how are all of you doing? I hope grand! It is only 1 degree here in good old Bloomington, Indiana...and my fanny is nearly a block of ice, because I just returned home from walking Ellie to school. Cheez Whiz its colds outside! And on top of that, I think I'm getting a cold. . . and yesterday I was just bragging to a friend of mine that I hadn't had a cold in over a year. Sheesh. Pride, gets me in my frozen fanny every time. I'll learn one of these days. But have no fear, I'm drinking my lemon/orange juice water, taking Zicam and drinking my Apple Cider Vinegar...
This is my Vera Bradley...
Kiss and Make-up clutch. I use it as my "needle nest" on the arm of my stitching chair. I filled it with a pincushion and my scissors and extra pins and it sits on my arm chair so I always have a place to stick my needle. (I lose needles all. the. time.) This is my way of not losing needles (or sticking them in the armchair to be pushed down in the arm, or into someone's hand when they come to sit down) This is also convenient for when I leave the house, I snap the lid closed, grab my project envelope and off I can go to stitch in the car (or where ever, and always have my needles, scissors and someplace to stick my needle!) Sadly, the Kiss and Make-up bags are discontinued. You can get them on eBay, but plan on $$$ for them.
I was thinking...
lately that I need another Kiss and Make-up clutch for my downstairs area, that way I always have one upstairs and one downstairs for stitching at a moments notice. (That's what I do, I have projects ready upstairs and downstairs so if I have a minute. I sit and put in a thread or two)
anyway...I'm cheap and paying a lot of dough for a bag that is discontinued rubs me raw. So...while at work this weekend I saw this tin:
I opened it up...
and it was filled (well filled 1/4 of the way) with sugared pecans. My co-worker and I divested the tin of the nuts (yes, by eating them all ourselves). And I brought it home. Where I made this little pincushion:
and lined the tin:
Then added the pincushion, I had made:
Put it on the arm of my chair and added my ring of floss and BAM! instant needle nest! And it cost me ZERO! :) and it can have the lid put on it and slam it in my project envelope to take when I leave for a little vanside stitching in parking lots waiting on the kiddies! Cool beans!
Which brings me...
to my downstairs (living room) stitching area:
this shot is from behind my chair and you will notice that the TV is on the wall facing the room (and that I really can't see it) Well I can, but I wouldn't sit there to watch TV. However, I find, that I listen to TV more than watch it, particularly when I'm stitching. So it suits fine. And if I really want to watch TV while I'm stitching, I pull the chair out a bit and I can see it fine :)
...or I go upstairs to my room...
anyway...you will notice the afghan on the back of my chair, well my colleague, mentor and good friend, Ann, made that for me this year and gave it to me for Christmas. Isn't it gorgeous? I can wrap my frozen fanny in it and stitch away!
You will also notice the random foot stool in the middle of the room...? Well that is her Royal Highness Princess Ellie's personal TV viewing stool. And if Mommy moves it, she gets her rear chewed out ;) ha ha ha! So we leave it for her Royal Highness to perch whenever she gets the notion. Its the little things in life...
Here is my market basket...
filled with my project envelopes, all containing a different kitted project, all ready to go. I can move this up and down wherever I go to stitch.and its ready with all the essentials including frames, q-snaps, measuring tape, scissors, etc. Today I plan on stitching downstairs so I brought it down this morning with me.
another sweet gift...
I need to share is the little ivory pinch pot there, filled with scissors. At Christmas under the tree was this huge wrapped package. It was for me from Ellie. I opened up this huge box and in the bottom was this little pot, wrapped in a huge bunch of bubble wrap :)
She had made it in art class at school and when the teacher asked her why she chose to make a pinch pot, rather than her hand print, etc. She told her that it was because her Mama sewed and that she needed a place to put her scissors so she wouldn't lose them. Talk about wanting to make a Mama cry...
So forever will this Mama use her beautiful ivory pinch pot to keep her scissors so that she doesn't lose them.
So that's my story peeps! Want to see what I'm working on and even what I have finished?
Sure you do!
First up:
"The Melicent Turner Sampler"
A reproduction sampler from Little House Needleworks
I started this on Sunday over on the
Little House Showcase and Stitch A Long Place
We have Sampler Sundays over there and I decided that I needed to participate. I've had this kitted for a long time and I went with it.
I'm stitching mine on:
30 count random linen of unknown origin and color
using Classic Colorworks cotton overdyes in the colorway Diane provided in the pattern, however I changed out Sweetest Heart, which is a pinker red for Apple Fritter which is a deeper, darker red. I think it will be sweet.
This is one afternoon/evening worth of stitching. I got further than I expected I would!
Then I finished,
Seven Pines, a complimentary design from Diane for Christmas 2013
I stitched mine on 30 ct. Dark Chino using the DMC colors that Diane gave
HERE
and last night ...
Did you hear the angels singing?! Because I only have a few days of January left but I held firm to my 2014 "
goal" and started the first Prairie Schooler Santa! for my someday Prairie Schooler Santa Tree, that I will hopefully have more than one Santa hanging on the tree this Christmas 2014!
Here's my progress after an hour of stitching:
And yes...
I DO use a floor stand and a lap stand. I get asked this the most from people, so I'll share about it because I know that people will ask me about it. So I'll give my spiel.
It is a Needlework System 4 Floor stand. I have had it now for 6 years. You buy it to suit your stitching style. Mine is the floor stand part and the Q-snap head. I also own a separate set which is: the lap/table top stand part and a second Q-snap head. I prefer the floor stand, however the lap stand is fine too. Both work...but I prefer the floor stand. The lap/table top stand is my mobile stand that I take with me to retreats, to my LNS stitching day, etc. I do use it at home too, but the floor stand is light enough that I can carry this one up or down the stairs depending on where I'm stitching here at home. Yes, these are costly and it is scary to spend that much on something. I did not "pre-test drive" it, or any model. I just did a lot of research about it. I have had two things break over the years on my head part. Both times I e-mailed the company and both times replacement parts were sent to me to fix it myself. The owner of the company even volunteered fixing it if I didn't feel comfortable, however, my husband is handy, so we didn't need to do that. I am completely satisfied, I have sold many stands over the years for the company based on people asking me about them from my blog. Maybe I should be given a brand spanking new floor stand because of my touting them as the best stand ever? :) Honestly, this stand is fabulous. If you are having issues with tendinitis (I was) or just general muscle problems, posture problems, etc. while stitching. I HIGHLY recommend this product. HIGHLY! Best single thing I ever did for my stitching life. Period. The head turns so that you can easily start out/end off. No loosening no nuts to turn, just load it and go. I stitch two-handed too, so I think that speeds stitching up a lot, which is another side benefit.
In the Q-snap head...
is F.A. Edmunds
Stretcher Bars I've having a new romance with these lately for cross stitching and I have to "rig" the Q-snap head holders to hold the stretcher bars. But some old pieces of felt do the trick. The new romance is because I have found that the stretcher bars really do "block" the piece well. Especially on a loose weave linen. But maybe its my imagination. They are also light weight, reusable, cheap and if you stitch "in hand" they are not heavy on your wrists.
So there you go folks...
That's my stitching story and my current WIPS and finishes for today!
I'll be back...
and until I do, I'll be keeping my hands to work and heart to God, just like always!
Join me!
Hugs and stitches,
Vonna xxxx
