Some of my old skills are returning

This is the Go Board for alida's Play with Me Quilt Along. Each month she is releasing a new board and it is made using a different needlework skill. This month I had to brush up on my embroidery skills. They are slowly returning. I used a cross stitch, a back stitch, and a stem stitch. For rows that were duplicate stitches I varied the ply I used. The whole thing needs a good press but I can't get the walker into the ironing board so that task will have to wait.
Note that I am not posting any photos of my 38 staple knee or today's definitely yellow leg as the bruises come out.  Joining up with Alida's Linky party (here)where you can see some other boards. Some decided to use the fancy stitches on their sewing machines. Piecefully, Joanne

Joanne doesn't do well under pressure

This Month's Play With Me game board was a Backgammon board and the skill to learn was reverse applique. My board is adequate but not stellar. I have done reverse applique once before and I used felt at that time. Felt don't ravel or have little threads to deal with. Once again Alida's directions were wonderful and complete.
The board below is from one of the tables in the lobby at the resort in St. Lucia. One of the other tables had a checkers board in it. I have never played Backgammon so I still have lots to learn.




I have been trying to wrap up some of my loose ends before my surgery in just under three weeks. I have one more test quilt to work on and then my testing obligations are complete.
I left this board to the very last minute as I was nervous about trying the technique. They are due tomorrow.
Some people thrive on pressure, I am not one of those people. Piecefully, Joanne

A new game added to the configuration

The February game board is Nine Men's Morris. This one was paper pieced. I still am not certain how I want to "finish" these off so for now I am stopping. Alida included how to play the game in the instructions and that was good because I had heard of the game but did not know how to play it. This is a fun Quilt Along and the instructions have been terrific so far. Add to that there are so many techniques involved and you get (or at least I get) to learn something new.
The last few days have been snowy and windy. They closed the highway yesterday and last time I looked it was still closed. Good time to stay inside and sew or read a book. We just need the roads open next week so we can get away on our holiday. Today is our youngest Grandson's birthday. I explained to him we had not seen the sun for so long I forgot what it looked like. His simple explanation was it is round, yellow and hot, you better not touch it. Piecefully, Joanne

Linking up with Alida, check out the other game boards. (here)
http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.ca/2016/02/play-with-me-qal-link-party-month-2.html

Alida's Play with Me Quilt-Along

Alida over at alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com (here)has started a Quilt-along this year that caught my fancy. It is called Play with Me and each month she is featuring a different game board. There are a couple of particularly interesting features to this quilt along. One was that I did not know all the games so had to learn something new and two each each month along with the game board you learn a new technique.  This month's Checkerboard was constructed using a Bargello technique. The instructions were easy to follow and well illustrated. Once your "block" is done you have a choice of making it into a place mat, a travel game board or quilting the block and waiting for the remainder to be released and make a big game board quilt. At this time I am uncertain about what direction I want to go. I had originally thought a travelling game board but will mull that over a bit. Thank you Alida for a great start to this project. Piecefully, Joanne

Linking up with Lorna at sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com