Going to the dark side

Greetings!  I'm sorry for those of you that were hit once again with this ridiculous winter weather.  We were north of the snow and had a sunny day for the trip to the Clinic, sunny today, but below zero again last night.  The parking structure was huge, completely filled, and after driving in circles until on the edge of vertigo, we parked on the roof, farthest from the elevator, in bitter wind.  She is home and we are still making adjustments to her house for comfort, like getting a full tank of oil since her supply ran out and the house is 48 degrees.  Yes, my sister is a great planner and thinker.  This is why most of the tasks we need to do for her are unexpected.

 

The dark side.  Much darker than my unbleached.

 

I did a basic finish on the blue bird, with one thick and one medium layer of quilt batting.  I just love this 1" stuff.  I bevel the edges slightly, sometimes put a little bit of loose fill into the corners, but it makes such a smooth finish.  No lumps or having to move fill around.  Fusible interfacing on both front and back.

 

I have more of the this color, it's close to my favorite dark Rook, and I am on a kick to use dark colors.  Really.  Big hard kick.  I will attempt dyeing a grayish blue next, starting with a cream piece and also trying an unbleached. 

Dorothy Allen from R&R Reproductions (you can call or order at Dyeing 2 Stitch) has always been one of my favorites and I'm loving the dark side!

Need to get dressed and get over to Carole's.

Have a great day!

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Coming home

Good day to all.  Carole has improved enough to send her home.  What a difference out of ICU.  She is weak but will get stronger every day, now that she can walk without gasping for air.  Amazing.   Mark and I will make the trip tomorrow and stop at a Whole Foods market we saw on the way home Monday.  Never been to one before, and we saw other shops to visit also.  Thank goodness the freezing rain is over but other areas in the Northeast are going to get hammered again.  I hope this is the end.  Can't imagine what they are dealing with.  And of course, I worry about the starving and buried animals in that amount of snow.

 

I ordered more raw/natural Belfast and was surprised that it's not easy to find in all shops.   I ordered two pieces and she said they are from different bolts and one is darker.  I wish there was more consistency with linen colors.   One of my favorite pieces of fabric was a gift from a stitching friend, 18th Century Rook, on little Dorothy.  I purchased several pieces online and not one was even close to the odd bronzy green that I loved.  My latest came in as this, which I dislike and will never use.  Not as scratchy and rough, much softer and finer, not for me.   Don't you just love that Dorothy Allen sampler? 

 

As for the Fraktur Friends, not sure if I will use the tent stitch on silk gauze or cross stitch on linen.  I never used a hoop and understand that it's the method for gauze.  We'll see.

 

We're off to get groceries and fill the fridge for Carole since she won't be driving for a while. 

 

Have a great day!! 

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Progress!!!

Finally some light at the tunnel's end.  I am home with cramping legs, sore feet, and no more macaroons.  Carole was moved into a room late yesterday and when she called, I could barely understand her garbled words.  I was concerned about a stroke but realized the Seroquel (psychotic drug) was probably the cause.  Today, she is sounding like herself, coherent, and refused the drug this morning.  Progress!!  Family is allowed to stay in regular rooms (not ICU) which I did for a week in January, but I really needed to come home and rest.  Good thing it was yesterday because we have weather advisories today.  Her nurses are wonderful as they were before, the aides are as sweet as could be, and she is finally feeling and sounding like herself.  Thank goodness.  And thank you for your concern and prayers. 

 

I was so touched by offers of the Nash heart from stitching blog buddies, I am planning to stitch two.  But first I need more 32 count Belfast and will order that this evening.  What will I do with two???  Hmmm.  What do YOU think?  Honestly, I can't imagine giving up the kit or chart but some of you were willing to and I am thrilled to stitch it.  Thank you!!

 

I started looking at fabrics, and Michael Miller's Old Script was one choice.  Thinking a darker background would be better, I played around with my dye jars until I got the right shade, then decided the original ivory background may be better.  But as always, a completely different fabric may end up on the back.

 

 As for the bird, the mustard fabric is dark, you can see the unbleached Belfast behind it, and this brown/rust/blue would be a good choice.   Another mini print that matches the fabric, three shades of mustard with no other color, is in the running too.  Not sure what to do with it, a pouch with flap?  Just a pillow?   Won't know until I sit down at the machine.

 

 

Tonight I will browse online and order Shakespeare Peddler's Fraktur Friends and the 40 count silk gauze needed.  Yikes.  Will I ever stitch something like that?  Who knows.  But I want it.  Saw a few other items including the punch needle from Stacy Nash but not everything is listed online yet.  One day, I will use one of several patterns I have and actually try punch needle.   

 

 

Thanks again for being my buds and helping me through the last 8 months.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

The Bird

Good morning.  Had to get a hotel room last night, there are no available hospital rooms.  She is still in ICU, on the verge of another psychosis issue, still talking to imaginery people and having vivid talking dreams.  She needs to get out of there before today's surgical patients and their equipment come in.  The man across that she sees every minute, is on life support and she hasn't seen daylight, walked, or spoken with anyone but me.  No phones of course.  I can see how this is a detriment to patients trying to recover from anesthesia effects.  Mark, who has the current coughing bug, is coming to get me today.  I ran out of my meds, clean underwear, and I'm exhausted.  She hasn't been in a room all week where I could sit with her so I've been in lounges and wandering.  The hotel rates next to the clinic have run around $1500 so far, not including the $2 bottle of water and meals.  I see why so many are sleeping in the lounges! 

Edit - just talked to the nurse and Carole is throwing up, warm, not feeling well at all, not sure what's going on.  Staying again?

I finished the mustard blue bird.  Certainly looks like a Nash, but all I had was bits and pieces plus a smeared photo (dogs love Nash too).  Some of it I had to work from the photo.  It's on the same shade of blue ironing board from the hotel.  For $300 a night, I'm using everything in it.
Hope your day is fabulous.

What I'm working on

Sitting here waiting for her new room, scarfing down Dove at 35 cents a piece, thankful that these glass walls are unbreakable.  A tablet hurled from this height could hurt someone.

I have been anxious to start using linen in dark rich shades, grabbed a piece of mustard brown that I dyed a while back, added some bright colors to it for a change.  I followed the same method of stitching (which I call the side-and-climb) for the bird, filling the entire area with left/right rows for the first half and then up/down rows for the second half.  Before, my rows were noticeably tight and direction was obvious because of it. This method will make my blocks of stitching uniform, neat, and even, and a house design look much better.

Thank you once again for your thoughtfulness.  Even though 

I am here alone, you've made me feel surrounded by friends.  I can't answer comments from this tablet, not sure why they won't show in my email so I could.  But thank you thank you.  It means more than you know.

Improving

Carole may be released from ICU tomorrow but they are close to 100% capacity and a room may not be available in step-down.  If it isn't, I will need to call other hotels for a place to stay since I planned on staying in her room.  This hospital is wonderful in allowing family to stay with the patient in all private rooms.
I hate working from a tablet!  Never be able to view and post from a phone but that's OK - I don't have one.

I finished the Nash heart
I was generously gifted with.  Belfast 32 count unbleached/natural with one strand of 3781.
Can't wait to sew it into shape.
Enjoy your weekend.  I just realized tomorrow is Sunday!  Is it?  Wow.