Finally Framed

I have had this piece stitched since last year which is also the year that Skip and I did our Scandinavian tour. This is what the wharf (Bryggen) probably looked like in Bergen Norway a century ago.

I bought the kit for it at a stitching/yarn shop right on this iconic wharf area. It was a Permin of Copenhagen kit with the floss nicely separated, the chart, and Aida fabric. I chose to use a piece of 32ct Irish linen. It has been sitting on the 8 x 10 frame, ready to go for almost a year. I think the entire process of cutting the foam core, lacing and stretching the piece and getting it into the frame took half an hour.

We also have this magnet on our fridge.

Bryggen Bergen is now a World Unesco sight and very manageable for tourists. Lots of places to shop at and eat. The Hanseatic Museum is there and many other historical buildings.

This is what it looks like nowadays.

We LOVED our Scandinavian tour and I'm so happy I now have a stitched memory of one aspect of it.

The reason I haven't posted anything in over a week is I've basically done nothing blogworthy since the day after my last post. I came down with some respiratory crud that didn't go away with tons of sleep, lots of liquid intake, 6 year-old inhalers and acetaminophen. I was in bed an average of 23.5 hours a day from last Friday until yesterday morning.

My doctor was in from 10 - 3 yesterday and was able to see me at 11. I am now on a big daily dose of antibiotics and Symbicort (steroid inhaler to reduce inflammation) for 10 days with instructions to return to her office on Saturday for a chest x-ray if I'm not significantly better. I did actually feel quite a bit better last night after (ahem) clearing some chest congestion and today seem to be up to about 80% operation. I spent the entire day today out of bed. Granted, I loafed in front of the TV a lot and watched Flosstube video podcasts on Youtube, etc., but I had energy, I wasn't as shaky, I felt a bit stronger, by afternoon my appetite had returned. So if it was pneumonia, we have it licked and I'm very glad because I missed Christmas and it must have sucked for Skip although he wouldn't say so.

I had to cancel a trip over New Years to visit my family next week because I don't want to stray very far from home for a while. I've never been incapacitated this long before and it took a lot out of me - and scared me a little, too.

But I'm well on the mend and we are formulating plans for New Year's Eve dinner at the Mandarin, then back home to ring in the new year.

So a belated Merry Christmas to my readers.

Flatfold Finish

This piece has been waiting for me to finish it.

I wanted to do a flatfold finish but it is very time-consuming as it's like finishing two ornaments. I had a craft day with Marilyn the other day. She worked on a project bag and I worked on finishing this ornament.

I had a heck of a time centering it but finally was happy with it after ripping it apart a couple of times.

The back is easy to do as the polka dots were easy to align. The top of the outer back piece is long and folds over to go between the two front pieces. Vonna Pfeifer has a good video on the subject.

One also has to remember to put the little strip of fabric between the two pieces, sandwiching it between the backs and fronts.

It turned out pretty cute and looks very spiffy beside the one I did last year.

It does look a little bare, though so I will probably make some cording to go around the front piece.

Birthday Trip

For Skip's birthday, we ventured to the Buffalo NY area so we could explore, shop and eat at some new places (for us) and some not-so-new places.

First, we went to East Aurora to visit the Roycroft Campus which according to Wikipedia was a "reformist community of craft workers and artists which formed part of the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 20th Century".

I was particularly interested in some of the fibre crafts. This was an embroidered pillow with a pinecone motif.

The stained glass lamps were beautiful. This one was Tiffany style.

The straight lines are very characteristic of the Arts and Crafts style.

Across from the Campus is the Roycroft Inn which was restored in the 1990s. Of course much of the furniture is in Arts and Crafts style.

On Main Street there are many cute business and eateries. Red's serves 'Beef on Weck' a Buffalo specialty with thinly sliced, rare roast beef on a kummelweck roll. Traditionally the top bun gets a dip au jus and is spread with horseradish.

We did not partake this time, rather we enjoyed lattes a couple of doors down at Taste Café. Once in there, we realized we had eaten at the same place several years ago on our first visit to East Aurora.

We then visited the Carriage Quilt Shoppe where I received a free fat quarter when I told the proprietor that it was Skip's birthday. Bonus! I also bought a cute panel of vintage sewing items. The owner also followed Skip around her shop chatting him up. I told him it was because he had forgotten his wedding ring and she was hitting on him. He thought she was worried he'd steal something. I believe she doesn't get many men in her shop, much less cute ones like Skip.

After checking in at our hotel, we had dinner at La Tolteca, a Mexican restaurant we've visited several times. Unfortunately the service was very slow. We figured there must have been some crisis in the kitchen because we didn't see food come out for almost 1/2 hour and everyone around us was waiting for their food as well. Next time we'll try another restaurant.

On Friday we shopped at several of our favourite spots including JoAnn Fabrics, Big Lots, Lockport Outdoor Store, WalMart, Lockport liquor store, etc. We had lunch at Wegmans Market Café and dinner at the Buffalo Brew Pub.

The next morning (yesterday) we made a return visit to JoAnn's and the Lockport Outdoor Store, had lunch at the Glen Park Tavern in Williamsville, then began the drive home, arriving at about 4:30pm.

It was a fun trip.

I now have several projects to complete for Christmas and more Christmas preparations to do as well (baking, cleaning, organizing, gift wrapping, etc.). Scooter is arriving tomorrow for a couple of days. Tomorrow I'm stitching at Barb's and on Tuesday Marilyn is coming over to do some ornament finishing. There are still lots of activities leading up to Christmas.

Shuttlebug December Meeting.

Last Wednesday was the December meeting of the Shuttlebugs, my spinning and weaving guild.

We had a lot of wonderful items for 'Show and Share'.

Leslie modeled her sweater created from knitted squares.

This was her Saori 'squid' - a long piece of weaving wrapped, folded and stitched.

Jacki brought in the Christmas card her dog sitter created using portraits of Jacki's dog, Jimmy.

Doesn't he look handsome, and so proud of himself?

Annie brought in a scarf she wove years ago with the Markham guild

and a needle-felted picture she created in a workshop with Rosemary Oliver.

She also showed off a couple of beaded hand-knit scarves.

Christine had a Santa head she made at a workshop with Saira Jan. Three workshops are scheduled in the new year with Saira.

Judy had a couple of needle-felted figures.

I took in some of my recently finished ornaments

and one of my punch needle pieces. I've offered to do a beginning punch needle class if there is any interest.

Gini spun then dip-dyed a 900yd skein of rambouillet/corriedale yarn for her sister's Christmas present.

Dini brought in a vintage, beaded purse that had belonged to her husband, Barry's, grandmother.

She also showed us one of her tea towels.

 As so many Shuttlebugs were unable to make the meeting, the pot luck luncheon will be held at January's meeting.

Buzz Update

I continue to work on Buzz when I'm watching TV at night.

I got the bottom 'triangles' done.

I'm able to stitch on the 'slate' coloured fabric without magnification, thank goodness.

I will be using black threads for the bee bodies which should show up somewhat against the slate background.

This long strip is actually the 4 sides of the pincushion. I will be stitching squares for the top and bottom and whip stitching them all together like I did for this one.

I've been watching Priscilla and Chelsea on Flosstube (YouTube) and am now caught up to the present time. Priscilla Blain is the person who created the chalkboard designs for Hand On Design. Cathy Habermann of Hands On Design turns Priscilla's pictures into cross stitch charts.

I really like many of the Hands On Design patterns and aspire to stitch a couple more of them.

Lattice Cowl

I picked this pattern so I could learn a new stitch, the Indian cross stitch. I'm not sure how the pattern got its name but for political correctness, let's assume it's from India.

I used 1.1 skeins of Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend yarn in the Deep Sea colourway.

I modified the pattern by casting on 120 stitches. It had to be a multiple of 8. If I were to knit it again with the same weight yarn, I'd cast on 136 sts to get a generous 22" circumference.

Where you see the straight line of garter stitch 3/4 of the way down was where I didn't stagger the cross stitches. Oops! I guess that's a design feature now.

In the garter stitch section after the second last set, I increased 16 sts evenly in the round to create a bit more width so I would flare out a bit and sit nicely.

This was a fast knit because of the cross stitch sections.

It makes a very cozy cowl. I would definitely recommend this as a cowl for a child rather than using a a scarf that can get caught on things.

More Crafting

After going out for breakfast with Skip followed by an epic Costco shopping spree, I spent the rest of the day working on various projects.

I got my doors and windows cut out and fused to my wool appliqué mat. I just need to finish stitching the appliqué stitches and embellishing the tree branches and leaves.

I made cording for this Winter's Eve ornament.

It looks very cute on my tree.

I finished stitching the ornament for the Trillium Embroidery Guild ornament exchange next week and just need to make and attach cording.

Whilst binge-watching the latest season of Shetland on Netflix, I did more stitching on my Buzz pincushion.

I made up some gingerbread dough this morning and have it chilling in the fridge. After running some errands, I'll make some cookies.

Wool Appliqué Class

My 'girl gang' Jen, Jeanette, Barb, Marilyn, and I took a wool appliqué yesterday at the Quilter's Cupboard in Uxbridge.

Marilyn and I worked on the table mat from Buttermilk Basin table mat.

I forgot to cut out my doors and windows so this is as far as I am. My stitches aren't the most consistent but they work well with the primitive nature of this craft. I may add some flowers to the front yards of the house.

I chose not to use fuse my pieces to the base fabric. I used freezer paper to cut them out. Instead I basted the pieces on with long stitches and one strand of sewing thread. I learned that technique at the wool appliqué class I took in October. Basting pieces this way prevents the wool from shifting, the stitches are easy to snip and remove, and the result is 'puffy' appliquéd pieces. I will be fusing the doors and windows to the gold house pieces.

I used good felted wool for the base and will be backing it with commercial polyester felt and whip stitching the two pieces together. I may fuse them together as well to give the mat a bit of firmness.

I LOVE the micro serrated scissors I purchased for doing wool appliqué. Unfortunately I misplaced the guard for the tip yesterday but found it today. Crisis averted.

I now have TONS of projects to work on which will keep me busy when we go south in the new year.

Buzz

I got the fabric for the Buzz pincushion from the Hands On Design Block Party set and have started it.

The slate fabric isn't too hard to stitch on. I'm using my magnifiers and good light.

 I started it in the centre without checking that the fabric had been cut square. It hadn't. It's going to be close on the left side but there's just enough fabric to attach it to the bottom piece. Phew!

I've been binge-watching Priscilla & Chelsea on Flosstube - The Real Housewives of Cross Stitch. I started about episode #20 and am up to #49. They don't frame any of their pieces - rather they finish them in very unique ways using thrift store items and pieces on sale from craft stores. They acquire tons of Little House Needleworks, Country Cottage Needleworks, and other similar charts.

Haul from Our Trip

The sunlight has been so sporadic lately. Finally today it is beautifully sunny so I grabbed my camera and took pics of the charts that I purchased on our trip last week.

I really love donkeys so I had to snap up this Musicians of Bremen chart by Madame Chantilly

I would probably change the colour of the letters. I can also just use the donkey chart. It would be easily adaptable to a punch needle pattern.

This Mani Di Donna smalls pattern came with the little wooden buttons.

I have become quite partial to these monochromatic/tonal patterns. We are all thinking of stitching liners for trays and this one would be perfect to hold stitching tools.

I seem to be drawn to alphabet samplers with houses.

I also like the "To Everything There Is A Season" verse.

I couldn't decide between the one above and this one...

so I bought them both and snagged an equivalent floss for the lettering. It would look good on grey linen or evenweave. I really like Drawn Thread designs.

I also enhanced my fabric stash. This would work for the Hands on Design Block Party pincushion - Snow.

This is some extra slate-coloured fabric. I'm using another piece for my Buzz pincushion.

This was just a random piece of linen I snagged at The Old Tattered Flag.