Three Redwork Pears

I planned to FFO the Redwork Pears yesterday when I had a real urge to accomplish some things. However, I couldn't find the stick I planned to use for the stems of the other two pears. I went out in the rain to find another stick and left it to dry.

This morning I cut the stems from it and finally fully finished (say that three times quickly) the remaining two pears.

As soon as I sat down to glue the new stems and felt leaves into the tops, I found two pre-cut 'stems' in the package with the pattern, leaves, and threads. D'oh!

Anyway, I got them finished and staged a little photo shoot while it wasn't raining outside.

They really are quite photogenic, n'est-ce pas? 

I didn't do the criss-crossed stitches down the seams. It's not too late but I'm not sure I'll bother.

Glad to have another FFO. 

Now I'm trying to decide what new project to start. I spent some time trying to decide on fabric for Le Poulet by Blackbird Designs. The pattern calls for Confederate Grey but I'm sure I can find something appropriate in my vast fabric stash.

I've had the pattern for years and have pulled all the DMC equivalent flosses for it. I toyed with the idea of stitching it over 1 and using it for the top of an Altoids tin. II have to work out the math and will probably have to adapt the pattern to fit. Still undecided - both about what fabric to use and how I'll stitch it.

I also planned to finish the hexie mat that I bought and stitched last fall, but was unable to locate the fabric I want to use for the back. All I need to do is cut the border/sashing strips (I do have that fabric), decide on some batting, and sew the thing together when I find the backing fabric. Then, perhaps I'll quilt it a bit. I already have a place for it to go.

I did empty three of my project bags so am eager to fill them up again with something new.

My stitcherly friends were at our guild's retreat this weekend. I stitched at home along with them. We kept in touch with texts and photos back and forth. I felt included and I look forward to seeing what all they worked on.

An Embarrassment of Riches

My birthday was on Sunday. It was not a milestone one - that will be next year. Marilyn hosted a stitching day and a luncheon in my honour. It was a wonderful day.

We spent the day stitching, 

and enjoying her beautiful spread for lunch - little sandwiches and crudités.

I opened many presents - all very thoughtful, and beautifully wrapped.

I cut the wonderful, chocolate Dufflet cake which we enjoyed with the many other delicious tarts, cannoli, and cakes. 

Marilyn also provided non-alcoholic sparkling wine for our enjoyment as 4 of us had to drive home.

Presents? Oh my goodness, they were definitely an 'embarrassment of riches'*

Jeanette gave me a beautiful, laminated, floral tote bag,

a tea towel and dish cloth set, hot chocolate pack, and note pad.

Jen1 gave me two cross-stitch patterns (one calling for 7 different colours of red threads), 45ct Jersey cream linen fabric, and a skein of my favourite DMC colour 115 (a variegated red).

Marilyn gave me a set of 16" Happy Zippers from the Lori Holt line from Riley Blake.

a silicone spatula, and a very comprehensive book on English Paper Piecing which includes templates that can be printed at 100% onto card stock and cut out for use.

Barb gave me the French General fabrics and 5" charm packs I asked them to buy for me on their road trip last week - sneaky! Exactly what I wanted!!!😊 I have some ideas in mind for these...

And Poppy made me a beautiful, reversible tote bag with French General fabrics, 

(inside/other side with a pocket!)

and two beautiful Kaffe Fassett fabrics - which would coordinate well with a couple of those Lori Holt zippers. 😃

They certainly know me and my interests well and they share many of them with me.

I felt very special and loved by these women to whom I refer as the 'guardians of my mental health' during my current situation with Skip's ill health. I know they and many others have my back and are there to support me. 

It means so much. I am so fortunate.

*An embarrassment of riches is an idiom that means an overabundance of something, or too much of a good thing, that originated in 1738 as John Ozell's translation of a French play, L'Embarras des richesses (1726), by Léonor Jean Christine Soulas d'Allainval.

One of the Redwork Pears

 I FFOd this pear a few weeks ago but forgot to post pics.

I used a twig from our yard for the stem.  I had the green wool for the felt leaves in my stash.

On the next one, I'll stitch it closer to the top of the stitching and leave more room at the bottom where the stuffing goes in.

The two pear-shaped backs make for a 3D shape.

It really didn't take long to fully finish. I just need to get cracking on the other two pears to display with this one.

Annie Beez Folk Art also published a trio of pears in bluework.

Crafting from my Stash

I watched Kate's 'The Last Homely House' video the other day and was so inspired by the English Paper Pieced hexagon pillow cover she made using a 5" charm square pack from Kaffe Fassett. 

Wouldn't that make a nifty back of a project bag???

The front is 72 - 1" hexies . Each hexie is created from a 2 1/2" square which can be cut from 10" layer cakes (each 10" square yielding 16 hexies), 5" charm squares (each yielding 4 hexies), or jelly rolls. 

She created the back from twelve  5" squares but any coordinating fabric would do. I would probably make a zipper opening rather than the pocket opening she created. Kate also suggested the option of quilting the fabrics for more texture. It would be a good idea to have a pillow form in mind and gauge the final size of the pillow cover to it, Kate says this is 12 1/2" square when finished. I just checked the cost of a 12" square pillow form and was shocked at the price. I figure I could make one myself with an inexpensive WalMart pillow.

Kate also had two others to show us.

Blues/purples, greens, reds/pinks.

She has kits for sale on her website for £65 - in 4 colourways. The three colourways mentioned above plus an orange/yellow one.

I am very taken with the scrappiness of this project, combining English Paper Piecing and using several fabrics from the same colourway. I was all set to order her kit when I realized I already had everything in my stash! Years ago when I was spending the winter in Florida, I ordered a bunch of 10" squares from Amazon. I year or so ago, I also purchased a Free Spirit Kaffe Fassett jelly roll at one of the Len's Mill Stores I visited.

I already have 1" hexie templates that I printed and cut out a while back so I'm all set to go. Kate uses the thread basting technique for her EPPing. I prefer the glue basting method.

Today some of my besties are on a road trip to Guelph ON and New Hamburg ON. Poppy asked if I wanted anything from the quilt shop they were visiting. I asked for another 5" pack of Kaffe Fassett charm squares but they didn't have any. HOWEVER, the shop did have an extensive French General selection so Poppy picked up two 5" charm packs in red and blue colourways and coordinating fat quarters in a lighter shade from the same collection. 

I have a couple of projects in mind for them. Jen1 previously gave me a pack of 1 1/2" squares in the La Grande Soirée colourway. My mind is swimming with ideas...

Speaking of Poppy. Last year for her birthday, I made her a scissor case using a poppy design from Faby Reilly.

She's going to be attending several stitching retreats/seminars this year as well as our guild meetings, so I thought she needed a coordinating name tag.

It is stitched with DMC floss, one thread over 2 on 46ct fabric. It was my first time using this high a count and it worked out quite well. The finished piece is the size of a business card. I even had the petite black Mill Hill beads in my stash! Much to my surprise, I didn't even need a beading needle to sew them on. A regular size 28 tapestry needle fit through the beads.  I glued a metal slug to the back with E6000 glue and added a rare earth magnet so it can be worn without pinning. 

I spite of the new fabrics that I purchased remotely today, I am making a conscious effort to 'shop in my stash' as much as possible. I do want to use as many of the fabrics I already have in my sewing and stitching projects. I do a lot of substituting of stitching fabrics and threads and I'm OK with that. I am not a purist by any stretch of the imagination.

Skip's chemo treatments are finished this week. It's been pretty hard on him, physically and emotionally. Then he is scheduled to start immune therapy at the beginning of May. I have been taking it pretty easy beyond caring for him and our home with my friends being the guardians of my mental health through all of this. 

It was only at the beginning of this process that I felt somewhat overwhelmed - managing all the scheduling of appointments, testing, visits with various specialists, managing everything at home, helping Skip when he needed it and having to prepare ALL THE MEALS for the first time in my life. I'm happy to do all this if it makes things easier for my 'honey bunny'.

I continue to squeeze in as much crafting as possible. During most of the late winter, my creative mojo pretty much left me but I'm getting it back bit by bit. 

To my readers... I apologize for not posting stuff more frequently but the model I'm stitching for Teresa Kogut is still under wraps so I can't show its progress. Thanks for hanging in there with me anyway.

A Very Cool Surprise

A couple of weeks ago, the Spring 2023 issue of Embroidery Canada arrived. It is the magazine of the Embroiderers' Association of Canada, Inc. (EAC)

When I turned to page 5 I was so surprised to see a photo of one of my triangular scissor cases! What the heck!?

It was an article about our guild and highlighted one of the programs we did last year - the designing, stitching, and construction of the triangular scissor case. Marilyn had submitted the article as the EAC was welcoming new guilds to their association. 

Very cool!

Socks for Bill

Last year I pledged to always have some socks on the needles in an attempt to whittle down my sock yarn stash. Many years ago, a friend gave me a ball of sock yarn which disappeared into my stash. I unearthed it and knit a pair of men's socks. I asked the donor if he wanted the socks and he said yes.

There wasn't a ball band but I'm guessing it was a good quality sock yarn. It was easy to knit identical twins.

A couple of weeks ago he dropped off a couple of blankets for me to donate to the chemo department at our local cancer centre. He also asked if I'd mind knitting him another pair of socks. I had several skeins of yarn for him to choose and he, being of very discriminating tastes, picked the lovely Fleece Artist Kidazzle yarn - 70% merino, 20% kid mohair, 10% nylon. I remember purchasing it at the first KnitEast at St, Andrews-By-The-Sea NB back in 2011 on the recommendation of Cat Bordhi (RIP). She raved about this sock yarn during the Insouciant Sock workshop I took with her. 

I finished the first sock a couple of weeks ago. He requested a longer cuff so this has an 8" one.

I used my favourite Eye of Partridge heel,

and continued it on the bottom of the heel to provide extra thickness in this area that wears out the quickest. I generally do it on all the decrease rounds for the gusset.

I have started the second sock and have about an inch and a half done on the cuff.

I've been doing some stitching when I get a chance during the day but am generally too tired at night to do much. I really want to get the model for Teresa done by the end of April. I haven't touched Winter Rose Manor nor finished the Rudolph ornament. And you know what? I'm OK with that. I accept that I'm a process stitcher.

I do have a project that I want to do, possibly as a prototype for a program for our guild. It's a box made out of embroidery hoops.

Vonna Pfeiffer has a great tutorial on how to make these: 

Basically you glue 5 embroidery hoops together, glue them to a wooden base, and use the 6th hoop as the lid.

A round piece of stitching can be used on the outer lid or like the printed fabric inside the lid above, another piece of stitching inside. Then a hinge is added. Poppy saw another example where ribbons had been added to each side of the lid and attached to the 'box' to prevent the lid from flopping all the way back.

I've ordered a bunch of 4" embroidery hoops, bought the 5" base, and now need to decide what stitched piece I want for the outside of the lid. Poppy gave me some stain for the bamboo hoops. Once the hoops arrive, I'll set to work on assembling the project.

Ready to Assemble

Over the last couple of days, I've been getting ready to FFO the pears project. I took several fabrics to my stitching group on Monday and had them help me select one appropriate for the backs of the 3D pears.

This is what we came up with.

It is fabric that has been in my stash for a couple of decades and should work out well.

I traced the stitching line around the back of each fabric to use as a guide when I'm sewing them together. I also decided to use an actual piece of a twig for the pear stem instead of a rolled up piece of felt.

What a surprise! I had the perfect felted wool in my stash for the leaves and base.

I also prepped the stitching by fusing interfacing to the back. The pattern has templates for the fabric back, leaves, base and a separate one for the interfacing - which omits the seam allowance. It's good to fuse interfacing to the back of stitching before FFOing. It stabilizes the fabric and locks the backs of the stitches in place. There's less distortion of the stitching when stretching or stuffing it as a 3D item.

They're all ready to assemble! Now to find the motivation to do it. I'm great on the planning and stitching. I just seem to have a block when it comes to FFO an item. I guess that's why doing model stitching is so satisfying for me. Once my bit is done, I just send it off to the designer to finish as they want.