Checking in

Hi all.  I've been working on the pear for July and I'm sure you know by now that I continually change things.  I really thought this would not be the case for XI, but colors and placement took most of two days.  By the time I finished, we had heavy rains and darkness so I couldn't take a good photo of the fabulous birthday gift from Miss Shirlee.  Tomorrow for sure.  I will have a few tags then too. 

 

I do want to show you how close I came to the linen's left edge!  I stitched three pears all on the same piece of linen and didn't bother measuring.  Yes, I waste a lot of time but it's not until I see it finished that I realize a change is needed.  I used woven fusible facing this time, front and back.  Certainly helps prevent raveling.  I get a lot of emails about finishing the pears and using the template with the center line, held up against a light, is the best method.  This time I took a few photos of the seam pressing.  When you press the backing to the center, you can see where the bulk is and where the trimming should be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will be posting the chart as soon as I get it in the computer file, but here's what it looks like.  I'm really anxious to get back to Eliza, but I will have an even bigger house mess soon.  I SO love the new floss hanger.  It's always there, in order, and I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner.

Hope you're having a good week.  Thank you for the birthday wishes.  Unfortunately, my cousin did not come home.  They are fitting her leg with a brace and maybe next month it will happen.  Be back tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting!

WINNER"S"

HIYA!!!  Thank you all so much for participating in this giveaway.  It took a while because after entering all the names earlier, I lost IE and it started over without the names!!!  Entered them all again and after Random.org mixed them up and pulled a number, Krissy G came out as the winner for the sack kit.  What I didn't tell you, is that I am also pulling two other names for the chart only.  They are Mónica Silva, and Debi.  So everyone, please send me your address and I will get this in the mail tomorrow.

Thank you all so much again!!!

Some women like jewelry...

and I prefer old wood and rust.   Patti knows this and that's exactly what she presented to me for my birthday.  She really knows how to decorate in a primitive style and has an old hook on her door which I love.  So she came to see my mess and brought this...

 a fabulous rusty hay/bale hook.  So I played for quite a while, hung it upside down over a door, and ended up with my rusty paint can on a post.  She also gave me a sock darner in the same shape as my mom's, which I rarely see.  Mom's is the top right and my gift is bottom right.

 

 Thank you thank you thank you Patti!  She such a great girl and could use your prayers once again.

 

No one commented that they have used the Alene fabric tape, so I will buy it, give it a try, and report. 

 

 

Here's Eliza - I'll be starting the big bottom soon and there are satin stitches and lazy daisy in that area.  Yes, that's a binder clip you see holding the excess linen.  Quicker and safer than a safety pin.

 

 

 

 

 

  And I have a perennial that was given to me by a friend who has passed, and I don't know the name.  It's the brightest, clearest yellow.  It makes new buds beneath the bloom and continues this way for a month.  At night, they close.

That's all I got.  I'll be back tonight with the winner of the kit.  I have all the names entered and will wait till the last minute to scramble and draw.  Just in case a hot flash disrupts my memory, I'm setting the timer.

Later!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

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Sampler Sack

Hello everyone.  If you are interested in purchasing the Sampler Sack chart, here are the details.

 

Price is $10.00 including US shipping.  International price is $12.00 including shipping.

 

Please send payment through Paypal to samplersandsantas@gmail.com. 
Note added - it seems Paypal is not listing addresses when you pay - please type your address in the note section or email it to me.

 

For check or money order payment, contact me at the above email address and I will send instructions.

Approximate size of stitched area is 4 3/4" x 11 1/2" on 30 count linen.
Stitch count is 171 H x 69 W

 

Thanks for your interest!

 

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Anyone tried this?

Hi everyone.  Having a good day?   I saw something at Walmart and wanted to ask if anyone has used this product. 
Alene's fabric tape.
This may be easier to use than glue to close seams but I'm wondering how it would work on coarse linen.  The tape would need a smooth finish to bond to and I doubt that it would work on the type I stitch with.  The backing fabric would stick, but I thought I would ask if anyone used this product on a linen.  I guess it comes in sheets too that you can cut to accommodate your projects.  Yes, I'm always looking for ways to close a seam without having to stitch it.  For some reason, it never looks as good or crisp as using fabric glue, especially on the pear bottoms.  Smalls like needlebooks can be hemmed by pressing and then completely finished by using something like this.  Or adding applique or pockets.  I like that it doesn't have to be pressed with a hot iron like the fusibles.  I'm getting a few ideas.

I've been working on the unit for the remodeled room and pulled a large kitchen cabinet up the stairs from the basement.  I do stupid things.  But then I lifted it onto the 36" high drawer unit.  Stupid times 2.  I can't bend, but I can bow my head today which I couldn't do yesterday.  Advil is helping and as soon as I can get in a car, my chiro will help too, shaking his head as always.   

 Anyway, I think I have a plan to utilize the two units that were in mom's little area, add the shelves from the corner, which will run into another solid tall cabinet.  This is really rough but the best I can do in Paint.  I love these full extension deep drawers but don't like them here.  In fact, the more I look at this, I don't like it at all.

   The drawer fronts and cabinet doors will be replaced with custom flush panels and rattail hinges.  Nope.  I still don't like it - something isn't right. 

 

Some of you mentioned how gardening is getting more difficult, so I thought I'd post about this seat/kneeler in case you don't have a large garden center near you and never saw them.  It has an available pouch for tools and is found on Amazon and even Walmart, a deeper seat model is on Gardeners.com and some even rock. I use the adjustable aluminum shower seat on the lowest notch too. 

  An aid for those chores that make us groan like a moose in heat.  Today, after that cupboard moving, I could call in the whole herd along with a few elk. 

Tomorrow I will post the chart pack for sale if anyone is interested. 


Thanks for visiting!  Have a safe and happy day.

 

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Back to Eliza Low Pumroy

Greetings.  Hope everyone had a great weekend and all the dads in your family had a nice Father's Day.  We sure miss ours.  Several days ago my nephew became a grandfather to a red haired perfect little boy.  My sister is now a great grandmother at 74 and I'm a great-great-aunt at 62.  At the graduation party, we saw our "almost" cousins (my cousin's cousins) and they inherited skin without pores, wrinkles, sags, or bags.  So depressing!  We joked about our ages and I always get ribbed from Mike about owing my life to him.  He is my mom's sister's son, and because he was the cutest baby anyone ever saw, Mom decided on just one more - me.  He's the little devil on the far left and I'm on the far right, back in the days of traditional families without electronics, on a family picnic.

 

Age has changed my likes, dislikes, philosophy, judgment, patience, TOLERANCE!, but mostly, physicality.  While grocery shopping, I forgot myself and crouched down to see the price on the bottom shelf.  Big mistake.  I can't get up from that position without help.  Thank goodness no one was in that aisle.  I had two choices - 1. grab a shelf to pull myself up risking the entire shelf and its contents falling on me and creating a scene or 2. fall onto my side, roll until I was on my hands and knees, try to straighten my back legs hoisting my butt into the air while grabbing my knees to stabilize and letting out that grunt old people make.  Years ago I lost my balance while hopping on one leg trying to get a shoe on, grabbed for the shelf, and toppled the entire shoe rack in an outlet store.  I chose #2.
 

On to Eliza progress. I've completed the large alphabets and the fancy dividing bands and am now working on the last few rows before the bottom section.

 

 

 

She's going to be fabulous with a fringed bottom, at 9" wide and about 31" long on 30 count.  I may have to attach another piece of the same linen with a border stitch onto the bottom for fringing.  I really like the longer bottom margin like on this Mary Oldfield - one of my favorite sampler finishes, but there will only be about two inches on Eliza.  We'll see.  With her length the shorter bottom margin may be fine.

 

 

 

Thank you for such a great response to my offering.  In answer to emails, yes I will be selling this chart.  No I'm not published, I just printed my own packs and the chart on 11x17 paper, with an attached photo.  I don't know how to offer a PDF because most printers can't do that size paper.  It will be this week for sure.

 

I charted the July pear right after number X, and may stitch that to have it ready.  It shouldn't take long at all.  Famous last words!  I like the first draft, and don't think any changes will be made.

 

Have a good start to a great week, thank you for visiting, stay safe.

 

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