Bingo

 Good enough.

It could be improved.  But when the next row is in, the patch will resemble a slub.  Too many broken threads in one area to align and this shredding is tempting me to toss it.  Stopping before that happens, and pleased with the result.

 

I really love the 46 from HL.  The color is perfect (this piece, not the other Oat), the weave is actually much nicer than the one I am working on.  I also learned there are two types, Bergen (uneven like 42/45), and Bristol (even like 46/46), which is what I have.  

Moving on.

Ciao!

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Fuzzy Wuzzy is a bear!

 And I don't mean the animal!

I have never had a linen thread break apart like this, no effort at all.  I have stronger kleenex!  All the times I've removed a thread by picking and pulling out the entire length of fabric for weaving back, never had one break.  If I rub it between my fingers, it shreds into fuzz. 

But I would like to attempt a patch, even if noticeable which may offer more of an aged look.   Removing a workable thread had to be done no more than an inch at a time to prevent breaking.  Once in the needle, it shredded and fell apart.  Now I'm getting ticked.  And more determined.

Finally have a thread of four inches to weave in, realize there are three broken, not just two.  I weave vertical, then turn horizontal beneath a stitch in the A to anchor, back down, turn, and up again.  And it's shredding, leaving fuzz everywhere, and now broken.  Guess what?  I will work it the best I can, complete the H over the repair, and then fuse the back with light interfacing to secure.  The entire piece will be fused when completed, not an issue.  To be continued.

 

The End.

If you are curious about using this count and don't want mottled or the expense for a piece that may not work out, head to Hobby Lobby.  Packaged counts of Aida and linen from Zweigart.  This is 46 in the color Oat, 11x18, for $5.99 which I purchased.  Love the color, but the second package of Oat was very pinkish, so there it stayed.  

Hope all is well with everyone.

Thanks for visiting.

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Oh crap

 I ordered another small piece of this linen, and I'm curious if other mfg. linens in 46 have a heavier weave.  The right edge of the H was not in line with the A above.  One thread off, but each stitch held two, spaces were also two. Over and over, baffled.  Back to the Dazor, spotted a tiny bit of fuzz which was actually the end of a broken thread, accounting for being off one.

 I carefully removed stitches in the center of the H to check further and must have broken a second.  Never had that happen without aggressively pulling a slub.  The first was already broken, no stitches were frogged before I saw the fuzz.  Did my blunt tip needle break it while running it between threads to check alignment?  Linen is strong, I don't understand the breaks.

Not sure where to go from here.  Move down, start over?  Pick a spot and start a different project?  Attempt to re-weave?  Easy to do on a lower count with one break.  Two adjacent on 46 may be too difficult, but that will be tried first.  

Frustrating, but worse things can happen than broken linen threads and lost work.  

Be safe everyone.

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That bunhead

Miss Maggie Mae from Stacy Nash has been the darling of the Nashville newbies, and sold out.  I did not pre-order, purchases were limited, but she wore me down.  I found her in Stacy's Etsy shop for download.   Even though shops' stock will be replenished at some point, I needed her in my zone.  Now.  And now she is.  Weird, huh?  

And then Stacy's exclusive As the Crow Flies grabbed me, it's a kit, in the cart with 40 count for now.

Hubs is painting the ceiling, preparing for the wall repair/cover with shiplap.  White Dove from Ben Moore, eggshell finish.  Entire room including windows and door will be the same. This will also cover the kitchen cabinets.  And after a sample board hinted at the result, once again, conflicted.  Too much white?  Should cabinets be lightened to the cream trim color (on board) instead of white?  Dammit.  I thought this was settled.   

Large pieces of scrap plywood and cardboard will be fit over several cabinets, painted, and offer a preview.  

Lots of work ahead. 

Yoi.

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The big crab that could

 Holy crabcakes!!

The lower case and border, stitched without the Dazor, just using my 3.0 readers.  It's remarkable how our eyes adjust.  When the 46 count piece was first received, I had no hope stitching was possible.  

Being smitten with small and very small samplers lately, I decided to give 46 a try.  The longer I worked on it, the more it became less scary.  It's like seeing 25 count after working on 36, and thinking it's burlap.  But if 25 is routinely used, 36 appears to be extreme.  Until you start stitching.  You grow accustomed to the weave.  

So when I picked this up yesterday in bright light, the longer I gazed at it, the more my brain adjusted to my view.  I changed back to a 26 needle, expected to just anchor the first stitch, but then kept going.  As excited as a kid whose training wheels came off!!  I.am.shocked.  Really.   

Thanks for the suggestions on light, magnification, and hand help. Checking on them all.

Testing over one on 28 for the other new chart, and comparing the two, 46 wins.  Coarse fabric and tiny delicate x's do not meld for me.  A thin and wimpy 28 may look better, and I'll keep playing with that.

Hope your Monday is ordinary.  As I age, ordinary is good.

Thanks for visiting!!

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Higher!

  I ordered a very small piece of 46 count a while ago.  After seeing this old Scarlet Letter miniature sampler, I decided its simplicity would be a perfect first attempt.  It is to be stitched over one on 25 count resulting in a 2.5" x 4.5" finish.  Over two on 46 will be a little larger, not much.

Because of this monstrosity and my 3.0 readers, stitching is possible.  Replaced my 26 needle with a 28 (tugged and bent it), the dmc doesn't flow through its eye easily, but it's happening!  I want a new light.  The bright tech ordered a few years ago was rusty so returned.  My old Dazor is excellent, quite expensive now, but not want I want.  I've checked with vision offices here, not one has higher than 2.75 power readers to try on so I may order 4.0+ online.  Is it difficult to focus with a greater magnification?  If not, maybe a high power reader and a bright light would be enough.  I don't want an arm with a lens in my way.

The linen is not what I had hoped, quite thin with very irregular threads.  Some as thin as a hair, some thicker than in a 32 weave.  Another linen may be very different and a little more uniform, and hopefully easier to work on for beginning a higher count.  I could work on the other smalls until a new piece of fabric arrives, but will probably continue with this.

The crack is back!  This time at the corner of my nail, so once again, I cut the fingers off an exam glove and my thumb is ...

Last week of March!

Hope it's a good one for you.

Signed .... the blue thumb stitcher

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