Cross Stitching Projects, WIPs and Waiting List

 I don't think I've ever showed you my never-ending cross stitching projects? 

Now that I have several finishes (need to take photos!!!), I'm going to show you my current and next projects. 

I'm currently stitching: 

"The Tea Room" - Country Cottage Needleworks

Stitching on 28 count Natural Raw linen Zweigart

The pattern came in black & white, see it in colors here.

Correction: I WAS stitching this one, until I saw 

Melisa's 'Witch Hazel's Cottage'! 

It's too cute not to stitch! 

Thank you for the free pattern, Melisa! 

Other projects on 'Waiting' list

"Chocolate Shoppe" - Little House Needleworks

"Summer Iris" - Blackbird Designs

"But First Coffee" - Stitching Housewives

"Therapy" - Cherry Blossoms

"The Little Bunny" - Crocette a Gogo, Italy

"Holiday Samplings" - Plum Pudding Needleart

"Merry December" - Blackbird Designs

"Cinnamon Stick Santa XXV1111" - Homespun Elegance

"Miss Pittypat Pumpkin" - Kim Diehl

"Witch Stitcher" - Little Stitcher Shop, Italy

Isn't this one cute?!

"All Hallow's Eve" - Teresa Kogut (soon to order!) 

Now that Kris Kringle and the Basket Quilt are almost done (left to stitch down the binding), I may take some days break from UFOs and enjoy some cross stitching. It feels relaxing working on small projects after finishing big quilts. 

I also have a few Christmas gifts to make. It should keep me busy for some days! 

Linking up with:

Melva Loves Scraps

Small Quilts and Baby Quilts

Secret Sewing Lap Quilt - Finished and Delivered

As the title says; Secret Sewing Lap Quilt is well received! 

Earlier this year, when I was going through a huge box with non-quilting quality fabrics (and all sort of other things) saved. For what?! In that box, I found

flannel - can be used

jeans - some can be used

other materials - some can be used for grocery bags

the rest - tossed / donation

Some years ago, I got jeans and flannel shirts from my DF in Norway. The idea was to make a quilt out of the 'old' flannel shirts and rugs from the denim. Did that happen? No! 

Going through and sorting out that box, I came up with the idea to make a lap quilt using the flannel shirts and jeans.

 I also had a flannel duvet cover (used, from my DF too) I could use for the back. 

I chose a simple log cabin block and alternated between flannel and denim as other border on the blocks. Each block is 12" finished. 

I didn't have any suitable flannel for the binding. I purchased just enough Dark Green Woolies flannel, because green is his favorite color! 

Measures: 61 inches / 155 cm square

 

Denim is thick, hence some of the seams I had to press open. 

This quilt was the first one I've made from flannel shirts and jeans. I've kept what was left, until further notice! LOL 

Confession: Even if I had fun making the quilt, I did not like working with denim! I don't like the thickness. I have a rag quilt in mind for the pieces I have left, but that won't happen until next year - IF EVER! 

My DF loves the quilt. Some of the flannel pieces are from shirts he was wearing at work (he's retired now). The center square/block even has his name. I cut that from the side pocket of the shirt. The flannel duvet cover (backing) belonged to one of his acquaintances. Not exactly his choice of color, but it worked out as backing! 

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Linking to: 

Melva Loves Scraps

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 

Fall Happiness in the mail today

I did not intend to purchase anything new, right?! But then.... suddenly the famous squirrel was sitting just in front of me and demanded me to purchase something! Does it sound familiar? I'm sure it does!

As much as I love fall, I don't have any decor I would like to display. Can you believe that?! I have been smitten by so many of you, for your lovely fall decors. 

...and of course, there is no fall here. However, I have noticed there are a few trees in the Black River Gorges that turn leaves. That's the nearest I can get to fall in nature on this island.

When FQS announced Pumpkin Hollow Row Along (A Quilting Life), I knew I had to grab the F8 bundle, fabric for the border & binding as well as the pattern! I didn't purchase any background fabric, I have a Moda Marbles that can be used. 

Birch and Willow F8s

Border and binding

I want to do some fall cross-stitching too. Another purchase happened today; 

Kim Diehl's Miss Pittypat Pumpkin

I'm in love with Teresa Kogut Designs! 

I had to purchase the 'Hello Winter' booklet! It features 9 wintery cross stitch designs. All so cute!

I don't think I will start any Christmas cross-stitching at this point. I have a few mini-pillows - Melisa's Designs - to finish before I start anything new for Christmas. 

(Note: I'm not affiliated with FQS, except for purchases) 

 

Kris Kringle Panel Kit - Progress / Card Holder

Happy October!

How is it we are into October already?! I'm not sure how that happened?!

This week I've been working on the Kris Kringle Panel Kit

UFO #19 on my 2026 UFO list

I usually don't buy kits, but I couldn't resist this cute guy! 

I love Teresa Kogut designs. I haven't done any of her cross stitching designs, not yet, but I have a few I really want to purchase. Maybe a Christmas gift to myself?!

The top is done

The pattern is well written and very easy to follow. I was a bit worried about the panel, they can be quite distorted and difficult to cut to size. Fortunate, it was only about half an inch off at the top, so there wasn't any problem getting it straight. The top came together without any problem. 

I thought I had to purchase backing. I knew I had more yardage in a box, but I had totally forgotten I had purchased backing too, 

...as well as a FQ bundle! Yippee! 

Why I bought the yardage & bundle?? I can't remember what I bought it for! I may have had a pattern in mind? Or 'just because' I love the fabrics so much? Hm...

Today I must check if I have batting enough. I really want to finish it, and that is my goal for October! 

After struggling with the pattern, I'm happy to say the Card Holder is 99.9% completed! I'll do a post when it is done. 

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Linking up with:

So Scrappy

Melva Loves Scraps

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

OMG - Stories from my Sewing Room

  

 

182 Day Solstice Challenge - UFO#15 FINISHED!

Pat Sloan's '182 Day Solstice Challenge' is FINISHED! 

This is UFO #15 on my UFO list 2026

I'm so glad I did this quilt in RSC colors. 

I really love how it turned out.

Layout direction

https://patsloanquilts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pat-sloan-asymmetrical-layout-directions-solstice-challenge-1.pdf

I changed the layout a little bit, for not to get blocks with the same colors next to each other. Two (the turquoise blocks at the top) are a bit close, but that's OK.

Here are some of the blocks

Block #9 - Among the Stars

Block #8 - Never ending love

Block #5 - Gramma Anna's Basket

Block #10 - The Coffee Shop

Block #22 - Weather Vane

Block # 19 - Board Games

Block #12 - Jacob's Ladder

Block #11 - Quilt Math (top right)

Block #23 - Eureka! (bottom right)

Some other blocks

Pieced backing

I have used squares and rectangles in brown and red.

Size: Approximately 85 inches / 215 cm square

All fabrics and thread used are from my stash

Batting was purchased

All blocks are custom quilted on my domestic sewing machine

First block: May 2024

Last block: April 2026

Flimsy: April 2026

Thread basted: August 2026

Quilted: September 2026

FINISHED: September 23, 2026

Thread used: 

King Tut: 926, 956, 958, 962, 963, 977, 997, 982, 1017, 1020

Masterpiece: 118, 134, 149, 159, 160, 162, 168, 176,  180, 183

Mettler: 0611, 0667, 0732

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Linking to:

 

So Scrappy

Melva Loves Scraps

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

OMG - Stories from my Sewing Room 

Card Holder - UFO #4

Now that 'Solstice' is finished (yesterday), I'm moving on to another UFO.

This is UFO #4 on my UFO list 2026. I don't have any records of when I started working on this one, it may have been in 2020 or 2021 since it appears on the last years UFO lists.

I'm giving this one another try! 

The 'problem' is; the pattern is in French! ... and I don't know French! My DH speaks French, which helps a lot, although he is not that fluent in 'quilting language'. 

I'm also using Google Translate from French to English, or Norwegian, but there are some phrases that does not make sense at all! It took me some time to figure out this translation: 

Pour les pattes de suspension - translated to: For the suspension brackets! ?????? It took me some time to figure out it's 'hanging tabs'! LOL

French quilt patterns are usually in metric, not imperial, which makes it even more tricky. I've been using imperial since I started quilting, about 20 years ago. 

I also believe the pattern is 'over-explained' (for newbies). 

Batting is not used for this one. Instead, Vliseline S80 is used. Alternative is Pellon 70. 'Of course' I have Pellon 71F and 72F, not 70! However, I do have 'Stiff Stuff' (Lazy Girl Design). What I have read, it can be used as an alternative to the S80 as well.

Or, I can use thin cotton batting instead of interfacing? 

If you have any experience using interfacing, please let me know.

Any suggestions are much appreciated.

Fabric is chosen and the trees were done some years ago. 

I can see how it is done, but my brain and hands don't cooperate! LOL If the pattern is stubborn, I can be even more stubborn! 

I really like this card holder, it's a fun design. The pattern appears in the French magazine 'Elena Patchwork' Septembre 2011

RSC Week 38 - Solstice Update

It's Saturday and time for RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) update. 

This month is purple. 

Even if my intention has been to piece together some purple nine patches, that has not happened. My goal for this month is to finish '182 Day Solstice Challenge', and I'm happy to say I'm almost there!

Since the RSC color is purple, I'm quilting one of the two purple blocks today. The other purple block was quilted earlier this month - here. 

It's a big block, it measures 24" / 61 cm square, finished. 

When the purple block is done, I have left to quilt the orange (to the left) and the red between the purple and orange blocks. 

HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE! 

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Linking to 

So Scrappy

Melva Loves Scraps

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 

Unboxing Kris Kringle Panel Quilt Kit

 I was going to continue quilting 'Solstice' this Monday morning, but after a couple of seams, this is what happened:

Mini-Bug found the best place to rest after being outside for more than two hours! 

I need to move the quilt to be able to sew, but that won't work as long as he sleeps there!

I have a couple of UFOs as WIPs:

- Solstice: continue quilting, 10 blocks out of 25 left to quilt

- Basket Wall Quilt - waiting for binding fabric

This morning, I unboxed the Kris Kringle kit (Teresa Kogut). I purchased the kit in 2023 or 2024, but never got around to make it! 

This is UFO #19 on my UFO list. 

It comes with the pattern

panel (this is half of the panel)

...and fabrics

I'm excited about this one, as I am with everything Christmas! 

The pattern is 12 pages, including the templates for the stars. I'll have to read the pattern properly (for once!) before I start cutting! 

Do you decorate with the same wall quilts for Christmas every year? I have a few I made years ago that I do love and find difficult to replace. It's also fun to make something new to display. 

Dentist appointment this morning, have to get ready!  

RSC Week 37 - Purple / Solstice Update / Blogger Problems

First of all: BLOGGER PROBLEMS!!!!

While others have had problems, I haven't, but now it seems to be my turn.

I read blogs every day, from my 'Reading List'. About 3 days ago, I noticed there are NO NEW BLOG POSTS from any of you! I was thinking; that can't be?! I checked out a few blogs from the comment page, and yes, there were new posts, which do not show up in my 'Reading List' since some days!

I have not changed anything, it must be Blogger?? 

Any of you facing the same problem? 

Any solution? 

I know some of you have set up blogs you follow in the sidebar, maybe that is what I have to do to be sure I get your latest posts?

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RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) color for September is purple. 

I was thinking I do some purple 9-patches, but that didn't happen.

This month, I'm giving priority to quilt my scrappy 'Solstice'

One purple block was quilted (that counts, right?).

It involved some wrestling, as you can see on the photo (below)

I'm custom quilting each block (25 blocks) and I'm happy to say I'm a bit more than halfway!

 Two sides are done, I'm currently quilting the centre block. It's a big block; 32" (81 cm) square (finished).

HAPPY QUILTING

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Linking up with:

So Scrappy

Melva Loves Scraps

Small Quilts & Doll Quilts