A snowy studio afternoon

I’ve uploaded another short video to my YouTube channel if you’re interested to see what I’ve been up to this afternoon.

After doing a bit of house stuff this morning and making a veggie soup full of all the veggies I could find in my fridge, I could move to the studio after lunch.

 

I also made a one egg, egg salad to spread on buckwheat crackers to go with the soup. I’m currently having to cut most breads and pastas from my diet because of some digestive issues. Skipping some carbs sure doesn’t hurt though. I’ve lost some weight.

In the studio, I decided to finish up a few things such as the binding on the little barn so that I’ll have something for some hand stitching when I sit down later.

I pulled a thread for the next section in this little piece. It will have a forest of birches added to it once the background is done. I’ve picked out some whites that I will add fusible to the back of.

I didn’t feel like cutting the borders for the flying geese. It tales some energy to do all the cutting and measuring. I usually lay the quilt on the floor with a cutting board under one side to cut the right size borders.

Instead I cut some squares to audition for another baby quilt. My last one is going on it’s way soon and I like to have something ready ahead.



The black fabric is going to be the background. I’ve cut a few  squares at 5 1/2” to see how I would like it once sewn.

I’ll think on it but I may trim to 5” cut squares as a smaller finished size might look better for a smaller quilt.
Also, I really like to have some piecing that is sitting and waiting for those times when I just want to sit and do a bit of no brainer sewing while I listen to or watch something.

We got  several inches of snow today. Hubby is out with the snowblower right now. It’s not too much and I think quite light and fluffy. It will mean I’ll need a couple days for the trail to pack down again  before I get out on it.

Flying geese, zucchini and carrot noodles

I was thinking  of writing that I’m having a quiet Saturday in my studio when I realized that it’s really what I do every day. Yesterday, I was out with a friend to a fabric shop to pick up a border and backing fabric for the flying geese quilt. I’ve just now been pinning on the last row so I’ll be ready to cut borders from the fabric that I washed this morning.

Border fabric

My plan was to finish up the details on the barn and maybe start some free motion stitching on a small winter scape with birch trees that I laid out yesterday.

I want to stitch the layers on and then gradually build a birch tree grove from back to front , so lots more trees.

My sleep wasn’t the best last night so I’m a bit low energy today, meaning that I wasn’t really up to the final details on the barn. I always wander into my studio anyway and then decide what I’ll do. It occurred to me as I was going to get a lite snack and herbal tea,  that my sewing machines are on opposite sides of my room and it’s almost like working with the right or left side of the brain. One machine for more ordered traditional quilting and the other for the freer creative side. Sometimes, when I’m feeling a little tired, I like to put on a podcast to watch and sew fabric together. No brainer stuff, often, although I can still make lots of mistakes!

I saw these plates with the grandchildren and now I like to use one for my snacks. It’s less messy for my bits than a flat plate - Mary’s gluten free crackers and a gluten free beet cracker, with , goat’s cheese and a homemade chutney that I was given for Christmas.

At lunch time, I prepped all the veggies for a scallop and shrimp stir fry for supper and I thought I’d show this you gadget from Pampered chef that’s very handy for making zucchini, carrot or any other veggie you could think of. I’m not sure of its name. It’s fast and easy.

💜

Saturday, painting and a binding

It’s really been a week here, lol. It’s been a challenge with my digestive problems - I’m eating a partial soft food and low fiber diet - and the hives that came back, I’m a bit bonkers!

Yesterday, I had another spinal injection which is crucial for me to get around and then last night.my blood sugars were much too high and I had a visit to emergency.

It could take a few days to improve so I’m being extra careful with food today. After my lunch we went for a short walk on the trail. Hubby goes with me  to help get my walker in and out of the car and afterwards he goes on for his longer walk.

(Temporary Backup) Quilting the Gelli prints, hand stitching a binding

It’s really nice here today, although chilly, about -9C with winds, here in northern NB. I did get out for a 30 minute walk with the ‘sled walker’ on the trail right after lunch. Yesterday, I walked in the sub division and the winds made my eyes water. It’s more protected on the trail and the sun felt pretty good.

In case you haven’t seen it, it’s my walker adapted with skis that are made to attach to stroller wheels. It goes very smoothly on the wide groomed trails an allows me a little time in nature which I really need.

I made a roasted butternut squash soup for lunch. The thing that takes the most work is chopping the squash up. It gets roasted at 450F along with an apple, an onion, a garlic clove and some seasoning, for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.  When it’s soft and cooled a bit I blend it with veggie broth and some almond milk. I had some egg salad on a Broghie with it.

I’m having digestive issues right now, something called gastroparesis, which I’ve had for many years but has lately worsened along with the diabetes. These were my drs suggestion along with eating softer foods. I’m trying to take it as  just another challenge. Sometimes it’s not so easy.

They’re light as a feather which makes them easy to digest I guess. And only 20 Cals each. They are about the consistency as those shrimp chips at the Chinese restaurant only not fried.

It was so good!

In my sit down times, I’m hand stitching the binding on the baby quilt.

I also finished the wavy vertical free motion stitching on my Gelli monoprints piece.

The binding is cut in a mossy green color darker than the green below.. I’m thinking about doing some meandering leaves on the pink border. And I’m contemplating a little screen printing here and there like this but more broken up, and maybe a white on the pink border. I’m not sure which is why I’m taking a break.

As for my knitting, I finished the front of the sweater and started the back. There is also a design in the back though simpler and narrower than the front. I debated leaving it plain. The pattern is so simple though and it adds a bit of interest as plain knitting can get boring.

The socks are knit with a Kroc yarn and I really like the graduated color. It’s also a pattern just enough to keep my interest at the same time being easy enough to do later at night.



We are still in some degrees of quarantine here in New Brunswick. The numbers are slowly coming down. There are not a lot vaccinations  going on yet. All we can do is stay home, keep busy, and wait. Soon.

Take care 💜

Fabric painting, beef barley soup, knitting, books

Don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel on the right for a more in depth look at my painting and knitting.

This afternoon, having made a beef barley soup in the morning for supper,  I spent some quiet time in the studio working on the fabric painting of  an old shed. It was sunny and mild with gusty winds outside and I opted to stay in today.

I’ve put up a new video over on YouTube where I talk about the painting, and a few other things.

I show this drunkard’s path baby quilt that I got back from the machine quilter this week. The first thing I did today was to get the binding cut so I can get it sewn on and ready for the hand stitching. A new baby will be arriving in the family soon.

I think that the dragonflies suit it well.

I finished The Salt Path this week, a book based on a true story, that I enjoyed. A couple faced with the loss of their home and serious health problems at the same time set out to walk a 600 and some km trail in the UK. It is a story of survival, love and hope surrounded by the outdoors which I love. I went on line after I finished the book to look up more information and found out that there is a second book and soon to be a third.

I’ve just started this book and I think I’m going to like it as well.

These are some fabrics that I’m gathering to start another baby quilt once I finished up the flying geese quilt.  There are always babies coming!

Thus us the Buikding Blicks pattern by Sterling Quilt Co.




Are you having a creative weekend and getting some fresh air? Look after yourselves, and others. 💜