Fabrics for Santas

Greetings folks.  I sure hope you and your critters are handling the heat wave.  It is hot!  I sat outside on the swing for an hour and my body adjusted to it rather quickly.  Coming into the cool house actually felt chilly.  My sister (who cannot take heat to the point of breathing trouble) has lost her power since 7am, will not be fixed until their estimate of 6pm SUNDAY!!  Today is the worst day of the heat!  Only 16 homes were affected by the loss from the torrential rains and bone shaking thunder early this morning.  We are fine and I need to straighten up a bit because she will be coming here later to stay until tomorrow evening.   I told her to purchase bags of ice and throw them in the fridge and freezer so she doesn't lose it all but of course, she won't so we will have to get them.  She can get in her (MY!) car and pick them up here.  The understanding when I gave her my beloved vehicle was that it was to be kept in her garage.  Instead, it is outside always with the sun baking the paint, the oak's tails and leaves eating the paint, because it's more important to have the great grand's plastic big wheels and the rest of Toys-R-us inside.  You have no idea how that frosts my butt.  She has more excuses than the Kardashians have injections.

 

I haven't been stitching because of another two day bout of vertigo but today I am fine.  I decided to choose fabrics for the latest Santas since I found them last week in the floss basket.  I forgot all about them so as usual, I get excited all over again. 

 

 

Here's the center area of my petunias.  You can see how full they are from the pruning.

 

Even after all the cuttings and damage from the June rains, these Vista Silver Bells are outperforming all the others.

 

I had to stop in a vet's office to pick up pills for my brother's cat Peanut, who became very ill very quickly with some sort of infection.  It's been two weeks and she is recovering but still needed more meds.  I stood at the counter for over 15 minutes waiting and listening to the most gut wrenching howls and moans from a dog with a head injury.  I could not take it and crying without producing tears burns like hell.  I wanted to ask if he would be OK but I just couldn't get any more words out. 

I stopped to drop off the pills and also this little jar of heaven for his birthday.  We don't buy gifts other than little treats and since he loves figs, he should love this.  I do!!  New to me and fabulous on a cracker.  Problem is the jar's contents seem to vanish like magic.  I don't know why. 

 

My sister will be coming soon.  She is very upset about her friend's 40 year old daughter being diagnosed with uterine and breast cancer.  Physicals every year, but the tumor was cantaloupe size.  She is coming home today but needs chemo to start next week and breast surgery following.

 

I hope everyone is having a pleasant weekend.  Don't sweat the small stuff.  You never know when the big stuff may come.

 

 

Thanks for visiting with me.

 

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Annabelle

The biggest they have ever been.  The garden is the worst it's ever been.  Some thrive, some suffer.

They are with the irises and peonies in an area where sand was dumped.  Still poor soil, but no where near as bad as the hard pan clay near the house.   Many have broken stems because of their weight after a rain.  I'm holding this one up for the photo.

 

Budman in his new favorite spot.

 

 

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Polish patience

I don't have it.  Nor the Italian!  I am so sorry!  A reader kindly informed me of the correct way to write God bless our home.  When seeing this translation many times online, the mark over the Z was there but I did not see the diagonal slash on the Ls.  So once again, the chart is changed!!  And I think my needle should stitch another, as charted, no more changes!  I was in such a hurry to chart and stitch this that I didn't give myself time to really look it over.  So the second line is 2 stitches wider with the slash added, the bottom area is wider to balance it more.  I think another symbol or floral border would be nice and when I stitch again for Carole, I may do that.  But after SEVEN changes to the chart in directions and stitches, that's it!   I apologize for jumping the gun and making so many changes after the original offer.  I will have to change the photo too once finished.

 

Mark was golfing out of town today so I took advantage of that and ripped down some drywall.  Some women shop, some tear down walls.  The doorways were taped off with drop cloths because let's be honest, drywall dust is worse than flour.  It's a toss up as to which sticks to sweaty skin more, and I was tempted to throw a quick cake recipe together to test it.  I don't need cake.  Yes I do.  Anyway, I need to get into that room for floss because I just may change the color to 321 or a different red.  Why?  Missy (a.k.a. Monkey Mona), that's why.  She got up on the chest next to my chair and started her own floss toss.  My fault for not putting it back in its bag.  Rather than buy new ones to utilize the notebook, I thought I would use a punch to add the side holes to my existing bags, but it doesn't work since the plastic has no body.  Paper beneath didn't matter, it still would not cut cleanly.

 

So there you have it!  Ann must be put aside for another quick project and I won't be able to settle myself down until I do that.  This little design takes very little time so not a big deal.

 

Mark drove by to check on the lush elderberry bushes and someone cut them all down while clearing that small area.  I have no idea why!  It's not easy to spot those tiny berries once the bloom is gone so finding them now will be next to impossible.  Sure hope we do because although a royal PITA to harvest, our favorite pie.

 

Have a great hump day!

Again, my apologies!

 

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Floss bags

Greetings to all in MID July.  Damn.

 EDIT - FOUND A SOURCE

I needed to pull new floss bags for the latest DMC colors I bought, and although the same size, they didn't look like my others.  They aren't!  I don't ever remember using or purchasing this style. 

I separated the bags by style and cut two covers from a heavy something-or-other, and I have a little book for a large project, floss in order by number, and neater than a bunch of bags on a large ring that twist and turn.  To replace my other bags with these would take some time, and my online searches did not reveal availability of this style.

Marking them with the color numbers can be removed with alcohol so I can use over and over and over.  But for the number of large projects I plan to stitch, over and over and over will be more like … over.

 

Have a great day!!
 

SOURCE
Mine were by Westex, but Hobby Lobby carries them under another brand and also the binder.  Here's the info in case you are interested.  Sullivan's also makes the same.

 

 

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Polish chart

Hi folks.  What a gorgeous day we are having.  I'm going to grease my mouth, lips, and eyes and we'll take a ride in the country with the windows down.

 

The chart is posted under the FREE tab.  I want to mention that you can adjust the bottom area by another two stitches in length to make a perfect square, would fit nicely in a little 4" frame.  Initials or the name of the home owner would be nice.  Too bad I didn't think of this before I shipped mine off to the recipient!!  Damn.  Carole, I'm sorry!!  Always a day late and dollar short, but still too tall.  

 

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A little project in Polish

I sure hope it's right!  I found two translations to Polish for God bless our home.  Well, three really, and I chose what is found on many antique pieces.  I made this for a woman who is always giving of herself and offering help.  I hope she likes it.  I made the hanger knotted so it can be adjusted to fit over a large door knob or other display.  Polish colors are red and white.

 

If anyone is interested in stitching this (nice gift for a Polish relative), I will post the chart.

 

I get asked as do most stitchers about finishing so here's a few pics of the way I do it now.  Because no one told this nitwit to put the interfacing on AFTER sewing and I was doing it bass ackward.

First is counting the same number of threads from each side to create an even margin and marking it.  Love those Frixion pens.

  

I then pull a linen thread out three to five threads away from the margin mark, depending on how much fabric I have to work with.   The presser foot will follow this line, or I will use the Frixion pen to mark the thread.  I leave the bottom open but run the machine sewn seam about an inch to create the corners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

THEN apply the fusible interfacing extending it over the seam.  Press the seams open and then trim the fabrics.  I also clip on each side of the clipped corners. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I use Poly-fill Royal Silk fiberfill because they stopped making my favorite.  This material does not melt with heat like the other fills, so the steam and smash with the iron to create a dense fill takes more time and more steam.  But it makes a much nicer feel.  I do that as I am stuffing, not once it's done.  Having the corners already sewn makes stuffing them easy and I used a thin line of Tacky for the close.

 

 

 

 

All done.  I'll be mailing tomorrow and if she sees this post, I think she'll know it's hers!!  Sure hope I have the Polish right.  And her address.

 

Have a great weekend!!

Thanks for visiting.

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