Maps and Frames

It has been a busy week.  On Wednesday I picked up the newly framed Catharine McNeal from In Stitches.  It's gloomy, so a combination of chandelier light and perhaps flash has made this frame a little golder than it appears in real life:

Here's a close-up:

In the meantime, I've been stitching busily on Elizabeth Easdon, aka the T-Rex Sampler.  Here's where T-Rex stands now.  I'm hoping for a Memorial Day finish, but I've been a tad distracted.   Sorry for the wrinkles--I don't usually iron until the end.  You might notice that I stitch on a larger piece of linen than I need, generally.  I feel better with the extra fabric, and then at the end, I lop off the extra and use it for Christmas ornaments or smalls.  Nothing is wasted.  I am a New Englander, and even now, I can remember my father, a Vermonter, saying: "Waste not, want not" and "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."  That was always good for an eyeroll from me, but the idea planted itself.



Today I took a class based on the Potomac River Needlework Map with Catherine Jordan.  Catherine is a subperb teacher, and if you have an opportunity to take her class, you should.   You can order her map kits, but she will also generously share her techniques so that you can design your own map for a place that's meaningful to you.  I missed a vintage map of Cape Cod on ebay last week--it got a bit pricey, so I bowed out.  But there will be another!  With a vintage map in hand, I plan to stitch a map of the Cape and then embellish it with fabric paint as I learned in class. Hint 1:  it certainly is quicker to fill in a body of water with blue paint than it is to fill it in with stitches.  Hint 2: restraint is key.  (But then, isn't it always?) Here are some photos of the class project (which came with a fully kitted Potomac River Needlework Map) seen here:

The students had a choice of these practice pieces as well:

Peaches:  "You're never home any more...."  Oh, Peaches, not true!

Happy week ahead!

Richmond Theatre Fire Sampler

I have been looking for the Scarlet Letter's Richmond Theatre Fire Sampler forever and finally spotted it on Ebay a couple of weeks ago. I was the only bidder, maybe because people aren't looking for a silk-screened sampler (stamped). Some years ago I had emailed Marsha about it--it has a 1987 copyright--and she emailed me back promptly and kindly to say that alas, it was permanently out of print. It may have appeared on Ebay a number of times, but if it did, I missed it. When I worked in downtown Richmond a few years ago, I ventured to the Valentine Museum; they had neither a kit (I was hoping that there might be one hanging around), nor the original displayed.

Working on a stamped sampler is interesting. Instead of a preoccupation with counting and the location of one element in relation to another...

...the goal is to cover the silkscreened ink so that the (in this case) orangey-red print doesn't peep out from under the floss. The kit came with DMC, but I did a conversion provided by the chart; I had most of the colors of AVAS in my stash, and those that were missing I subbed with close colors. Although I have a lot of Needlepoint Inc. silks that would have worked well on counted cross stitch, I think NPIs are just a bit thinner than AVAS and wouldn't have provided quite the same coverage. Seventy-two people died in the fire on December 26, 1811, which was sparked by an unattended lamp left too close to some paper scenery. They had been attending a play.

Here's my next out-of-print Scarlet Letter sampler, "The Product of My Needle." This is the second time I started this. The first time was years ago, and I was using 32 count fabric. When I stitched the black background, the fabric showed through, so I scrapped it and restarted it not too long ago on 40 count fabric. Much better! This is a close-up of the cover photo.

And my restart. I'm using AVAS. I love the colors and the design; the sheep's body is stitched in french knots, and the deer is either stem or satin stitch. I'll probably stitch the deer using stem stitch.

I also picked this up last week--I'd love to finish it, since it's been in a project bag for a few years. I'm stitching this on Lakeside 40 count (maybe maritime white?) using the called-for NPI silks.

Pink and Peaches send their greetings for a lovely week ahead.

Stitching Helpers

Hi, all! I took Friday off, so I had a little extra time for stitching this weekend--when I wasn't in the garden planting things, or at the garden center, or hauling things around in my little car, or back at the garden center, or hacking at weeds or planting rose bushes and peonies. I'm half dead tonight as well as sunburned, but I do have some progress to show on Anagram Diffusion's Sampler Tendresse. I had intended to stitch a block a month, and that idea's flown out the window--these blocks are LARGE.

I've done quite a lot on Liz Easdon. I call this image "Hoping the Borders Meet Up." I am hoping for a Memorial Day weekend finish. It has occurred to me--I should find some more projects! Fortunately, Maude & Mozart has provided me with plenty of ideas for what to stitch next!

See the look of horror on the cat's face? He has witnessed something disturbing...and I don't mean just the odd-looking little t-rex looking critter.

See the t-rex to the right of the little red chicken on the lawn in the above photo? T-rex borrowed from National Geographic's website.

I'm distracted here, photographing the over-one stitching that is taking me a long time to do on this sampler, for some reason.

And then! A marauder! An intruder with sharp claws! Yikes!

"Kitten-Kitten! Down! Kitten-Kitten! Off!" Kitten-Kitten: "It's on the bed, so it must be something to sleep on, right?"

Peaches: "I'm worried about the t-rex. And also, something has left butt prints on my towel. Was it you, Kitten-Kitten?"

Happy week ahead!

Soldiering On

Greetings, everyone, and happy Saturday night! Believe it or not, I'm a bit tired of stitching today; I put in about five hours on GigiR's "Maria's Sampler 1831." It's riveting! Photos below. But first, back from the framer! I love the glossiness and the bright green color on this contemporary looking sampler. I started the sampler about 25 years ago from the pages of a long-forgotten book, and completed it a few months ago. It had some indelible grubby hoop marks (20 years or so on an old hoop will do that) but the framing ladies at In Stitches got it mostly cleaned up, and the rest is difficult to see.

And a finish! Catharine McNeal 1843 by Samplers Revisited. Stitched on 40 count Picture This Plus in Legacy, using the called-for NPI. A very fun stitch. I made several major changes: I don't enjoy large areas of satin stitch, so I cross stitched those spots instead, which I regret a bit because I think the texture of the satin stitches is part of the charm of this sampler. I also made a greater than normal number of mistakes on this sampler, for some reason. I left those in. I deducted a woman on the left, and I added my initials and the year I completed the sampler. Off I went to In Stitches last Saturday to select a frame. I can't wait to get it back.

I have put some time into "Snowy St. Nick" (Dimensions). While I love historic reproductions, this is a nice break. And it's loaded with glitz and beads at the end.

Here's the chart cover, since it's kind of hard to figure out exactly what you're looking at without a face.

Here's what I worked on today: Gigi R's "Maria's Sampler 1831." The chart photo is not very clear, and it's of the antique, so this doesn't really give a good indication of just how much action there is in this sampler!

There are tons and tons of people on this sampler; here's a little soldier. I am stitching the inside swirly border to count down. There are seven alphabets at the top, and although they're very nice, and stitched in different stitches, I didn't want to stich alphabets today. This is a huge sampler, 494x562. This is a redo for me; the first time I started it, I decided I didn't like the dark fabric I was using. I'm stitching it on Picture This Plus in Fog, 40 count. Fog is a lovely oystery white with a light wash and pale veins of a taupey brown. And I did a thread conversion to overdyed silks from the designer's called for overdyed cottons. I'm using mostly Belle Soie as well as some Silk n Colors and Soie Crystal.

I have to show you photos of my New Bedford dream house. It is amazingly preserved and updated. Notice the neighboring house in the background (I'd take that one too, although it's huge, isn't it?)

Master bedroom. I wonder if that's a working fireplace. Note the wallpapered coffered ceiling.

Check out the foyer. Papered ceilings here too. That treatment extends to most of the rooms I saw; think the walls are too busy for samplers? Note the fine woodwork.

A look at the kitchen: modern yet not. I wonder if that stove works. Here are some more photos of the house if you're interested. Because we live in the DC metro area where the cost of housing is super expensive, the cost of this lovely 1875 home, $398,500, seems very reasonable--a comparable house here would probably sell for over $1 million.

Pink says "if wishes were horses then rabbits would ride..."

Happy week ahead all!

Still Stitching

Hi, Everyone! In spite of my long silence, I have been stitching steadily, as you'll see below. I have lost a lot of my blogging mojo because it just seems harder to post pictures, especially since I have used up my "free" Picasa photo storage and have moved on to Photobucket (where I have used a fair percentage of that free storage as well). I'm contemplating what to do next but haven't seen anything that's not somewhat cumbersome, and frankly, my free time is limited; do I want to spend it uploading and shepherding photos, or do I want to spend it stitching? Then again, I have blogged for so long--since 2005--that it seems a shame to abandon it. I spent a week on the Cape a few weeks ago. Here's a shot from one of my meals. These were most excellent clams, steamed, dipped in clam broth and then butter.

Here are a couple of shots of Fall River, where I stopped to pick up pierogies from Patti's Pierogies on the way to the Cape. They were fabulous, and the shop/bar that makes them up is worth a visit, where, road weary and hungry (and increasingly there is nothing but McDonalds or food courts at the rest stops along the interstates), I polished off a most incredible ground kielbasa meatloaf sandwich on thick rye bread. My dad was looking at these photos over my shoulder on the computer and said of the below: "Where were you? Russia?" Sorry for the fence. I took this photo from the car.

I have an increasing homesickness for Southern Massachusetts, which is not something that those who are near and dear to me understand or support. There are some lovely old homes for sale in Fall River and New Bedford. The area has been distressed/depressed since I don't know--the 20s or 30s when the cotton trade moved to the southern states. Or maybe since the decline of the whaling industry after the civil war. The areas suffer urban problems, but I prefer it all to the manicured suburban wasteland I occupy. Not a battle I plan to fight today, but soon... I'm in my 50s, and in the taking-stock that one tends to do at this age as parents and even friends die, I'm looking at my life and thinking I'd like to live differently.

Here's a little shot of the tidal estuary near my dad's house right after the snowfall I woke up to one morning.

Now to the stitching! I am ever so close to being done on Catharine McNeal.

I spent time this weekend working on this little over-one basket of fruit.

Liz Easdon is coming along nicely also--I have put in a lot of time with her lately. I am actually working on 3-4 others that I have been lazy about photographing, but these two are the most likely projects for a finish by May.

I've started working on Ann Anthony again, because I couldn't justify buying the newest Rhode Island sampler from the Essamplaire until it's done (or nearly done):

I plan to get this when I've finished a few of my others--I just love RI samplers. Cynthia Burr (and yes, I know it comes with transfer sheets because there's significant freehand stitching): Cynthia isn't the only project in the wings this year: I've purchased the re-released Scarlet Letter Christmas sampler and I have my eye on the newest large Shakespeare's Peddler design (Sarah Chapple) and a few others. (Photo of Cynthia Burr borrowed from The Essamplaire's website.)

Elvis says this post has worn him out, so he's catching a little nap.

Happy week ahead!

A Little Bit More

Hi, everyone! Thanks for your kind comments! I had some questions that I'll answer here: Giovanna is right: I was thrilled to see that we can purchase (quite reasonably) Anagram Diffusion's charts online at www.broderie.net. Thanks, Giovanna! To Natalia: Christinia Cathcart was designed by The Samplar Workes. I run into it from time to time, so I don't think it's out of print. And Beth P: My LNS is In Stitches (I write their blog too at www.institchesshopblog.blogspot.com) in the Mount Vernon area of Alexandria, VA. They aren't very far off the interstate, and there are some eateries nearby where you can park your husband, plus if you have never been to see George Washington's former home, Mount Vernon, that is worth a trip too. In Stitches is about 12 miles from the DC line. [Note: why does the new blogger not let you create a new paragraph?] This was a busy stitching and stashing week, with the new Nashville Market merchandise in the shop. Just before Nashville though, I had purchased The Scarlett House's Rachel Howells 1856, and I started her this weekend. I couldn't resist those red pansies.

Here's what the chart looks like if you haven't had a chance to see it. I'm stitching it with the called-for NPIs, but I've substituted fabric--40 count fog by Picture This Plus.

I did a little more on Isabella Fox. I'm stitching her using the called-for overdyed cotton floss on 40 count Lakeside (I think it's Buttercream) from my stash.

And here's this week's progress on Anagram Diffusion's "Sampler Tendresse."

This is Pink's reaction to the news that he and the other three bunnies will be staying at the bunny spa while I go out of town. Tom is staying behind to work, but he thought that it might be nice to take a vacation from the bunnies. (Poor bunnies!)I'm headed to the Cape, which has had epic bad weather this year, and has my dad is climbing the walls--he's 86 and on a walker, so he hasn't been able to venture down the driveway to car, much less drive anywhere. I've promised him fun trips to do the small things that he hasn't been able to do lately. I'm looking forward to getting away from the traffic in this area--the Cape is quiet at this time of year. I plan to drive this time and take my cameras, so I'm hoping for some fun photos. Things I'd like to do along the way if the traffic isn't too bad: visit Logee's Greenhouses in Connecticut and drop by a place in Fall River that makes homemade pierogies.