2014 Small SAL - Brazilian Fob

My completed small this month is a fob with a small Brazilian embroidery and beads.

 

I want to use a different technique each month for this stitch along. I’m linking up to Stitching Lotus’ Smalls Stitch a Long.

The Queen's Progress

I am pleased with the progress I’ve made on this.  I have completed all of the regular stitching and am ready to start the beads/jewels.

 

I’m linking up with SharonB’s Work in Progress Wednesday.  You can join in to be encouraged to work on (and finish) your big projects or take a look at the projects of others.

Monday Morning Star Count - 324

I made 10 flowers this week for a total of 324. I think I’m getting close with the number of flowers I need for the quilt.

 

I’m linking up with Jessica at Life Under Quilts. 

UFO's and WIPs

(UFO stands for UnFinished Object and WIP for Work in Progress)

I’m starting on a new project – a crazy quilt hussif as part of a challenge at Pintangle. So far all I have is a sketch and a few fabrics I want to use, but I expect to have something to show soon.

Ann at Colorful Cross Stitches has recently been posting examples of her stitching by letters of the alphabet, with the letter U standing for UFO’s.  In 19 years of stitching she has only had two, and she has good reasons for not finishing them yet. Margaret also says she is a one project at a time girl, but thinks she has too many projects on the go right now.  She does beautiful work, and I often want to start new projects after seeing what she is doing! These two ladies and probably many more would not be comfortable with my UFO and WIP pile, let alone all the things I have kitted up but not yet started.

As I get ready to start this new project, I thought I’d pull out a few of my more active projects (or those that I would like to be stitching) and check out how much more is left to be done.

Queen Elizabeth - I am working on her now and will soon be posting some progress pictures.

 

Nine cross stitch ornaments that are in progress and I think I will be able to finish in time for this year's tree decorating.

 

Hexie quilt - I'm getting very close to having enough hexagon flowers!

 

RSN knot garden - I have been working on this with the Tuesday stitchers.

 

Linen toolies set - I need another spool of blue kreinik to continue.

Pears - there are four more to stitch, then finish them all into ornaments.

 

Ribbon Album mini-quilt  - I wanted to finish this last year. Maybe I'll finish next year?

 

Plum Panache velvet beaded shawl - another I wanted to finish last year.

 

 48 count chair cushion - a third from last year.

USA cross stitch map - last worked on in the summer.  (I think there is a counting mistake).

Bead on perforated paper necklace - I made several of these last year, but didn't finish this one.

Bead on paper ornaments - maybe they'll get done this year.

 Stitch & zip - my train project.

Stumpwork - Butterfly & Blooms stumpwork - not my favorite project, but I do want to finish it.

Silk gauze cat - I started this last year.

 

Sonoko Doll ornament - I don't think there is so much left to do on this one.

Lynn Payette Lily - maybe I'll pick this up again after the queen is done.

EGA CC drawn thread - this was started in 1997, and I thought I would finish it that year - oops!  I haven't worked on this one since coming to Japan, but after doing several pulled thread projects last year, I've really wanted to work on this drawn thread piece.

Paisley Purse - this is just the starter project (the pocket).  Maybe I'll start the actual purse and come back to this.

ANG band sampler - this is going to be a strap for a bag.

Sashiko projects - there are several in this bag, waiting to be finished.

Beaded ball ornaments - this one is almost finished and I have several more balls to bead.

Two Temari - I might need some help to get back to these.

Blue hardanger piece - I think there might be a counting mistake. I need to figure it out.

 
These are the most immediate WIPs. I don't know if they will all get finished this year, but maybe they will.

I have another box of small projects started, like Mill Hill kits.  I may or may not work on them.  I have a bigger box of started projects that haven't been out since we've been in Japan.   Maybe another day, I’ll post about the projects I have kitted but not yet started. And yet another day about the fabric and quilting projects.  For now, I'm getting back to my new project - the hussif.

President Obama in Japan

You probably already know about the President visiting Japan. And, as you can imagine, everything he does here is in the news.

The President and Prime Minister Abe ate at a famous sushi restaurant in Tokyo called Sukiyabashi Jiro. The 20 course meal cost 30,000 yen, so I’m pretty sure I won’t be eating there.

The Tokyo Tower was lit up for two nights in red, white, and blue in honor of the President’s visit.

Security was tightened, with vending machines and coin operated lockers in the train stations closed.

 

 

 

You can find out all the real news about his visit on any news site, but you may not have heard about the sushi dinner, the colorful Tokyo Tower, or the security measures, unless you are in Japan.

 

 

Japanese Class EPP

If you’ve been reading my blog on Mondays, you know how much I am enjoying EPP (English Paper Piecing). It is so much fun for me, I think everyone will like to do it.  This week after Japanese class I stitched with four of my classmates and one of my teachers.  The project was a coaster made from seven hexagons backed with stick-on felt.  I think everyone enjoyed the project.

 

One person took hers home to finish, one just needed to cut away the extra felt, the others took home finished coasters.

I am very happy to have more people to stitch with!

Waiting for Spring

The cherry blossoms have come and gone in the rest of Japan.  I’m watching every day, waiting for them to pop out here.  The dark bark tree in front of the white bark trees is a cherry tree.  I think I see some little buds.  I hope I see some little buds.

 

Ted planted some corn, melon, and kabocha on our balcony, later to be transplanted to the garden.  Yesterday he noticed one kabocha has started growing. Yay!

 

It takes a long time for the snow to melt here, but flowers are trying to grow anyway.

 

It will soon be beautiful with millions of flowers – spring is coming!