The DVHSGvirtual stitch in was enjoyable, as always. It's so nice to see what everyone is working on, pick up a few tid bits and speak "needlework". I was not disappointed!

I wanted to share the latest project bag I made; it ties in with the tomato themed zoom retreat I am participating in next weekend. My friend, Lisa, had gifted me the fabric awhile ago. The zipper pull is one by the Mad Tatter, Cathy at Alphabet Stitcher's Mom.

I also wanted to share a good source for pre-made frames...Hobby Lobby clearance. I found these frames recently....both for under $6.00. I also got the cute board with the heart cut out on the handle for 40% off....which brought it to $3.00. I love a good bargain!

That's all for today folks! Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi

The Weekend...Finally.......694

 So, did anyone notice I had the wrong date pictured yesterday??? Must have still been coming out of the fog of my night time cough medicine, but it has been updated! LOL

Yesterday was day 5, for me, of the recommended isolation period for Covid. I had to miss  dinner celebration for James last night...he is an official licensed driver now! I can hardly believe it. He is buying our old Subaru so we know he will have a reliable car to drive. 

I got one more side of the banding for Sailor's Valentine done.

And I worked a bit more on Winter Comes.

I can finally share the gift I had been working on for a birthday present for a friend. It is Stitching Sisters  by Chessie N Me. I stitched it on a 26 ct. mystery linen with a combo of overdyed fibers. I 'auditioned' a number of edging trims but kept coming back to 'less is more'.

There is a DVHSG zoom stitch in this morning I will attend, but don't want to chance going to the RVA Stitchers group at Panera this afternoon. It has been quite  awhile since I've been free for that group, but hopefully soon. I hope you all have a lovely weekend and can find time for your loves.

Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi

A Lot of Four-Sided Stitch.....

 Feeling better...thanks for all your well wishes!

Spent yesterday working on the banding for the Sailor's Valentine. I have to make an "edging" on a piece of 1/2" wide banding. I don't have any info on what was originally used but am substituting with what I had access to. I coffee stained a piece of raw/natural banding  to make it a bit more 'brown'. Then I started stitching down the edge with a double wrapped four sided stitch with a blue cross stitch in the center. I have to do this 4 times!!! I love how this looks BUT it is very tedious! I am hoping to stitch a quote down the center but am not sure it will fit......lots of figuring to do! Here is part of side 1:

I treated myself to a new book by Dawn Ronningen.....looks interesting!

And the weekend is here...my 5 days of isolation is over...though I'll still remain pretty much at home. Hope you're off to a great start on yours!

Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi

A Lost Day...Then a Comeback......693

 Greetings! I'm back after a day of vegging...Tuesday I pretty much just laid on the sofa in a stupor. I hadn't been sleeping much while on the steroids for my spider bite and needed some catching up. Yesterday I was feeling much better and productive. I am excited to share the outcome of my productivity! :)

This started with a chart from Linda Duree at Stitching Treasures called Specialty Stitch Spool Wrap. I had been watching a Country Stitchers floss tube and Liz was talking about her friend, Linda, who was selling off some of her design kits. I was drawn tho this one and ordered it, along with a spool. She had done hers on a piece of linen with different colors, but I opted for banding and redwork. I used a 27 count antique white banding that fit perfectly on the spool. Here is a photo of the top of the spool; the whole thing is checkerboard like the top. Sadly, most of it is covered with the stitching.

 

The red I used was Thread Gatherer Silk ' Colors In the Burgandy. I started with the stitches in her booklet but went on to add many more. She had 38 stitches and I used about 25 of them; some weren't conducive to the banding. In the end, I documented 65 stitches....I just couldn't stop myself!!!

The bands went quickly and it was fun researching different stitch books. I added a little quote at the bottom that I wrote to end it all and a cross stitch charm. I am so tickled with how it all turned out and I hope you like it too!

 

 

There you have it!!! I did pull out a WIP and worked a bit on it last night.....Winter Comes by Heartstring Samplery.

Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi

 

A Quiet Day Isolating......

 Testing positive yesterday sets me up for...at least..... 5 days home, stitching and taking it easy. I took advantage of that and did quite a few more "stitches" on my band of stitches. I think I'm going to end it here with the zig-zag stitch but maybe add my initials or something. This has been fun to do, each band went very quickly and I got to try out a good number of stitches....65 to be exact!!!

 

 

I did have to reschedule my gum surgery until the middle of March; I don't think that would have gone well with all my coughing and runny nose.

Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi

 

And I Succumbed.......692

 We tried our best but I tested positive this morning....will be calling the dentist this morning to see how I proceed with scheduling my procedure. Darn!!! Maybe I'm secretly happy; I am not looking forward to it at all! :)

Got some finishing done and it is so cute.....Tomato Scissor Fob by Samplerbird stitchery (info on yesterday's post). There was a fabric made tomato that would hang from the stitched section, but I added the tassel instead. 

 Last evening I worked some more on my band of stitches; I think I'm getting down to the end of this but am going to check a few stitch books today to see if I missed any.

 

Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi

A Quiet Day Stitching............691

 Well, as predicted, yesterday was a quiet day of stitching. Rich is sleeping in the spare bedroom, wearing a mask and keeping his distance. I may already be doomed, but we are trying to keep me healthy as I have some gum surgery scheduled for Friday. I already had to put it off once and hate to do that again. 

I FFO'd my Winter Cross Stitch Camp badge and added it to my camp project bag, that my friend Lisa had made me. (See yesterday's post about the camp, if interested) 

I also stitched, and this was a cute, quick stitch, Tomato Scissor Fob, by Samplerbird Stitchery. Robin, the designer, has an Etsy shop and is the moderator of All About Smalls on FB. I'm participating in a zoom retreat the first weekend in February with a "tomato" theme and thought this would be fun to do. I hope to work on the finishing today. 

 

You can find the chart here:

Tomato Scissor Fob chart

She also offers a full kit for this... and I do mean FULL kit! 

Another quiet day will be on the agenda today as we need to isolate 4 more days. I wish you a quiet Sunday, relaxing with your stitching, a good book and a cuppa whatever hot beverage you prefer. Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi

And Covid Strikes....again......

 

So, Rich started up with  cold symptoms yesterday and, since we have tests ready to expire, we tested him. He's positive! I'm negative! Bottom line is we stay home the next five days and isolate...good stitching opportunities here!

I started a little piece last night...the Winter Cross Stitch Camp badge with the Colorado Stitcher....Sherri always designs a freebie chart to go along with the camp. I will attach it to my camp project bag. This is an on line  "camp" you can join on IG or FB that you start February 1 and end February 28th. You're to stitch a project to add to your "collection" be it strawberries, pincushions, holidays etc..  If you're interested search #wintercrossstitchcamp . I think I'm going to do a Christmas themed project I just saw yesterday. Here's the badge so far:

 I'm doing it on 30 count WDW Sky with DMC...I did change the colors up.

I haven't done this for awhile, but I'm going to do a giveaway. I had bought a couple charts from a lady on FB and she sent me some extras as a bonus. They are both from Sheepish Designs, Shady Day  and Token of Love.   Just let me know which one, or both,  you'd be interested in....there will be two winners, one for each chart. Please be sure your comment has an e-mail address associated with it or I won't know who won and will have to pick someone who does. I'll let this simmer for a few days and pick a name next week.

Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi
 

Sailing Away......690

 The Sailor's Valentine has been a much quicker stitch than anticipated; the design is only 3 X 3. I finished the fourth side last night. 

 

Now, I have to decide if I want to add a quote/saying on the banding that goes around these pieces (the original does not). I have something in mind, but it will depend on if it fits. 

As promised yesterday, I mounted the sweater piece on a snowflake that I painted red. I am so happy I can work on the perforated paper in the car, and not waste hours driving to and fro my destination. In my mind, a good reason for auto driven cars!!! LOL
 

 

I did have a near mishap yesterday....I plugged my hot glue gun in and it sparked and tripped a breaker. We turned the breaker back on and I re-plugged the gun. It sparked again in my hand. Turns out the wire at the base of the glue gun was literally hanging by a thread!!! I was very lucky not to have touched that!!!

I hope you all have a nice weekend doing what you love! Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi

 

Settling Back in to a Routine..........

 Grocery shopping, laundry and unpacking are done and I managed to get some stitching in last evening. I finished up side three of the Sailor's Valentine.   

 

I did finish another sweater from Noel en Rouge on the drive home from Ocean City. I painted a snowflake red and will mount this on it...hope to show FFO tomorrow.

 

I received a few more gifts from my friends. Since my birthday falls right before Christmas, we usually wait to exchange sometime in the new year. The first photo shows them sitting on a cool travel pressing mat for finishing on the go!

Robin T. gifted me this sweet strawberry made out of Blackbird fabric..I love it!!! Thanks Robin!

 

I was prescribed some Predisone for the spider bite and was warned it could make me feel like I just drank a ton of Red Bull. It seems to have kicked in yesterday, because I am a bundle of energy and running in all directions!!! Things are getting done but five more days of it and I hope to settle down.

We are having 60+ degree weather here...so NOT January like. Somebody, please send me some snow!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi


 

Home Again.......

 We're home after a  fun 'working' visit to Salty Yarns. I spent Friday to Sunday helping cut fabric in the shop. By Sunday PM it was slowing down so we started to pack a few things. Monday was spent packing up the shop...and there is a lot to pack! Sara had a number of friends/family helping out and we busted  out a lot of packed boxes and shrink wrapped carousel racks. Sara is planning on opening at the new location February 1st and it sounds like she's on target for that. Here are some photos of the helpers that day (compliments of Lisa):

Rich

Kathy

Judy and Sara

Mike and Bob

Lisa

Here is a shot of the largest pizza I've ever seen!! You can't tell but it was 28"!!!

 

To close, here is a shot of me and Lisa in front of the Salty Yarns sign...... truly a bittersweet time but dreaming of exciting future experiences!
 

Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi