April 27, 2013

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!

19 comments:

Samplings from Spring Creek said...

Beautiful finishes. Will be starting Isabella Fox by Gigi soon.

Love the house--the red kitchen is my favorite room.

Melissa said...

Congratulations on finishing Catherine. She is a beaut!

That Gigi R sampler looks like a fun stitch even if it's Huge!

llknbillburg said...

Lovely, lovely stitching as always. You are very brave to be stitching that huge Gigi R piece, could take a lifetime!!

Beautiful house too. And I agree, the price seems quite reasonable compared to DC! Laura

Catherine said...

Great projects! Love that house ~ but not all the wallpaper!!! Pink cracks me up!

Giovanna said...

Congrats on a wonderful finish - she's a real beauty! Nice start on Gigi's repro too, and nice going on the Santa. I could feast my eyes on that house for hours... nice dream :-)

Margaret said...

Congratulations on finishing Catharine! She's so beautiful! I'm looking forward to seeing what Maria looks like. It's always hard to tell from the antique what the repro will turn out to look like. That house is amazing! Wow! I want to look at the other pictures. I think the wall paper would be fun with samplers. :D

Deb said...

Wonderful stitching as always Glenna. I love your Catherine!! I'm going to enjoy watching your progress on Gigi's sampler. There are so many things to stitch on it that it shouldn't get boring.

Love that house too, although I'd do away with some (or maybe a lot of the wallpaper).

Susan said...

Congratulations on your finish. Looking forward to seeing the frame you picked. The green on your watermelon sampler sets the piece off perfectly. I haven't seen a sampler with that many people in it before, should be fun to stitch. No, the walls are not too busy for samplers. I wanted a house like that when I was in NH but "oh my aching heating bill!!"

Katherine said...

I bought St. Nick for my daughter in law. I hope she enjoys it as much as you are. Samplers framed similarly would look lovely on the walls of your "dream house" and I LOVE that kitchen!

marly said...

Congratulations on the finish. Looks like Maria had an awful lot of friends and family. I never saw that many people in a sampler! Beautiful home, fabulous elements.

Karen said...

Your Catharine is gorgeous -- congrats on the finish!

Anonymous said...

I have just found your blog. I love your stitchingi - so beautiful, so much work. Love your wee bunnies too :)

Chris said...

Congratulations on thw Watermelon Sampler, so fun and happy! Congratulations on Catherine too. I love her colors. And you current project, wow!! Bow I really want to spend the day at home stitching.
That house is gorgeous.

Laurie in Iowa said...

What an awesome house. Congrats on finishing the beautiful Catherine. I'm looking forward to following your progress on the Gigi R sampler.

Cari said...

Congrats on finishing Catherine. She's a beautiful piece. I'm stitching Isabella Fox now and I'm loving every stitch !! I could stitch each and every Gigi R reproduction !! And the house...I WANT THAT HOUSE !! Alas, I'll just stay here in sunny Florida.

Have a great week !!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri Malinovich) said...

Catherine is beautiful and congrats on your finish! I have Gigi's Maria pattern and will start it one day. All the people were what drew me to it. I will thoroughly enjoy watching your progress. Cute pic of Pink's bunny bottom!

RG said...

Those are some pretty stitching there.

Buy the house. Pink says ....

Anna van Schurman said...

Catharine has been such a favorite of mine, I will miss seeing your updates. But a hearty congratulations to you!! My people are from New Bedford but I'm sure they didn't live in a joint like that (unless it used to be divided into apartments, LOL).

Anonymous said...

Hi, I have been looking for the watermelon sampler forever (it is in a long forgotten book - it used to be in my library, but no more. If you have the book or the chart could you sell it to me? I love this and cannot finish it because I returned the book years ago and was not finished.
Please let me know,
Thank-you so much,
nje45@aol.com