Rabbit Run

Greetings, all! I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted. My new job is all-consuming at the moment--learning the ropes and the procedures. I get home so over-stimulated and tired I'm virtually speechless (no doubt a relief to Tom), but it has helped calm me to stitch. And as I may have mentioned before, the light in my new office is so wonderful that I spend nearly every lunch hour stitching contentedly, so I've actually been accomplishing quite a lot.

Here's the latest shot of Sarah Hatton McPhail. The "before" photo is below. I've managed to nearly finish the bottom and the right lower corner and I've brought one of the alphabet lines to the right border. This photo is the truer color of the fabric. Frankly, although I love it, I'm finding it disappointingly small. I was going to mat it with a nice fabric (pink or blue linen) and then find the biggest gilt rococo frame they make for it so that it's more imposing on my wall. My walls are so bare that I'm afraid it will look like a speck otherwise. The kind ladies at stitch night were aghast at my plans and told me I would not be MATTING anything, nor would I choose a loud gold frame. We have decided, in fact, that framing Sarah will be a group activity on a stitch night, supervised by a number of my fellow sitchers, so that I do not make a horrible mistake. LOL!



Here's the latest on Elizabeth Easdon. I've made it to the right-hand border on the top. There's still a ton to do on this.



And a couple of new starts, which you may have noticed if you read the In Stitches blog. Here's this year's Mirabilia Santa, which I'm stitching on 32 count fabric with DMC, some sparkly Kreinik and lots of beads to be added later. I love stitching Santas, as many of you know.


And each year I try to stitch a Blackberry Lane designs Christmas ornament. Last year I stitched two and gave them away in a Christmas swap. The Blackberry Lane trunk show is in the shop, and I got so enthused about last year's model (everything's more enticing as a model, isn't it?), that I started it also.


Also soon on my plate: I've ordered the newest Scarlet Letter, and my copy of Gigi R's Virginie Grimoux has arrived at the shop. I had that awful decision to make for today: drive to the shop, pick up my new chart and miss a few hours with the needle, or stay home, stitch and plan to pick up the new chart when I work at the shop next Sunday? I decided to stay out of the car today, but it was a tough decision! Here she is:




Pink and I have missed everyone, and we hope to post a little more frequently as things calm down.


Happy week ahead.

Elisabeth/Elizabeth and Ann

Greetings, everyone! I wanted to post on my progress on Elisabeth Easdon, on which I've been stitching steadily for the last couple of weeks. The colors in this shot are fairly true. There are tons and tons of motifs in this--it's simply scattered with trees, baskets, birds, etc. This is another sampler that I'd like to complete and get framed this year. Seems likely.


This photo was taken in September (bad light).


Remember Ann Anthony? Here's a little progress. More about Ann in a moment.


I discovered this "book of patterns and instructions" for American Needlework (by the Editors of Woman's Day) dated 1963 in my father's basement. Probably my mom had bought it years ago, although I'm not ruling out the possibility that I picked it up at a book sale sometime in the 70s and left it there. It features pattern sheets for "reproducing Other Early American Designs in Embroidery, Crewel Work, Cross-Stitch, Needlepoint, Patchwork, Applique, Quilting, Hooking, Candlewicking and Rugmaking." This album of designs is available on the 'net (I checked both Abebooks.com and Amazon). There seems to be a companion hard cover book that I do not have--it possibly has the color photos missing from the charts and instruction booklet.


This thumbnail photo caught my eye; I identified it immediately as a Rhode Island sampler design. Intrigued, I looked inside, taking out the pattern sheets for the half-dozen cross stitch designs.


Look at Ann Anthony's photo. Do you see the little thumbnail? Hint: bottom row of people.


Yep, it's Ann Anthony! This is the "American Needlework" version of Ann. It's almost the same as the Essamplaire version, except that Am. Needlework suggests charting your own name in the "white" row beneath the alphabet. I don't agree with that. I sometimes sign my name to repro samplers in a small, out-of-the-way area, but I don't hijack an entire section of the design. The AA chart (although it's entitled "Colonial Sampler") is copyrighted 1961, so I imagine the rights ran out on the Woman's Day pattern.


There are other appealing charts in this volume as well: "Brick House Sampler."


I want to do this one: "Cat Sampler." Have you seen this anywhere else? I'll note, by the way, that if you want to acquire this book of designs, the charting is pretty terrible. You can see it, but they took a lot of shortcuts in the charting. Note the left-hand column with the blank lines. They have charted two border flowers, which are shown elsewhere, and you are expected to duplicate those on each of the lines. All designs are charted for DMC, by the way--after all, it was the 1960s.


We have a new family member! Meet Elizabeth! Elvis found himself a girlfriend--he fell in love with her while he was boarded at Bunny-Lu in Haymarket. Bunny-Lu's owner had noticed that he seemed depressed that Pink and Peaches were so tightly bonded, and since bonding attempts between Elizabeth and other bunnies had failed, she placed Elizabeth with Elvis and it was love at first sight between these two lionheads. He's so happy to have a girlfriend. Tom says to Elvis "hey, your girlfriend has a mustache!"


Awwwww. We were going to adopt through Pink's rescuer, and in fact, my own choice would have been another uppy-eared white bunny (frankly, lionheads are stubborn and obnoxious), but as Woody Allen would say, the heart wants what it wants, and I wasn't going to argue with Elvis!


Happy week ahead!

Stitch All Day

Happy Easter, everyone! My wish for today was to sit and stitch all day on something I haven't worked on for a while and then prepare a simple Easter dinner. Wish fulfilled! We are having roasted arctic char with mushrooms and steamed cherrystones with melted butter along with steamed spinach. I'm not fond of ham and turkey bores me to tears. I've spent the entire day (since 8:30) working on Anne Anthony by the Essamplaire. I restarted it on a whiter linen (Lakeside) so that the odd colors show up better. There's lots of over-one on this (see the botton row with the little strawberry plant)--all the strawberries plus the people in the bottom row and probably the people flanking the house.



Here's the chart of the repro:


The Easter bunny woke up grouchy from his nap, as you can see. Too many jelly bean deliveries last night, I guess.


My contract position is over after tomorrow, so I am headed to the Cape next week before I start my new permanent job. Photos from the Cape to come. Maybe it will be warm enough to fish finally?

Happy week ahead!

Sarah and Lucky and Mary Beth

Greetings, all! I've been suffering from stitchers' ADD, so I've been jumping from project to project when I stitch at all, but I've finally settled back into working on Sarah Hatton McPhail. I WILL get her finished, and I WILL frame her this year. (I've heard if you visualize accomplishing something, you're more likely to accomplish it. I am visualizing every last stitch done, and handing her over to Karen at In Stitches, and selecting a linen mat and a nice gold frame. Yes.) Since I love before and after pictures, here's where she stands as of half an hour ago.


This is what she looked like in January.


A sad note tonight. Our friends at the House of Rabbits have lost a dear one, Lucky, a sweet lop-eared rabbit. Our hearts go out to Rabbits Guy and Bunny Lady.


Speaking of pets, we have been feeding a couple of stray kitties outdoors, and this lady has shown up lately to eat the leftovers. Meet Mary Beth. Isn't she lovely?


Here she is, in all her loveliness. I particularly like her little hands and feet. Possums are interesting to watch (and she's quite unafraid of the camera flash or the sight of me watching her through the window) and our critter control guy said that they're great cleaner-uppers and don't carry a single disease, so they're actually beneficial to have around. Not everyone likes their grins, of course, but she can't help that.


Off I go to get ready for the week!

Waiting for Chupacabra

Greetings! This week saw a little progress on the Shepherd's Bush Adam & Eve. The snake was fun to stitch. I started a little Easter treat; pictures next week.


It's a very warm early spring in DC, so I've been trying to get out of the office to walk around, partly to find food, since I haven't gotten back into the groove of the packed lunch yet. I work across the street from these guys. The signs say: "Ban All Nuclear Weapons or Have a Nice Doomsday."


In the year and a half that I was working elsewhere, the food truck has taken over the streets of DC. I can only imagine the damage it has done to all the little (mediocre) cafes and delis where we used to pick up our overpriced sandwiches. Now we can order just about any kind of sandwich, wrap, meat-on-a-stick or cupcake curbside. The various trucks ply their wares in different parts of town each day, and they transmit their locations and specials on Twitter. Some trucks offer tastier fare than others, and truck decor goes from straightforward stenciling to over-the-top. I've been looking for Chupacabra, which is supposed to be quite good and has an an artistically painted truck. This day I bought a chivita sandwich from Mojo Truck.


It was a garlic-buttered roll with a layer of pulled pork, a fried egg, lettuce and tomato, and a pungent sauce that performed a slow burn in the back of my throat for the rest of the day.


I've noticed on my commute that nearly everyone is sporting a Kindle or an Ipad rather than carrying a book. Peaches wants to know what she will chew on if the Kindle replaces the book.


Happy week ahead!

Eve's Garden and WIP 19: Sail Away

Greetings, all! Did you think I'd given up the needle and thread? Nah--just busy, and my schedule hasn't allowed a lot of stitching in the last few weeks, and who wants to see my progress if the total is half a flower? For a while I may be posting less. I'm working as a temp employee in a DC law firm, and the hours are awkward, so there isn't much time, nor is there anyplace in their crowded space to get away for a little stitching at lunch. And I'm commuting on the Metro, so there's no elbow room for stitching there either. Mostly I've been reading on the commute and spending some time at In Stitches. I've bought some new stash from the Nashville stuff, some of which I'll show you over the next few weeks. I was really thrilled with some of the new designs. This one, for instance: "Eve's Garden" by Shepherd's Bush. Love the design and the colors, including the fabric that's part of the kit, which is Picture This Plus. It is moving along quickly--I finished this portion just in a morning of stitching today. I did make a substitution. The heart and other pale motifs and elements are a cream/ecru, but I felt they faded into the fabric, so I lightened it up by using a white from Silk n' Colors.


Here's a refresher on the chart:


Which brings to mind my sadly neglected WIP 19: "Sail Away," also by Shepherd's Bush.


Why did I stop? Who knows, although I think I got knotted up looking for a few threads that might be a bit darker. I definitely will need to start this again--it's very pretty. Also on the back burner, I have "Cranberry Pinafore" (purchased years ago but not started) and have been meaning to get "Sailor's Collar," which is a companion to CP. Required stitching for this former Cape Codder.


Here's a little progress on Lois Minshall. The colors in this are fabulous.


And here's a photo of some hay box strife, wherein Pink is informing Elvis to keep his paws off Pink's girlfriend (Elvis' response was to jump up and pee on Pink). They are normally kept apart, but I was cleaning cages, and they like nothing better than to escape and occupy each other's cages. Peaches and Pink are inseparable, and Elvis is very unhappy about it. The next time I go to the Cape and drop the rabbit gang at the bunny sitter (who runs an adoption service), Elvis will have a chance to choose a new girlfriend. You can't choose for them--they have to do it themselves. Just like teenagers! When we get the new bunny there will be photos, of course.


Off I go to clean some bathrooms and Swiffer some floors. Happy week ahead!

WIP 18: Revisiting the Product of My Needle Sampler

Hi, all! It's been a busy week, but I've been chugging along on my various samplers, and I spent all of today stitching away on four designs--Sarah Hatton, Dorothy Walpole, Snowy St. Nick and a new design toward the end of this post. WIP is The Product of My Needle Sampler by The Scarlet Letter. It's an original design by them, meaning it's not a true reproduction, although it looks a lot like one. The colors are especially nice in it, but I started it years ago and disliked the 32 count fabric I used, and the fact that I was using only one strand of the AVAS, which means all the filled in black didn't have quite enough coverage. I am not fond of skimpiness, so I put it away. I'd gotten pretty far along, but I decided to restart it on 40 count fabric, using a piece of older Lakeside from my stash (probably Examplar). I didn't have to buy any new fibers and the spool of silver metallic cord was still in the project bag. Here's the new start, which I'm much happier about:


The old sampler on 32 count. Not bad, but it irked me.


And the design, which was copyrighted in 1988, although it's still available on the SL website (for $7! A bargain, truly!)


I worked at the shop yesterday, and a bunch of brand-new JBW designs arrived. I snatched up two of them. For JBWs, they're pretty large (this one is 76 W x 207 H). This is "The Rabbit Alphabet," which is charted for 28 Linen in Antique White, using Crescent Colors in House Wine, WDW in Camellia or DMC in #3731 (the consensus in the shop is that the DMC is too bright). Personally, I think it'd be especially nice stitched on a piece of Cashel in "Baby Lotion."


I started this on a piece of Porelain Lakeside 40 ct from my stash, but I think I'll go back to the shop and get the Baby Lotion fabric, since the design calls from 10 1/4" buttons, 6 3/8" buttons and one 1/2" button, so the scale will be off. I'm using Silk 'n Colors in Raspberry Parfait.


I picked up this little design as well: "Rose Motif Sampler." I'm showing the WDW I'm going to stitch it with--Crape Myrtle--which is very variegated. I think I'll stitch it on Baby Lotion also.


Here's Pink, approving of the pink rabbits on the pink fabric.


Happy week ahead--back next Sunday with yet another WIP.