Turkey trot

Hello guys and dolls.  How's the weekend going?  Fast, huh?  Well so is summer and I'm not happy about that. 

When I was finishing the latest friend pillow, it dawned on me that (long ago) I wanted to try fringing a small piece like my Christmas pillow.  Remember this one?  The backing is the same linen, and the edges of both sides are included in the floss fringe.  My linen was a small piece and I stuck this in my bit of green dye jar (to remove the pinkish cast), shook it up for a minute or two, and came up with a new color.  No way I can do another piece and have it come out exactly the same.  But as I'm typing, I realize it doesn't have to match and could be completely different.  Hmm. 

 Anyway, if someone could direct me to a better way of squaring borderless stitchery for finishing, please pass it along.  Here's what I do - for those of you that cringe at my recklessness, skip this part.

I use a Sharpie pen to make a dot on the linen at the same distance from the last stitch on all four sides (further out than I plan on seaming).  Then I remove a linen thread at the dot to get a straight line for trimming, and cut the interfacing to the size I would like the finish to be.  In prior projects I needed to reposition the fusible because the linen was stretched a little off kilter.  Now, I keep the stitched side up with the fusible beneath and make sure the linen and design is straight, using the pressing cloth, fuse for a few seconds enough to hold it in place.  If all is well, then I turn it over and complete the fuse.  I sewed the backing along the edge of the fusible and then remembered the fringe.  Took it off - here we go.

After watching a few online videos (including Mary Corbet's Needle 'n Thread) for turkey stitch, I began.  Instead of using all the colors in the piece like the Christmas pillow, I chose to use one.  OK, I forgot.  Since you sew with all six strands, it's easier not having to separate anyway. 

 

I'm not happy with my work.  It's hard to go into the same hole that six threads already occupy with another stitch covering the front.  So they aren't as nice as my inspiration piece, but the second row which goes in front of this one may be better.  Do I really need the second row?  Could I use 3 or 4 strands to make it neater?  Of course.  Following rules is not my way, mainly because I can't remember them, but also because I have no patience.  And I'm a rebel.  The Jane Dean of stitching.

But what about the other fringe edge I did using the nun stitch.  Flimsy, but it's a finished edge to fringing.  If I choose a darker linen for the backing and fringe them both, it will be variegated but still flimsy.  So what?  I think the nun stitch is good looking and I can do it in the darker color.  So now what?  I think I'll finish the turkey and try the nun on another one.  Both are fairly easy to do, just time consuming.  If I would have just kept the backing on and went about my mess cleaning, I would have been done yesterday.

And for those interested, yes, you can reconstitute the dried beans for soups in the winter.  Search online and you'll find a few recipes and methods.  You can soak them overnight, or put them into simmering water, add a ham hock and other veggies. 

 

 

Bean watch - day three. 

This was kind of long wasn't it?  I thought I grabbed the decaf bag but maybe not.  My heart will let me know shortly.

Enjoy your day - stay safe - welcome to new followers!

Thanks for visiting!

 

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Leather britches

Greetings.  How's the weekend going?  Are you finding the things that you had in your hand a minute ago and magically disappeared?  Are you carrying these items with you like they are stuck to your hand and depositing them elsewhere, a place you would never think them to be?  Are you getting frustrated while you climb over tables, chairs, stacks of flooring, bakeware, and stitching supplies?  Are you wondering if someone deliberately took it while a hidden camera is studying the detonation timetable of menopause subjects? 

WELL ARE YOU?????

So these are leather britches.

This photo is from York Mountain Primitives where you can purchase a strand or two.

 

A long ago method of drying beans for winter use which is so simple.  I saw several photos of buttery and kitchen cupboards with a long strand across the top as garland or hanging straight down along the side.  I couldn't find any really long ones so I decided to try making my own. 

 You can string them from the ends so they hang straight down but I prefer the center.  Robin featured this string on her blog The Cranky Crow.

 

I used a large doll making needle with cotton string to pierce the beans.  The smaller needle worked just as well, but the larger created a hole large enough to move them along the string easily, so I can slide them together as they shrink.

 

Here's mine drying in the garage.  It's pretty heavy right now and I used over 2# of fresh firm beans.  Allowing it to hang straight down will probably give me a better result.

I made another little pillow and changed the blues to rusty browns.  I'll probably do another this evening and maybe put the crowns from the sampler design within the heart.  It's such a quick and fun stitch!  This afternoon I will muddle through the mess and pull out the sampler charts.  Choosing the linen is harder than the design. 

I need to continue my search for a few items but taking time for the swing usually calms me down.  My single seat one that we had made for mom will go really high and the more uptight I am, the higher I go.  It's time to crank it up!  One day Mark will come home and find me sprawled out on top of the arbor. 

Thanks for visiting ~ enjoy your weekend!

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Goodbye final pear!

Hi everyone.  After having to enter all the names THREE times into Random's list randomizer, they finally were scrambled, and the number that was generated belonged to C.M. Designs.  I have your email and will contact you this evening for your address.  And so ends the pears, with the final one leaving home.  I guess I'll have to stitch it again if I want the complete set.  Or maybe give the rest away?  I'll have empty bowl syndrome!  But I'll get over it.  Stay tuned!

 

Karen of Karen's Handiwork has stitched my pears and I showed them before. Since then she has added a few more. Check out the bushel of pears post to see her fabulous finishing.

 

I was busy with needle today but it was beans that I was sewing.  I'm attempting a string bean garland or leather britches as they are sometimes called.  I don't know why.  I'll show you how I did it and I'll post the drying process if any of you are interested in making one.

 

Again, thank you so much for participating.

Have a great weekend and stay safe!!

 

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I found my ideal weight

Hiya.  How the heck are you?  I'm about menopaused out.  Ishkaboobled day I had, let me tell you!  Nothing went right and the more frustrated I became, the hotter the flash, the more chocolate I ate, the more potty mouth I yelled.  

 But anyway, I finished a little project.  My interfacing choice of late has been lightweight but it really doesn't feel like that.  For this little pillow I tried the midweight and guess what?  Unless my mind is backwards, it feels lighter than the lightweight.  Very nice body and stiffness.  I'll have to do a comparison on the same fabric to really tell.  For now, my ideal weight is this one.  To avoid choices, decisions, and confusion, I would rather have one product to use for all projects.  It just makes my life easier.  That little 3 drawer chest that was going to hold three needle sizes - forget it.  I'm sticking with one size and  getting rid of the rest.

 

Here's the little pillow.  I found this chart, Dutch Sampler, when I was doing the Ebay listings and planned on selling it, but I'm glad I changed my mind.  I think this design fits a lot of decors, even primitive, and it was a very quick and easy stitch.  There is an error on the chart but easily corrected.  It's OOP but on Ebay right now and Etsy. 

This is the book.  The sampler is very nice also but I really like the friend pillow.  I backed it with a brown that has a little blue dot.

I had to buy a new printer which has been the hold-up on the tags.  Didn't really want HP again and after an easy set-up, two color cartridges wouldn't align and the intake rollers mark every sheet.  Not happy.  Bud liked the box though.

I found two new items last week and with wood everywhere and the rest of the crowded mess, I just stuck them here for now.  I love red boxes and this is a ???? butter churn thingy-ma-do?

Tomorrow it's back to the doc that did the EVLA on my legs last year, which failed, and my legs are worse than before so they want another 2 hour ultrasound.  If they think I'm going through another EVLA, they're nuts.  We'll see what the test shows.

Thanks for all the entries for the pear!  Oh.  One of the blogs I wanted to mention is Eff's Needle.  I came across her post on the Mary Beale sampler wreath and enjoyed seeing her other work.  Translate button is at the top of her page.  I really love the Beale wreath but I'm not sure if I would stitch it.  Her Christmas wreath that I stitched last year became my favorite holiday piece. 

Back to my mess!  Thanks for visiting.  If I forget to draw a name Friday, please email to let me know!  My email button is in the right hand column.

Have a safe and enjoyable end of week!

 

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Chart is posted

I've had several requests so I thought I would let you know it's here, under the Pears tab.   Some of us are busy, some ..... not so much.

Swan Song offering

Hello people.  I don't have the chart ready but I do want to get started on the offer since I would like to draw a name on Friday.  Ed is going to rip out the kitchen cabinets and flooring to start laying the new oak, so the confusion and misplaced items will be ......... well ...... let's just say MORE than usual.

The pear is stitched on 28 count linen, and the backing fabric is one of Blackbird's sampler prints.  The stem is a grapevine piece, crooked, and sporting a wonky leaf that I may change.  I'm in control so I can do that. 

 

 

 Leave your entry on THIS POST ONLY, please include your initials in case there is more than one Deb Mary Jan Bev Carol, and a way to contact you if you are no-reply.  I will open the comments to anonymous entries and these must have a name or initial.  Drawing will be Friday 8/2 at 7pm EST. 

Open to all!!!

I really want to bring up two blogs that you should visit and will do that next time. 

 

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