Sometimes my stupidity is astounding, even to me....

I've been working on 4th of July pieces and saw the Prairie Schooler American Strawberries and thought of all of us that have year round trees and thought these would be perfect.  So I picked the one which looked like it was all American flags.  It stitched up quickly, done in 2 days, so I tackled the bargello inspired strawberry since I love bargello.  It took a little longer, 3 days as it's not really bargello but looks like it.  This morning I woke up at 5:30 a.m. and headed to the summer room to start finishing.  This is where my stupidity took over.  I sewed a seam and thought it looked wrong, but did that stop me, nooo, I cut the excess fabric, and gathered what I assumed was top,  and could tell it was wrong since it looked more like a Christmas stocking.  And yet, that didn't stop me, I was committed.  (I should have been committed at this point..to the nearest hospital.)  Then I began to cuss Prairie Schooler and wondered why no one else had bitched about this.  I loaded the lizard litter, and then thought perhaps I should have something to eat and have time to reconsider how screwed up this strawberry had gotten.  So after a break, a couple of waffles and a drink of tea I headed back to look at the red hot mess.  I finally decided to make a paper pattern and see if I could figure this out.  I headed over to the sewing machine, sat there, sewed a different line, what I thought was the top before and voila....the first time I sewed around the top instead of realizing that the curved part was for gathering.   Once I sewed a paper pattern of the strawberry and just sewed the straight line I saw what should have been obvious to anyone.   So I did my bargello strawberry which took all of 15 min. start to finish and now I'm going to try to figure out what the heck I can do with the one I screwed up...but I'm thinking I'm going to have to restitch it.  - 30 minutes later -  Well, as luck would have it I took out the machine stitching on my first strawberry and while I didn't have a lot of room to put a gathering stitch, I managed to do it and now I have both strawberries completed.  What was so simple I managed to make so hard, lesson learned.  A paper pattern next time when something alludes me.  And now....new project alert.  I have two I'm dying to do for the 4th, Threadworks Primitive, "      "  and the new Plum Street Sampler's, "       " .  Now that I'm on the American Strawberries projects,  I also want to do a large strawberry from the booklet on 20 ct. linen over 2 so it would be the momma of all strawberries.  

Went to the shop for supplies, and to drop off models, and was able to get a picture of the "Home of the Free" from Primrose Cottage Stitches.  I changed out the linen for 20 ct. Weeks Dye Works linen so that I could make a pillow that would sit on a chair.  But Vernon was here right when I finished it and said, "I got more of your favorite star frame moulding in case you want to frame it."  So, of course I took the easier route and framed it.  Any time I can stay away from machine sewing, I'm on board.  

In place of the floss, I switched to #5 Perle Cottons from DMC & Weeks Dye Works. I like the way it turned out framed.  Good job Vernon!0

There are so many wonderful patriotic charts it's really hard to decide what to do next, but I have started the Momma Strawberry and I have one more day of stitching to do on it and then I'll post it.  I hope you have had time to stitch this week.  We've had a deluge of rain and now it's a steamy 80-83, so the only place I want to be is inside stitching.  Have a great week and I'll be talking to you again soon.

In April I finished one of my favorite samplers, "Be Kind To One Another" from Needlework Press.  Everything about this spoke to me,  I loved the colors and the message so I decided to stitch it on a 4" Antique White banding I had in my stash. In order for it to fit on the banding I did have to stitch it over one, but I was thrilled with the look so I didn't care. When I was done I wanted to use a spool to hang it but I wanted it to lay flat on the wall....so of course I went to Vernon and he cut off the back side of the top and bottom round part of the spools and it worked.  But then to make it more versatile because we all love to use our displays for more than one project, I put a button on the back of my piece,  a few inches from the top and made a loop that would  go over the button, on the end of the banding,  so I could remove the banding from the spool easily and change this out for different occasions and seasons.  Now I can use this one spool for multiple projects. 

I finished the stitching for the 4th Polar Plunge series, Penguin Pair and had to search for the snowflake scrapbooking paper I had for finishing to no avail.  I remember the lady who cleans for me was coming and I was cleaning so she wouldn't think I was dirty or unkept and I remember grabbing the paper but not what I did with it.  I have boxes with scrapbooking paper in it waiting for me to go upstairs and get the craft room set up,  but for some reason I didn't put it in there so I spent 3 days, yes three, taking apart my summer room looking for it.  Emptied all the totes, searched all the boxes and on Wednesday I told myself to just order more so I could get on with things.  On Thursday I was getting ready for Stitch 'n Bitch at the shop (I don't care what they are calling it) and I went through my stitching bag in the den and there was the damn paper.  I actually had to leave the summer room, go through the kitchen, and get this tote filled with projects I'm thinking of but hadn't gone through for about a month and put that darn paper in there.  Obviously, while cleaning I was so distracted I just carried it in there and said the hell with it, I'm sure I thought I would remember doing it, which of course I didn/t.  Anyway here is the finished Penguin Pair.

This really has been a fun series and I've now got the finishing down to an hour, if that.  There are only 2 more to go, so if you haven't started this one...do it.  Before I talked about the ribbon, which I didn't want to do but Sara liked it so I've finally decided on this bow and this ribbon and will now go back and redo the tops on the first 3 so every one of them match.  

As I mentioned, Stitch 'n Bitch was yesterday and it is really fun to be a part of.  Lacey called to see if I wanted to do lunch before going, so she and I met up for lunch then joined several others at the shop and I am pleased to say I did make two stitches this time, however everyone else stitched the entire time, plus people brought show and tell.  I love Show and Tell.  Saw some amazing finishes to say nothing of what people are working on.  Linda and Candy were working on their stitch along of the Primrose Cottage Stitches Christmas piece while Kathy and Debbie G. were working on their Stitch along which was a Jeannette Douglas Summer-by-the Sea which is part of a Seasons piece which can also stand alone.  Gorgeous.  We also had Debbie B., who is a regular at some of our events and is in Ocean City for the week, and when she told the family she was coming to Stitch 'n Bitch,  her daughter asked if she could come as well.  So if you are in Ocean City for any part of the summer don't hesitate to join us for either Summer Knit on the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, or Summer Stitch (Stitch 'n Bitch) on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month.  It's held in the classroom in Salty Yarns.  I happen to go to both the knit and the stitch and I only take my stitching so you can too if you want.  It's held from 1:00 p.m -3:00 p.m.

I did finish Primrose Cottage Stitches, "Home of the Free" which I will be showing as soon as I remember to take a picture since I already delivered it to the shop.  

And now I have started on an oldie but a goodie.  "American Strawberries" from The Prairie Schooler.  I'm working on Patriotic display pieces for Salty Yarns so these will be perfect.  

Well, that's it for today.  Hope you find some time to stitch.  See  you next time.

Thank you to our wonderful friends!

Last month Stacy Stinson asked if I would come to the shop as she wanted to show me something.  So on the Saturday after her request I drove over to the shop to see her.  She was acting kind of funny and I couldn't figure out what was going on and the Vernon backed  his truck up to the front of the shop and started to unload a piece of furniture.  It was this fabulous wooden settee which was gifted to the shop from so many of our friends who come to our events, shop in the store and have been our supporters since the shop was opened 50 years ago. I've always said we have the most wonderful and loyal customers, many of whom have become great friends as well and it is because of things they do, such as this,  to brighten our lives.  The settee, in our shop colors, no less, green and white, now sits (chained so it can't be stolen) in front of Salty Yarns so husbands, friends of stitchers, stitchers, or whoever needs to sit down has a place outside so they can do just that, of course anyone can sit inside and enjoy air-conditioning if it's too hot outside.  But when you feel the comfort of this settee and start a gentle rocking...well we may find you asleep as it's that comfortable.  While we no longer face the ocean, we still have fun people watching next to Tractor Supplies.  I've arrived a couple of time to Salty Yarns and found both women and men sitting here taking in the scenery. 

So Thank you all, we love it and appreciate the love and support that you have shown us.  

 

So thank you all who contributed to the purchase, I promise I've mailed out several of the Thank You's with the last 7 going out tomorrow.  It was such a thoughtful and generous gift that will be appreciated by all for many, many years.

Stitch 'n Bitch is back.

That's right, Stitch 'n Bitch (or as Sara has renamed it, Summer Stitch) is going to take place the the 2nd & 4th Thursday of every month (all summer) from 1p.m. to 3 p.m. in the classroom at Salty Yarns.  June 8th was the first Stitch 'n Bitch since the Pandemic so you know we had something to talk about.  (I should note that I had plenty to say so no one else had a chance.  I promise to let others talk next time.)  So stitchers it's time to get your stitch on with like minded friends and I ask that if you have any show and tell, bring it along.  I'll supply the drinks, ice tea (sweet & unsweet), coke, and diet coke and I'll bring a sweet or two so please come meet me for a couple of hours of stitching and I'm sure I'll be bitching about something. Hope to see you there.  On another note....there will also be Summer Knit day on the 1st and 3rd  Monday of every month but you can come and stitch if you don't knit, so come on and join us.  

Last week I pulled a chart I just loved when I first saw it and it certainly reminds me of summer so I thought the timing was good.  Heart in Hand's "Seaside Tiny Town."  Normally I stay away from houses since they are boring to me, but these were so small, and I've done 2 or 3 of the Tiny Town's so I knew it wouldn't take that long so I pulled out the called for fabric, pulled the recommended floss and went to town.  It took a few days to stitch, but I was only stitching at night basically so it's a fast stitch.  They include the beads for the eyes of the seagulls but other than that I did exactly as it is graphed.  Too cute

I really like the drums so that is the finishing I chose to do, but they also show it as a flat piece, so you are not limited to drums if you don't like finishing them.

Before I stitched the tiny town piece, I wanted a quick stitch and I chose "Busy Bee Pinball Kit" by Praiseworthy Stitches.  This came as a kit so all the supplies needed to stitch Busy Bee were there.  I hadn't finished a pinball before, so I figured how hard could it be.  I came to regret saying that.  The stitching took a day (this time I did stitch off and on during the day and night), but there wasn't a lot so the next day I started finishing.  I imagined it would be bigger than it was which for me means it get wonky  My hands are big so small pieces can be hard for me.  Well, I got it together with the backing and thought I was well on my way to a finish.  I even got the first ribbon around to hide the 2 half balls joining.  Of all things, it was the ribbon for the top and hanger which drove me completely around the bend.  I didn't see the model in Nashville so after a few tries at a different size bow I took it to Sara and asked her.  She  said she didn't remember, so I gave her the ball and asked her to finish it.  My job was done, Sara's had just begun.  She now has it in the shop so she did put the finishing touches on.  Thank you Sara.  

Yesterday I finished the 3rd Polar Plunge -  "Wally the Walrus".  Of course I stitched it on the same Wintery Mix linen as the first 2 and used the same Classic Colorworks floss.  I will be using the same linen every time and the same floss selection.  I will also use the Mill Hill beads for the holly berries, and the Mill Hill Petite white beads for the snowflake globe.  This is such a cute series and the finish is so easy on this. So the only thing I'm having an issue with is how to finish the top of the ornament.  I'm not a fan of a bow, unless it's necessary to hide something.  There is nothing to hide on this ornament, so the first 2 I didn't use the bow, just flat ribbon which I was going to put a snowflake on and never got the snowflake attached.  So this time I did the bow, since Sara likes it, however I didn't attach the red bell.  God only knows what I'll do next, but when the series is done, whichever way we like best, I'll go back and do the same finish on all of them.

Well that's it for today.  Hope you are having a good day, because I've had a great day.  Started a new quick stitch this morning which I will absolutely (now I have to) finish tonight.  Talk to you soon.

Hope to see you on the 8th.