I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a bit of cabin fever. It’s been two weeks since Hannah arrived home from Denmark, and we’ve been sticking close to home. I love working from home – it’s my favorite place in the world to be. But, I do miss the hustle and bustle of being out and about, seeing my colleagues and clients.
The best part of our self-isolation has been spending time with Hannah. I’ve worked to make up lost time for the days I took off last week. I read a book. I finished Hannah’s new nightstand. I created a new bird pattern (with another coming soon!). I’m enjoying more time to be creative.
I hope you’re being creative too, and I want to feed into that. Enter below for a chance to win a copy of Downeast Thunder Farm Owls or three felt kits of your choice.
To enter, comment below with how you are spending your time during these days of social distancing. The drawing ends at noon on Friday, April 3rd, when I’ll randomly select one winner.
I hope you all stay safe and healthy in these crazy times.
Lots of cleaning, organizing, and repairing outdoor gear…optimistically planning for the upcoming season. Thinking about trying some of your new patterns ( I do them in wood)
I have been spending my days, cooking and working on different needlecraft projects, along with starting to garden as weather permits. I love all your patterns, especially the birds, and truly appreciate that you share many of them with us.Thank you again.
I am so excited! I love your patterns.
I’m spending my time watching my 2 yr old grandson full time while my son & daughter-in-law work. We all agreed as a family that we needed to completely isolate him & not send him to day care.
We’re a little stressed this weekend because we just learned that a coworker has been diagnosed…my husband, son & daughter-in-law all work for the same company. The bright side is that there are 1700 employees & this person does not work near any of my family….still it is much closer now.
I am self isolating here and learning a new craft, felt embroidery, I am learning from your patterns. Very much enjoying this new craft.
Thankfully I am still working but instead of going to the office I am working at home so I really don’t have anymore extra time that I normally would. But I have been working on some crafts for Easter. I had three papier mache boxes that I had in my stash and I decorated them with floral scrapbook paper and then embellished the lids with wool felt. I did two with rabbits and flowers on and the other one with a hummingbird fluttering next to a flower. They turned out pretty nice. I also am making some fabric masks for my family. I love all your patterns and every year I make ornaments to give out to my family on Thanksgiving so they can have new ones for decorating their trees. This year I made your red truck. They were a hit with my family. Thank you for generously sharing all the beautiful patterns. Stay safe!
Doing some sewing, cleaning, and resting.
Napping…lots of napping!
Napping…lots of napping!
We are staying at home as much as possible. My husband is high risk so we need to be extra careful. Stay safe and enjoy having your daughter home.
Thank you for this fun offer! I’m keeping busy with embroidery and some jewelry making. I find I’m trying simple, new cooking ideas and treats for my husband, too. I’m trying to keep inertia on my side! 🙂
I’m spending time in my backyard garden and in my community garden. I’ve been crocheting around rocks, painting rock, and making rock pathways! I’ve started a cross stitch project that I’ve had since the 80’s! Reading a lot when I have time.
I am disabled so I can’t do to much.I have been doing some machine embroidery and watching tv.
I’ve tried them in wood, but haven’t been entirely pleased with the results. I’d love to see yours!
Scary times, for sure, Jenny. Here’s hoping you all remain healthy!
Yay!
been praying, knitting and walking my dog for longer periods of time, glad you got your daughter home safely, I have an old friend that lives out in your neck of the woods, sometimes it’s good to be far away from large populations
I work in a grocery store so I am still working. Although things are slowing down. Except for work I am staying home. In the evenings I’m working on embroidering pillowcases to relax.
It is easier to avoid folks here, but I worry that it will hit us – it’ll just take longer. 🙁
Woohoo! My kids are home because their jobs have gone to remote. Lots of cooking together, breads, soups, desserts. Board games, walks in the fresh air, looking through garden/seed catalogs.
Grocery store work – it’s so necessary for a community, but certainly in the front line with this virus. Stay safe!
Like many, I’m catching up on some home chores. I’m also sewing fabric face masks for others who work in non-medical jobs such as those who work with homeless clients or the elderly. (It’s also a good way to bust my fabric stash!)
Cleaning baseboards (ugh!), painted a couple of Craigslist nightstands, and have sewn six of your birds and one large owl. Thinking ahead to Christmas!
It’s been two weeks at home for me as well. Ironically, I feel very busy! I’ve been doing some babysitting for my 5 year old and 2 1/2 yr old grandkids, I’ve been connecting with family and friends all over the world, I’ve quilted a wall hanging, done some knitting, have 3 books on the go to read at different times of the day, and I’ve got a big bag of wool to work on needlefelting birds and animals (using your patterns as inspiration). I use your patterns to make Xmas decorations each year for each of the grandkids – if I was SMART I’d start NOW! Oh – and we have a new puppy! perhaps THAT’S where all the time is going??? Stay home – Stay safe!
Waaaaay to much screen time! trying to get outside with my kiddos and trying not to undo all my hard work on weight watchers
I have been cleaning, decluttering, and organizing the house. I also managed to straighten up my crafting area. I just finished making the Song Sparrow from your pattern and I love it. I think the Nubian goat is next! Crafting helps me stay sane these days. I miss my kids and grandkids. Thank you for this opportunity! Hi to Hannah! Stay well and healthy.
Oh, I hear you! We’re in the same boat try to keep the weight loss train rolling. I find myself wanting to snack often!
I have stage 4 metastatic lung cancer so I have pretty much no choice but to stay home now. Side effects from treatments have left my hands basically useless, but I’m looking forward to the day when I can get back to making using patterns again. Thank you for sharing your creativity with us!
Wow, Jacki. You have been going through a lot, and now more worry about this virus. I hope you are able to avoid this virus!
I’ve been working from home, and I’m afraid that I’ll never want to go back to the workplace again (not great if you work in “outreach” haha)! I’ve been spending a lot of quality time with some very happy dogs, doing yard work, visiting the barn to see my horses, and helping my husband build me a sideboard to organize our entryway. It’s been a busy spring!
Lots of wandering walks, but I think this will be the week that I get serious about spring cleaning. I don’t want anything to keep me inside when it comes to gardening time!
I concur on the working at home!
I am not bored yet! And I am going on 3 weeks! Been busy making fabric masks and my cards! Maybe this week I will start cleaning!!!?
I’ve been cross stitching, crocheting, grooming dogs, sewing, painting and lining up my felt projects. We’re home only going to the grocery store and drive through pharmacy. I’m glad your daughter was able to get back home. It’s an uncertain time.
Aside from catching up with various sewing projects, this weekend I conducted a Zoom meeting with my 6 grandchildren ( ages 3-12) and taught them how to draw their favorite sea creatures.
It was so much fun, we decided to convene next Saturday morning so I can teach them how to draw their favorite superhero or mythological creature. My homework will ensue this week researching out how to draw all those new superheroes, no doubt.
BTW, I sent my daughters the picture you posted of your daughter’s map end table. They loved it!
Trying to keep things as normal as possible for the kiddos keeps me pretty busy. I didn’t realize how much time we spent running around to activities until we up and stopped! It’s really refreshing! Reading, snuggling, playing outside. All the things that I had been overlooking before SaferAtHome. I am selfishly enjoying all the extra kid time.
This is such a great giveaway, thank you for offering it! Stay healthy!
Cleaning out closets, working on those chores I never had time for, sewing and enjoying family time.
I am working very hard to stay positive. It is hard work with all the news. I am cleaning house and organizing project so that I know what I will need when we are released from quarantine. I finished one small redwork UFO and started on another larger one. I also finished the rest of the hexies I need for my scrap quilt. I am also reading.
Thank you for an opportunity to win a kit. I love them. You’re so creative! I’ve been resting, reading, drinking water, peeing and repeating it over and over for the last 3 weeks. I caught a flu bug that’s going around in our area.
I am a nurse so I cannot stay home. It’s been very stressful. Rules keep changing about masks, protective equipment, etc.
I work at a nursing home so we are on lockdown and all residents are confined to their rooms and it’s taking a toll on them . I’ll be glad when this is over and we remain unscathed. Everyone stay safe and indoors.
I have been finishing up ufos, knitted and quilted. unfortunately hubby has been baking up a storm. I will be wearing stretchy pants for awhile.
Thank you so much for this generous opportunity! I love your patterns and have made many of them for gifts. During this quarantine time I am working from home so, not a lot of extra free time compared to before. Although, with no commute I get to sleep in a lot later every morning which is just great! Trying to get out for walks and not completely lose my mind. Doing some painting, too.
In the UK we are on a full lock down so I pretty much don’t leave the house so I have been spending the morning doing scripture study, then the rest of the day has been split between knitting, binge watching Disney+, house work and wishing I bad printed out some felt patterns to work on my mums Christmas but I am not sure when the libraries will reopen to able to do 🙁
Home..self isolating since March 11th..
Cooking..baking..crochet..sewing and painting.Thank you.
Hi!
I truly love your photographs recording your home and the wondrous countryside that surrounds you. I do enjoy seeing the unique birds (to me) that visit the feeders.
My all time favourite post has always been ‘the duck muster’ when you were trying to get them all into the opened pen, and the ensuing chase around the pond made me laugh so much.
I admire your generous sharing of your patterns, it’s been a privilege to make some of them up, mostly as gifts for friends, but also a few for me too.
Much regard
Trying to spend as much time outside as possible. Playing board games with 2 kids home from college. Embroidering pillowcases for my niece who will be married in June. Looking at Instagram a bit too much.
Hope you’re feeling 100% soon!
I can only imagine, Sera. You have the toughest of jobs. All the best to you and your family!
Lots of cleaning and I finally have the time to tackle projects that I have needed to do for a long time
Spending my days searching the web for great projects, like your wonderful set, for me and my kids to make while home.
I’ve been trying to figure out how to teach kindergarten online. We didn’t use technology with our students so it is a whole new world. I’ve done Zoom meetings with them and love seeing their faces. Now we are starting a Google Classroom. I really need to start crafting to get a brain break!
Lots of long isolated walks with my dog (I live way out in the country and stay on the back roads and woods), lots of cleaning and rug hooking. And I’m making plastic skulls using a heat gun over a plaster skull for next Halloween
coucou
chez nous en France c’est le confinement depuis 15 jours et encore pour 15 jours de plus et plus encore …
donc je fais du crochet petite poupée pour ma 2 ème petite fille et beaucoup de couture après le ménage .
J’aime beaucoup ce que vous faîte, continuez s’est super!
I am helping our 9 years old girl with her homework. Play games with her. Cleaning the house.
I work for the health service in the UK so not much downtime, we have done some re-organising of the garage, wood chopping. Running and lots of wallking. I want to sort through the kids wardrobes they have grown so much this year.
I have been working on repairs and reorganizing projects around the house, as well as Spring cleaning. That’s been keeping me pretty busy. In the evenings I sit work on a craft project or read a good book. :o)
Plastic skulls! That’s a first!
Sounds like you’ve had zero down time!
I have been working on a felted wool pillow for my first granddaughter (due in July). The pillow features your raccoon, bear, fox, and fawn patterns. (Wish I could attach a photo!)
I have been gardening and making masks for our hospital, police, fire and ems departments. Thank you for this opportunity and your generosity! Stay safe and well.
My husband made me a new storage for my sewing room and I have been organizing everything and finally have room to sew and iron. I also have helped my husband build a wheelchair ramp for a neighbor so he can get outside in the sun, as soon as the weather gets better. I really miss all my friends @ the very small senior center we have. Miss my very small Quilting club . Glad Hanna made it home safe. God Bless us all and keep everyone safe.
I have been making lots of yo yo’s to be used to make hair clips to be sold at my church’s Christmas bazaar. Also trying to come up with a felt Mickey Mouse pattern for an ornament. In between doing Jacob’s Ladder and a cute necklace using small clothespins. I have used many of your patterns for ornaments that were sold at my church. I have gotten many compliments on them. Keep them coming. Thanks so much for sharing with everyone.
Love your blog. I have vacationed in Jonesport, Maine for many, many years so I can relate to many of the places you have been. Hannah’s adventures are awesome.
Be well and safe.
I’ve been trying to finish a quilt with hand quilting, a couple of sewing projects, and now have started a baby quilt for a gift and a cross-stitch project that was in my Mother’s craft stash (from 20+ years ago) – she had gathered all the supplies, but hadn’t been able to even start it. Have admired your patterns – and hope to complete some this year! I enjoy your blog – creative inspiration, wonderful photos, and interesting stories!
Hi Susan, Thank you for the wonderful chance. My sweet husband died a little over a year ago. I am now coming out of the fog of that. They did fracking under my house and I have a lot of structural damage from it. I am trying to repair it and paint it and get it back to livable condition. I had all I needed for the repairs and right before they locked us down my son and I went out and bought all of the paint I will need for the inside of the house. Other than that I had recently invested in a mangle and am making quick progress through all of the baskets of ironing that had stacked up. It irons so fast that I might have to start looking for things to iron.
Social isolating is nothing new to me, I have been doing it for 15 years. I have health and autoimmune disorders, it started for my safety. Before that I was an outgoing social person, but social isolation became a blessing in disguise, I love it and would not change my self-imposed isolation for anything. After all of those years I could finally concentrate on doing what I wanted to do and loved. I spend my days crafting and with my fur babies. My daughter loves owls, so I would make them for her. I appreciate you designing ornaments and then giving the patterns away for others to make and enjoy, thank you!
Deep cleaning and tackling lots of projects that have needed doing for a long time.
Taking inventory of what I have on hand and re-organizing what I do have, a few pleasant surprises which is why the need to reorganize. On the sunny days I take note of how my flower beds are doing, watching what has emerged through the leaves. Oh it makes me want to start the spring clean up of the flower beds and the garden but it is still to soon, the chance of on frost is not gone. I am also watching the birds, catching sight of a few birds that have returned for the Spring and Summer and spotting a few that are only here a few days and will move on further north. I have also notice how much quieter it has become outside as people stay home.
I’m mostly staying inside, only out for grocery trips and believe it or not, house hunting. We found one we love…cross your fingers! Inside, I’m working on sorting through stuff while I wait for an order of twill tape to arrive, I’m planning on getting started sewing masks. My DH is still working, he loads/unloads trucks for a freight company, so for the most part, life still goes on.
Cleaning, reading and finishing projects
Wow! House hunting at a time like this. Fingers crossed!
Really interesting to hear what many of you are doing in the USA and it pretty much mirrors what people are doing here in the UK. We have had a fantastic outpouring of community spirit here with complete strangers helping one another so I really hope that continues after all this is over with.
I am going to make some of your delightful felt creatures to help with fundraising efforts for our local community library.
Hoping all of you in North America and everywhere stay well over the next weeks and months.
Thank you Susan for all that you do and share with us.
Luckily, I have a large fabric stash and several quilts in progress to work on. Also knitting and keeping track of a 3 month old puppy. It is still too wet to do much gardening.
I love these patterns. I made a corgi for Christmas for the neighbors who have corgis.
I’ve been planting and transplanting in my garden, trying not to kill anything growing! We sometimes see monarch caterpillars on our milkweed, so that’s a bit of excitement! Cleaning out the garage and purging unneeded stuff keeps us somewhat busy. Hoping everyone keeps their head up!
My 4 kids live over 500 miles from us and in 4 different states. By my daughter, the nurse, command, i am homebound. My days seem to be spent tending fires, long phone calls and the necessary trip outside with the dog. A request from the nurse for scrub caps she can wash. And of course masks for hospitals. And praying a lot. My daughter’s unit was just converted to inpatient screening for the virus and she worries about the rest of us. So I pray for safety and health and peace of mind for her especially. So glad your chick is safely in the nest!
Spring cleaning. Watching quilt videos. Sleeping and eating. I can always find something that needs done
Spring is almost here in the Pacific Northwest which means our lives have been taken over by the rush to get our yard cleaned up for mowing and the garden ready to plant. We are in extreme isolation due to being in a high risk group and living where the virus entered the U.S. and managed to spread before anyone really understood just how careful we needed to be!
Meanwhile, I’m finishing a baby quilt and working on the twelve ornaments I give family members every Christmas. I always start in March and work at it off and on for the next nine months. Every year there’s a theme. Last year it was birds. This year, as a concession to isolation and the tight budget, the theme is using only what I have on hand.
(It isn’t quite as hard as it sounds since I have drawers and boxes full of craft supplies, but of course, I want to get more!!)
Thank you for being so generous with your beautiful patterns. There are three serious birders in my family and they were very impressed that last year’s bird ornaments were “done right, with accurate silhouettes!”
I’ve been doing a good bit of reading, lots of talking to friends and some Zoom get-togethers. One I was at last night was bombed twice by roving gangs of trolls who spewed racial slurs and sexist comments. Thank goodness for quick responsive mods. Knitting accompanies the Zoom meeting-ups, so I don’t feel like I’m sitting and twiddling my fingers!
I work in an industry of essential infrastructure, so I’m working still. When I come home, my family and I have been doing what most everyone else has been …. Netflix, video games, played the board game of Pandemic… and am sewing and gardening.
I’ve been making medical mask covers for a local grass-roots group; my goal is to finish 50 and then (and only then!) will I reward myself with making your newest bird. Sort of like saving dessert for last!
thank you for the opportunity! I am locked in my home, self isolated. My Dr calls me daily to check on my temperature and other symptoms. He is afraid to hospitalize me because of my compromised immune system. he has meds for me delivered to try to rid of my condition. I have had a low grade fever for 2 weeks. This would be a welcome gift! Everyone stay safe. Gloria
We have been isolated for a month now and have filled our days as usual: gardening, building trails, feeding and watching birds, sewing, painting and crocheting along with shop projects. We feel blessed to be retired and not face the challenges so many others are during this difficult time. Lots of texts and phone calls to check on others.
Hello, I’ve enjoyed Hannah’s adventures, I have a friend who lives in Denmark, so it’s been lovely to see her new country. I’ve been working a bit on some quilts, and now that our local hospital has asked for cloth masks, I’ve started in on making some of those. But slowly, as I’m slowly healing up from a car accident on the 4th. I’m reading a lot too, and imagining gardening soon.
I work full time in a senior facility. I look forward to my days off to craft, sew and knit. We moved right before Christmas and I still need to finish organizing my craft room, but I prefer to craft. I am planning on using some patterns for my seniors who are isolating in their rooms . I love your patterns and have made a few for gifts!
With and adult daughter who suffers from severe panic and anxiety attacks and doesn’t like leaving the house,I have been gearing up for “sheltering in place” for years! Even so, it seems to freeze me in time, I try to knit, weave and do all the crafts I’ve been wanting to do, including my kits from Down East Thunder Farm! Thank you for providing such lovely patterns and kits!
Let’s all try to remember we are in this together even though we need to stay apart.
I’ve been doing a bit of cleaning and organizing of things I’ve been meaning to get to. I pulled out an unfinished cross stitch project, started years ago. Watching a lot of TV, videos, movies and news, Taking walks and trying to keep my mood positive…Praying.
Trying to stay busy catching up on yard work and cleaning while trying g to limit screen time. Trying g to make the best of it.
I have been trying to finish projects and cleaning out drawers, cupboards, etc. Some days I just binge watch series on Netflix. I try to keep positive thoughts but some days it’s hard and I get scared.
Me too, Paula. Me too.
I’m going to have a great vegetable garden this year! I’ve got plenty of time for once. Set out tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants today. Also birdwatching, sewing, cooking, and even a little working .
Knitting, baking bread, raising two bottle fed lambs checker boarding bee hives and enjoying the quiet time at home. I am a baker of bread for a local farmers market. The market is outside in the fresh air and the folks are social distancing. I was about to retire from baking but with the shortage of good bread, I am still baking away. My felt crafts are calling to me. I would love to stitch up some wee birdies to brighten up my home.
Staying home as much as possible as I’m in a high risk category. I have my daughter, her husband, and my 4 year old granddaughter living with me. We spend a lot of our time trying to keep our busy 4 yr old active! Unfortunately, Spring has given us snow, rain, and a mix off and on over the last weeks.
Not sure if I am too late at this. I try to go for a walk in the neighbourhood once a day, some days the whole family would go for bike rides. Can’t wait till more signs of spring.