Saturday, April 9, 2022

WIP/UFO Update

I last posted about my WIP/UFO's here. This is my latest update. I've taken out the finished projects and added the new ones. Bold titles show the ones I have worked on in 2022. I haven't finished much yet this year, but seeing this list may motivate me.


Bead Wrist Band





Bead Nutcracker





Year 2 of the Temperature Quilt 





Year 3 of the Temperature Quilt 




Year 4 of the Temperature Quilt 





Year 5 of the Temperature Quilt





The House Quilt









Hexagon Block Wall Quilt




Ribbon Album Wall Quilt



Braid Border 




Small Canvas Piece






Mary Queen of Scots  



Bess of Hardwick 




Paisley Purse



RSN Knot Garden 



RSN Rice Fields




Miniature Chair Cushion 



Silk Gauze Cat 




EGA Drawn Thread GCC (the oldest UFO, I think)



Blue Hardanger 





White Hardanger - Linda Driscoll




Dogwood Afghan 







Sneek Sampler






Cross Stitch Border





Ukrainian Bookmark




Sashiko 






Sashiko Table Runner


Temari




Fashionable Ladies 





Scarf




Little Dragonfly Stumpwork Project






Sardinian Filet



I think visiting this list from time to time is helpful.  It reminds me what I have that is still unfinished (and also how many things are still unfinished).

Friday, April 8, 2022

Friday Finish - Four Kimono Fabric Tissue Box Covers

Using kimono fabric, I made four tissue box covers to give as gifts. 




I made some two years ago and posted about how to make them. If you are interested, you can see how to do it here.


Thursday, April 7, 2022

I'll Fly Away

 This is on the front of a building near where I live.



What do you think this is about?

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Work In Progress Wednesday

My main project of the week has been the hand quilting of year two.



I came across these 5" x 2.5" strips and put them together with the sewing machine.  They may become coasters. I'm not really sure yet.



The house quilt needs some corner pieces for the next section, so I'm thinking of making some simple backstitched houses.  I'll see how it goes before I sew the borders together.


Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Sumo Baby Crying Festival

(Just so you know, crying babies are definitely not my thing, so I won't be attending this festival).







This is an annual spring event at numerous shrines and temples in Japan. One of the most famous events is held at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa in Tokyo. The competition is between pairs of one year old babies to see which one cries first when held up in the air by sumo wrestlers, while crowds of people watch and chant "cry, cry, cry", (in Japanese, of course). If both babies cry, the one who is louder wins. Strange as it sounds, this event is held to pray for the baby's healthy growth and development. The beginnings of this festival go back at least 400 years and the saying is, "Naku ko wa sodatsu" or "Crying babies grow fat."  The belief is that the cries ward off demons that would otherwise harm the babies.


Only in Japan?


Monday, April 4, 2022

Monday Morning Star Count - Week 47 and Year to Date

Year five of the temperature quilt 

Week 47 

March 20 - 26 

57, 54, 46, 48, 59, 63, 66



Here are the first seven rows.  One more row to go.




I am reporting the high temperature each day.  My Year Five temperature/color scheme remains the same as previous years: 

100+ Brown 

90-99 Red 

80-89 Orange 

70-79 Yellow 

60-69 Green 

50-59 Blue 

40-49 Purple 

30-39 Pink 

20-29 White 


You can see my finished Year One Quilt here.


Sunday, April 3, 2022

The Nippon Foundations Offers Financial Support to Ukrainians Who Come to Japan



I don't think Japan is known for taking in refugees. Being an island country, people can't just cross over the border from another country. But, as the humanitarian crises in Ukraine worsens, Japan wants to help.


I was very happy to read that the Nippon Foundation will provide 5 billion yen in support to Ukrainians wanting to come to Japan. This money will be spent for transportation and subsidies for three years living expenses. The Foundation wants to make initial payments for 500,000 yen per household for furniture and other immediate expenses, then an annual support of a million yen per person for three years. The Japanese government will be simplifying entrance procedures and residence requirements, and local governments will provide public housing and daily goods allowances. 


The Foundation states that there are currently approximately 900 displaced Ukrainians who want to come to Japan, in addition to 150 already in the country. I hope that they will all be happy here. 

Saturday, April 2, 2022

The People's Choice - Series of Designs

                          

 

Every month, on the first Saturday, Jo at Serendipidous Stitching hosts a Stitch A Long, with the topics chosen by her readers. This month's topic is Series of Designs. 



Blackwork Birds - from Tanja Berlin






Cat Calendar - from Happiness is Cross Stitching





December ornament - Lizzie Kate 

I only stitched one in the series.



Dragons - from Dorothy Lesher






Flapper Ornaments






June - Sunflower Diaries

I only stitched one in the series.





Miniatures - from Janet Granger





Pears - from Samplers and Santas




Mediteranean Cruise Ornaments - Sandra Arthur