more little Xs

 

With embroidery of the blue Simpler Sampler complete, I went right on to another project.  I cannot find a photo of the finished design to show you, but it is a Mary Beale design entitled "Glory of the Lord" and actually requires more than one color!  Consequently it is going much slower and is a bit less entertaining that the fun blue one.  Still the colors are soft and nice and I expect it will be just fine.  Again I'm sticking to basic little Xs and  no specialty stitches. 

 

Already I've messed up.  Sigh.  The intent was to put that geometric border in first as it would serve as a great guideline for stitch placement for the rest of the floral design.  I got over half done when I discovered I was using a lighter shade than intended.  Well!  That took the shine off.  Now my plan is to do all of the interior and decide how it looks.  It may be just fine.  If  not, I can always pull that out and restitch (although that sure doesn't sound like fun!).

 

Speaking of samplers and embroidery, do you read the Blue Garter blog?  She has a wonderful post on such a special piece of stitching that she inherited.  How I would love to see that in person as well as all the other goodies she mentions.  What a treasure! 

 

I also got a chuckle reading Juju Vail's discovery in an old sampler.  Inspiration is everywhere.

 

And  now, here are two totally UNrelated things:

 

#1 - an update on the tulip tree

 

 

in spite of the crazy back and forth warm and cold weather we've been having, the tulip tree has bloomed and was not severly affected by the couple of times that the temperatures neared or reached freezing.   This tree is near the post office and I always root for it to make it as it is truly lovely when all bloomed out.

 

#2 - Paper Lace!

Wow!  This artist is talented! 

Resting Place - for pins

So have you watched all the episodes of season 3 of "Downton Abbey" yet? 

I sometimes felt like the tug of war was with my emotions.  A lot happened in season 3, huh?!

 

I have to say that the plot lines often take second place in my interest to the all the wonderful costumes and lush set props.  Oh, my.  It didn't hurt either that the final episode took place in Scotland and, in addition to the magnificent scenery, we got kilts and tartans and some fair isle.

 

While searching around looking at images of costumes, I ran across a free pattern for cross stitch and made myself a pin pillow.  Considering all that took place this season, I stitched mine all in black and added a few jet beads to the tassels on the corner. 

 

Would you like to stitch one of your own?  Pattern is found here.

 

And if, like me, you enjoyed all those beautiful dresses, see more from the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art here.*  My favorite may be this one but then I haven't had time to look at all 8,229 of them!

*found this link over at Mason-Dixon Knitting. 

My Blue Heaven

There are a couple of smallish knits in project bags that travel in and out of the house with me.  Progress is being made but slowly. 

Instead, lately, I have been more in the mood of working with a threaded needle.  Before Christmas I stitched a spot sampler Christmas stocking; just basic cross stitches, nothing fancy and all done in one shade of deep red.  Very satisfying. 

I had in mind to do a sampler [sort of like this one], perhaps a Quaker spot sampler [lovely example here], but I am determined these days to work from patterns that are already in my library.  Goodness knows I have plenty!

So while the one I selected is not exactly what I had in mind, it is proving to be just the thing for me.  The actual name of the design is "Toile Sampler" by Laura Holtorf Collins and I have it in book published in 2003 by Better Homes and Gardens A Cross-Stitch Christmas Needlework Treasures.

As soon as I finish wallpapering that bit of snow under the sledding boys, I will do the alphabet and it will be done.  Not done as in finished or framed, but stitching completed.  Sometimes that is as done as my things get.  It's the journey, not the destination. 

When whippoorwills call and evening is nigh,

I hurry to my Blue Heaven.

A turn to the right, a little white light, (the Ott Light!)

Will lead me to my Blue Heaven.

Pea Green with envy

but in a good way. : )

I don't have a picture to share, you'll just need to TRUST me and pop over right now and see photos of an incredible masterpiece of Schwalm embroidery. Oh, be still my heart!

The stitcher is Jana Krumrey. If she has a blog or website, I have not been able yet to locate it. I would truly love to see more photos of her work.

The birds are so beautiful I can hardly stand it and the edging is just breathtaking.

Wow.

More of a Good Thing

The current (Jul/Aug) issue of "Piecework" had a nice, long article on Italian embroidered ribbons by Jeanine Robertson. The 2009 lace issue of "Piecework" had an article by Jeanine Robertson on Italian needlelace. In all my searching around the internet last evening, I was lucky enough to land on Jeanine's blog. Oh, my! Now that is a Bookmark for sure.

Later I remembered that I should have included a few additional links in my previous post.

Interweave Press/Piecework has two online goodies. Yes, Piecework has so many good things that they can't even fit them all into the magazine. Fortunately they do provide them on the internet. Her article on Classic Italian Embroidery is here and she has a project and directions for stitching a biscornu pincushion here.

This design has many elements in common with Lefkara lace, including the hemstitch, and would give a good introduction.

The beauty of the internet

subtitle: the double-edged sword

First of all, let me get the weather whine out of the way. It is August. It is HOT. It is even hotter than it has been which was certainly hot enough! Why, oh why, can't August have 28 days and February have 31??

Now, on to the Good Stuff.

Dianne, my Enabling buddy, sent me an e-mail this morning with a link to a wonderful Etsy video on Lefkara Lace, a 5.43 minute film about the exquisite embroidered lace of Lefkara, Cyprus.


Well I was at work when I read her e-mail. You can imagine how long my day was sitting there crunching numbers thinking about getting home and tracking down my magazines. I just knew I had articles on this technique and I could hardly wait to get home and reread them.

I like to think of myself as organized. Ha! Would you believe semi-organized? Most of my needlework magazines are filed by type, in two file cabinets. I was sure one of the articles was in an Australian publication. I pulled all those out and didn't find it. This is what is referred to in Stringplay Land as Par For The Course! A few minutes later with lots of magazines pulled out, I recalled that I had one more Australian magazine in a project bag and, sure enough, that was the one. If you are wondering, it is Australian Embroidery and Cross Stitch; Vol. 8, No. 2 and has a two-page article by Christine Bishop.

Thanks to the internet, and in the comments of this great post on Lefkara lace, I read that there was an article in a back issue of the short-lived Treasures in Needlework. The photo at top is that article, by Kit Schlich. If you have those magazines, it is in the Winter 1992 issue.

The internet saves me time many a time by allowing me to find a specific issue. Sometimes even being able to see the cover helps me find it faster. It also costs me lots of time because I spend so much of it searching around and reading and watching all that I find.

But as Kay and I are always saying, so far we haven't misplaced our computers!

A True and Perfect Inventory

If you are a regular reader of "Piecework" (and if you aren't, WHY not??), then you are probably already familiar with fiber artist and poet Stephen Beal. [pdf of Piecework interview here]

Past issues have had some of the poetry from his book, "The Very Stuff: Poems on Color, Thread, and the Habits of Women" a collection based on the shades of embroidery floss he uses in needlepoint.

Leafing through the latest Fiber Arts at the library the other day, I learned of one of his latest pieces, Fontleroy Plantation an embroidery of the text of his great-great grandfather's estate inventory.

If you get the chance, read the article in Fiber Arts (Apr/May 2010 issue) to learn more about this amazing piece.

What you don't learn at Mr. Beal's website above, is that the garland draped around the piece is composed of cross stitched prayer flags in red, white, yellow and blue for each of the slaves named in the inventory. Slaves and livestock are included with their monetary value in the inventory, including Old Millie, at 76 valued at zero, i.e. less than a table or a chair, let alone a hog.

Embroidery. It can be a very moving medium.

Speaking of "Piecework", the May/June LACE issue will be on newstands May 4.

SOON.......... Swoon.

Here's the preview. It looks fantastic!! I can hardly wait.

Value of Labor

I suspect that if you visit and read my blog posts that you probably are involved in some type of handwork or needlework yourself and you already spend hours of your leisure time on some similar pursuits and know the value of that time spent.

I am driven to create something. Not always a useful something and quite often an UNnecessary something. (Who needs lots of lace shawls?) But I spend part of every day either making something, thinking about something to make, or reading about making something and I have pretty much my whole life.

Today I visited the library where I usually sit and read the latest Fiber Arts. This is another wonderful Interweave publication. I love the cover of this issue especially!

The Profile section of this issue introduced me to two compelling artists.

Mary Smull uses white (and sometimes black) wool only to complete unfinished needlepoint canvases in order to stimulate conversations about the relationship between labor and leisure and the value of labor-intensive processes for the maker. [second from left thumbnail in the link above]

You can read more about her work here as well as watch her explain more about it in a short video.

Whitney Stansell has a sculptural work entitled "Garments". It will be on exhibit in Atlanta at Whitespace from April 9-May 15. Hopefully I can get down there to see it.

Peep Keep

Here's what the wee bit of stitching became... a needlebook - and all made from scraps!

Yes, that means this little project cost nothing to make.

The design was a freebie from Prairie Schooler.

The linen was a scrap from my stash and was almost exactly the right size. I only trimmed a bit off in the making.

The lining, too, was just a scrap from a long ago baby quilt and the wool felt for the needle pages came from the ever-resourceful and creative Pat.

It's a crying shame that Pat does not have a blog so you could see some of the clever things she makes - using all kinds of techniques, too. She noticed while working in the guidance office of a high school that colleges sent wool felt pennants so she called the pennant manufacturer to see if they had any scraps and they sent her a box of goodies. And she shared with me!!

And lastly the little button with the rhinestone came from a tin of old buttons passed along to me. Perhaps a bit flashy for this purpose but the pink color was too nice to pass up. (And when else am I going to need a pink rhinestone button??)

Want to make a needlebook? As usual Flickr has photos of some wonderful ones.

My Peeps

I've spent a few hours of the past two days with my friend, Kay.

Hours could seldom ever be better spent. Yesterday was a perfect spring day and, although it was overcast and rather dreary weather today, both days were sunshiny in Kay's presence.

Today's stringplay is adapted from the free design at The Prairie Schooler.



"A cheerful friend is like a sunny day, which sheds its brightness on all around."
Sir John Lubbock

Red-Letter Day

or in this instance -Green Numerals!

Yeah! The numerals band is finally complete.

I was beginning to despair.

This band was worked in all eyelets with all the numerals in Algerian eyelets over one and there were times when I would work only part of a number! Perhaps I was inspired by the embroidery books that just arrived here, but I pulled it back out determined to power through and get this band finished.

After a dividing band (line), there is another larger floral band. I haven't read ahead to see what stitches it uses, so right now I'm still really looking forward to it.

Hey, Santa. Nice Hat.

Santa Claus is coming to town. And the good news is he's a knitter!

Not only that, I think I recognize his hat. Looks like he's wearing a Thorpe on his head, too! Perhaps Mrs. Claus knitted it for him.

And that may be a Lantern Moon knitting bag.

Santa. He's in the know.

[This is Prairie Schooler's 2007 Santa.]

A threaded needle for a change

I've been wanting to start a large embroidery project for some time. The Schwalm kit that I started has not worked out for me. I don't like the way my stitching looks. Perhaps I can try again some other time, but it wasn't satisfying and I didn't enjoy working on it.

After seeing so many wonderful samplers at the Magnolia Guild exhibit, I decided I wanted to stitch a traditional sampler.

Finally after going through my many patterns and needlework magazines, I found exactly what I wanted to stitch; an English Band Sampler designed by Sandy Orton and characteristic of examples from 17th -century England. [pictured here] The pattern was published in the Summer 1992 issue of Treasures In Needlework, a specialty publication of Better Homes & Gardens that was very short-lived.

In 1992 I had a seven-year-old daughter and a much busier schedule so it is no wonder that this one was read, admired, but never stitched. This has lots of repeating patterns, stylized floral bands, whitework, and a lovely drawn thread band. Umm-umm, Good.

I'm not sure yet if I'll stick with this steadily. Right now I have a high interest level and want to work on this instead of lace knitting. Can you believe it?!

Some examples of English band samplers around the net can be found here, and here.

A lovely image here courtesy of the V&A.

A bit of history given here.

The mind ought sometimes to be diverted

Saturday was a beautiful late summer day, and blessedly not too hot, as I headed over to Roswell's Bulloch Hall to view an sampler exhibit presented by the Magnolia Sampler Guild.

This Greek Revival mansion was the childhood home of Mittie Bulloch Roosevelt, mother of Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., 26th President of the United States.


Almost 150 stitched pieces were on display, including some antique pieces, many stitched reproductions, and some lovely stitching accessories - all displayed among the period furnishings.



Reproducing antique samplers has never really been my particular stringplay interest, but I enjoy seeing almost any kind of needlework well done and this group excels. I'm always impressed at the complexity and the fine detail of the pieces. The one photo here doesn't really do the exhibit justice, it was just a quick one made in the upstairs sewing room which was devoted to patriotic pieces.

I left out for Roswell really dreading the drive and the Saturday traffic, but as I exited the exhibit, I was conscious of such a feeling of calmness, relaxation, and peace. I was so glad I went.


Before getting back in my car, I took a quick walk through the adjacent garden.

And among the notes I made in my exhibit brochure was this verse I copied from one of the samplers:

The mind ought sometimes to be diverted
that it may return the better to thinking.

Amen!

Out of Jail - FREE

It has only been 11 days of stitching but I have to tell you that I am very happy to see the end of this project.

I realize now more than ever that I generally work with several things in the pipeline for a reason and, while I usually work steadily on one primary project, I have others that work in and out of the queue to help relieve boredom and frustration. And, more importantly, I seldom work on a deadline.

This cross stitch project needed to be complete by the next EGA stitch-in meeting in early February, so I pretty much worked only on it and tried to get as much done with each sitting as possible to make sure I'd get it done.

I was also using, for the first time, stretcher bars to hold the fabric taut. I've said more than once that I dislike hoops. Well stretcher bars are worse. I ended up calling it the rack because to me it was indeed a torture device!

I think I'll read now, maybe do a few cartwheels in the yard, and then contemplate which relaxing knitting project to work on next as a reward.

Who's That Girl?

Recognize that girl? Perhaps because she's so familiar to me (and because I know what I'm stitching!), I can see her already even though there is much left to be stitched.

This is my current project and is not completely of my own choosing. The small EGA stitch-in group that I go to has selected Love Quilts as our service project and we are each doing a square to be assembled by others into a quilt.

This is not an ideal time for me to take on a project with a deadline, but I'm trying to get it done by next month. It would have been much easier, of course, if I had selected a design requiring fewer colors! But this one definitely said 'love' to me.

If you haven't recognized her, here's a hint, she's soft, and lovable and has a red heart embroidered on her chest that say's LOVE. Seemed just right for this project. She has been recreated by many but was imagined and created by Johnny Gruelle.

It is the Gruelle ideal that books for children should contain nothing to cause fright, suggest fear, glorify mischief, excuse malice or condone cruelty. That is why they are called "Books Good For Children".

The Three Tenors in situ

I was invited down last evening to help my daughter get her tree in the stand and the lights on. She seems very pleased with the snowmen tree skirt and even took a picture of it in situ for me to use here.

I read a good bit and I re-read almost as much as I read. I tend to re-read at Christmas more than any other particular time of the year.

Maybe that's because I like the familiar and like to repeat traditions at Christmas? Maybe it's because I'm lazy and can't find the extra time needed for extra library trips and searching for good new-to-me books. I'm pretty sure it's a combination.

At any rate, the current re-read is "Christmas on Jane Street" a true story told by Billy Romp and with Wanda Urbanska.

It's a short little volume and can easily be re-read in an evening or over a couple of mornings with coffee. The Romps travel from their rural Vermont home every Thanksgiving with a load of cut Christmas trees to a lot in Manhattan, only leaving late on Christmas Eve for the tired night trip home. It's a father-daughter tale, too and a reminder that parenting is rewarding, but also hard.




This year I suddenly remem-bered Google Earth and had the bright idea of searching out Jane Street so I could get a look at the real location. So amazing. I could even see Bonsignour, the French food shop across the street from where the Romps set up their trees. What a treat!

I noticed the book at the bookstore last night. (Well I had to go pick up the new IW Knits magazine, didn't I?) Seems it is the 10th anniversary of the publication of the book and there is a new softcover anniversary edition.

I always enjoy seeing old friends at the bookstore.

The Three Tenors

"I laughed when I saw him,

Who comically stood

With his bright eyes of coal

And his gay mouth of wood.

His nose was a carrot,

So pointed and thin,

And a deep dimple sat

On the end of his chin."

---Grace E. Easley

The snowmen tree skirt project is finished. I'm pleased that this project came together and fairly painlessly. It started when I saw a magazine ad for something similar from The Company Store which was happy and nice, but $79. [sorry. direct link eludes me.]

Holiday stringplay is finished for the season. Anything else I decide to start will not be intended to be finished by Christmas.

I can now give my full attention (a laughingly small quantity) to the RED shawl. I'm pleased to say I'm on the third and final chart. Knitting a pattern that decreases with every row has real advantages. I could get spoiled. [Evelyn A. Clark, I hope you're listening.] There is, of course, a long, long separate edging to be knit and then sewn on. But we won't worry our pretty little snow heads about them just yet.

Natural Light Needed

I am working on the red shawl. I promise. Granted I don't get very many rows done each day. In fact, on good days I get a whopping 2 rows done. But I've finally decreased down below the 200 stitches mark so I'm feeling a bit better. Will it be done in time to wear Christmas? I have very serious doubts. But since I didn't start it with that in mind, I hope I won't be too disappointed.

Instead I finally got around to another project that's been percolating - and one I hope I surely do get done soon.

Sometimes there can be just a very subtle difference between floss colors. Since I intended to take the blog photo outside anyway to get the best lighting, it only made sense to audition the colors while out there. [probably keeps the neighbors scratching their heads about me, too!]

In the past I've always aimed to end any holiday stringplay by Thanksgiving. I don't need any stress of working on gifts right up until the last minute. I do much better without those kind of complications. Well, Thanksgiving is almost here. Yikes. Time to get this project done.

Another reason I love the internet

Sure I waste a lot of time browsing blogs, but I can hardly help myself when I find so many interesting posts and links.

I enjoyed this one so much I thought I'd link to it here in case you, too, would love to see and read more about the embroidery of Maderia. Such beautiful, beautiful work!

Read the wonderful post at Needled, follow the link to the museum and be sure to view all the lovely images of fine embroidery.

"The Embroidery of Maderia"by Carolyn Walker and Kathy Holman (1987: Union Square Press) is, sadly, out of print. It is a terrific book if you ever run across a copy or if your library has it.