HMD

Happy Mother's Day!
Here are more flowers.  This time from DS#1 and DIL.

I got something I have wanted for a while in the mail yesterday.  It came from France.  But first I want to show you something that has been on my sewing table for a couple of years.  I found a tutorial for this on the internet and started it.

What the heck is that?  It is the start of a yubinuki.  That is a Japanese thimble.  I didn't get very far.  I could keep going and try to finish it.  A lady in York on the tour last year showed us some yubinukis that she made.  They were kind of expensive so I had to pass.  Then I spotted some on Etsy that were less expensive.  I had an itchy finger that clicked the "Buy" button.  I bought a yubinuki on Etsy from a lady in France.  The package came yesterday.  Inside the package a folded paper crane was included .

And this little box:

This is my new Japanese thimble:

It fits on your finger like this.  I think you wear it on your middle finger.

Isn't it pretty?
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Finishing

I got the stitching done on Buzz!

 I cut all the pieces apart and now I can finish it.  I need to put some interfacing on the back.  The question is, do I need to use dark interfacing or can I get by with white?  I'm still thinking about that.  I cut the little wool square that goes on the top.  This will be easy to finish as you just lace the backstitches together.
I didn't even go to the farmer's market today.  I don't need anything.  Rats.  Going to the market is usually an excuse to buy candy.  But I'm resisting.  Maybe I'll go to the one at the Senior center tomorrow.

I got some lovely Mother's Day roses from DS#2.  Aren't they gorgeous?

DH was kind enough to plant some pansies for me in the urn outside the front door.

I have a thing for pansies.
It is warm enough that I don't need a jacket or sweater outside.  Love it!
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Stash Comes Through

I am impressed with my stash!  First of all, I saw on Facebook that Giulia (of GPA Designs) gave some DMC conversions for the half doll pattern, Maria Teresa.  Yeah!  I couldn't find the Valdani threads it calls for even at Stitchville.  So I wrote down the conversion to DMC.  But I was confused as one of the conversions was for DMC 4015.  There is no 4015 on my DMC chart, granted my chart is old.  So I checked on Stitching Bits and Bobs and didn't see any 4015.  So I commented on Giulia's post that there isn't a DMC 4015.  Guess what, there is.  Giulia got back to me with a source even.  It is an overdyed color.  I was wondering if I would have to order it.  I decided to check some of the overdyed DMC that I have.  I bought some in a box but had no idea what the numbers were.  First box, the numbers were all under 100.  Second box, bingo, the numbers were in the 4000 range.  I had to dig but I found that I actually have it.  How's that for stash?

Then here is how far I got on Buzz.  I'm on the last hive.

I ran out of Week's Bright Leaf floss.  I thought I would have to go to my LNS and see if they had it.  It is mostly a yarn store but they have a big ring of Weeks.  Before I go, I better check my stash to see if I already have another skein.  Guess what?  I do!  Cool.

I can hardly believe it is Friday and I am leaving on Wednesday.  I better start thinking about packing.  My dilemma is I don't know if it is going to be cool or warm.  Maybe I'll have to take some cool and some warm clothes.
I got Lesson 3 for Jackie's Berries Sew Sweet.  Now I am three lessons behind!  ARGH.
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Three Hives

The sun is shining and I was able to walk outside this morning.

I have now finished three hives on Buzz.  I am almost out of the bee hive color floss so a trip to my LNS might be in my near future.

Only one more to go.  I love the little bee insignia.

I think it could be a scissors fob all on its own.  I have to think if I want to stitch something like my initials on the bottom.  I haven't decided.

I also stitched another violet for the parasol.

I decided that I like this one the best.  I am going to stitch several more just like it.

I got to see pictures of the new Just Nan scissors roll and groom mouse.  I like them which is a good thing because I already pre-ordered them from Silver Needle.  I'm kind of wishing Amy Mitten would have something new out soon.  I check everyday.  (Like I need another vacuum cleaner!)
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Back to the Future

The radar looked ominous this morning so I went off to walk at the Y.  A fellow walker at the Y told me that I can use my Silver Sneakers card to go to the Y instead of paying a membership fee.  I just thought the card was good for the exercise class where you sit in a chair.  I'll have to check into that.

I decided to pick up my pre-stitching for my June retreat.  I was watching The Night Manager on AMC (good series!) while I was stitching so I just did the broad chain outline.  We need eight panels to make the parasol and I got all eight done.

Now I need to fill in six of them and finish off the seventh.  Not very exciting but it is progress.  The Night Manager is an hour and twenty minutes long - twenty minutes past my bedtime so I missed the last of it.  Our hero had just set off the alarm on the locked room - and I don't know what happened!  I'll have to go back and see if I can watch it On Demand.

I got half done with the sides of Buzz.

I realized that I spelled your name wrong Stasi (not Staci).  Sorry.  Can I get one more side done today?  I'll try.  Do or do not, there is no try (Yoda).

May the Forth be with you.  This is DS#2's birthday.  We wish him a happy day!  Hoping our box arrives today!!  I mailed it 12 days ago, you would think it would have arrived by now.  ARGH.
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Excuses

I have excuses for not posting yesterday.  There was a long line at the Arby's drive-through. (What does that have to do with the price of chickens?  Well, actually I just wanted to try their fish sandwich and a jamocha shake but I gave up after seeing the backup.)  I had to go to Walmart.  Enough said.  Everybody and his brother was in line at the Post Office sending stuff to their mothers, including me.
I sent off the birth announcement and the baby quilt too.

Now it is tomorrow and a new day.  On my walk this morning:

I tried two more threads out on the Flemish Ornament.

 It has become clear to me that I will start over on the new Duchess silk satin when it comes in the mail.  There is still a lot of residual glue on the back of the satin I'm working on.  I'm going to back the new satin with muslin and proceed from there. I will also be way more careful in tracing on the lines.   I haven't decided what thread I'm going to use.  I'm leaning toward the Soie de Paris.

Then since Staci is watching me stitch on Buzz, I better show her my progress.

  It is slower stitching on a dark fabric but I think I can be half done with the sides today.  There is a beehive for each side of the cube.  Cute!

One week till the road trip, I'm getting excited.
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Mayday

The first of May!  I have a retreat in 10 days.  The walking trail is greening up.  Now if it would just warm up a little bit.  I shouldn't complain as it is soooo much better than winter.

Well, I was tempted.  I saw Cathy B. working on a Betsy Morgan project and that made me jealous.  I want to work on a Betsy Morgan project too.  I have the Pioneer Girl's Book Etui that I got as an "away Swan" guild member.

 It's been tucked away for a few months.  I dug it out and thought I would see about starting it.  So I serged the edges of the linen.  I backstitched the front of the book with pearl cotton and then went looking for a small part to stitch.  I think this is a thread winder.

The front of the book has linen threads replaced with blue ones.  I wanted to see what that looked like.

I also worked on the side of Buzz.  Cute.

I am still experimenting with different threads on the Flemish Ornament.  I have two more kinds of silk to try out.  I didn't get as far as I wanted yesterday.  Story of my life.
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