January 10, 2016

Block(head) of the Month Club

Happy Sunday! Thank you so very much for welcoming me back with your kind comments on last week's post. Since I had nearly a full year to accumulate some projects and progress, I thought I would do another post. I've decided, partly thanks to Carol at Stitching Dreams (because who can look at her inspiring blog and not decide to immediately get cracking on next year's Christmas ornaments?), that I need to spend more time stitching, stuffing and embellishing smalls. First I thought I'd do birds and hang them from the limbs of a bare-branch tree which Pier 1 USED to carry. Honestly, every time I went in there, there were bare-branch trees: gold-tone, silver-tone, phony birch-like. Trees everywhere. Yesterday I went in to purchase one, and nary a one to be seen. What the heck! Never mind, I'm sure I'll find one online somewhere. I have started the first bird. This is a week's worth of work, and of course, I picked up some additional birds, and some valentine's smalls last week at In Stitches when I was there for Stitch Night. Question: why doesn't Glenna sit and stitch with everyone else? Answer, because she's cackling and snatching things off the shelf to stitch. I got my hands on some birds, as I said, but now I've decided to add some Christmas ornaments and some flowers to the pile. It had better be a really large tree, I guess. At the rate I'm going--one-ish a week without breaking a sweat--I might have 50 things dangling from the branches of my theoretical tree in no time. I subbed a different color, as you can tell, using Belle Soie Cranberry from my stash instead of the called-for WDW baked apple.  This is stitched on a 40-count piece of Lakeside from my stash (mystery color, but likely light exemplar).  Oh, yes, it's "Bird in Hand" by Blackbird Designs. 
Next up is a project I've picked away at for a while, from JBW designs. I'm stitching it on a very light piece of Lakeside using a very pink Thread Gatherer color from my stash--perfect use for a left-over skein.
This is a long-running project for me--I started it on a larger count fabric once before and didn't like it. For whatever reason, I lightened up the parrot (there's another one to be stitched). Everything else is as charted. This will take quite a while. It is, of course "Charlotte Clayton."

This is the larger needlepoint project I got recently. I love this designer and hope to stitch other designs by her: Pippin Studios in British Columbia, Canada. I have sent you to her "what's new" page so you can see what I'm excited about. The needlepoint show was this weekend, and I got all thrilled about some of her new designs (a series of small fish, to be stitched and stuffed and hung to to fill a bowl). I ordered 3 of the fish--I'll show you when they arrive.
And my first installment of this Block of the Month club arrived. I am not a particularly experienced quilter, but I am experienced in applique, so I thought I could tackle this. We've had lots of cloudy, gloomy days here, so I jumped on it because of  the colors! I ordered it from Quilting By the Bay, which has been a great experience. If you enjoy working with wool, they sell some great wool applique kits.
Here are the fabrics that arrived in the first installment. I also ordered the matching Aurifil cotton threads, which came in a nifty box. Quite an antidote to the dull days of January.
Next weekend is a three-day weekend. I have a little trip to Culpeper planned. Culpeper has a quilt shop and a fabric store called "Exquisite Fabrics," which used to be located in downtown DC--right across the street from each other. Let's see what kind of mischief I can get up to.... Happy week!

12 comments:

Robin said...

Hi Glenna! I love x 3 your quilt colors. Just right for the winter months for sure. I'm a geek in that I love to collect threads, so your thread colors are exciting to me!! I was wondering about your Charlotte Clayton, so glad to see she is back out. Your smalls are delicious and I'm anxiously awaiting the needlepoint show. LOL

Anonymous said...

I love everything you're working on!!!

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

I agree...Carol is a bounty of inspiration and I'm pretty certain 100% of blogdom agrees :)
I hope to see 50 beauties dangling from the branches of your soon to be purchased perfect tree! Its taken me 20 years but this year as I wrapped and put away my ornaments, I have about 250 (give or take a couple because I kept saying was it 150 or 151?) :)
I think a tree filled with birds . . . would be stunning!

I adore the needlepoint, and Charlotte and that quilt! You are a jack of all hands when it comes to beautiful projects on the go!
Happy Week Ahead! Stitch ON!

Robin in Virginia said...

Your WIPs are looking good, Glenna! I like your bird tree idea. Good luck in your quest in finding a tree branch tree. Have fun with your upcoming Culpeper outing!

Melissa said...

Wow, you are off to a great start in 2016, Glenna! I love the idea of your bird tree and looking forward to seeing each one! It looks like you have great plans for a fun and colourful year!

Carol said...

Ha ha!! I'm glad I inspired you to stitch more ornaments, Glenna--they really are quite addictive :) Love the color of red in your BBD piece and the idea of a bird tree sounds like such fun! All of your projects look like such fun to work on!

Michelle-ozark crafter said...

Everything is just so pretty!!!!

Annette-California said...

Bird in Hand is so pretty. All your projects are amazing. I've heard only good things about Aurifil threads. Now seeing your needlepoint I want to take mine out.
Beautiful new goodies. love Annette

Margaret said...

Love all your projects. Love that quilt project! BOMs are so dangerous. I keep falling in love with them, and then trying to persuade myself that there's no way I'm going to do them. I hope you work on yours -- it's so pretty!

Karen said...

Wonderful projects you have going. Sounds like a fun trip to Culpeper. I didn't know there was a quilt shop and fabric store there.

woolwoman said...

I was glad to see your post but sorry to hear about your father's passing. Love Jane Clarkson, can't say how many times I've wanted to order it but I am trying to swear off big samplers and Charlotte Clayton - another temptress I have avoided. Actually I ordered the chart and linen and sold it to an EGA chapter member, all the time wishing I had not done so. Love all the projects you've added lately and your bare tree sounds like a wonderful idea. I adore Pippin - I first learned of her work after market last January. I enrolled in the exclusive Fanciful Forest "club" at The Needlepointer early last year. I've gotten all the tree canvases now and some neat threads I had not tried. Good clubs can be good but some just aren't worth it in the long run. I agree FB posts are just not the same as blogging, you don't develop any kinship on FB - not in my book anyway. Cheers and happy 2016 - Mel

MyLifesAStitch said...

I will say it again: Eye cannnnndddyyyy!!! Love that rose and the Tula Pink fabric to back it!! Delicious! And the tree smalls! I have a feeling I'm going to be super jealous of the end result! Love your BOM as well. Such happy colors... esp given the gloomy weather we've had in these parts recently. Come on Spring!!!

Glad to see you posting again! I've thought about starting mine up again, but... I just don't have the time... especially with a wee one coming in a couple weeks! For now, I've re-connected with several blogging buddies via Instagram. It satisfies my need of visual goodness and allows for comments/ friendliness without the labor intensity of the blog. I don't know why I like it better than FB, but I definitely do! You should try it out! I've been trying to find you on there, in fact! ;)