Slow Stitching Progress. My "Go-To" Book for Crochet Borders!

Hello There, Everybody!
Thank you for stopping by!  Here in New Mexico, we're still enjoying temperatures in the high 80's!  Definitely a change for us, but my family is definitely enjoying our bumper crops of grape tomatoes!  

I'm so glad you're here today!

Slow Stitching
I'm staying caught up with Carole's Sunday Stitch Along Autumn Jubilee Wool Appique.  I blogged about it here and here.  Here is my progress thus far:

All the leaves and veins are sewn on.  I've opted out of sewing on the button embellishments.  The last step will be to iron on some interfacing to lock in the embroidery stitches and add the backing.  I'm pretty sure I should have a finished mat this week!  Yea!  Thank you, Carole, for such a fun Stitch Along!  

I've also finished some more circles for this afghan:

 This afghan is for Baby M2.  I've shared this border before.  The border for Baby M2's afghan should have 42 yellow, blue, yellow and green circles.  I've crocheted all the blue circles and 1/2 of the yellow ones.  

Agan, here is the my go to book for crocheted borders.  

For some reason I am in love with dots lately!  I'm making a dot quilt as well as this dot afghan!

By the way, I'd appreciate if you follow me on Pinterest or on Instagram @miaismine22!

Have a great evening, everybody!  Take good care!

I'm linking up to Kathleen's Sharing Sundays and Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching. Hopefully you'll have a chance to check them out and perhaps link up your own projects!  

Blessings to all!

Dear Friend, 
this is my truth!

Philippians 1:22. Wooly Progress.

Philippians 1:22

SCRIPTURE:

OBSERVATION: 

We have to remember; he is trying to make peace with a death sentence and being with Christ or living and serving Christ.

Eeesh!

I’m also struck by his last question:

What shall I choose?

I can only guess that Paul is so confident that Jesus listens and answers his prayers, that he is deciding what to pray for.

APPLICATION:

In such a time as that, I usually simply pray for God’s will in my life.  I rarely ever make a choice.

But, is that the way to go? 

Is God calling me to make choices,

To search my heart for what I really want,

Then share it with my Abba Father?

Am I taking the easy way out

By simply saying,

“Your will be done,”

BEFORE

even searching my own heart?

I imagine I may frustrate Him.

Sort of like when my husband asks

where I would like to go out and eat

and I say, “Anywhere is fine.”

Hello!

He’s asking me for a reason.

And so is God.

What are your thoughts on this? 

Obviously Paul saw his choices and

put deep thought into them.

What are your thoughts?

Shouldn’t we do the same?

Shouldn’t we verbalize the desires of our hearts and share them with God?

He knows them anyway.

And once we share our heart’s desires with our Abba Father,

we can make peace with His will

because we trust Him.

I must stop now…it’s time.

However, my dear reader,

I will ponder this

and humbly share more of my heart

on this topic next time. 

PRAYER

Oh Father,

Thank You for this study!  I am stretching.  Sometimes I feel

like these are such baby steps,

but I know that I know that

You are guiding me.

Forgive me for the times I took the easy way out and simply said,

“Take me anywhere Your will desires.” 

I understand that

You want me to explore my heart

and share my discoveries with You! 

Then I will bend my will to Your’s,

and walk trusting You.

Amen.

Wooly Progress

Let me tell you, today was a laundry day - 
washing,
drying,
ironing!

I only had about an hour to work on my mat.  However a lot got done.  I finished sewing on all but two leaves as well as adding the veins!  Hopefully tomorrow I can play a bit more with my wooly project and join Carole in finishing it up on Sunday.

I had fun experimenting with different sized stitches.  This is a fun little project and so pretty!  Thank you, Carole!

Dear Friend, this is my truth!

I'm linking up to Can I Get a Whoop!Whoop! at Confessions of a Fabric Addict!  

Philippians 1:21 - The Rest of The Story. Quilty News

Philippians 1:21

SCRIPTURE: 

OBSERVATION:

This is pretty clear, right? 

Paul is saying that if he survives his trial,

and the death penalty is not issued,

then, he will continue living

SERVING Christ.

But, on the other hand,

if he faces the death,

he is confident he will gain –

meaning

he will BE WITH Christ.

APPLICATION:

I have to really look at this Scripture and it’s application to my life and where I am now.

http://www.jarofquotes.com/
view.php?id=for-to-me-to-
live-is-christ-and-to-
die-is-gain

Soon,

I will be hopefully celebrating my one year anniversary of surviving Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

I say hopefully, because tomorrow is not promised.

It’s all in God’s hands.

Not all survivors get to celebrate good news.

Metastasis does occur.

And has occurred 

in others I know. 

My dear fellow Cancer Survivors,

You know that we live this with this knowledge every day.  

And it changes us. 

http://justinr582.tumblr.com/
post/36504492874

In my situation,

I live life

deeper and lighter at the same time.

When friends I’ve made along this journey experience a metastasis,

I’m sad.

And then, God gives us Philippians 1:21

And I’m better.

Because

To die is gain.

I finally get it.

But it’s so very difficult to accept. 

Because metastasis happens.

And it stinks.

Let’s remember that

we have a hope in Christ.

An eternal peace.

A knowledge that He will comfort

our loved ones, our caregivers, our friends

with a peace that passes all understanding.

http://hdfreewallpaper.net/quotes-on-life-
hd-backgrounds-wallpapers-free/
meaningful-prayer-to-god-nice
-wallpaper-free-hd-for-desktop/

Because sometimes we have to

Just

Stand

On

Our

Knees.

Honestly,

I know it seems that I’m writing in riddles today. 

I have to because

I can’t share another’s private story.

But I can share Paul’s example when he faced death,

I can stand on my knees for my family, friends, and loved ones,

I can pray.

So, on November 13, I will celebrate all the same.

Are you facing a seemingly hopeless situation tonight/this morning?

You are powerful.

You have God.

You can pray.

PRAYER

Father God,

You know my heart and the hearts of the people reading this post.  You know who I am writing about.  I ask that You bring strength, faith, peace, love, unity and hope to every situation that every reader and I are facing.  Infuse us with all these and more! 

Thank you!

Amen.

Dear Friends,

These perhaps unclear, rambling words are my truth.  Be Blessed.

Quilty News

I made significant progress on Carole's Sew Along from From My Carolina Home!  

I'm so used to using the blanket stitch, that I'm rusty on the whip stitch, but it still looks pretty good!  

Maybe tomorrow I'll finish it up and be ready for her next installment next Sunday.  I'm foregoing the button step simple because I don't have matching buttons.  

I'm linking up to Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation and WIPs Be Gone at A Quilter's Reader Garden!

Philippians 1:21. OMG Done! Wooly Sew Along!

Philippians 1:21.
SCRIPTURE:
 
OBSERVATION:
My dear friends, 
it's late,
I'm tired and not thinking clearly.
I wrote about this verse, 
but need to work on it more.
So, I will simply share it with you tonight/this morning.

Know, however,
you are loved!

OMG Done!
I finished my October 2016 OMG!  Yea!  And I'm even remembering to and link it!  Yea!  Here are my twelve squares for the Covered in Love!

 My daughter made eight squares of her own to donate as well!  They will be mailed off this week!  

Wooly Sew Along!

A while ago I commented on Carole's From My Carolina Home Wool Penny Rug.  She was starting a three week Sew Along which looks like so much fun!  

I mentioned that I had a bit of wool I was loathe to cut into, and she kindly invited me to join her Sew Along.  :)  After much contemplation (all of 30 seconds!), I decided to join in! Thank you, Carole, for your encouragement to join in!

  Here's the leaves all cut and placed on my mat.  I went with what colors I had on hand.  So pretty, right?

Here are the threads I had on hand.  They seem to match pretty well!  I didn't have dark brown, so I'm using a dark brown embroidery floss.  

This is all very exciting!

I'm linking up to Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication and Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts, and of course One Monthly Goal (OMG) at Red Letter Quilts!

Philippians 1:20c. To Do Tuesday!

Philippians 1:20 (Part 3)

SCRIPTURE

So now, my dear friends, we look at the last part of v. 20:

…so that now as always

Christ will be exalted

in my body,

whether by life

or by death

                                Philippians 1:20c

OBSERVATION

Paul knows he is facing a possible death. 

Yet what he prays for is

courage

so that,

live or die,

Christ will be exalted in his body.

If he lives, I imagine

he knows he faces more persecution.

If he dies, I imagine

he knows it will be a painful death.

His ONLY wish is that

either way

Christ will be exalted.

APPLICATION

Events have occurred tonight,

that have increased my understanding

of Paul’s situation even more. 

http://adashofinspiration.tumblr.com/
post/63105357774

Consequently,

I am amazed at Paul’s

faith,

strength,

determination

and

wisdom.

PRAYER

Oh, LORD, thank You for Your provision and comfort.  Thank You that all things work together for the good of those who love You.

Even as many tonight are walking in the valley of the shadow of death, thank You that they don’t walk alone, but with You.

Thank You for Paul’s example of faith and courage in the face of extreme adversity and possible death. 

LORD,

Please comfort

those who mourn,

those who grieve,

those who are grappling with the unthinkable!

Please let us celebrate

each day

each victory

each good report

with Your joy – after all

it is Your joy

that is our strength.

Help us all to recognize and embrace

the magical moments

of everyday life

with appreciation. 

Amen. 

To Do Tuesday
Last week's list was ambitious, I realize that.  I guess it's the teacher in me - always overplan!  :)

10/18-10/25

Hand Sewing

X Finish potato chip bags (4)

Cut fabric

This one goes on next week's list!

Quilting

:) Bind pot holders

Done!

The two original potholders were too thick and the binding one was terrible.  So, I left one as a trivet.  I cut the binding off the other and ended up with two potholders.  I simply cut extra backing fabric (Moda Solids) and used that as a sort of self binding.  Not sure what you call that method!  

Thank you for your awesome encouragement and suggestions!  :)

Christmas Sewing:

:)  Cut fabric; begin sewing triangles (42 blocks minimum) made and pressed 72 - well above my goal of 24!

Regular Sewing

:)  Table cloth

Crochet 

X Baby M2’s afghan crochet 21 yellow dots

This one goes on next week's list as well!  

BOM’s & QAL’s 

:) 750 – Drunkard’s Path (orange)

X 1031 – Block 6

:) Quilty 365: Catch up on picking fabrics

How did you do on your goals?  :)

Here's next week's list!

10/25-11/01

Hand Sewing

Wool jubilee leaves - finish week one

This is from a Sew Along by Carole over at From My Carolina Home!  We'll be making a Penny Rug over the next three weeks!  Perhaps you would like to join as well?  Here's the info page!

I had shared that I struggled to cut into my precious wool stash and she invited me to join her Sew Along to finally make that first cut!
Thank you, Carole!

Quilting

Sew buttons on Advent tree

Christmas Sewing:

Decide on layout for triangle quilt

Regular Sewing

Grey Hand warmers (5) & alter blouses

Crochet 

Baby M2’s afghan crochet 21 yellow dots

BOM’s & QAL’s 

Be My Neighbor – cut fabric for block three

Dot Quilt – piece dots

Quilty 365 – prep circles for applique

I also finished my OMG - One Monthly Goal from And there you have it!

I’m linking up to Monday Making at Love, Laugh, Quilt, Main Crush Mondays and Moving It Forward Monday at Em’s Scrapbag and 

Dear Friend, this is my truth!