Fall and Halloween Stitching

design by SubRosa on etsy

 Boo

by Hello From Liz Mathews

in the latest edition 

Punch Needle and Primitive Stitching

*****

a couple of things...

great lighting and cheaters make all the difference

when cross stitching

I'm actually hooking again

and working on fully finishing some of my stitches

Robin, please email or message me

Lots of Stitching

Old Crow by La D Da

I changed the colors due to the darker linen

Sunflower something or other by

SubRosa designs on etsy

there will be a piece of wool appliqued above the word

design by Shelly Auen on etsy

Stitched this one for Sampler September

started it on the first

not sure where it's at in my sewing room

I changed a lot of the colors

will share when it turns up

 Totally unplanned stitching

after Robin saying this was her unicorn chart

I had to look it up since I didn't remember it...

fell in love with it too

There is a unicorn chart group on Facebook

someone kindly lent it to me

Will stitch it quickly as someone else will borrow it next

The cross stitch community is amazing~

Crow Stitches

pattern by

NewYorkNeedleworks on Esty

 

One Thread A Day and Freebie Talk

 I pulled this out last night from time out

ready to tackle all the over ones

the plan is to do one thread per day

some progress is better than none

I've done much more than that since last night

but maybe only one thread in total of the "ones"

they are the partial flower and door on the branch to the right

pattern is Berry Cottage 

by Plum Street Samplers

Betty dear | Flickr

an old freebie from Betty Dekat

she has a lot of free designs linked on her blog

The Sampler Maker's Farmhouse; Primitive, Vintage, Farmhouse Decor.: Free Primitive Cross Stitch Charts (samplermakerfarmhouse.blogspot.com)

this one I stitched without the border

after choosing to stitch it on prairie cloth

ugh, big mistake

I'll keep that for uncounted stitching from now on

With thy Needle & Thread: A May Day Sampler! (withthyneedleandthread.blogspot.com)

Halloween Freebie Patterns – Ana Stitches Autumn

The Primitive Hare: FREEBIE: LITHA SUMMER SOLTICE

Notforgotten Farm : Freebies (farmhousenotforgotten.blogspot.com)

Pinker n Punkin Quilting & Stitching: Thanksgiving House - A Thanksgiving Freebie

Above are some links to freebies

I hope they work

if not they should be easy to figure out

Be sure to look around the blogs, search for freebies

many designers have more than one

I like them for fast little stitches

but I'm happy to support the artists

by purchasing their other patterns...

otherwise they'll stop designing!

Happy Monday friends

Jessy's Brown Baskets

Jessy's Brown Baskets

design by Lori Rippey

homespunprimsbylori.com

stitched on linen from my old stash

28 count, so 2 over 2

I made so many mistakes and I don't care

that's my new mantra this year

 design of the same name by Pineberry Lane

my favorite marbled hazelnut linen

*****

I'm off to stitch and not hook again

Can't forget to thank Rhonda

for telling me about Jen's Stitching Niche on flosstube

another easy to watch stitcher

with lots of inspiration

More Pineberry Lane

 I solemnly swear to rug hook when I'm done 

stitching this little piece...

something I tell my hook, wool and pattern every day

Hope you're having a good time friends.

* that pumpkin pattern found in my stash the other day

wasn't any joy when stitching, so frogging occurred

* stitched Jessy's Brown Baskets by Lori Rippey

since we last saw each other, will get a pic tomorrow

Can't Stop Stitching

stitching finished on Walk the Old Paths

by The Pinkeep

a few changes to the name row

I added my Grandmother's first name

year of birth and an extra bird

 CROW

by Folk Art Sampler

from 2006

I stitched many of these for sale and gifts in the long ago

came across the chart going through the last

container from the wool room

there were also half a dozen Stacy Nash booklets and charts

another from the 

Old Cats and Friends

by Pineberry Lane

just fun!!!

*****

I have two recommendations for flosstube

after watching many videos from different stitchers

they aren't going to make you crazy to go buy things

I have learned much from both and enjoy their personalities

far and above is Kitten Stitcher

Theresa is a designer and has an online shop

start with her first flosstube and keep on going

her love of cats certainly helps too

Mountain Crafts Studio is presented

by Christine, she is a master of many things

her collection of antiques is a joy to see

A nice break from murder mysteries and CSI

Hope you're having a good week.

I got my car back from the shop today

so very glad I have a 0% credit card

Pineberry Lane

 a little stitch today

pattern by Pineberry Lane

Pumpkin Stitching Ahead

try not to be jealous of Olivia's fancy bed

this is how she likes it

a rarely seen sighting of her underbelly

only safe when Melrose is in the garage

 found in my stash

during the wool room deep clean

a chart from 1995

finally, the right time to stitch it

mine will be much more prim

*****

I found my unicorn chart/book the other day on Ebay

The Bells on Christmas Day

my second in line is Kindred Spirits

by The Primitive Needle

Hope everyone is keeping hydrated and cool

even with the AC on Melrose likes to sleep in front of a fan

this is the look I get

after he sniffs my Carmex lip balm

it's his own fault

because he has to check out anything I'm holding

Walk the Old Path

 another sampler by 

The Pinkeep

am doing this one with called for threads

on Old New England 35 count from The Primitive Hare

I am rebuilding my floss stash a little at a time

stopped in Joanne's today and forgot one

it's in the roof

so will pick it up tomorrow

when I mail some packages

Have I ever told you how many places there are to buy DMC

near me?

2 Michaels 

Joannes

Hobby Lobby (I will NEVER shop there)

and

Walmart (haven't been there in years)

within 3 miles

it seems excessive to me

*****

finished my summer X Files marathon tonight

11 seasons

probably saw only the first two when they came out

not as fun as Dexter, but that's me

Now 

YouTube is my companion when stitching

FlossTube for the most part

lately it's been 

The Kitten Stitcher

I like having lots of episodes to catch up on

totally in love with her rescue cat Zero

 as for Melrose getting chicken

of course, I cook it mostly for them

which is why I get the expensive Bell & Evans breast

and cook without my favorite Cajun seasoning

he even ate his first dish warm which he never does

he prefers room temp or cold

Olivia has no preference, just hand it over thank you

I really need to hook

there is so much wool in this house

or I could hire someone to sell it for me (best option)

Stitching Away

the other day 

chicken was baking so he put his grumpy coat on

hoping it would earn my pity

What a little poser!

 Old Flag Station

by The Pinkeep

there is nothing I don't love about this pattern

and this designer

I started on my third of her designs yesterday

Stitched on 32 count Marble Hazelnut by xju designs

that stained looking background is perfectly prim

As always, I changed a few things, floss and threads at bit

looks so much better in person

*****

I was wrong a little bit ago

saying "hell no" to designing my own patterns...

been looking for some Halloween smalls

there are no cats

to my liking for the most part

shall I draw them on graph paper

or purchase a program to design them to sell

decisions await

Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

Keeper of the Pins

The two tomato stitches are from

Keeper of the Pins by Brenda Gervais

Both stitched on 32 count Marbled Hazelnut

by Xju designs

perfect for me since I'm often spilling my iced tea

 This little sampler is on 18 count something from my stash

 Alphabets and Samplers by Brenda Keyes

I've picked up a few old sampler books

on Abe Books for a good price

I enjoy the history lessons and stitches

plenty of charts

even if you just want an alphabet

*****

Melrose is doing great

he's looking better than he has in ages

guess that bad tooth really took its toll

Olivia is her normal self

I'd love to get her for a check up

even if I managed to wrangle her into a carrier

she wouldn't let anyone touch her

without being under anesthesia

Tazmanian devil on speed is her reaction to being handled

*****

Every day I wake up planning to hook

the needles call is stronger

Have a great day!

Let us know if you have a unicorn chart

someone might be able to help...

Busy Hands, Happy Heart

 Star Spangled

pattern by Threadwork Primitives

the light ones are much better in person

but their still going to get a second dye job

Am looking for this OOP print book if you know anyone

who'd like to part with theirs for cash or a hooked rug

purchased from my friend Bea a few weeks ago

while I was helping set up for her estate sale

created by her son in the late 70s/early 80s

it has so much meaning

her son Ronnie died around that time

we have attended the same church my entire life

she is still active in many projects

*****

I do believe in blogging without obligation

but I didn't intend to be away so long

I have about (no joke)

20 x stitch pieces to show you from

the past few months

Hope you're able to keep cool in this heat

Ohio is bad but not like farther West

It's been a week since Melrose had his dental work

they only had to remove one tooth

He is so much better, other than mad about no crunchy food

Still in the Rabbit Hole

Work in progress and next up

I am disappointed in the "fancy floss"

about 4x the cost of DMC and supposed to be variegated

it is, barely

not being up to pick it out in person makes a difference

my local needlework shop does not carry it

*****

Last night I was dyeing some wool

that was a previous failure

decided to do a little random fabric dyeing too

not sure what this is, maybe prairie cloth

I used to stitch on it a few lifetimes ago

the top piece was formerly a bright gold

the bottom is the before, the middle the after

There are 3 new rugs waiting to be hooked

once the needle will let go of me...

Have a good night folks!

All In For Cross Stitch

I posted on FB about floss drops

this is what I use

search on YouTube for specifics and how-to

a special tool to wrap your DMC floss around

then cut

Put on the floss drops

an easy way to keep control of the floss you are using

Did I mention I was going to hook today

Wrong!

 This chart is on it's way to me

just looking at it makes me happy

*****

To answer a question...

I won't be returning to my local needlework shop 

because I didn't feel comfortable there

As for charting my designs for x stitch.

No.

Hell no.

Feel free to use my freebies and booklet designs

you've purchased to do some 

uncounted cross stitch

I've done a lot of that

for myself

I'm not interested in making another job for myself

I'll design and hook rugs

sell the patterns on linen

that's about it

I do need to do a big destash

of some wool

overdyed that are too bright, textures I don't like

Cross stitch is for me 

I used to do a lot of it

samplers I've made up as I went along

mostly schoolgirl type with 

alphabets, numbers and a few motifs

a bunch of uncounted

I don't share many of those

maybe when I finally finish them

*****

Wishing your piece of the world

brings you joy.

All the X's

 

 I have been stitching

this was the first one on linen

in many years

30 count using 2.5 reading glasses

a Stacy Nash design using floss from my very small stash

Next up more of the same

made it up as I went along using alphabets

and numbers from various charts

All my cross stitching I'll be keeping for now

until I get enough smalls

to fill a couple of trenches

Be Kind by The Pinkeep

you can find her designs on Etsy

This is stitched on some old linen I dyed over

20 years ago, no idea of the count

so many mistakes you'd think I never learned to count

I don't care!

Still using floss from my stash

though it has increased over the past few weeks

lots of packages in the mail

will be picking up DMC this morning 

for a few missing shades

I have been having a blast shopping online

stitching galore

purchased a printer for my downloads

still need to hook it up

I'm back to hooking after I finish this little piece

the cats and pumpkins are calling

*****

Still waiting to hear from the vet

regarding the dental surgery for Melrose

they are woefully understaffed like everyone else...

Wishing you a beautiful Saturday

Blue Berries

 image from Pinterest

My AC has been out for a week

it was 95 yesterday and humid

as Kaye Swor said, that makes wool the enemy

The HVAC repairman is coming today

the unit is very old

so, I am prepared to purchase a new one

fingers crossed

whatever it needs can be done today

the image of the blue strawberries

had me pulling out my collection of early blue calico

from a deconstructed quilt

sitting with hand stitching is nice

when the fan is about 2" from your feet

Cross stitching has taken over as my latest obsession

I'm using 30 count linen and it works with my 2.5 readers

36 count is next

 Melrose has been to the vet

the Dr's physical exam found some teeth that need removed

everything else okay

bloodwork all came back normal

 it's ASAP get those teeth out

Have a great day

Cross Stitching and Flosstube

 image from Pinterest

I have been very busy hooking and stitching this week

My phone is nearly done for

replacement should arrive tomorrow 

then I will share photos

*****

I have been on a shopping spree like no other

watching flosstube videos with pen and paper in hand

I even ventured into my local needlework shop today

(I won't be going back)

My goal is to stitch all the smalls

I have no desire to have framed samplers

(I love them! But the cost of having them framed is prohibitive)

my walls are for quilts and hooked rugs

*****

Melrose hasn't been himself for a few weeks

finally going to the vet Monday...

it took a month wait for the appointment

*****

I am also heading to Bea's house Monday morning

she is selling off her belongings

then her son can sell her house

she collected and sold antiques

 she very excited that I love Americana!

Have a great rest of the day my friends.

Log Cabin #2

Log Cabin #2

this one sort of designed itself

forgot to take a photo after the faces were hooked

too late

it's on the way to a new home

pattern available on linen

I'll be back soon with more 

Log Cabin #2

 Log Cabin #2

Whenever I share a rug without a black cat I hear about it

This one is about the same as the first one

with the addition of 2 black cats

pattern on linen available

As for yesterday's comment about taking that huge rug apart

will not happen

my NC sister wants it

so I have a year to get it done

90* here today

I'm done being outside