August Days

I did it!  I finished my i-Stitch Band Sampler, the 2022 Denim Band Sampler.   I used Gloriana’s Bellagio with some coordinating solids for highlighting some motifs.    I enjoyed the SAL but I am glad it is over.   Some weeks it seemed this was all I had time to stitch on.    Thank you Joan B. for the idea on how to display it.    I can now roll it this way or that to showcase different sections.

I think I should have pressed it!

My grandson stayed with me for a week which left little time for stitching but we did all the fun things.  A couple or three days we logged about 6 hours of pool time each day, we did night swimming and watched the bats come out.   I took him to his first movie in a theatre, Minions, Gru.   We went to the County Fair and did the bounce house, petted piglets, sheep and cows, fed cows, watched tractor pulls, had cotton candy and rode a horse.  Second night, more feeding the animals and watching Pig Scramble and Mutton Busting.  Squeals of delight from a little boy and squeals of distress from the piggies and sheep.  One day we tie dyed tee-shirts.  We saw fireworks and last but not least, we went to a local winery and saw Uncle Choo Choo playing at an open mike night.  (Yes, children were permitted - Pop pop had a fit thinking I was taking him to a bar…..🤦🏽‍♀️ )

I've done some work on my hexagon quilt.   It was the only thing I could stitch on when William was here.  I’m pretty happy with the progress.   I am not so optimistic that I will finish by the end of September but I definitely feel like I am in the homestretch.  I have the length I want; just need to finish adding to the width.

I fully finished the folding book from my Guild’s 20th anniversary celebration in May.   

Trying for some quick rewards and wanting to wrap up a small UFO, I stitched and finished the a blackwork flag from an EGA meeting.  I stitched this over one rather than as charted.   I want to go back and restitch it as charted.  I'll have an ornament and a small pillow.

Sometime during the month I had to take an honest look at the basket of projects for 2022.   I mean what was I thinking when I pulled out like 30 projects to work on in 2022?   For sure I do not have a basement sweat shop of stitchers helping me.   Heck, I don't even HAVE a basement.  Six projects going back in the basket after purging.  As for the other,  I took back upstairs and put away and threw them on the bed.

 

I came across this piece when I was cleaning up my UFO basket and I decided to work on finishing it.   The word "stocking" is the halfway point. 

And of all things, I stated a new quilt project with my sister.   100 blocks in 100 days from Gnome Angel.   So far so good.  Each daily block only takes ten to 15 minutes each morning.   Having the blocks cut ahead of time has proven to being the key to keeping on track.  I have been getting together with my sister one day a week and we spend it cutting our upcoming quilt blocks.

My approach to machine sewing turns out to be the same as my cross stitch.....several projects going at once.   This 100 blocks/100 days challenge  has put me in the mood  to spend extra time each morning with the sewing machine.  I picked up the red white and blue quilt that I started last year and I am stitching up a block every other morning.  30 of the 36 6-inch blocks are now done.  Soon I will be cutting out and stitching the 12-inch blocks.

This could be unprecedented!  I might actually complete two quilt tops!  I am considering sending them out to be long-armed.   Otherwise they will just sit in a pile ……..truth be told, for years.

August did bring a good ten days of low humidity days and cool nights.   It was a joy to have the AC off and the windows opened again if even for just a week.  

And then, I’ve done a bad thing……When I was at Hobby House in July, I met Jackie DuPlessis.   Between meeting her and seeing her class projects as well as the beautiful pieces from stitcher's Show and Tell, I was feeling the need to take a "Jackie Class".   It wasn't even a Bucket List item for me.  Just so happens, there were some openings at Salty Yarns in September and I signed up.   I just hope I don’t become addicted to her pieces and if so,  can hold myself to one class a year with Jackie.    I really went back and forth on signing up.   I kept thinking of all the patterns, kits and class pieces that are already tucked away upstairs.   By my calculations, I have to fully finish 1.5 projects each and every month for the next 20 years and NOT buy anything new, to be close to exhausting all my stash.  But I signed up anyway.  Yikes!   Maybe it is time for another sort/purge of charts for sale.  Oy!

I know it seems like I've done a lot but it has been a month since my last post.  I don't want to stop blogging and for now monthly posts rather than weekly ones are working well for me.  

Hope everything in your neck of the woods is going well.   Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching.

Scissors Block

Here are some pix of my steps for on my rendition of the scissors block project for my guild.    I debated on how to approach the challenge and came up with using perforated paper - I have no idea where this bolt of inspiration came from.   

I stained the wooden block with two coats of stain and then painted the block with a cream color paint.   My intention was to distress the corners and allow the stain to show through. 

I had no expectation on winning a prize but did enjoy the challenge of being creative.   To see what some of the others did and be amazed by, check out the other blog I maintain - Delaware Valley Historic Sampler Guild. 

Next I picked sewing/stitching motifs from Donna Kooler's 555 Country Cross Stitch Patterns book. 











Now on to stitching.    I found some great tips on the internet and  mounted the paper on stretcher bars which allowed for stitching without me dog earring and bending the paper.

Why is the creative workspace seldom a tidy workspace?

A last minute brainstorm - stitch each side to brown felt and glue the felt to the sides.

Any port in the storm when I needed to apply pressure while the glue dried.  

My finished scissors block.  It was a fun challenge and I think I would do it again.   Especially since I have seen all the good ideas of my other guild members!

Decisions

and the overlooking of the obvious straying from my resolve....

We have a Guild Project going and ~remember~ I proclaim Guild Projects and Class Projects exempt from my resolve to not start anything new ..... I  can justify most anything stitch related....

We have been challenged with designing a scissors block.   One member's spouse lovingly made the blocks and it is up to us to finish.   No limits:  paint, stain, mod-podge, bead, cover.    I decided to use perforated paper.   Other than a Mill Hill kit a lifetime ago, I have not worked with perforated paper.  I was glad I was astute enough to do a little internet research first.    First tip/best tip - cut your paper larger/much larger and mount on stretcher bars to stitch.  Great tip!

But then there is the stitching.    I picked several motifs and have been stitching and outlining and frogging to get just the right look and the right color combinations.     I can't decide if I wish to use a different motif on each side or to use the scissors motif in different colors on each side.     In my mind this comes together beautifully.   In reality, we shall see and there is a 50/50 chance it will be a hot mess and I will never take my piece to the meeting.    Finished projects are due the second Saturday of February but since I will be going away for 8 days and I don't think perforated paper is the medium of choice to travel with, I need to get moving on this.

Trying to decide if I should outline with one or two threads.  I also have a selection of mystery fabric pulled and may toss the paper aside to use the linen.  Whichever way I go, I'd better get moving.

 

The scissor's point and bottom half of the scissors are back stitched in one strand, the top 

finger hole (there must be a proper name for that part of the scissors) is backstitched 

in two strands.  I think I will go with one strand.  No need to worry about any fellow guild 

members seeing and copying my idea.   Their finishes will be exquisite and 

mind-blowingly creative, flawless and stitched on 40 count!

Annoucement!

I can finally spill the beans on some computer work I have been doing.   I created a blog for the sampler guild I belong to as well as updated their website - it hadn't been updated since 2009!   I completed my work in early February but needed to wait to share the information.   An email has been sent to all our members and I am sure I will get some feedback at our meeting this weekend.   I hope to post after each meeting as well as after each event.

We have lots to work out as an organization like should we include first and last names, do members wish to share their email address, etc.   I have learned so much since joining the guild - Delaware Valley Historic Sampler Guild - as well as shared good times and meet so many great people and made some lifelong friends.   It is so nice to be with a group that shares like interests.  Please check it out and if you are nearby the Hockessin Delaware area and share the love of stitching, please check us out in person!

Delaware Valley Historic Sampler Guild Website

Delaware Valley Historic Sampler Guild Blog

Now that's a fine How Do You Do!

Ok, Ok! I have been missing in action.   Been away 2 out of 4 weekends, day trip on another and was down for the count with a cold and fever for 3 days on the other weekend.  So here comes a pix heavy and text light catch up on my comings and goings...in no particular order.

Bought my first pair of flip-flops in 40 years!   OMGosh, why have I been depriving myself of this comfort for all these years? 

Finished the 15-sided blackwork biscournu.   My reward--I get to teach the finishing class at our November guild meeting.  

 Went to two different quilt shows and stocked up on fabbies!   I love Aunt Grace fabric. 

 Got some patterns too.

 Knitted this fun scarf in my favorite color.

 Bought this fun yarn for another scarf.

 Couldn't resist this last minute jump in my basket at my retreat this weekend.  

 Bought fabric and floss for the Grace Mason Sampler for Thursday night stitchers SAL.

Another project that 'jumped' into my basket.   Several of us are going to do this as a SAL also.  

Loved this! Got everything but the rick-rack.   This will be a quick one to stitch up and finish.  New favorite floss color - Toasted Marshmallow

Got charts, floss and fiber - more quick finishes

My progress on Drawn Threads Random Thoughts

Struggled with the white on white but made it through with minor compensation.

Fretted with the bees due to the compensation of the previous motif but now happy with the little guys. 

One of the three larger pieces in my rotation and I am NOT enjoying working on it.   I can seem to find the right way to work on it.   I usually stitch in hand but this linen is better taunt.   It has been in and out of a hoop, on and off the stretcher bars.  Next up, Q-Snaps.

Sorry for the glare.  My EGA Chapter is working on name tags from the September 2011 Issue.

Not a difficult project - except if you spell your own name wrong when you chart it!  

Been knitting washclothes.  I have 8 balls of Sugar 'n Cream - enough for 16 washclothes.

Got some much needed walnut shells.

Bought Christmas fabrics for a project I have in mind.

Stocked up on random felts for the sewing basket my sister and I each want to make.

Aren't they too cute!  From the Shriner's Parade in Virginia Beach at the beginning of September.

The space ship I want to buy for my back yard.   Yes, I'd like to outfit it with a firepit and cushions and run lights around the inside.   Of course, it is no wonder Mr. W. rarely speaks to me considering I come home with ideas like this one.  But it would be super cool.   A stitching hiding place......

Took a ride on a tall ship.  My sister organized a great day.

My friend Diane (in the yellow cap) hoisting the sale.   I manned the camera.

Our dinner view Friday night at the marina in Ocean City, Maryland

If it's OCMD, chances are it is Cruiser Weekend.   

Familiar signs from retreat weekend

Deb and Sandy stitching away on the front porch of the Lankford.  We saw a pod of dolphins this morning but I was not a quick enough shudder clicker to catch them.

Been hitting the treadmill good some weeks and not so good others.   Managed to put on last year's jeans with no problemo.  Yeah me!  Also managed to complete my grant for the non-profit I am on the board for and did it two weeks ahead of time too.  Worked on more IRS 'junk' for my board.  Planning my trip to North Carolina at the end of the month.    Daydreaming about a retreat in New England next year.  Appears I have been trying to be a one-woman economic stimulator with all my purchasing and traveling. Also managed to go to work in between all this galavanting.  All the giddy-up and going has it down side:  I haven't read but 50 pages in my current book.  I haven't put up a stitch of fall or Halloween decorations.   

I hope those who have been wondering (and you know who you are!) are all caught up with my antics.    As one put it when they saw me Friday in OCMD.....they were glad to see me to know that I was alive and well since I hadn't posted in so long.   Alive, and well, and keeping busy and enjoying life.