References

What do you use to learn a new stitch?  I got out all the books for stitch reference and wanted to browse for some that I will need to learn for the sweet bags.   I've found several stitches that are in one book and not the others, so I don't rely on just one for reference.  Could be that they are under a different name, but I also browsed the illustrations. The nun's stitch (or open sided square) which I needed to finish edges, was only found in Linen Stitches.  I remember looking for the turkey too and not all had it.  That one, Needleworker's Companion, and the J&P Coats are my favorites. J&P Coats features 100 stitches in a flat 34 page booklet that doesn't take any room in a stitching bag.  I've found so many in that little booklet that aren't in any of the others and I almost tossed it years ago. The Complete DMC one is going to the library sale.  Includes knit and crochet and I don't care for the illustrations at all.  Online reference and video is better, but if I don't feel like taking the time to get on the computer or it's not convenient, having one of the these smaller books in my bag works out fine.

 

 

I didn't know the name of this stitch and searched the illustrations for it.  Fairly sure it is the nun's stitch.  This is why I should have kept a stitching journal for the samplers.  I don't remember color changes, special stitches, changes to the chart, fabric count or color.  Big surprise, huh?  I have to say that forgetting specific words in a conversation is really starting to worry me more.  And the frustration makes a few other choice words leave my mouth.  I don't seem to forget those!

I'm still going through fabric and found these oldies.  Anyone remember Back Street Designs?  I haven't received my second order of BOAF linen yet.  Waiting for cabinet hinges too.  My tracking number for the hinges shows Oklahoma received them on June 5 with no other activity.  Today is the 10th.  The other order left Oakland, CA on the 6th.  No other entries.  The info was always up to date before but lately nothing is scanned until the day of delivery. 

Went to the antique mall for the second time in months, and I didn't have the same reaction as last time.  I thought about Patti and felt more acceptance of her passing, didn't enjoy browsing, but handled it much better.  Thought I would show you what might make a good thread cabinet.  $295, on legs, and about 18" deep but the drawers are not divided.  Still a great piece.  Didn't buy it.

Isn't it strange how many Sundays are in a week?  I know I said that would be the post day but I've been out of sorts, mixed up, and yakky.

Until next time, whatever day that may be..adios!

Thanks for visiting.

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The hunt is on

for slugs.  I started slug hunting early this year and found tons of very small ones, hard for the blade to cut in the grass.  It was at dusk after a rain, still drizzling.  My hair was frizzing by the minute and falling in my face. 

Adding to the presentation were shorts to show off my Polish knees, an old t-shirt full of paint, and my husband's mocs because of the swollen right foot.  I was hunched over staring at the ground using my bright blue wicked blade as a staff, stabbing the grass with a "gotcha!".   Every year I treat the neighbors to a spectacle that allows the voyeur in all of us, to hide behind a curtain, peek out, watch for quite some time, and mumble out loud...what the hell is she doing?  My back was killing me from the bent position and walking in shoes too big for me wasn't easy, but I persisted. 

 

Ready to call the game because of darkness, one of the larger slugs caught my attention.  He looked furry.  Upon closer inspection, it seems I killed a lot of maple whirlygighickeys.  Next hunt will be in better light.

My husband slipped his mocs on to check the garden and wanted to know how they became soaked.  My usual answer that always stops him from asking anything else - "why would you ask me that?"  He knows it's time to move on. 

 

Have a great day.

 

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The safety pin

Good day fellow stitchers.  I hope your weekend is enjoyable and peaceful.

The early sun rays are breaking through....

 

the pinks are showing off,

 

the giants are showing their blue,

Mom's old chipped planter is gleaming against the dark shadows.

What a quiet, peaceful, and beautiful morning.  Until the scream of Yellow Cat, Nit, and Missy in a brawl.  Good grief.  I think the cat is a stray that just wants food but unlike Squeak (who hasn't been here in almost a month), they will not tolerate him and vice versa.  I don't know what to do.  He is extremely skittish, and too smart for a trap.  I think he would hurt himself if he was trapped, but my goofball Nitzy would probably be the one in it all the time.

 

As for stitching, nothing.  Buying more charts and linen, but when I got to Sally's over one part, I pooped out.  I think I may have to set her aside and do something small before the mojo takes a hike.  I will definitely finish Sally, but if it's not the right time, I should switch to a small.

 

 So I've been messing around with pieces that are not in their final pose yet.  It would be easy if everything I did was framed but as you know, it's not.  Originally I mentioned doing a side-sack (you know I love sacks) of Hannah Haines but ended up with a stuffed pillow.  This is how I closed her on one end, just in case!

And here she is today.  Took off the pin, pulled out the batting, added the leather.  I can always go back to the pillow.  Just like cutting down the button sampler from the larger size, I like to keep the options open and usually don't cut off all the excess linen.  Glued?  I've been able to open the seams even though it's permanent.  Putting it in the freezer usually makes ungluing anything easier.  Except wood. I like safety pins even though my life started out with a very unpleasant experience.  I screamed and screamed all the way home from the hospital.  Once there, opening my blanket revealed blood on the diaper.  The nurse had gone deep through my skin with the pin.  In those days of long ago, there was one large pin in the center and I had a little scar by my navel until I was an adult. 

 

I wanted to show you how Truus from the Netherlands finished my Bold Heart.  A tray - isn't this a great idea?  She changed the color too.  Thank you Truus!!

I'm going to sit outside with coffee for a while, trying to locate Nitzy who took off into the woods when I broke up the fight.  Stupid tiny Missy jumped into the fray too.  Someone will definitely be hurt and needing attention.  I did after attempting to de-flea Nit.  Which hand did he get?  The arthritic one of course.  That's an expensive little vial to waste, and I wish manufacturers would give people a break.  Ridiculously expensive for people that take in strays and have many pets.  They are miserable with fleas and ticks and owners can't afford that kind of money every month.

 

Thanks for the suggestions on OTC remedies for the stiffness and pain.  As long as I can crush, chop, split, or chew a pill, I'll get it down. 

 

Have a great week!

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Linens by Design

aka Birds of a Feather linen.  Several requests for where I purchased my pieces and since then, not much left.  To Lisa B., I could not answer with the source because you are no-reply and your email is not listed in your profile either.  Sorry!  I also found out that AOL accounts are not the only comments that are not sent to my email, Yahoo isn't either.  Google, grow up.  Play nice.  Let these nice folks through to our email!

 

There isn't much linen left at all since a few days ago.  They had several other colors that are now gone and a large piece of Meadow Lark - gone.  Guess the Google search was on.  I found it somewhere else too but I had to clear the cache from computer problems and lost the source.  So anyway, Needle in a Haystack fabric page for them is here.  I think it's discontinued so it's hot stuff.

 

 

And speaking of hot stuff, I have never had Jalapenos this hot.  I used a grapefruit knife to core out the seeds and all the ribs, but it didn't help one bit.  I showed these before and we love them, but for the first time could not eat them.  We removed the breakfast sausage which was precooked and they were fiery too, but edible.

Forget what the doctor said - I needed dark chocolate to calm the mouth burn!!  Ahhh.  Never said to stay away from spicy foods, just caffeine. Many Sweet Teas with little ice tore up my stomach pretty good from the acid and caffeine.  Still not healed.  (I drink decaf).

 

That's it.  Taking my time painting and feeling like an old lady.  Arthritis is getting bad fast and it shows in my walk.  I used to go like a bat outta hell but that turtle we saved could probably beat me now.

 

Have a great weekend!!

 

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My eye is on the Sparrow

And my hands are full of paint.  Yes indeedy.  I have been going through the hassle again of painting the cupboards but I can't help it.  If you aren't happy, change it.  I'm too old to "live with it for a few years".  This stuff really sticks to your hands if you're a messy painter (raise your hand if you are - mine is waving wildly) and when my little package came in the mail, I couldn't get the damn paint off fast enough.  

Linen.  Yes more linen.  I was seeing mention of Birds of a Feather fabric and having never seen it, heard of it, or having a local source, I ordered clueless.  Happy dance.  Hard to do with swollen feet and toes but this was worth the pain.  Usually I get color or texture that I don't care for but I like this.  Not as much as my original stiff Rook, but we have to move on at some point and stop whining.  Sparrow on the left.  Sparrow!!  Immediately ordered more in a different count.  Plus, Meadow Lark.  Who knew?  I didn't.  Stitchers without shops (we should have our own group and ban the fortunates) really miss out on a lot of designers, fabrics, and colors.  I can picture a red santa on this brown but if not, I will have it.  We all have that sickness of HAVING TO HAVE IT even if we don't use it.   Don't we?  Am I alone? 

My Midge/Missy/Little Girl was sleeping outside the kitchen window I was painting.  Bought the last pack of impatiens in my pink because some are not doing well.

 

Taking a paint break for the night, may do some stitching but painting has made my right hand stiff and sore.  Too chilly to sit outside.

 

 

A few of you wanted to know what we were doing with legs on the cabinets and what I meant by the recess.  Here it is.  That toe kick area is usually the same finish as the cabinet, but the leg detail just blended in with everything painted the same.  I've seen some painted black to recede but to me it's too obvious.  So we stained the wood to match the floor and now that area isn't noticeable at all and the legs show up nicely.  They will of course be painted to match the cabinets. 

 

 

Carole is finally hooked up to the correct monitoring device.  She's anxious to get Mark's Explorer but we haven't picked out a new car yet.  We're very bad at making decisions.  His is a 2005 with 55,000 miles.  Mine is a 2003 with 50,000.  We need to get out more.

 

Take care and stay safe!

 

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June

Already!  Soon I'll be complaining that summer is over.

 

Sally will be larger than Lucy.  And Marlene is as large as she has ever been.

 

 

Wanted to stitch this for Patti but she deteriorated much sooner than I expected and it was not recommended by family to visit.  Still plan on stitching with our initials, softer dress colors.  I was going to do them in pink for breast cancer but decided not to define her by that reference.

 

 

Tonight will be a bloody battle of flea control application.  I almost never get it anywhere but on their hair.  Found three ticks, one alive on my floor.  That's quite enough.

 

 

After storms and torrential rains, we are freezing today.  Working on the leg aprons for the cabinets.

 

 

Thanks for identifying the Trolley Needle.  I looked up the item and am glad I did.  First of all, I was wearing it upside down (with needle on top of the finger) but I also saw other uses.  One is for feeding material through the sewing machine, another is opening seams when pressing with a hot iron.   I have the silicone finger guards (but where?), this skinny helper will be much better.  Thanks!!!

 

Have a wonderful day!!

 

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