Uh-oh

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Beyond the crabby revisited

Searching for the Death by Chocolate zucchini recipe, I came across this old post.

And I guess I haven't softened much in two years.  Especially since Steinmart received my return of three incorrectly sized men's leather belts weeks before they decided to close, I am not getting a refund.  Emails and contact were never acknowledged.  Regardless of what their website states, they are not issuing credits so I am out over $85.

From early 2018 - 

Some needleworkers like to punch.   I would love to do that right now.

Some needleworkers prefer stitching.  It's what a victim of my ire would need.

Some needleworkers enjoy the finish.  Oh how I would love to get there.

Some needleworkers prefer a sharp needle.  Nothing can be sharper than my tongue.

Some needleworkers like a larger eye.  I'd like to blacken a few.

Some needleworkers like their linen to be soft in hand.  I'd rather have a rock in mine.

Some needleworkers have their threads wound.  Tight enough to break?

Some needleworkers are very nice people, with kind words, forgiveness, and patience.

And one needleworker is not.

But she will get over it.  Nothing is worth ruining a weekend, a day, an hour, when we don't know if it may be our last.  And if it's not (whew), starting it with an attitude sets the tone for a wasted day.  How many more do we have?   Daily trials and tribulations are a part of life and nothing compared to the life and death and suffering of others. Get angry, get over it.  Have an extra chocolate or two or three.  Pull up your brand new big girl panties.  Look up at the sky in the morning and start fresh.  And ponder why panties are so damn expensive.  I know why they're big.

Have a great Sunday folks.

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Going to the right side

I followed the chart colors!

Am I the only one that can't wait until the Video Music Awards are over on Sunday?  I am so sick of seeing its ad on every commercial break.  Really?  Enough!

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Back to basic!

No more eyes until page two.  I tried the center method and there was a slight improvement in my stitch.  Some of my stitches have threads overlapping in the eye, and coming up through it seemed to help.  But I only did a few for comparison.  I was anxious to be done with them and followed my routine.  I can't find the site (linked from Pinterest) that showed the reversed method.  It's obviously not the one used or taught by skilled needleworkers.

The 830 does not look as green as in the photo.

It's drizzling, a light soft rain.   This isn't one very long cat under the rain tub.  Nitzy's legs and Bud's head.

Found out this morning that I have to have the surgery on my toe  done over.   Not happy at all that a pin will be sticking out of it for four weeks.  Just the thought has me creeped out and imagining how removal will feel.  

I am able to comment on blogs and IG now, but still not getting all my mail.  Google is separating it into files/folders that I am not familiar with, used Windows mail before.

Have a good day!!

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And then this happened

A fat fuzzy slub.  Yes, you leave them alone.  No, I don't and didn't.  I've removed the excess fuzz from several in this piece but this one was a monster.  There was no thin thread hidden in the bulk, it was just all fuzz.  

So I took a linen thread from the edge, full length of the piece in case I needed it.  Leaving a long tail, I started weaving close to stitching where I can hide the ends, and continued as the broken thread was pulled out.  

Part of it was woven in next to the thread before removing it, but once removed the bends in the linen thread from the weave are very noticeable and make it easy to follow.

The new and the old thread ends are pulled to the back and I'll decide whether to weave all the way into the stitches or leave as is.  I think it's fine as is.

This didn't take any time at all. One more eyelet letter on this side and it's on to regular cross.   Thank goodness there is a break before continuing the eyes on the right side of the chart.

Question - there are two methods online for stitching the eyes.  All legs of the eye come up from the center and go down at the edges OR all legs start from the edges and go down into the center.  Which do you do??

Have a happy Wednesday!!

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Comparison

Thought this may help those of you without shops to see the slight differences in PTP neutral linens.

The Faun is very nice, slightly pinkish when next to others.  Vellum is lighter and more neutral.  Wren has more yellow/green.

One photo in the sun, the other with flash.

Legacy not pictured has more color than wren, yellow/gold, not pinkish at all.

Will I keep the Faun or sell?  Don't know.  It's gorgeous, but I have a tendency to see more pink hue in everything, and that bugs me.  When not compared to others, it's not noticeable at all.

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The eyes have it

This band is between two rows of eyelets, so it would look best in the same.  But I am so tempted to move from them and do rice or cross!  One more row after this and routine stitches follow.  Suck it up Flossy!  

I also found an error in the large band, second section, of one omitted stitch.  I can frog to that error and move one stitch to the left which would correct the placement.  I am not.  I am not.  It's a repro, not perfect.  The far left foot of the A is not charted but I added it because as usual, was stitching from memory and not the chart.  Do not care.  HA!  What's happening to me?  Have I grown up finally at 69?  Or become more lazy?  

My PTP Faun is coming today.  Still no inventory on others.  I have an idea, didn't work out details, but think it would be a help.  What if we purchased small linen pieces and divided it into samples, exchanged within groups?  For the 50 cent stamps to mail, $3.00 for six envelopes, and the price of linen, we could end up with small linen color samples that would be well worth the initial cost.  Groups would be by count and manufacturer, but how could this be organized?  Almost impossible with a large number of stitchers and options.  I still don't understand why shops don't offer something similar. 

Hoping for some rain today, the lawn crunches when walked on.  I think we will have an early and wet fall.

Thanks for visiting, stay well, enjoy our last week of summer.

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Hannah & Missy

I think a change is coming.  The bottom area may become 3830 rather than charted 221.  Just a gorgeous color.

I may be boring you with videos while I learn the tricks of this tablet.  This one is 1:1 (?) and has horizontal borders, the other had vertical.  I wish written manuals still came with products.

These galvanized tubs angled for access are rain huts for the brats.  They are under them often and seem to love them.  

I can't figure out how to size photos and videos for upload, I don't know if size is still counted for storage limits.

Hope your weekend is enjoyable.  I'm in mourning as we close out August.  

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Petey

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Yes, it's really me

With a new attitude.  For now.  We'll see how it goes, no promises.

Eyelet stitches create interest in a marking sampler, a break from the standard alphabet.  But I don't like stitching them all the way to Z.  I considered changing the dividing band to rice or regular but I resisted.  I'm following the chart.  That hurt a little to say.  

I can't reply to you Pam and I'm sorry I can't help with the linen.  I know it's natural, raw, unbleached, but depending on the maker, they are all different.  This is medium to light natural.

And for some reason I am getting a "whoops" error message when trying to comment on blogs.  My second attempt claims it was posted but I don't see it.  I am also not getting all emails.  My laptop died and I don't have all the settings on my tablet chosen.  So different from a computer and I will be buying another.  The Lenovo with its erratic touchpad was given to a friend rather than thrown out the window.  See?  New attitude.

Hope your week went well.

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Well I'll bee

It's not a bee.  Flitting from flower to flower I assumed it was, but this is a fly.  Solid shiny black, smaller than a carpenter bee, a bit smaller than a bumblebee.  It doesn't hover as bees do, flies like a fly, looks like a fly, acts like a bee.  Never saw a butt this size or one that loves flowers like this guy.  In all the years my big butt has been sitting outside,  I've never seen one.

You can get so excited over the littlest things during a pandemic.  Flies with big butts.

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Colors of Hannah

As charted!  That's new for me but so far, nothing I would change.  Almost switched the 642 which is close to the linen color but decided to be mellow and accept it.  Chart calls for Ale but I am happy with this lighter unbleached. 

Index finger is numb today so progress is stalled. 

Have a great day folks.  

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Oh Michael

You're killing me.  I decided to order online for an in store pickup at the Ohio store and found it in stock.  Not only in Niles, but also in Hermitage (my store).  Why didn't I find it?  So I put it in the cart along with several others I needed for these projects, and went to pick them up this afternoon.  Of course, there was one I failed to order and had to look for it myself.  On closer inspection, I found more reasons why it's so difficult to get what I need. 

I assumed these bins were a different type of floss since they are minus the color number.  Nope.  There is another section marked 56 cents (they are 62), no identifying color numbers, not specialty thread, standard cotton DMC.  In no order.  You have to crunch down (literally as that was the sound my body was making) and with magnifiers to find the color number on the label.   Maybe these bins were for a metallic or variegated at some point, but I didn't see anything by good ol' cotton.

Then there's this area.

And this one with random numbers and no bin tags at all.

So from now on, I will order online and have them search.  They found my colors, so they must have a secret system not shared with customers.  I am grateful for that, because I have all the colors I need for all the projects.  Sure I do.  There's always that one, isn't there?

I need a nap.

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Start #1

Stacy Nash Hannah Jenkinson, without the gorgeous 3830.  Neither Michael's nor JoAnn's has this so I will make a trip to HL in a day or two while working the other threads. The linen is 28 as suggested, a natural tan, and the threads are fabulous.  I ordered a piece of PTP Faun and I hope I like it, waiting for Wren and Vellum to be restocked.  Ann will be done on Flax.  There are so many motifs and elements to her and I think a mottled linen would be too busy and take away from the design.  

This made it easier for me to see if I had any workable fabric.  I listed 30, 32, and 35/36 required size for each sampler and checked the count bags for anything that would work.  Now why haven't I done this before?  So much quicker and much less mess.

We're past the half way mark of August.  Hard to believe, and I ain't happy.

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One out of five

 I found the Fragments!  I decided to study this little gem while grieving for its missing family members and saw this on the front of the cellophane envelope

and this on the back.

Now, someone who is alert and has brain engagement would know immediately, this is not the same.  But me?  I turned that little envelope over and over and over, trying to understand why they printed the wrong photo for that design.  But since floss tubers have enamored me to the sound of crinkling cellophane, I enjoyed it.  The light bulb finally came on and I realized the cards were statically stuck together as one.  One mystery solved.  Now where is the Rook and did I really sell it?

I stopped at Michael's while waiting for Carole's appt to be over, and found several frames for old family photos.  I like simple, but for old photos that doesn't work.  I am really pleased at how the finishes go so well with the photos.

My mom and her family .... and my Italian grandparents.

I have more to frame, unsure of a wall or table display.  Depends on how many in the group.

Enjoy your day!!

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You're serious?

1.  Obviously, they are!  My state (PA) does not believe that a person deliberately voting under someone else's name, is intentional.  If you sign someone else's name on a check, I guess that's also not intentional and shouldn't be considered fraud. 

The fact that our state and federal governments are so irresponsible in their jobs, that they don't know who is deceased, don't know if a social security number should be active, is a disgrace.  We received my father in law's (died in 2008 and never lived here) and my mother's (died in 2007 and did live here), mail in ballot applications.  I have their SS# and no doubt could mail them in and get a ballot for each.  But of course, that would not be intentional fraud according to my state.  If they think this person is alive and a legitimate voter (obviously since an application was mailed), how would they know to reject that ballot?  My brother received the former home owner's who lives in another state and has for over 20 years.  Shouldn't counties which have more accurate records be responsible for this?  Property taxes would have the correct owners, per capita tax records are for every resident whether they own or rent employed or not, death certificates are recorded, and our voting records are there.  Wouldn't that make more sense?

2.  And in the same day's paper, there was this story of a local teacher.  I hid his name because the  jackass would probably sue.

Am I reading this right?  He can apply to a school in another district or state, and they are not obligated to release this sexual misconduct in his file?  Unless compelled by law?  So they protect their union members to this extent with no regard for possible victims?  Please correct me if I am wrongly interpreting this and I surely hope I am.  It's happened around here several times, and these cases seem to disappear.

3.  AND - I cannot find my two pieces of 35 count 18th Century Rook,  I must have sold them, and have no idea why I would have!

4.  AND - those sweet little Fragment charts that I bought recently?  I found one.  ONE.  The others have vanished.

5.  AND - my large soapstone sink cracked.  Cracked.  Across the entire width.

How's your weekend going???

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Busy day

I've pulled the linen and organized by count with a card listing all colors and sizes in each count's bag.  I also marked the info with a fine Sharpie in the selvage edge, or whatever edge there is.  Been bleaching and dyeing what I don't like and should have just offered them for sale rather than start this again.  Linen takes a good deal of time to organize and a short time to muddle, but I need to see what must be ordered, none of which are available anywhere.

My laptop is close to the end and I need to transfer all the contacts and photos to the other, a Lenovo that I detest.  The touchpad is extremely erratic, email program is so tiny I can't see it, other pages are giant sized.  Swipe to scroll and the page enlarges to the eye chart in the doctor's office.  I love their tablet, hate their laptop.  

+

=

Hope your day has some sweetness!

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New strategy

I'm pulling a Laura.  Never before have I started more than one project at the same time, but I think it will happen this weekend.  I'm tired of looking at these charts and wishing they were stitched.  I want Ann Spence on my wall, Elizabeth Clayton, and Mary Elliott.   I've had them for years and can't seem to pull the trigger on a start.  My impatience makes me hesitate because I feel they will take too long to complete. The motifs on Ann are wonderful and I love the big bottom bird and the structures.  But the border is a cookie of a different flavor.  I hate borders.  Especially angles and flowers with a few stitches of different colors.   She's the largest and  most daunting to me.

Mary Elliott has always been in the back of my mind, and not for those that love motifs and interest.  I love marking samplers for their simplicity not only in appearance, but stitching, and this would be the least frustrating.  Mary is all verse, but the freehand border of stem and satin with wonderful colors will be a stunning surround.  I can't understand some of the very long prose, but a few lines read ...

The Lord is my defence and strength*my joy*my mirth*my song*  He is become for me indeed a saviour most strong  The Lord himself hath chastened and corrected me but hath not given me over yet to death as ye may see.

Elizabeth is a different format than I have previously stitched and I have always loved this sampler.

Ann Stone and Hannah Jenkinson are the two smaller projects that will be fill ins.  Will this be frustrating for me since I was always a monogamous stitcher?  No way to know until I make this attempt.  If I can't handle it, I will just put the others aside and choose one to finish.  It's not rocket science.  

So what count?  If I want them to be a single focal piece on a wall I should use the 28 count for a very large finish.  But after seeing higher count samplers on floss tube, I think I prefer the smaller stitches.  That also means a smaller finished piece.  I don't think I have 35 large enough for any of these and still haven't found a source for the PTP I've been waiting for.   I have linen for the two smaller ones and can start those regardless.

It's hot.  And August is already HALF OVER!!!  I am so crabby.  Yes fall is nice but it's short and leads to very long, very cold, dreary and dark months.  

Have a nice Friday.

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The product of many errors

Good title for a book, no?  It began with the pattern in the dress and rather than frog, I filled it in.  I couldn't trust my blurriness to remove floss without also damaging linen threads. Because I don't pay attention, the dress was done before the basket, which made the basket smaller, and I moved it to the other side (she's right handed).  I miscounted and the shoulders are now narrower.  The birds were planned in dark gray but I decided to stop rather than end up with an unknown feathered shape.  My eyes were pretty bad for two days and the chart is large and clear, but even through mags it was not for me.  I can't do the small stitches on the face until things improve. 

 But I am still happy with her, she looks great, even though she is a compilation of changes to accommodate errors.  

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Any shoppers?

Quick question - has anyone ordered from Carol's Boutique?  I'm not often on FB but see the ads all the time and found several tops I would like.  Their policy is not consumer friendly since returns must be received within 14 days of ordering (not receiving) and no refund is issued, only store credit.  They seem to do a great amount of sales but since I have no idea about their sizing or quality I am leery of placing an order.  But what the hell.  Do something exciting!  At 69, risky behavior is ordering an article of clothing that isn't refundable. 

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By the numbers

I received several emails scolding me for posting about the DMC order at Michael's, saying their store was in order and I probably couldn't follow their method for display.   A few examples from my $5 phone today.

Sorry.  There is no excuse for this.

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Tablet test

Hi folks.  Trying to post from my tablet including photos taken with it.  Have no idea how to edit, posted to IG too, learning as I go.  Not the best of ideas.

I haven't chosen a linen for the new project and forgot that I am still waiting for my 123 backorder.  Laura and others mentioned "girls" so I thought that would be a quick stitch while deciding.  Girls in Blue Dresses from Merry Wind Farm would be my choice but I needed something quick.

 

And I'm making it even quicker because of course, I changed a few things.  Including size.  I should call myself The Abbreviated Stitcher!  Can you guess the chart?

 Missy has no shame when it's hot.

Have a great day!

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