Friday, December 25, 2015

Samplermaker- Carriage House Samplings

This is to be my final finish of 2015!  I know I don't have a thing in my stash that can be done before the chimes ring out 2015 and welcome in 2016.


Tavern Signs - Samplermaker
Carriage House Samplings
30 ct. Iced Cappucino
DMC

I have so much to share on this post!  We had a wonderful Christmas.  I received a new camera, a notebook and several gift cards.  The food was absolutely delicious  and we will be enjoying leftovers for many days. 

I want to share the pictures of the Altoid sewing kits I made. One for myself, which was for practice and to work through the kinks.  The other two were gifted to my sister and my bestie, Cathy.  All the tops were the same, but I finished the insides to coordinate with the crane scissors.

 Inside I put needle threader, tweezers, scissors,  and some packages of petit needles.  Yes the black on the inside lid is a magnet. Pretty proud of myself with the making of all the coordinating cording out of DMC.  My electric hand mixer, sure got a workout!

Once I finished the last sampler, I pulled out my stash.  Talk about being over the top!  I actually made a spread sheet of my existing stash.
I had someone point out to me, with all these charts, I'd have to live to be 200 to finish them all.  Never underestimate a driven stitcher like me! Got me thinking of my completions in 2015.

Here they are:

EH 1875 (started in 2014)
Amish Life- Tending the Garden
Dunvegan Sampler
Family Name Sampler
Amish Life- Hanging the Quilts
Rhoda Hastings 1863
Isabella Gray 1838
Ann Pegg 1877
Tropical Quaker Sampler
Antique Sampler
Karoline Beringer
Mexican School girl Practice Sampler
 In addition to
Knitted 3 baby blankets plus 3 teen scarves
Knit one eternity scarf
Made 3 tin topper sewing kits
Plus made slip covers for a couch and love seat, cushion covers for both. Plus recovered the pillows.
And made a valance.
Made one small baby quilt
Samplermaker Tavern Sign

If I hadn't been so crafty with sewing and knitting, I'd had a few more samplers finished!

Which brings me how I will decide what is next in my stitching rotation.  I decided to go by copyright year, and start with the oldest.  However, anything overseas had no copyright year and so I may occasional slip one of those in randomly.

So with that being said, if I have the right material my next sampler will be Hannah Lancaster with a 1985 copyright date. 

Next post will officially be in 2016.  May the New Year bring you happiness and joy.  May it allow plenty of time to stitch!










Sunday, December 20, 2015

Mexican School Girl Practice - Week 6

Mexican School Girl Practice
By Samplers Remembered
40 ct. Porcelain linen 
DMC

Just put the last stitches in this beauty! Now the hard work begins of deciding what is next!  So many charts, so many to consider.

It's time to do some more administration and organizing of my existing charts before I start pulling threads, and putting needle to fabric.

I have, in this last week managed to finish wrapping all existing Christmas purchases. So the only things left are those still in transit.  Hopefully they'll arrive before Christmas.

We also got the tree decorated. My husband was in charge of lights and beads. I was in charge of ornaments, and icicles. This tree is smaller in height than previous years.  I know that because I didn't run out of either ornaments or lights.


Again another short entry this week. To all my followers. May you and your family have a very Merry Blessed Christmas!

Until next week!  Happy Stitching!!!!!


Sunday, December 13, 2015

Mexican School Girl Practice - Week 5

I am at the point where each of us gets when working on a larger piece!  I just want to be done, finished! I only have one more page to go, and at least it's not a full page.  



I don't know why I'm in such a hurry.  It's not like I have a clue what I'm doing next. Still haven't been able to figure out what to do.

Besides, I have so much to do besides stitching! I have my shopping done, but I still need to wrap.  The house is partially decorated. We got the outside done, while the weather was being cooperative.  It was actually 73 degrees here today.  Sure doesn't feel like Christmas!

The tree is up, lights in, but no decorations. I kiddingly said to the hubby, well if we don't put anything else on, it'll be less to take down.  

The youngins will be home this week from college. So I really do need to get their stuff wrapped. And am trying to figure out how to wrap my mother's gifts when she is always with me.  Guess I'll have to wrap them after she retires one night.  But by the end of the day, I just want to zone!

I finished all the gifts I made, and I'd share the pics but some of the recipients read my blog.  So pics will have to wait until after Christmas!

Short post this week!  Happy stitching!


Sunday, December 6, 2015

Week 4 - Mexican Schoolgirl Practice

Mexican School Girl Practice
By Samplers Remembered
40 ct. Porcelain linen 
DMC

Slow progress this week and yet I still managed to finish a while page from the chart.  Can't tell you how much stitching I did, followed by ripping out, restitching, reripping and finally the third time was either a charm or as good as it was gonna get.

But alas the joys of stitching! Sometimes it is one stitch forward and two stitches back.

I have managed to get some of the house decorated for Christmas. All the candles are in the window. The wreaths are hung and the stockings too.  The tree sits in its stand no lights, no ornaments.  Wish I had had the gumption Saturday night to put the lights on it.  

We still need to add lights and the inflatables to the front yard.  My mother hauled out her Christmas decorations that she brought with her.  I'll have to figure out to work those into the decor.  

I am pretty pleased with myself, that other than my husband , Christmas shopping is almost done. I've got a few things to mail as well.  

But back to stitching- it's usually bout this time in a project that I'm already thinking "what's next?" Or I already know what's next.  This time my mind is a total blank.  Not a clue.  Maybe I should number my charts, put pieces of  papers with duplicate numbers and just pick randomly!  

But at least I'm not adding anymore new charts.  Didn't even ask for a single one. I did ask for Michaels gift cards for framing and 123stitch for supplies.

I'll have to ponder some of my ideas over the next week!

Until then happy stitching!!!!!


Saturday, November 28, 2015

Mexican School Girl Practice - Week 3

Even with all the Thanksgiving dinner preparations, I still managed to get in some stitching.


I finished the last page that runs across the top of the sampler.  Course I miss at admit that some of my time was spent ripping out a few lines, when I realized I had added an extra curly cue to the brown motif, and therefore alignments of lower motifs were off.

If it's a small mistake sometimes I'll just leave it, and adjust accordingly.  Really because there isn't any perfect.  

We had a lovely Thanksgiving.  Food turned out perfecto, and my oldest took a cooler home of leftovers.  I think it's funny since when he lived at home he was quite vocal about my cooking. Suddenly it's not so bad! But things always taste better when it's someone else doing the cooking!

All three of my kids were here, but my oldest and his girlfriend had to return to Norfolk because he had the watch. My daughter has spent most of her time working, and my youngest had racked up many hours of sleep. 

But it was nice to have them here and the mom is just happier when her chicks are here and together.

The agenda today consists of my update on a new phone.  I'm finally just learning all the ins and outs of this one.  Plus making a trek to Gainesville to pick up a Christmas tree.  Then home again for laundry!

I forgot to share this little story in my earlier posts.  But a few weeks back I had a snake in my house.  I don't like reptiles, amphibians, spiders and bugs if any sort. Wouldn't you know my husband wasn't home, so I had to at least attempt to catch it myself.  I did, but not before having some panic attacks. Trapped under a food storage container until the hubby could relocate it outside.


It wasn't very big. In fact my husband pointed out that I had I put longer night crawlers on a fishing hook.  I don't care! It was still a snake!

All for now, happy stitching!





Sunday, November 22, 2015

Mexican School Girl Practice - Week Two

Still making adequate progress on my current project.  


Although I didn't get the second page (really page 3 of the chart), completely finished this week. I had to break down and clean because my children would be here for Thanksgiving.  

Plus grocery shop, laundry, taking my mom to her appointments and church. Plus I spent a good day sorting through various statements, and filing them.  My hubby had a mini melt down because he couldn't find some paperwork.  According to him he keeps up on the filing, but many of the statements went back to 2014.

But I got to use my filing skills which is where I started out when I began working in high school at a bank. Still have a few piles left.  But the paperwork was spread all over my dining room floor, table, sideboard and chairs, as I went about separating the statements into some type of fileable order.  

I picked up some more pictures from Michaels today.  Rhoda Hastings and the Amish Life series. They turned out wonderfully and I already have spots to hang them.



Probably won't get much stitching done this week, because of the preprep work that goes into Thanksgiving dinner.  

Then the craziness of Christmas will be upon us. Getting a tree, decorating a tree. Christmas shopping. 

Hope everyone tuned in to my blog has a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We all have many things to be thankful for and we must remember to count our blessings!

Till next week- happy stitching!


Sunday, November 15, 2015

Mexican School Girl Practice - Page 1

This is my first full week of stitching on this project. Moving along quite nicely. Like the vivid colors.



Someone on one of the cross stitch FB pages had commented that she had stitched this sampler. She said she did hers in long stitch because she read Mexican samplers were generally stitched in long stitch.  

I decided to go back and look at the many pages included with the chart, and sure enough it talks about it being stitched with long stitch.  Perhaps I should have read the directions better!   But by then I was too far into the sampler  to rip out my previous stitching and start all over.  Plus I pulled out my handy dandy stitch encyclopedia and took a gander at the illustrations fit long stitch.  Made my head just explode even contemplating how you would go about fitting it in doing long stitch when it was charted for regular cross stitch.

Some charts are just better than others and I'd rate this more on a basic chart!  No shaded overlap, in fact there is no overlap from one page to another.  The darker graph lines doesn't show up well, so I had to use magic marker to high light those.  There are parts that I think you might have to do some back stitching but even then not so sure because the directions doesn't mention any. Plus the picture isn't so great on the front that you could even get a hint if your suppositions are correct. Ahhh the joys of cross stitch!

I managed to wrap and mail the baby blankets and scarves this week.  It's funny that someone posted on FB that some people think if you give someone a handmade gift, that some people think you're being cheap.  Having made my fair share of gifts over the year, nothing I have ever given, would I consider as being cheap.  Anything I knitted the yarn hadn't been all that cheap not including my time. It would have been cheaper for me to go to Babies R Us and purchase a blanket or gift card.

Then there is the cross stitch, materials, my time and I always have them professional framed.  Nothing cheap there.  Heck just to mail the scarves and blankets was almost $30.  I hope no one ever says that to me!  Cuz I'd give them a piece of my mind that I don't really have to spare.

I completed Christmas shopping for my daughter, happy bout that.  Still have my youngest son, my mother, and my husband to shop for.  But it's still November!!!

Well that's all for all this week happy, relaxing enjoyable stitching.




Sunday, November 8, 2015

Mexican School Girl Practice Sampler

Karoline Berlinger was finished and I was already pulling threads, changing out scroll rods on my floor stand for this beauty which has been in my stash for quite some time.


This is only a few days of work. Here to tell you I will not be whipping this sampler out at the speed of some of my other projects.  It's one thread of DMC over two threads of 40 ct. Even with my brand new bifocals that 40 ct. Linen is really teeny tiny.  

I pulled out my over the head magnifier which really helped.  But think I will be investing in a clamp magnifier for my stand shortly. 

This is the very first time I have stitched on 40 ct.  I shied way from it because of it being small. But it's not that bad if you concentrate. It's just getting your eyes used to it.  

I feel in love with this sampler when I first saw it on Robert L Harris Jr.'s blog "A Gentleman's Sampling.  Both I and my sister ordered the chart. Thankfully! Because my chart had no legend page, and so I was able to get a copy from her.  

I think I just lost it somehow.  Because I had pulled this chart out several times to work on it, even had fabric for it, but the 40 ct. Just made me put it back and start some other chart that was speaking loudly to me.

On Saturday I took 4 more pieces into Michaels to be framed. To take advantage of their 60% off plus 20%. I swear Michaels has jacked up all the prices of their moldings. Plus their selection of frames with the yellow or orange rubber bands is getting less and less.  Those are the ones I generally pick because they are their economy mouldings. 

I took in the 3 part Amish life ones, and Rhoda Hastings.  I already know where I'm going to hang them.  They will be finished 11/21.  I tried to talk them in to giving me another 10% off because it's the day before my birthday, but they didn't seem to see it my way.

I also picked up My Tropical Quaker Sampler.  Really pleased with how it turned out, and glad I switched Michaels, as the one in Woodbridge does a better job on needlework.


Well that's about it for this week.  Happy stitching!
 

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Karoline Beringer 1890 - Finish

Little early in my post this week.  But guess it makes up for some of the times I  was a bit late in posts.


This was a quick stitch!  It took me about a week.  Mostly because it was straight cross stitch and straight lines so it wasn't a lot of counting.

This was sort of a filler since my next sampler in rotation is another larger sampler.  Although I have several smaller pieces in my stash and maybe I should start doing a big project, a small, a big, a small....something to ponder!

I also finished the two scarves, and can now mail the scarves and baby blankets mailed to the recepients.

I must finish my sewing kit from the Altoid tin.  Tonight I spent an hour in Hancocks looking at ribbon and trim to finish it off. Must say, their selection is pretty slim. But I still managed to find some that I think will work.

One if these days I'll pull out the yarn I bought to make my mother a shawl.  She seems to get chilly and it would be better than using one of the throws as a shawl.  

I pulled out all my finished projects and I have 10 that are unframed.  Hubby says I can take a few in for framing, but the difficulty will be, deciding which ones.

I have been incredibly fortunate and I don't have a lot of things I want, or for that matter need.  I think the only thing I will put on my Christmas list is Michaels and 123 Stitch gift cards.  Although a new easy to use digital camera would be nice. 

With that I'm going to wish all Happy stitching for another week!

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Karoline Beringer 1890

Karoline Beringer 1890
Summer House Stitche Workes
Designer - Beth Ann Seal
32 ct weeks dye  works beige
Gentle Arts

This one week that I can truthfully admit I'm glad to see in my rear view mirror.

I figured out I drove over 917 miles last week.  That's more miles than Dale, Jr. drove at Talladaga last weekend!  4 round trips from our home in Manassas to Baltimore, Md. and one round trip from Manassas to Norfolk, Va.

I can only hope that this upcoming week there are no road trips in my future.

I wasn't able to complete anything.  I was going to start a different sampler than this one.  But the legend didn't arrive until today, from Illinois.  So, I pulled out a small piece to work on. But there has just not been a lot of stitching time opportunities.

While waiting at the hospital, I did managed to work on two scarves.  Had to put one away until  one more ball of yarn came.  It also arrived today.

I knitted on an eternity scarf in the meantime.


Hopefully I can finish the scarf on the left this week.

It's been awhile since I splurged a bought a chart.  I just didn't see any that I fell in love with and just couldn't live without.  Until I saw one on a Facebook group I belong to.

It's not a reproduction, but rather a modern version of sampler.  Still I couldn't resist.  Especially when it could be ordered via Internet and immediately  downloaded.  I just love instant gratification!


My kids all sent me Christmas lists and I've bought at least 2 gifts so far.  This morning I bought my Thanksgiving turkey.  Almost 24 lbs.  My kids love turkey sandwiches.  So it won't go to waste. 

Well that's all for this week.  Hope everyone else had a happy stitching week!



Monday, October 26, 2015

Antique Sampler - Finish

Antique Sampler
BH & G Cross Stitch and Country Crafts Magazine
Mar/April 1992
28 ct. Lakeside Linen
Vintage Buttercream
DMC

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Antique Sampler - Week 3


Antique Sampler
BH & G Cross Stitch and Country Crafts Magazine
Mar/April 1992
28 ct. Lakeside Linen
Vintage Buttercream
DMC


Was so hoping that I would be finished today with this gem. And I call it that because it has really been fun to stitch. 

I have learned stitches that I hadn't done before.  Not that I couldn't do it without the aid of this book.


You can purchase on Amazon (used) for under $10 plus postage.  Worth every penny. Used this more than the "Proper Stitch" and know I paid a lot more for that!

You know how they say life is what happens when you're planning on something else?  Well that's what happened to my week!  In my mind I planned on finishing with this project.  But....my father in law had a terrible spill and ended up shattering his elbow.

He lives in the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and after being taken to the local hospital, they decided it was better to transfer him to a hospital with a trauma/shock unit and had orthopedic surgeons that had more experience with these types of injuries.

They transferred him to the University of Maryland Medical Center.  We drive up there yesterday and spent most of the day there.  They were trying to get my father in laws blood pressure down and also get a better X/ray of his elbow.  Neither of which happened on Saturday. We came home last night. Got up this morning and made the return trip up there. Did I mention that it's an hour and 45 minutes from our house?  And that's only one way.  

We felt we needed to come home and check on my mom.  I must say my mom's health at 94 is much better than my father in laws.  So I'm very lucky in that regard, well, and so is she.

There was a lot of just sitting and waiting.  I always go prepared!  Took a romance novel and my knitting.  Didn't get any knitting done on Saturday because just my luck, I somehow lost a knitting needle.

Grabbed another set of needles before we left.  So I did manage to complete a few rolls.

My father in law came through the surgery and has some extra hardware. I think they said 3 plates and 9 screws.
He may be released tomorrow, if so, my sister in law will take him back to his condo in an assisted living community.  If it's Tuesday, we are his ride.  

I'm just thankful that everything has turned out so well! It could have been worse.  But it will be a long recovery!  When we start adding years and mileage, we don't recover as quickly as we did in our younger days!

Downside is that we had to cancel our trip to Virginia Beach so I won't be able to see my oldest this week.  Maybe next week.

On a lighter note, my daughter was on ESPN on Saturday.  They were having college game day there.  She and one of her nursing classmates camped out all night and had a primo spot behind the announcers.  Every time they panned over the announcers with the crowd in the background, there she was!  She's the one in the Foster Grants or Ray Bans.


Well that's all for this post.  Happy Stitching!




Sunday, October 18, 2015

Antique Sampler - Week Two



Antique Sampler
BH & G Cross Stitch and Country Crafts Magazine
Mar/April 1992
28 ct. Lakeside Linen
Vintage Buttercream
DMC

Wow! I figured out the thing I live about stitching samplers is that when I get bored with an area or working on a color, I can skip around.


If you look closely you can see I've done that, especially since there was so much satin stitching.  Not one of my favorite stitches.  Especially if it's over a larger area. Just difficult to get it smooth, even and not pull the stitches too tight.   This time I used the wrong end of a crochet hook too pull the threads over, to even them out and untwist them.

For not being a real reproduction sampler, I have to admit it sure is pretty. Plus the colors really pop on the linen I chose.

Next week I will learn how to "couch", as that is what is called for in the center of the blue flowers.  Not sure how many other stitches I'm still going to have to teach myself. 

I'm so thankful I purchased a used encyclopedia of embroidery stitches off of Amazon.  It has wonderful illustrations. It was well worth the money!

Interesting week this week.  I had my very first colonoscopy. I won't bore you with all the details, but am praying that I don't have to have another for 10 years. It'll take me that long to forget the nasty witches brew  taste you have to drink to have your colon "clean as a whistle" so they can have a good look at your colon.

We had our first cold morning when I woke up to 39 degree weather.  The leaves on the trees are just beginning to turn from green to the reds, yellows and  oranges, that are so autumn!  


This is a picture of our backyard today. Just a bit of red and yellow. But it won't be long before the leaves start falling and will invariably end up in our stairwell leading to the basement.  The last two houses we've owned we didn't have many trees, but our yard is some sort of manner for the neighbor's leaves.

Then it will be November, and it will be shades of gray and browns.  I was born in November but it's such a dreary month.  At least we have Thanksgiving and the craziness of the Christmas season begins.

Speaking of which, I actually bought some stocking stuffers today.  Found out my oldest child is vacating his apartment and all his stuff is going into storage and he doesn't want more stuff to store. So it's cash and gift cards for him.  My daughter's list consisted of one item.  A new car.  I told her to continue to dreaming! The youngest hadn't been forthcoming with a list. Could I even hope that he doesn't want or need anything?  Probably not.  

Well that's about all for this post.  Happy stitching till next week!



Sunday, October 11, 2015

Antique Sampler - Week One

Antique Sampler
BH & G Cross Stitch and Country Crafts Magazine
Mar/April 1992
28 ct. Lakeside Linen
Vintage Buttercream
DMC

First whole week that I was able to work in this project.
Been trying to keep up on the border as  I go along so it's not so overwhelming. Glad to have finished the alphabet, since it was one thread over one.  I will be able to work on the middle section , although it's full of satin stitch. So is the part between the two red basting threads. Notice how I have skipped over that part.  Working up my intestinal fortitude.

My mom and I made a trip out to Needles in Haymarket this week.  I haven't been in the store for over 2 years.  They have some cross stitch and needlepoint, but their focus in mainly yarn.

I purchased some yarn to make a scarf for my niece.  I ran out of the yarn from the final blanket, and the yarn I picked is more girly colors.  I also picked up some yarn to knit my daughter an eternity scarf.  If you bought the yarn, you got the free pattern.  Not sure whether that was such a deal since the yarn was pretty pricey. But the sample in the store was pretty.

Can't really tell from the pic, but the dark yarn is a very pretty teal.

Still more pending projects I need to get back to!  Maybe this week!  I really hate things hanging over my head.

That's bout all for this week. Happy stitching!


Monday, October 5, 2015

Antique Sampler - just beginning

Hello to all.  Hope everyone is recovering from the bad weather!  It has been chilly, windy and really wet here in Northern Virginia.  I'm hoping to see the sun again and soon.

I started a new sampler. 
Antique Sampler
BH & G Cross Stitch and Country Crafts Magazine
Mar/April 1992
28 ct. Lakeside Linen
Vintage Buttercream
DMC


This project is not what I intended to start next. But I pulled the one I wanted in the next rotation and realized the fabric I had was not big enough.  So I ended up having to be spontaneous in my choice.

Lots of different stitches in this.  Oblong cross stitch, Smyrna cross, four sided stitch in addition to the Rice, satin, queen, and florentine stitches.  If you like to mix it up s bit, this one's a definite to do. 

I am having to haul out some of my embroidery books for instructions on some of the stitches. 

The 3rd and final baby blanket is almost done!  I have been completing one ball of fun fur yarn a day and then putting the knitting aside. My hands get a bit sore from knitting.  I have one ball of the fun fur left, and whenever that ball runs out the blanket will be done.


In Saturday we made the trip to Harrisonberg, for parents weekend.  Not a nice weather day at all.  But we had our tailgate anyways, looking like drowned rats.


I made pasta salad and potato salad which the two kids were debating who got what to keep. The hubby and kids went to the football game, and I climbed into the truck with a blanket and took a nap.  The weather was so bad, they only lasted till half time. 

We also delivered my daughter's dog to her. He was staying with us for a week because of the neutering.  Glad to see him go since he decided to chew on all the rungs of my kitchen chairs. Guess I forgot what it's like to have a puppy. 

Well that's it for this week.  Happy stitching!



Sunday, September 27, 2015

My Tropical Quaker Sampler-Week - Week 4

As you can see by the picture, a few more days and this sampler will go in the finished, ready for framing pile.


I only have a few motifs left, and also need to graph out initials for the center wreath.

Pretty amazed at what I did get done this week considering how hectic it was!  On Wednesday, we went to Harrisonberg to watch my daughter being inducted into an academic nursing sorority.  Dinner with both kids after the ceremony and then back to Manassas.  Just our luck that I/81 was under repairs in 3 different spots coming back, going down to one lane.  We ended up getting home after 12 am.  Long day!

The next day, we drive up to Bethesda, Md. to have dinner with my nephew, who was in the area on business.  We hadn't seen him in almost 5 years. I gave him the baby quilt to take back to Illinois with him. 

Friday both kids came home for the weekend, the girl was expected, the boy surprised us.  Didn't see much of them as they spend their time catching up with friends that are also home from their colleges for the weekend.

I spent a few hours on Fri. night at the mall with my daughter.  Trying to outfit her with appropriate business attire for job interviews.  We made a slight dent, but only had 2 hours.  2 skirts, 2 dresses, and a jacket. At least it's a start!

I also had to finish cleaning the kids bathroom, my mother's bathroom and her bedroom.  She came back from Illinois, after spending four months with my sister.  This week looks like it might be a busy one too!

I did some serious thinking about killing myself trying to make an ornament for Christmss.  Decided my time was better spent elsewhere and purchased a hand painted from Etsy.


Very cute! 

Several more pending projects await and someday I might finally get back to doing something just for me.  I think it's won't be too soon!😒

Until next week happy stitching!

Sunday, September 20, 2015

My Tropical Quaker Sampler - Week 3

Ola stitchers, friends, followers and my sister Pat.

Only 2 1/2 more pages and I'll be finished with this project.  I'm finally at the bottom, and unfortunately due to adjusting the scrowll rods you don't get to see much of the previous stitching that was completed.


Regardless, still happy with my continued progress.  As long as it's finished in time for framing for Christmas, I'll be a happy camper!

I did take one day and worked on the little quilt.  It's finished!  Even stitched in the ditch! Looks wrinkled here, and it is.  I had folded it up and stuffed it in a gift bag, so sort of wrinkled it up. 


Another project finished and leaving the house!  Still have some knitting to do, and the next big stitching project I want to do something for myself!  

But....I found some cute penguin Christmas ornament cross stitch charts, and I'm debating whether to get one and do another for a stocking gift for my son's girlfriend.  Why oh why do I do this to myself?  Glutton for punishment.  But it's small how long could it take?  

I still have 2 other projects that I'm working on for Christmas, which I'm not going to share here, because of who reads my posts.  But I think it'll be a nice surprise. Well that's if I finish them!!!

Battery running low on my cell phone so not a long post.  Till next week happy stitching!


Monday, September 14, 2015

My Tropical Amish Sampler - Week Two

Hello stitchers! I am so happy with the progress I made this week!


This one of those samplers that began in fits and starts, and knocking on wood, is just moving along quite nicely.  It is also one of those samplers that I keep looking at, after I complete a motif, a section....because the colors are so luscious.  There is just some pieces because of the design, because of the colors, that just make me feel happy!

Pretty non eventful week.  I managed to deep clean my son's bedroom and the Jack and Jill bathroom he shares with his sister.  Just in time evidently as he came home this weekend for a boys weekend with his father.

Saturday night they were in Richmond for the NASCAR race and Sunday they attended the Redskins game. I had the whole house to myself! I always joke I could run through the house naked, if I wanted to. Not that I'd really want to, but I could. Besides I do the best cleaning in my Jammies. Which I usually do in the common areas when no one is home.

I also ran a quick errand and made up a care package for my son to take back to school. He loves my pasta salad, and actually come home Fri night, only to go to the store so that he could get some of the ingredients, so he could make some to take back to school. 

Even though I gave him the recipe for it, he said he didn't have all the spices called for in the recipe, back at the townhouse.  So the care package consisted of a package of wacky Mac pasta, a roll of hard salami, bottles of olive oil and vinegar, can sliced black olives, and the 8-10 other things called for.  He can buy his own cheese! I got a big ole hug and a "mom you're the best!"

I also managed to pack up and Mail the box of baking pans I had purchased for my step daughter. It was a large, heavy box.  Postage alone was $35.00.  I sent her several things from Amazon too.  She might not know how to cook, bake now, but when she does, her kitchen will be stocked.

Last week I was wading through my craft storage.  Found this.


Obviously bought it for someone who was having a baby and never got around to it.  Very simple quilt which I'm gonna try to complete before my nephew is in the area for work.  We are gonna meet him for dinner.  So I can whip this up and get rid of one more thing taking up room.

Well that's bout all for this week.  Happy stitching!



Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Knitting finish

Yesterday I spent most of the day knitting on the baby blanket.  I'm happy to report as of 1:30 a.m EST, I finally bound off the last of the stitches.


Two blankets down one to go! Plus in down sizing I found a pink prepackaged pieces for a baby quilt.  Another thing I can get out of the way, since another baby is on the way from my sister's side of the family.

I also bought a chair today at Target. It's supposed to be for a nursery.  But it was so comfortable, it also rocks, that I decided to splurge and purchase it.  My hubby will probably have a cow!  I got the hubby to carry down the base, where ch was too heavy for me.  Put it together, moved into the space I wanted it, and readjusted the height of my floor stand to accommodate the height of the new chair.  Got to admit I'm loving my new stitching corner.



I have been sitting in my mother's goose necked rocking chair.  But it just isn't made for me.  It sits too close to the ground, my stand keeps hitting the wooden arms. I'm almost 5'5", but her chair is more suited for her since she's 4'11".

Up side is I can also get her out of the my office chair to my sewing machine, which she slides up to almost next to the TV.  When a commercial comes on, she spins the office chair in my direction and stares at me.  Even though it's my own mom, it's a bit unsettling. 

I feel like I got caught doing something I shouldn't. 

Meanwhile I have managed to unpack most of the pieces for the chair and dispense them to the basement. Cut up the box and placed it next to the recycle. The only thing I have not been able to carry downstairs is the base.  It's just too dang heavy.  So there's no sneaking this baby into the house.



Doesn't look like it from here, but it's a very light gray micro suede.





Monday, September 7, 2015

My Tropical Quaker Sampler - Week 1

Well I think I finally have my grove back!  Last Sun. I  put a few stitches in this sampler, which is intended to be a Christmas gift, for my step daughter.

From there it was completely downhill.  I made some many beginner errors of being off, I spent a great deal of time cutting out the stitching, restitching, only to find out I was still off.

It's as if, somehow during the hiatus, I forgot how to count and had no spacial ability to see I was off.

I said it before and I'll say it again that sometimes the easiest charts are the same ones I have more problems with.  Not to be deterred, (must be that German ancestry stubborness), I finally whipped out the red hand quilting thread and ran some graph lines.

And from there, I was off to the races! Page one is almost completely finished. Happy with that progress considering I didn't have much stitching time, and I spent a lot of that time as stated before, stitching, ripping out, restitching, ripping out again.  If I didn't have that, I may have been well into page two.  But I prefer to have glass half full of what I did complete!



Status on the baby blanket!  Not good! I full intended to post a picture of that as well.  Except I found I somehow added 2 stitches that weren't supposed to be there.  Once again spent much time ripping out row upon row of knitting.  So the only thing I could share would be a pile of lose yarn!  The joys of crafting!

I suppose I could have just knitted several stitches together to get the count corrected, but I would know.  I'll just have to knit faster to recoup.  Good thing the baby isn't due till December.  Here's a good laugh - this baby blanket is supposed to be able to be completed in 8 hours. I suppose there are people out there that could do it, but it isn't me!

Until next week happy stitching!!!!!




Sunday, August 30, 2015

Yippee! Back to cross stitch!!!!!

My husband and I made the hour and a half trek from our home in Manassas to the apartment and town home, my daughter and my son are living on this year in Harrisburg, Va.

On the truck, where the rest of the things, my daughter couldn't pack in her Smart Car.  She forgot that she had a puppy to take back with her to school and all the doggie paraphanalia that goes along with said puppy, including the actual puppy.

Loaded on the truck was the couch, cushions, and some pillows with pillow covers for my son's bed.  Good riddance!!!!!! Two projects that had been looming over my head for weeks.  Plus my basement seems so huge without all the extra furniture being stored there until move in was possible.



I did the initial tuck in of the slip cover for them.  Off to lunch with the kids, a trip to Walmart to pick up things they forgot, and the back in to car for the ride home!

I walked in the door, fed our dogs, got some laundry going, and set up for my next project.  Cutting fabric, putting in Velcro, finding the correct scroll rods, breaking my floor stand down from the last project, and rebuilding for the new!

This was not what I intended to do next!  But since this is a gift, hopefully for Christmas, I decided I better get started on it.  This will be for my step-daughter who is a Florida girl through and through!


My Tropical Quaker Sampler

Wal D'Champs (WDCDesign)
White 14 ct. Aida
DMC


I managed to get a few stitches in last night.  But schedule is pretty full today, so I don't know how much I'll be able to work in it. But it's started!


The colors are luscious!  No specialty stitches, just plain cross stitch.  Why the Aids instead of linen you might ask? 
Because this another large piece and Aida is a lot cheaper than a piece of linen.  Especially since I'll have it professional framed, once completed.

Still knitting on the baby blanket and a scarf.  One of these days I'll post updated pictures on those as well.

Until next week, happy stitching!  I know it will be for me!