2023

I'm not absolutely sure if these were all 2023, I think a few smalls may be left out.  Close enough.

Frosty

Joyeux Noel

Hannah Baker

Ghosts and Goblins

Maud Fuzzard

Whittaker

Quaker Rose

Petite Lettres Rouges

Sarah Needham

Lizzie Peddie (still missing)

Elizabeth Roberts

Susanna Hartley

A Little Dutch

Kindred Spirits

Ann Stone

Jane Plews

the Budding Twigs

Spring Green

Sauerkraut, kielbasa and pork in crock pot.  Tomorrow making two sheets of the Hawaiian sliders with poppy seed dressing (one ham/swiss one turkey/swiss), buffalo chicken dip, and baby dills stuffed with cream cheese and rolled with ham.  Carole is making the rest.  She has always gone overboard with "pickins" for New Years and this is the first time in years she is able to again.  Much less than previously, but still good stuff!  Rather than discourage, we are encouraging her.  Excellent hostess and cook, she has missed this.  That huge motorized wheelchair makes it difficult to maneuver in her tight kitchen, but she manages.  Harley the Great Dane is so loved by their family, but a nuisance to handle, control, and a big obstacle.  She . is . huge.

Happy new year to all!! Wishing you a safe, healthy, happy 2024.

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Sampler source

 Working on Stonestreet Stitchworks 

Schoolhouse Primer Lesson #1

here

My plan is to move Mary Graves (the last row) to beneath the verse and disregard the other three rows. This will be a drum, the finish will be short and wide.  Seeing the photo, I may start over on a larger piece of linen for the full chart, use the charted colors.  Another hornbook to cut!  

Sorry I didn't post it before.

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 Thanks for the help with Frosty.  But I'm still baffled.  My numerate brain needs to have definitive answers!  I get that the top would be somewhat puffed, but the template for the flat bottom is 4.5" without foldover allowance.  The fabric to go around the drum (14.5" less .5" seam allowance) is over 4" when sewn into a circle.  The interior of the 4" box is 3.5".

Cutting Frosty's linen too short was my fault entirely.  If I hadn't,  could have finished into a fabric drum of my chosen proportions.  So why does this bug me now?   Numbers need to be exact for me, always have, and I wanted an explanation as to why I can't understand this!  

Let it go girl.

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Is it me?

 Truus suggested a tin for the little guy which did not work, but led me to check an oval box.  Yep.  He fits perfectly on this 5" box.  I have been very confused and feeling quite embarrassed with this project.  

I purchased the 4" paper mache box as in the supply list.

The design is 4.5 x 4.625.  ??????

How well did I pay attention to the chart?

 I didn't catch this, nor the supplied template for the drum being 4.5".  Impossible to fit inside or atop a 4" box. And I've been fighting this, oblivious as to why, and wondering what I did wrong.

So.  Am I missing something and this makes sense to you?  

Frosty has two finishing options, but I really can't work on him any more right now.

Working on a quick and simple sampler to calm my needle ...

I should use the charted colors but this was handy.  That's how flustered I have been!  Solid or additional colors that I find under a chair?  Depends.  Am I dusting the floor soon?

Be well, be safe, thanks for the visit.

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Barb R

 Please email me (click postcard at top right column) with your address and I will send the vintage stitched pieces to you.

Now about Fricking Frosty .... he is finished, except for removing the snowflake. Many changes in colors and the chart itself, some because the dmc conversion did not show.  And after all that aggravation, in my haste to end this, I failed to realize that 4" size and template did not include margins when cutting.  He will now be a little pillow with cord, a hanging reminder that all troublesome projects come to an end. 

Raining all day, going out to look for cake yeast and make a batch of nutrolls.  Stuffed cabbage casserole for dinner.

Hope your day goes well.

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Anyone?

Before I take these to Goodwill, would anyone be interested?  They were kits from American Home magazine (1928-1977), not known who stitched them.  Very large crosses on beautiful linen (?) with a nice sheen, probably stamped embroidery.  All are on the same cream colored fabric, design is around 8" tall.  Four birds and a verse.  The birds could work in an 8 x10 frame or be sewn into pillows.  Free to a good home!

I could mail anywhere, but if international I would like to verify shipping first.  

Let me know, email link at top right or comment.

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Merry Christmas to all

Wishing you a wonderful day and holiday week.  Relaxed or rowdy!  

We got Carole into the house, but had major problems getting her back into the car.  Her motorized chair is an ilevel which can elevate, but not be transported by car.  Her folding manual chair is much lower than car seat height and she couldn't pull herself up the sloped transfer board.  We used 4x6 post scraps and lifted her in the chair onto them, braced it, making the transfer more level.  A very small, low, compact model car may work, but the limited door swing and opening would prevent the chair from getting close to the seat.  Ours is lowest in the family, the others are suv.  She enjoyed herself, all snazzy with matching drop earrings and beads, new velvet top, first time in our house in over three years.

Dinner went well, was good, never again.  Anything from now on will be in crock or made ahead to pop in the oven.

Working on Fricking Frosty today.  I have removed more stitching than I've put in.  Everywhere.  Quite a few changes.  For such a little guy he's been huge aggravation.  

For Susan - Santa bag stitched from Prairie Schooler book 58.

Hope everyone is having a nice day whether alone or with way too many guests.

Be well, be safe!

Samplers and Santa

Having dinner here on Christmas Eve and already had to change the time twice and now the two that were going out of town to visit, are not.  We are getting Carole here and will probably do the dinner early.  Small, as always, either five or seven.  Kids will be with their mother (or dinner would not be here!) and we'll see them at Carole's on Christmas day.  They are quite loud, quiet messy, quite rowdy.  Just like the Great Dane so it should be relaxing and peaceful here, preparing us for the circus on Monday.

And yes I make lists for the medical appointments!  Always on brightly colored paper, but I forgot where I placed it.  This doc took care of me when my first covid bout left me too weak to walk, and also my second which was nowhere near as bad.  I still don't regret leaving the pompous condescending mocking young woman I went to for twenty years, but I do feel a woman over 70 needs a more thorough exam than my current offers. 

The ortho appointment resulted with an increase in medication dosage, and a lot of could be and possibly and wait another six weeks.  The hard fall I took on that healing knee could have re-opened the fracture, aggravated the bone edema, or damaged the meniscus even more. No idea how bad it would be without the injections.  I wanted a second mri, but Medicare will not pay for another within one year.  Maybe the therapist will determine the cause while rotating my leg until my foot faces south.  Grateful that it is not even close to the severity of this past summer, but I don't like this instability.  Surgery may be needed for repair but not a knee replacement.

I haven't had time for the needle until this evening and started Frosty on 36 Murky.  Quite a few changes so far.  Another welcome change - the snow melted today!

Enjoy the hectic weekend!

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Funny? Or not!

 First, the recipient of my final pear giveaway has returned it to me after ten years.  TEN years!!  That's how long ago, eleven actually, that I started the pear series.  Wow.  Anyway, blown away when I opened the package, took me a while to realize it was my actual finish and not one that she stitched for me.  My favorite, very meaningful remembrance of the swans and my two pups.

You know that doctor visit I had today, to discuss how bad my short term memory is and the problem with finding words?  ........

I forgot.  She asked how I was and I replied about the BP being too high and my knee is still requiring treatment.  She asked "is that it?".  I said "yep".  I forgot to ask about my forgetting!!

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Have you seen her shop?

 Since I'm not really a social media person, I miss a lot. 

But I do check IG daily and I came across a post from Sub Rosa designs.  Oh boy.

On Etsy, she's offering a discount over $30.  I have always loved her designs.  Thought I would share a few of the many Christmas charts she is offering, but so many others to love too!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSubRosaDesign?

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And then this happened.

So we broomed and shoveled.

And it was back this morning.

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My tiny red samplers are being hung in spots for a little bit of seasonal red.  It's the least I could do.  Yep.  With bare trees, least is the correct word!.

Enjoy your  day, be safe!!

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Stag source

 Request for the chart names.

1.  Helga Mandl The Stag free chart.

The link I offered years ago and her website is no longer available.

2.  The Primitive Hare's The Stag free chart

here

3. Tina Woltman's Comet's Feather Tree  (I reduced body width).

I haven't seen a source for her charts in a long while.

 4.  Fall 2015 issue of Sampler Antique Needlework Quarterly, taken from a large sampler.

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If you wait,

 all that happens is you get older.

That's from McMurtry.  Good reminder isn't it?  He would probably have liked this wreath.

I went back to Julia for a bit, trying to decide if I want any more Santas stitched.  

Love stitching them, but unless hung on a tree, way too many to find a place for.  Most designs are vertical, not conducive to box tops, but this little guy is a perfect choice for now.  

Made for a box and not a Santa.  I'll pull the threads and change one part for sure.  His scarf is too distracting, sort of confusing.  It will be darker and easily identified.

I am still searching for, unable to locate for months, my finish of Lizzie Peddie.  Where could she be?  I know I have a mess but finishes are draped over a rod and covered except for smalls to be sewn.  Many times I fail to remember a giveaway or sale of finished pieces, but she was recent and a favorite, never to leave me.

Seeing a doc this week because of short term memory problems and inability to find correct words.

 

That's it folks.

Be safe, be well.

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The simplest of stitches

 Moved the chair for an IG photo but like it better here.  Ya' know.  With fourteen colors on the wall and trim along with paint samples.

Stuffed with an envelope closure on back.

Done!

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Finally and a freebie

 Oh I could not wait to finish the stripes!

Now I hope to have enough fill for it.  This is not as small as I expected, even though I knew the wreath itself would be about five+ inches.  How did that happen?  Easily!   Did not account for the rest of the fabric!  Finish size will be about nine by fifteen.

No plans to add the dates at top and bottom.  I did add two center leaves in those areas to increase height since it is an inch wider than high.  Had I realized this, I would have stitched the side leaves in closer.

I saw this design in a post on IG, new to me, this is a free offer from Abby Rose Designs on Facebook.  I need to get on my laptop to check for the chart.  Sweet!

Hope you are all safe and well.

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