Thursday, April 30, 2015

Last Day of April

My cold is better, but DH's cold is worse.  I feel guilty since I probably gave it to him.  Poor guy.

I worked on the Folio.  I'm up to 14 flower motifs out of 26 done.

  I'm using a different thread for the flowers but I think you can't tell.
I'll see if I can finish the second row today.

I got a couple more motifs done on the Friesland pocket.  You can see it taking on an octagon shape now.
I sewed the lining on the GPA needlebook.

Now I need to scrounge around and find a needle page to put inside and put on some sort of closure, maybe just ribbons.  I like how it turned out.
May starts tomorrow, how can that be?  Time flies.
A

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Knucklehead

I was working away on the Benton and Johnson ornament when I encountered a problem.  Hey, I'm missing two beads.  I look around on the table and the floor and under my chair.  No beads, well, no large gold beads anyway.  What am I to do?  I google to see if I can find a source for the beads in the U.S.  No.  Rats.  So I start to write an email to the company:  "Dear Sir, I ordered your ...  " I look up the name of the kit:  Snowflake Christmas Decoration.  Then I take a good look at the photo on the directions.  Oh man, I'm a knucklehead.  Can you see where I went wrong? Mine:
Theirs:
I put beads on the top four arms.  They only put beads on the top set of arms.  Small spangles go o the second set of arms.  ARGH.
Okay, delete that email.  Now what do I do?  Take everything out and fix it?  No way.  Well, I decided to have small spangles on the end of the last set of arms instead.
So now it is finished.  You probably wouldn't notice the mistake if I didn't tell you.  I made sure to save enough of the red wool to finish the back.  The kit directions call for putting white felt on the back.  I like it much better with the same red wool.  I have to admit that the kit calls this red stuff felt but it is a much higher quality than the cheap felt I'm familiar with.\
Anyway, I like how it turned out.  And I like that it is all done and not sitting around getting dusty.

I also worked some on the Folio Bag.  There are 26 little flower things to stitch.  I hate the blue thread because it is hard to work with.  I thought I would try a different flower with different thread and see how it looks.  I don't really like it so I'll take it out and continue with the pattern.

 Seven done, nineteen to go.

It is a nice sunny day here.  Things are really starting to green up.  DH mowed the lawn yesterday for the first time this year.  He's also planting all the dahlias that he over-wintered.  Dozens and dozens of them.  He has tons of geraniums that he is gradually putting outside to get used to the weather.  This is such a nice time of year.
A

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Expired

DH is the best.  He went to the store last night at 10 p.m. to get me some cold medicine.  I looked for something to take and lo and behold everything we had was expired.  The most expired was 2003 and the newest expired was 2011.  Isn't it riduculous to only have expired medicine?  I guess it means we don't get sick very often.  So now I'm feeling better and he is coming down with a cold.  No good deed goes unpunished.  At least we have something to take for our colds.

I didn't get much done yesterday.  I worked on the Benton & Johnson ornament.  But then I hit a snag where I have to take two pieces of bright check purl out and cut them down just a hair, so I put it down and went on to something else.
See that little piece of yellow?  That is from a roll of tape that I have.  Very handy to measure things.  I'm close to finishing this.
The something else I went on to was Friesland.  One more motif almost done. I have almost 5 out of 8 pockets done.


I am half done reading The Goldfinch.  Still good and I still want to know what happens.  I was disturbed by the last chapter.  But now the hero is in a better place, thank goodness.
I'm off to the grocery store.  Have a great day!
A

Monday, April 27, 2015

Cold

I have a cold.  My nose has turned into a faucet.  I snore.  It's awful.  I'm hoping it doesn't last very long.  But the bathrooms are clean, the walking is done.  Now I can vegetate.

I have retreat envy.  I saw that Cathy went to an Amy Mitten class in Iowa.  Oh, I want to be there.  Then I know that my BFF is going to Spring Fling on Friday.  Oh, I want to be there too.  I have to be patient, my time is coming.  Four weeks and two days and I will be in sunny Arizona for A Stitcher's Gathering.

I picked up a Benton and Johnson kit that I started.

 I confess I put this down because I was afraid I would muck it up, that the ends would not meet up well.  That I was not doing it correctly.  But I was looking for something new to work on and it was close to where I was sitting.  You probably can't tell but the red fabric is a high quality wool, not felt.  The threads are gold metal ones.  It has the feel of a fancy dress soldier's uniform.  But it is a Christmas ornament.  It looks so simple, why was I afraid of messing it up?  The join turned out okay.

 It won't be hard to finish this.  I had trouble when I was starting this with the couching thread breaking.  I switched to beading thread and it is going well.
I put some stitches in Friesland and I think I am almost half done with the octagonal pocket.

  I'll see if I can get another motif or two done today.
I'm going to baby myself since I'm sick.
A

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Guess What I Did

I got my Drawn Thread order!  Yeah!  I ordered these two:

I wish I had ordered the third one also but I'm feeling a little guilty as I have at least five Drawn Thread kits that I haven't done yet.
Could I resist starting something?  You know me, no way.  So I started something small and easy - the scissors fob.  Fun!  Quick!  I love the colors.  Cynthia is such an artist when is comes to design and colors and stitches.  Here is what I made:

Sweet!  Yes, it's all done.  Now I want to make the pocket.  But first I'm going to work on Friesland.

I must confess that I spent a lot of time reading yesterday.  I am really enjoying  The Goldfinch.  It is a long book.  In Ipad pages it is over 2000.  I am in the 600's, so about a third done.  It is a good writer that makes you want to know what happens.  I can relate to the title character.
The sun is out today and it is going to warm up.  Love it.
A

Saturday, April 25, 2015

How to Feel Like It Is Spring

The other day I mentioned that I wanted to find my Poppies stitched picture.  I stitched it a long time ago.  It was a kit and even back then I was changing things.  I didn't like the coverage with just one strand so I used two.  I though it would help me feel like it is spring around here.  I wanted to hang it so you could see it when you walk in the front door but it is too big.  So I exchanged it with Chatelaine's Holland Mandala instead.

So while I was in the mood I changed some other picture too.  I put my print of a summer cottage view where I can look up from my stitching and see it.  It used to be in the corner.  Wouldn't you love to have a view like this?

Then I wanted to change another picture.  I discovered a stitching that is donkey's years old (as my MIL would say).  It seemed almost antique it is so old.  No, not quite right.

How about this one?  I'm not a cat person and this one is quite old as well.

No.  Try again.
This one is very spring-like.

This one seems so calm and spring-like a the same time:

It's a keeper.
I finished the stitching on Folio Part 2.
I put it together.




I wasn't sure everything would work out but it was fine.  I did eliminate the second piece of quilt template.  I was surprised at how small it is.
Very sweet.
A

Friday, April 24, 2015

Oops

Thanks Linda for letting me know I misspoke when I said that I might use "comic book" in the GPA needlebook finishing.  I goofed.  I meant to write comic board.  I first heard about comic board from Pam Reed of Olde Colonial Designs.

She used it in a project that I took at the Dyeing to Stitch retreat. It works really well as a stiffener in needlework projects.  It's easier to cut than mat board and not as thick.  It is an alternative to skirtex which is not easy to find sometimes.  It is meant to be used to keep comic books in good condition if you are a connoisseur of comic books and like to preserve them in pristine condition for posterity.  It inexpensive and the size of a comic book.  I bought some comic board through Amazon and I am pretty certain that I have a lifetime supply.

Everybody always over estimates how much they can get done.  I thought I could finish the Folio Part two piece yesterday.  Well, it didn't get done.  I am close though.  Maybe today.

I did cut the skirtex for the GPA needlebook.

 I also found some silk that I want to use.  This silk is so gorgeous.

 I got it at Delectable Mountain Fabrics a couple of years ago.  It is kind a nondescript color.  I love the embroidered design on it.

I was a bit discouraged working on the Quaker Bag.  I keep making mistakes!  ARGH  And having to take out over one stitching. ARGH
Before:
After:


Claire, when she is frustrated says "GRRRR" like Daniel Tiger.  It is so cute.
How can it be Friday again???
A

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Folio Part Two

I worked on the Folio Part 2 yesterday and got farther than I expected.  And I like it!

I think I can finish this today - and maybe even put it together.

There are eight pockets forming an octogon for Friesland and I am working on number two.  It seems to be going well (knock on wood).

The Quaker Bag is going slowly but that's always true for things stitched over one.  At least I have corrected the mistakes I've found (so far).  I want to put a "string" or two in this everyday so I can see some progress.

I still have the GPA needlebook to put together.  I ironed it so next I have to interfaced it and cut some skirtex or comic book to go inside it.  I'll go through my dupioni silk pieces to see if I have something that is a good color for the lining.

It was below freezing this morning but the wind was calm.  I'm trying to envision myself walking in shorts.  Not happening any time soon.  I'm going to go looking for my cross stitch picture of poppies.  I think it is in the Behind the Couch gallery.
A

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

S***

Yes, the weatherman was right, it is snowing.  Rats.  But at least the grass is green and there is hope for warmer weather.  I was back to wearing my winter coat for walking this morning.  I remember the summer days when I didn't need to wear any coat or even a sweater.  Oh well.  All the better to be snug in my sewing room stitching.

Love Letters is now ironed.

I'm a little embarrassed as I have several Drawn Thread alphabets that are just laying around not finish-finished.  I should do something interesting with them.  Put them all in a quilt.  Frame them.  Something.

I finished up the little pin disk.

I like the back.  I tried to center a fabric motif on it.

Nice ribbon around the edge.  Now if I just had some black pins to stick in the sides.

I am nearly finished with the scissors fob from Folio part 2.

 I sewed it all together, added the lace, made the twisted cording(s) and the tassel.  I'm just not sure how to add the tassel.  I have to fiddle with it a bit.  The back is just plain, I should put my initial there.

I also started the backstitch around the other thing in Folio part 2.  I guess you could call it a pin cushion.  It is small and I like the design.  Although I reserve the right to make some changes here and there.
A

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Pins

I got the next part of The Folio from Needle in a Haystack yesterday.

Still waiting for my Drawn Thread order.  So what did I work on?  I started on the Quaker Bag.
Yes, Grace, I changed the linen to star sapphire.  I also changed some of the floss colors too.  I'm not a green person.  I took out where I was off and put it back in.  Then I realized I have even more frogging to do of over one stitching. The whole left side of that green motif is wrong.   ARGH.  So I put it down.

I went looking for the first part of the Folio.

 I decided I wanted to change the linen to sandstone.  Inside the Folio kit was a little pin disk kit that came with it.  I started stitching it. It is so much harder to stitch on dark linen.  I changed a few things.

 I got it all stitched so now I have to put it together.
Then I started the scissors fob that is in part two of the Folio.  It was quick to stitch (even during Dancing with the Stars!).

I am whip stitching the edges together.  It has lace along the top and some twisted cording.  I can finish it today.  Maybe I'll start the pin pouch of part two.  It looks interesting.
I started reading a good book.  It is The Goldfinch.  I tried starting it a while back but couldn't get into it.  This time I read further and now I'm hooked.  I want to find out what happens.
A

Monday, April 20, 2015

Not a Flap

I realized as I was stitching that the Friesland piece I'm working on is not the flap.  It is the bottom medallion.  I got it done.

I have found when working on Friesland, that has many pages of charts, it works best for me to tape the pieces of a chart together for each part.  So I found all the charts pieces for the pocket.  They were spread over four pages.  I taped them together and that is what I'm going to work on next.

I also decided that I should work on Amy Mitten's Quaker Bag.  It's very challenging because it is over one.  But the good part is that you can stitch it in half cross.  That way it goes a little faster.  I am working on a large motif on the first page of charts.  When I get most of the green motif stitched, I will be done with the first page.  I have to frog some as I am one thread off. UGH.

I am anticipating Amy Mitten coming out with another Casket Keepsake.  I think I know what it is.  I sent her a photo from the Ashmolean of a pomander and I think that is what she is working on.  We'll see.

The bathrooms are clean and I have to go make some chili and put it in the crockpot.
A