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Feb 4, 2026

A wasted day


Hi folks.  After two days of sitting in facilities for nephew and brother, I spent today at home.  Many of those hours were used for the berry topper, and wasted.

No green looks even slightly appealing with this thread color.  I used the gray/green fabric in the previous post, sewn into leaves with wrong sides together.  Faint blue pattern, the right side was too strong.  But then I tried for the top and am not pleased with the wool stem.  I know .... good enough.  No it's not. 


 I'll remove, keep those leaves, add a round cap of the same fabric over the top to hide the  center.  Love the thread color, but didn't test green with it.  Any other monochrome berries or pears in the future will have topper chosen before stitching.

My unnerving palps are constant now. In a few weeks we will have a place that offers PET stress testing.  New, no false positives, 3d image of heart.  But no treadmill, the medication that makes your heart act as if you ran a marathon. Not fun.

Hope all is well.

Edited to add.  I just read the story about the Ross Farm in PA losing all their sheep and lambs to a horrific fire.  She also lost her son end of last year.  Heritage and rare breed sheep is her wool business from what I understand.  My heart will ache for those sweet animals for some time.  Visit her website  https://www.therossfarm.com/ to donate for rebuilding or to purchase her yarn. 

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Jan 31, 2026

What a pile


I have some larger samplers needing frames, mid sized also, but a pile of smalls to be finished.  In a bottom drawer, I found two bags already finished.  Why am I stitching more?  I'm hoping to stitch berries since that configuration is scarce.

Until then, I have Chloe and Hannah to play with.  Chloe, in my mind, is perfect as an unframed antique primitive piece.  I envision it pinned to a cupboard door, sort of wimpy.  The colors shown on the chart are from both sides, I chose the brown thinking it would appear older.  But the turquoise is fabulous.  ?????


She is bigger than I want to stitch, but so spaced out there probably isn't as much work as it seems.  And one that would hide errors quite nicely.

Hope your weekend is a good one.

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Jan 28, 2026

I need a hat

for my berry.

The part that gives me fits, just can't get it right whether using four different templates or DIY.  I have rings so they can be hung.  Or not.  But they need a good hat first!

I wanted this about the same size as the Berry Basket series, but it's larger and that's ok.

Ain't it purdy?

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Jan 27, 2026

Before the berry

This would be a great heart, fully see the pattern, but a berry it will be.

Wanted to show where I cut off the pattern for a berry shape in case you want to stitch this.

Hope to construct tomorrow.

Be safe.

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Jan 26, 2026

Still at it

I'm not doing very well.
Can't seem to  pick up another project, even though I am having a problem following this pattern.  Being monogamous is a tough habit to break.

This will make a great berry but I keep envisioning a heart too.  I seriously doubt I could do this twice.  


I adore Colour & Cotton generous skeins and the best variegation in my opinion.  But this one is shredding with just one or two picks.  And I've had a lot of picking to do. Maybe it's the dyes in this color.

Final finished the little reds, still have many more to do.

In that to-sew pile, came across another sweet little. 
 1840 miniature by The Scarlet Letter.

We got about a foot of snow, no ice, no power outages here.  Always something to be thankful for.  But I still hate winter.

Be safe!

Jan 24, 2026

Ain't got no rhythm

Start #1
The Coverlet Needlebook
Lucy Beam

Stitching from the chart but following the angle of my berry template.  The stars' points on the right are charted one stitch less than the other points so I added to balance.  But I can't get a rhythm.  Nowhere near.  So many placement errors and picking it's ridiculous for such a simple star and also the tulips.

Thread is called Gunmetal, very soft, shades of lavender and faded blue.

If I continue having issues, I can shorten the height and finish into a beautiful heart.

Kitting another now for my monogamousity pause.

Be safe!

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