Quilts, Hexagons. Cross Stitch and Shopping

Hello   I hope you are all doing well.  I've been busy with physical therapy and exercises, and in between I've managed to squeeze in some other fun things.  

This is my latest little quilt from the Simple Whatnots group.  Our group meeting was last week on Tuesday.  This one is called Prairie Pretties.  I just did some simple quilting on this one.  This stitch is made by choosing the zig-zag option on your machine and setting the stitch width and length wide.   

I sewed the binding on by machine and then I stitched it by hand on the back.  I think hand sewing the binding to do the last part of a quilt is kind of relaxing.  I know everyone doesn't agree with that.  

I've watched several videos on You Tube about crocheting an edge on a quilt.   I decided this little quilt was small enough that it wouldn't be a huge time investment to give it a try.  The video I watched used a backstitch on the edge of the binding,  I started out that way, but my backstitching on the quilt looked like my backstitching on an embroidery piece.   So I used a buttonhole stitch instead.  I'm kind of glad I did because it seemed like it gave the quilt edging more stability.  The buttonhole stitch is a bit tricky to put on the edge of the binding.  I kept trying different needles until I found one with a large enough eye to get the thread through and one that was sharp enough to get the thread through the binding.  I have no idea what kind of needle it was.  I'd guess a chenille needle????   I used Aunt Lydia's Crochet Thread Fashion 3 (100% cotton) that I bought at Michaels.  I started with 2 rounds of single crochet to give the next round a good foundation.  Then I did a 4 double crochets, skip 1 chain, 1 single crochet, skip a chain then another 4 double crochets.  You continue that all the way around the quilt.  If you crochet, that's a pretty simple shell stitch.  

I've also made a few more 5/8" hexagon arches for my Avignon quilt.

I found a little zipper bag and had no idea what was in it.  There were more hexagons.  I think they just keep multiplying.  I pulled out sets of 6 and sewed them into a ring so I can put centers in them sometime later.  These are 3/4" which is the size I use most often.  

I make the ring leaving one side open, and then I find a hexagon from my box of centers and clip them together.  

Here's the pencil box full of odd 3/4" hexagons that I use to choose my centers.  

                                                   

I also found some time to meet a friend in Rushville at Mystic Fabrics.  We shop first then head over to Pizza Hut to eat and then we sit there and stitch.  The girl working there always comes over and says she loves that we're getting together to stitch.  Here's a few photos from inside Mystic.  There's lot of cross stitch patterns, floss, and some yarn.  

They have a lot more fabric than this.  Somehow I only took photos of the wide backing fabrics.  

I've made quite bit of progress on America the Beautiful by Stitching with the Housewives.  I'm working on the flag now.  I kind of like repetitive stitching so I'm enjoying this part.  

That's all for now.   Until next time.......

I hope you are finding some time to stitch today.  

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.