The Box that Broke the Camel's Back

Once upon a time there was a beautiful 4 way bargello.  It wanted so badly to grace the top of a handsome wooden box.  It begged and pleaded with it's keeper until the keeper caved under the pressure and set out to make it's dream come true although she herself knew nothing about box making.  The Good Keeper trusted that the Powers that Rule the Universe would see how badly this little bargello wanted to be a box and clear all obstacles to help the box come into being.  After all, how hard could it be? Right?

Basic box elements:

A lid

A bottom

Optional box element:

A lining

Simple.

So, off to the framer the Keeper trotted with Beautiful Bargello in tow.  "Do you people make boxes?" she asked.  "Well no, but it sounds like it would be fun to try!" the answer came.  Why this answer inspired confidence in the Keeper, the story does not make clear but with the utmost optimism, she left Beautiful Bargello (and a large portion of her paycheck) with the nice frame people.  After no less than 3 mini-dramas later, she had the basic box elements; a lid and a bottom:

design by: Marion Scoular

Not exaaaaaaactly a box, like with hinges, a bottom and such, but....Keeper thought it was a good start.  Then she started really thinking about it.

Here's the short list of my problems:

#1) The lid is bigger, much bigger, than the bottom

#2) The bottom has a troublesome inset where it meets the lid

#3) The bottom has no bottom, makes for a lousy holder of stuff

#4) I have found the perfect (IMHO) fabric lining

#4 might have you scratching your head wondering why I'd call it a problem.  It is a problem because up until I found the perfect fabric, I could table this conundrum of mine.  Now?  Well.   Now, I have this perfectly perfect fabric lining, so I can't table the problems any more.  The fabric is driving this whole crazy bus now and it's heading for the Expressway.  You see?

So, where to begin?  Do I have the lid reframed smaller?  Do I turn the box bottom upside down so the inset is on the bottom? (BTW, I don't like the looks of it upside down)  Do I drop back and punt?  Do I drop it in the nearest river and start from scratch? 

How do I get myself into these pickles?

I hope to spend some quality time pondering these and other mysteries of the Universe this weekend.  Hope you find some time to stitch too! 

Happy Weekend Friends!

February? Really?

In the next few days, I will share a few old Valentine finishes with you, but between now and then, here is a new Christmas ornament finish:

Lizzie Kate "Joy"

stitched by: Annette Q

finished by: me

And my peacock candle wrapper in its new home in the B&W bedroom:

Capri blue Assisi peacock

candle wrapper

I was terribly proud of myself for hem stitching all four sides when I could have just ironed the edges down and called it quits.  All the while I was hemming it, I couldn't help thinking that some day when I'm pushing up daisies, some lucky yard sale shopper is going to think they've found the prettiest hanky they've ever seen.  I can only hope that doesn't happen!

Happy February Everybody!

Happy Dance!

It's a rare day that I blog twice, but it's a rare day that I have a new finish to share!

Assisi Peacock

threads:  DMC 3844 / black AVS silk

overall size: 3.25" x 9"

Honestly, not only do I love everything about this piece (the color, the black border, the bird, the overall design, the size, etc.), I fell in love with it about an hour ago when I got the circles stitched around the tail dots.

favorite part

I won't talk about how I lost my religion doing this part:

%#^#!**&$#@!

It would not have been so bad, but remember the backstitch is done lastly.  All those little quarter and eighth stitches around those grapes (without any black outlines to help) made me crave some grapes of my own!

Tomorrow, if time permits, I'm going to fashion this into a candle wrapper. 

I'll keep you posted...

Peacock in the making

It's still a little hard to tell but there IS a peacock in there!

thread: DMC 3844

black AVS silk

If I have any luck, maybe I'll be happy dancing by the weekend!

Not freezing, progress pic and birthday bulletin

Yesterday, I saw a big orange fireball in the sky!  I overheard some people calling it "the sun".   Whatever it's called, it made me feel warm and wonderful!  It was back again today!  I'm praying that it might return tomorrow.  I loved it.  I was nice, while it lasted.

I've stitched a little on my capri blue Assisi peacock candle wrap.  Here's a progress pic: (also seen in my new header)

Not far to go, but it might be a while before I get back to it.  Hubby and I are moving his mother in with us for a little while during renovations to her home.  She is coming tomorrow and will be here a month or so.  She is incredible and I look forward to having her, but it will be a big change from what hubby and I are used to.  We'll adjust quickly, I'm sure, but stitching time might suffer a smidge.

Carmen wanted me to thank all of you for not adopting her when I was trying to give her stinky self away to a new home recently.  She wants everyone to know that she smells 'better' now and is glad she isn't having to train a new family.  She's just got us trained to her liking and it's only taken her 10 years!  Hard to believe my baby turns 'double digits' on the 24th.

Not bad for a 70 year old!

Wherever you are tonight friends, here's hoping you are warm and safe.  Happy stitching!

Busy Busy Busy

This always happens when I have a few days off work and don't go out of town.  I get into some BHP, also known as Big Hairy Project, around the house that takes over my life for months!  I've already mentioned that before the New Year I decided to redecorate a guest bedroom.  It is coming along nicely but I still have a long way to go.  Here's a sneak peak:

The only problem with decorating with black and white is apparently knowing when to stop.  You'll think I've gone mad when I show you the whole deal, Lucille.  Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I was browsing in a local furniture store to see if any new bedroom suites struck my fancy when I stumbled upon a fantabulous bookcase/hutch at an unbelieveable price. 

It is exactly what I've been wanting for my breakfast nook for like centuries!  Hubby has his rolltop desk in the nook now, but it will have to find a new home in the basement soon because after the salesman knocked $100 off the already unbelieveably low price (thanks to hubby), I couldn't say no.  Made by Pennsylvania House - solid cherry.  I can't wait to get it home and all set up!


Next - My dad is celebrating his 59th b/d on Tuesday.  He's a big Pittsburgh Steelers fan and due to some health issues, always has cold hands.  So, for his birthday, I got the BHI that he needed a Steelers hand muffler, just like the old fashioned ones.  After much fussing and fritzing which involved the electrified sewing machine (and lots of prayer), VOI LA:

It's 8 fleecy fuzzy fluffy layers thick and feels like heaven on the inside.  I know he'll love it!

Lastly, there are about 4 stitchy things I want to do for the new B&W bedroom.  I'm using a Capri blue as the accent color and frankly, I am so in love with how it's turning out that I think I'm going to ask it to marry me when I get it all together.  Normally, I would automatically add red accents to any black and white decor, but because this is a bedroom, I thought red might be too much.  So, Capri blue won.  I've been hanging on to this peacock pattern for about 100 years because I simply could not decide what color to do the Assisi work in.  Again, red is my default function, but somehow I just could not reconcile stitching a peacock in red.  However, since I need Capri blue accents in the new bedroom:

I'm thinking it might be a great pillar candle wrapper....what do you think?

Well, my stomach virus is rearing it's ugly head, so I must run (no pun intended)

Toodles!

It's up and it's GOOODDDDDDDD!!!!!!!

My Peacock is up on the wall and, if I must say so myself, I think it looks mighty good. I've clustered my only samplers together on one wall. Alongside peacock is a Sweetheart Tree mini-tree sampler and a Kingsland Learned Wife sampler. I'm wondering if I've broken any rules by grouping two "true" samplers (containing alphabets) with a band sampler?

please click on photo for a better look

On the table below is a table runner I brought back from National in Louisville last year. It was hand woven in Perugia, Italy by expert weavers and in my favorite color none the less. When you touch it, you know it's special. Makes me a little sad that many of us here in the good ol' USA have accepted the sacrifice of quality for affordability and simply forgotten what quality even feels like. It just reinforces the idea of how special hand made things are and how proud those of us who create them should be.

Also on the table below is my recently acquired Whitman's tin (from eBay, shop VICTORIOUSLY) on the left and a box lid I've featured here on the right.

This little vignette will probably get switched around a couple of times before I'm totally satisfied with it (big shocker, right?), but the important thing is THE PEACOCK HAS LANDED!

Have a great three day weekend all! I'm off for an oil change (with stitching in tow).

The Retreat Report

My sister and I have an inside joke about vacations that if you aren't limping home, broke and exhausted on the last day then, by definition, you must not have had a good time. According to those standards, I am happy to report that I have had one very successful retreat this weekend with my stitching family, or as I may start calling them, the Needle Work Enablers Society (NWES). I love them all and/but you've never met a better bunch of enablers in all your life. You know exactly what I mean so I won't elaborate much except to say we could probably keep the shrinks of the world busy for a very very long time. However, stitchers are the best people on the planet, I'm convinced. When one of us has a problem, we all collaborate together to fix it. When life gives one of us lemons, another one grabs the lemon squeezers and vodka. Oops, TMI! I forgot what happens at Retreat, stays at Retreat.

Spending time with these ladies always renews my faith in humanity! And, occasionally, we actually get some stitching accomplished.

The Stitching Report

Thursday: Arrived around 2:30, checked in, unpacked, power napped, drove to town for dinner, stitched on thistle into the evening. Watched two hour Grey's finale and was pretty devastated with what they did to George. I mean, why should such a horrible thing happen to the nicest character on the show? Tragic. I certainly hope they don't kill him off too. Losing Izzy is bad enough. My head is still spinning from it. Aren't Major Hunt and Yang just perfectly perfect for one another? Uh, sorry, back to the stitching report.

designer: Marion Scoular

fabric: 25ct. hardanger

threads: DMC and floche

Pattern cover photo on the left; mine on the right.

Friday: Up early, quick trip to town for last minute "retreat essentials", picked up a few things at the antique store (pics another day), hurried back, ushered the "hookers" (rug hookers) out of the meeting room, set up camp in the stitching room and selected dragonfly checkerboard out of my Big Ol Bag o'WIPs. My XSDNs will be pleased to know they might get to play with this checkerboard before they are taking their college entrance exams. Late in the evening, I switched to my peacock. Turned in around 2ish.

design: Dragonfly Sampler by Sekas

various Caron Wildflowers threads

Saturday: I knew Saturday would be a full day of cutting, unweaving and reweaving the last remaining drawn thread band if I had any chance of finishing it, so I didn't dilly dally. Up early, shower, quick breakfast and coffee and then POWER STITCHING. I did stop for lunch and another very quick trip to the antique shop for wooden spools, but made up for lost time by skipping dinner in order to bring this baby down the home stretch before bedtime. Speaking of home stretch, how about that Preakness winning jockey Calvin Borel and the horse he rode in on? What a story! Love that little man and the filly he made rich and famous, Rachel Alexandra!

My victory was won around 12:38 am after a bit of "broken thread" drama. I think it's safe to say that the last thing you want when working the high tension twisted clusters of the drawn thread bands is for a thread to snap. But, thank goodness, even though my silk did snap with only about three inches to go, I lived to tell the tale and still had enough silk on the needle to finish the band. And yes, there was a happy dance which will not be described here or ever reinacted IRL or on YouTube. My apologies to those who were physically present and subjected to it. Exhileration powered my engines until 3ish.

design: Assisi Peacock Sampler by Giulia Manfredini

Various silks on hand dyed linen

Sunday: Still walking on air from my late night finish, I floated into the stitching room a little later than usual. Then, after packing up, checking out and eating lunch, I selected an Art Stitch design for my Something New Sunday project. It's been in my TO DO stack for a long time and deserved some sunshine.

As you can see, it was a very productive long weekend and I couldn't be happier with my stitchy accomplishments. Now it's back to life, back to re-al-ity time.

Next UFO/BAP*= Statue of Liberty tribute (gift) Photo updates soon.

Wishing everyone a great week!

*UFO/BAP = unfinished object/big a$$ project

Punto Gigliuccio and a cautionary tale

Let's see...I've been searching the internet for months for more instructions on the Punto Gigliuccio stitch. Yep, months. The instructions in the pattern were clear but my results were not looking like the model, so I just knew I was doing something wrong. I believe I gave up last weekend and posted here that I was moving on. Doing what every self-respecting stitcher would do; making something up to go in that space. THEN (you knew that was coming, didn't you?) I was innocently surfing Piecework magazine online tonight to see what they were up to and WHAT DID I FIND THERE, you ask!!??!! Well, have a look for yourself: http://www.interweave.com/needle/projects/Punto-Antico-Biscornu.pdf

Yes, you guessed it. Instructions. Even better - they were slightly different than the instructions I already had, so I was able to work the upper band of drawn work on my Assisi Peacock!!! Hip Hip Horray! The fine print: my punishment for giving up and taking things into my own hands last weekend was that I had to frog the stuff I had made up and stuck in there instead of what was supposed to go there. My band definitely looks like a first attempt, but I'm just thrilled to know that my Italian sampler will actually be a sampler of Italian stitches and not "mostly" Italian stitches and one thing Marnie just made up because she couldn't do the punto gigliuccio stitch.

So, the moral of the story is, don't give up, and something about patience being a virtue would fit in there too.

Christmas stitching and other stuff too

Twas the night before Christmas Stitching and all in my brain, a buzz was a roarin' as loud as a train! "Stitch this or stitch that?", was the question I asked. "Stitch it ALL", someone answered, (the small voice in my head). A floss tag, a pincube, a biscornu for sure, all in bright colors of green, red and azure.

As you can see, I'm a little preoccupied tonight, so this post will be short and sweet.

I'm making steady progress on the withdrawn thread bands on Assisi peacock. Actually, I finished the middle section:



I still need to cut, withdraw and re-weave the last section (ugh), and figure out how exactly to work that punto gigliuccio stitch for the upper band. Trick-ee! If you have any suggestions for me, don't hold back.

My away game (dragonfly checkboard) is flying! I'm still only stitching on it during lunch breaks, so by some standards, it's not flying, but it's moving pretty darn quick for my liking. I'm working the fill-in stitching in the non-dragonfly squares, just making stuff up as I go, and it is turning out quiet nice if I do say so myself. On the days I can't walk up to the shop and stitch, I've been emailing the shop owner to encourage the other sit-n-stitchers to do a couple of squares for me, but they seem to think I'm kidding. No takers so far.

I also snapped a couple of fabulous amaryllis shots tonight. Sharing a couple, (unedited):

Weekend Update

Easter weekend is always chuck full o'activity, but somehow I always seem to squeeze in a little stitching between the grocery shopping, cooking, baking, laundry, family functions and general household chores. I have fond memories of finishing some of my most favorite pieces early early on Easter mornings past. There isn't any chance of me finishing anything this Easter, but I'll keep up the tradition of slipping a few stitches in before church tomorrow.

Before I give you the Stitching Update, I just have to share this easy peasy Paula Deen mini-cheesecake recipe. So few ingredients, so little time, yet perfect little cheese tarts. I've been making it for years, but just had the brainstorm today to put a little different twist on it. Who doesn't love a little cheesecake with either cherries or blueberry topping?

Well, that's always good, but how about a little Hershey syrup, caramel sauce and a healthy sprinkling of pecan pieces?

Oh yeah baby - Turtle Cheesecakes!!! What's not to love?

Stitching Update: Dragonfly wings have proven to be a little more demanding than I thought, so I may be keeping this project (a.k.a. my away game) home for a while, until I've moved on to the less thought-demanding fill-in blocks. There are only 12 whole stitches in each dragonfly, but lots of 1/4 and 3/4 stitches. In such a small area, there is no room for fluff.

Last, but not least, my lovely peacock. I've nearly finished the cross stitching. I have three withdrawn thread bands to work. The first (above the lettering) is ready for the filling, the second (below the Assisi section) is in the "unweave/reweave" stage, the third is the big blank area between the two flower borders (just below the second band). It's in the "nothing is happening here yet" stage.

So there we are. I do hope you all are enjoying the joys of the season, some beautiful weather, some family gatherings, some delicious dinners and some quiet stitching time. I can't imagine a better way to spend the weekend.

P is for...

PEACOCK, of course. Now, you are probably saying to yourself, "Not this chic with that stupid peacock, again!". I know it's hard to believe, but YES, it's me with this peacock again! It is the WIP I love to love so much. You may remember when we left off last, I was frogging and re-doing lettering because I felt it had too much pink in it. So as you can see below, lettering back in place with nicer, kinder, gentler color scheme. I'm leaving the pink in the plume, just because.


"Old Stitches of

Italian Embroidery "

When I complete the Assisi section, I'll post an overall shot, but not a minute sooner. I do want to share the progressive "top to bottom" with you but I figure I stand a better chance of getting some stitching done if I incent myself to stop typing and start stitching. Boy o boy, some days I'm more trouble than I'm WORTH!!!


I'm making great progress on my away game, the Dragonfly checkerboard. I'm within about an hour of finishing the horizontal rows, and I have two of the 9 vertical rows already done. Basically I stitched the outside perimeter, then started stitching left to right, right to left, so on and so forth. So, maybe after tomorrow, I'll just be stitching verticals. I know I'll be excited to see each square come to life as I stitch the verticals. Each block gets either a dragonfly or a filler stitch, so I still have a lot to go, but getting the grid done is, for me, the hard part because it's the boring part. Boring is the kiss of death in my WIP/UFO pile.


I've also had a lil' something something going on down in the stitching room. (Peacock lives upstairs). I wouldn't ordinarily be splitting my time so generously, but this lil' thing is committment stitching, and I'm enjoying it, and it's small, so it'll be done soon. As soon as I clip the last thread on it, I'm not looking up until I'm standing over this peacock at the frame shop!!!


Weather has taken another turn for the worse. They say more snow this weekend...Nice. Perhaps some quality stitching time will console me.


BTW, Lake Dave is down to two inhabitants. We are bummed.


Consider yourselves warned: there are going to be lots of boring peacock update photos from now until it's framed. I'm on a mission!

WIP update and other stuff too

Yesterday was Christmas stitching but until March 25th, it's back to our regularly scheduled programming! I think it was here that I confessed having too may WIPs, etc, etc, and that I was going to make a strident effort toward reducing said WIPs, etc, etc. And that was, um, let's see, AUGUST! Okay. So, I don't know what is up with that but I think I'm going to fire my Life Coach! It's now almost MARCH and the clock is tickin' toward my EGA chapter's biennial exhibit. And, so help me, if I don't have this sampler done for that show, well, somebody ought to beat me. The current status is "frogging". I decided the lettering had too much pink in the overdyed silk, so I'm cutting out the silk (Zowie, that smarts!). I've restitched most of the top line in my favorite blue/green Thread Gatherer Silk N' Colors color called Forrest of Greens. What do you think? It's much more "peacocky", I think.







Not a great photo, but you can see how the subdued tones of the top line don't shock your eye as much as the bright pink in the second line. I may be sorry for it once I've frogged it all and re-stitched, but I don't think so.


On the home front, my one and only K-9 child has taken up a new daytime hobby, Pantry-Pilfering. Exhibit A:

This is just her latest work. There have been several Ritz cracker boxes, some rice bags, maybe a bag of black beans too. I know, I know....if I could just remember to close the pantry door, there wouldn't be the problem.

With a face like this, how can you be mad?

Next post will be the BIG REVEAL of my "sweetest thing ever". Stay tuned...

WIP...R.I.P.

Now for the hard part. To frame or not to frame? I'm thinking box top. Patience is NOT one of my vitures (if you haven't figured that out already), so I'll have to fight the urge to rush this up to the framers, in order to allow myself the time to find a custom box maker. I say custom because wouldn't you know, the design is 5 and a little x 5 and a little more. Not 5x5, or even 5.25 x 5.25. Oh well. It's good to have so many stitching friends, for many reasons, but in this case, one of my BSFFs has already given me a lead on one such woodworker. I'll give a call next week and see what we can work out.

Must. Wait. Do. Not. Frame. Yet. Where's my hypnotist when I need him?

Wounded Warrier

Okay, I promise I'll never put socks on the dog again and laugh with side-splitting gusto and she attempts to walk around the living room. My new found sympathy does not stem from some enlightened sense of what is right and wrong in the world, but from trying to stitch with a bandaged finger today! Wow, what a PITA! I couldn't feel the canvas, thread OR needle. How's that for a trifecta? And right in the middle of such a great "hell with everything else, I'm close to finishing this baby" roll. So, now sportsfans, I'm afraid it will be Christmas evening before I get the chance to cuddle back up to my new favorite WIP because I can actually hear the fat man rounding the corner now and I've yet to make the first list or consider what to feed the "fam" next week.

Wonder which of my unsuspecting WIPs will be next...? AAAhhhhha ha ha hhaa hhhaaaaa

Until then, Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

the upside?

I guess if there is an upside to being away from home AND not able to sleep, it's being able to turn on the light and stitch for a few pre-dawn hours. Here's last night's progress on the 4 way bargello.

new WIP

Look at me, getting cocky. I guess I must think that just because I've finished one UFO/extended WIP (the wine bag) this year, I might as well knock out another. I kinda feel like Rocky Balboa, or whoever sang "Mama said knock you out!" I'm ON A ROLLLLLL sportsfans and actually ignoring all those pesky holiday responsibilities with ease. Who says therapy is a waste of money? Of course, when one is out of town, one feels like there is no tomorrow and is capable of stitching for two, three hours straight. Sadly, there is a tomorrow and I'll be packing tomorrow night in order to fly home Friday. Then, I'm sure my little bubble "O'fantasy" will be burst by the many prickly holiday responsibilities awaiting me. But, for now, I leave you with my latest UFO/WIP status report (Marion Scoular, 4 way bargello, peacock design):

My Favorite!

You all know how I just love peacocks? Well, I was able to get up close and personal to a few this weekend at the Philly Zoo. They were incredible!

What do they say about confession?

If blogging is like therapy, then I guess it's "fess up" time. I have way too many PIGs, WIPs and UFOs on my "To Do" list. I hope by posting regular (monthly?) updates on my progress that it will help me to move them from the "To Do" to "Done" list more quickly. I hate to say it but my good intentions list has turned into a joke. This is my last ditch effort to restore my faith in my ability to get a Christmas gift done before Valentine's Day and maybe even stitch a few baby gifts up in advance!

So, here are the two WIPs I am splitting my time between right now. I'll have to switch gears soon for EGA National Seminar (Medici Vase class) and also for a GCC I've just registered for (Finishing with Flair), but for the next two weeks, I'm dedicating my stitching time to my GPA Assisi Peacock Sampler and my first monochromatic (thank you Tantes Zolder/My Aunt's Attic), which I'm stitching to create a wine bottle gift bag. And by the way, the wine bottle gift bag is two years overdue. Ha!