Sunday, May 17, 2020

A Stitching Post

I finished up my second and final patriotic stitch for the year today.




Lady Liberty is by With Thy Needle and Thread and I have had it in the stash for ages. Arlene did it ages ago and sent it to me. I actually started it on 36 count way back when. I had done some of the flag and stopped and it went to time out (a term I have heard from stitchers) because I just didn't love the loose weave and coverage. I decided it was time to get it done or pass on it. I really didn't want a really large piece for displaying such a short time during the year. The answer was some 40 count in the stash. I don't remember the color...maybe a platinum. It is a gray color.



It is slightly too wide to fit in a 5 X 7 frame so I will make a flat fold out of it. It is more like just under 5 X 6. I finally feel like I have enough patriotic stitchers so unless there is a sure 'nough pattern out there that will be it. I am not hunting for one but just knowing that I won't purchase it unless it is calling my name.

I have the rest of the year lined up with stitches and I am trying really hard not to look at anything else.
I have
a summer piece I want to finish up,
 one more bird for my trio of birds,
a September word play,
and the Advent calendar are going to take priority.

Trust me when I tell you I could make a lifetime list and new stuff comes out all the time.
I am mulling over a town stitch like I saw with Country Stitchers using all the village pieces I have in my stash.  I fell in love with how she put them together to make long pieces like a town. I would love ...

These are pictures I snapped with screen shots of the floss tube video.

Deb added in the snow and made the landscape tie in from building and scene to scene for a couple of long framed pieces.


to do this. I would love to do this with our beach town of Fort Walton Beach. It isn't a snow town, but a beach town but I could envision some palms between the stores and of course the stores need to be local stores. So much twirling through my mind with this, so you see I have 2021 all dreamed out. Designers quit tempting me so I can stitch from my stash.

I just totally love this.


Quite frankly, I have been thinking a lot about how easily we can be distracted and want more. I have so much right here to keep me busy for ages...not to mention the space book and some flowers I want to do.

Which means that we will see what comes out of all my plans. Will I stitch what I have or will I get off track because I am greatly influenced by others?
Time will tell!

I can't believe this next weekend is Memorial Day weekend. I know sometimes I sound like a broken record with the teaching thing, but it was my life for 31 years. Memorial Day didn't mean school was out but it did mean kids had definitely turned off their brains. As time went on, I got good at thinking of things outside of the box to fill those days so that they didn't drive me nutty. Just like them each year, it signaled my brain turning to summer projects.

This June 6th will mark 6 years since I walked out those school door for the last time as teacher. I simply have no idea where those six years have gone. They have been documented in the blog, but they have gone by so quickly.
I have a little bit more to document before I close her down somewhere down the road.

This past week was back to keeping Tucker every day, but the day has been shorter. They don't go back to completely full time hours until the next phase.
This weekend was actually a work weekend. I worked downstairs doing some rearranging of furniture and then outside cleaning and getting some chores done before this wonderful spring weather we have had turns to hot.

Happily stitching,
Sandy

15 comments:

  1. It is great that you have been able to have Tucker with you! I love your idea to turn your beach town into a long project to be finished in a long frame! Keep us posted about that!!

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    1. I have so many ideas and I have the patterns. It is crazy how we just keep buying when we don't need to. I have been on a mission to use what I have this year and yes, it was so good to have Tucker. He will start daycare in August if this virus doesn't come back and he should be around kids, but I have treasured keeping him.

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  2. The Lady Liberty looks great.
    Have a nice week.
    Manuela

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  3. Sandy, I'm glad you hung in there with Lady Liberty because she is gorgeous!! I, like you, don't care to stitch on loose weave fabrics.
    Deb and Liz are my favorite floss tubers. I fell in love with the way Deb did the series also, and have thought about doing it her way if I do them at all. I thought I would stitch them on black but I learned I am not good with stitching on black. I'll enjoy seeing your progress with palm trees!! I retired in 2010 and I have no idea where the years went!! It's truly frightening to me how fast they passed.

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    1. Isn't it crazy how time flies. I had a hard time turning off the work switch at first and then was hit immediately with my step dad's death and Mom moving down here, but I have fallen into a good routine and love my time at home.
      I wanted to do black too because I have a space pattern I want to stitch, but it is simply too hard on the eyes for me. I think I will have to just do the space one on a light blue and move on.
      I just know a little beach town so could be so cute. I really have to quit buying new things so I can get to it:)

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  4. Sandy: Lady Liberty is lovely, I am so happy you finished her.
    Thank-you for the link to Country Stitcher's, she is really a busy stitcher.
    I am only buying fabric and threads now, I have way too many patterns and love some of the old samplers from many years ago, I do belong to two auto ships, Scattered Seeds Samplers and By The bay a Sampler which I will start soon.
    Have a lovely week.

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    1. I have so many things in my stash that I want to stitch so I am really trying to stick to it. We will see. I was glad I got her done. I really liked her, but I think the linen I originally started on was just a no go for me on that stitch.

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  5. Oh she is lovely!! I plan to get out my patriotic pieces at the end of the week. Like you, I cannot believe it is Memorial Weekend already!! I did purchase some things on my Wish List for my Birthday. I could not stop myself.lol My friend Brenda is bringing by the project bag she made me for Kringles so I hope to start on it today. I had planned to put a few stitches in yesterday but I just did not have time. I think this is the longest I have gone without sitting down to stitch in ages. I look forward to seeing all your projects.

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    1. I am sure it was. I went a week at the beginning of the Q as I just couldn't concentrate but I pretty much stick something most days. I am really needing to do some things I have. I mean I really really like them and want to, so I just need to buckle down and quit looking. Just make a list. It will all be on eBay later:) I think that Pringle's piece is so pretty! I still think you should chart out Rich's on it. Although Kringles is a cute name and very Chrismasy. I really like the Lady Liberty. I think she turned out pretty good. I liked the smaller size for my patriotic finishes. I finished her up this morning. I am going to put my patriotic stuff out at the end of the week too. It seems so early but it isn't at all. I have stitched up some of those still red white and blue pieces (bunny, apple) for late July and August so I will have somethings but not fall yet. I have a beach chair thing I am going to finish next for display later in July and August.

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  6. Your patriotic finish is so pretty, Sandy. I am glad you changed out the fabric and finished her. I am a planner, but let myself change up some plans based on what I come across in my stash that I have forgotten about. I retired in 2010 and I can't believe it will be 10 years next month. The time continues to fly by. Have a good week!

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    1. It has flown by. I have found my routine now and love it. I don't miss it at all. Proud of the time, but not wanting to go back especially with the ways things are changing. I am so happy that I finished her up. The linen was the factor I think. Switching it up made all the difference. I enjoyed stitching her. I got the dress done right away so the rest was easy stitching.

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  7. You know me, my cloth of choice is 14 count, so when you said of the 36 count “I just didn’t love the loose weave…” I nearly laughed out loud!

    Truly, you do the most wonderful work with the high-count fabrics. I wish my eyes and neck muscles could handle that, but so far, that is not my definition of relaxing.

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    1. I only have a little bit left of it and when I use it all up on ornaments most likely, I will most likely not order anymore. I am feeling like it stresses the eyes way too much, so I definitely understand:)

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  8. I know you are happy to have your precious little Tucker some every day! That will brighten your days. I love the patriotic designs and have been tempted to get out my cross stitch stuff and do something creative! Hugs!

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  9. Your Lady Liberty looks beautiful. Seems like you stitched that up really quickly! I just turned away from my Mystery Sampler I've been stitching on and I'm starting to wonder if it's all straining my eyes. At a minimum, it's probably exacerbating my dry eyes. Okay... going to put some eye drops in and go outside and do a little sweeping up. We've had mostly a chilly, rainy May, but it's gorgeous today and, like you in Florida, these days are going to disappear into stifling heat before I know it. Then again, I don't know when we've had a spring as beautiful as this one. Maybe we'll have a lovely summer, too... One can hope!

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I am so glad you stopped by my little blog. Drop in again anytime.
Sincerely,
Sandy