I have one color left to add to this posy on the Spot Sampler. Just one color that needs to be stitched into random spots and used to outline others. Just one more color and the motif will be finished.
And my eyes have said "Enough! No more!"
I just can't.
But here is where I am:
Maybe a long while.
We have had a quiet Fourth. I thought I would stitch all day, but all I did was a bit on All That Glitters.
Carmen is back on the frame stand.
Most of the mistakes that sent her into time-out have either been corrected or compensated for. At least, I hope they have. And the scrolls have been turned and I've started on a new motif (it will be a bird).
I have realized that I'm going to have to set this up with a different frame stand because the one I'm using is more like a trestle, and it is killing my back. This does not make for pleasant stitching, nor can I stitch for any length of time without unkinking my back. Yes, I know I should be doing that anyway, but every 10-15 minutes is a bit excessive for 5 minutes of stitching.
Somehow, I shall overcome.
I realized that I still had a bunch of details to add to the Elizabethan Rose before I sewed the petals on.
So I did.
And then I was arranging the petals and decided I have a couple that are a little cattywampus--obviously the ones I did first--and I think I have enough thread to re-do them--so I may try that before this is finally stitched completely.
Meanwhile, today I think I'll work on Carmen a little bit. I ripped back to the mistake so I'm set to go.
We come now to the end of the stitching part of this blog. We are now moving on to the latest Domestic Situation. If you are only interested in needlework, you can stop now.
Dearly Beloved has added a new snoring pattern to his repertoire.
He has several snores.n (And, yes, he has had several sleep studies and sleeps with a CPAP machine.)
The first and most common is the snort-and-snuffle snore. It is not unlike the sound a bear makes when it's rooting around for food in unsecured trash cans or Yogi Bear's pick-a-nick baskets. Or vehicles. There are reels and reels of reels showing bears destroying cars, vans, SUVs, and trucks in search of the food within. Generally that involves the partial PBandJ and string cheese the 7 year-old left in the side pocket of the back seat.
There are also reels and reels of reels of bears getting into and out of hammocks. If you need a chuckle, I highly recommend.
I digress.
The second is a sort of putt-putt sound that involves some lip action. It sounds a little like the old outboard on the fishing boat on the pond at your great-uncle's place.
Then there is the major snore. It's a little like hearing a train from a distance, heading toward you and getting louder as it approaches--this is the inhale--and then diminishing as it passes by--this is the exhale. This one is loud and seems to last forever--quite frankly, Pavarotti would envy the breath control of this one.
And, last night, he added a new one.
It's a cross between a whistle and a kazoo.
He uttered it right next to my ear. It was very high-pitched. I hope to regain hearing in that ear as the day progresses.
And I wonder why I wake up in the middle of the night.
I have piles and piles of projects I want to do.
Actually, mountains of projects.
It's overwhelming. Sometimes it's hard to decide where to start.
BDE and I were talking about this very thing last evening. We may have figured out a way to tackle the problem.
One of my online friends has a bin of WIPs by her stitching chair. She has numbered them. Then she has slips of paper with those numbers in a little basket. When she doesn't know where to start, she pulls out a slip and works on whatever project whose number she pulled. It doesn't make any difference if it's something she wants to do or not--she refers to it as Fate's Choice, and apparently she's found that once she starts stitching, all is right with the world and she is back in the rhythm. And she's getting things done rather than starting something new.
BDE has gaming dice, so it's easier for her to roll a number. She's going to try that for a bit.
I decided to work on about a half a dozen projects in July and see where that gets me.
Mine are:
Meanwhile, this is what I accomplished last night on All That Glitters--I'm starting a new motif pattern!
Fingers crossed that this works, that both BDE and I have some finishes, and we can add new projects to the list as we finish the current batches.
Since today is the last day of the first half of 2026, I thought I would see what I've been able to stitch so far this year.
I've stitched three samplers:
When I made the big pin cushion out of Clara 1876, I felt she needed something else--trim, or lace, or pompoms--but Joann's is gone, and buying trim from a picture online doesn't always result in what you want.
So I texted the Best Daughter Ever (aka BDE) and asked if she would be willing to crochet a trim.
BDE really enjoys doing the fiddliest of things--she makes bobbin lace and tats and knits and crochets lace with the smallest of yarns and threads--and she sent me photos of several different trims and I picked one and within 24 hours she had made the exact amount I needed for Clara.
I am the luckiest of moms.
So here is Clara with her added finery.
I think it's just perfect.
Meanwhile, I've made a little more progress on All That Glitters, which is currently my stitch-in/lecture/Zoom meeting project.
I almost got the second red motif filled in during today's Western Reserve Sampler Guild meeting. This is a delightful group of stitchers, and I always enjoy their meetings. They just had their first retreat, and my fingers are crossed that I can go to the next one in 2027.
But now I think I'm going to take a nap.
The only thing that has seen the point of a needle this week is the third motif on the Spot Sampler.
I would like to point out that it's very difficult to stitch off-white thread on off-white linen and see anything at all. This takes ghost stitches to a whole new level.
We had to go back to our old stomping grounds for a return trip to our dentist--we haven't found anyone we like here since we moved, and since our insurance won't cover anything beyond cleanings and check-ups twice a year, we may as well go back to the guy we like and trust.
However, apparently I decided to chew on my numbed lip at some point, and it's a little swollen. I don't think this is what bee-stung lips are supposed to look like. I look lopsided. I mentioned this to Dearly Beloved, who looked at me very seriously and said he couldn't tell any difference.
I think the next appointment that we need to make is with an ophthalmologist. For him.
Dearly Beloved and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary yesterday by running away from home for the week.
We fled to the mountains and had a lovely time, other than navigating highway construction. I'm not sure how much is recovery work from Hurricane Helene and how much is the never-ending, eternal, and forever construction on I-40. I do know that the GPS had us doing a number of U-turns on about every foray out into the world.
That was the only problem with the trip. We did some sightseeing, some shopping (I got to Sassy Jack's), a lovely visit with a treasured friend who lives in the area, and a lot of dining. We enjoyed the getaway. And BDE brought dinner to us last night to celebrate some more.
So now we are focusing on making it to 60 years.
Not much stitching occurred while we were away, but a good bit happened since we got home.
I took Merry Cox's Americana Sewing Case with me, and did a little bit on it.
Did I mention that it's all over one? Did I realize that it is all over one when I decided to take it with me? Did I get a thread off in 1998 and that's why I stopped working on it, or did I make that mistake on the trip? Am I going to try to find it and rip the border out (since that's where I think I made the mistake)?
The only question I'm going to answer is the last one, and the answer is a resounding "NO!" I am not ripping anything out.
And then I filled in one of the red motifs on All That Glitters.
Currently, I'm bouncing around like a BB in a boxcar.
Elizabethan Rose has been sitting in time-out because I am chicken. I needed to do the cutwork, which means you cut pieces of gold into short lengths and sew them down like bugle beads. Trying to get them the correct length is not the easiest thing in the world, especially for me. Due to Fear of Screwing Up, I set it aside until I finally decided perfection is the enemy of good enough and started working on it today.
One side is done but my hands started cramping and I thought maybe I should quit before I really screwed up.
I did make some progress on All That Glitters yesterday:
because I found this buried deep in the stash:
Actually, I am finding that I can work on something for about three days and then I'm ready for something else. In the past, I've pulled out a half dozen or so things I want to stitch and moved among them until I have some finishes. That has worked really well, and why I haven't consistently done that, I have no idea. It's probably because something shiny pops up and I can't stand to wait.
At my advanced age, I should be able to exercise some self-restraint.
I should be.
I'm probably not, but I may try it again.
I had a Zoom stitch-in yesterday and an EGA chapter meeting online this morning and I wanted to watch the tape for May's Mayflower Sampler Guild meeting--so I had time to stitch on All That Glitters, which is now my stitch-in/lecture/meeting project.
I really wanted to get to the red motif on the design--and I did, just barely.
Subject to change and wherever whimsy takes me.
I know that I said the Spot Sampler was going to be my Sampler Sunday project and would be worked on only on Sunday.
So far I've broken that declaration twice. Today was the second time.
I planned to work on something else today, but I started thinking about how long each one of these motifs takes to stitch. I finally figured out that at the present rate, it could take me as long as four years to complete the sampler. I really don't want to spend every Sunday for four years on the same sampler, so I decided that I can spend another day or two a week on it if the mood prevails.
After all, when it comes to my stitching, I am actually the boss of me and can do what I want!
Plus, I'm retired and I don't have to meet arbitrary deadlines or performance metrics. After working for so long, I have a problem remembering that sometimes.
And I'm filling in leaves on this Sampler Sunday:
I just realized when I looked at the photo--it looks like this flower has little cacti erupting all over it.
Hopefully, by the time I get the petals of the flower filled in, the cacti will look like leaves and not cacti. I'm not sure that an embroiderer in the 1600's would have had access to a cactus to know what one would look like.
I could start working on the petals, but I know that I need to take care of my greens before I get to the sweet stuff.
See what I did there?
Obviously, I need to take a break.
I've been making lists of older projects that I want to work on.
It's a very long list and definitely needs to be winnowed down. After all, I'd like to have some finishes instead of just moving forty-leven projects along.
And I was looking at the list last night and realized I didn't have anything that would be conducive to working on during guild meetings/lectures/stitch-ins. And I have a lot of guild meetings and lectures and potential stitch-ins coming up.
So, short of digging out a needlepoint piece that just needs the background worked (and I'm sure there are a few of those in the stash), I pulled out one of the projects from a class I took from Jackie du Plessis a year or so ago. It's a stitcher's pocket, aka "All That Glitters."
And I have a good start. The design has a series of interlocking motifs that are easy to count and fill in, and it uses an elongated cross stitch so it has a beautiful texture, and it's complicated enough to keep me interested but easy to do while otherwise engaged.
Tomorrow is Sampler Sunday--that's going to stay the same--and then on Monday I'll start working on one of the multitude of projects on my list.
We'll see which one wins out.
It's been a good mail week.
Tania Cohen's Knot Garden Bouquet is the focus piece for the Special Interest Group sponsored by the Dayton Chapter of EGA for the rest of the year. The kit has arrived! Unfortunately, Dearly Beloved and I had to be out of town for a few days, and I didn't get to participate in the first meeting covering the project.
And then, when we arrived home today, this was waiting for me:
Ann Beck is a new designer to me, but her bio is fascinating. She designed and embroidered the costumes worn by some of the greats in figure skating and also had a costuming business for a number of years. She has turned her attention to teaching embroidery now, and I just found out about her recently. And of course I fell in love with this design and ordered the kit.
Open the box and it's like Christmas:
You almost don't want to untie the ribbon . . . but you do . . .
Silks and metals and trims, oh, my! And a quick scan of the instructions look like they are more than complete, with extra notes talking about various facets of the design.
And am I going to leap right in?
I want to.
I really want to.
However, while I was out of town, especially during the long drives to and fro, I have been thinking about all the WIPs and UFOs and amazing projects in my stash, particularly two big and long-term projects. I also found a list of projects I wanted to do as soon as I retired.
I retired five years ago.
Have I touched any of those projects on that list?
Nope.
So I'm going to focus on some stash pieces that have been started and add the new stuff once I get some of the old stuff completed. Some of the old stuff really only needs a few days to become finished stuff. and finished stuff is the best stuff!
This does not mean that there will be no further stash enhancement. I mean, do you know me? It just means that maybe the things you'll see me work on are mostly older projects. for awhile, with a new thing or two thrown in because I just can't stand it.
The skirt just about did me in--there are a LOT more stitches than I expected--story of my life--but Clare is done!
She is supposed to be a shaped pillow like the Animal Crackers are, but I wasn't crazy about the shape in the template. Then I thought about doing a stand-up, but I didn't feel like doing the math. I felt like just getting her done--so she's a little pillow.
Actually, she isn't quite done. I have asked BDE to make a crocheted lace edging to trim the pillow and she is agreeable. Best Daughter Ever for sure!
Now, my question is this: Why is embroidery so enjoyable and sewing such a pain in the patoot?
I hitched up the granny panties and finish-finished the ornament I stitched earlier this week!
And then, I felt it appropriate to work on something patriotic on Memorial Day while we were watching Band of Brothers, so Clare 1876 climbed out of her project bag. This is where I was when I stopped last night:
If you decide to stitch her, I have a hint for dealing with the skirt. Do all the white stitches first--that gives you the framework for counting out all the shading.
I have to admit that I had to dig out the colored pencils to mark off the rows in the white sections. I haven't had to do that in a long time, but it simplified my life and actually saved time in the long run. I'm always pleased when something simplifies my life and saves time, so win-win!
I am going to plop myself down and see if I can get the rest of her stitched today. Lofty goal, but Dearly Beloved has gone to tour the grocery store and I will have a couple of hours to myself before he gets home.
I do love him, but there is a LOT of togetherness in retirement!
Today I stitched the Scottish Sampler Ornament, designed by Serpentine Stitchery from many, many years ago.
You find all kinds of things when you go stash-diving. This was one of the exclusive designs offered by one of the first online shops, Accomplishments in Ohio--gotta be over twenty years ago.
I was in the mood to work on an ornament and this was on the top of the stack.
You wouldn't think this little ornament could cause angst. First of all, it's on 25 count linen with Soie Perlee. And this meant I had to find a 24 tapestry needle because Soie Perlee won't go through the eye of a 26 or 28. Well, it will, but it doesn't want to. It's been a minute since I used a 24 needle, so it was a little like picking up a telephone pole.
And it's been a looooong time since I used 25 count linen, so it was like sticking that telephone pole through a highway.
Which meant the center motif went really fast.
Maybe I should do something besides 36 or 40 count linen with one strand of Soie de Paris or AVAS on occasion.
Now, that braided pattern around the outside was not quite so easy. I've done variations of this motif on other projects and it always makes my brain hurt when I try to do it in double running. I started double running and ended up ripping more than completing. After three false starts, I made the executive decision to do plain old backstitch. After all, this piece is for enjoyment. If you have to rip and rip and rip again, it loses that enjoyment factor.
And I have decided perfectionism is vastly overrated. Especially when the back of the work will never be seen.
That floral motif I was working on last Sunday ended up taking a good bit of my stitching time this week.
I didn't think it would take more than a day or two, but I forgot about that 1,225 stitches per square inch thing that happens when you're working over one on 35 count linen. Apparently it takes me awhile to do 1, 225 stitches per square inch, and I believe there was more than one square inch in the part I was doing.
But that motif is finished and I started the outlining on the next flower.
Actually, I just told a story. The blue motif isn't quite finished. The center of the flower is supposed to have a multitude of tiny bullion stitches. However, I'm working on a scroll frame and I don't want the bullions to either be smushed or to stretch out later sections of the linen as the scroll frame is turned. I have tried using a pad of batting to cushion highly textured stitches but that hasn't always been successful.
Consequently, I have a little notebook in which I am recording which motifs will need extra work after their bases are done. There are a number of motifs that have raised petals, and I definitely do not want them smushed. I'll be happy if I can do a decent job on the needlelace so I really don't want create my own problems.
Other than that, I have been organizing and reorganizing the stash. I have a pile of projects I want to touch and another pile that I want to finish--they've been hanging around way too long.
And then there's always the new stuff that tempts and teases. . . Tricia Nguyen has been showing the beginning of a new casket design . . . and Betsy Morgan has a new book coming out that is a stitched casket with loads of goodies that will live inside it . . . and there are new online classes coming up which make me want to finish some of the old online classes that I've taken but haven't quite completed.
And I'm not even going to talk about the books I want to read and the recipes I want to try.
How did I ever find time to work? Retirement is busy!
I know when you're retired that every day is Saturday, but this weekend seemed to zoom past me faster than the speed of light. And that's probably because I had one stitch-in, two EGA Special Interest Group meetings, and a lecture from Relics in Situ to attend, all from the comfort of my armchair.
It also meant that I was able to get a lot of stitching done.
During the SIG for surface embroidery, I stitched leaves and managed to get all the ones in the medium shade of green finished. In case you missed it, this is the vintage Elsa Williams kit of Paul Revere's ride. I've decided that it will be my travel piece since I don't need extra light or magnification, perfect for hotel room stitching.
And then there's my Sampler Sunday project:
Liberty for All is finally finished!!!
I kept thinking that just one more day of stitching and I'd have it done.
I was wrong.
For a little bitty sampler with only a few colors, there are a lot of stitches.
The house in the middle of the Liberty sampler has been built. It just needs to have the front door hung and the landscaping finished, and I'll be ready to stitch the bottom third.
I was stitching merrily along, thinking I just have a bit more of this to stitch and then Clara's skirt and I would have my planned Fourth of July projects done . . . until, that is, I remembered something buried deep in the stash. And then I fell down the rabbit hole.
A vintage Elsa Williams kit--I wonder if it was originally designed for the Becentennial fifty years ago. I can't remember if I found this at an estate sale or a stash destash or what, but if there was ever an appropriate time to stitch it, I guess this is it.
Plus, assembling the stool part and painting it will give Dearly Beloved something to do. Lately he's really needed something to do.
And if you've been married a certain amount of time and are retired, you'll know exactly what I mean by that.
If you've followed me for any length of time, you may have noticed I don't tend to be a monogamous stitcher.
But I can't seem to put Liberty for All down so I can work on what I'd originally planned to stitch this week.
I have passed the halfway mark as of tonight, and something tells me that one of two things will happen:
The first motif for the center part of Liberty for All is now complete!
I have to admit, it was the berry border that drew me to the design, but I do love this basket.
(And just to let my nerd flag fly, I did watch part of Star Wars today so I can say "May the Fourth be with you" and move on. )
Robin was kind enough to fill me in on what people are currently doing for Maynia now. (See the comments on yesterday's post.) If I get five projects finished, I could finally say that I have participated. However, as I have once again decided that I am not going to work to a deadline on anything and stitch on whatever strikes my fancy, I am not going to declare any goals.
Although, after the way the first third of the year has gone, I'll be happy if I manage to thread a needle on a daily basis.
I got a very late start on Sampler Sunday today, and this is all I have to show thus far.
I had hoped that I would get all the outlined areas filled in today but, unless I stay up all night--and that would run into Sampler Monday, which isn't a thing (yet)--I don't think that will happen.
However, I did spend a delightful hour with a lecture sponsored by the Great Lakes Region of EGA. The people behind Relics in Situ talked about raised or dimensional embroidery of the 16th and 17th centuries. OMG, the close-up pictures they showed were phenomenal! The things the embroiderers of that time could accomplish--simply amazing! And, yes, I know there are people who do the same sort of work now, but what really amazes me is the tiny scale of some of the artifacts. It all makes me want to get back to that sort of work, if only to see if I can get my arthritic fingers to produce something resembling it.
Stay tuned for that.
That may have been written with tongue in cheek.
And on to another topic that rose to the top of my brain in the middle of the night:
What has happened to Maynia?
Do you remember when people started a new project on every day in May? Is anybody still doing that?
Or is that the reason there are now so many WIPGO programs to help people finish their started projects?
Inquiring minds want to know. I'd love to hear what you have to say.
Whew! April is over! It was a very tiring month for me, but I am feeling more like myself and think my stitching mojo is coming back.
(However, in the Aging-is-NOT-for-Sissies category, I rolled over last night and threw out my back. These times do try us. Icy Hot patches actually do help, although the aroma can also clear out ones sinuses.)
Anyway, I have done a little on Stacy Nash's Liberty for All sampler.
I also started assembling Jackie du Plessis' Carmen Etui yesterday, but at the moment there isn't enough put together to make sense.
And tomorrow is Sampler Sunday, and I'd like to get the leaves on the second motif filled in with tent.
I should probably mention that this is more stitching in three days than I have done in the last three weeks. Let's hope I can keep the momentum going!
When my elderly relatives felt a little under the weather, they would say they were "feeling poorly" or "a little puny."
I was under the weather last week, thus there was virtually no stitching. There was a lot of gazing off into the distance and napping. I felt poorly and I was a little puny.
It just occurred to me that I am now the elderly relative.
Anyway, I feel much better now, and yesterday I did the backstitch for the second motif on The Essamplaire's Spot Sampler.
Today I am going to reorganize the work table so I can start doing some final finishing on a project or two. And if finishing doesn't do me in, I'm definitely on the mend.
Sampler Sunday resulted in one finished motif today.
Other than the straight stitches for the veins in the leaves, this is all worked in tent stitch or backstitch. And I made a major mistake--I decided to see how many stitches it takes to do a square inch.
1, 225.
That's a lot.
And there are forty-one more motifs on this sampler.
I'm glad I decided that this would take a couple of years to stitch if I work on it only on Sundays. It may take three years, but I'm trying to be optimistic.
I also worked on one of my Fourth projects, Clara 1876, during the past week:
I had several Zoom meetings this past week, and Clara was perfect stitching--lots of fill-in. I just wish she didn't look quite so confused.
Fingers are crossed that I can make some headway on Peony this week. I didn't have the bandwidth this week to focus on goldwork after the long, long trip home. I read somewhere that travel is tiring because you're constantly making micro-movements as you ride, whether in plane, train, or automobile. I must have been making some macro-movements as well as all the micro-movements. Or maybe I'm just getting old.
BDE and I went to Salty Yarns last week for classes with Jackie du Plessis.
And this is what I took:
Unless this one comes to the top of the list:
This one is so cool! It has a drawer that pulls out for storing treasures. Maybe it's on the top of the list.
And here's the third class I took:
It's getting green outside my door, and it's pretty green in my stitching corner at the moment.
Yesterday I filled in the leaves and stems on the Spot Sampler:
Most of the motifs on this sampler are worked in tent stitch over one--and that's why it's probably gonna take me a couple of years to stitch. That doesn't include the detached elements for some of the motifs.
Can we say labor-intensive?
Today I finished the outline for the twining vine on the Queen Sampler:
The inner sections of the vine will be filled in, but I think I'm going to work the big flowers on either side of the center first.
They're worked in Queen stitch. I do not believe I have worked a Queen stitch since I finished RST last year.
Hopefully I have recovered from that trauma by now!
Happy Easter! Everything here is blooming and pollinating--and another cold front is moving in.
But on to happier topics.
My Sampler Sunday project is going to be the Spot Sampler, reproduced by Margriet Hogue of The Essamplaire.
It's got to be almost 20 years ago (YIKES!) that I took this class from Margriet when Jeannine held her sampler workshops in Williamsburg. At the time, I was doing a lot of proof stitching and model stitching with deadlines and so I put it aside--and then I got distracted by something else--and it sank into the stash.
But just because it was out of sight didn't mean it was out of mind. I kept thinking about it, time and time again over the years, but something else always seemed to take precedence.
I've been taking stock lately. I realized that I have been spending way too much time doomscrolling on my phone. I've also realized that I have way more to stitch than could be attained in five lifetimes. I have four online classes that began at the beginning of this year that I have yet to start, plus half a dozen from last year and the year before that I should finish. And I am not getting any younger. If anything, time seems to be speeding up.
So, I have made a bucket list of stitching projects that should take priority. I've also decided to set my phone on the other side of the room from me so I'm not tempted to pick it up. I'm keeping several stitching projects close at hand so I'll be tempted to thread a needle instead.
I should probably not mention that I'm heading to Salty Yarns on Wednesday to take three more classes from Jackie du Plessis. I can only stand so much discipline, and then I crack, so I'm giving myself permission to take advantage of things that will be available only for a limited time.
But, back to this sampler. I figure it's going to take me a couple of years of Sundays to complete it, so I'd best get started.
I'm a little behind on my Ornament-of-the-Month idea, but I finally assembled my choice for February. Betsy Morgan design Christmas Treats for Inspirations magazine. I stitched the design last year, and finally put them together today.
I've started the double running for the Queen's band.
Peony is not completely out of the picture, I will probably go back to that project Monday. Meanwhile, I believe I may work on a different sampler on Sundays. I just have to decide which one. I was sort of saving Carmen for summer stitching, and I'm tempted by another project entirely for Sundays.
We'll see what happens when I sit down to stitch tomorrow.
Nope, not the Peony, which is in time-out after being totally uncooperative. Instead, Elizabeth Hall 1771 is done!!
She's a tiny little sampler, only about 6" x 7". I think I may have a frame that would fit somewhere in the stash. I've pressed her once, but it looks like she needs another go with the iron.
Meanwhile, I think I'm going to work on getting a few more things out of the finishing basket and I may dig into the WIP basket while Peony is considering her misbehavior.
But first, I need to make a grocery list so Dearly Beloved can do his hunting and gathering thing. As I have mentioned before, he loves to tour the grocery store. And it gets him out of the house!
I've started putting the gold threads on the Peony. This is colored couching:
And I have discovered I can only do a limited number of hours focusing on shiny metal thread before my eyes cross. So, I'm planning to work on this slowly and deliberately and do a little every day.
Which means I have more time to work on Elizabeth, who isn't shiny at all. I've started working on the lettering:
