The Making Of A Quaker Ball...

            ~ Quaker Ball ~              

I've never made a Quaker Ball before.

So when I learned the Lehigh Valley Embroidery

Guild was doing a year long project on making one,

I was committed.

Once all 26 blocks were stitched and outlined,

we were to begin assembly in February/March.

I've never been one to sit and wait.

I'm rather a 'jump in and make it happen' 
type of person.

Surely putting together a Quaker Ball

couldn't be that hard ! Right ?

I was on a mission...

With no finishing directions...

here we go...

All the blocks had to be cut out...

now this was hard...who can 'really' cut into a

large and very expensive hand dyed piece of linen,

without second thoughts ??

whew, a sigh of relief...all done.

I needed a large, flat, hard surface

that was completely portable,

to arrange my blocks in the formation

I wanted.  I used a lid from a large 

plastic bin.

I remembered hearing someone say

the borders would be used to connect the pieces.

So this is where I started.

Slowly adding onto one of the main blocks.

Easy so far.

This is roughly one half of the ball...

Now I have two halves before me.  

So far, it all makes sense.

But...see all those squares to the left ?

This might be where just a tad of panic set in...

where do they all fit into this plan ??

Somehow pinning and repinning,

showed me where the 'missing' pieces fit.

This picture is the underside of the ball

as I was stitching the pieces together.

Even as I was stitching it,

I wasn't sure until the very end,

if it was all going to fit together !

It's much larger than I expected,

and I absolutely L.O.V.E. it !

SO MAYBE...

So maybe it would have been easier for me

to wait until February and work together

as a group to finish the Quaker Ball.

So maybe it would have been less stressful 
if I would have had some directions...

but, not nearly as fun !

~  ~  ~

And, this arrived in the mail today...

swoon...

I love seeing gorgeous wool stacked high 

on my work table !

Happy Friday to you...

Rose

Quaker Ball...

I spent most of my weekend stitching away

on the last few designs of the Quaker Ball.

Only one more design to go and then

I can begin assembly.

Frigid cold here in Pennsylvania,

but warm inside my nest of

threads and wool...

Have a wonderful start to your week !

Rose

Quaker Ball...

I'm coming to the end of a year long project.

26 small designs...

I still have just a few of the larger designs 

to complete, but really need to press on,

so that I can start the assembly.

Because we were able to choose the designs 

and colorways we wanted to use,

I've done my fair share of ripping out

and starting over again. 

Like - Cinnamon letters, that didn't quite 

look right to me...

to more of a charcoal for the letters.

The designs are stitched on one piece of hand dyed

28ct. linen.  Each design will have a border stitched

around the motif.  I think the border will be used to 

bring each of the 26 pieces together to form a ball...

but not completely sure yet.

This has been a quick stitch, 

but I've had to keep up with it,

in order to get all 26 designs completed 

in time for assembly.

Enjoy the day before you...

Rose

Quaker Ball Designs And Fresh Corn Chowder...

Simple, little cross stitch designs...
on hand dyed linen.

A total of 26 designs...

on one cut of cloth.

 I've completed 15 of them so far...

over halfway done.

I'm looking forward to learning how to piece 

all of these designs together to form a ball.

My #3 Daughter is a Wedding Florist...

we always have gorgeous flowers around us.

This shipment contained dozens 

of happy, smiling Sunflowers !

A few weeks ago, several hundred 

snow white Hydrangea filled our garage...

they were for a very large wedding.

(Sorry, no pic :/  But, I will say 

they were huge and beauteous !)

This recipe has become a family favorite...

FRESH CORN CHOWDER

Ingredients:

6 ears corn, husked with silk removed

2 large potatoes, washed and chopped

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1/2 bell pepper, cored and chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced (or can use garlic powder)

1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2/3 cup milk

4 cups water, divided

• Cook corn in a large pot of boiling water for 5-8 minutes.  Remove from water and allow to cool enough to handle.  With a knife, remove corn kernels from all ears of cooked corn.  Set aside.
• Discard the water you used for boiling the corn - use this large pot to saute your vegetables in.  Add all vegetables, except corn and potatoes, in large pot and add seasonings. Saute, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.
• Add to pot - 3 cups water and potatoes.  Cook until potato has softened, about 10-20 minutes.
• Add milk, remaining water (1 cup) and corn kernels.

Yield: 4-6 nice size bowls

Enjoy !

Have yourself a splendid, sunny day...

Rose

'Always Blooming' Pintuck Punch Needle Design...

'Always Blooming' punch needle design. 

I am delighted to have my
pintuck punch needle design, 

with 3 sweet blooming pins,

included in 
Punch Needle & Primitive Stitcher magazine.

A beautiful magazine that is filled to the brim

with patterns for punching, hooking and stitching !

The morning sunlight on a vase of purple flowers...

loving those purple shades...

More of that same purple in counted cross stitch.

This motif is one of 26 that I am working

on for my Quaker Ball project.  A year long project

that when complete will be hand pieced to form a ball.

~  ~  ~  ~

"Live a Quiet Life

and 

Work with Your

Hands"

                                            Found on Pinterest

~  ~  ~  ~

Look for the beauty in every day...

Rose

For Such A Time As This...

I have begun stitching the small squares

for the Quaker Ball.  I'm using a dark cinnamon

floss.  12 different designs...

I purchased a piece of hand dyed 28 count linen.

24in. x 30in.

I needed to make sure I could fit all 26 pieces of 

the Quaker Ball onto the cut of linen.

It worked, with a tiny bit to spare.

I'll save any leftover for another project.

Now for the hard part...

A cut of hand dyed linen, this size, is expensive.

But, I had to trace the different sized squares onto 

the linen.  It just didn't feel right to do this, but

the drawn lines will be used for cutting.

All of the small blocks will be in this dark cinnamon.

I've never made this sort of project before,

but I am thinking - if the small blocks are all the same,

it will unify the project...we will see.

These designs are quick and enjoyable 

to stitch up, in the evening with a cup of tea.

I am still sorting through colors...

I am thinking these values will work...

not sure until I see it start to come together.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

For such a time as this...

My Granddaughter and I

I positively have been waiting my whole life 

for this very moment !

My Granddaughter just turned 5 years old.

Time to pass on the fine art of hand sewing...

(this will be a work in progress)

~~ Be still, my heart. ~~

I've gathered floss, just for her.

She could hardly wait...

Proud little girl,

even prouder Grammy !

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Be still enough to see something beautiful

in each day.

Rose