Dec 18, 2016

I couldn't wait

when I saw The Primitive Hare's (http://theprimitivehare.blogspot.com/) new Christmas chart she graciously offered to her readers.  The fabric will be available soon, but not soon enough for impatient crabs.  I had a little piece of 30 count in a very gray sage green, and went to work.  I may not even finish Santa before I start this.

I tossed 3787, dark red, and sage green on this odd shade of linen and I believe 3787 will do it.  I don't care for printed, dotted, checked linens, but her design on it, and the simple designs on the dotted hearts, spoke to me.  Loudly.  The print is not as prominent on this color linen as the tans I tried, and I prefer it.
 
 Ignoring the pile of large sampler charts may be a key to feeling needle love again.  Just don't think about them, feel pressure to stitch them, and put them away.  Work on the smalls until I'm ready, and if I don't want more small pieces in my collection, I can always enjoy the stitch and then see if they would sell.  Sounds like a plan.
 
No comment on the weather.
 
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Dec 17, 2016

The bell attempt

Feeling a little better. My family tells me that once germs enter, if the hot flashes don't fry them, the bitchy will have them running for an exit.
 I played with the bell a little and wanted to share with you for your thoughts and suggestions before I go any further.
The shape is rough, basted, and just for sizing.  I used a heavy canvas on the back for body and am finishing it as I would any other to be stuffed, but I'm not stuffing it.  Let me try to explain my reasoning and method.
 
 
Making it into a true bell shape would mean that both back and front would be rounded, preventing it from laying flat on a wall or door.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It would be nice hanging freely, but where?  And with no extra linen in this color, the back would be a contrast.  So I'll sew a backing to the stitched piece which will serve as the lining and finish off the edges. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This is the very thick felted wool product I chose for the back.  The color blends nicely and the edges need no finishing.
 
  
 
 
So the plan is to hand sew the finished Santa on to this wool back, raising the Santa to create the bell with the curved front.  I don't know how else to do it.  Once the back of the bell is attached to the finished front, I may have to stuff with fill half way down to keep that shape, and probably need a piece of mat board/cardboard cut to that half circle arc pushed up inside to hold it.
 
This way, it will lay flat on a door and have the shape of a bell (well .... half bell), and I can have the jingle bells extending down.  I can add a trim of some sort to the hand sewn edge, but I think I will sew the front edge over the thick wool edge to hide it.  If I get that far.  But really, once the bell shape is tweaked and the backing sewn on, this shouldn't be difficult at all.  The wool (Michael's, Hobby Lobby all have it) which is super thick, can be trimmed easily. 
 
  Do you think the backing material of the Santa front will be sort of loose and maybe hang?  I hate to fuse it.  Wait.  How about using Mylar (stencil blanks) inside the bell part, cut the same shape as the front piece?  Yep.  That's what I'll try.  I can poke a few needle holes on the sides and stitch it to the front's backing.  When I sew the front to the wool, the Mylar will bend also and keep that shape, and also press against the front's backing so it stays in place.  Hey.  Everything sounds good, but that doesn't mean it will work.  We'll see. 

 Any suggestions? 
 
 
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And I thought my snow was bad

Good morning.  I came down with a head bopping sick day yesterday and woke up this morning to find a comment from the winner Krissy.  YAY!  But the poor girl lives in Minnesnowta, is experiencing outages, heavy snow, and well below zero temps (-37!).  I am complaining about the additional snow overnight, the crunchy kind, that needs to be pounded with a pipe to clear.  Expecting a 1/4" of ice buildup from freezing rain (the warm temp I was looking forward to), and then more white crap.  And look what others are having to deal with.  What a whiny wimp I am.  And probably always will be.
 
 
 
 
Chris was here yesterday and we were on speaker phone with his pump people for an hour.  FINALLY have it all worked out, it is still under warranty, the transmitter is being overnighted and he will have it today at noon.  One mixup after another but everyone that we talked to yesterday was so nice, so helpful. 
 
I tried to stitch last night but if I move my head, the dizziness ensues.  So I won't be working on the bell finish right now either. Just sitting upright, not moving much, watching three brats deposit hair as they buzz by chasing their toys.  Too cold for them outside.
 
Christmas is in a week!  Haven't made the dry cottage cheese pierogis yet for Christmas Eve.  Making meat manicottis (http://marlanco.blogspot.com/2011/03/meat-stuffed-manicotti.html) and ricotta stuffed shells, meatballs and sausage for Christmas.  Today will be the cranberry pork tenderloins http://marlanco.blogspot.com/2013/04/cranberry-pork-roast.html.
 
Hope you have a safe weekend! 
Stay warm, pick up any strays and give them shelter from the cold.
Buy the ice grippers for your shoes.
Be careful!
 
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Dec 16, 2016

The worst is over

Greetings folks.  Is everyone freezing?  Bone chilling winds and snow?  Yikes.  Our snow was so fine it looked like fog, Carole didn't make her appt. again.  Chris was out of town for a few days and came home late today, scraped the drive, and it will be 50 Saturday so we should be OK for a few days.  Can't wait till Saturday!
 
I worked on the Santa of Change, my latest one.  And since the hood, shoulders, width, forehead, and height changes weren't charted, it was a little difficult to say the least. 
 Outlining was easier to change and I did, many times, but it worked out well.  Now the fill is all that's left, sew his coat buttons on, and finish!  I think he looks a little odd, either the coat or legs need lengthened, but I may not mess with it.  The photo I manipulated looks good so maybe once the fill is completed it will all fall into place.
 
I saw a chart that was really cute and thought the name was All Through the Night.  http://www.allthroughthenight.net/shop/Patterns/Cross-Stitch-.htm
Well that's the name of the company!  So when searching for that title, ended up seeing all their designs.  This is Harry ..... and Smitten. 


















I will be ordering a few of her designs from her site.  She has other needleworks too including really nice quilts and wool applique designs. 
 
Krissy B!!!  Please contact me! 
 
Thanks for visiting.
 
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Dec 14, 2016

Winner winner

Sorry it took a while, but quite a few names to enter.
First, a few other things.

Merry Wind Farm is having a great giveaway of one of her sampler reproductions.  Go to her blog http://merrywindfarm.blogspot.com/2016/12/christmas-giveaway.html to enter and view her charts.
 
Second, if you all think I can handle a bell, I'll give it a try.  I won't trim away any of the linen, just in case. 
 
Third, no stitching to show.  We had another issue with Chris at the time Carole was getting picked up for her doc appt., which she did not make.  It's been very cold and snowy, she can't get down (or up) her rotten driveway, so I've been doing her errands and shopping.  Tomorrow Mark will attempt the drive for her rescheduled appt. and take what she needs. 
 
Sun doesn't reach her drive and it's too cold for the salt to work anyway.  The slightest bit left on that curve is enough to create a hazard. Our drive is fine because Mark shoveled three times, and every time he cleared the paths and decks, there it came again.  The winds blew the snow inside the grapevine tree and made the lights really sparkle, then it all fell to the bottom.
 
So here we go, Random chose Krissy B. from the scrambled names.  Please contact me before Saturday with your choice of local or online shop and we'll set up your gift.
 
Thanks to all that entered. 
 
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Dec 11, 2016

Merry Christmas

Before I get into details, I wanted to share what a silly duck I am.  You know I am not feeling the love for a needle, short on patience, not to mention crabby, and I wasted a few hours trying to come up with a solution to the second Santa finish. 
 
After all edge trims were rejected, I started working on a different shape.  A stocking finish was nice, but a little too wide, a pear shape worked great but it was too large, so I ended with a bell.  I used a Frixion pen so this will disappear when the iron touches it.  A round ring at the top, lightly padded bell shape backed with a nice fabric, and another padded piece for the back. With the two finished shapes sewn together, the center would be open and I can hang two large jingle bells on ribbon from the inside and hanging out.  Not explaining it clearly - The bell would be like two square hot pads sewn together on three sides (in a bell shape) with the bottom open.  Then the large jingle bells would be attached at the inside top and hang down like a clapper in a real bell.   Wouldn't that be really nice?  Different?  A royal pain in the ass?  Yepper.  Don't even think about it girl.  Stick a chocolate covered pretzel in that mouth and iron that Frixion right out of sight.  Why would I even consider such an involved finish?  But it would be nice.  Maybe just a padded bell shape, top ring, and two bells at the bottom?  Stop it right now.
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So here's your gift.  I will purchase a $30 gift certificate for the winner, shop of their choice.  As long as they will accept purchase of a gift certificate through Paypal, you get to choose.  I use 123Stitch for the majority of my linen, but you may have a local shop you prefer.  If the winner is international, a shop there would save high postage.  So as long as it's OK with the shop, you can pick your favorite.
 
Leave your INITIALS, or LAST NAME in the comments on this post.  I will post the winner Wednesday evening the 14th at 8pm EST.  You will have until Saturday the 17th at 9am to contact me, if not, another name will be drawn.  If your email is available, I will contact you.  So that's it. A small token of my appreciation for your support and friendship, your help and ideas, your purchases of my items, concern for my family, and uplifting comments.  Thank you.
 I'll be back on Wednesday.
 
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