A little red pouch

 

That's what I'm leaning toward for a finish.  I already counted and removed a linen thread, planning to finish this into a little something-or-other to hang or set.  When I reached the top of the stairs to my sewing room, I saw this red wool bag and of course, it created confusion and doubt.  But the pouch would be wider to accommodate the stitchery and that shape may not be as attractive.  

The only darker red wool I have is speckled and I prefer the solid so I will need to order online, taking a chance on what shade of red it will be.  By that time, I may just sew it into a little tuck and be done with it.  You know .... patience doesn't reside here.  But I do really like the red background so I'm hoping that will work out.

 

The diet is very difficult for me but easy for others.  I eat a lot.  And often, always did.  So counting every single item makes those points add up quickly for me and I am hungry.  Really hungry.  I did find two dressings (Walmart) that are helping and am very surprised at the taste.  Most fat free sugar free are blah but these two are really good and zero points.  Sandwiches and veggies taste a lot better with them, not to mention all the salads.

 

I forgot to mention how pleased I was when I remembered that a latex glove is fantastic to remove cat hair.  I used a Playtex Living glove and just kept swiping the furniture, the hair was pulled from the fabric's weave and just rolled up, easily picked off.  I vacuumed first and was surprised at how much hair was left and removed by the glove.

 

Have a good day and thanks for visiting.

 

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Be afraid.

Be very afraid.  I know I am.

 

My mother saw this t-shirt box online and made one for us.  It's the perfect place to hide when she is "moody".  That word doesn't really come close to her attitude and I can tell you, I don't like it one bit.  Not one bit!   I don't really give a catnip rip about what's causing it.   Can't tell you how many times I hear the door fling open and I see her standing outside, rain and all.  Clothes come off, too.  It's a scary scene folks.  So I'm staying in here until things improve.  I thought it would be better in the evening when she is busy with that little piece of cloth.

 

 

But then she starts counting and obscenities ensue.  "Another error!!  Dammit!!" (That's not the word she used.)  Things go from bad to worse and I'm afraid to even look out the hole.  I can't tell you how many times this has happened, and for such a small piece of cloth!  What's her problem?  I heard her say something about developing a new method called "error stitching" instead of frogging.  I've heard of frogs, Nitzy got one last year, but I don't see anything hopping up and down except for her head.   The guy that scratches me told her that it isn't noticeable, she looked at him without saying a word, and he quietly got up and moved to another room.  Personally, the way she stains and beats up those cloth things I don't know why it bothers her.  I think it's because the more errors, the more corrections, the more frustration, the less fun.  Best I stay in my t-shirt box until this blows over.

 

Have a nice day.

Bud

 

 

Worn out

Greetings folks.  Hope everyone ended March with no issues.  Our visit was exhausting but enjoyable.  Cousin's husband makes donuts so ..... we went all over testing.  Research and development you know.  The winner was Apple Castle in New Castle PA, glazed honey wheat, by a landslide.  I had no choice but to join Weight Watchers when they left (Dove minis are 2 points each and oranges are free, not bad together).  Too much good food, ridiculous amount of donuts, desserts and snacks galore.  An old favorite was made by my sister, (who never invited them for a meal which I had counted on), but she ate more than half of it before bringing it to my house, so I had to offer other options since we had ten people for dinner.  Loved seeing them, but glad to be quiet and alone for some rest. 

 

So what am I doing now?  Ridding closets of excess and being a total P.I.T.A. to all.  I don't know why.  Stitching and blogging are not of great interest to me but I started another small in my continuing effort to regain mojo.  What a pleasure to be off the grid for 10 days and away from the vile hatred taking over this land.  

I've stitched this before for a friend and have always wanted one for myself.  Handwork Club 1820 Redwork Pinkeep from 2011 by Stacy Nash.  Not easy to find and I've seen other club pieces released after a period of time, wonder if Stacy will.

 

Simple and small, good choice for a crabass.

 

While ridding the linen closet, I came across the same old table cloths that I continually put back, never use, and several are not wanted.  This one was my mom's, the heavy wrinkle free woven cotton and openwork.  I used several applications of Biz for spot cleaning food stains, Lestoil for grease, oil, butter, and found that the orangey looking stains are ..... rust!  Bar Keeper's Friend in a paste, applied several times and rinsing between.  Gone.  A few spots were missed but hopefully I will get them all.  It's hard to see yellow stains on light fabric but holding it up to a bright window shows even the slightest which I mark with a piece of blue or masking tape.  I hate to see these wonderful heavy linens thrown out because of stains but that's what happens to most.  I'm taking the Battenburg to the vintage shop, no desire to iron. 

I'm hoping someone can give me information about this cloth.  It presses easily, white on white, 52" wide (selvage edge) by 48" (hemmed).  Very heavy cotton.  I had to tilt it in order for the light to hit the satin stitched design.  A coat of arms (?) with three arrows, U.S., many stars, and outlined on selvage edges by three solid rows.  I have not been able to find anything about the emblem.  Is it just a design and not representative? Anyone know?

A few years ago I showed several vintage print tablecloths and was emailed by a reader that she collected them and was interested.  The saved email was lost three crashes ago.  Please let me know if you are still interested.

 

That's all I have.  Dental visit I am dreading tomorrow.  Cats are slowly coming back in after retreating from the visitors.

 

Have a good one folks.

Thanks for visiting.

 

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The difference between crabby and snotty

Had to take Carole early this morning back to her doc, pain became much worse, traveled to the shoulder, he wanted to check her heart.  Carole talked to him personally and he left orders with the front desk to put her in a room as soon as she arrives.  We wait, we wait, until I blast the snotty bitch that handles the front desk.  I've had enough of her attitude for the last few years. 

 Snotty is being rude and disrespectful, crabby is a generalized nasty attitude.  Mostly I am a crab but there are times when I am a crabby snot.  I can relate to hassles in medical settings, but she is always rude and there is no place for that when dealing with the public.   

 

It happens that her meds were filled and sitting on a counter yesterday, but with inept and useless employees from office staff error to pharm techs laziness, no one took the time to actually check.  We didn't know this until today when I took the new written scripts in.  I wasn't snotty.  I wasn't crabby.  I was full on bitch slap.

 

She is feeling better already after two rounds of the meds, is still in terrible pain, but no longer nauseous and in tears.  After three nights of no sleep at all, she was able to take a nap.  And my three days of her appointments and errands are finished and I can concentrate on the guests coming.

So here's the stitching plan.  I doubt there will be any time for it but I'm trying to line up a few choices so I can start right back in.  You know I've been having a pretty long slump and smalls were my only desire.  I am considering a large sampler, working on it a little each week so as not to get discouraged.  (Mary Elliott at left)

I thought it would be a good idea to choose and kit the linen with many of these larger projects, but all my yardage is 28 and 30 and I am preferring the higher count and single thread.  But since I have the linen, I should use it.
(Ann Spence at right)

(Sarah Jacklin Goulsby below)

Another contender is Sarah Harvey.

Things change often with me, and the look of an entire wall of samplers that I aspire to, no longer tickles me.  I prefer seeing one or two which allows notice.   Too many to see at one time is striking and a great focal point, but their detail and verse is lost in the mass.  My view is contrary to most stitchers' displays, but it's my current view which may last anywhere from a month to two years.

Hopefully when I return in a few weeks, I'll have a project started and something to share.
Take care and enjoy the start of spring! 
Back in April.
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Three days to houseguests

My torn up unfinished dusty house.  After spending all morning in Urgent Care yesterday, today I had to take Carole to her primary care doc because he would not prescribe meds without seeing her even though he had the records from the center.  She has a severe case of gout in her wrist and hand.  First time ever. Picked her up, got to the doc's, waited, waited.  Got in, got the RX's called in, then over to the center for blood work that Urgent Care failed to take, wait, wait.  By now it's 4:15.  Stopped to get her something to eat since she can't use her hand to prepare a meal.  Lots of time for the pharmacy to fill the order.  Got there at 4:50.  No orders.  Called the doc office.  They insist the orders were called in.  Verified the phone number and correct pharmacy.  Back to the pharmacist - he said he doesn't have it.  I asked him what we should do.  She is in tremendous pain, I'm here for the meds, she can't drive, the doc called them in and verified the time, why aren't they here?  That's between her and her doctor.  Really.  I asked him to call the doctor's office NOW and get the order.  It's 2 minutes to 5, the office closes at 5, and they turned off the phones except for voice mail.  He left a message that they did not return.  Now I have to go back to her doctor's tomorrow morning and get the written script, go to the pharmacy, wait for the drugs, and then do all her fricking shopping again because she hasn't done any in weeks.  Take the meds and items to her home after.  So three days of planned preparation shot in the ass and now she can't help me with having the guests over for a meal or two next week.  We'll manage to get the last few rooms cleaned and their linens fresh before they arrive, and stock the fridge after.

 

Carole's son is working overtime because of co-workers having the flu, and went directly from work to a fire in which an elderly woman on Hospice care was killed.  Her husband is inconsolable from her tragic death along with losing his lifelong possessions and home.  So I guess frustration and unforeseen diversions are just nuisances that don't amount to a hill of beans in real life. 

 

I have no pie that could shut my crabass pie hole, so instead I ate several slices of Italian bread smothered with cream cheese and a thin spread of jelly. Very very good, but it ain't elderberry pie.

 

Embrace tomorrow and all the crap that comes with it.

 

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Mary on a shoestring

Hey all.  Spent the morning in Urgent Care with Carole, not heart related, and she will be fine in a week or two.  Came home and decided to finish Mary before I misplace her being that she is so tiny.  Size doesn't really matter because I've lost much larger pieces but it sounded like a good enough reason.  And it's always a brilliant move to tackle a potentially stressful project after a stressful morning.

 

I used a different method this time, without interfacing.  I still prefer the stability of it but this linen is substantial and I've wanted to try this for a while.  As always I counted out on all sides and removed a linen thread, further out than where the seam would be, and then ran the Frixion pen in that ditch to make sure I could see it at the sewing machine. 

Machine sewed on this line, right side of the linen, while attaching the muslin on the back, creating a visible guide to follow when sewing the backing on right sides together.  Just 1/8" in from this stitched line and I hoped it would line up the linen threads and be rather straight.  Bingo.  Not bad at all.  I wanted something thin and dark brown for the hanger, used a braided brown shoestring.  She fits nicely in the carrier, but with the longer hanger, she can visit more places. 

 

I have several samplers that hang from the front of a shelf, hanger attached to an object's base.  Nice way to display smaller stitcheries so they are easily seen. I think the pewter is too fussy for little Mary,

 

so I moved her to a small primitive cupboard.

This was stuffed before, but once we start cleaning walls and clutter, everything is minimized. 

Only half the items are returned to their former position. 

 

That's all folks!  Once again, loving the very small projects.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

Have a great week.

 

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