Goldwork progress on Flora's block

I've been stealing stitching time in the car and while waiting for appts. etc.  It's amazing what 15-20 minutes here and there adds up to...  I carry a cheap folding TV tray in my car trunk so I can bead anywhere...

I'm using beads, braid, and cording so far...  I plan to do a gold and black stumpwork bee where the little X is.

And the farm report is that all the snow is gone except behind the barn and it was beautiful today but down to 16 degrees tonite.  This gorgeous sunset was the view from my kitchen window last night..

And this morning one of my many hawks was using my gatepost for a lookout..  This is a sharp-shinned hawk who are wizards at skimming in among the trees and live mostly on gophers and field mice. We have mainly the sharp-shinned, the red tail and the Cooper's hawk.  They are territorial and are here year round.

A conundrum? Flora's block

Have you ever discovered you have been doing something forever and not sure why? This was the case when Flora's block arrived.  It seems that all 6" blocks arrive with a 6" image area and at least a 1" seam allowance....which makes it actually an 8" block...  Has this been just assumed or has it actually been been defined?  Flora's block is just a tad over 6" to begin with..

So when I turn it over to put my design on it and factor in a seam allowance, the actual image area has shrunk to about 4 1/2". Since Flora is a relatively new member, I'm wondering if there has ever been specifications written about the size of the image area on the 6" block and maybe there has and I've been doing it wrong...  A problem for Kerry to solve. 

It is easy to solve for Flora's block by reducing the size of my design but still something that should be addressed...  The design then was basted through to the front.  I ALWAYS baste in the seam allowance line to ensure that no beading or anything of any weight strays unintentionally into the seam allowance area.

When I am going to do a LOT of satin stitching I put these blocks on a small hoop. And I do mean a small hoop... I can handle up to about 6" but any hoop larger than that is too difficult with my bad arm.  But the edge has a little fraying and I'm nervous about stretching it. So I mount it on a piece of cotton sheeting... I just lay the block on an entire square and sew a double line around the block.

Then I turn it over and cut away the sheeting over the design area leaving a good allowance along the edge.  When I finish the block I will remove the sheeting before I send it along.

I'm sending out Kerry's block to Arlene in Australia today and I scanned it instead of photographing it and it does make a difference... The gold color shows much better and the color of the flower is true.  She asked for "antique" or "aged" soft color.  I basted around the image area which is actually 6" and there was a generous 1" seam allowance.

I used the same technique as above.  I attaching it to sheeting so it would fit into a small hoop and then cut away the sheeting when it was finished...

March CQJP progress

I have a good start on this block and wanted to get Miss Carole's cloud and halo finished before I took a break but since Flora's blocks arrived today I will get right at them... I love to keep RRs moving.

But Morris's "bad dog" house is finished with it's rainbow garden and rainbow shingles...

I'm still working on upper right seam but the one upper left is done..

And speaking of himself.....

Occasionally (well quite often) DH will lean back on the couch for a little nap after dinner... Morris considers that his signal to position himself on DH's shoulder and "tuck" in for a little nap also...

March CQJP

Well it is almost March and I'm gathering materials for my CQJP about Morris... On this fabric page Morris is in big trouble as he has been REALLY bad...

He doesn't think he will ever be in my good graces again and I wasn't sure he would be either

But luckily for Morris he had a very special guardian angel.... and like all good guardian angels she has a cloud with a silver lining... Check back as this block develops.

It's all small stuff!!!

I'm packing Janet's blocks to go off to Maire next in Florida... I got a picture in a different light which captures the opulence of the gold braids better than the last photo.

When I had just finished this I was so frustrated with the cording which kept shifting... But now that it has been sitting a week I hardly notice it. And I do like the cardinal..

I have a little book entitled "Don't sweat the small stuff....and it's all small stuff."