May's a coming

May is just around the corner.    I have got lots accomplished in the yard and with stitching.  I don't know what is going on but the yard work this spring seemed a lot easier.   I feel like I am missing something.   I have one foundation bed at the back of the house and my vegetable garden yet to do as well as the ongoing back 40 project.  I am enjoying all the daffodils that have come up as a result of my plantings last fall.

1.  Dogwood not looking too good due to a recent hard frost.  2. Tulips - I need to order some more tulip bulbs for fall plant this year.  3. Not a fan of hyacinths but do love me some English Woods Hyacinths.  4. Tons of daffodils coming up out back.   I can refresh the vase of cut ones every couple of days and still have a ton left in the yard.  

Keeping up my streak of being in OCMD each month of 2022, I WAS to go to OCMD for 5 days mid-April.   Alas, my daughter-in-law came down with COVID (Yes, she has been vaccinated and got the booster) and I had spend the day with her the day before she tested positive.  I just felt the responsible thing to do was to stay home.   I seem to always be busier than a one-armed paper hanger so I had been looking forward to the downtime.  You know when you are home there is always some task calling you, clothes to be folded, dishes to do, closets to clean, gardens to weed......  

I had kitted up some small kits and WIPs to take to OCMD. Again, I have no defensible reasoning behind how any of us think we can accomplish so much stitching at a retreat.….but I digress.  So to smooth myself since I had to stay home, I rewarded my little old self with a start on AUTUMN SKIES by HOD.   I pulled the called for DMC and then switched them out with comparable over-dyed.  Not too far in I ran amok.   When I completed the second row of 3 pumpkins I realized I placed the pumpkins in columns rather than staggering them.    No frogging for me.  I decided to go with it.    

I finished COZY INTO WINTER from Jeannette Douglas Designs.   I love the colors in this one.   I stitched on a 32 count mystery fabric that had a little sparkle in it.   I changed out the row of quilt stars from white to the yellow because the white did not show up on the fabric.  JDD’s has companion pieces for the other seasons.  I haven’t purchased them….yet.

Still needing some instant gratification, I picked up this little zip bag that was in my ADVENT EXCHANGE this past Christmas.  Stitched this up in less than an afternoon!

I had fallen behind 4 weeks with my i-Stitch BAND SAMPLER and although not caught up, I am not falling any further behind which is some kind of plus.    It’s that time of the year, when I am outside more than in.   We had a rainy week which coincided with my week of self isolation so I was able to make some notable progress on all my WIPs.  Obviously I am not a monogamous stitcher  but I'm trying to devote all of my stitching time to band sampler so I can get caught up.  This week's assignment is not so stitch intensive so if I can get last week done, I might have a chance to be on target again.

I also made progress on RED FEBRUARY from Sassy Jack’s before deciding to put this one aside for a bit.  

Next weekend we celebrate William’s 6th birthday!  Where has the time gone?   He recently had a 3 day sleep over at Damma's and we did all the fun things from blueberry pancakes to ice cream to dying Easter Eggs.   Life is so good with little boy hugs in it.   He asked me to make him Pokémon pillows for him which is again something to take me away from stitching time.

1.  How pastel sidewalk chalk turned this color I don't know.  Just like I don't know how it got on his face and not the sidewalk.  2. Jumping on the neighbors trampoline  3. Dying Easter Eggs  4. and 5. The mess I am making trying to create the pillow he asked for! Pattern created, templates made, fabric cut and now to appliqué the pieces.

And just to make sure I give them equal time, Miss Raegan ready to ride her scooter on a recent Damma Day.   I found out later than I had her dressed in her PJ's all day.......oh well.  

I’ve got lots coming up in the next couple of weeks that is going to keep my away from stitching but it is good stuff.  More on that next time.

Where would we be without the love of our needlework to work on in our downtime to smooth our souls?   And the love of a good book as well.   I recently finished NIGHT ROAD by Kristin Hannah and ESCAPE by David Baldacchi.   I gave both 5 starts.   I am currently reading BEYOND THE CRUSHING WAVES by Lillian Mirren while I wait for Book 19 of the BREGDAN CHRONICLES series.  

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

October Recap

October started off with a great online Zoom Retreat with Acorns and Threads.   The designers were Hands on Design, Summer House Stitch Workes, and Ink Circles.   As often happens the three designers worked together to create a set of complimentary pieces.  Three of us met each day at my house with each of us covering the meal for one day.   We had more food and more snacks and treats and wine than should be allowed.  It was great; my pieces aren't stitched, but the weekend was very enjoyable.  

My week in Ocean City, MD began with Jamboree at Salty Yarns.   Three great teachers with great projects.   Lots of great goodies.

I have finished the stitching for the Catherine Theron piece.   I love the version of a backwards chain stitch we learned and plan to use it in future finishing. Pay no mind to the bottom right stitched section of the linen…..I miscounted and had plenty of fabric to start again rather than frog.  If I can't count to 2, why do I think I could count to 37?

Lobsta Roll

My 10 days in OCMD was fabulous.  I ate too much, bought too much, didn't stitch nearly as much I as I thought I would.  Why did I take 6 projects with me?

I told the girls way ahead of time I would be the winner of the coveted who-spent-the-most-trophy and.....I wasn't!    I knew I wanted the Betsy Morgan book, Willing Hands 2.   It is another beautifully done book filled with her great projects.

And I knew I needed a new water bottle.  $$$ spent and not even on patterns or supplies.  I had to get Plum Street, The Gather Inn.   I liked this pattern the minute I saw it.  Among the other patterns,   I bought a couple of Christmas patterns knowing I need more Christmas patterns like a hole in the head.   I plan to take Christmas Rules to Asheville Retreat next month.   I think it will be an easy stitch.  And of course, once home I started it.  

My stitching friends and I decided to stitch My Lasting Friendship sampler from Blackbird Designs as a SAL. 

  I liked the idea but didn't want to get wrapped up in another big sampler SAL.   I decided to stitch the central cartouche where all the initials are stitched.   The fabric is from Fabric on a Whim called Milk and Honey.  I did not have ONE of the called for Classic Colorworks fibers and used the WDW alternatives.

I have never done punch needle and I took my supplies from a kit I had. Diane gave me a lesson.  Not the best job but super easy, super fast and really a no brainer.  Another good thing for working on in the evenings when the eyes are tired.  And of course, courtesy of Amazon, a 7-inch and 10-inch Morgan Frame set was waiting for me when I arrived back home.  

I stitched up this small design from Prim Stitchers Society for my upcoming retreat in North Carolina.  If you stitch and bring the piece, Carolina Stitcher will turn it into a beautiful project bag for you.    

I took all my un-bobbinated DMC floss and managed to get it all wound.  All were entered into my X-Stitch ap.  Can you believe with all those that only three were not already in my stash.  Nonetheless, it is good to have all the random skeins wound.   Now to squeeze them into my floss storage drawers.

One day we went consignment/junk shopping.    I am a small purse kinda gal and got this pretty cross body bag for under $20.   I quickly put it into use.  I also bought the white frame, the box of buttons and the thimble.

It was about time to buy an OCMD thimble to add to my collection.

For evenings, I took along tons of cut hexies and the templates.  It was easy to assembly a bunch of them in three-piece sections.   These can now be attached to the quilt-top that I left at home.   Still a long way from being done but getting there little by little.

We have all sorts of weather from gorgeous sunrises to a cold front rolling through.     

Photo courtesy of B. Matthews on Instagram.

I am also super happy to report that I am done with Winter Rose Manor.  Finally.....the last section I worked on seemed to require a lot of frogging and take forever.   This was stitched with only three changes.   I used 38 count Legacy Linen in Heron Grey instead of the called for linen.  I substituted WDW Sanquine for Woodrose because of availability.   I also changed the colors in the large female cardinal.   The called for colors were so close there was no difference.  I really did enjoy stitching this one.   I (for whatever reason??) started on the right hand side which meant stitching the house first.   Once it was done, it was easy sailing.  I hope to get a frame made by the first of the year and up for display during the winter months.

So that's it for me.   The list of things to do in November is already started.  I can hardly believe it is time to finally start packing for Prim Stitchers Society Retreat!   

Thanks for stopping by, stay safe and keep on stitching.

Apologies......

I have no excuses.   I blame online filing of taxes and bill payment; I blame retirement; and perhaps the current situation of the world for not knowing what day it is.

Without further ado, the winner of the Cross Stitch Nation Pattern is Rose Heck.   Rose, please email me your address at RED1974@hotmail.com. and I will get this pattern in the mail to you as soon as possible.

I have finish to share.    This is Blackbird Designs Easter Parade.   I stitched this from stash and substituted several of the colors - which as I stitched, I didn't like and then substituted yet again.   But a finish is a finish.    As I look at it, I am rethinking the peach colored tulip.    I'll have to think on it for a while.

More yard work in my future today.   Mr. Wonderful has found the yard.   It is a new discovery for him.   Until now it is something you walk across to get to the garage.   He has been an incredibly big help to me as we are ripping  out ground cover.   With his help, in a morning we can get more done what I would in a week.  We have two patches left and should be able to eradicate at least one today.

The weather is beautiful today and the laundry is in the basket already to hang.   Going enjoy the outside weather today before the rain comes back tomorrow.   

Have a great day, stay safe and keep on stitching.

More chocolates

I must be on a sweet tooth roll.  This is something I stitched this years ago.   I am not quite sure but I think it was a Little House Needleworks chart.   I had the vision to make it into a box of candy.  

Before I started to assemble it, I decided to backstitch the pink border as well as each chocolate piece. I got the mat board cut, I then wrapped it with fabric for both the inner and outer box and then stitched the box pieces together.  I cut layers and layers and more layers of batting and laced the stitched piece over the batting with a mat board base.  

All that was left to do was to put it in place with some acid-free double-sided table.  Not my best finishing job but from the top of the bridge it is ok.  

 But more important, one less unfinished finish in my completed projects baskets.  

Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching!