Needlework Tuesday - A Mixed Basket

It's a mixed basket for you to enjoy this week.  I enjoy when I finish a project, and it's even better when there are more than one to complete.  This week was wonderful.  Finished some items that have been sitting around far too long.

 Ages ago I teased you with some pictures of Betty Boop fabric that I had cut and was yet to sew.  I have finally finished the first item.

This pair is for son.  For some reason he really enjoys this motif.  He has about 6 pairs of boxers with Betty on them and more to come.

This handsome pair is for my hubby.

Last year my in person quilt guild decided to have each member of the guild make a quilt block for the outgoing president.  This year's president has chosen dusty blue, dusty pink, and white for her colours.  I selected a block from Judy Martin's Knockout Blocks and Sampler Quilts.  Click the title to see my earlier review.  Block I made last year for the outgoing president.  I still wish that I could sew from this book every single day.

This picture shows all my cut pieces.  First to sew a whole bunch of half square triangles.   Now lay them out in the order to be sewn together.

This finished block is a variation of the block titled  'Rise Up so Early in the Morn'.  It's a very straight forward double star, but when you play with the colours you get something totally different.

A few weeks back I told you that I had bought some pre-printed pillowcases for embroidery.  I dug them out on Thursday and got started.  Stem stitch for the vines, and satin stitch for the leaves.  This is the first green completed, the other leaves will be done in a slightly darker green.  A small trick to get the satin stitch to be a little 'puffier', you need to add a few running stitches to the area before doing the satin stitch.  I have shown a close-up of this in the next photo.

Now to do satin stitch over the top of those running stitches.  I really does make a difference.

A heads up to all my Needlework Tuesday readers, I will be starting a new contest on Thursday.   Be sure to visit my Recipe Thursday post to see what I am offering.

Joining me for Needlework Tuesday is Marie at Daisy's Book Journal.  She has posted an update of her sock knitting progress.  Be sure to leave her a comment about her gorgeous socks.