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!

 

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!

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!

Antique Sampler - Finish

Antique Sampler

BH & G Cross Stitch and Country Crafts Magazine

Mar/April 1992

28 ct. Lakeside Linen

Vintage Buttercream

DMC

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!

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!

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!