Weekend Warrior

Y'all have to pop over to Christine's blog, The Alchymyst's Study, because by Sunday she had already posted things she had made with the denim links I posted on Saturday. People, this post took me three days to write! I hope more of you will find good new uses for your worn and outgrown denim. Don't forget to let me know if you make something. Also, check out the comments because there's already one thing I missed, pot holders. Made by Christine, of course. (Don't you hate overachievers.) {wink}

On Friday night, I pulled the flosses for St. Basils (Dimple Designs). Slooooow progress has been made on this one since I started it in 19dickety2. (Sometime before 2006.) This time around, I stuck it on the Q-snaps, xeroxed the page I was working on, and took out the highlighter. Things went a lot faster. Of course, I am still not happy with the stitches in the middle that were done with some Krienik. Though I did realize it calls for blending filament and I've been using cord. D'oh! So I'll be restitching that middle bit, but we'll all be a lot happier. (Stitched with DMC on the prescribed fabric.)

On Saturday night, I started an old (1997) pattern from Charland Designs. Of all the floss and fabric I ordered to kit up my new projects, this is the only one that had all the materials! (And it uses DMC flower thread which was discontinued in 2003.) (I am still waiting for three! orders.) (No wonder the industry is a shambles.) This will be a gift for my mother-in-law's significant birthday coming up in August. As I was stitching it, it reminded me of all the patterns from the late 90s that I stitched, especially at Spirit of Cross Stitch Festivals--all those interesting stitches and floss experiments. (Stitched on the prescribed fabric with the called-for flosses.)

On Sunday, I got back to Teresa Layman's Leave a Light on. When I started this as one of my Crazy January starts in 2012, I managed to only stitch that bit of navy blue frame, which you can see in this photo (surprisingly because you can hardly see it in real life). I started the secondary frame so there would be a bit more color. This is being stitched on a navy fabric probably 28-count over one. Another crazy over one piece! Ack.

I think I might dedicate this summer--when we have loads of natural light for stitching--to getting the over one pieces finished before my eyes age out.

Think of Your Own Title

As promised, I did a bit of work on my Teresa Layman mermaid. I have completed the light blue background. I seem to have mislaid the color key to this one, so tidying the craft room may be in order.







On Thursday, I became a willing prisoner in my house (that's from Billy Collins's Snow Day. Go read it, especially if you have a dog.) I turned to Treasured Tulips (Nutmeg Needle). This was a class I took with Sue Stokes in 1999 or so. The last time I showed it to you, I had just spent ten hours ripping out and restitching the right hand tulip...in 2006. I didn't get much done on this round, just those feather eyelets below the section that has been unwoven and  the box that will be filled with triple crosses. Every time I pick this up, I have to freak out about that middle section which will someday be filled with coral knots, an interlacing stitch. When I was in the class learning coral knots it was like my brain was shut off. No sooner would Sue walk away then I would completely forget what I was doing. I may have to give her a call and make a special trip to Connecticut.

I didn't have very long to work on this because I had to do the calligraphy for my sister's wedding invitations. I had a doctor's appointment in the city and since I was going to be there anyway, I wanted to bring the invites to the Ben Franklin post office where they could be hand cancelled with the franking signature Franklin himself used ("B. Free Franklin"). (I mailed them yesterday and our invitation arrived today!)

Last night I didn't take a single stitch. My Stampin' Up! rep had a "PMS party"--pizza, music, and stamping--where we could use all her stamps and punches and Big Shot stuff and inks--the only thing we had to bring was paper and adhesive. Let me tell you something, she has a Ton of Stuff. Still, I only used one set of her stamps and one wheel stamp. Next time, I'm packing much less of my own stuff.

I concentrated on making cards to send to people who get Meals on Wheels in Manhattan (the Etsy project under "Love One Another" -->>). Meals on Wheels fed Maggie when she was in New Hampshire on Thanksgiving. She didn't feel up to the drive to Pennsylvania. But she wasn't forgotten. They even gave her two desserts. Now I want to repay them. (The "Olive You" is reserved for her though.) I made two dozen cards to send.

The gang is coming here for Sunday dinner--gotta spruce up this joint!

A Different Mermaid

So, my mother's birthday is next week...um, this Saturday. But I will see her Monday. This is where her mermaid stands:

I have done some work on this since the Great Unstitchening.

As you can see she won't be finished on Saturday or even Monday. So I've turned my attentions to another mermaid, Teresa Layman's A Fish Tale. Here's where she was, um, almost three years ago when I put her away. I took this picture earlier this evening.

I've already finished the waves. Next I'll fill in the background. If this progresses well, I'll bring this with me to Florida. If not, I'll run out and buy something for my mother on Saturday.

Because one of my New Year's Resolutions was "Make sure that I am always happy stitching on a project. This means that if deadlines are stressing me out, I will change the goal. No more panicking."

Words to live by, people.

Baby it's Better Down where it's Wetter

I haven't been stitching a lot. We're trying to get the house painted so that we can take up the carpeting. (Blessed blessed hardwood, so much better for an allergic girl. And no vacuuming!) We painted the study with a suede paint that took three days instead of two (we ran out of paint). I've been coming home from work and painting, painting. Tonight, I have to start prep for our biggest paint project yet: the halls and the living room. Wish us luck.

Here's an update on Teresa Layman's, A Fish Tale.

I kind of lost track of how long I worked on this. I had a procedure in the hospital, really minor thing, I got to watch it all on tv, except where I fell asleep... While I was waiting for my turn at the scope, I was making French knots. Anyway, those drugs fuck you up, and I have no idea how long I worked on it. (I only worked on it before I got the drugs, but they made me hazy about my whole day.) I'm going to call it 10 hours. It's near enough.

I already told you how much my mother wants this. And the nurses think I should give it to her!

July in Review

1. 10 hours on Anna's Bird I hope to have pictures soon on this one.
2. 10 hours on Enchanted Alphabet See progress here.
3. 10 hours on Tulips See progress here.
4. Take Hardanger napkin rings as travel project I finished everything up to the cutting point on one of the pair.
5. Prepare sheep RR No, I haven't lost my mind or forgotten about my missing robins. I am doing this one with friends. I've finished stitching and must complete the basting (yes, I do everything backwards) for our Aug 1 mail date.
6. After 1-5 are complete, start something new! Well, I didn't wait. My cousin's kid turned one and I still hadn't stitched his birth sampler--and his sister has one on the way. Have to churn these suckers out! Again, I've been reunited with my camera and hope to have something to show you soon.




I also started a Theresa Layman design--the mermaid. I worked on it briefly in my mother's beach house. She thinks it would be perfect for her, and she wants it. Well, I think it's perfect for me, and I want it! Maybe I can figure out how to do it again with punchneedle. Or maybe by the end of the project I will want to stitch 2000 more French knots!