I know some are waiting and you probably won’t read this till tomorrow morning anyway.
Our May Dirty Dozen number is Five – 5. Find your project numbered 5 and get to work. I know how it is this time of year – yard work, gardens, flowers, graduations, and spring cleaning. Just keep your #5 project close by so you won’t forget about it. Maybe there will be a rainy afternoon when you can sew.
How many of you did punch needle embroidery? I’m thinking of starting again so I’d have some handwork to do in the porch. I have so many kits left from the quilt shop that surely there’s one I’d love to make.
I stopped to take pictures. Here are some projects in my house.
Reader photos
Next 4 photos from Pamela
Garner has so much road construction going on that after waiting for 17 minutes for the pilot car yesterday, I have sworn off going to town. And about 75 gravel trucks and dump semi trailers are racing by our house every day on our gravel road – as fast as they can go! Just imagine the dust from the gravel road?
The Fever lost another preseason game tonight.😕 I love basketball but next season I’m going to be a LV Raiders fan since they drafted Fernando Mendoza. Anyone else?
Does anyone have this pattern? I need a copy.
Guess that’s it – what’s going on at your house? What are you sewing?
Signed……
The blog about nothing
I love doing punch needle. It is easy to learn. In fact, Mary, Connie taught me at one of the quilt shows at Rosemont. I have done around 20 different projects. It is an easy craft to pick up and do, no counting. It is very clear here tonight. We have a freeze warning; I have covered my plants. I do have an Uncle Sam pattern, but it is the small version. I will send a copy if you would like it. Our road is blocked off. One hundred thirty new houses are going up at the edge of town. Progress?? Hope everyone has a good Saturday.
Diane -Yes, it’s the little one I need. I have the large one – oh, thank you for sending it. I’ll reimburse your postage, copy it and send it back.
That’s a lot of new houses!
There was a story on the morning shows that pinch needle is making a come back. Generation in their thirties is trying all the “grannie” hobbies. I try not to be offended ha!
Amy had some pinch needle kits, but I only kept her finished projects because I don’t need another craft- or so my husband says.
I’m sure I have the Uncle Sam, do you want me to send a pdf file or mail a paper copy?
Take care
Anita – I found another reader who has it and is sending it. Thank you! No, don’t be offended – we’re all in the same boat! How are those little girls?
My little granddaughters are so much fun! I spent the day with the four year old yesterday. We played games, did some crafts and watched movies. I’m hoping she will inherit my quilting hobby. I’m trying not to overwhelm her so starting small. My other granddaughter will be one at the end of this month! How has it been a year already?
Glad you found the pattern. Don’t forget, Amy had almost everyone and I kept them. So I can send you any you need!
Anita – that’s good to know! I’m so glad you kept them all – I’m missing others as well and will start a list.
Oh, how fun it. Just be to spend time with your little girls!! I’m jealous
Hi Carol, My husband had been praying for a snake to control the moles on our property and the next morning we see this snake slithering up our living room window! It’s on our wooden glider in the picture. I don’t know why the end looks like that but as long as it’s not poisonous I’m good. I asked him to be more specific in praying and ask only for non venomous please.🙏
Nanny in the picture is the cat mama of my girls, Penny and Lucy, 2 calico sisters from the spca. She’s not very friendly to other cats and is the spca office kitty, free to roam and hiss at will. She’s beautiful though. Where are you in Texas? We are in Longview.
Pamela – are you in the area of horrible weather? Rain, wind???
We had a lot of rain but the tornadoes the last few days have been west of us, west of Ft.Worth. It dropped our temperatures down to the 50s but back up to 70s and 80s now.
Pamela – what we see on tv looks devastating! Glad you’re not included.
Oh, it’s not about eggs, I think that it’s about unfinished PROJECTS? I’m not knowing about this topic but all of my projects are ONGOING, not unfinished! Thanks for well-photographed and captured photos – unlucky racoon, slinky snake and with beautifully twisty length. I’ve had it with punchneedle – kinda boring to do, I thought. Going back to the piles of sticks (hope your arm is healed) : I was in wonder at the long line of piles going back along your area and creating a sort of fence to let the snow drift across. So interesting and good. Ideas new to me. Snow here (diminishing each Winter now). Enough, have a good weekend!
The raccoon is the 3rd one captured and relocated near a pond. They kept attacking our camera birdfeeder and in this photo it had torn up my grow bag too close to the cage.
I love your punch needle projects but I can not and will not start another project. Cross stitch, embroidery,knitting and sewing is plenty enough. Been doing a lot of gardening, I’m going to try and grow a blueberry bush, we’ll see how that goes.
Love all the quilts. Have a great day.
Deb – oh, how I understand! That’s exactly why I won’t get into cross stitch – Connie loves it! I think she’s a traitor – ha!
Love all the quilts and punch needle, especially the pumpkin. Those scissors in front of the pumpkin look really long—are they a specialty type? We saw our first oriole yesterday and 15 minutes later, our first hummingbird! The finches have been eating the grape jelly, too—something new this year.
Don’t really know about the scissors but I have collected so many! Maybe I should show them?
Yes, I think it would be interesting to see your scissor collection!
Karla T. , what is the name of the star quilt? It looks so simple and easy to make .
Hi Barbara! Thank you for your interest. You know, I don’t know the name or if there’s an official pattern or not for the blue star, but I just drafted a graph paper drawing from a Pinterest photo. I just used 5″ squares and 2.5″ squares for “flippy corners” … Easy peasy 😉
I am back from retreat and so far have not sewed anything! I had a monster quilt I was working on while there and it about did me in but I got it done. I have never done punch needle. Your project reminds me of Hazel! I do lots of other types of handwork but I think I am spread thin with too many project started.
I am off to the city for food. My fridge is empty. Guess I should clean it before I bring in more. Ha
I learned how to punch needle at Country Threads in the late ’90s. I’ve punched many patterns from Country Threads and the Old Tattered Flag (has primitive patterns). I chose punch needle over cross stitch because it’s more primitive and goes well with all my antiques.
I’m scared to death of snakes and raccoons – both of which we have here on our wooded acreage. When we got home last Sunday afternoon there was a raccoon sitting by the door to the quilting lodge!!!! i almost passed out, Obviously it was sick to be out in the middle of the day,
I’m sad Fever lost their game last night but they did win their first game against Liberty. I won’t be able to watch the next game because it’s not on a channel I get, Happy May Day.
My daughter came and spent the day recently and we finished making a graduation quilt for my granddaughter with 30 t shirts. We had such a fun day! I will take it to the quilter on Monday and have my binding ready to go. So excited to give it to her on graduation day. I will send a photo when it is all done.
We had frost warnings but it didn’t freeze this morning. I need graduation cards so I’ve been working on that.
I agree, you can complain about all the dust to the gravel company……and they should put down something!
How is Hanks mom doing? Should we send her a card??
Love doing punch needles. I’ve made several that I have framed or glued on baskets. I’m on the hunt for a new pattern now. I don’t see punch needle patterns or kits many places. I’m working on a mindless quilt pattern now, something that doesn’t need much focus. Trying to get outdoors whenever I can. Thought I had the mini Uncle Sam, but no luck finding it in my search this morning.
Mary I thought of you yesterday as I was pulling maple tree seedlings out of a flower bed. They came out so easily due to the rain showers we keep having. I saw my first maple whirligig on the ground so those will soon be falling like crazy. I like the few sturdy maple trees we have in our yard as the ash trees in our neighbors forest are all laying down and he’s got a cleanup ahead of him.
I have not tried punch needle but, like others, it’s on my list of things to learn. I have a Country Threads pattern that I’ll have to dig out. I never knew that Country Threads did so many punch needle patterns. They look like miniature hooked rugs. Guess I’ll give it a go. Thanks for the inspiration.
Frost again this morning and predicted for the coming week. Temps in the 40’s for a high all week. Where’s that spring weather?
Happy May 1! Anyone remember making May baskets as a child?? Karla T. – love the snowflake quilt- I’m a winter gal and live all things snowy.
Never did punch needle but you have a great vari we ry to choose from- i really like the dog ones 🐾🐶
I’m working on a small flag quilt for the 250th U.S.A. bday – need to get the lead out and get going 🤣
Punch needle is on my “learn to do” list. I have the supplies but not the time right now. About the trucks on the road, you need to contact the county or state (depending on the type of road) and complain. They can be out there watering it down. Are there other residents along the road? The more people that complain, the better.
They could put down the soybean oil to calm that dust down! I have two Bluebird nests so far out at Camden State Park! So exciting! A nd I met a photographer who got a fantastic photo of one pair on top of their nestbox as well! The Tree Swallows are checking out trail nestboxes as well. Going to Lac Qui Parle today to check the trails there and do some other volunteering there as well! One more week of ‘Gold College’ at SMSU, then I am back to my own life and whatever I like. Be well!
Our county offers a solution that gets put down in front of our place to keep the dust down but if they put it down now when all the semis using our road, it will be all used up before summer. And we will have to pay for it again! A no win for us.
Yes to the Raiders and Mendoza!!!! I hope they have a wonderful season. I’ll still cheer for the Chiefs and Mahomes and the Cowboys, who always seem to let us down. I’m a Texan……though the Texans don’t get me to follow them for some reason. But I am so hoping Mendoza is great. Just seeing him brings me joy.
Mary, that rat snake has a strange end of its tail!!!! It looks like it got caught in the wringer! Is that normal? And where was it that she got a photo of it? I hope that precious cat finds a good home. I have too many now to adopt another!
Did you read Pamela’s comment about the rat snake?
I think Mendoza is such a wonderful young man that who would not cheer for him? His family is so supportive and did you notice that since his mom couldn’t stand up and cheer, his dad remained sitting beside her? Outstanding!