Homeward Snake

 

Back up the freeway we drove towards home, and the traffic was rather bunchy (when is it not in LA?!), so I got out the Snake in The Garden for more stitching. The offending one is on the right hand side, much too thick of thread in the wrong color.

I used the other color of red tharead that I had along in my to-go bag that was a much thinner weight and went around the oval in-between the green stitches. I think it's looking much better. Still not sure what to do about the chicken scratch stitches in the red oval--either take them out or leave them?

There's how the second oval looks with just the new lighter weight and more correct color thread around the outside in-between the green stitches. I think I like the look of that oval now as is, so I'll be taking out the offending stitches on the first oval I stitched.

Freeway Snake Stitching

 

Down the freeway we went, and as I wasn't the one driving, so that meant I got to do some stitching on the Snake in the Garden. This green section in the lower right hand corner is now finished.

Here's how it's looking now. There's one bright green section left to do. 

I started doing this stitching on the red oval in the lower left hand corner and decided that the thread was too bulky and the wrong shade of red, so I stopped myself from continuing on. But I've just found the correct red (the one above), which is a lighter weight thread and a couple shades darker. I'll try that out and see if it makes enough difference.

I am still struggling a bit with what to do with the black and white print that goes down the left side of the piece. I really like how it looks now, unembellished and most importantly that it's free floating, anchored only by the red ovals. It's not like it is going anywhere, and this piece is meant for the wall so it won't get washed. I thought I might do French Knots (or just a stitch) in some of the white or black squares (in the corresponding color) so they don't show up. Decisions, decisions...

More Green Snake Stitching

 For the last time, I traveled to Spokane and back again for the last appointment in the medical study I've been participating in for the last few months. And once again, I arrived Very Early to the airport for my flight home and got in some stitching time while waiting for my plane to arrive.

 More green stitching in what I call the vernal pool (which is a seasonal, ephemeral pool) in the lower right hand corner of Snake in the Garden. I think this is just about the last bit that needs stitching, I'm so close to finishing this!

12 UFO Challenge

 In order to be clear about the two UFO challenges I'm participating in this year, here's a post about the 12 projects I put on my list for the 2026 BAMQ UFO Challenge. This challenge came about when one of our members, Christine, was talking about another guild's challenge and how it had gotten her to work on projects that had fallen off her radar. It sounded like a new way to inspire people so I volunteered to help her organize it for our group.

  As I wrote yesterday there is overlap with the 2026 UFO Finishes Challenge, those four will be noted with this symbol🥏👽.

The way this challenge works is you turn in a list that is numbered, and every month at Sew Day we randomly pick one of the remaining numbers from 1-12 to be the project everyone works on and tries to finish before the next Sew Day. The first number chosen in January was #12, the second number chosen in February was #9. I worked on my #12 and finished it, the May You Ever Return quilt. And now I'm working on my #9 project, the Oxbow Tote. As we only have a month to work on and finish these things, I tried to structure my list so that I'd both be challenged and also have some easier finishes.

Here's my illustrated list of 12:

1. Clover Pillowcase - first started in a class in 2023, last worked on in 2023.
   
2. Kawandii - first started in a classs in 2021, last worked on in March 2025.
   
3. Bohemian Wife quilt-🥏👽 started in 2017, last worked on in 2025.
   
4. Snake in the Garden quilt - started in a class in 2007, last worked on February 2026.
   
5. Mini QCR Pumpkins - started in 2019, last worked on ?!who knows?!
   
6. Five by Five quilt - started in a 2022 class, last worked on in December 2022.
   
7. Dave Owen Hastings Class quilt -  🥏👽 started in a 2022 class, not worked on since then.
   
8. Body Pillow pillowcase - back when I put this on my list, it was intended for my older rectangular body pillow. I now have this new one which is twice as long and rather curvy. I'm thinking it would be nice to have a cotton jersey cover, nice and stretchy to bend with the curves, cozy feeling and easy to wash.
   
9. Oxbow Tote - started in 2024, last worked on December 2025.
   
10. Quilted Dog Jacket-pattern bought in 2024, not started yet.
    
11. Bending the Calendar quilt -🥏👽  started in 2012, last worked on?who knows?!
    
12. May You Ever Return quilt -🥏👽 started in a class in 2018, first one chosen and finished!
    

Here's to challenges that inspire and make me actually me spend the time to even go find the projects that I'm supposed to be working on! That's something of a start, right?

Green Snake Stitching

 

There and back again to Spokane, so that meant a bit of time for some airport stitching. I started in on one of the very last bits of Snake in the Garden that need to be stitched, the spiral-ly green pool. Instead of doing random stitches, I chose to follow the spiral printed on the fabric. I might also add in some of the gold green on the other part of the fabric design. Getting close to the end. 

Waiting Snake

 

Yesterday was a traveling back from Spokane day, with an almost three-hour flight delay. At least I got this beautiful picture in the morning on Tuesday in San Francisco. Those glowing red squares are so interesting, especially with the offset squares and additionally offset circles inside them That plus all the lines on the pavement. A great start to a possible quilt design.

In the extra time I had to sit around and wait for our plane to even decide to show up, I got a whole lot of the sky stitched on the Snake in the Garden quilt. Just one more section of green left to go on this!

Davenport Trees & Sky Stitching

I was actually wandering on a Wednesday, yesterday that is. So, here's the stitching that I did while I was away. Two more lengths of variegated blue embroidery thread have been added to the sky in Snake In The Garden while I waited for my plane to board.

It was a rainy and windy morning in Spokane, so I was very glad I was inside stitching.

Also, strangely, there were birds indoors at the Peet's Coffee in the airport. They were nesting up above on top of the giant monitor screens that display great outdoors scenery. You know, like where the birds are actually supposed to be. I can't imagine they get enough calories out of the scone crumbs on the floor from Peets.

And this time, during the visit, I got to stay in the fancy old hotel, The Davenport, which was all done up for Christmas. Isn't that such a lovely tree?

The second floor was hosting a raffle fundraising event for the Spokane Symphony, so I went upstairs to check it out and got a great view of the big central lobby tree.

There were nine fully decorated trees (that's the LEGO one above) that came with "major prizes", actually they were prize packages worth $1,000's. It was quite a to-do, was absolutely packed with families in the evening, but still very fun to walk around and enjoy.

 

By Land, By Air

 

There was lots of rainy driving coming back from Portland. As I was only navigating and not driving (thanks friend Jaye), I got to work on the rest of the sky on the Snake in the Garden.

Definitely coming along.

A few days later, I was in the Spokane airport, stitching away as my flight home got delayed several times by the FAA/government shutdown silliness (and high winds).

I was very glad I was prepared to sit and stitch for a while.

Airport Snake

 

Well, I've finally finished off one of the colors of threads for the Snake In The Garden piece. It's nice to finish the purple off. Now to finish the blue and green, and figure out what to use on the black and white checkerboard.

I got to the airport early enough to have time to settle down by a bright window and get out my stitching. The TSA rules now say no scissors with blades longer than four inches are allowed to carry on board. I measured, and the ones in my Go Bag aren't even close to that long. 

Lobby Snake

I’m on a trip and I’ve brought along a hand stitching project to work on while waiting in lobbies and so forth.
 

But not on the plane as I’m still not clear on the TSA and other countries rules and regulations on sharp things.

Travel Stitching

I haven't worked on Snake in the Garden since our trip to San Francisco in April. We were in The City (as it's known around here) over the weekend for my DH's annual trip to do the SF Marathon with former co-workers. (To be clear, he didn't run the marathon, he walked/jogged the 5k.) As I wasn't participating, I brought along my to-go bag and stitched while he was walking. It was fun to walk around in the downtown and Embarcadero area afterwards and go to lunch with everyone.

I picked up right where I left off in April, using the celadon green sashiko thread I'd bought at Britex on that trip. It's not too great for embroidery through all the layers of a quilt though, it starts to shred a bit. It's meant for going through one layer of fabric, so I'll likely switch greens for the next thread choice. 
 

SF Stitching

 

I actually sat in the sunny window in our hotel room in SF and stitched on my go-to handwork project, Snake in the Garden. I used the newest color thread that I had at hand, thanks to the shopping I'd just done at Britex Fabrics. The green sashiko thread was used to fill in part of the dark blue leaf between the gold print. 

These are the two sashiko thread colors that I bought at Britex. I chose them because I hadn't seen colors like that on offer in other shops.

Snake in the Hand

 

Sitting in the hospital for days, I finally worked on one of the hand projects that I brought along with me, Snake in the Garden.

We were in a room with a nice big window, so there was good light to work with for most of the day.

I think I'll always remember stitching on this piece as I kept watch over my dad.

Freeway Stitching Again

 

Today DH and I drove home from the redwoods up North through the Avenue of the Giants in Redwood National Park.

Once we got back on an actual freeway, I got out my hand stitching again. Still working on Snake In The Garden, last seen being worked on in San Diego in March, This piece has A Lot of freeway miles on it. I'm finally almost done with the purple-pink section.

I have my whole kit ready to go on my lap, it's easy to put away quickly.

I put it away again once we saw the Golden Gate Bridge. It's so nice to be back home once again. Time for more laundry...oh goody.