The last week of January and the first couple of weeks of February, I couldn't post the two models I had stitched for Teresa Kogut and Pansy Patch Quilts and Stitchery. The designers hadn't done a pre-Market reveal yet so I had to wait for them. Now I can show you what I stitched for Pansy Patch QS since last summer.
All 9 Houses on Pumpkin Lane are now beautifully framed (by Kimat Designs) and ready for display at Market - a needlework trade show in the greater Nashville TN area. The border chart is available as a free download from her website if you want to stitch all 9 like this. Or even just some of them.
This was a HUGE undertaking. I have no idea how Lori stitched the model and all the pillows for the Houses on Peppermint Lane that she released last year.
I also finished and returned Kindred Spirits by Teresa Kogut which is also a new Market 2023 release.
Teresa finished it on whitewashed barn board in a brown barnboard frame. All the threads are DMC! I love the dimension in the ladies' dresses with the different pattern colours. It was a pretty fun stitch.
Although there was a lot of filling in, it was great to do while stitching socially either at my Monday morning group or online at my Crafternoon chats.
Teresa sent me another model to stitch for her and there's no deadline. I hope to get it done in a couple of months.
For my own stitching, a bunch of us started Winter Rose Manor on or shortly after New Year's Day. I haven't done a lot of stitching on it this month (more about that later) but I did get the rose part of the house completed and am working on the roof.
The pattern called for two skeins of floss for the house but I couldn't locate the second skein. I was able to complete the entire pink part with just the one skein after all - phew! There is some vertical backstitching required from the eave of the roof downwards between the flower and the window. I should still have enough floss to do it, otherwise I'll just substitute a close DMC colour.
This was not the called-for fabric so the house colour is pretty close. I do plan to pick a slightly darker colour of floss and backstitch down both sides of the house to make it 'pop'.
In a couple of previous posts I discussed the floss changes I made to the make cardinal's wing and the female cardinal's head, breast, and tail - making them both darker. The Bella Rosa house colour I selected is not the called-for colour either. I just wanted a rosier rose manor.
Jen1 has already finished hers and it is lovely. She put the initials on it of all of us who are stitching along and I will be doing the same.
I really haven't done a lot of stitching this month. Skip had to have emergency surgery and was in the hospital for about half the month. He got COVID in the hospital and gave it to me on Valentine's Day. I still had it when he was released last Saturday. I have almost completely recovered except for a stuffy nose and phlegm-y cough. In his fragile medical condition, he's not bouncing back as well - still LOTS of fatigue and a bad cough which we are treating with OTC cough syrup.
In light of Skip's current and future medical situation, I have resumed all responsibility for running our household, much like any homeowner who lives on their own does. I am very grateful we purchased a big, new snowblower so I can clear the driveway without having to depend on anyone else. We were too late this fall to hire a company to do our snow clearing so the new device is working well. We got a big dump of snow last night (~20cm/8") and it was still nice and fluffy this morning (freezing rain is coming this afternoon) so I got out there early and got it all cleared (double driveway, walkway to four front door and back yard, back yard patio, and about 180'/60m of our neighbours' two sidewalks and our own - all in about 45 min. After having COVID for a week, I didn't have enough strength to get the machine started with the pull cord so had to run around and find the extension cord to start it electrically. As soon as I hit the button, it started right way. Winning! That extension cord is now in place ready to be used as needed.
I also shoveled a path on our back deck and stairs so I can take kitchen vegetable scraps out the the compost boxes as needed. I wanted everything clear by 9am which was was when the garage door repairer was going to come and replace a broken cable that I noticed yesterday. He also noted we needed new stripping on the bottom of our garage doors so I told him to go ahead and do it. And the homecare nurse showed up during all this. I felt very accomplished managing all the things. I am very motivated by success and strive for it.
Although Skip is not bedridden and can get around on his own, there is quite a lot I need to do to help him and now am managing phone calls on my cell, his cell, and our landline; making testing and doctor's appointments; arranging home nursing care; and taking him to all of the appointments. It has kept me very busy but so far, I have been pacing myself and am happy to do what I can to make him comfortable. I am not a self-sacrificing wife and am taking lots of time to rest, relax, and be kind to myself. He needs physical activity to recover from what he's recently been through so I hold back from helping him in situations where he can help himself. We really are taking care to pace ourselves. Thank goodness for online banking and shopping, too!
Our friends and family have been so kind and helpful - bringing meals, shopping for us while we were isolating with COVID, checking in with me frequently to see how we're doing, sending treats and warm wishes for our COVID recovery and Skip's improved general welfare. We are so grateful to have so many wonderful and concerned friends.
I'm still here and will post whenever I can.
