The tray project on a roll

 How is everyone on this next to last summer weekend?  As crabby as I am?  I only had two mornings and nights this entire season that were not chilly.  I remember many morning coffees sitting on my swing and sweating from the temps.  Not this year.  Not here.  We did experience some very warm temps in July during afternoons, not enough for me to feel like it's summer.  And now, the lengthy lines at Starbucks and Dunkin for fall flavors!!  Yoi.

Now about my new aid. The folding wood tray tables can be found at Walmarts and Targets or online, not expensive.  I've used one for a while but have recently modified to become a stitching station. Easily pulled up over my lap, a full tray before me to hold project bag, stand with chart, my extra floss bags hanging from hooks, a row of magnets to hold scissors and needles, a spot for my glasses.  These cup hooks will be screwed under the edges, not in the side, so as not to extend past the tray.  I'll show you the tray next time!

These clipboards at the Dollar Tree fit nicely into my 13 x 10 project bags (the large clip models do not) and help keep chart pages from damage.  They have been a real help when attempting to kit for the first time. 

This was another item considered, a toilet paper holder!  This comes disassembled and the tall rod for extra rolls does not have to be installed.  On Amazon you can find various styles, some with just a single rod to hold floss, others such as these with a small tray that could hold beeswax, glasses, scissors.  I had planned to get this double sided to hang project bag on one and floss on the other, and cut a yardstick to glue to sides of the top table for a lip.  If too tipsy depending on the size of hangings, a weight can be placed on the bottom board.  A neat item for holding the floss rings and if using thread drops, no tangles. From shiny chrome to black pipe, a simple and unobtrusive floss holder.  But if thread drops are on it day and night, best throw a bag over to prevent pet play!  Where is your floss kept during stitching?

I decided not to attend Shaker Woods today.  Instead, I plan to move more gravel as joints allow.  

Have I decided on Jane's green vine and linen choice?  No.

Have a good weekend!

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Moving on to #3

 I haven't received a reply yet from Sassy Jacks regarding the unlisted symbol.  If you have the Kezia booklet, do you see the border vine color of symbol 2 shown (the over two chart)?  I'd appreciate info if you do.  

As for Jane, I am putting her aside to start sampler #3, probably one of Two by Julia.  I do not like the 3722 pink on this linen, too cool.  I searched for photos online and have found only two, the flowers are both done in  pinks.  Neither of these fabrics are the recommended Cocoa and I have no idea what it actually looks like or how dark it is.

But do you think the 3011 green shows well enough on my dark linen?   Is my chosen fabric not a good fit?  The lighter colors look wonderful on it as do the brighter flowers, but the only darker greens are the 930's.  These two and the chart photo show a prominent vine, mine is not.  I think that large border is a showy feature of this sampler and don't want to find out half way through that it fades to the background because the center colors are strong.  

This photo, the first time I saw this lower contrast, explains why two pinks are used.  

This one (my chart) appears apricot but it is because of the photo's contrast.  The color listed for DMC is 437 and named Pumpkin Patch from GAST.   Doesn't sound pink.   Does it annoy me because of the size of the project and I don't want to have all the work end in disappointment or regret?  Or just that I like too many options and can't make up my mind?  Or both?

Until I decide, having another sampler kitted and ready to start is a plus!  Most times when I am stumped all stitching stops until the question is answered.  Working on others at the same time may give me a better solution.  Sometimes, it overwhelms with too many threads pulled and the longer options are studied, the more confusing they become.  We'll see.  Right now, I like the brighter pink and apricot, but I am concerned about the border green.  Any speck of doubt for such a large project must be resolved.  If not, errors abound because the stitching is not the focus.

Bunnicula.  Love it!!

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As always....

 you may not get what you see.

A few stitchers emailed about the Tobias linen of Jane and were going to try to find a piece.  Just wanted to show the difference, and what you may get, or not.  

The linen I am using that I absolutely love was no longer in stock when I tried to order another piece.  Very different and subdued compared to an earlier piece, which is also a beautiful color, both 36 count Tobias, different shops, different shipments.  Just saying .... good luck!!

I am starting Jane again because of a mishap that I cannot correct.  Missy and her claw were involved, need to remember to snip those long serger thread chains that dangle and tempt.  A Missyhap.  I tried my best but it was too much fussing reweaving both warp and weft. This fat quarter has three inches to spare, so the sampler will still fit since the breaks are near the edge.  The damage is not shown, I don't post obscene photos.  Since the sampler has very little leeway on this fat quarter, this second start will be at the center mark.  I really dislike starting anywhere other than top left but with minimal margins, it's the best option.  I'm already crabby so what's a little more?

My friend in SC has the same symptoms as I do, kept testing negative.  Goes to the hospital and their more invasive swab showed a variant.  It's her third covid bout since spring.  I am still improving but the turkeys were not happy when I sneezed and scared the crap out of them.  

A tomato was knocked off the vine and partially eaten, leaving two tiny punctures a half inch apart like fangs.  ????  The cat?

Be careful!  Stay safe.

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Number two

I'm not having any problem with the 36 count!  Isn't that strange? 

I adore this Tobias color, lighter than my other piece, and perfect.  I pulled Kezia to start but had a problem with the symbol.  This wonderful booklet offers the border in over one and another chart for over two, but the symbol is not listed for the vine.  I thought it was 310 but after checking through a magnifier, it is a symbol not listed.  So she went back into the basket and the second pull was Sarah Needham, but I need a piece of linen for her.  Third was Jane.  And yes, already a thread change.  I am only substituting if I don't feel the charted color shows well on my chosen linen.  And I learned something important. 

 As with the yellow in Ann, choosing a lighter or darker shade doesn't always work.  Brighter is better.  These two are very similar, but the 3827 is brighter and that's what worked.  Going up and down from the 437 on the DMC card still didn't present as well on this dark fabric.  

Working only two (let alone five) at the same time is messy and I don't like putting away the work, the chart, all those floss bags every time.  So my plan today is to drill pilot holes into the side of my oak tray table, install the hooks, and keep the floss rings hung around the table for easy access (they are tagged with sampler name).  The projects will be stored in the bags and without the bulky floss bags, easier to handle.

  The basket is working well to store these bags and I bought extra clipboards to hold the current working page and thread list.  A few extra hooks on the table can also keep scissors at hand.  I actually worked up a wood project that I will show soon, not quite finished yet.

Feeling better today, thank you for the well wishes!

Have a good day.

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Oh no

 What am I seeing .....

not again.

This is the female (?) that Missy took off after a month ago.

Her solid yellow boyfriend is around too.  And mean.

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A dizzy tizzy

 Holy hotcakes.  I am unstable, wonky, a little dizzy, yet I attempted this band.  I can't tell you how many times I have been frustrated with frogs.  Why can't I catch on to this pattern?  I decided to do the bottom and top separately with the first cross and then follow with the second and fill in the few middle stitches.  I still haven't got the hang of it!  But thank goodness I only did the first half, made it so much easier to remove rather than the full stitch.  Trying again.

Still negative, but feeling so weird.  Last time the Urgent Care nurse swabbed me four different days and I kept getting worse.  Wasn't until the doctor in the hospital swabbed me and dislodged my eyeball doing it that it registered.  I've heard of a few that were not + until they were tested in the deep caves of the sinus.

Anyway, my cousin that was not to survive is now released to a nursing home for rehab, eating and speaking again.  I don't know who has authority over her health, no kids, husband gone, has a significant other but I doubt he holds her rights.  She has dementia and they may want to keep her, even though on meds and not serious at this point.  Something we all need to think about.  My other cousin that developed FTD (frontotemporal dementia) had no legal documents and the state took over her care and where she would go.  Her sister fought it, but lost.  Another thing that I've seen here three times in the last few years is single mothers with several children, different names, different fathers.  Tragically two were killed, one sent to jail, and without guardianship registered with the court, the children were separated to live with fathers, some they barely knew.  And certainly did not know their girlfriends and their kids.  Tragic.  Who would think at that age a situation like this could tear the family apart, but it happens.

I've been in sweatshirt in the evening and morning most of July, and now it's really cool and I'm dressed for snow.  The chills from whatever I have aren't helping.  That's it.  Fall.  Mid August and we'll be in the low 70's for weeks.  Dammit.

This is my Wave petunia that is not doing well, and my Limelight hydrangea tree.

Back to napping.  

Hope your day was good.

Oh .... Truus, that missing stitch is what I do when testing a new color to make it easier to find the end.

Be safe everyone.

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