Just can't wait

I chose 46 count because I want as small as possible.  Several changes to colors.  Couldn't wait to start.  Still monogamous!  But I found several large samplers that were started, set aside.  If I have no desire to complete them, are they still WIPs?

But still planning to complete the Pal, not much left to do.

 

A question regarding linen.  Mentioned in a comment about direction, but I'm clueless.  Should selvage edge be top or side?  If my piece is a small cut without selvage, how do I know?  Does it matter?

It's August.  Dammit.

Enjoy your day.

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Sad news

 I know our Carol from Saltbox Stitcher likes fill in, I don't.  But I did at one time.  I think patience (the lack of) has pulled me away from larger projects, and probably why fill in makes me fidgety.    Take your time but hurry up.

He's done, debating on the vine to finish or start the basket design.

I do eyes, buttons, anything like that over the fill in stitches.  Don't need to count incorrectly (inevitable), and I think overstitches are more distinct.  

I'm sure you've all heard by now of Misi Axel, 1890 Gable House Goodes, sudden passing.  What a shock, and such a shame.

Hope your August goes extremely slow.  OK?

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The snowman cometh

 Finally done with the first leg of him.  I can't tell you how many errors I made, so grateful that these weren't full crosses.  You would think aligning the stitch over the row beneath is foolproof.  Well, this fool is proof it ain't.  The row would end one linen thread off, not a big deal if it's within a row, but not the outline.  A miss in several rows and his head would be misshapen.  Over and moving on now, edges are correct.  Or close.  The floss being so close in color to the linen was probably the cause.

Remember when my plan was to add stones to this area with a barnstone edge?  Too much work, stopped half way.  I angled a bench and added the tubs to hide the furnace pipes and spigot, a potted hosta, a rocker.  Much better, not an unattractive area now.

I would love to put my huge cast iron sink with backsplash here, but we can't move it.  Found in the woods, years younger ago, it is in need of a good cleaning.  Rusted and perfect for me!  Maybe Scott can bring his son and build a stand for it on casters.  Hmmm.  Photo looks odd because it's leaning on a tree.

Tending to flowers this afternoon, still being careful after my third knee injection.  Stopped Crestor (rosuvastatin) again, back on Pravastatin.  Not as good, but without the side effects.  Stopped before and started back on a lower dose.  I am so stiff it is difficult to rise!  If this resolves in a few weeks, I'll know for sure the cause.  

Enjoy your day!

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Moving on ... 2026 Finish #18

 Thanks for your comments and thoughts.  Feeling a little better, she did get a car and out of sister's.  But still there.  Another month is ending (AUGH!!) and as with every month for the last twelve, she was told to be gone by the end.  That's Friday.  But she won't go, just as she hasn't the other eleven months.  I'm not sure if she knows the PA laws (prior post) and that's why she doesn't go, or if she is just that arrogant and knows the kids are on her side.  No, she is not taking her cats to her dad's tiny run down rental.  There are more kittens on the way, and I am so disgusted with the agencies here.  Nephew wants his son to stay in the house.  The latest insulin delivery method and sensors are amazing, his son is connected through his phone to monitor his dad's info and current glucose levels.  When nephew is exhausted from working too much, his sleep is deep, and the alarms sounding on his unit do not wake him.  His son, if not near enough, will call us or EMT to get to him quickly.  His drops are sudden and rapid, the pump stops the insulin drip at a set glucose reading, but levels continue to drop. We are more comfortable having his son there too.  

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Did I show my finish of Merry Old Soul?

DMC and overdyed red from Needle Necessities on 40 count Winter Brew.  I didn't do as may flakes as charted and changed one to another pattern because of an error.  Also added a gold stitch to the berries.

I've had vertigo off and on for over two weeks so stitching hasn't been daily.  Peppermint Pals pants were done 2.5 times because my errors weren't caught until the second color was added to the plaid.  Most were in the middle!  So at least half had to be frogged and redone several times.  Even had to change his shoes.  At least those corrections made the third color error free.

I'm anxious to start that little Folk Art Basket from Kitten Stitcher.  When I get really tired of the second leg of all the off white in this guy, I may set him aside and start it.

Where has summer run off to?  Good grief it will be August in two days!

Damn.  I'm not even tired of zucchini yet.

Hope your week is going well.

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Not yet

A few things

First, I received an email regarding the steam press of stuffed finishes.  No, you do not steam the filling.  You steam press the piece after the filling is inside.  Stuff, THEN press. 

OK.

Secondly, the Classic Colorworks color Campfire, lists dmc alternative as 535.  Checked several sources, all claim 535 which is dark gray.  Those berries on the vine are red, not gray.  I chose 321.  The same vine is in Peppermint Pals and Sweater Weather, the berries on them list a red thread.

As for the beard and light areas, ecru wasn't enough contrast, white or 3865, too stark.  My remedy is stitching the first leg in ecru, crossing second leg with 3865.  Happy.  Used this method on the hat band and will do the rest same.  I stitch the sewing method so this will be quite easy for me.

Snowflakes will be all white.

Crabass. 

Out.

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Filling corners

Hiya.

Had a few questions about my pillow finishes.  The filling is Silky Soft.  I've used sawdust but I worry about any staining that may happen from the wood fibers so I line with muslin.  Also helps with the dust.  Crushed walnut shells are perfect for berries and small items but it does shift.  Corners for the ones filled with nuts or dust are always stuffed with the poly fill.  Not sure if anyone else does that but I prefer it.  I've gone so far as to use quilt batting strips to outline the shape before filling the body.  That outline helps minimizes the shifting and allows for a tight pack.

I did a post many years ago about the Steam and Smash which is how every one of the pillows are finished.  By steaming the fill as you go along, it creates a dense and more even finish.  I didn't like how the centers were puffed which pulls the sides in.  

The first fill goes into the corners.  I have a old letter opener that is not sharp or perfectly flat which prevents a poke through the backing or the linen.  I slide it against the inside of the sewn edges to smooth out any seam allowance bunching, then add fill.

Once the corner is stuffed, insert and push the metal blade to hold it in place, steam press it.  I need to steam several times to get the density I want with this Silky Soft.  Other products can almost melt and get flat and hard quickly.  This product doesn't and takes several attempts to decrease the puffy.

Continue stuffing the body and steam as you go, adjusting where needed.  The blade is only used for the corners. A final pressing when the pillow is done.

I purchased corner tools and inevitably created a hole with just about all of them. I have two old metal nail files that have an oval tip which work also.  Any plastic will of course melt with the heat.  Even if the corners are not steamed before filling, the center once smashed will help prevent that square from becoming an X.  Using the envelope method to close (this post) 

gives good access from the back to the corners if you're not happy with them.  Opening can be vertical or horizontal.  Using this method is great with thick quilt batting.  One or two layers cut to fit perfectly with slightly beveled edges, creates an flat even thickness with no steaming needed.  Whatever you prefer, it's all good.  My preference is dense and padded but not puffy.

Hope this answers your questions.

Still working on the Santa and deciding which one of the two chosen projects will be next.

The next several posts, no stitching involved.  Just the story of the situation which I hoped was coming to a close.  So far, it has not.  I will explain the sleepless nights and anger I can't seem to let go.  Not a pleasant story at all, read or ignore until Santa appears!

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