Minnesota weather has been absolutely perfect lately–temperatures in the upper 70s, no humidity, no wind and….
Too early for BUGS!
These are the days when I LOVE Minnesota!
The only downside….I don’t get much time in my sewing room…
My daughter, Olivia recommended the new Lunch Hour series by Martingale!
Olivia-an embroidery newbie-stitched the adorable hedgehog from Lunch-Hour Embroidery in less than an hour!
(That’s technically two lunches–she’s a nurse at Mayo…)
DESIGN OPTIONS
The book is arranged alphabetically–with several adorable options for each letter of the alphabet.
Olivia plans to stitch all of her nephews’ initials and then use them in a pillow or small quilt design…
I’m thinking….
A nine patch quilt block…
Or sash the blocks…to make an alphabet quilt?
What do YOU think?
MORE LUNCH HOUR PROJECTS
The Martingale Series includes:
Lunch Hour Wool Minis (easy, portable wool projects)
Lunch Hour Patchwork (quick and easy sewing machine projects)
SUMMER SEWING
What about YOU?
Do YOU enjoy hand embroidery?
Do YOU have a summer porch project or a little sewing for your beach bag?
We’d LOVE to hear!
May YOUR days be sunny,
(and bug-free)
Apollo(ri)
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!
PPS…This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase anything–at no additional cost to you—I may receive a little “pin-money”. Thank you for supporting The Inbox Jaunt this way!
11 comments
Jo-Anne
I love embroidery. I too learned it (from my Granny) at age 5. When I was 7, I did a set of tea towels for my mom while she was in hospital having my sister. I realized at one point that I had actually sewn the towel to my finger – I was so annoyed, not because it hurt, but because I had to pull out a whole lot of embroidery to free my finger. I’ve not done that again. Not to say I haven’t made other mistakes…….. I think an alphabet quilt would be awesome!
Maureen B. in B.C.
Aaahhh yes, the good weather has come at last to Canada’s west coast. We had our first dinner on the deck last Sunday, and of course along came the first wasp of the year, and the first of the flying carpenter ants. The bitey bugs also made their presence known … on my juicy, meatless ankles. I’m still slathering on After Bite and occasionally cortisone to combat the itch. The most annoying part is that my dear husband, having had a blood disorder in his teens, is left totally alone by said same bugs, which I think makes me look even more tasty to them. GRRR!
Years ago I made some animal-shaped tea cozies (a rabbit and a chicken) that had little bits of embroidery on them. Nothing major. I’m thinking of reprising them and making a bunch to donate to our guild. Like Lorraine’s above, our guild donates placemats to meals on wheels and a few other seniors entities. A couple of years ago I convinced the guild to donate tea cozies on a trial basis, as something else the guild members could make of their fabric scraps, and I created a template for them to use, with three different methods of putting them together, depending on time, abilities, and interest. They’ve been well received, so I’ve been thinking of other types that could make it more interesting and fun. I’ll have to try the chickens and rabbits over the summer and see how they do. They have to be quick to put together, but fun to do a bit of hand sewing on. Car travel projects. Now I just have to pick a destination … perhaps Whisler, or Tofino.
Suzanne G
Handwork gives me finger cramps and I have no patience for it anyway. Sewing and quilting are my thing. But I have a very good friend who LOVES doing handwork so sometimes I do a little sewing for her and she does a little embroidery for me. It works out very well.
Now that the weather is improving here in PA, I like to take my first coffee of the day out on the front porch and enjoy the fresh cool air. My wooden bench seat has gotten a little old and scratchy so I’m going to get some pretty outdoor fabric and make some nice comfy cushions for it.
We’ve already got bugs (gnats, mosquitos and stink bugs) but they’re not too active in the early hours, thank heaven. I can’t stand bugs!! or humidity, or hot summer days – ick. I was born in February and I think that’s why I love cool and cold weather – I’m a nut who actually enjoys winter.
Why can’t we have moderate snow (no blizzards) from November through January, 60’s and sunshine February through May. 70’s and breezes through August, then refreshing, sunny, slightly nippy days in September and October?
I don’t want TOO much do I?!!! Silly me, I think I’ll just go on thanking God for every day He gives us, hot, cold or whatever. Each one is a blessing.
So what types of annoying bugs do you get in Minnesota Lori? Are your summers long & hot with high humidity as we have in PA? Sometimes the summers here keep going into October. Phew! I’m really happy when autumn finally kicks in. I always thought Minnesota would be a cooler clime and a very nice place to live.
Sandi
Thanks for the reminder. Now I just need to find the bag that my embroidery is in. Again thanks. Sandi in Bay Area California
Pam P
I do enjoy hand embroidery, but seldom do it. However, I’m currently working on one from This and That designs. Very relaxing.
Linda Velin
I enjoy any hand stitching. It is relaxing. Of course collecting all the pretty floss is fun too!
Lorraine Doyno Evans
Our quilt guild donates placemats to be delivered along with a Meals on Wheels dinner. So I thought I would take an hour and “whip off” a quick strip quilt as you go placemat. Well, apparently I made a more complex design with strips going straight across but then other strips on the other half diagonally placed. It looks nice but took about three hours from selecting scraps, backing and measuring and cutting. Enveloping still needs to be done. Not very quick, LOL. Next time a simple diagonal with thicker strips! Better yet a whole cloth placemat with one of Lori’s motifs! It always takes longer than you think.
Martha
My mom’s embroidery is exquisite, but I don’t do it. Instead I have a needle-turn applique project that travels with me. I get a lot of stitching done while riding in a car.
Mary B
My mother started teaching me hand embroidery when I was 5. I still have the first piece I embroidered. It was a cute little duck. I’m thinking of making it into a wall hanging…just for fun.
Kathleen
I am big into wool Appliqué, so relaxing, no turning under the edges!
Linda Rife
I’m a huge fan of hand embroidery, especially when it’s combined with wool applique. The little hedgehog is so cute. I’ll definitely check it out!
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