Your thoughts

Hello  hello!  If you're disgusted with the cold temps and snow, raise your hand.  Damn.  We received about 8" on top of the ice and it is back to frigid.  Which means, brats in house.  They're being very good today and all are using the litter box.  Bud thinks the objective is to cover his doodoo with a mountain.  That cat can dig for a half hour until every speck of litter is in a neat foot high pile. 

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Does it bother you to see carry overs through the linen, even if they are minor?  Do you hide them before taking to a framer?  Have you ever been disappointed after framing, not realizing how prominent they were? 

 

This sampler I sold recently is on a fine (sheer) linen.  I offered to mount it for framing since she has no where locally that she could trust and was concerned about the sheerness. 

The cross over threads are only one or two stitches but because of the linen and brightness of the floss, it still bothered me.  I have no acid free tissue paper to use so I shredded some muslin and with needle and tweezers, pulled it through those areas. 

I fray the ends so there isn't a harsh line, but with the muslin being so soft and thin that would not be an issue anyway.  The mounting board is the color of the muslin and will blend it all, completely hidden.  You can't see any threads between the numbers now but before there was a purple line visible between them.

 

The gold (wool) and gray threads are not as noticeable from the front, it's only the very obvious that I hide.  Does it bother you?  Do you do this?  Or do you think that those threads are part of needlework and should be visible?

When I worked for a framer, many customers were so upset when seeing the finished piece because of the carry overs showing.  I don't think they laid the piece on a white backing to check, not realizing the mount board would bring out the contrast.

I'm just curious.  I'm assuming that threads over a very short span are not a concern to anyone.  The majority of my samplers, especially the early ones, are all on unbleached or darker linen.  It wasn't until I used a lighter fabric that this bothered me.  And it shouldn't! 

 

My other question (and also from a reader) - What do you use to keep your place on a chart, especially a fancy border or design?  How about when you end your stitching for the day, do you have a method to mark where you left off?

 

I still haven't found my new sampler chart even though I saw it a few days ago.  Actually considering a big one, too.  Still not feeling much love so it may be a bad idea. 

 

Stay warm!

 

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A taste of spring

 

for a day and a half until the ice comes Friday.  All the greens from Christmas are arranged in the woods to provide shelter for the birds and the decorations are back in the attic.  Even the newest little tree that I bought two days ago.  I'm not crazy about the shine of the needles but a Krylon matte spray solves that.  Half price and a sweet little 2' perfect for a bathroom.  Do I put trees in the bathroom?  Not really, but it was the only reason I could think of to justify another tree so next year, bathroom tree.

 

I was debating whether to choose a Santa or a sampler for the next stitch.  The Boyd Santas need some planning for colors and linen choice, not ready for that attention to detail.  I would prefer they all be on the same higher count linen and except for raw 28 and 30 count, I have nothing large enough for them all.  So I decided on the last sampler chart I purchased, small and easy.  From JBW designs, Miss Mary's Sampler 1796.  As soon as I find it, I will pull the threads.

 

We cleaned and rearranged the garage, put the brats' condos in a confined area with a heater, they are happy.  Being good during the cold spell lasted just until a break in the weather.  They couldn't wait to get back in the garage.  Not having someone scream NO every ten minutes may have been an incentive.

 

Have a great weekend!  Stay safe.

 

Thanks for visiting.

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Seeing red

Ellen's red has me wanting more.  Being bland dull and faded is reflected in most of the samplers I stitch.  I do have a few with bright colors and was surprised to find that I enjoyed stitching and seeing them displayed.  But there was an older project that featured red and continued to elude my sharp keen memory.  Found it.

Carriage House Samplings' Pennsylvania Redware.

Ooooooh baby. 

It was taken off the wall to paint a LONG time ago, the painting isn't done, but this is going back on the wall. 

 

 

Blast from the past!

Hope your week is going well.

 

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Help!

Ellen is finished with a compromise.  I did not move the center so it is slightly off, but I did line up the outer edge motifs to match left and right.  This is the type of bag I would like it sewn to, heavy wool with the same for the strap.  The sampler would be mounted to the front wool, not sewn into the seam so the material would show around the stitchery. 

The bag would be a perfect size, Ellen is 4-3/4" x 6-1/4".

Do I use the bright red?  It's a beautiful red, but would it be too much?

 

 

Or do I use a beautiful olive green that matches the green floss? 

 

 

I think the red in the sampler stands out more with the green, but I like the red.  So what do I do?  I may take this to the only person I know that sews locally since I need a wool coat hemmed anyway.  I was not totally pleased with the wool blazers she worked on, but she does wedding gowns and men's suits!  So maybe it's my menobutt that is the problem. 

 

We had our group return .....

and they brought a few friends.

 

 

 

They were no help in choosing color though. 

 

Have a good day!

 

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Decision time

Weekend.  And already two weeks past Christmas.  Come on spring!

I am at the point now where I need to decide if I should follow the chart, or move the big Hershey kiss (or crown) to be centered.  Either way, the large floral motif will not be.  So I guess the question is whether I am willing to remove the stem/leaves and stitch again.  Only the right side outline of the vase needs removed, a row or two added, and then outlined again.  Not a big deal, the flower can be added to, so the stem removal would be the main pain in the ass.  Is it really worth it just because I have a quirk about symmetry?  This sampler is wonderful, a reproduction, and certainly not meant to be perfectly aligned.  On 40 count it is only 6 1/4" high and I am leaning toward a red wool bag instead of frame. 

 

 

I'm still not happy with the bright red in the center of the house but after numerous attempts at removal and restitching, I just couldn't get a better blending.  I have a plan to resolve this but won't tell you until it's over.  No sense ruining your dinner.

I just love this piece.  My slump is still lingering and I was not really excited about this until it started to come together. And now I can't wait to see it hanging.  Ellen Ford is by Merry Wind Farm.

 

Lots of nearby shooting (muzzle loader season) and only two of our gang of five showed last night.  We'll keep an eye out hoping the others show today.  This little boy comes by himself during the day and has the sweetest little fat head.

 

It's a smidge warmer today and Missy is getting antsy, does not want to stay in the house.  Nitzy is out right now and probably won't come back until this evening, but last night, he and his dad were snoozing.

 

You know the luck I've had with laptops and printers.  My last recent printer was an HP6830 which I found out had a known issue yet HP continued selling, did not offer extended warranty or advise customers.  So once again, the printer has failed and is not repairable, I have $95 of new ink cartridges and they do not offer another model printer that uses this same ink.  Goodbye HP, third time this happened.  Never again.  Your products have been junk and your service to loyal customers is inexcusable.

 

Yesterday we made a new soup from Taste of Home.  Pretty good, but much better with a squirt of ketchup.  Just a little at a time until it was perfect.  Also added some barley and a few potatoes. 

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/beef---black-bean-soup

Mark's grandmother always added some to her beef based soups and I tried it with mine, also this one with chicken broth, and I really like the results.  Better than adding more tomatoes or sauce. 

BTW - TRE is The Retail Equation, a company hired by retailers to follow your returns and exchanges.  There is so much theft costing businesses a fortune (passed on to the honest) and much of this is stolen items being returned for credit or cash.  Too many returns, even with receipts, sends a red flag of possible fraud and they stop you from returning for six months.  Mine was without warning, and I ALWAYS had a receipt and returned promptly.  I doubt Amazon uses this, but the major retailers do and online sales are also included.  Since I need to order specialty sizes, the majority of my purchases were JCP online, how could they think those returns should be included?  I can't steal something sent to my home!!  They say it's only a small percentage of customers affected but sales associates have said that many of their regular customers have been targeted.   The retailer is not in control, TRE makes the decision and handles any appeals.

 

Have a good one!

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Bottoms up

Hi.  Everyone staying warm?  We're pretty frigid here but warming next week.  The brats don't mind being house bound at all, especially since the old furniture has moved into their room.

 

 

Nitzy is eating and seems to be back to normal, ornery as usual.  Cracks me up how the boys sleep.  See that tooth?  Penetrates flesh easily, but those razor claws are worse.

 

The new needle is fine except for one issue.  The tip is so blunt that I have difficulty lifting the back of stitches to run the tail.  I had a needle that was so sharp it would split the linen's threads, this is opposite.  Whether the DMC needle is from decades ago or recently, I don't know. 

 

I have always stitched left to right, top to bottom. Because of the symmetry question, I decided to work the perfectly centered bottom first to see if I want to move anything.  I don't think I will.  Even though I've had some problems on 40 count I am glad I used it.  This is a good size for a pouch but I may actually frame this one.  I plan to remove the wrong way stitches in the left kiss and do them properly. 

Another removal plan is the center of the house.  The variations in the red floss have no depth and I do not like the blob of bright.  Several skeins are being searched for a darker thread, haven't found it yet. The two skeins of GAST ordered have little variation.  That area was stitched last and remaining threads all seem this bright.  

 

Is it my tension that is still causing linen to show though?  I did not think it would happen on 40 count but it is.

Ate the last of the chestnuts.  They were outstanding this year from one store.  More addictive than chocolate!  Many locals would sell them from their own trees, smaller but sweeter than the imported.  As the elders pass away, we miss many traditions and specialties that others do not have interest in continuing.  Our local ethnic shops have all closed and were a treat for everyone to learn and try other foods and traditions.  We learned this morning that our KMart is closing.  The parking lot was always full and I am surprised at the news.  What's left here?  Walmart, JCP, a small Kohls and dollar stores, most junky.  It's getting to the point that even necessary items will need to be ordered, waited for, and shipping costs will eventually prohibit all but a large order from being reasonable in cost.  But with TRE monitoring even online returns, how long will it be before the ordered clothing that doesn't fit and other items that are not what we expected, not allowed to be returned?  Then what?  Because of purchasing (and returning) for most family members, I was cut off from returning at JCP, but that was lifted after I wrote to TRE and explained this.  Even with receipts, even online purchases, your returns are being monitored because of all the thieves that feel they are entitled to take from others.

 

Hope you are all safe and warm.

Thanks for visiting.

 

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