Flowery Goodness

This weekend, when DD2, and P&C arrived, they were bringing gifts! I love the springy flowers they brought, and I love the thought and caring that went into their selection. DD2 is making baby steps toward getting stronger, as well, way to go sweetie! Thank you!



I finished stitching the "tulip meadow" on my Holland Springtime Mandala, but did not get a picture of it this morning, plus there are already plenty of pictures in this post. I will make sure to get an overall picture when I pick it up again, hopefully in a week or so. You can tell I am not too good at doing a rotation. For me it tends to be "out of sight, out of mind." That's one of the reasons my sewing/craft room is so messy. I can find everything, but I get afraid that if I organize and put away everything, I will forget I have it. Of course, right now I can hardly get into the room, so there must be a happy medium somewhere.

I didn't lose this sashiko stitching that I did a couple of months ago. I had picked up a pillow form for it, so yesterday I put it together. I am very pleased with how it turned out. It is a little plump pillow, but very cute! I think it took less than an hour to put together, but of course, the sewing machine was already out.



When that was done, I looked into my sewing basket, next to my stitching chair, and found it very organized! (I was surprised, like I said, out of sight, out of mind.) I had stashed my stitched turtle backs there, with the supplies I had purchased to finish them, and one of the next projects I want to start. I looked at the instructions to "finish" the turtles, and started to get overwhelmed and put them away, but then I said to myself, "what does the first paragraph say?"

Well, the first paragraph said to trim the embroidery, and cut out 2 lining pieces and two interfacing pieces. Well, I could do that, so I did. Then the next paragraph, and the next, and by the end of the evening, I had this!

top

bottom (the poor turtle has fallen, and cannot get up!)

Taking it one step at a time made the instructions very easy to follow, and I am quite pleased with this little fellow. Now to finish the other 3.

Our family always says "Off like a flock of wild turtles" when we leave to go somewhere, so this little flock is an appropriate image for us. I would like the shell to be a little more domed, but I think I know how to accomplish that with the next one. I am going to run out of the dyed thread it calls for, though. I will have to look for a substitute if I do run out, or pick some more up this weekend. It is Weeks Dye Works, color Juniper. I had ordered the coordinating felt (woven wool, felted) and the very turtly looking lining fabric, which you will see better on the needle-book turtle. This one has a little pocket under the shell to store things, probably a very short scissors would fit there perfectly.

When I was just getting going on the turtle yesterday afternoon, there was a knock on the door, and when I went to look there was a box on the front porch:



Beautiful roses, from a former co-worker, saying that she misses me! Aren't they beautiful! Thank you so much D!

Missing the people I worked with every day is the worst part of staying home, but the best part... Look at everything I got done yesterday! There are plans afoot for fun outings too. Mom, my 2 sisters and I live in 3 different states, but we are talking about getting together for a day. We shall have to see if we can work it out. Plus a day out with Moonsilk-stitches. I'm so excited!