April 2024

Lately, I have been posting around the 25th of the month.   This month I am early.  I have an extra babysitting assignment tomorrow and Wednesday I head out of town for four days, so I post today and take another thing off my to-do list.

Fortunately, the rain seems to have slowed down before we needed to launch the kayaks!   I can’t believe how as I drive through the county there are soooooo many yards still with standing water.   In the first week of April we got more rain than we average for the entire month.   This made it hard to get my hands in the dirt since everything was so soggy. On the brighter side, it wasn’t snow!   

Another successful month of stitching.   Yeah WIPGO!    First up, my assignment was to finish 3 of the remaining 6 months for Year of Celebration from Hands on Design.   All three stitched and fully finished by the 15th of the month!   I counted them as one assignment done since they are part of a bigger project.  These help in the justification for having stash because it has been fun to ‘shop’ my stash for fabric, trims and buttons to do the finishing.

I managed to squeeze in this name tag.   Our EGA President’s Challenge for 2024 is to create a chapter name tag.    Going with the theme for the needlebook I made in February, I stitched this up in time to wear at our 50th Anniversary Dinner.  

 The other WIPGO assignment was to finish a wool candle mat I stitched last summer.   Again, a tiny amount of time required to move this from the WIP side of the list to the completed side of the list. I had finished all the way up to attaching the backing.    Well it seems, like as I often do, I charged ahead with the appliqué all higgly-piggly…….only to find that it didn’t fit the pre-cut backing.   So I put in down and walked away from it.    When I was making my 2024 WIPGO board I wanted to focus on things that had gone stagnant  and this one was an immediate contender.   All I needed to do was look through my supply of wool (which of course I have) and find a piece big enough and an afternoon I was done.   That makes 9 WIP’s done so far this year!   Hip hip hooray!   I am on a mission.  

And I hope you are all sitting down, I will have completed the wallpaper removal by the end of the day today.   I only have about a 2 foot by 3 foot section to finish up.  It only took about eighteen hours spread out over a couple of weeks.    Most of the walls are scrubbed of any glue.  Just need to get the paint!   It was a messy job.  Who knew 30 years ago I was so good at putting up wallpaper.    I missed the boat on finding the ex-Air Force man that likes yard work and DIY projects.  But such is life….better yet, another job that has been plaguing me makes me grateful.   

I have kept on track with my Temperature Tree.   We have such a mild winter that some weeks the colors are not varying as much as I thought they would.  This tree is still meeting expectations.  Adding the leaves is so easy to do that I only work on this every other Sunday. 

I have made, pat myself on the back, progress on my French Alphabet Sampler.   This is my 2024 Leap Year BAP (Big Awesome Project) SAL.   I calculated I need to stitch 52 x 70 stitches or 1/4 of a pattern page, each month to stay on track to be done by February 29, 2028.    I know I could jinx myself by being all impressed with my current pace is putting me ahead of schedule.   I am almost done page one of the chart and mayhaps by April 29th I will have it completed!   Trust me, I know come November and December there will be little stitching time so to be a bit ahead right now is good.    I am looking forward to when I can get to the personalizations.

 

 

I did manage to get garden beds and my vegetable garden ready to plant. The veggie garden is raised beds so it wasn’t soggy to work on.   I hope to not get bored with it like I did last year when the  heat of the summer gets too much.   I still need to power wash the deck and to get all the deck furniture out and cleans. For the rest of the yard, I plan to add some plantings to existing beds where things are looking sparse.    I want to add a forsythia to anchor a property line bed and then maybe put in a couple of peonies for some spring color, or maybe Burning Bush.  I think I will round it out with some moonbeam coreopsis in purple to naturalize and fill the area from June to September with lavender colored blooms,   Maybe some Dianthas.   Due to mulching and remulching by landscapers, I have lost my grape hyacinths and some tulips.  And then there is the Back 40 Project. It is another project that come hell or high water, I mean to get done this spring.   I have managed some time and I am getting the final stage closer to completion so I will only have maintenance going forward.    Can you hear that?    I am laughing out loud at myself!    A gardener, like a stitcher, is never done with their projects.  And just to reinforce that concept, I’ve already sent my order into Breck’s for a fall bulb delivery!   

I am heading to for Lancaster County mid-week.  I am making a one-day stitch-in in Strasburg into a 4-day get away with fellow stitchers.    I have such an affinity for Lancaster County, PA.   Lots of shopping, strolling, antiquing, good food, good friends and stitching will be done.   

May is pretty much an open calendar, again I laugh at myself.  I have plans to spruce up and pick up the yard.   I’ve got a summer outside crafting idea but I refuse to start it until I wrap up some House and Garden WIPs!     I hope to be able to start my ‘special’ project in June and spend afternoons on the deck working on it.  More to cone on this one as long as I am successful in completing sone projects in May.

Thanks for stopping by and …..keep on stitching.

March 2024

In my rear view mirror, March was another packed month for me.      I was babysitting for a week while my D-in-L was in New Orleans for work.   I knew thought after the morning rush - think Mr. Mom and Michael Keaton!! - I would have from 10 to 2:30 each day to devote to dishes, walking the dog, laundry and crafting before the mayhem started again. But somehow the days flew by with errands and such and not much stitching going in.     And guess what I came home with?   Not the germ balls from the kiddos, but from my son.   Nasty head cold that kicked my butt for about 3 or 4 days.  All better now but it was the 14th of the month in the blink of an eye and nothing was getting scratched off my to do list. 

I can’t believe how I let a week at my son’s and 3 days down with a cold put me so behind the 8-ball.   Don’t get me wrong, I love being with the kiddos.   But take for instance, medications….half the time I didn’t remember to take my thyroid pill and forgot the vitamins completely.   They were all packed in the little 7-day pill container but…..a lunchbox crisis, a dog that needed to go out, a bus to catch…..you get the picture.   I just totally need to stop the stressing about the chores at home.   There is no prize for being the one who gets it all done.  Oh contraire’ my friends,  I’ve learned that as you cross things of that to-do list, other things fill in those empty spaces.    

I made it an “A” priority to FINALLY finish my 100 Days/100 Blocks quilt.   It wasn’t that hard to do.   I just needed to commit to doing it.    Of course I had great plans to do this at my son’s but alas somehow for this last block I didn’t have all the fabric pieces with me at my son’s.  

  

But now, all blocks completed, sashing done and ready to be long armed!

Both February WIPGO’s were completed in February!  I have been shuffling the WIPGO assignments as necessary to fit what I know my schedule will be for the month ahead.   WIPGO is sure helping me cross off items on the list!  Two more WIP’s done and off the list.   That’s 6 down and 18 to go.  Even thought I actually need to add four more ‘found’ WIP’s to the list I am still counting myself successful.  I have picked the easiest to complete first to help that list of WIP’s go down. 

Merry Little Christmas from Willow Tree Samplings.   My WIPGO ‘assignment’ was to stitch seven hours on it.  Being monogamous I saw how much progress was made with just seven hours dedicated stitching so I kept going until completion!

Barnwood Buttons from Rosewood Manor.   The fabric is a much prettier blue than it appears here.  Again, by concentrating only on this, it was easy to take from half done to completion!

I have already ordered the frames for both.  

March WIPGO’s  were smaller WIP’s.    First, a Ukrainian motif bookmark.   This was an EGA project.

Second was this pumpkin pattern from Fat Quarter Shop which will make a perfect fall pillow.  

I have crossed off enough that I gave myself permission to have a new start.  I joined the Leap Year SAL on FB.   My pick is the French Alphabet Sampler.   I had this designed for me as a retirement present to myself in 2020 and held off starting it because it is a biggie.  Family names and initials are embedded in the alphabets.   It is 411 x 411 and I am stitching it on 37 count PTP Fog.   I can’t promise it will be done but it will be closer to finish than it is now.   My monthly assignment is 50 x 70 stitches and I am  there for March.      

I also made catching up on my Temperature Tree an “A” list item.     I was so focused on getting Barnwood Buttons done for my February WIPGO that for most of the month I only recorded temperatures.   I caught up a week’s worth at a time over several sittings.   I was going to stitch the entire following month branch first but I am trying a new tact, stitching what I need each week.   I had to frog the March branch as I placed it one stitch closer to the February branch than it should have been.   I was having to compensate all the leaves on the top of the February branch and then I knew I would have to compensate all the lower leaves on the March branch.   Ugh, if only I could count better.     IDK.    Again the game playing with my assignments.  

Weather is warming and I know I will be spending more time outside so stitching may not be so plentiful.   I still am counting myself as a winner with 6 projects already done and out of the formidable WIP basket.

As always, thank you for stopping by my little corner of the world.  And, keep on stitching.

February 2024

Before the end of January, I did manage to eke out one of my January WIPGO’s.  I actually was doing the hand-stitching sitting at the airport gate on my way to Tennessee.   The WIPGO assignment was to fully finish the Civil War Huswif from Needlemade Designs.   Parts were a little tricky and seams not are so straight but I say it makes it more authentic to Civil War times.  That’s my story and I am sticking to it. 

The kit included a website to research family members who may have been in the Civil War.  Instead, I added my grandson’s name and 1st Pennsylvania as the first grandchild and he lives in PA.

The beginning of February found me in Tennessee at my friend Diane’s.  Her EGA Region has a great retreat so a couple of years ago I joined the Knoxville Chapter so I could attend.   It makes for a nice excuse to visit Diane for a week and as a side bonus, to attend the retreat in Carson Springs.    They always have little projects to do for us.  The first one I did was this needlebook.  The design had a pineapple on it for their 50th Anniversary.  I talked to the gal that was in charge of the project and told her it was my Chapter’s 50 Anniversary as well and wondered if I could modify her design to fit my Chapter.…..by all means she said.   Thank you Jennifer to all the leg work.  She even had books with motifs to choose from.     Stitched and finished in an afternoon, my kind of project. I am pleased with how it turned out.

The other class I took was a peyote beading class with Judi T of the Knoxville Chapter.   I have only done peyote once before so I was slow but I was able to start and finish this pen cover in one day.

For the month of February I  got so much stitching done that I cannot believe it.  It is all due to 7 days stitching at Diane’s.  I finished these two beaded hearts for Hearts for Hospice that my EGA is doing.

I put in 7 hours - my February WIPGO assignment - on Merry Little Christmas from Willow Tree Designs.  It was going so well that I continued stitching until finished.   It doesn’t show up here but this is stitched on a pretty green, Vintage Willow.

I put my WIPGO required 7 hours on my other February project, Rosewood Manor’s Barnwood Buttons.    And again, since it was going so good, I just keep stitching to get it done.   Since many of us don’t like how our stitches with white look, I gave DMC Floche a try.   Jury is out still on the Floche.  This landed in the WIP pile because I didn’t like the weight and feel of the fabric.  The color, which doesn’t show up, is a  pretty blue.   Instead of working in hand, I put this in one of my Nurge hoops.  I recently got rid of all my Q-Snaps and replaced them with a set of 4 sizes of Nurges which I am liking.  Getting rid of the Q-snaps also freed up from space!

I have all the verse in.  Just a few more flower stems and the rest of the border under the verse.  I know I can get this down by the end of the month.

I just had to get the buttons I have been saving out to ‘play’ with them.

I finished my SAL from the Blackbird Designs from a last September class in Kansas City.  It is designed to finish as a Huswif but I don’t know.  I am toying with adding rosebuds to the upper corners and framing it…..but for now it is a finish and off the WIP list.   Fully finishing is a whole other endeavor.

All these finishes lead me to check out and prioritize my WIPS.  I had 24.  I didn’t include class pieces; that is a rabbit hole I am not going down.   I have more than several projects kitted and I am anxious to start more than a couple.   Then there is always a new great must-have pattern that comes along.  Thankfully nothing from the Nashville Market has swayed me so far.   I made a pact with myself - six WIP’s done before I think about a new start.  Considering my progress on Barnwood Buttons, I am close to four down so far in 2024.    I have a guild class in April, a stitching cruise in September and a Retreat in November and each will involve a new start, another reason to stay away from my stash of kitted projects.   

Perusing my own WIP parade lead me to my word of the year.   I decided on MONOGAMOUS.   Now let’s not get excited here, there is nothing nefarious going on.    Doing WIPGO last year I realized what many of you already know……you get more done if you just stick to one project.  Dare I add that stitching is not the only non-monogamous sector in my life?   Take the bathroom curtains I made a few years back - still not hemmed. They have been on the list 4-ever right next to the infamous wall paper removal project from I am not saying when.  Or that 100 day quilt I got all the way to Day 93 and stopped!  My projects seem to be a lot like my stitching.   I am gung-ho to start with and then something new and shiny comes my way or I need something new to work on to have the vim and vigor I feel at the beginning of a project.   I seem to have no willpower to be able to stick to a job until it is finished. If I were to look up “side-track” in Webster’s Dictionary it would be no surprise if there were a reference me as a real life example.   The worse part is this jumping from job-to-job usually happens when I am about 85% finished.   Obviously I am project-oriented and not completion-oriented.  For stitching I’d like to get down to maybe four ongoing projects.   One you carry with you, one you cannot carry due to size or difficulty, one that is easy on the eyes and the last, an obligation stitch.   For household projects, my delinquent culprits are on the list AGAIN this year and I really hope I can get my act together and they are not arrowed-over on the calendar to re-appear next  year.   So monogamous it is for me.   Not sure how well that would be received as a pillow so I am won’t even try! And I am even more sure that while this sounds like such a good plan and I have even intention of carrying out it, I know me and I may very well stray from my good intentions.  

Somehow, Miss Raegan turned 4 years old in February.  Wow, where does the time go!   Below is the day we had a tea-party in her family room.  She insisted we use her teeny tiny cups and plates from her kitchen.  All decked out in her favorite princess dress and her jewelry.   She is a trip.  I think a real life trip to a tea house is in our future.

Until next time, I will try to stay a monogamous stitcher.  Check the comments with each post to see my reply to your comments!   Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching!

January 2024 Update

Can you believe we are writing 2024?  I mean, many of us remember  Y2K….

For this new year I may jump on the band wagon of choosing a word for the year.   I am just not sure what my word will be.  I might choose SIMPLIFY.   Hmm, PRIORITY comes to mind, MODERATION as well, and BALANCE.  I need to simplify my life by managing what I commit myself to. It all sounds good when I say “Sure, I’m in!”    It is not all needlework related which may be surprising.   It may be helping my sister with a project, helping a friend with a quilt, or another friend with her garden, saying yes to a girl’s night out, jumping to help on a fundraiser and yes, agreeing to join in on a project, a retreat or an SAL.     I WANT to do everything;   every stitching weekend, girls weekend or event.  It always sounds so good when I first say yes and then…… I believe that of all the things I have to offer, my time is the most valuable thing I can give which puts me in this quandary.    Definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome…..I guess it makes be insanely creative and giving.   And I guess that is not totally a bad way to be…..  As I type I feel like trying to find balance is a recurring theme this time of year for me….the need to balance stitching, yard, chores, friends and life.  Maybe my word should be REPEAT!  I’ll have to think on this word of the year a bit……at least, in this instance,  I am not jumping in head over heels with looking before I leap!   

For January, most of my stitching time has been dedicated to what I call “obligation” stitching.  It sounded like such a great idea to agree to doing a Blessings Sampler SAL.   I did it with both feet in and needle and thread in hand.    The concept is to stitch a piece, not necessarily a sampler, with a stitch count of at least 100 in one direction.   I choose - or rather agreed to  - to stitch 1889 Alphabets by Needlework Press.   Stitch count if 436 by 40.   I calculated I needed to stitched 15 columns of the pattern each day to finish on time.  Sounds doable right?    Some days, I spend more time sleeping with a hoop in hand than I do stitching!    I had my doubts that I could manage to finish this in January and so I am pleasantly surprised.   Stitched on 28 count over one thread with the called for DMC colors.

I had a plan on how to fully finish it but now that I am at that point, I am not so sure. 

I  completely neglected WIPGO this month until this weekend but I am not beating myself up over it.   One of my assignments was to fully finish the Civil War Huswif from NeedleMade Designs.   I  started this weekend to prep for  hand assembling.  I hope to get the outside prepped leaving me with just the attachment of the twill tape by hand.   Good airport work!   I know I will be able to fit in work the other number called over the next 11 months.  

Back to Camp WannaStitch in OCMD.   It is always a good weekend.   I think this must be the 10th year I have attended this EGA event.   No classes, just seeing old friends and meeting new ones.   This year there was a mix up with tables and four first-timers didn’t have a place to sit together on the second morning.   Robin to the rescue.   We happened to have four empty chairs.   It was nice to meet Barb, Sue, Karen and Barbara.   We found we had mutual friends, mutual interests, and much laughter ensued.   One even has a Floss Tube channel.  They will now be our table mates every year going forward.  

For progress this month, I got a fair bit accomplished on The Sweet Birds Sing from Blackbird Designs.  My goal is to be completed by May 1st and I know I will beat that deadline.    With dedicated stitching time coming this week, I might even be able to finish while in Tennessee.

My year long SAL is almost a month in.  The Temperature Tree, adding a leaf daily with the floss color based on the high temperature of the day.   Mid-month I also got extra stitching time in while I had four days of  babysitting.  Once the kiddos were in school and pre-school, I had from about 10 to 2:30 to chill until it was time to start the afternoon pick-up run.     I laugh at myself, I thought, I would get stitching time in but then there was snow, violin lessons, virtual learning and you get the picture.    I have to add the leaves from last week and still have the rest of the branches to stitch.  I am debating about packing it  to go to Tennessee as well.  It will depend on how much room is available in my suitcase.

Tomorrow I am taking off for Tennessee.    I am going to Chattanooga to stay with a friend for a week.   During that time we will head to Knoxville for a 4 day EGA retreat.  This will be the second year I have attended.   It is a great time both with Diane, Pat and with the Knoxville EGA.  

As always, thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching.  

Reading 2023

I didn’t read - or honestly listen to - as many books as last year but I am still reading/listening at a great pace.   Maybe if I were not a seamstress in a former life, I was an archivist or I was a Librarian!

Shortest book - Always With You, 145 pages

Longest book - The Castle of Kings, 656 pages

Here are some favorites books of 2023.     

First, I fell in love with David Baldachi again this year and, new to me, Harlan Coben.      I read some popular books like Lessons in Chemistry - anxious to watch the movie as well as the Boys in the Boat movie which was also an excellent read several years ago.

I read Spare due to the affection so many of us have for the monarchy.   It was well written but being a true fan of the Queen and Royal Family……

I think the best books of the year, in no particular order have to be

The Day the World Came to Gander  - I was amazed, I was in awe, I cried, I had my faith in humanity restored.   5 stars for sure  

Coal River by Ellen Marie Wiseman - The author had the ability to take me to the horrors and corruption of working in  the coal mines of western PA.  It hit home because  my father ran away from his home in in Western PA, in the 1920’s at the end of  his senior year of high school….nothing to look forward to but working in the mines.  

The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler - Not a new book but still enjoyable.

The German Wife, by Debbie Rix - Always a sucker for World War II stories, this is s story about the wife of a concentration camp doctor who’s husband would not divulge was he was doing.   How it lead to their divorce and her subsequent immigration to America and her life post WW2.

Tiffany Girls, Shelley Noble - Light, entertaining reading with a bunch of history about Tiffany Glass.   

A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan - This is not on my best books read list but rather the most disturbing book read list.   I heard a recommendation for this book on a podcast that I listen to, The Book Case (Charlie Gibson and his daughter Kate).   This book was most upsetting because it was true.  It focuses on the KKK and the corruption rampant throughout the local as well as high up in the state government in Indiana in the  1920’s.

So when you are not stitching, keep on reading!