It's good looking

but takes forever.  This sampler would have been finished by now without this stitch.  Simple looking and easy to do but for some reason, very time consuming.  Could very well be because of my road map method.  If I had rhythm, a pattern to follow, maybe it would move along.  Regardless, not much more to do now.  I'm liking the one thread on 35 more and more, can't imagine what a mess I would have using two threads for a four sided stitch.   I was gifted a very nice laying tool and should use it along with railroading, but I get more reckless as time goes by.

 

 

Thank you for the kind words in your comments.  A review of my cousin Marcia's story that I had posted about over the years.

When visiting here, she would develop crushing pain in her chest for several minutes, so severe that she would stop her car and get out.  This went on for a few years, tests run, they said it was esophageal spasms.  She injured her toe and when leaving the hospital ER, she suffered a massive heart attack in the parking lot.  If elsewhere, she would not have survived.  Sextuple bypass was immediately done throughout the entire night.  Lots of rehab.  When healed, a hernia that developed from a prior surgery was taken care of, and once home and healing from that, she suffered a massive stroke from a clot.  Almost a year in a nursing home for rehab, still paralyzed on one side, unable to speak fluently, in a wheelchair, her family brought her back home.  Her husband was killed in Vietnam. Her 50 year old son lived with her, was unemployed, and cared for every one of her needs.  Shopping, cooking, cleaning, doctors, 24/7.  His 13 year old son by another idiotic woman who should not have children, also lived with him.  (After a year or two she would drop her children off at their fathers' homes with a note, never to see them again.)  He unfortunately was the one that found his father dead in the garage from an apparent heart attack this past weekend. She has lost her son and caregiver, along with her grandson.  The legal custody chain sends him back to another state once they find her.  Other family members work, no one is willing to give up life to take care of her 24/7, but maybe they could pull their resources and help pay for someone to do that.  Her siblings are very well off and I hope this is the decision.  She is beside herself with grief and also fear of leaving her home and rescue dog, which no one would take.  Many years ago, she also lost her 20 year old mentally challenged son to a car while riding his bike.  Insult to injury, she was denied a settlement from the driver's insurance because they told her being challenged as he was, his life had no monetary value.  Can you imagine telling a mother that?  Things have changed since then, I am sure.

 

So we are continually thinking of what she is going through.  He has been her rock and loving caregiver, her home is now empty, grandson's grief and future also taking a toll.

 

Brings up the question in our family which my sister continually mentions.  She refuses to leave her home and expects someone to care for her in it, if that situation should arise.  She doesn't have enough income to pay basic bills let alone a caregiver, neither does Marcia.  Carole started saying that Marcia's sister should do whatever it takes and move her into her home.  I told Carole that it is not right to expect someone to give up their life for another, regardless of how much they love them.   Silence.  "Well then just bring a gun and put me out of my misery."  I told her do NOT put me on a guilt trip, I gave up 8 years to care for my mother.  Carole didn't help me until mom was very bad, and I had to offer pay in order to get her here. 

So what would you do?  It's a tough situation that most families experience.  Helping is one thing, but constant care in home for years is another.  This isn't Hospice or end of life.  Marcia is 73 and in otherwise good health.  I may be selfish but I don't think I could do it.  I think of Francine and her loving sisters and family and know that they would not hesitate.  But me, I don't know.  Maybe if the situation would arise I would feel differently.  Probably would.  But I feel Carole is wrong in criticizing others, especially when she was not willing at all.  There are many reasons why some people are not comfortable with caregiving, or not willing, and no one should be condemned for them.  But we are hoping there will be a way to keep Marcia in home.

 

Well that was a way too long gut spill wasn't it?

 

*****************************

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The arrow of my ways

I've checked several books and online videos and seems everyone has their arrows pointing in a different direction for the four sided stitch. The only thing I found consistent is the cross on the backside, which I didn't have.  Except for two stitches.  So I've been doing it wrong but it really doesn't look any different from the examples.   What I found written is this stitch is mostly used in openwork or embroidery when it is pulled tightly to create little holes.  Hell.  I do that all the time with my tension.

Did not find it (probably has another name) on Mary Corbet's site.  I've mentioned her many times before and still enjoy visiting.  This trip, I found her page of free embroidery drawings to print. 

http://www.needlenthread.com/patterns

And with her teaching videos and all other help she offers, you just can't find a better source.

http://www.needlenthread.com/videos

Not to mention her tips and techniques.

http://www.needlenthread.com/tips-techniques

In other words, you could spend hours on her comprehensive site.
 

Now about the linen.  I must drive readers nuts about this issue because I certainly do to myself. When several online sites state "Wichelt linen" as the description, whose is it?  Permin, right?  I am to assume that it is Permin since it is stated "manufactured" by Wichelt.  Yet the vast array of colors shown are the same as Cashel and Belfast and those are the softer Zweigart, right?   123Stitch has Belfast linen "by" Wichelt and also "by" Zweigart. So I am confused.  Permin (Wichelt) is stiffer, Zweigart softer (is it?), and showing Wichelt as the source doesn't clarify if it was imported by them, or made by them.  Is Belfast manufactured by both?  I want to know the feel of the linen I am ordering and the descriptions and sources have me totally confused. 

I can't believe how many times I have typed Permin and Wichelt.  My head is spinning.  Giving Spellcheck a run for the money, lit up the page in yellow!  Silly little things like this bug the crap out of me.  I just want to know what I'm buying, and knowing the texture and hand of each type/maker helps a great deal when ordering blind. 

Kelley asked about the history of my current project, 1739 by R&R Reproductions (http://dyeing2stitch.com/) so for anyone else interested, this is the information provided with the chart.

Still processing very sad and upsetting news within my family in CA.

March is beginning, Spring is arriving soon.  Live each day to the fullest.

*******************************

Four sides

 

 

The rest of the samplers is done in the four sided stitch.  I need to watch YouTube and check a few references.  Haven't done this one in a long while and I am all over the place. 

 

 

I think the threads would lay more evenly and not be as twisted if I followed the correct direction.  Normally I don't care, but I am irked that a simple square outline has me confused. 

 

******************

Grape salad requested recipe

Photo from Pinterest

Grape Salad

2# red grapes
2# green grapes

Wash and stem.  You can use all one type of grape if preferred.

Mix by hand
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Toss in grapes and stir to coat.

Mix 1 cup brown sugar and
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Sprinkle over top and refrigerate overnight.  If you can wait.

A few notes. 
Some use 4 oz Greek yogurt and 4 oz sour cream.
You can sprinkle half the nut mixture and toss, then top each serving with the remaining.
Easily cut in half for less grapes.
If they're as sour as mine are, sprinkle a little more brown sugar on top!

Mystery solved

 

As I put my iced tea gallon jug into the recycling container, I spotted the Jif jar.  How could I forget that I finished it?   Never dawned on me because I have a habit of carrying something, getting distracted, and setting it where it should not be.  The grapes are in the salad and almost gone.  Love this stuff. 

 

But I got tired of searching for the floss bag so I changed the color.  It looks just fine and I may like it better than the lost color.  I followed the sampler's misalignment but not all of the 1/2 and 3/4 stitches.  I'm not sure if they would be noticed on the higher count linen with pastel threads, so I just made the full cross.  I plan to age it with a spray and a few spots.

 

Many years ago, I made a shelf to hold wooden bowls (similar to this Pinterest photo) but never attached the front rails or painted it.  Since then, the number of bowls have increased and there is no way this item would be large enough. 

 

 

 

 

 

So we stained and sealed (yuck) and added the rails to the front of the shelves to create a lip.  My brother has an extensive collection of rare milk bottles so we gave it to him.  No way they will all fit, but his cat(Peanut) is a little devil and into everything so at least his favorites will be on the wall and protected from her mischief.  If not, his very early canning jars will fit.  These are filled with fixatives from 30 years ago when I made potpourri.  Time to get rid of them also.

 

70's today.  Then the cold returns.

Enjoy your day and stay safe.

 

*****************************

 

Sour puss

I guess my only option is to make the grape salad with cream cheese, brown sugar and pecans.  Hmmm.  Not a bad option.

Why are there empty areas? 

Because the fricking floss color I need took a hike with the peanut butter.

 

Is it possible?  Can eating too many sour grapes make you sour?  Is a sourpuss worse than a crabass or comparable?  Maybe the brown sugar will help.

 

*******************

Why are my red grapes sour

and where is my peanut butter?  Some days, everything becomes an issue.  I put by favorite Jif Natural into my vanilla yogurt every day.  So what happened to it?  Damn these things irritate me to no end.  I just can't seem to put things where they belong nor do I remember where I set them.  And.. two bags of red grapes, both sour. 

 

I went to Sally Beauty to see if they had a gray hair brightening shampoo for Carole and the sweet gal working (new employee I learned) asked me nicely if I wanted to become a member of their club to obtain a discount on all my purchases for hair care.  I said "look at me.  Do I look like I buy products for and take care of my hair?  I come in once a year for a stronger magnifier so I can pluck those wires on my lip."  She lost it.  Thought she was going to need a panty liner. 

The cheap person's selfie ...  a Canon digital camera and a mirror.

But still sharp enough to see my roots.  Wearing a hair band is my version of the male comb over.  The extra wide band hides the top roots and the rest of the hair comes forward to hide the side roots.  A brown Sharpie touchup above the bangs and I'm good to go.  I wonder if a swipe of my ink pad would work. 

 

Back to working on 1739 and loving the 35 count's look.  I'm sorry to say the ponies never made it to their feed sack.  I may tell you about it one day, but not until I find the peanut butter.

 

Join me in a Day of the Snark won't you?

 

***********************************

 

A heart of gourd

Hope your weekend was good. 

 

 

Time is coming close to two years that Patti died.  She loved gourds.  I mean LOVED gourds.  But her husband and daughter hated the dirty looking shells of various shapes.  She used a transfer paper to print this on a sack, glue was still visible.  I decided to sew it into a heart and give it to her daughter, if she would like it.  This "gourd" will be more acceptable than the real thing and be a sweet reminder of their gourd war.  (Those are cheddar/sour cream chips.)

A few emails were received asking about the thick wool I used on the pouch.  This is the type, found at Hobby Lobby and Michael's.  Once the front is lined with the muslin, attaching to the wool back is very easy.  Some are very thick and sturdy, others are thick but stretchy.  Next time, I will machine sew around the four sides to stabilize before sewing to the front.

 

  I have too much, probably not as much as most crafters, but still too much for me.  The first time I pitched and donated was a little painful, but this time it's worse.  Needs to be done.  Fabric everywhere that I haven't touched in years.  Why am I keeping it?  I know the day will come when I am searching for a little piece of something I threw out, but clinging to that possibility is not worth the excess baggage my rooms are carrying.  I'm sure I will improvise or find a substitute without having a meltdown about letting it go.  Well, fairly sure.

Yardage of wool blends that were going to be blazers and pants have got to go.  I have no intention of making my clothes again and certainly not a lined blazer.  Just the thought has my stomach convulsing.  Of course there could be another use. But no longer will I hold on to items that may one day be part of a project that would cause me to rip my hair out and more likely than not, never come to be.  It's like keeping all those blazers that are too small because ONE DAY, I will be thinner.  I already have storage boxes filled with too small pants and jeans that have been waiting for that taped lid to open and free them.  Light!  Sounds!  Movement!  Only on a rack at the Salvation Army pants people.  I've been waiting longer than they have for that day that is not coming.  It wasn't easy to find items in tall sizes that fit well which is another reason I have trouble letting go.  But I am.  

 

One of the fabrics that I have no use for is a men's suiting silk that my aunt gave me decades ago.  Her husband had planned on a custom suit and I don't even have a tailor shop within a gas tank from here to ask about it.   My home ec teacher cousin said years ago that it is very expensive but what do I know? 

 

It has yellow markings in the selvage with lots of various sized slubs.  This I will hold on to for a while until I find someone that may have an answer for me.  The teacher is my cousin in MN suffering from advanced FT dementia.  Found out last week that my local cousin is now on meds and she is only 68.  Scary.

 

Tomorrow I am going to check for heart boxes, hoping to find at least two.  The last time we went there was a very bad accident on that route and I vowed I would stay off highways.  I just can't get that doc's words about becoming a paraplegic out of my mind when traveling.

 

February is passing quickly.  This better slow down once summer nears.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

********************************

 

Rosanna bag

Finished.  What should I have done different?  Used the dark green wool for the back instead of brown.  Why didn't I?  Good question.  No answer.

 

 

 

Made cording from the same 934 green in the border and blanket stitch.

 

Lined the front with muslin, stitched the top back of the wool with Alpaca.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adorable, no?

 

***********************

Floss

 

BOTH BOXES ARE SPOKEN FOR

These do not include the most recent 3800's, maybe a few.  I should have checked the higher numbers to give you an idea but it's already packed.   Each offer contains two bags as shown above.

 

Box #1

total of 246 various colors
many double and more brings total skeins to over 270
most are full skeins, some are used
scrappy scribbled note paper listing color numbers for reference

Shipping in Priority Mail Tyvek envelope for $12.00
No charge for the floss.
Email me if you are interested, let me know if Paypal or check

Box #2

total of 258 various colors
many double and more brings total skeins to over 270
most are full skeins, some are used
scrappy scribbled note paper listing color numbers for reference

Shipping in Priority Mail Tyvek envelope for $12.00
No charge for the floss.
Email me if you are interested, let me know if Paypal or check

Note - I would have to double check, but I think international shipping would be around $25.00 - but I can't guarantee that until the post office verifies my calculation.

 

**************************

An all day job

Floss.  I have a nice floss box, stuffed.  I have a bag of each color in a cupboard.  No longer do I want to keep these boxes of extras.  I will never use it all and am tired of storing it.  So I am emptying each envelope, some are full skeins, some are used, many are multiples, some colors are missing.  But I am sorting into two piles, putting in a bag, and will check shipping costs for them.  I hope this task doesn't take an entire day because my patience (unlike my behind) is very thin.

The Mr. Big Santa?  His fill is weighty to stand upright, over 7#.  The extra large box (higher cost) was over a pound not including the boxing fill.  Shipping to mid west was $45 and if the box was any larger it would jump to $63 from my zip code, so he is staying in PA.  The floss would fit in a regular sized box and I will check on those costs before determining their fate.

 

 *****************************

Pears winner

Oh my.  I can't tell you how it pained me to not be able to have a box for all of your friends and relatives experiencing difficult times.  I'm keeping the entries, just in case.  Seriously.  Through comments and also quite a few emails, I was asked to consider Patti and her mom (recently lost father and husband).  She must be a special person to have so many stitchers wanting this for her.  Patti's blog Winding Vine Wanderings is a delight and her faith is strong.  That faith worked for her (and her fans) because believe it or not, the number next to her name came up as the winner on Random.  So I hope this lovely lady and her mom enjoy their retreat and their boxes.  I want to thank everyone for the emails asking me to not stop the boxes, for entering this giveaway, and for all the kind comments.

On to stitching.

My first blanket stitch edge.  I watched several online videos for instructions on starting and ending this stitch, but none of them talked about threads.  I didn't know if floss, perle, wool, or what would be appropriate.  I went with DMC 3 strands.

The applique I see on sites is usually done with a contrasting thread, but with the dark brown backing and linen I wasn't sure if I would like that option.  How could I tell?  I didn't want to pull the thick threads out of the high count linen and leave a little hole so I had to know before I started.  Enter...Paint program!

It didn't look bad at all with the lighter thread, but I chose the dark green from the border because it outlined the pouch better.   Either would have worked and as usual, I'm questioning my decision.  Nah, it's good.  Good enough.  Good to go.  Good as gold.  As good as it could.

 

Snow snow snow here.  But this weekend and next week's beginning will be 50's, even 60!    Mark's finger will be well enough to golf and isn't causing him too much pain.

 

Enjoy your weekend!.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

********************************

1739

Happy day everyone. 

 

Started the 1739 sampler from R&R Reproductions and it's going to be great.  Very hard to make out details in the chart photo and I haven't found one photo of a finish online.  Guess mine will be the first.  The border looks blue but the charted color is green.  I've changed most to a shade or two darker.  Another one from my collection of their series of samplers from decades ago.  This one, from 1995. 

It's really primitive, uneven letters, a different alphabet style, simple but various stitches.  I did the outline first to help me line up the rows and also see the finished size.  Another possible pouch, it is less than 5 1/2" wide on this 35 count beige.  Yep.  Beige.  I never use lighter linen but this is a khaki sort of beige and for once, I pictured the piece on a lighter ground.  That's very unusual for me and I'm happy with it already.  The lighter threads would be easy to work on a dark ground but I just don't think it would do this wonky design justice.  Never did I imagine I would work on a higher count like this either but I am starting to really enjoy it.  The chart is 100 stitches wide so ÷ by 17.5 for 35 count it equals 5.71 yet after stitching, it is only 5.38.  I guess I'll find out soon enough if I counted wrong.

 

Spent the afternoon yesterday in Urgent Care because Mark was cutting drywall with the box cutter blade and ....         He opted for glue instead of stitches since he plans on golfing this weekend.  50's.  Yahoo.  Met his friend's wife there with her dad, and she is miserable.  She needs a hip replacement (two actually) but her ACA insurance rate rose to over $1000 a month and her deductible is $7000.  That's like another $583 per month.  She has to work to afford the monthly bill but can barely walk.  She just can't afford to have the surgery.  Remember my financially independent friend that paid only $100 a month with NO deductible by limiting her investment income?  She got a check in December for $640 from the insurance company for not spending too much on health care! 

 

Be back for the giveaway.

 

**************************

Pear share giveaway

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

For this final box giveaway, you will receive two boxes.  One for you, one for you to share.  You can offer it on your blog, or gift a friend, and please state in your entry who that will be.

 

The boxes are small, approximate 3 3/4" x  5" oval, 2 1/2" tall, painted dark brown outside, sealed mache inside.

 

Please leave your entry in the comments or email me directly if you cannot.  I've never restricted the giveaways before, but with the new international rates, I am sorry to say this is for USA only.

Starts today and ends Thursday at 7pm EST.

 

 

 

**************************************

Mr. Big

What I found at my brother's.

Cinnamon Stick Christmas IX from 1994.

 

 

19" tall and 14" wide, embellished.

 

The size + base/fill would cost $20 to ship.  Any suggestions on pricing?

 

AND....

if all goes well with finishing and waxing, I will be posting the final box giveaway, with a catch.  If it doesn't go well, I'll buy Smith's hotdogs for the bonfire. Details tomorrow.

 

********************************

 

Sack it to me

Greetings stitch buds.  Hope all is well.

 

I must drive you crazy with these ponies, because that is the way they affect me.  First it was a bag, then a frame, then a pillow, then a box, and now back to sack.  Why?  The box lid was perfect.  Reason #1, Hobby Lobby did not have the round box I needed and it's not carried elsewhere except in a five box set (neither did they have the hearts). Reason #2, where the heck would I put such a large box?  It would take up a lot of space on an end table, bench, anywhere and I am trying to minimize clutter.  So I've decided to go with the bag since it can be hung on a door (how many times have I told you how I love those iron hooks on them?), window trim, cupboard, anywhere.  The problem is, how do I make it? 

I did my Sampler Sack (a large flop but I do thank the eleven people that purchased it) but the ponies are different.  Not really primitive, not sure of strap material, a little too large.  But I'll give it a go because these poor horses have been thrown around for a few years and they need to show themselves proudly.  Finding a cotton print backing that is suitable in color would be a PITA but I remembered the boxes of wool in the closet.  Couldn't believe it.  Look at this match!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But brown wool is still an option and provides more choices for the strap (leaning toward brown leather).  My inept finishing will make the determination - sack or pillow. 

 

Now for little Rosanna.  Definitely a sack.  I absolutely love this 35/36 count Mink from R&R.  Stiff enough to hold its own.  I may use a light fusible or just muslin lining.  Either way, I am going to attempt my first finish using a blanket stitch or something similar to attach linen to a wool back.  I have my Crazy Quilt Stitches book and others for reference.  To test how stable the sack would hang, I just pinned to the wool back and a thin leather strap, it passed the test.  Between the thick wool and the stiffer linen, no help required.  This is the felted wool piece that comes in a roll at Hobby Lobby, Michael's, most craft stores.

 

 

   

I think this will be a great finish for

her, my concern is for the ponies.  If this doesn't work, they may live forever in a drawer.

 

Have a good one!

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

****************************

The absolute last one

Yep.  All I have left are a few large sets and if the off again on again fricking printer works for more than 15 minutes, and I find all the lost files from the beginning, I may be getting rid of those also. 

 

But for the last one, I found a label completely forgotten.  It's from the Nash bag I donated to The Attic for their auction.  I hope they got a decent price and it made the new owner happy.

 

I am not any worse which is great.  Even went out to search for heart boxes.  I failed at finding them but that's not the point.

 

Also stopped at my local mall that is closing Sears and Macy's, the two largest stores.  Lots of people in Sears for the clearance.  Their merchandise is not bad, especially for kids and juniors.  But what young fashionista wants to say her outfit is from Sears?  They should have kept the tools as Sears and changed the name to The Market for everything else and KMart for the super store.  AND offered the discounts and coupons that other chains do.  Heck, I can't even find the Magic Extra Crisp sizing around here and now we are losing those two stores.

 

We finally purchased a new mattress and after putting it all together, it's counter height.  If Mark is tying up the kitchen space I could always chop onions on it. They are coming tomorrow to exchange the standard 9" foundation for the 4".  I could get used to jumping up on the bed but Mark doesn't like it.  When I had to switch to the expensive hotel at the Clinic, I literally sunk into a cloud on that bed.  I'm sure it's the $6000 model and I will not pay that.  How the heck do you cover the new monster  sized mattress with a comforter?  They are full/queen which ticks me off, no queen pillowcases with sets, so I may just get a king size and have it hang.  Better too long than too short. 

 

Hope your weekend is going well. 

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

*******************************

Rosanna

Sheepish Designs Rosanna Pinkham

with a few minor errors that turned into chart changes

on 35 count R&R Mink

that doesn't photograph well when you have a crap camera and no fancy phone.

 

 

My lungs are on fire, the cough is developing, a large cyst showed up on my palate, and I think I will be down for a while.  Hopefully that won't be the case and it will pass quickly but I think it's the same bug my sister had.

 

Received the Aztec Red gingham and it is a soft red, slightly lighter than the solid Aztec. It is a very nice fabric but not sure I want it.  Typical for me isn't it? 

 

Have a great weekend everyone.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

*******************

A bright spot

on a snowy day.

 

Regarding the limp linen issue, Paula was kind enough to email with a product she uses and I found it online.  Magic Extra Crisp Sizing Fabric Finish. I will be looking for it locally but until then tried the Magic I had in the cupboard. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Mom always wanted her doilies and dresser scarves starched so I've got three old cans from various companies.  I followed the directions to allow the spray to enter the fabric by running my hand over the sprayed linen to make sure it penetrated. 

 

Here's the difference in WDW 32 count Tin Roof.  One sprayed, one not.  This was sprayed twice and you can see the extra body just by the way it lays.  But I will still get what Paula recommended and try the sizing, different from starch.  Definitely made the linen stiffer, the weave more stable.  But what about creasing while stitching in hand or a hoop's mark?   Doesn't starched fabric wrinkle easily and stay that way?  This could be one solution to limp linen, will let you know the result of using the sizing.  There's still hope for all my small pieces of WDW gorgeous colors.

 

While I was putting away recent purchases I happened to see my ginghams in 28 and compared to the 32 Tin Roof (both WDW), they not only look the same count, but the 32 looks looser.  I guess this is why it's so difficult trying to determine count in unmarked stash.  I would have had these two reversed. 

Hope you're having a good day.  Thanks for the box purchases.  I may try to get a few more hearts this weekend. 

Thanks for visiting.

 

 ***********************

 

Sale on

Click the For SALE tab under the header photo. 

 

***************************

He's not a bell

but I gave him a few.  I don't know if you would want to be bored to tears viewing photos of how the Santa bell almost came to be.  Really, it would be quite easy to fabricate, but I really didn't want to bother.  I still prefer simple and for that reason, as I look at the completed piece before me, Santa will be bell-less when I finish this post.  I'm sorry sir, but I must rip your bells off.

I used a thin strip of green wool for the strap and also for each bell.  I love this color and can't remember where I got it, goes very nicely with his tree. 

 

A reminder also about the sale this evening at 8pm.  Not much, but I'm hoping to sell off these last few.  I must say, the red heart boxes ..... really nice.  They are almost 8" across so a good size.  After purchasing the fricking ink, the magenta print head clogged, and I wasted much time and $$ on trying to hold on to the best printer I've had.  So I doubt there will be any more heart boxes.

 

The internet has been off and on today so if I am late with the sale, I can blame it on that.

And to Mary Margaret, you are no-reply ... so I can't!  I believe those ornaments call for 9"x9" squares and the seller on EBay has it cut 9" x 17" so you could get two ornaments from one piece.  I got a double piece because I couldn't find it elsewhere. Whoops.  I just checked and she has sold out of the red.  You could probably order from Needlecraft Corner or request it through 123Stitch. All the info as to size and threads and buttons and such can be found on their site by clicking http://handsondesign.biz/12-days-hands-on-style/

Since this gingham appears very subtle, I'm sure using the solid Aztec Red from WDW would be just as nice.  And no, I'm not stitching them.  I am a linen hoarder and just wanted it! 

Later gator.

 

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More checks

Greetings folks.  February.  Won't be long until we start seeing flowers at the garden centers.

 

I happened to spot something by accident today and it led to Hands on Designs' website.  You're probably already familiar with the new series of ornaments she featured this past December called 12 Days.  (The photo is from the website).  The linen is Aztec Red gingham from WeeksDW.  How did I miss this?  So I searched and searched, found some on Ebay and ordered a piece. 

 

Then I got confused.  After searching for more info, I saw the supplies on Needlecraft Corner and their linen states 32 count.  ???  I always thought the Weeks gingham was only 28 count.  Too late, already ordered.  I would have preferred the 32, if it's available.  EDIT-their error, it's 28.

 

You can read more about this series here http://handsondesign.biz/12-days-hands-on-style/.

While ordering the gingham, I tried to remember the difference between Zweigart and Wichelt so I don't order a linen that I am unhappy with.  Again.  I always thought Zweigart was mentioned as a coarse/stiff linen, but read that it is soft.  Wichelt has more sizing and stiffness.  But.  Although stiffer, the threads are thinner and the linen more sheer.  Zweigart is softer but the threads are thicker, less sheer.  So what the hell?  I can't get thick and stiff in one?  My unbleached yardage is thick, and stiff, and coarse, so maybe the natural/raw fabric has those qualities but not those that are bleached and dyed.  I don't know.  The last piece I purchased is a fabulous color from Wichelt, but it's soft, slippery, and shiny.  I hate shiny linen.  So if I rinse it, will the sizing be removed taking the sheen with it?  Probably be even more soft and limp after.  I give up.  Since I bought quite a bit of WDW recently, I will be using it for smalls.  It's too soft for me but it has a matte finish which is a plus.  Has anyone tried a spray starch on it?  I have an old can and it didn't work very well, maybe there is a brand or product that will add body?

 

That's all I got.  Confusion.  Nothing new.

Have a good day.

 

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Preview

These are the last boxes, unless I find more when I clean out the other closet.  Offered this Wednesday at 8pm EST on the SALE page.

One of each.

Bugle Boy is 7", the tall rounds are 5", green sampler is on tall 4"x6" oval, little primitive is 4".

 

 

 

 Heart is 8"x8" on red.  May have two more soon.

 

 Will post a reminder before the sale.  No pre-sales.

 

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