Susan Rambo 1839 Sampler

Two posts in one day!  As soon as I finished Ann Hill, I pulled this project from my stash.  It's from the Sampler and Needlework Quarterly, Spring 2011 edition.  I'm using 28 ct. Amber linen, and DMC.

Susan was a mere 10 years old when she stitched her sampler.  It always amazes me, when I struggle to follow a chart, and realize these children made these samplers up, as they went along, selected the colors.  Amazing!

The chart is the magazine, calls for NPI silks, although they do provide a DMC conversion as well.  Love it, since I rarely use speciality threads.  Few issues with the chart.  I noted that there are 2 different symbols which both call for DMC 422.  Evidently DMC 422 was the closest matching NPI equivalent for both.  Also, in areas that are basically satin stitch, the chart calls them straight stitches.

That was a bit confusing for me, as I just thought they forgot to include the appropriate colors for the areas with satin stitches.   If you have time, to work on this sampler and just plug away, it's any easy stitch only because there are only cross stitch, and satin stitch, or straight stitch.

I must explain that one of the things that have kept me from posting is........ I finally invested in a new camera. The Canon camera is supposed to link directly to my computer.  I have spent at least a week and a half, reading the camera manual, reading articles on the internet, and couldn't get the camera and PC to sync.  

Finally I found an article on HP website, how to check your blue tooth on your computer.  Yea, I did that, only to discover, my lap top isn't even blue tooth capable.  UGG!  So, $20 later, I have a Blue tooth adapter coming, along with some other items, so hopefully by October, my camera will be talking to my laptop on a regular basis.

Especially, since I'm am attempting to add a tab to my blog, that will have all my charts in my stash, so my sister can look to ensure we aren't buying the same exact chart. (something we've done several times!)  Plus, she sent me a box of charts she's finished with, that I need to put up on one of the resale FB pages.

Happy Stitching!

Ann Hill Sampler Complete

Oh my goodness!  I can't believe it's the end almost the end of September and I  (yet again) had not posted to my blog.  These days just fly by so quickly and I just don't know where time goes!  In my own defense, I juggle quite a few balls, and probably take on more than I should.

I know that I have mentioned that several years ago, we moved my mom in with us from Florida.  Just before Christmas, 2017 she had a heart attack, which affected her in many ways, that perhaps I didn't realize would happen.  My mother will be 97 in October, after the heart attack, she was more frail, more wobbly on her feet, as well as other things that happened with her physically, but her short term memory loss after the heart attack, was something I was not prepared for!  It's a learning experience.

It really is like having a toddler back in the house and trying to stay a step ahead.  I dole out her medicine, since she takes at least 4/5 different ones, at different times.  Between my husband and I we had to come up with a system to keep her from over medicating herself.   She'd take her PM pills, 15 minutes later, couldn't remember she had taken them, and then took the AM pills as well.. Luckily my daughter is RN and a quick call to her, about what to do, greatly alleviated my fears. 

In addition, I have to come up with what we call the dishwasher situation.  Otherwise, my mom will put away dirty dishes, or put dirty dishes in with completely clean dishes.  The answer is to run the dishwasher right after dinner and empty it before I go to bed.

I have taken over her bill paying, making appointments and also her laundry.  My mom would be perfectly happy if I just sat with her all day.  Unfortunately, I have a large house to keep clean, 4 dogs, and then crazy me, if my life isn't hectic enough I added a 10 gallon and 29 gallon freshwater aquarium, which needs upkeep daily.  Not to say, that it wouldn't be nirvana just to sit with her all day long and just stitch.  But, I have no maid, and kitchen floors, bathrooms don't clean themselves.

I want to thank all of you for sticking with me, and not unsubscribing.  I will endeavor to be better at posting, now that I have re-discovered my stitching mojo!

Ann Hill Sampler - Just Cross Stitch - Cathy Livingston

Wow!  My intentions were to post updates on this sampler last week,  but ran into some real obstacles with this articular sampler.  Mostly due to my own stupidity and lack of foresight!  Mostly because I was so excited about being at the bottom of the chart.  (Stitched on 36 ct., Dirty Linen)

First, I had tacked on the last part of the reduced chart, in the border area.  Big Mistake, since the outside blue border was not completed.  I realized that the flowers might not "fit" within the two blue borders on this sampler.  So......I had to tear out all the running (outline stitches), remove the paper and complete the outside border.

This I did, till I realized my border was not going to match up.  UGG!  After ripping out the entire right side and top, more then once, I realized it was not going to match up, unless I ripped out the entire outside border.  Yea, not doing it, already ready to have this sampler in the done pile.  So, I fudged it.  I found one particular place on the linen that the threads of linen were so thin, I could go over 3 threads, and it didn't even show.

Once the outside border was completed, I could reattach my reduced copy of the border.  I will say, that copy is looking a bit raggedy, but made it so much easier to stitch through!  By the way, one thing I did learn, was once you pin the copy on your fabric, it is easier to poke holes with a sharp needle/pin where you want the running stitches.  It makes it much easier to stitch the outline,  I also used different color hand quilting thread, which can be purchased at JoAnns.  I already had several spools, so it wasn't necessary for me to purchase additional supplies.

I will advise, you need the courser, thicker thread to stitch the outline, only so it can withstand the
cutting out the paper later on, so that the only thing left is your outline stitching.

Love Never Fails - Barbara Ana Designs

Wow I can’t believe it’s been a whole year since my last post.  I apologize to those that were follow my blog.

Sometimes life just manages to get in the way of the things one really want to do, and those luxuries get put on the back burner.  Sometimes our path, comes to a fork and we have to take a temporary alternate route to get us back on the path!

Last year in July, my family celebrated the birth of my first grandchild.  Andersen.  Although I wasn’t too thrilled at the thought of becoming a grandparent, I can tell you that little one has changed the world.  Making my kids, Aunts and Uncles, my hubbie a grandpa.  We are so “in love” with that boy. At Christmas time he was passed from one set of loving arms to another, like a football.  Recently he turned one.  Just started walking, but so far no talking.  Not too worried as my youngest son didn’t really talk to almost three.  His sister did all his talking for him.  But when the day came, it was full sentences and we figured out he was already reading.

My mom who will be turning 97 in October, is still doing as well as can be expected at her age.  Just before Christmas she had a heart attack. The physicians still talk about her, as she walked into have an EKG on her own, while actually having the heart attack.  Guess there’s something to be said about good old fashion German farmer peasant blood.  Many weeks of cardiac rehab , which abruptly came to a screeching halt when she fell into one of the foundation pillars in the basement and broke her collarbone.  She’s a little more forget, a little more easily confused then before the heart attack.  So I’ve taken over bill paying and doctor appointment schedules for her.

After our annual family vacation in the Outer Banks, the stitching bug has returned.  So I finally managed to finish Love Never Fails, plus started  again working on the Ann Hill sampler.