Take A Stitch Tuesday #10 Running Stitch

Running stitch is so simple that I think it is often overlooked.  I’ve continued with the filling of this shape using pink Impressions.

 

You can join TAST at anytime. Check out Sharon B’s stitch instructions here.

Monday Morning Star Count - Respect for the Aged Day

Today is a national holiday in Japan - Respect for the Aged Day.  I made this little bag (with three fussy cut hexagons) for my mother in law, who lives in a long term care facility.  I used matching fabric to make a tissue cover and a little lavender sachet. Lavender is grown in Hokkaido, so we hope she will think of us when she smells it.

 

Ted took it to her in the US and said she was happy with it.

 

 

Linking up with Anthea at  Hibiscus Stitches and  Jessica at Life Under Quilts.

Blackwork SAL - Part 3

I have now completed the outer outlines for the 36 “delights”.  There is an inner outline and the blackwork patterns that will go inside these.

 

The charts for this project allow for all different sizes and number of fillings.  If you’d like to join us, leave me a comment and link to your Box of Delights post.

Check it out for yourself:

Kim at Wisdom With Needle and Thread

Box of Delights Free Pattern at Blackwork Journey

 

Hot and Cold Drinks

Drink machines are everywhere in Japan. You are thinking, “So what?  There are drink machines all over the world.”  Not like Japan, though.  Drink machines are outside and inside practically every building.  One of the amazing things here is that you can get hot coffee or cold tea from the same machine! 

 

Blue is cold, red is hot.

Bargello Ornaments

This week, one person couldn’t come to stitching, but emailed a photo of her project.  She’s finished the stitching part.

The others finished their ornaments.

They are now starting hexagon paper piecing projects.  I’m not sure yet what they will each make.  They worked on basting hexagons this week.

Hokkaido Folk Arts and Craft Village

It’s a small world.  One of my US friends told me she has a friend who is originally from Hokkaido and now living in the US.  She told me her friend was coming to Japan to visit family and introduced us by email.  So, my friend’s friend, who is now my friend, came to Hokkaido and invited me to the home of her mother and sister one afternoon.  I took the train and they met me at the station.  I had a great time, and my new friend invited me to accompany her to the Hokkaido Folk Arts and Crafts Village a few days later.  Not only that, she arranged for us to take a weaving lesson!

We visited two of the three museums in the village.  Photographs were not allowed in the museums, but we were able to take many in the class area, the lobby, and the gift shop.

We had a great time!  Here is my finished weaving project.

Work In Progress Wednesday - Another Five States

 

I’m getting so close!  I completed the last three little border pictures, in addition to Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky (for a total of 37 completed states). 

 

I have 13 more states and the water along the east coast to do.

Take A Stitch Tuesday #9 Couching

A great thing about these crazy quilt blocks and TAST is that I can use threads leftover from other projects and feel very thrifty.  Here I’ve couched pale pink Petite Very Velvet with Petite Treasures Braid inside the previously stitched chain outline.

 

You can join TAST at anytime. Check out Sharon B’s stitch instructions here.

Monday Morning Star Count - Apron Finish

 

Linking up with Sarah at Sarah Did It! and Jessica at Life Under Quilts .