Over the River and Through the Woods - It's a FINISH!

 FINALLY! ...after 16 years...!!!!

Over the River and Through the Woods is completed! 

My goal was to finish it by the end of this year (2025), and here it is: 

It took me some time deciding how to quilt it. I had a look at several quilts on Pinterest and it looks like many of them are longarm quilted, which is not an option for me. 

I decided on crosshatch design on the stitcheries. I was worried I'd mess it up if I tried something else! (I did not press it before taking photos).

Did you notice? I did fix the sides of the stitcheries. You can see 'before' here. 

The sashing is quilted in straight lines one quarter inch from the seam

Star blocks are quilted in a star design. 

To avoid bulk, all seams in the blocks are pressed open. 

The Flying Geese border;

I have outlined the 'geese' and the background is free-motion-quilted

Pieced backing

I decided on browns. 

Happy to say most of these fabrics are used up.

I've had that faux floral border piece for years. An old lady in Norway (known through a friend) got a box with lots of goodies at a quilt shop. Sadly the shop had to close down and there were lots of bargains. Oh what fun to open that box! I didn't know what to do with that piece of floral border, I don't know how many times it has been in and out of the shelf! I think it was waiting to be used on this quilt! 

The block contains 'Flying geese' blocks I found too dark (not enough contrast) and one too red, for the border. Several other brown pieces are used up. 

Size: Approximately 51.5 x 57.5 inches / 131 x 146 cm

Fabric used: Approximately 10 yards (all from my stash) 

Floss / thread used:

- Floss: ThreadWorx #10351 Rustic Brown Cherry (overdyed floss)

- MasterPiece 180, 136, 167, 153

- King Tut: 997, 900, 983

****************

Pattern bought: June 2009

Fabric purchased: 2010 (Norway)

Stitchery preparation: January 2023

Completed: December 14, 2025 

Over the River / Two Finishes / Pieced Backing

After long last, 'Over the River and Through the Woods' is ready for quilting! 

I ran into a little problem when I assembled the stitchery and blocks

The stitcheries should have matched the two rows of blocks to 36.5", but did not. It was about 1/2 - 3/4 inches shorter on each side (see photo above). I couldn't do anything about the row of blocks; they were the right size; 6.5" by 36.5". I had to extend each side of the stitcheries by stitching the trees to fit the exact size. 

Well, I can't draw, but at least I managed to stitch something that looks like trees! lol

I'm not sure how this happened. My hand stitch tension may have been too tight, or the backing fabric for the stitcheries made the top fabric shrink? The lady at the quilt store in Norway (where I bought the fabrics) recommended some sort of loose woven material with glue on one side, to be used as stabilizer. I've used Moda Marbles and that stabilizer was ironed on to it before stitching. I used a hoop too.

Oh well, not a big deal really. It was an easy fix. 

Pieced backing for this one too. 

The blocks were meant for the Flying Geese border, but the contrast between the 'geese' and background was too dark. Other fabrics from my stash.

Not easy to get the right colors, photographed on a cloudy day.

I'm pondering how to quilt it on my domestic machine. I've seen one (Pinterest, I think it was), the middle stitchery (verse) was quilted cross-hatched design. I really like it, I think I'll copy that design. I have an idea how to quilt the 'Flying Geese'. How to quilt the blocks between the stitcheries as well as the stitcheries at the top and bottom? 

Your ideas / suggestions are very much appreciated. 

I'd been wondering when I purchased the pattern, I found it here. It was a birthday gift to myself in 2009! Visiting Norway in 2010, I purchased fabrics for the quilt. Time to get it done! 

Earlier this year, I purchased this pattern from Coriander Quilts

When I first saw it, the reindeer put a smile on my face. I knew I had to make one! 

I've made two; one for us and one for my DF in Norway. 

'Rudolph' #1

This is my friend's quilt. His favorite color is green, hence the green border.

Pieced backing. The center rectangle shows cute red foxes and I also added two orphan bauble blocks. They were originally meant for my quilt, but I decided on red baubles instead. 

'Rudolph' #2. 

I've had this red, green and gold plaid fabric for some time. It has been in and out of the shelf I don't know how many times. When I purchased it, I had in mind to use it for a Santa's pants, but it didn't work out. I like how it turned out as border on this quilt. It was half a yard and after straightening it up it was just enough! 

It's not easy to see the quilted details on the photos. I chose to do outlined straight lines. I used gold metallic fabric for the stars and baubles, and these I quilted with gold metallic thread. The faces are free-motion-quilted, I used a variegated brown thread. For the rest I used an ecru colored cotton thread to match the background snowflakes fabric. 

Rudolph's face (both quilts) could have been a bit darker, maybe? 

Maybe not. These are winter reindeer, meaning their coat turns from brown (summer camouflage) to a greyer camouflage against the snow, makes them blend into the snowy landscape.

Pieced backing #2. Got to use up most of the Skaters fabric and other bits and pieces. 

Fabric requirement for 'Deerly Loved': 

Approximately 7 yards. And since I made two; approximately 14 yards fabric, all from my stash. 

I haven't done any sewing the last couple of weeks. I've been on slow motion after I caught a bad flu. It's still hanging, but I'll say I'm 95% OK. As if the flu is not enough; I stumbled in my own feet and fell head down on the street earlier this week. I hurt the right side of my head; cheek and a small cut (from the sunglasses) on the bone next to my eye. I'm fine now and I have a 'beautiful' green-yellowish eye and cheek! LOL  

I have finished a few cross stitching UFO's, but that will be for another post. 

Hope you all are doing well. Be careful on icy roads! 

Linking up with Angela and RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2025) 

Back to Over the River and Through the Woods

Now that the sewing table is cleared for RSC blocks, fabrics and other stuff, I'm ready to work on one of my oldest UFO; Over the River & Through the Woods.

If you read this post, all the stitcheries are done. I decided to use all fabrics to make it scrappier. The fabrics where cut and set aside until I could sew again.

After dust cleaning and mopping floors, the weekend was spent making the star blocks that goes between the stitcheries. Each block measures 6" finished and there are six blocks in each row. They are small, but easy and fast to make.

 

Update: They are now sewn together and narrow borders between the stitcheries are added.

Photos taken inside on a cloudy day never work out very well. The colors in the first row look almost right, the second row and stitcheries look washed out. Sigh!

It's midweek and I have finished the 64 Flying Geese needed for the border.

I was looking for more matching scraps in my stash, but didn't really find much I could use together with the already chosen fabrics. There are a few to the right.

Next step is to trim the stitcheries, add the inner border and the outer Flying Geese border. It occurred to me I don't have backing fabric for this one. I have enough brown to make it scrappy, I think. I shall see...

 

    

Over the River and Through the Woods - Progress! Other stitchery updates and the Destiny of Dear Nina

Hello dear readers and followers! I hope you all are doing well.

It has been way too long! I call it 'vacation' (from sewing)! 

As you may remember from my previous post, 'dear Nina' had to go to the spa. 

The handwheel (mechanical part) got fixed. Unfortunately, the S-board (motherboard) is pooped and has to be replaced. To make a long story short; the S-board is not available from Bernina Switzerland!! The S-board is not made anymore since the 440 model is +20 years. The S-board is available at Bernina SA, hence a dear friend has offered to take the machine to SA to see if Bernina there is able to do something! 

This has been dragging way too long and finally I have ordered a new Bernina! It should be here by the end of August. I'm sew excited! 

While waiting for the destiny of my old sewing machine and the purchase of a new machine, I'm keeping myself busy doing cross-stitching. 

One of my oldest UFO's is seeing daylight, again! 

This year, I've spent a few hours off and on in the evenings stitching on 'Over the River and Through the Woods'. 

The goal was getting it done before Christmas 2023, that didn't happen! (here). It didn't happen before Christmas 2024 either! Maybe 2025?? I doubt it, but I shall see... 

This is how it looked like end of December 2024. 

There are two sections; sceneries at the top and bottom.

 I started section #3 (bottom) May 9, 2024 (just for my records)

...and this is how it looks like now: All stitchery sections DONE! 

Can you guess I got tired of stitching all those tree branches?! lol

The middle section (verse) are fancy letters. First I thought it was satin stitches (YIKES!). On the pattern it looks like backstitches and not 'filled' completely. And there are those dreaded French Knots too! Oh well, it gave me some practice. 

While waiting for 'dear Nina' to return from the spa (if ever!), I picked up this one again. 

It went really fast stitching the letters; 4 evenings. I even managed the French knots! 

I pulled out the fabrics intended for this quilt to have a look. The pinkish-reddish fabrics are not as pink as they look on the photo.  Stash shopping in Oslo 2010.

The wall hanging can be used all year long since the fabrics are not typically Christmas fabrics. 

These are the fabrics intended for the quilt, but now I don't know.... 

The fabrics are beautiful, they have a rustic/vintage look, but.... a bit too pinkish for me, maybe.... 

I may use these. They are mostly brown, but also red, beige, gold and cream. I may mix some of them with the pinkish. Yet to decide what goes together. 

If I was to buy fabrics for this quilt today, I may have chosen something else, but not sure what.... I think it had been Christmas fabrics.

I'm using Threadworx embroidery floss #10351, a beautiful variegated rustic brown cherry. It may go together with the pink fabrics. Pink and brown, maybe not the red? 

That was a lot of 'maybe'! LOL 

UPDATE: I decided to use all the fabrics; red, pink and brown. All pieces for the stars and flying geese are cut and ready to sew! 

It took me some days getting used to being without the sewing machine, but there are always other things to do. I have prepped a lot of Christmas items for my shop and enjoying cross-stitching again. 

First up; I finished the 'Bits of Blue' sampler! (Plum Pudding Needleart). I've had the pattern for years and started stitching it January 2023 while 'Dear Nina' had another spa appointment. Since then, I didn't touch it, until a couple of weeks ago. It's finished! Another UFO off the list! 

Stitched on 28ct Pearl Linen using #7037 Freedom from The Gentle Art, Simply Shaker Collection. 

I may do the pincushion, mini pillow and peg hanger later. I ran out of floss and more is on the way.

I have a soft spot for Little House Needleworks designs. 

I finished (almost) 'Snowflakes' (Second row, right). I ran out of Crescent Coulors 'Bamboo' and 'English Ivy'. According to Crescent Coulors chart, the 'Bamboo' can be substituted with DMC #822, but it won't be the same. 

It is originally stitched on 32ct Natural Raw Linen from Zweigart. I don't have the 32ct, instead I use 28ct. I'm not sure my eyes had liked the 32ct. 

Another cross stitch pattern I bought years ago, is 'Cinnamon Stick Santa XVIII', 'Wishing Thee Merriness', designed by Sandra Sullivan / Homespun Elegance.

I'm stitching it on 28ct Cashel Linen Zweigart, 'Vintage Beige'. Originally stitched on 28ct 'Sandstone'.

I ran out of floss for this one too. Just not enough to finish the letters. 

Next up is Cinnamon Stick Christmas XIX - 'Rejoice in Peace'. 

As you can see, it's almost done. Satin stitches are used on the tree and sheep. I did not like how the tree turned out with satin stitches. I ripped it and did cross stitches instead. The sheep is done the same way, I'm going to do cross stitches using Wisper. 

I have a couple of cute Christmas ornaments / mini pillows that are done too, but that will be for another post. 

Basket Blocks, Over the River and Cyclone Freddy

 Thank you everyone for your input on the basket blocks (previous post)! It really helps getting others opinion. 

I've been pondering what to do and in the end I decided to rip off the outer rectangles and replace them with Moda Marbles / neutrals.

This is how they looked like...

.... and how they look now. IMO, the rectangles were too busy. Now they actually look like baskets, don't they?! :)

A few more. The colors on the right one looks a bit washed out, brighter in real. 

This is my favorite so far. The colors are blue/greyish, really beautiful. Unfortunately I don't have more of the dark and light blue, they were part of a layer cake bought years ago. The dots fabric is part of some fat quarters I have left, may make something in blue and not include this one in the basket quilt. 

I'm still into PINK, but that will be for the Saturday post! 

I've totally forgotten to show progress on 'Over the River' stitchery

This is approximately half of the first section. 

My goal is to stitch a little bit each day, so far so good. Jocelyn over at Canadian Needle Nana is working on another gorgeous Crabapple Hill design; 'Snow Days'. Be sure to check it out here.  

Cyclone 'Freddy' paid a visit last weekend + Monday. It was a powerful cyclone with gusts ('eye'/center) at 225 km/h - 139.8 miles/h when it past North/Northwest of Mauritius late Monday afternoon. Fortunate it passed ('eye') about 140 km /  87 miles off the coast. We had gusts of 126 km/h - 78 miles/h, so it wasn't that bad. No damages to our property or in the area (we are about 50 km / 31 miles South from the Northern coast) High waves and storm surges mostly where the reef doesn't protect, and some huge trees down. Another cyclone is formed, but trajectory shows it heads South before it causes any danger to the Mascarene Islands.  
 

A Little Progress on This and That

 'Nina' returned home Monday! Nothing wrong, just a good cleaning. She's happy now, I can hear it!  A lot of dust accumulated of course, after the last service, about 5 years ago. (Shame on me for not doing it earlier! Have to improve on that!) 

While 'Nina' has been at the Spa, no sewing has been done of course since I don't have a spare machine. The last days I've made a couple of blue blocks, that will be for the Saturday RSC post. 

I enjoy working on 'Over the River...' stitchery. It took some stitches before I got into it again. I try to get in 2-3 hours each day; early mornings and evenings.

 No progress on 'Bits of Blue', see my previous post. 

I've gone through some of my fabrics, sorted on colors. I still have some to do. While doing that, can you believe I found two forgotten UFOs?! Two handbags, this time! (Photos later). 

Another UFO on the table for basting.

Update: Thread basting done last night.

I also thread basted the spring wall hanging (previous post)

HAPPY QUILTING! 

While waiting for 'Nina'....

 ...to return from the Spa....

The Scrappy Pineapple Quilt (UFO #3) is thread basted

Snowman Wall Hanging (UFO #18) is thread basted

I have another UFO (the NYB quilt) to be sandwiched. Two pieces of the backing fabric has to be pieced together

I borrowed MIL's vintage Singer. We are not sure how old the machine is, she bought it in 1956, the year she got married. Actually it was a gift from her late husband. 

We have tried all day trying to set the thread tension right. MIL came to rescue, but no way is it possible to get it right. I think next step is to change the needle to a lower number and adjust the bobbin a bit. 

Update: That didn't work either and my patience has expired! lol 

I have to wait for 'Nina' to return.

I have two FINISHED UFOs; 

'Winter Wonderland' (LHN) 

and

'Through the Woods' (LHN)

I struggled doing the French Knots on the snowmen. I don't know how many times I redid them, in the end they look OK enough. 

Yesterday I pulled out another stitchery. I think I bought the pattern in 2008 or 2009

Crabapple Hill Studio; Over the River and Through the Woods

At the end of 2010 I went to Norway and while there I bought fabrics in reds, browns and creams for the blocks. Take a look here, photos from the quilt shop in Oslo.

I don't know if I should call it a UFO since I've not done any preparation, except buying fabrics and embroidery floss?! But that is prep also, isn't it? Yes, I think it is a UFO! lol

This is why it has been stored in the closet all these years; tracing the pattern on to the fabric! I don't have a lightbox and I dreaded taping it all to the window for best light. Yesterday I decided to give it another try, and to my excitement I was able to trace it without taping it to the window! 

I'm using Moda Marbles - I think it is 'cream' - for the background. The fabric is thin enough to see the pattern underneath. I cut the pattern (it came in one big folded sheet) into each section, taped it to the top on the long buffet (in front of a window), then taped the fabric over and traced the pattern without any problem at all! YEAH! 

Next step is the iron on the stabilizer. I bought it in Norway too and I have no clue what it is called. It's loosely woven with glue on one side. 

I'm using overdyed floss from ThreadWorx for the stitchery; rustic brown cherry. Isn't that floss yummy?! 

This project is not done in a jiffy, it measures 51.5 x 57.5 inches / 131 x 146 cm. The goal is getting it done in time for Christmas. Let's see how that works out! 

We are in for rainy weather / possible cyclone (current status from JTWC: tropical cyclone, yet to be named) for the rest of the week. Perfect weather staying inside and stitch!

Stash shopping in Oslo

Bet you'll say; oh no, two posts in one day! :)) Today - finally - I have some time for blogging. You know how it is; visiting friends and all that doesn't leave much me-time - so that's why I do two posts in one day. Hope you don't mind?! :)

I was not supposed to buy anything during my stay here in Norway, but already I have excess luggage! Well, I'm exeggerating, of course I was supposed to do some shopping, but NOT stash shopping, because fabrics are very expensive here!

Those of you (Norwegians) who have visited Kathrine's Quiltestue surely know it is impossible to leave that shop without buying as much as a needle - ain't I right?? :)

Visiting Oslo - it is a "must" to visit this shop! 

Lovely, isn't it?!

Some of the fabrics...

I fell in love with the fabrics used in this quilt! Can you believe it; the fabrics were begging me to buy it - lol!

Here's what I bought;

I don't have any pattern in mind for these fabrics right now, but that shouldn't be too difficult!

I bought these fabrics too; 

These fabrics are for the Crabapple Hill pattern Over the River and through the woods. I don't remember when I bought the pattern, must be at least one year ago...

I don't know what to say.... If these kind of shops had been available in Mauritius, I'm afraid my wallet had been empty all the time! :))

More from the shop...

I stayed at my friend Elisabeth's (no blog) place in Oslo for some days when I visited Kathrine's Quiltestue.  I intended to do some more shopping that day, but with all the stash I bough it was too heavy to do more shopping! :)

I had a great time at Kathrine's Quiltestue. A big thank you to Kathrine (I think it was her) who helped me choose fabrics for the stitchery mentioned above!
I had a blast! :))