Labor Day Stitching

Greetings, all! Other than working at In Stitches yesterday, it's been a weekend full of stitching and house cleaning chores for me. I have to agree with Barbara's statement that fall bring out the housekeeping bug in me--not spring. In the spring I want to garden and get outside. Of course, it won't really be fall for me until the leaves begin to change and we can open the windows to the breeze--somewhere around mid-October--since it's still in the 80s and 90s here.

In spite of my resolution to finish a large project, I took out a smaller one to work on and bought two new ones. So here is Miriam Chilvers, which I started a while back. I like the calming colors. I forget what color Lakeside I'm using--probably Navy Bean. and I'm using the charted AVAS fibers.


Here's a photograph of her chart (Samplers Remembered).


Yesterday I worked at In stitches from 12:30-4:30 and bought up everything in sight, it seems. I brought a small finish to be framed that has been in a drawer for 3-4 years. Ellen, who has impeccable taste and an eye for color, helpd me choose the frame; I'll show you when it's done. Purchase number one is "Sarah Elizabeth Brooke 1842" by The Scarlett House. She is charted for 40 count Lakeside Vintage Meadow Rue, but I selected 40 count Strawflower instead. I'm using the Belle Soie silks, which I haven't used much in the past. They are so smooth and rich--I'm hooked.


I also picked up "Halloween Party" by Just Nan. I'm stitching it (see the little witch's hat with a spider on it?) using the recommended GAST and DMC fibers and some 34 count Legacy Puritan Gray from my stash. The beads come with the chart.


I picked up the newest Debbie Bliss magazine, which shows this sweater. Believe it or not, this sweater has 6 different colors of yarn in it. I am glad that I took a fair isle knitting class last year. I can tell you that fair isle knitting is a lot easier than it looks. For one thing, there are never more than 2 colors in one line of the pattern, so it's easier to keep track of the changes. Plus the patterns are laid out like a counted cross stitch pattern, the only difference being that you read row one from right to left, and row two from left to right.


Of course I also picked up the yellow bunny needlepoint that I had saved. What with the framing and the needlepoint, knitting and counted cross stitch, I kept myself busy selling to myself yesterday. (I am an excellent customer, and I hope I come back soon!) It's going to be a busy fall and winter on the stitching and knitting front!

"We don't have any hobbies, except for eating, dooting, sleeping and chewing the woodwork."


Happy week ahead!