieces in no time.

Also, Smitje is a fabric store that is closer to my house than the quilt shop. It is a sewing store of all sewing stores!! Fabrics from baby knits to casual apparel to fancy fabrics to burlap to quilters cotton. And walls of yarn, buttons, sewing accessories, notions... And trims, and beads.... I mean this place is THE sewing store!! 

I found plastic template sheets there and more needles for hand piecing.

And, finally, I can happily stitch in my studio!

I made pattern pieces of block 1 from the template plastic. Used those to mark the seam lines on the backside of the fabrics. And traditional hand pieced the first block. 

Oh, how wonderful to push the needle back and forth as I loaded stitches onto it.
So soothing to feel the draw of thread through the fabric as I stitched pieces together.
So satisfying, stitching the block up piece by piece...

camping or whatever,

I am HOME!!

Thanks for visiting my blog.

brrr...

Yesterday, I took a pic of flowers that I noticed during my trip to acquire a plier tool set. The temperature has dropped under 40°F. I made sure to bundle up with 3 layers and a big fluffy scarf! During my walk I saw these Japanese Anemones (thank you, google lens search.) The white lacey petals standing so tall and proud, reaching bravely for some warmth from the sun. I had to stop and admire.

This morning, we woke up to a dusting of snow. It felt so magical. And I enjoyed a few peeks at the neighborhood kids trying to gather up the snow with a shovel. It’s not even an inch high, they didn’t get much 🥹. But they were out there for the better part of an hour, scraping up as much as they could.

All the snow had melted by noon. We went out for lunch at a Mexican restaurant that’s new to us. 

I got a pic of my Heartbeat’s lunch, but I had already started eating mine by the time I thought to get pics.

The food was delicious authentic Mexican. 

The song  "Volver Volver" was playing. I always want to sing along on the chorus... 

"y volver, volver, volver, a tus brazos, otra ves..." 

For some reason I think it was one of my mom's favorites, but possibly it's really one of my favorites!

I felt so comfortable in this restaurant, that I talked to the staff about my difficulty finding lard. They gave me suggestions were to look. But then the chef offered some of the manteca that they save from cooking. I don't know if it will be good for the biscochitos, but it will be great for tortillas!! I feel there might be homemade breakfast burritos in my near future!! 

I have a little sad news today. 

I had started knitting this scarf years ago and found it again when organizing my studio to be packed up. I thought it would be perfect to carry in my luggage and be one of the projects I work on while waiting for my stash to be delivered. 

I needed a break from knitting the zig-zag scarf, so picked this one up and knitted 2 repeats of the pattern. I just couldn't go any further. I now realize why I probably stopped stitching on it in the first place. 

first, the pattern uses the stitch "p2tog tbl" 

oh, I don't like that stitch. It's just breaks the knitting rhythm because it's very awkward. Though, it does get easier with use, so a pattern with that stitch isn't an instant deal breaker.

It was the bumps in the texture of the knitted fabric. Even imagining it stretched and blocked couldn't convince me to continue. So I frogged it. I removed the needles and "rip'it, rip'it" was the sound it made as the yarn was pulled from the fabric. 

This weather has me wishing for a soft fluffy sweater to wrap myself in. I'm going to go look for a sweater pattern. 

Thanks for visiting my blog. Hope you are warm where ever you happen to be. See you soon!!