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 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.

I'll Fly Away

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

What do you think this is about?

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.

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 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.

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. 

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

Friday Finish - Puppy Love

My Finish  

Chart Photo

Starbucks Japan Vows to Reduce Plastic Waste

I rarely visit Starbucks, both because the drinks are rather pricey and because of the high kcalories in my drink of choice. The exception is in the airport - I treat myself when I have to wait. 

I was very interested when I read about how Starbucks Japan plans to reduce plastic waste in their stores as part of their global effort to reduce waste by 50 percent by the year 2030. In order to do this they plan to switch to environmentally friendly materials and promote reusable drink containers to reduce the number of disposable cups, lids, and cutlery. 

Starbucks Japan proposed four new initiatives to reduce plastic waste. 

1. Stores will serve iced beverages in glasses 

2. Iced beverages will be served without a lid 

3. More stores will offer reusable tumblers that can be rented 

4. Cutlery will be reusable or made from 100 percent plant-derived materials 

Here are the details:

From April 18th, 106 Starbucks in Japan will begin offering iced beverages in glasses for use in the store. Any customer can also request disposable cups.

Also beginning April 18th, 113 stores in Japan will start serving iced drinks in cups without plastic lids (with the exception of children's drinks), when bought for in store drinking. Plastic lids will remain for hot drinks and will also be available for customers who request them. 

In some Tokyo Starbucks, stainless steel rental tumblers are available for people who order hot or cold drinks to go. I don't know what the details are about this. 

Nationwide, Starbucks will offer cutlery made from 100 percent plant-derived materials to customers who order food to go and stainless steel cutlery for in store purchases. 

Do you drink/eat at Starbucks? Are these initiatives in practice where you live? What do you think of these ideas?

Work In Progress Wednesday

Puppy Love - I don't really enjoy doing the outlining, but it always looks better after I do it.  There is quite a bit of outlining to do on this one.

Ukrainian Embroidery - This pattern is for a bookmark, but I don't think I will make it to be a bookmark.