Two Down, One to Go

Last night I designed, stitched, and finished a scissor fob to match the biscornu. I used DMC 603 to make the cording. This was the same colour that I used to stitch around the fob and the biscornu.

Adding a 2022 charm also gave the fob a bit of weight.

The fob is pretty little - less than 1 1/4" (3cm) across.

These scissors look great with it but they're my best pair. I will be substituting a different pair.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about how I will line the scissor case. I may baste the lining in place, sew the two top sides that make the flap, then glue the other two sides that get hidden inside. 

We have been getting lots of information about the StitchNorth retreat. So much is changing with regard to masking and testing. We will be adhering to the Peel Region/City of Brampton mandates which involve wearing a mask until midnight of Friday, April 1 except when seated to eat or drink. Then on Saturday and Sunday, masks are no longer required. At that time, I plan to wear a mask any time I'm not sitting and will put one on any time I'm walking around.  Being fully vaccinated, I'm not as worried about getting COVID as the Omicron virus is not seeming to be as virulent for vaxxed folks. I have not made  hard and fast rules, however, and things can certainly change.

Folks flying from the US will be able to get their rapid tests at the airport before flying home. Results within 30 min. Those travelling by car have a couple of places where they can make appointments for testing as well.

Skip and I really miss our little trips to the Buffalo area and Finger Lakes area. We have our favourite stores, restaurants, and hotels. Hopefully by the summer we'll feel comfortable enough to head across the border for a couple of days.

Only 19 sleeps until StitchNorth!

Ready to FFO and A Knit Too Far

I have finished the stitching on the Hummingbird triangle scissor case and biscornu. 

To finish the pieces, I'll iron fusible interfacing onto the back of all the stitching. This will stablilze it so it doesn't pull out of shape when I sew it all together. I need to select a fabric for the lining as well.

The green and red on the top side was stitched with a strand of sparkly thread with a strand of DMC floss.  I used beads on the purple flowers and blue corner motifs. I was going to use black beads on the hummingbird eyes when Jeanette suggested I use my HotFix tool instead.

On this side which I consider the bottom, I didn't use the sparkly thread, nor beads except for the blue motifs in the corners. I used the HotFix tool for all the other flower centres and hummingbird eyes.

I should be able to get this stuffed stitched together tonight.

I've been knitting in the evenings when watching TV with Skip and afterwards. I started this pair of plain socks with a ribbed leg three nights ago and decided they should be for Skip to wear in bed. He likes the top to be really stretchy so I cast on over two needles to achieve this. 

Unfortunately I made the leg too long - 20cm (8") and only had 40g left of the 100g ball for the second sock.

I will knit the second sock until the yarn runs out and even them up before knitting the toes of both with a coordinating yarn.

If I ever could get comfortable knitting socks toe up, I wouldn't have this problem. I have knit a couple of pairs toe up but top down is my preferred method. Oh well. 

Supporting Ukraine, Smalls Progress, and and Aussie Chat

On Thursday, I finished decluttering the linen closet and part of the closet in the guest room and found at least 8 sets of bedding we could dispense with. I also went through all my mitts, scarves, and hats in the front hall closet and came up with two bags of surplus stuff. These items filled the entire back of my car yesterday when I took them over to the Legion hall in Pickering for their donation drive and flag raising. 

It was a beautiful, sunny day but cold and windy. 

The ceremony was held in the parking lot on the north (shady) side. Brrr. 

It was quite moving to hear a gathering of about a dozen people sing the Ukrainian national anthem while the rest of us looked on as their flag was being hoisted.

We are so fortunate to live in Canada. It is not perfect here. Our government leaves a lot of room for improvement. But in my lifetime, I have never felt a need to flee my country in order to have me and my family be safe. I have never wondered where I will rest my head at night, nor if I'll have enough to eat. My house is cozy and warm. My loved ones are safe.

We can only hope that the alliances against the Russian regime will cut them off financially - squeezing off their access to funds and trade in foreign countries. It's always about the money. 

So, to soothe myself, I have continued to bury myself in my crafts and puttering around the house. I finished the stitching on the biscornu and need to attach the beads, then stitch and stuff it.

I only used the sparkly thread on one side as the hummingbirds on the other side won't really be visible. Beads will go on the sparkly side and the big, blue snowflakes on the other.

I'm well underway on the triangular scissor case.

I haven't picked a lining fabric. Will have a look at my stash and if nothing is appropriate, I'll just use muslin.

Prompted by a Facebook post yesterday by dear friend, Frény who lives in Australia, we connected last night for a wee videochat on Facebook Messenger. It's so good to chat with her. We've known each other since 1967 when we both started Gr. 9 after arriving in Canada - her, from India, and me from Mexico where my family had been living since my Gr. 6. We both were in Mr. Jolley's Gr. 9 music class. She on clarinet and me on the oboe. 

We have a lot of shared memories revolving around music in high school. Her family moved to Québec after Grade 11 and I lost touch until her rock band played at the Blind Pig at the Holiday Inn in Point Edward a few years later. Then lost touch again until the early 2000s after she had been living in Australia for about 20 years. 

Since then we've been visiting back and forth online and a couple of times in person when she's travelled back to Canada to visit family and bury her parents. 

We made a date to chat at greater length tonight at 7pm (noon tomorrow Aussie time). Looking forward to it.

Longtime friends are the best.

Library Display

 Yesterday Sharon, Meagan, Kim, and I set up a display at our local library. 

It will be there for the entire month. 

Top shelf

Lower two shelves.

I now realize I could have moved the glass shelves up a bit but this worked fine.

There was a variety of embroidery styles including canvas work, punch needle, samplers, whitework, Hapsburg lace, etc. There were needlebooks, pillows, pincushions, a finished hanging ornament, and strawberries.

I have completed the heel (FLK) on my second sock and am on the home stretch, working the foot.

This morning I went through 1.5 shelves in my linen cupboard and completely filled a green garbage bag with towels and washcloths for donation. Next project is culling the sheets and pillowcases.

I've been watching videos on decluttering and organizing and try to tackle some little spot every day or so. I'll never have the entire house in order until I have to move out of here but every little bit helps.

Two Projects Done

I finished a project bag yesterday that I had started the night before. 

I really liked this Asian-themed fabric with gold paint and had the zipper and lining in my stash.

The fabric was non-directional so made it easy for folding over the top to attach the zipper. Finished size is 14" x 12".

I also got my Louisa Acton/Cordelia Peacock pinned, laced, and framed. I just need to cover the back and attach the hanging hardware.

Yesterday we rode the GO train into the city for Skip's checkup. All went well but hospitals are still not allowing people other than patients in. So I went to Fran's on College for lunch then over to College Park to wait inside. We got an early rush hour GO train back to Whitby and had leftovers for supper. 

Today I slept late and didn't really get moving until about 2 when I suited up to shovel snow. We had only had a couple of inches overnight and into this morning so I got it cleared fairly easily while Skip napped. I wanted to get it done so the sun could dry up the sidewalk, driveway, and back deck. As hard as it was to get my butt out the door, I enjoyed getting some exercise in the sunshine and above freezing (1C) temperatures.

Only 25 more days 'til spring!

Good Mail

 Yesterday a package from New Zealand arrived in the mail.

It was the Wessex Stitchery pattern I had ordered from JC Embroidery at the end of January. It was mailed Feb. 1.

Now I have to pick some fabric and 3 colours of thread. I have the hardest time doing this. I'll probably see someone else's and copy what they've done.

It also came with two key charms. The smaller one would make a great zipper pull.

Also, the 9 x 8 frame that I ordered online came. 

It was well packaged for shipping via FedEx. I had to Google how to remove the protective coating from the non-glare plexiglas (use a hair dryer to warm it). The matted print fit perfectly! I am very satisfied with this company, which actually shipped from Missouri. I received my order within two weeks. The watercolour painting I bought 10 years ago in Florence is finally framed.

I was going to order a frame for my Cordelia Peacock sampler but tried a 5 x 7 frame from my stash with it this morning and it looks fine. (taken at a slant to avoid glare).

I finished the backstitched border around the first side of the hummingbird biscornu and have started the second side.

I also finished the Helix socks.

I need to find another knitting or crocheting project to keep my  hands busy when I'm not stitching.

Hummingbird Biscornu

I have finished most of the stitching on the first side of the hummingbird biscornu except for the backstitching around the border which I will do in pink.

There will be beads in the middle of the purple and the small and large blue 'flowers'. Am also considering black beads for the hummingbirds' eyes. I have clear beads with silver centres in my stash that I'll use for the flowers.

The other side will be the same except no beads on the eyes or flowers around the inner part. Only beads on the big blue flowers. 

I found a tube of 28ct tea dyed linen at the big box craft store which will work for all the pieces. It's fairly large count compared to what I usually stitch on but much easier to see for stitching in the evenings.

No pics today but I have finished the leg, heel, and decreases for the foot of the second helix sock. A couple more TV sessions and I'll have the second sock done.

I need to make a couple more project bags but I need to muster some oomph to get myself going on them. They're not difficult and I have all the materials, I just need to get moving on them.

All is calm in Ottawa again. Now comes the aftermath. Challenge to the Emergency measures, bail hearings for those who were arrested, frozen bank accounts, etc. etc. A lawyer's dream. We grownups are pleased to see that there are finally consequences to these actions. Protests are one thing but blockades and threats to the life and livelihoods of residents is quite another.

I didn't watch any Olympics at all except the controversial women's figure skating long program on YouTube and the very beginning of the women's 30k cross-country skiing. The timing just wasn't right or the occupation of Ottawa took my attention away from it. I'm so disgusted with the IOC continuing to allow cheaters to compete. My heart just wasn't in it this time.