Phebe, where are you?

Greetings!  Before I forget, can anyone identify the designer that reproduced this Phebe Watkins 1783 sampler?  This photo from Ebay is a completed piece done on Aida, but after searching I can't find any info.  Another reader is interested and now, so am I!  Any help?

 

We got around 6" of more snow yesterday, and although we are not in the snow emergency areas of the upper northeast, I still reserve the right to bitch.  Always will.  I don't have a Medicare card yet but my Menocare card has been active for years.  It says right on the back....

 "This cardholder reserves the right to bitch regardless of situation.  There will be no debate, no rebuttal, no questions. To anyone finding female with this card in an emergency, take extreme caution with subject.  Do not offend, contradict, patronize, look at, or touch.  Stand at arm's length, if body contact is needed, guard your privates.  If emotions take over and subject starts to slump into a puddle, lift quickly, secure, and get the hell away.  For more information, take a hike to the library.  If there was more room on this card I would really tell you where to go."

 

My sister was worried that I will be curt with the man that is driving us tomorrow.  I am white knuckle on drive pavement at 40 mph so this trip, with this weather, going 75 on an interstate, I'm lucky if my jaw doesn't lock from clenching and my bones don't pop through my knuckles.  I don't think I will be saying much.  Maybe a scream, just for release.

 

I'm packed and ready except for stitchery.  Have two smalls but haven't chosen a linen and may take a few colors just in case.  You know I always veer from my original choice.  Also trying to find projects with single or few colors.  So many tests and appointments before surgery day and I don't think there will be much time for fiddling with floss bags.  One color is easier. 

 

I'm not taking chocolate.  When trying on a few tops to take, NOTHING fit.  My largest blouses don't button, my sweaters are like skin on bologna, and my jeans make me talk in a very high breathless pitch.  I bought two men's sweatshirts to cover it all and I'll add a scarf and bracelets.  So disgusted with myself to let it go this far.  I know stress eating is bad but everyone has stress!  After a week or two, you realize what you're doing and stop it.  Not me.  I'm another 5# more than I was at the doc recently.  Why are women's clothes (except for Land's End), so skimpy?  I got two fleece jackets from Eddie Bauer (tall size - yay!) and the arms are so tight I can only get a tshirt beneath.  Same with Old Navy.  Do they not realize it's a jacket and clothing will be worn under?  Even women's sweatshirts around here are cut close.  No.  I want comfort and hideability.  So I went to the men's department again for length and room to move.  Croft&Barrow at Kohl's didn't have the huge arms typical for men's tops so I got the last two.  Unfortunately, the brats thought they were comfortable too.  Their barrier was broken through and I found them in the morning, upstairs, on the bed, curled up in the open suitcase on my new black sweatpants and shirts.

 

 My husband is concerned that I will get lost in the hotel and clinic.  I truly am directionally challenged.  Rooms are by building number, floor number, section number, room number.  When I got off the elevator last time, I was looking at the doors for four sections.  I opened one door and recognized the floor layout and room numbers.  Hey - picked the right door!  So I walked down and went into room 21, scared the hell out of some old guy.  Me too.  Where did she go?  I only went downstairs for a coffee!  This old guy took over her body ... wait...  the bed is facing the other way.... I never saw these nurses before.  In the words of Roseanne Roseannadanna  ...  never mind.   I did not know that each section is exactly the same layout and room numbers.  What's behind door #1 is also behind 2, 3, and 4, except for different patients!  Twilight zone.  

 

Not sure if I'm taking my large heavy laptop, probably just my tablet.  That thing drives me nuts.  Some pages show as they would on a mobile, which I don't have, and they look weird.  If I barely touch the screen it becomes 10 times larger and startles me.  I bought a stylus and maybe that will help keep my fat fingers at bay.  So off we go, I hope to be able to post Wednesday or Thursday that all is well, and be back next weekend.

 

Have a safe week!

 

Thanks for your prayers and good wishes,

marly

 

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Things I learned today

Don't even attempt shopping without a list.

Always write your list on colored paper.

There are no shoes in size 9 1/4.

Keep your coupons in one place.

Burger King's chocolate chip cookies are fabulous.

McDonald's chocolate chip cookies are good, BK's are better.

Make your list on 8 1/2" x 11" green paper.

Never trust the road to be free of thin invisible ice.

Never attempt shopping without a list.

If you gain weight, you can fill out your bra.

Your bra gain is never noticeable because of your body gain.

Make your list on 8 1/2" x 14" sparkly hot pink paper.

Know where your coupons are.

Jeans do not come in 1/2 sizes, you must move up two points.

Body spillage pushed up by small jeans inhibits breathing.

Never attempt shopping without a list.

Know where your fricking coupons are.

After a haircut, do not lift scissors to hair.

Expect to pay more for an emergency cut.

Accept the holes, dips, and shortness of a repair cut.

Make your lists on 11" x 17" yellow reflective paper.

Buy clothes big enough to hide your body.

Vow to lose weight.

Tantrums and arm flailing are not exercise.

Below zero temperatures take your breath away.

Snow squeaks during extreme cold.

Pack your new big fat clothes that allow breathing.

Fill your Magma with small projects.

Don't forget your scissors.

Do NOT lift scissors to hair.

Pack chocolate.

Don't waste time looking for the fricking list.

Take an Ativan.

Let stitchers know that Nash's heart is on EBay here.




Say goodnight.

A close call and a long post

Thanks for your compliments on Lori's heart.  I really like it and found the perfect fabric for the bag's back.  Once in a while I buy the discontinued decorator fabric swatches at JoAnn's and this one is a heavy cotton blend of a red with the leaves' 734 in the weave.  I added a strip of it to the top of the lining so the red would show as an accent instead of the muslin. 

There was a close call with the fabric.  I needed to mist the top edge to press the hem over, and it bled onto the ironing board cover.  If I would have misted the back and pressed with the stitching beneath, it would be ruined.  I usually dampen fabric and never imagined that upholstery or decorator fabric would bleed so easily.  Lesson learned.  The medium weight interfacing along with the heavier fabric holds it nicely.  Mylar would have been used beneath the lining if it needed more body.  For the strap  (stained with walnut to darken), I used a soft flat woven braid that is folded. 

And here's my group of bags, pouches, and sacks.  I think I have a few more, but I'm lucky I know where these are so I'm not going to push it.

 

This is the result of the dark brown hair coloring.  If  I lift the mess, that gray goes all the way to the top.  I'm thinking I could start a new trend of a back bottom band of color, or BBBC.  It's not as bright silver as it was, has a little bit of a taupe cast, but still stands out since the front is very dark.  Is this what's called defiant resistant gray?  My hair is thick and thin, curly and straight, soft and wiry.... a little bit of everything depending on the area.  Very weird.  My hairdresser started using women's Rogaine foam on her top front and she can't believe how thick it's become.  It took two months to see a difference and she's very pleased and surprised at the results.

 Nitzy is driving us nuts with his nuts.  It sounds like a bowling alley in there.  I moved my cloved pears from the hutch to a pan resting in a bucket since the littlest brat was swatting them, and look where she is now.  She must like the smell.  They are really getting wild and although they don't want to go outside, they are tired of being cooped up and starting to get destructive, even fighting with one another.  Constantly jumping over the barrier and then running - upstairs, into the basement, under the furniture.  My Squeak has not been here for weeks.  Oh no.  I just heard wild boy Nit slide into the litter box.  I think I have a mess to clean up.  Again.  Spring will be more welcome this year for a multitude of reasons!

Can anyone tell me why many of the comments are not coming through to my email?  I have it set for all comments to be transferred to my inbox, but I just checked again and many are not.  Not in spam, not in junk folders, not anywhere.  And they are from readers that have commented and were transferred before.  I think most of them are from aol.com, not sure if this is a coincidence.  I wonder how many I've missed in prior posts.  Been having trouble with creating posts too.  Whenever I hit enter to start a new line, it goes into the Link mode.  Weird.

I planned on getting out today to do a little shopping and hopefully find comfortable shoes for the Clinic walking.  Yesterday my cartilage moved again and I couldn't put weight on that leg so I stayed in, it's much better today, but it's snowing again.  Because of my neck I won't drive in the snow or ice, and because of my knee I am afraid of walking on it too.  Good grief I'm an old lady.  Forty years ago I would walk across an icy parking lot with 4" mules after a few drinks.  Now I can't even walk in 2" closed pumps on dry pavement.  I drove a metallic sports car that was close to the ground, now I have a much higher car in bright yellow so I can find it in the parking lot.  I even forgot my blogging anniversary.  Four years on Valentine's Day.  My mind is over occupied these days, may have to have a giveaway when I return.  Do you know how many I've had over the years?  I'll have to go back and check.  I noticed that the older posts done with Windows Vista are wonky, misaligned, goofy.   Long post, huh?  Time to go put on my I'm crabby sweatshirt and live up to it, which won't be hard.  It's snowing.
 

Have a good day and stay safe.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Done

Wanted to show you my bag - more photos later.  I love it!!

 

 

Not enough to go round!

Greetings to all.  For those of you caught in another blizzard, I hope you are safe and warm.  We are freezing and will be all week.  How does the wildlife manage in snow that is burying them?

 

So the heart - I was going to go round after reading your comments, but there isn't enough linen left on the one side to sew and I can't make the circle smaller or the design would be in the seam.

 

 I'm trying this shape as a hanging bag.  I'm making my template by folding the paper in half and cutting so both sides are the same, and then tape and adjust to the project until it looks centered. 

I turned the piece over and outlined the template with chalk pencils or quilting markers that are removable.  It's a little close so instead of stitching on the line, I will use my fat presser foot along the outside edge which will move the seam over at least 1/4".  I could cut the template a little larger couldn't I?  The fusible interfacing can be done after sewing since I couldn't see the template if I added it first, or I could fuse it to the lining instead.  You can see that I ran one long thread around the back to do the single 822 stitch on the berries.  Pat (my extraordinary by-the-book SIL stitcher whom I miss) would scold me.  And I would say "get over it or don't look".  Hey.  Berries.  I think I didn't finish this design.  There are little single stitches that go along the vine and I forgot about them!  I doubt if I will be sewing this today anyway but I do have the fabric choice in mind.  I'm not good at bag making/lining so I need to make sure I am in the right frame of mind before sitting at the machine.  I like this one too much to throw out the window.  Heck, it's probably frozen shut anyway.

I have to color my hair today.  Usually I do the front and side areas where the gray is heavy, really don't see it elsewhere.  Got a short haircut a few days ago.  The back is very short and tapered, no longer covered by the longer hair above.  She asked if I ever look at the back and I said no, why should I?  It's always been a wild mess so why bother?  Well, because the back is solid gray.  WHAT???  Yep, there it is.  I look like I fell backwards into a can of silver paint.  Picking up Chris from the hospital after his tests soon, and then taking Carole for more bloodwork.  I'll wheel them to the car backwards.

 

Have a good one.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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The shape of things to come

What to do, what to do.

 

 

First choice

 

Second choice

 

 

A distant third

 

 

 

My scientific method of copy paper cutouts.

I changed the berries from 926 to 3740 with 822 centers for my dark linen.

 

This is Lori's free chart found here on her blog.  Make sure you check out the stumpwork photos of her latest post too!

 

 

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