Changes continue

Hello people.  Hope everyone is doing well.  We're getting so close to Christmas and I'm still crabby about the end of summer.  Thanksgiving is next week and last year at this time, we were in a completely different state of mind, no dinners, no Christmas, no holiday.  This year there is much to be thankful for and our holidays will be celebrated.  I would rather have spaghetti than turkey but won't win on that one.

 

While trying out the new Bosch with Rack-a-matic (upper rack can be moved up or down), I stood in a twisted position and all of sudden, couldn't straighten.  Years ago I was at my parent's house every day and every year in the fall with a very heavy gas hand held leaf blower, no support, and that slight forward bend from the weight ruined my lower back muscles.  Any time I need to keep a slightly forward position, like at the laundry tub, it hurts.  This time, because of the bend but also the twisted position, something else happened.  I just wish there was a way to not make those noises that automatically spew from my mouth.

 

The flag on this design patterned three rows of red to one row of white.  Took it out and started over.  Because of needing an odd number centered, those three red stayed but I changed the other stripes to two rows red and two rows white.  I like it better.  I'm using the darker 680 for his coat, and I don't like the green for collar and cuff so......  another change coming.  I may use a fuzzy thread (if I didn't give them all away) but wouldn't a pile look nice?  Turkey stitch cut to a short pile. I may try a sample elsewhere in case I throw a tantrum.  If all else fails, one dark brown thread with one light thread will give me the tweedy look and the more I think about it (like just now), that may be the ticket.  I shouldn't be tempting frustration while teetering on the edge of a slump.

 

Have a good one!!

 

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Boxing match

The large 8" square with modified Eliza Pomeroy and Lucy Redd.  

 

 

 My local supplier has crap as most paper mache has become, increased the price quite a bit, but I found two a few weeks ago that were nice.  Still have my tall ovals and some journals, but no label files since all was lost.  Twice. I thought these samplers would fit a square after some modification and I need to go through all my pieces and see what, if anything, I can do for the ovals.  I'll keep you posted if and when there will be any listed.  Since I am still homebound (not healing as quickly as expected), I may work on new labels.

 

I also lost the emails I saved that were to notify several of you about sales before the sale.  Gone also.  I'm sorry - contact me again.

 

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A little humor

can't take away the sadness, but hopefully will bring a smile.

 

 

 

Next up?

Greetings folks.  I thought this Santa might be a good choice for another skinny sack.  This one would be 3" wide and about 8" tall, and since I like the sparse look, something holding a single greenery sprig is appealing.  The patriotic aspect is a plus. Not sure if this will be the next project yet, but it would be a simple chart to follow.  Since I have no shop to check out overdyed floss colors on my linen choice, I will use two similar shades of DMC for a little shading.  Too many times an order is nothing near what I expected, and I run out of the color in those limited skeins.

Of course I changed it.  I know making copies is forbidden but it's for my use of the design I purchased, to allow me to see better, to make changes, to color without defacing the chart.   I moved up the arms and flag, lengthened the flag and robe.  Cut and paste. (Original on the right.)

 

My husband is outside planting garlic right now, sure hope we get a decent crop next year because there's nothing like fresh garlic.  Well...chocolate, but we can't grow that. 

 

Have a great weekend.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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After many changes....

a little finish.  I took your advice and used the 729.  Something still wasn't right.  I ended up leaving out a few things, adding snowflakes, giving him cheeks, moving the mouth, changing the colors, and here he is. 

A little skinny pouch to hold a greenery sprig on a cupboard knob.  Only 2 3/4" wide, he's perfect for a little accent.  As with many Santas, I make changes when the stitching is completed, after already making changes, which sometimes is the reason for the final changes.  Get it?  On this one, the face had a backstitched nose, no cheek color, and darker beard (3033 but I used 822).  I didn't see enough contrast so decided to make him more like the PS Santas.  Instead of removing beard and brow and face, I just went over the existing stitches with another color, since there is only a slight variance. 

Beards and light colors never seem to have good linen coverage so this warped method of mine also helps with that.  For the beard, I went over the 822 with white, two strands, only a half cross.  I could have done one strand and full cross but this method creates a little more texture to the beard.  At least that's what I tell myself.  You can see the small section on the bottom right that hasn't been "over stitched" yet.

For the cheeks, I used one strand of 407 over the 3774, full cross.  After removing the two red stitches for his mouth, I filled those in with white and added two red stitches above that, over the existing thread.  I know this is making some of you shake your head but no one - and I mean no one - pays attention to my needlework but me.  Once completed, I can't tell if I over stitched or not, wouldn't remember if I did, and don't really care.  As long as I like the look, it doesn't matter to me how I achieved it.  Does that make me an unorthodox stitcher?  We already know I am, but I'm also reckless and impatient and willing to use flames.  It's best I do what is the least frustrating for the end result.  I don't believe there are any set "rules" for needlework, just basics, techniques, methods, and good judgment.  What I did doesn't fit into any of those categories but I got a sweet Santa sack anyway!

 

So now what?  Another Santa?  A small sampler?  Back to Sally?  Call it quits for a while?  Haven't decided.  Lori's sneak peek of new designs certainly piqued my interest so maybe the spark is still there and instead of setting the flame to my linen, I can ignite my mojo.  A word I never liked.  Mojo. 

 

Thanks for visiting.

Have a great finish to this week.

 

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The one color holdup

Greetings folks.  How was your weekend?  Ohio had quite a few really nice antique shows and I'll bet some of you snagged some goodies.  We had really nice warm days last week but I doubt we will see those temps again.

 

I picked up Niky's Primitive Christmas design last night and once again, tried a different gold thread that didn't stay in the linen very long. 

 

The recommended color is 371 and it doesn't show at all on my dark linen so I tried 833, trying to stay in the greenish golds.  Removed it.  Moved on to 729 which looks really nice, but I thought it might be too gold with the other muted colors.  Removed it.  Back to 833, started on the border this time instead of the hat trim, and it's barely noticeable.  Move up to 834?  Brighter 729?  My DMC 680 and 3829 look exactly the same and don't show very well either, also have more orange to them.  But who knows?  That may be the choice.  Since the border, star motifs, and band are that color, I'm stuck.  I've been stitching and removing on what should have been a very quick finish.  I guess I need to hit the gas pedal or get out of the car.  I've been idling WAY too long on a small project that is only displayed a few weeks of the year and would look good with any freaking gold!  Move on menoblock!  Geez.

 

From the tiniest to the biggest, birds through my windows.

 

 These wrens were squawking outside the window for days and for a tiny bird, they can be pretty loud.  Their usual lyrical call is not what they've been shouting. 

These guys have a quick cluck if you scare them but you don't hear them too often.  They are so comical to watch, running single file from the woods to reach the corn, still ten offspring and one hen.  They scratch the ground and peck as they move along, heads up only when you disturb them.  Not the prettiest birds by far, no color or special patterns, but I do like their variety of feathers.

Raining all day and I'm taking it easy this week.  Very uncomfortable, not feeling great because of antibiotics, and pain meds make me ill.  I don't know why my body isn't compatible with drugs, even Tylenol doesn't sit well.  Thank goodness for Advil because it's the only one that agrees with me. 

Have a great week!  Thanks for visiting.

 

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