Happy Spring! Slow Stitching

 It has finally arrived, the 1st day of Spring!

The weather has cooled finally after the first weeks of March unseasonably hot with temps in the high 80's and 90's.  Then a few days of much needed rain and spring broke with the sunshine, birds singing and the Mexican petunias blooming.

On St. Patrick's day I came home from running errands to find a rare yellow cardinal at the bird feeder.

I was trying to get my phone out of my purse to snap a photo of him standing facing me but when I finally had the camera on him he chose that time to grab a seed.  My photo isn't the best, but believe me this will be a memory I will cherish forever.  I have seen several posting of the yellow cardinals and thought I would never see one in person. Talk about the luck of the Irish.  I baked my usual Irish Soda bread the night before, then yesterday morning I had a rough start, my eyes weren't even fully open when Simon decided to attempt to climb the drapes in the living room.  So early in the morning was me on the step ladder with drill in hand putting back the bracket to hold the rod.  Life with a cat is surely not dull.

After hanging the drapes back up I was able to sit down with a cup of coffee and a slice of soda bread, please note the bread in the photo is not the slice but the loaf before cutting off a slice.

On Saturday week 2 of the Lolli and Grace SAL began, we are stitching the second spoke in the Kaleidoscope, the Red spoke, while I was stitching I noticed the red looks more like pink and the 1st spoke which was pink looks more Red.  I went back over the supply list and instructions and I have it right, week 2 I am using the DMC 4200 (wild fire). Week 1 was to use DMC 4210 Radiant Ruby.

When I look at them side by side the color I am using now looks more pink than red. Watching the video tutorial Anne's look red than pink as well.  She is using Threadworks for the 1st spoke and  Cosmo floss for the other spokes.  I am using the DMC suggested colors because that is what I have in my stash and personally I have found Cosmo floss always knots and tangles on me.

I did make a change is the first spoke, I used the reverse chain stitch for the spoke outline, I tried to do the heavy chain for part of the outline but after taking it out twice because it just look messy I went with the reverse chain.  I am happy with the outcome.

I finished the first spoke and the triangle on Saturday morning and started the 2nd spoke Sunday evening.  I love this pattern and the tutorials on Youtube are wonderful as you stitch along with Anne.

Here is the link if you want to join in the fun.

https://lolliandgrace.com/blogs/blog/one-meaningful-word-7-kaleidoscope-stitch-along

The Stitchdoodles SAL I am behind on but confident I will finish.  I don't usually stitch sampler style pieces but the pattern caught my eye so I decided I wanted to do this.

This is my start on the first week of Winterberry Cottage, the SAL is actually on week 5, like I said I am behind.  Here is the link if you are interested in joining the SAL. 

https://www.stitchdoodles.com/winterberry-cottage-sal/

I didn't snap a knew photo but the windows are all stitched.  I am linking my post to Kathy's Quilts here

https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2023/03/slow-sunday-stitching_0847577959.html

Slow Sunday Stitching, Rag Rugs and Moon Crystals Hand Embroidery

 Wow this month is moving so fast. it's hard to believe we are in the middle of the month, where does the time go?

 Yesterday I attended a Rag Rug Making class at the Ft. King National Historical Landmark park. The park offers several homesteading classes so I signed up. My hands at first forgot how to make a braid so my first attempt is pretty wonky but will make a good hot pad for under a pot. The second photo shows the two fabrics I used for my rug.

The Red one is much more compact.  The photos shows the beginning of the more compact piece using the one color of fabric. The no sew method was quite interesting and new to me, I have made braided rugs where every few inches you would stitch the braided coils together.

I am looking forward to the Broom Making class in October, I signed up for it last year but was ill so I couldn't attend. The instructor mentioned a new class coming in the next year, candle making, which I will sign up for, I haven't made candles in a few years, I think it will be fun.  Next month there is a cross stitch class I  may take.

My progress on the Moon Crystals pieces is coming along quite nicely, I'm enjoying using the variety of stitches. The crescent moon starts off with the back stitch and is finished with the whipped back stitch.

back stitch moon

I don't think I have ever used the whipped back stitch other then practicing in when I was taking the hand embroidery class in 2014.  

whipped back stitch

The crystals are done in the chain stitch, I love the look of the chain stitch with the variegated floss.

chain stitch

crystals in chain stitch

I am really enjoying the stitch along, I was a little bit behind once I stitch the moth I will be all caught up. The YouTube videos for this stitch along are a big help, Anne of Lolli and Grace does a wonderful easy to follow tutorial.

Last week I was on some strong antibiotics, that just about kicked my butt, I was so weak and tired I put aside the hand embroidery until I was feeling better.  I will be linking up my post today at Kathy's Quilts https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2022/08/slow-sunday-stitching_0248423656.html

While I was recovering I did a little crocheting on my Granny Square afghan, I had to unravel it twice but now I have it right.

I'm using Lion Brand Mandala yarn in the Troll colorway to start and I will be combining it with the Gnome colorway. 

My End of July Update and Slow Sunday Stitching

 On Monday at 7:20 in the morning I was still sleeping rare for me but it happens, I heard mowing and I was thinking who the heck is cutting their grass so early. Then I heard the mower go past my bedroom window and I knew believe I wasn't happy. I know it's our rainy season and also very hot later in the day but geez I hadn't had much sleep all weekend so a rare sleep in was nice.

On Tuesday morning the Tree Service arrived and began working without so much as a knock on the door. I heard all this noise looked out and pieces of a tree were being fed into a wood chipper.  Well midway through the job a piece of machinery broke down so they went onto another job while waiting for the mechanic to fix the truck.  They returned about 90 minutes later to resume the job.  They had to move one of the limestone boulders to get the heavy equipment in and assured me they would move it back after the job was done.

A few hours later it was real quiet so I looked out the door and there wasn't a soul in sight. They left, forgetting to move the boulder back (which would be okay), they left a 5 gallon bucket of hydraulic fluid and the payment.  My son and I looked around the yard to see how well the work was done and what may need to be done next.  The company called and asked if the men were still there and I told him they were gone, but needed to come back to get the hydraulic fluid and if possible to put the boulder back and get paid.  
Everything looked good, of course there is a few clean up jobs needing to be done, where the heavy equipment was.  I did notice all of the branches of my pear tree were cut off which I'm sure was do to the heavy branches coming down.  The backyard looks so empty even though there are still quite a few good size trees there.  My heart is heavy at the loss, but on a positive note I think the pear tree may do better next year with all the sunshine it will be getting, though one of the men said it was partially dead. Time will tell and this autumn you can bet I will fertilize it again.

The removal of the dead cedar tree was crucial because it was so tall and I worried it would either fall  on my house or my neighbors.  The tree service cut down the stump that was next to it and all I have left are two little pieces which I will make into spirit dolls one of these days.

Well onto other happier subjects, For today's slow Sunday stitching I am going to continue the work on Moon Crystals for the Stitch Along. I stitched quite a bit yesterday for World Embroidery Day.

The first stitch used is the Split Back Stitch, which at first I wasn't much of a fan but as I continued to stitch I began to like it.

The second stitch is the lazy daisy and mine tend to go wonky and I pull out more then I put in. So I am slogging along at a slow pace. I do like the overall look so far and plan to have all the leaves done today.

The Lolli and Grace and Snarky & Modern Stitch Along – Moon Crystals began on July 27th, I didn't start stitching until the 29th. You would need to join the FAcebook Group in order to get the free pattern and links to videos.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/snarkyandmodern/posts/3370873249800290/

You can read more about it here if you are interested in the SAL 

https://lolliandgrace.com/blogs/blog/moon-crystals-a-new-stitch-along-for-the-snarky-modern-facebook-group

Anyway I purchased the Afterglow Workshop hand dyed floss for the SAL but I supplied the other materials from my stash.

The colors are so pretty and I'm sure to have quite a bit left after I finish the pattern, I have an idea or two brewing in my head for them.

If you don't want to buy a kit or the floss Anne of Lolli and Grace posted the DMC floss conversion on her website and I took it a bit further and came up with a list for Anchor, Cosmo and Sullivans because as we all know not everyone has access to DMC floss.  Here are my conversions including the DMC #906 that is required for the pattern.

DMC 704 Bright Chartreuse

DMC 955 Light Nile Green

DMC 996 Medium Electric Blue

DMC 553 Violet

DMC 3837 Ultra Dark Lavender

Anchor 256 Parrot Green

Anchor 203 Light Mint Green

Anchor 433 Electric Blue

Anchor 98 Medium Violet

Anchor 100 Medium Dark Violet

Cosmo 271 Lime

Cosmo 333 Opaline Green

Cosmo 413 Azure

Cosmo 284 Amethyst Mauve

Cosmo 285 Violet

Sullivans 45164 Bright Chartreuse

Sullivans 45290 Light Nile Green

Sullivans 45315 Medium Electric Blue

Sullivans 45125 Violet

Sullivans 45435 Ultra Dark Lavender

Also required is DMC 906 Medium Parrot Green which would be Anchor 256 Parrot Medium Green

or Cosmo 326 Foliage or Sullivans 45255 Medium Parrot Green.

I printed the pattern on Pellon’s Stitch and Wash Away product. I don’t trust my eyesight to trace the pattern and my hands aren’t as steady as they used to be. 

I should order this stuff by the case I love how easy it is to use and how simply it washes off.  My needle doesn't get sticky and it goes through the product and fabric smoothly, and all those black lines disappear after washing.

The New Moon on the 28th had me sharing my orts on the TUSAL Facebook group, not much for July but I was stitching again so each ort is a blessing, the orts are on top of the Moon Flow and Greenman two projects I have been working on since May.

I am linking my post at Kathy's Quilts, click the link to see what Kathy is slow stitching today as well as other talented stitcher's around the globe.

https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2022/07/slow-sunday-stitching_01064196367.html

I had to unravel my granny square afghan again but I have it on track now so it should work up rather quickly when I have the time to work on it.  

A New Month a Year Older and Some Slow Sunday Stitching

 On July 1st I celebrated my 67th birthday, time does fly when you get to a certain age for me it was around 45 since then the days just seem to pass in a flash. For my birthday I went to my favorite beach. 

The day was perfect for the beach though a little too breezy but the sun was shining despite the gathering clouds which passed by quickly. Before the beach we had lunch at the Funky Pelican and then I finally got to walk the Flagler Beach pier, something I have wanted to do for a few years.

When we were finished walking the pier we headed further north to a quiet more secluded beach that I  love, while Flagler beach is nice its very close to the roadway and I didn't want to hear the sound of cars over the surf. We took a quick detour at an interesting looking thrift shop where I purchased this sweet little pitcher.

That's my son's leg in the photo of the rocks on the beach and naturally he is texting a few people.

I brought my Greenman embroidery with my but it was so windy I managed only 3 stitches before I abandon him for a walk along the shoreline. 

On the way home we stopped at a Ukrainian Bakery and picked up several slices of cake to try back at home, I didn’t think to snap a photo of the cakes but I did get the counter case.

I also picked up some potato and cheese perogies which I will cook over the weekend. It was a wonderful day but it’s always good to get back home. My daughter in law and son left around dinner time, they surprised me with some lovely flowers. When the lily opened fully it was larger than my hand and smells lovely.

A few beach finds this trip 3 pieces of beach glass, some lovey Hag stones aka Holey stones, and a few shells.

The tree service still hasn’t come to remove the fallen trees they were scheduled for Saturday but called and said it would be Monday, I reminded them it was a holiday and they said no problem. I am not confident since they didn’t show up last weekend and rescheduled so I ask my son whether he would rather go with another company.  If they don't come Monday I will call one of the other companies that gave estimates.  On a positive note my son didn't have to hang around all day, his wife's birthday was Saturday and they were able to spend the day together.

The stitching progress on the Greenman embroidery is coming along nicely, though slower than I had thought. but any stitches is progress.  

I have a few stitches to put in the Lunar Flow piece the pattern by Cozy Blue, I have changed some of the stitches from the original pattern, mostly the French knot fillers and satin stitching the leaves.

I will be linking my post at Kathy's Quilts today for Slow Sunday Stitching, to see what other talented bloggers are working on the link is here https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2022/07/slow-sunday-stitching.html

For July I am taking part in the #stitchandshare with @lolli and grace 31 days of creative prompts for stitchers on Instgram.  https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/stitchandshare/

Later in July I will be taking part in the Moon Crystals SAL for the Snarky & Modern Facebook Group if interested here is a link for information https://lolliandgrace.com/blogs/blog/moon-crystals-a-new-stitch-along-for-the-snarky-modern-facebook-group

More Hag stones and the beach glass I am going to put these in my new little pitcher.