Repurposed linen

Hiya.  Started cleaning the mess again.  Still have mystery linens I don't care for and no desire to stitch a row to determine the count.  I got rid of so much Klostern and cork linen, but found more burlap feeling low count pieces.  One seems to be 14 count and the larger piece is 20.  Some sites list cork linen as 18 and others 20 so does this mean there are two counts?  At the same time, I was looking for a mat to rest my coffee cup on and thought - why not cut this up for mats? 

So I did.  Moisture may still go through so I may pad and line the back of a few, but the majority of them will be for preventing scratches on the soapstone and other surfaces.  (I knew soapstone would scratch and chip if hit but this is ridiculous.) I think the long thin piece would be nice as a table runner under a wooden bowl. 

This square piece (18 count) will be stained/dyed and used as a cloth over ????.  I don't use tablecloths or fine linens or doilies, but I have to say that I don't object to this very rough looking linen under a display or hanging on a bench.  In fact, after some real aging, I think I will like it a lot.  Possibly a hanging sack for the turkey feathers my cousin gave to me.

 

I just cut and fringed, then folded and cut into the fringe so it's not perfectly even and nice looking. 

 

 

Still have several pieces and you can only use so many mats and runners.  The sack is sounding like a good idea.  How about sachets?  Soap bags?  I'll find other ways to use it up since I will never stitch on it.

 

 

 

Then I found this wicked looking thing. Obviously something to put on your finger tip but it looked so disturbing I didn't want to take a picture wearing it.  What is it?
Edited - M left a comment informing me that this is a laying tool.  Something tells me I would poke my eye out with it.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for the turtle, he was a painted turtle, not unlike many that Mark has found while fishing.  They burrow into the mud at water's edge and hibernate over winter. 
The hostas - no fertilizer.  The Blue Angel is one of the largest of the hostas and needs no help. If you'd like to see the varieties of giant hostas, go to this site, or another nursery here.

Thirty years ago today, the F5 tornado took Mark's best friend along with others within a mile of our house.  We were on the back side and never had the hail, the wind, nothing.  But we heard the terrifying roar.

More Arby's orange cream shakes this weekend.  Can't get enough.
Have a great week - stay safe.

Thanks for visiting.

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A turtle tail

Hello people.  Just want to share what put a smile on my face today.  On our way back home after grabbing a pizza, I was doing my usual sucking air white knuckle dashboard grab.  A car at the corner was sliding through the stop sign as we were approaching.  But all of a sudden my husband yells OH NO and turns our car into a little parking lot in the residential area of very close houses.  I thought - did we hit the other car and I didn't feel it?  Nope.  He spotted a turtle.  He jumps out and runs down the middle of the road, scoops up a turtle almost the size of my hand.  He asked the people sitting on their porch if they knew of any kids having turtles - nope.  So he brings him to me.  I put the pizza boxes on the floor and held on to the turtle.  I had no idea how long and sharp their claws were.  Yikes.  He was fighting me all the way and I thought his head was going to twist off.  Strong legs and sharp claws, but Mark didn't want him to get run over.  Besides, there was nothing but house after house and paved streets.  Not a happy place for a turtle.  Probably a pet someone tired of and discarded.  He continued fighting me, scratching with his legs outstretched and whipping that scrawny neck around.  Then I see his tail.  How cute!  Skinny, long, pointed, outlined in yellow.  As I'm studying it, I see things falling from beneath it.  

Yep.  He pooped yellow on me and my car's seat, along with a good amount of pee.  As I held him away, some landed on the pizza box on the floor.  That one was my sister's.  I wiped and cleaned the best I could while holding on to a squiggling creature with nails as long and sharp as Lady Gaga's.  Finally we get to a small pond not far from our house and he is set free to swim out his days.  You could tell he was happy as he slid into the water and we watched his bubbles go farther out.  We've seen a number of large turtles smashed into the road near a bridge we pass daily.  It's not like they surprise you and run out in front of the car.  Why can't idiots slow down or go around them?  Remember the swans from our local park that were victims of a hit and run driver?   My final pear (Swan Song) was in memory of them.  Well another idiot ran over the new pair and killed them.  They're quite large, they're bright white, how could you not see them?  I hate people.  So we saved a turtle from a cruel existence or death.  I hope he has a long happy life in the isolated pond.  And I hope the stain comes out of my seat.

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And so it goes

Brain freezes are not always caused by cold drinks and ice cream.  And as much as I would like to blame menopause, men are affected too.  My husband went golfing with his shirt inside out the other day.  I always hang his golf shirts inside out to avoid the pointed shoulders, he knows this, but I can't say too much. 

I took my sister to the doctor like this.  Not too noticeable, but still obvious to patients in waiting rooms that stare down at the floor.  I was trying to determine which felt better on my still swollen foot and just forgot to change the other (I've had enough of the big shoe). 

 

 

And get this - the Latitude device that sends her pacemaker signals for monitoring since she is totally dependent on it, was the wrong one.  No info, no help if something was malfunctioning.  They finally realized it after months and we picked up the compatible unit today.

 

Since I was driving, she didn't notice the shiny metal in my hair until we got in the exam room and I was on her right.  This is how a selfie reenactment looks when you don't have a smart phone.  Didn't want to leave out the crooked fingers.  I had a few 4" curved wave clips to hold my hair back until it dried that kind of got lost in the mess.  Would have much preferred a brain freeze from ice cream.  Or Arby's orange cream shake - out of this world good.

 

I started working on Sally again.  When I mentioned to Patti that I was losing interest and maybe would stop stitching for a while, she said NOOOO!  Don't stop!  So I will continue this big girl. 

Bonnie Olson sent photos of her over one 32 count Memory Keeper and said it was OK to share with you.  If it would actually help me keep my memory, I would stitch it over one on 40 count!  But of course it won't.

 

The design is by Workbasket and her finish is 6 1/2" square instead of 12" or 13" over two.  Very nice either way but I am liking the smaller finishes more and more. 

 

Fully lined and ready to hold treasures.  Gorgeousness!!

 

For the Love chart offer, I just printed names on paper and drew one since I didn't need Random to help.   Dede's name was drawn and I will notify her shortly.  Thanks to everyone for participating.




And now for more boring crap.  The Blue Angels are still growing...

This one is unknown but it gets tall with a nice top spread, allowing lots of room beneath for annuals.  Or bazillions of maple whirlygighickeys.

 
 I am so glad I bought the Supertunia Vista Bubble Gum.  What a pink.  I never had a plant with so many continuous flowers.  Anxious to see them a month from now.

Patti's visitation and service is tomorrow.  I am so immature and many times have just lost control so with no disrespect intended, I usually have to get in and out quickly.

I think that's it for now. 
Enjoy your weekend and stay safe.


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The Love Sampler

Hello readers and friends.  As I wrote in prior Memorial Day posts, I become a weepy gal on this day, thinking of the young men lost in the world wars and those that followed.  This year, much worse.  Sweet, gentle, Patti passed this morning.  We were friends in grime, always searching for the early grungy treenware and primitives and rust.  I can't tell you how much I will miss her.  Please revisit Memorial Day 2012's post, or the one from 2013, my sentiments are the same.  Just not up to searching for photos and such this year.

I am offering the Love Sampler chart that Rosanne was kind enough to give to me after spotting it at a unique craft shop in her town.  The craft and hobby items are all donated and the proceeds go to local seniors.  Isn't that a great idea?  This is my version after leaving a section out.

 

This is the chart cover.  I did mine on dark linen to show the details more and chose what I wanted to stitch (as usual).  Please don't be intimidated by the open work, it was my first time doing it and really easy.  Honest.  There are many options for removing sections and even just stitching the LOVE part into a little pillow. 

 

So if you would like this chart, leave a comment on this post expressing that desire.  Open to all as always, but please leave your initials.  More and more comments have become no-reply and Google continues the practice of making that change automatically.  Still not receiving emails from aol users either. 


Will draw a name on Wednesday 5/27 at 8pm. 

That's it for now.  Hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday honoring our heroes.

 

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The blues

Greetings all.  I just love these Blue Angels so much that I will continue to bore you with them.  I showed them on Saturday, this is Tuesday morning - they really sprout quickly.

 

Anxious to see how large they get this year.  I purchased them all at either Home Depot or Lowe's a few years ago, and the ones on the end that aren't pictured were from a garden center.  They have the same leaf, but are half the size.  Same card, same plant, different size.  My sister had that happen to her when purchased one year apart from our local hosta grower.  I just love the color and the thick wrinkled leaves.  Got most of the pinks planted yesterday, just a few left.  I may buy a shower chair to go with my bench.  Rustfree, comfortable, adjustable, and I can get up! Thought I could get away with a sandal after stitch removal but my toes look like our local meat market's garlic sausage.  Can't even get the swollen foot in the first strap.  It will go down and be fine, I just hoped to kick off the shoe earlier.

 

These leaves aren't the only thing blue around here.  I saw Ellen's post on Stitchville USA and got my email update from Country Sampler.  Both places were to be visited with my cousin (home-ec teacher and sewing fanatic) when I visited her in MN.  That was put off until we recouped from caregiving and all the losses.  Unfortunately, her early dementia came before I did and she continues to progress in the facility.  So when I saw the post, the special trip we would have had was another reminder of how she has lost herself.  She traveled the world and experienced so much before this and we're so glad she didn't wait until retirement for those joys.  And my friend Patti is slipping away.  How helpless family and friends feel.  She's always been private and not wanting Facebook pals and such to know so I don't mention her.  But she has been consuming my thoughts for weeks.  I finally went to the local antique mall that we both frequented, had not wanted to visit for a while.  The sadness overwhelmed me.  As soon as I walked in I felt it, and had no desire to shop.  She and I both love early pieces and her talent for decorating with them is evident in her home. 

 

Haven't picked up a needle either.  I keep looking through charts, reading their instructions, browsing for more online, but the needle has stayed ..... I don't know where it is.  Usually I keep it in the linen but because I started a second project and went back and forth, it's somewhere else.  I'll find it.  Maybe it's the excuse I'm using instead of getting a new needle - I do know where those are!  Tonight I will force myself to get a row in. 

Been visiting a doctor for a few months about the stomach and esophagus issues, was told last week - no more chocolate.  Already had to give up iced tea which I drank throughout the day even though it was decaf.  Good thing I hate the taste of booze.

 

Have a wonderful day stitching pals.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Pink overload

Hey.  What's happening?  What are you stitching?  I'm going back and forth, wasting time, and decided to stick with Sally but I haven't picked up a needle in days.  A small project (santa?) will be pulled for working while sitting outside.   I could start the Queen's bag which is mostly tent stitch completely outlined with black, and a bunch of queen stitches.   There's a lot of running/back stitching (a LOT) to outline all the details first.  Same with the other bags but they are mostly embroidery stitches.  So what is embroidery?  Does the term apply to all needlework?  What about crewel?  Or as I call it, cruel.  I guess I'll have to look up the terms but sometimes I'm too lazy.  This is one of those times. 

As for the flowers, once I set them into the dark barrels, I realized they would be great.  The color is vivid and the large barrel looks better with the larger flower.  We did go back though and got more for containers with impatiens and begonias that match.  And I don't even like pink but this shade really pops so I'm doing everything in it.  The shower seat is great for outside work.  Lower/raise for the task and wide enough to push off of to get up.  When did this happen? 

 

Here's the Blue Angel mammoth hostas starting out. 

 

I just love these leaves.

 

 

And just so you don't think it's me, here's what happens when I pick a paint color and purchase it.

The first is Windsor Greige (SW) from a sample jar, and the fricking pink corner is what the $40 gallon looks like.  I gave it to a girl at McDonald's drive through when I got coffee. Why?  Because they don't know how to adjust a color.  

 

The next is Khaki Shade (SW) also from a sample jar, so I brushed it out for a computer match this time instead of using the sample formula, and there's that fricking pink again on the bottom.  Under store lights, it's not as bad as in my house but they still act like you're crazy and a PITA.

 

And the biggest disappointment of all, this is SW's Relaxed Khaki sample card, and the sample jar that was mixed.  Its' green and no where near the card!  These are all from Home Depot and Lowe's.  Benjamin Moore can only mix the lighter shades in Advance, the water based oil that I hate, unless I want a wall paint.  Is that ridiculous?  They don't recommend it for cabinets/trim.  So I will wait for SW's sale, go to them, at least they can make adjustments.  Their sample jars are around $8 which is why I was going to the others and I like the other paint just as well as their $70 cans.

 

Stitches out Monday and the shoe for two more weeks.  I think not. 

It was chilly the other day and these little brats that once lived outside with nothing, are now a bunch of wimps.  It's sprinkling - let me in!  It's below 70 degrees - let me in!  The grass needs cut - let me in!

 

Have a good week.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Did you ever...

try to exchange flowers?  I let the Amish owner with the ice blue eyes, chiseled jaw, and v-shaped body, on his private breathtaking acreage and enormous white farmhouse with wrapped porch, majestic birdhouses in rows, floral landscaping, and hanging baskets bigger than my ass, influence me.  I don't know why. 

 

So instead of getting the pink mini supertunias, I got the bigger Bubble Gum supertunias.  I want the minis.  Saw this same plant in large hanging baskets this morning and they were very nice but the centers were empty and bare.  Not so with the mini supertunias I've had before.  How foolish would I look if we ride out there tomorrow and ask to exchange $70 worth of 4" pots?  Mark said he will drop me off and stay in the car which I already knew.  Flowers have been the only items that didn't beg his question, " are these going back next week?".   No longer.  I am the Queen of Returns but is it really my fault?  Has not menopause created a hesitation, confusion, lack of self assurance, indecisiveness?  No?  Well it sounds like a plausible excuse to me and I'm sticking with it.  I'm sure their response to my request will be "we don't know - no one has ever asked to exchange flowers before".  Either I will end up a happy crab or have more pink petunias than any one person should.  And I should have bought the yellow.  I don't like pink.  See what I mean?  It's like living with two people!  One's a crabby bitch and the other is a weepy wimp.

 

I've set aside Sally for the time being, almost started a few others, but decided on Mary Kiptin/Kitpin, whatever her name is.  Not being a border stitcher, this may create some frustration but it's not the size of Elena Tratman which was my other choice.  I am studying the packets for the sweet bags and the stitches required, mostly detached buttonhole, and although anxious to start I know I don't have the patience right now.  Even been thinking of a Santa.

 

Went to the doc for my after surgery check and dressing change, the gauze was fixed to the stitches from dried blood and pulled out a few when he removed it.  Yikes.  He said to let it go as is, and start following his instructions.  What?  ME?  Not do what I'm told?  How the hell did he know?  My swollen ankle is bigger than my shoulder...may have given him a clue.  So I am to elevate and stay off it.  OK.  Next week, after the paint is remedied and flowers are exchanged and planted.  Lowe's was very nice about the paint and we were there forever getting the sample formula entered into a gallon.  So sure it would be right - got home - it's pink.  Don't know what else to do except buy two dozen samples. 

 

After the high 80's and humidity of the weekend, the furnace is on.  39 tonight.  Right now I'm going to make a cup of coffee, pull out the sweatshirts that are neatly packed away, and elevate my foot for a while.  Sad news....my nephew and his long time love have split, and the blind groundhog that my brother has fed since last year disappeared two weeks ago.  Something must have chased him into the woods and Ron hasn't been able to find him.  He will not survive.  And, the primitive shop in Ohio that opened in 2012 has decided to close, to my surprise.

 

That's it boys and girls.  I know it's not Sunday but I am very unreliable.  Can't blame that one on menopause.

 

Have a great week.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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The errors continue

Hello everyone.  Why does it seem progress is slow?  I'm not stitching much, that's true.  But the errors have really cost time and I'm taking one step back for every two forward.  I finished the brown eyelet top row of that section, corrected and completed the green dividing bands, haven't corrected the chain stitch row, moved an entire row to compensate for a placement error, and now can't even spell correctly. 

I was working on the A in AD and realized it wasn't under the prior row's c as it should be.  Forgot the u in wrought.  It's not a lot to remove but I am tiring of doing so row after row.  Good thing I checked when I did.  Many times my mind is on something else and I just stitch blindly, following the entire row without checking placement.  Haven't decided if I will switch to an easier and smaller project.  This is way too cumbersome to take outside or to appointments.

 

I won the only bid on Ebay for the Queen's Sweet bag from Sharon Cohen so the book cover is the last of her designs I am watching for.  I ordered this book too, and it has great directions for constructing bags, but I don't care for the designs. 

 

While in Lowe's this morning, a gentleman pointed to my legs and asked, "accident"?  I said "no, intentional".  He looked at me rather odd, didn't understand that I meant the medical procedures were necessary and planned. 

Now what was I doing in Lowe's?  Getting the gallon of paint for the cabinets and trim in the lighter color that they mixed for me last week.  And here it is.  Even my husband who believes there is only one beige can see the difference and the PINK!  I am so ticked.  Why bother mixing samples if you can't follow that same formula for the gallon?

Two appointments Monday morning, then a haircut, then off to the Amish greenhouse for a few flowers with husband and sister.  I seem to not be lifting my foot high enough and catching this thick shoe on everything and anything.  I sure hope I don't catch a water hose and take a header onto his flats of flowers.  I could just see the domino effect leading to the eventual collapse of the greenhouse tent.

 

Have a great start to your week.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Happy Mother's Day

 

Wishing everyone a beautiful day filled with joy, memories, love.

 

 

 

As with so many of you whose moms are gone, the memories are met with tears. 

Her favorite trees are glistening like white lights in the sun.

 

 

 

 

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Tiny bubbles

It's Friday.  Surgery went well except for a little too much bleeding.  Injections went well and I baked a cake for them to celebrate the end of treatments.  But the waist high stocking and the foot wrap with the big shoe is not comfortable on an 88 degree day.  That's OK!  It's done.  The endoscopy and stress test will come in a month or so.

 

I'm working on the sink base, finally decided on color.  Cranberry beneath Kodiak Gray, a greenish brownish grayish neutral.  How does it go with the other cabinets in Studio Taupe?  Not good but it doesn't matter.  I'm repainting.  Yep.  Idiot.  Can't help it!  It just doesn't look good with the soapstone in my dark kitchen so after viewing a Facebook entry on Primitives in Pine, I ran out to get the Behr Riviera Beach that was used.  Love love love.  Light, but not as light as the samples I had before.  The Kodiak Gray, a Pratt & Lambert older color, is soft and fabulous.  Just enough contrast for the sink base to be different.  It's what I used for these samples. 

 

I wanted to show you a trick that you might already know about to get a primitive paint finish.  It requires - not the blow torch - but a heat gun.  The standard heat gun for removing paint.  If you heat the gun first, brush on a thick coat of paint, then gun it while wet, you get this.

The paint will start bubbling very quickly and you need to move the gun away or all the paint will become one bubble.  You can push down the bubbles with your finger and when dry will be a rough finish, or wait until it's completely dry and scrape off the bubbles for this finish. 

The paint beneath doesn't get a chance to bubble and the top ones will scrape off exposing the under color.  This area on the top left is a basic thinner coat and it won't bubble at all, not enough paint and it dries too quickly.  As soon as the tiny bubbles started I moved the gun away and this creates just a rough aged looking finish without the really primitive mess in the above photo.

That's it.  Haven't decided if I will crackle or scrape but wanted to show this trick.  You can add an additional coat over the area and do it again if it didn't bubble as much as you wanted.  The paint must be a decent coat, but not real thick, and wet.  Once it dries the bubbles stop so if you use the gun before it is hot enough, it will dry the paint instead of bubble it. 

 Be careful!!  Have a silicone mat or something non-flammable to set the gun on, watch where you point it (wild hair sets to flame quickly - trust me), and you can also burn the paint.  Practice, be careful.

Edit - received a few emails from readers that have used this method and found that the hardness of the surface will vary with the new super wall paints.  Their bubbles did not harden to "crispy"!  Best test the brand you are using on a sample. It works really well with the acrylic craft paints but I can't vouch for the difference in Behr, BM, Valspar.  I use flat and haven't had a problem.

 

Enjoy your weekend - ours will be a hot one.  Yay!!!

 

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A good day

Hello all.  Monday was a pretty good day here. Even the brats were enjoying it.

It started with project work.  After giving up on anyone here knowing what I want, I decided to wing it.  I mentioned before that I visited the best custom and standard lumber supplier in these parts, asked if they could help me with colonial paneling, he laughed and told me to buy a new trailer. 

So to panel the bar and backsplash, we purchased 1/4" finished birch plywood and ripped it to wide random widths.  Half inch really wasn't necessary to get the look I wanted.  If they still carried the tiny bead moulding, we would have used it but instead, just spaced the boards for plain panels. 

Made the corner brackets, even though I am not happy with the my-fat-knees-won't-hit-now profile.  Mark (who doesn't want them messed with) will be attending a weekend golf outing and since it's almost impossible to use a jigsaw in this position, I will attempt the belt sander to get the shape I want. Won't be easy, there are three.  I wet an old bedsheet and hang it over like a tent and it catches sawdust really well.

Moved on to fitting the peg boards beneath the wall cabinets. The pegs will go in tomorrow and the outlets will be replaced with a newer style in a lighter color.

The legs and apron will be cut next and rather than paint the toekick area the same as the cabinets (then the legs blend in) or a dark gray or black (which is too obvious), we decided to stain the area the same as the floor. It will blend in allowing the leg moulding to be more noticeable.  I think it's a good solution.  It will be cut from the baseboard that you see here (and painted to match the cupboards).

Then the mail came.  I received the Sharon Cohen patterns along with Threads of Gold's new reproduction sampler, Ann Kiptin (call or email Em-Li's).  I am considering a hold on Sally and moving on to Ann, but concerned that I will never go back and Sally will never get finished.  Ann is 140x220, only 9 x 14 on 30 count.  I could do that.  There is a floral border, alphabet, motif, animals, back to alpha, should keep my interest and all in a smaller project.  I always end up browsing the 11 pages of Threads of Gold reproductions and wonder - do I have these?  I need more organization.

And now the final good thing of the day.  My abdomen is large enough to roll the bottom hem of my t-shirt when I sit.  That's not the good thing since it is 5 pounds heavier again - not going in the right direction.  But as I undressed to get into the shower, a large hunk of chocolate that fell out of my cookie earlier hit the floor.  What a nice surprise.  It must have fallen into the rolled hem.  I searched for that chunk and could not figure out why it disappeared.  Some women have chests big enough to become a catch-all shelf, unfortunately, mine is my abdomen, not as attractive as a rack.

Still limping from the left foot surgery, the knees that need fixed, waist high surgical stocking from injections, I'm having the right foot surgery tomorrow, then the final left leg injections Friday.  Get it all over with at once.  It's minor stuff really but hurts like hell for quite a while.  Since I have to stay off it for several days, maybe I will get back into stitching instead of just watching the ice bag melt.

 

Enjoy your week!

 

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The Queen

Greetings folks.  How did the weekend go?  We had wonderful weather and it's finally warming up.  I can't believe how many people already have annuals planted and hanging baskets.  The stores have had them for some time.  I remember when Memorial Day was the big shopping day for flowers but just as all seasonal items, they are out sooner every year.  I feel pressured to get what I need before they are gone but I didn't even think about a plan or colors yet.  I'm still working on that damn paint that is pink in the day and green in the night.  My moods have me crabby in the day and giddy at night.  Hot flashes have diminished but when I do get them, the mood goes from cold to hot and back to cold just as my body does.  Is there such thing as a happy crab?

 

Not much done on Sally.  The chain stitch row that took me forever is off and I may take it out and just do a regular cross.  The rice alphabet is down one row and not rice - I did the regular cross - which made the row beneath also down one.  That's OK because there is enough space.  So I thought this would be a good time to show you Ann's latest wallet project and a little note from her about it.  By the way, Ellen Chester (With My Needle) called her wallet of 7000 queen stitches "not for the faint of heart" when she created this historical adaptation of her original antique. This photo is from Silver Needle and they are offering the chart with finishing instructions for half price ($8) on this page.
 Ann originally avoided this stitch like most of us, but thought maybe she could inspire a few of you to give it a try.  I know that several specialty stitches I imagined to be a nightmare, ended up being fun to do once I got my rhythm and a nice break from the usual cross.  As always, watching videos from Mary Corbet's Needle 'n Thread are a tremendous help.  Here's Ann....

 

 "In all my years of stitching I have always shied away from doing designs that contain the Queen stitch (also known as the Renaissance or Rococo stitch).  I like my needlework to be neat and orderly and the dilemma for me was what tension, if any, should I use.  Do I apply no tension, do I pull a little or a lot and is the same tension applied to each part of the stitch.  I found different instruction/suggestion based on the places I looked.  As a result,  my Queen stitches were crooked, uneven, slanted, and just out of whack.  However, I saw two designs that made my hesitation of doing this stitch turn to a desire to resolve my issues and just do it.  The designs are A Work'd Pocketbook, by Ellen Chester and Mary Alsop 1774 Pocketbook from the Examplarery, Joanne Harvey. 

I have both designs but chose to do Ellen's first.  I am lucky to know Ellen since we are both members of the Queen City Sampler Guild in Cincinnati, Ohio, and I have taken a class from her.  I will tell you her directions are outstanding and are precise, complete and so easy to follow. Perfect choice for my adventure.

Although I used Ellen's design, I decided, as I seem to often do, to change the colors from the ones in her design.  I am using 32 count Wichelt Lambswool fabric and Needlepoint Silk thread, which has become a favorite of mine. 

I began my stitching with very little tension but as I did a row or two, I wasn't sure that the look was what I wanted.  I began "playing" with the tension and found that a more "pulled" stitch appeared more appealing to me.  It could be that this is going to be a wallet and there will be soooo many queen stitches all touching each other, it could be my choice of colors for the threads, or possibly just the way I stitch; however, I'm liking the look with more tension.  

I thought I might tire of doing so many queens but I find that I'm as excited about this piece as any I've done....right now I'm just loving doing reproduction wallets.  

Thanks Marly for inviting me to be a tiny part of your blog." - Thank you Ann for sharing your projects. 

 

You can see in the photo how she changed tension as she moved along in the project.  My tension would not be visible through the flames. 

Ann has great boards on Pinterest (here) featuring wallets, huswifs, bags, pouches, books, caskets, and of course, her fabulous finished stitchery.  Some of the antiques in her wallet album are these, also done in queen stitch.

 

And my favorite which is a needlecase.

 

 

I'm sure she will share the finish of her wallet of 7000 queens.  I've never constructed these reproduction wallets, doubt if they are easy, but Ann has also accomplished that task with perfection. 

When your needlework interest is in early pieces and reproductions, you're tiring of samplers, try one of these projects for a change and challenge.  The sweet bags, wallets, huswifs, and other similar needlework may create a new interest and collection, and no wall space is needed!

 

Thanks again Ann.  Can't wait to see it completed and what the next project will be.

 

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