In the Basement

I have been shopping today.  I couldn't believe how deserted Target and the Mall were.  I was wondering if they were even open.  But it was such a nice change from the craziness of the Christmas season.  I was on a mission.  Socks for Claire.  I've seen some very cute socks online but there isn't that much choice in the stores.  I saw lots of inventory tags.  It's that time of year.  I found some socks and a onesie that was too cute to pass up.  Of course the danger when shopping for one thing is finding something else you weren't planning on.  So I ended up with stuff for me too.  I was kinda of keeping an eye out for some nice clothes to wear in LA but all the clothes are ugly or too old ladyish or made out of junky thin material.  I'm realizing that old people aren't that different from younger people.  Except for shoes.  I could never ever wear those crazy platform heels.  I go for comfort.

Not a lot of stitching got done yesterday.  I got all the lettering done on the outside back of the Painted Lady Sewing Case.  Now I'm working on the basement.  I am enjoying how it's coming along.  I'm really looking forward to starting the outside front.  That's the cutest part of the whole piece.

I better iron today or I won't have anything to pack for LA.
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Like Deja Vu All Over Again

I started stitching the other (front) side of the Trevelyon Holly Ornament.  I got the outline done and started the berries.  I looked up some other red silk thread as I don't want to make all the berries the same color.

    It feels like I just stitched this - which I did.  It is hard for me to stay interested when I am doing the same thing all over again but I will try to keep my nose to the grindstone.

I got some more words done on the Painted Lady Sewing Case.  I am considering taking this with me on my trip.  Doing mind numbing nun's stitches might not be so bad on the plane.

We got rain then sleet then snow yesterday.  It is a little crunchy outside.  I will see Dylan this afternoon.  I wonder if he wants to do an art project.  Usually he just wants to play a game or two.  I always love making valentines and think it would be fun to make some marbled paper and cut hearts out of it for some homemade valentines.  It's the third grader in me.

I realized why I can't get myself to work on the oilcloth bag.  I'm scared it won't turn out.  It is always hard to do something you are afraid you can't do.  This is true even for kindergartners.  I have thought of just taking a small piece and playing with it just to see how it goes.

The bathrooms are clean and I need to get Dylan's bag of snacks ready.
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Moving Right Along

I finished the back side of the Trevelyon Holly Ornament.  Yeah!

I have started the front side, surely it will go faster and be much neater than my first go.  I couched the rest of the gold passing thread and then added the paillettes also called metal sequins.  The package for the paillettes is such thin plastic that is nearly disintegrates when you open it.  I'm just glad I didn't have to pick them out of the carpeting in the sewing room.  I just scattered the paillettes around the design and didn't make them symmetrical.

I was afraid that too many of them would make it too polka-dotty.  Now to critique it.  I want to change the leaves as I don't like the stitch or the stripeyness.  I love the sparkle of the gold.  I want to make the berries all the same stitch (satin probably).  I'm not sure I like the gold stitches in the center of the leaves.  Considering my ineptitude in stitching this, it turned out pretty well.  It looks like the picture in the magazine.  I like the heavy chain stitch around the outside.  I'm not sure I used the Japanese needle like it is supposed to be used.  I just bent a quarter of an inch of the metal thread through the eye and kept clipping the thread when is started to unravel on the eye end.  I tried to couch down the end on the back as I couched the front.  I can't imagine you are supposed to knot the metal thread.

I got some more words on the Painted Lady Sewing Case.  I also started the "basement" on the back of the front (is that a contradiction?).

Oops I did it again.  I signed up for an online class.  Jackie DuPlessis is teaching "Rhapsody in Blue" starting next month through Shining Needle Society.  It seems I don't have to travel anywhere this year as so much of what I want to do is online.  I am waiting to see what Celebration of Needlework classes will be offered.  If there are two or three that I want to take, I may go this year.  They are starting to update their website.  I think they usually try to have everything posted by March 1.
Pinterest is a real time sink.  I could spend hours just looking at the embroidery.  Actually, I have spent hours looking at nifty stuff.
It is overcast and rainy today.  We may get some sleet later.  Crazy weather.
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Gold

I got the #4 fine passing thread for the Trevelyon Holly ornament yesterday.  So I had to try it out and see how it is going to look.  I got out the Japanese needle for it.

It seems a strange shape and a bit crude in design but it works and so far I haven't damaged the linen which is a very fine count.  This thread is very expensive.  I've never paid 25 dollars for a spool of thread before.

 Wow.  It really does make this project look nice and finishes it off well.  I still have to add the spangles.   I have more of the gold thread to couch down.  It looks a lot like it is a supposed to look, see?

The other side should look nicer.  I'll make the berries more uniform in style and thread.  I used three different stitches and two different threads on the back.

I wanted to try the gold thread as an experiment.  I needed to know if I want to use it on my casket or not.  I really like how is looks so thumbs up.
I got all the way around doing the second row of nun's stitches.  My reward was to get to start the lettering on the back. I'm being so good with this project and following the directions.

It is so warm here that all the snow has melted and it feels like spring.
Happy Saturday!
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A Positive Attitude

I am going to keep a positive attitude today.  I am so happy that I got all the way around with the nun's stitches for the front and back of the Painted Lady Sewing Case.

What an exciting photo!
Mind you, there is also an inside front and an inside back to go.  But I read ahead as I was anxious to do some of the design.  If I get the second row (that is on top of the first row) of nun stitches done, I can start the wording on the back of the case.  The nun stitched edge is looking nice and neat.  I am getting faster at doing the nun's stitches.  I am not using a frame though.  I am scrunching.  Don't tell.  Luckily I found the silk floss that I ordered for this.

I got an email that the gold thread that was backordered at Needle in the Haystack is winging it's way east to me.  That means I have to get going on the Trevelyon Holly ornament.  I am trying to find my comfort zone and have decided that it doesn't include trellis stitch.  I tried using more of a rhodes stitch for some berries.  Then last night I tried just a satin stitch.  The winner so far is the satin stitch.

I don't like the pink berries so I haven't put any in.  But right now the ornament has so many berries!

When the gold thread connects them, it will look a lot better and make more sense.  This is definitely the back of the ornament!  I should just start over but I don't want to.

I used the itunes card that Santa gave me to rent a movie (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) and download a book (Kinsey and Me) to my ipad.  I am very proud of myself for doing this without help from DH.  Now I am ready for California.  I have lots to occupy me on that long flight.
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Rewind

Can I just start yesterday all over again?  I messed up everything I started.  I'm paying stupid tax - again.  I cut out the lining for the oil cloth bag but I later realized that the fish are swimming up stream.  I cut it the wrong direction! Duh.  

Luckily I have more material that I can cut.  I was wondering how come I had so much leftover fabric.  Now I know, they must have known I would make a mess out of the first cut.  I am going to sandwich the lining and the Soft 'n Stable.  I found the stencil pattern for the quilting.  I wanted something that looked like waves.

Then I messed up the stitching for the Victorian Painted Lady Sewing Case.  I was so proud of myself for getting all the way around the back of the case with nun stitches.

Then I realized that the canvas was too small.  The front and back are joined and are one piece.  So I have to start over on a larger piece of congress cloth.  All those nun stitches for nothing!  Rats!  I'll just blame the directions for not making it clear.   Now I know what size the case is going to be.  It is way bigger that I imagined.
Let's hope today goes better.
Chili for dinner.
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Lost and Found

I went looking for the Victorian Painted Lady Sewing Case pattern.  It wasn't in the pile I thought it was.  Turns out that I was more organized that I realized.  I had punched holes in the edge of the pattern and put it in a notebook.  Now I have no excuse for not starting it.

I tried making a little thread winder souvenir with a picture and an octagonish shape.  I wrapped thread around it trying to figure out how to cover the whole thing with thread.  I used the premium floss from Hand Dyed Fibers.  Pearl cotton works better.  I'm wondering if a stiffer board would be better.  In our December class we learned how to make paper thread winders.  But the thread obscures the picture on it.  Maybe they are only ornamental.

Wonder of wonders, I cut out some of the lining fabric and some of the Soft 'n Stable to quilt for the lining of the oil cloth bag.  I got special sewing machine needles to use for the quilting.  Now I just need to try it.  I have so much lining fabric left over, I think I must be missing something.  Maybe I'm supposed to use a piece of lining fabric on either side of the Soft 'n Stable.

I worked one more berry on the Trevelyon Holly Ornament.  I am wanting to try a different stitch.  How about something similar to a  round Rhodes stitch?  That would  be a little bit raised but much smoother than this trellis stitch.  I would like to try a different stitch (long and short) for the leaf too.  I don't really like the stitches I'm using.  I've got to think about this.

My garage door opener quit working.  We are having a new one installed this afternoon.  The opener was 20 years old so I guess it is time to replace it.
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