I have Block 2 in the free Keys to Contentment wall quilt for you today. As always, it is a super-practical bit of advice from the Bible:
Do not let the sun set while you are still angry.
I know a family where one day many years ago, something was said in a ‘throwaway’ comment and the daughter took offence. She let the sun set while she will still angry, and now years later, she still has not spoken to nor visited her parents ever again. Her children never see their grandparents. How sad this situation is. It could have been talked about, apologised and forgiven and the relationship restored immediately. If only she had taken this practical advice from the Word of God and not let the sun set on her anger.
I love the cute little keys that I was able to find to sew onto these blocks:
You can download the pattern here.
A sweet blog friend contacted me about the stem-stitching on the wording of these blocks. Some of the letters have fairly tight curves and just using one thread means that the stitches cave in a bit. The first solution is
Feel free to change to backstitch!
The second is to take very tiny stitches around the curves.
The third is to couch the stitches down as you go around the tight corners.
I hope that helps if you are finding that particular stitching a bit difficult.
I am happy to say that I now have my sewing machine back ... and working properly! The technician admitted he hadn't plugged something back in properly!
While I waited for Bernice Bernina to come home, I added a few more of my patterns to my Craftsy store:
Annie's Choice is one of my favourite quilt blocks and I love it in yellow and black:
You can find the pattern for Annie's Favourite bag here.
Coral's gift Bedrunner and Cushion is a very special project to me. My dear friend, Coral, gave me lots of her beautiful quilting fabrics when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Sadly, yet happily, Coral went home to be with Jesus whom she loved, just yesterday.
Coral's Gift Bedrunner and Cushion pattern available here.
Then there's Needle in a Haystack Satchel. I'm very fond of this whimsical design:
Satchel pattern available here.
You might remember in my last blog post my trial-run making Plum Jam in the Breadmaker. Well, this week it was time to try making marmalade. What a difference to a couple of hours watching and stirring it on the stove. Ingredients in, press the jam button, and:
The flavour is amazing and I am now totally hooked and can't imagine making jam the old way ever again!
I think I did reasonably well surviving without my machine, (I'm seriously thinking of buying a 'basic' to tide me over in the future) but I will be very glad to play catch-up now with all the bits and pieces waiting for me!
Happy stitching,
Val
8 comments:
Hello Val, glad your sewing machine is back with you and working!! Thanks for Block no. 2, I have actually started with Block 1 and have stitched the Wise Words out in a Cottage Garden thread Larkspur. Will do the flowers out in matching colours (not variegated)
So sorry to hear about your friend's death, but obviously she trusted in Jesus
Have you ever made jam in the microwave oven? I have made strawberry jam when strawberries
have been very cheap - YUMMO!!!
Maryanne
Thankyou so much for 2nd block. I am really enjoying stitching these in Cottage Garden threads. I have put the first one on my blog and had a few nice comments about your design which they can link to via your button on my side bar. I looove marmalade but only the one my dad makes which is nice and bitter. Alas, I can no longer have sugar but have found a Frenh marmalade spread that is natural and has no sugar or artificial sweeteners in it. Yum. Great to hear you have your sewing machine back.
Bom dia minha amiga querida!
Desejo um domingo bem feliz para você e sua família!
Ando meio parada com as costurinhas e em vista de mudança, mas espero logo recomeçar e aproveitar seus ricos ensinamentos! bjs
Regina
Hi, Val! I've just taken the most delightful 'scroll' through your latest posts to catch up and have thoroughly enjoyed myself. You have made some amazing things, both on and off your machine. I am a 'busy' person, but I don't accomplish half of what you do! Have a great day!
Uh oh! I haven't finished my first block yet. I plan to get it done today, and then I can move on to #2. I don't like doing stem stitch, so I'm just using back stitch on mine. Glad to hear Bernice is home! I know a lot of people have back-up machines, as it's quite traumatic when our baby has to go to the shop.
I've never heard of making jam in a bread machine before. What a terrific idea!
Happy stitching,
Susan in Texas
How sad of the man not to service it properly!
Month 2 is lovely :) I have finished block one and your tips for the stem stitch have worked a treat, thank you so much for taking the time :)
Such a great idea making jam in your bread maker, great that the marmalade worked well too :)
Thank you for blogging about making jam in your bread machine. Checked, and yes, our machine has a jam setting, so we made great strawberry jam using frozen strawberries. It's yummy!
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