RK-The Final Frontier

I'm about to take the final steps on Red Kerchief. It has been a wonderful project and I do recommend anyone wanting to take a class from designer Caela Conn Tyler that you do not hesitate to do so. You will learn and accomplish much in the process and have a first class piece of needlework in the end.

My final frontier on this piece is the cutting and stitching inside the window panes of the door. It's a big step for me and I've been practicing on scrap canvas. Once the canvas is removed from the stretchers, the procedure then is to cut within 4 canvas threads inside of the stitched window casings making a rectangular opening. Then diagonally cut through three more threads in each of the corners-creating four flaps. Fold back the canvas flaps to the wrong side of the canvas and finger-press them down leaving one canvas thread exposed above the stitching.


Begin with the designated sequence according to the instructions, align the canvas threads and start binding the edges with 4 strands floss.

Once all the windows have been bound, the canvas will be reattached to the stretchers and the lace curtains will be sewn into place.

What next? Locusts???

Honestly, yesterday when a few inches of hail fell here I thought, well this is a big storm, there were tornadoes in the area, etc. All was well when we went to bed last night, even opened a few windows. It's been snowing since about 5 am. Not complaining, it's a perfect day for staying in and stitching. In Colorado, winter is never over until it's over.

Check out DH, he's in town this week and is determined to keep the satellite dish free from snow lest we lose the signal. LOL! God forbid. No that isn't snow on his feet, it's Birkenstocks with white socks.  That's my boy!((((squeeeze)))) See you soon.

PFOS

 (under new ownership) has a new blog.  I only found it today when reading my snail mail. I never pass up their snail mailings-always something great going on. I am adding them to my blogmeisters so I can keep track of things I might need. :) Have a peek here.

I am hoping you all have a wonderful weekend and that you'll be able to get some stitching or, at the very least, stash enhancement in. I'm hosting another Stitchin' with my Peeps tomorrow. Always a good way to start out a Saturday morning. Hope I have some progress to show you on Monday.

Sepia

plates came into my collecting world when I started looking for "Harker Pottery" dinnerware and baby dishes for a friend. Once exposed to the antique collecting bug, the symptoms become chronic and lifelong. I can name at least three couples that, thanks to us, are infected. Yes we are still friends; friends that collect together, stay together.

The plates shown in the at right are a type of transferware (I call them sepia plates because of their color) and were made from the early to mid-1900's. They have been difficult to find but I fell in love with the charm of the subjects and don't seem to be able to resist those that have these vintage designs. I have others, but these are my favorites.

This plate is all together a different maker and I grew up with it hanging on my mother's kitchen wall. I have always loved it and feel it's sort of a Mother's Day plate with the mare and her colt and the female with her litter of puppies. It was made by Taylor Smith & Taylor, again sometime in the early to mid 20th century.  None of the plates are particularly valuable and I am quite sure I paid less than $10 for them.

Thanks for visiting today, I am currently working on a Ruth Schmuff class from Bedecked and Bedazzled-from cyberspace-now this is shop I'd love to visit one day. For now you'll have to guess which class I'm taking as I'm stitching it on the QT.

I hope you have the day you deserve today. See you soon.

Rooster back in the Roost

I am so glad this rooster is completely finished and ready for hanging. It's been a long road. Five to seven years ago I was overwhelmed by the size and detail of this CanvasWorks painted canvas. DH purchased it at a LNS and asked me to stitch it. He asked the LNS to pick out threads too. He brought home a huge bag of Silk and Ivory mostly, Krenik braid, some beautiful silks - the threads were as costly as the canvas.

So now that we have hundreds invested, I contemplated the canvas for about a year. I didn't think I could do it, it's waaay to involved and I'll never finish it. I didn't really think I needed a stitch guide because there would be so much tent used. Without a doubt I should have had a stitch guide.

It has taken me a very long time but it's the only project DH ever chose for me and I wasn't about to give up on it. It's a beautifully painted design and was not much trouble to stitch at all, other than it's size (15x15") and the heavily painted design. I have learned that unless I'm totally in love with the subject matter, I'll drag my feet. He's learned to let me do the choosing when it comes to painted canvaswork.  SHHH! I recently spied its companion piece.

I am very pleased with how unique the framing is. It's sort of country French, at least the color is right, and it's distressed. I'm very satisfied.

Oh, did I mention

that I am a collector? Among the other things I do when not stitching is aerobicizing around the local antique malls looking for "things". I call it aerobicizing which means "upright and moving" in Madonnaspeak.  Not a hoarder mind you, a collector....there's a difference. For one thing all of my collections aren't under a pile of other stuff, they're displayed and somewhat dusted off. See, there's two differences right there.

Anyway, today's header hosts many of my "California children" that were made in, duh, California in the 1950's mostly. Brayton Laguna, Heidi Shoop and Kay Finch, to name a few of the manufacturers, are among some of the most collectible. I had fun several years ago running across one here and one there and it just turned into a collection. I am sure these can now be found on eBay but that's just not my style, I like to aerobicize....

For me, collecting  is like a treasure hunt. Sort of like combing the beach for seashells and sand dollars; you're walking along and then suddenly you spy something familiar, check for blemishes and, of course, price then before you know it two turns into 20 and there it is. Now what? Good question. :)

Chinese Lanterns revisited

I'm revisiting Chinese Lanterns today because I just discovered that for some reason my original posting is no longer carrying the photographs. Very odd indeed. This is one of my favorite projects to stitch and since I haven't been stitching lately and wanted to post something today, I chose this.

Stitched entirely with DMC Perle Coton and only one type of stitch, Gobelin it is amazing that something like this could be achieved without fancy threads and complicated stitches.

The chart came from Classic Stitches magazine, (which much to my disappointment is no longer being published), and was stitched over the course of 1 week.  Total cost of materials, $10.00.

Thank you for bearing with me until I get back to my regular stitching projects. I'm not in a slump or anything like that, I've been busy and have set my needlework aside temporarily. If anyone out there in blogland has any clue as to why my photographs are no longer on the original post, I'd love to hear from you. Thanks for visiting today, be back soon.