2023 Round-up Updated

When looking back, what a year!   Lots of travel, lots of stitching, lots of fun, lots of finishes, lots of good times.

I did start December down 17 pounds from last year but I can say that I have to loose 6 of those pounds again.  Thanksgiving, holiday parties, and the holidays in general, have sabotaged the diet.  On a better note,  I was able to finish up 2023 with an almost completed WIPGO board.    My November task was to fully finish My Stitcher’s Heart from Hands on Design.   The first problem I encountered was I couldn’t find the finishing kit.  I did find it, right in plain sight, the next day.   For 2023, I completed every assignment but the full finish of My Stitchers Dream.   I have no plans for Saturday and Sunday so I hope I can make a measurable amount of progress before year’s end.  

I was able to complete all the finishing except for painting and lining the box.  I had an issue with my supplies.   I’ll leave it that the sealer had an old fashioned price tag on it so it pre-dates bar codes!   

December’s assignments for WIPGO were one motif on Teresa Kogut’s Land That I Love.  On the left is how far I got; on the right, where I started.  I’m getting there.   And I am totally counting the center border flower and the basket of flowers as a full motif.  I really would love to get this finished in 2024.

My other December assignment was to stitch and fully finish a Halloween ornament.  This ornament was from the stash of a friend who passed away last January.   It will always be a special memory of Donna for me.

Of course  I have signed up for 2024 WIPGO.    Somehow even with all the finishes I accomplished in 2023, I didn’t reduce the number of WIP’s I have.   Here’s hoping in 2024.   

I was fortunate - and I know it - to have been able to travel for pleasure both far and wide.   Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland…..I somehow managed, at minimum, at least a weekend trip each month.   The scary part is this time last year I only had one event on my calendar.   For next year, I’ve already got plane tickets reserved for January, signed up for five (no-class) retreats already, I have a week in the Outer Banks booked (I’ve never been), a cruise booked for September and a trip to Kentucky in November.  It is difficult being retired!

In September, I signed up for a Secret Stitching Pal through my guild.   Here are the goodies my Secret Stitcher sent to me for Christmas.  A beautifully stitched and finished ornament, a JBW chart, little snips and a thread holder.   

I laugh as I think of stitching plans for next year…..stitching plans never seem to manifest themselves quite as I think they will.  But, alas, I can fantasize.   

I have signed up for the Blessings Sampler Challenge on FB.  I think I may know I picked something too ambitious but I’ll have to give it the old college try.  Current top contender is the 1889 Alphabets by Needlework Press.  The criteria of the SAL is that at least one measurement is 100 stitches and to finish the sampler in January. It is  supposed to mean you will have good luck for the year.  This one is 436 by 40.  OMGosh, that means I need to do 110 by 40 stitches each week.   Ugh.   I think I will focus in on being happy with whatever I get finished and not put pressure on myself.  It’s not too late to change to something slightly smaller I guess.   And I really like Sally Spencer by Birds of a Feather. Its stitch count is 156 by 156.   

Another SAL for the year is the Temperature Tree by Stitchin’ Mommy on Etsy.  The idea is that each leaf of the tree represents a day of the year.  The color you stitch that leaf is determined by the high temperature of the day.   I have a friend locally, one in Florida and another Tennessee working on this too.   It will be fun to see our differences.    I am working to get the trunk and a couples branches stitched before January 1st.    In addition to adding the leaves each week, I will work on the next branch to hopefully I will stay ahead of the leaves!  I am stitching this with one thread on 28 count over 1.    It is proving a bit rough on the eye sight!

With the holiday pressing down and holiday parties and events, I put my Quilter’s Station SAL aside for most of December.   I was far enough ahead and I hope during the last week I will be able to catch up and be on schedule for our group’s January Zoom check in.

I finished Heart in Hand 2018 Collectors Heart.    I am not sure how these will be finished.  

I stitched nearly a negligible amount of the pumpkin from Fat Quarter Shop.  This is on the outer edges of my radar.  It will become more central on that screen the closer to October we get.

More recently, Christmas was a blast with the family here.   Every year since my grandchildren have been born, with the except of 2020 because of COVID, my grandbabies have gone to sleep on Christmas Eve at my house and woke on Christmas morning under my roof.    This may be the last year and but I said that last year.   Good fun, family and laughter abounded.  Cookie making, game playing, gingerbread house making, snuggles and hugs and squeals of glee.  My heart was full as was my belly.

I wish for all my friends, both those I see and those that are virtual, that your holiday season was full, your 2023 was a good one, yours stitches plentiful, your frogging minimal and that your 2024 is even better.

Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching! 

December Starting up with Finishes

I ended November and started December with a little side trip.   My friend, who lives in Tennessee but was visiting family in NJ, had an obligation and had to drive from NJ to Tennessee to go back home.  It is an 11 hour drive and she said she wouldn’t be back in NJ for Christmas because the doing the drive alone is getting to be too much.   So what do retired stitching friends do, they say we will come with you and share the driving.  Down we went on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and returned December 4th.

We had a great time and the week flew by and we were on our way back to NJ before we knew it.  Our mornings were running an errand or two (if a visit to Hobby Lobby counts as an errand), lunch out and then back home to stitch away the afternoon and evening.   I made more progress in the last week than I expect to the rest of the month which is why I am doing my post early.   

Knowing I can’t stitch while in the car,  I took some of my trims to wind on bobbins from Madam Sew.  I decided to group them on the cards by color rather than type.    I have most of my trims now on either these bobbins or on ones I made as seen below.   Madam Sew’s are sturdier and larger.  Mine were made by decoupaging a print out on comic board.  I have already ordered two more sets of bobbins from Madam Sew to finish up my remaining trims……because you know we save every piece of trim or ribbon that comes our way.  Having these wrapped will make it easier to find just the right trim when doing finishing.  

Just under the wire before the end of the month, I was able to fully finish November and December from A Year of Celebration from HOD.  It was one of my November WIPGO assignments.  I pre-cut the batting, backing and mat board before my road trip.   That is half the battle.  It was easy to fully finish them.  Six months down and six to go.   Now if only I could get the numbered tiles moved to the proper place for December!

On the 30th, I worked on my Halloween stitch.  I may be able to wrap this one up on the 13th if it turns out to be a good stitching day for me.

I finished the “January” branch for my temperature tree.  On the right below, is my friend Lisa’s temperature tree.  I want to get at least the January and February branches done before the 1st of the year.

I  did a little embroidery and wool work on pre-printed pillow tops.   I added some wool pieces, beads and buttons along with some stitches here and there.   These are three of six and when fully finished, these will make cute bowl fillers.

I also fully finished this lovely needle-book from a class with Lady Dot at Quilter’s Station in September.  Again, this is something that was about 90% finished when something else shiny passed in front of me and caught my eye.    

I even hemmed the sleeves in my coat.  The coat I have been carrying a spool of thread around in the pocket for four years for that particular reason.   Ugh!  It only took 15 minutes…..it is off my to-do list!

To round out the finishing, I added the twisted cord and hanger to this Christmas in July ornament.

I worked on my 4th of the month stitch piece….a day early since the forth would be spent riding/driving 11 + hours.  My version is on the left and Diane’s is on the right.  The original was done is all gray tones.  Diane prettied it up with patriotic colors and I jumped on board when I saw her creativity.

I stitched one of Lila’s Studio Red Sweater patterns when in Chattanooga.   I bought, of all things, plastic that resembles perforated paper and started stitching the same sweater pattern on the ride home.   I don’t think I have ever have stitched the same pattern twice and this will make the third time for this sweater pattern.  Once was for a friend and these two will be for the kiddos.   

Lot’s of little things done and loose ends tied up.  

Because I was in Tennessee, I left with the fall decor up and the Christmas decor still in the attic.   So I’ve week or so ahead of me to try to turn it all around into a Christmas wonderland.   Between decorating and obligations and events, I don’t know if I will get much stitching done the rest of the month!   Here’s hoping!  

Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching!

November Recap

November was another great month to be living my life.  Again I look around and think how very thankful I am to have my health, my family, my friends, my hobbies, and so much more.  Not just because it is Thanksgiving time just now.  I know I am truly fortunate and I do appreciate the blessings I have.  

Now on to the stitchy stuff.   My guild had their semi-annual get together in OCMD.   We are now actually in Berlin, MD but we all still refer to it as ‘going to Ocean City”.   So good to spend time with good friends that we usually only see by Zoom or message by Instagram through the year.   Kind of hard to give an iPad a hug like you can when in person.   Our retreat is the perfect place to sit, chat, stitch and really get to know our fellow members.

 When in OCMD, we stitched together in the classroom at Salty Yarns during the days.  The move from the boardwalk in OCMD to a location in Berlin, MD is just about 8 miles from the ocean.   The in-land retreat was just as great as all the previous retreats.  Our Guild held our monthly meeting during the retreat and we were treated to a class with Janis Note of Noteworthy Needle.    This is the thimble box she designed for our guild.  It was pre-stitched and most were able to fully finish during the class.

Believe it or not, I only bought two small patterns and some fabric for myself while at Salty Yarns and therefore was not the winner of the prize for most spent!   I did buy some Christmas presents and some things for my Secret Pal Stitching Sister.

As for my stitching the rest of the month, I’ve got myself in a sort of SAL with the group I sat with when I was at Quilter’s Station in Lee’s Summit, MO.   One of the stitchers  does the crazy-stitch-a-certain-project-on-a-certain-day-of-the-month thing.   For example, on the 13th and the 31st, stitch Halloween; on the 14th stitch something with hearts; on the 4th, stitch patriotic and so on.   Since I have the attention span of the dog that sees a squirrel, this is appealing to me.   I figure it gives me permission to change projects.  It also can be used to explain why I don’t complete projects quickly.  Somehow my goal for 2023 to reduce my number of WIP’s  has completely gone out the window on my road of life!  Here is a re-cap of my first month in.

4th - Red, white & blue    Betsy’s Tart from Plum Street.   I am copying the color way a friend used.  So much cuter than the gray tones. 

  

13th & 31st - Hello Pumpkin from the Fat Quarter Shop

 14th - 2018 Collector’s Heart from Heart in Hand  I am stitching both the main piece and the tiny quilted heart design.   I am stitching on mystery linen and substituting floss from my stash.  

It wasn’t the 14th but who could resist a little one that wanted to stitch hearts.   It was easy to remove the long stitches she put in.  Love making these memories with my grand daughter.

24th and 25th - Merry Christmas from Willow Tree Samplings  - I really hope to be able to get some Christmas stitching in later today and tomorrow.

27th - Thanksgiving/Fall from Lila’s Studio

I am well aware if I were to just concentrate on one at a time, I could finish it. But what is the fun in that?   I think when I am on the homestretch on any of these, I will make it a focus piece until I finish it.  I laugh at myself with my ‘plans’….maybe if I spent less time creating stitching scenarios I would get more done! 

I am also working on my Blackbird SAL with the same Quilter’s Station ladies.  Each month our assignment is to stitch 32 rows.  We should all be finished by April of 2024.   The needle on the left hand side is marking how far I have to stitch for complete the December 31st goal.  Here’s to keeping ahead of schedule.  

For WIPGO, my assignment was to stitch and fully finish two months of the Year of Celebration from Hands on Design.  I choose  November and December.  My other WIPGO challenge was also a Hands on Design piece.    I fully stitched the Stitchers Workbox and now it was time to fully finish it.  We are celebrating our Thanksgiving on Saturday due to work schedules so I think - for the first time in 2023 WIPGO - I am not going to finish the assignment.    Not only that but the kiddos were here for a pajama party for 3 days.  There was water painting, and blanket forts over the table, giggles, popcorn and movies.   Also,  I am leaving at o’dark thirty on Tuesday for Tennessee for a week so there is laundry and prepping to do for that.    I did get the stitching on November and December completed.   Heck, what is my problem?  It is like 2 days each, if that, to stitch each one.  The whole year should have been completed last year!   These were both stitched on 28 count mystery fabric and substituting colors from my stash as needed as well as pulling embellishments from my stash.   I may not be reducing my WIP’s but I might be making a small dent in my stash.  The remaining months are already on my draft WIPGO board for 2024.

 

I changed the words “Bless” to “Blessed” by backstitching instead of cross stitching.   Back stitching “Merry” as well in December.  Perhaps I will fully finish December before the end of the year.

Bearing in mind my above mentioned stitching assignments, I need to be sure I don’t overwhelmed myself with my 2024 WIPGO board.  I need to steer it more towards completing projects rather than starting ones I have been wanting to start but haven’t.  Time is fast approaching to revisit the list and see what should be added, deleted, or dialed back.  I keep two large baskets in my family room.   One with my monthly projects and the other with the WIPGO projects for the year.  Here’s hoping both are less full at the end of the year.    I just crack myself up with that thought!

And as if I don’t have a ton of ‘stitching assignments’ lined up, I signed on to the Blessing Sampler Project on Facebook.  The concept is to start and finish a piece in the month of January.   It is supposed to bring good luck during the year if you start and finish a sampler January.  The only requirement is that the pattern must have at least 100 stitches in one direction.   I am thinking I will do 1889 Alphabet from Needlework Press.   But then again, I am rethinking because it is 430 stitches by 40.   Long and skinny but it will require a minimum number of rows EACH day.    I will be going to Camp Wannastitch in OCMD again this January so that does allow for 3 or 4 dedicated stitching days. Hmmmm…..what to do.

And if that is not enough ASSIGNMENTS,  I am doing a Temperature Tree starting January 1st.   I saw a friend, Lisa of Lady Huzzah Floss Tube, stitching on her’s last spring and I was sold.  Me and three other friends will be starting this on January 1st.   There is a color chart graded for each 4 degrees of temperature.  There is a leaf for each day of the year and your color is determined by the high temperature of the day.    Since the three of us live from south Jersey to Florida it will be fun to see the different colors on our individual trees.   I hope to have, at minimum, the first three branches done by January.   After that, I will work on the tree one day a week adding the leaves for the week and working toward completing the branches.    I am stitching this on 28 count Color and Cotton Special Edition over one thread.   My tree may look more like a shrub when I am done.     The pattern is available from Stitchin’ Mommy on Etsy.  

Some happy arrivals are two pieces I had framed this month.    First up is Red Bird Sampler from With Thy Needle and Thread.    Stitched and finished in 2023 using the called for colors on 36 count fabric.

Second is Garden of Stitches from Samplers Not Forgotten.    This was the SAL with the DVHSG for 2022.   We started in February 2021 with a monthly schedule for completion by February 2022.  It was fully of specialty stitches and was enjoyable to work on.  I finished on schedule but never took the time to go to the framer.   DVHSG is doing the companion piece, Hummingbird,  as the 2024 SAL but I am passing on stitching that one.    It is pretty but as you have read I have a ton of stitching plans already!

Well that’s bring me up to date on what is happening in my town other than the trees growing taller.   Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching!

October 2023 Recap

Well could it be any wonder why I didn’t get much stitching done in October!?!   I just need to stay home now and again because stitching definitely does not happen at retreats!  But oh it is so nice to be with like minded friends.

For WIPGO, I have met the goal again!  I am going to be a definite participant again next year.  I have enjoyed the monthly challenges and met the all so far (jinx!).  My assignment for October was to work on a WIP, check.  I finished The Red Bird Sampler, from With Thy Needle and Thread - which in all honesty should have been done weeks ago.   Finished and at the framer already.

Doing this sampler has sparked me to want to work on more small samplers.   Maybe next will be Sally Spencer who is fully kitted and in my basket.

The other WIPGO assignment was to work on a class piece.    I put tiny amounts in two different pieces.   Dance of the Wildflowers Revisited, from Summer House Stitche Workes, 2022 Jamboree in OCMD class piece.    Basically I have one of the four sides completed. Forward progess is the important part.   

The second class piece is The Song Bird Signs from Blackbird Designs from Quilters Station in September 2023.   This is part of a SAL with my table mates from the retreat.   I fear I will be the one bringing up the rear on this piece but again forward progress is progress.  We check in the first of each month via Zoom so I have the weekend to get the leaf to the right of the bird stitched.

Crisp days and bright autumn colors are upon us and go ole pumpkin spice lattes.   The next few days will be unseasonably warm so I will be outside.  I do have a bunch of holiday season things I hope to work on in the next few weeks.   As always, the holidays seem to be here before we know it.   End of October until the end of the year always seems to be full of rushing to complete those things that have been on my drawing board all year.   One year, maybe, I will budget my time better!

I do have my Advent exchanges ready.   I swap boxes with four friends and each day of December we get to open a tiny gift.   Everything is bought and made, well, I should say started.   Some are wrapped, others are not.  It is fun to look forward to each morning in December to see what treasures await.

I hope you all are well and thanks for stopping by and most important, keep on stitching!

Ups and Downs, Part 3

First of all, I got a text while away that the electrical issue had been resolved.   Sub-standard gauge of wire was used 23 years ago and there were some wires under ground that, through the magic of their equipment, they found were still live.  They think that will the recent installation of pavers (and the use of the tamping machine) that the wire caps loosened. The electrician deactivated the line/s.   A simple solution by the professionals of an annoying and possibly dangerous problem.

At any rate, we needed to return to Corning to pick up our glass pumpkins.  They need 24 to 36 hours to cool so we navigated through Corning on the way home from Hobby House. I love my pumpkin albeit I had little to do with its creation except to provide the my hot air. 

As for the museum, we started with the contemporary gallery.   What’s thing?  Shelves of clear and colored glasses?  Much of the contemporary gallery had to do with perspective.

Until you look at them from another angle.

Even a little bird high up in the greenery.

 

I had to stand and look at this a minute or two before I realized the ever-changing surface of this piece was because it was a reflection.   The black dots are a concave reflection of me.  

It is made up of  thousands of reflective tiles at all angels.  As I moved, the reflection changed.

More contemporary pieces….

The glass ‘blob’ on the pedestal rotated.  As it rotated the silhouette of the woman cast on the wall changed from that of a child to an older woman.   Like an age progression. 

Beautiful butterfly chandelier

This appears to be a fancy pants Mr. Coffee pot!  LOL

Something for everyone’s style and taste.

Unforetunately, there was a problem with the displays.   Perhaps because as a needleworker we are always conscious about sunlight damage and therefore use the non-reflectvie museum glass for displays and framing.  Not having to worry about the sun ruining the glass, the glare and reflectiveness of the items on display was kind of annoying to me.  

Glass mosiac

 

There were great  working studios to watching.   Not only was there a narrator to tell us what was going on, there were large screen monitors to be able to see up close and personal was the artisans were doing.  

This is actually from a camera view of the inside of the kiln.

We watched as this crafter created a glass bear.

From the beginnings to current day.    

Making a packaging champagne bottles.

 Gaffers above and solar panels below.   We did spend the afternoon walking through the Gaffer District in Corning.   About 8 blocks of shops, restaurants, bars and coffee shops.

Glass insert in shutters.  I can only imagine the sun light shining through them.

Tools used to etch and cut glass.

Punch bowl from 1904.  It is the largest American Cut Glass Punch Bowl, 50 pounds of glass was cut away to create this 12 gallon punch bowl.   The punch bowl was made to Tiffany and retailed for $3,000   Boy, I wouldn’t want to be the one to have to move it or clean it!

This chest is an example of the reverse painting that we just learned about at the retreat.

This lady just made me smile.

Cameo Glass

More my type of glass, Arts and Crafts period.  

And stained glass

Paperweights

A large commemorative of the Liberty Bell created in 1905 by the Frye Company of Rochester for the Lewis and Clark Exposition.   It remained on display in Portland, Oregon the 1930’s.

Good old Ball and Mason jars.

Glass beads - beading

 

Goblets and wine glasses

Medicine vials

Perfume bottles

Pyrex.   In the early 1900’s Corning Glass Works developed a borosilicate glass that could withstand extreme heat and cold without breaking. It was used it in battery jars and railroad lanterns. The strength meant battery jars and lanterns no longer broke and needed replacing.  A woman named Bessie Littleton, who was married to Corning scientist Jesse Littleton, found it another way to use this heat resistant glass.  After her earthenware baking dish cracked in her hot oven, Bessie asked Jesse to bring home a battery jar for her to experiment with. The sponge cake Bessie baked in the jar turned out perfectly, and the jar stayed intact. This sent Corning down a new path: cookware. In 1915, the company launched its first Pyrex line (Pyrex combined "pie" and "Nonex") with 12 pieces, including pie plates and a loaf pan.

Soon after, many advertisers were eager to promote this revolutionary glass which resisted to cold and high temperatures, and most of the American households were rapidly equipped with Pyrex® transparent roasters and casseroles.

For some time during the 30’s and 40’s there were actually a group of women who worked onsite at Corning in the “Pyrex Kitchen” where they were design, sample and use pieces that could be added to the collection.

Owen’s-Corning

From the kitchen to the rafters.   Owen’s Corning was founded in the 1930’s when Corning Glass and Owen’s Illinois created a partnership.  They developed and produce insulation, roofing and fiberglass composites.  IN 1938, they became a separate company with its headquarters in Toledo, OH.    They are the world’s largest manufacturer of fiberglass components.  Currently employing about 19,000 people worldwide.

If you managed to make it this far, thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching.