I knew there must be a beach nearby but I wasn't sure where it was. When I was out exploring the other day, I discovered it was only about a 30 minute walk from my apartment. I don't know if this is a swimming beach because no one was swimming. The sand is black and the beach has rocks but no shells. There was a walk/bikeway above the beach and I was the only one on it. It was kind of windy. Maybe that's why no one was around.
I'm not finished with the pink block, but this week I picked up the blue block and worked on it a bit.
Picture this -- Sunday morning and I have two minutes to get from the local train on track 2 to the Shinkansen on track 6. I'm running as fast as the traffic will allow, taking the steps two at a time, weaving in and out of the other people. I get to the Shinkansen platform and I trip and fall flat out. My backpack and hair go flying over my head as I lay on the ground. I think I might have even hit, then bounced forward. No time to lay on the ground and cry - I see the doors on the train are starting to close! I quickly jump up and squeeze between the closing doors just as the train starts moving.
I limp to a seat and check out my skinned knees and bloodied palms. As I'm trying to catch my breath and stop shaking, I see this sign on the back of the seat in front of me. How appropriate!
It's almost two days later and bruises have popped out on my sore knees. My arms and shoulders are also sore - I guess from absorbing the shock of my weight as I slammed to the ground. Most of the time I don't think of myself as being as old as I am, but I'm feeling pretty old after this fall on the train platform.
This week I've added more running stitches/quilting and I've made a padded pocket that will be added to the inside of this pouch. I like how it is coming along.
There is a small stream behind my apartment with birds and fish and turtles. I enjoy the "real live nature" living in the stream! The egret wasn't crazy about my taking his picture and tried to run away but the ducks didn't mind a bit.
Every year the first melons of the season from Yubari, Hokkaido are auctioned off for crazy high prices. This year the record was set - 3 million yen for two pefect melons at the Sapporo wholesale market. The previous record was 2.5 million yen set in 2008 and 2014. This year's successful bidder was Takamaru Konishi, a buyer for a supermarket in Hyogo Prefecture. The melons will be on display in the supermarket. It's a good thing I don't like melons because I can't afford to eat them!
I've been asked about the stitches I use for my crazy quilt and embellishing. I have some in my head that I've learned over the years. I also use three sources frequently. One is online - The Stitch Dictionary at Pintangle. Check it out for examples as well as how to do the stitches. Two others are these small books - Judith Baker Montano's Elegant Stitches and Coats & Clark's One Hundred Embroidery Stitches, a 34 page booklet I've had since I was in high school (note - it cost 50 cents new!)
What are your favorite sources for crazy quilt stitches?
I spent quite a bit of my stitching time this week on the pink block. I know that some crazy quilters plan out the block and the stitches ahead of time. Not me. I add what I think of as it progresses, no planning. Sometimes what I stitch depends on how long the piece of thread I'm using is or how many beads I have. I often stitch with the leftovers from other projects.
I'm pleased with how this is coming along.
