Sunday, July 2, 2017

My quilting squirrels invited their cross stitch squirrel friends for a visit and the raving has continued on this Slow Stitching Sunday...

Where did the week go???  I think of myself as a retired fuddy duddy who should be sitting at home knitting and stitching and sewing but somehow I end up running here and there and don't get nearly as much crafty time as I would like...but then I would like a 36 hour crafty day so it probably isn't ever gonna happen...sigh...

Anyway this week saw several new cross stitch squirrels enter my home via the mail box and I have to say I'm really liking all of them! First was this little project and I do mean little...as in itty bitty...teeny tiny...what was I thinking???


This is Little House Needleworks "Birdhouse Alphabet" done over ONE thread of 28 count Crystal Chime Lugana... the fabric has a sparkly thread in it ...very pretty. This piece right now measures 2" wide and 3" tall... when complete it will be almost 4" tall... I wanted it to be  small and it is going to be small.  I'm using one strand of  Belle Soie silk in the Beanstalk color.  I'm using my small q-snap frame which I found helps a lot for stitching over one thread. Also excellent lighting and Mr. Magoo magnifying eyeglasses in a +4.50 power are essential for me...then I can see the threads and holes... here is a really up close picture of this latest adventure.




Now this is a warm up for the Brenda Gervais Summer Schoolhouse Lessons in Abecdarian ... you can see the story behind this project here. I do love Brenda's style and the little sneak peeks of this project just sucked me in so I ordered the chart and the fibers and the linen and they arrived yesterday.




The flosses are very pretty and the 28 count Lugana linen looks like it will be easy to stitch on over one as the weave is nice and even and the holes are easy to see. I'm not normally a hoop/q-snap user but I think it is a must for these over 1 projects...and knowing that I can stitch nicely over one and it doesn't take as long as I thought it would I might attempt another project that has been simmering for years... doing the entire Prairie Schooler ABC's on one piece of linen...like this one...


I have all of these charts and I started it once on a humongous piece of linen but didn't get past the first chart... I think that done over 1 thread it would be a more manageable project... or I could just be deluding myself... LOL...it definitely needs to simmer longer.

But before I could jump into the Summer Schoolhouse another squirrel squeezed it's way through the mail slot and well I just had to stitch a couple  of letters...


this is Vintage Birds by Jeanette Douglas Designs...


Now I'm doing it over 2 threads on 32 count and my linen is  Water Lily by Wichelt... as lovely pale green which looks great with all those peacock flosses.  I started with the ABC's and after stitching 4 letters I know I will run out of the floss for the letters. I stitched LMNO and used one one yard strand of the called for GA Portabella floss... so that means most probably I can only stitch 20 letter with one skein and last I checked there are 26 letters in the alphabet. Now this is my mistake as she stitched the sample over 36 ct using only one ply so she used less floss... I went rooting around in my stash and came up with another unopened skein of Portabella...but there is a problem...



these two skeins of floss have little in common except for the attached tags... I started with the one on the right...there is a faintest bits of the color in the right skein at the tips of some of the strands in the left skein. Now I know the left skein is older but really... that much difference??  I would call the one on the right a brown but the one on the left is a taupe... arghhh... I'll order another skein of floss from the same place and hope it matches better than what I have. In the meantime I think I'll move onto some of the other motifs... or perhaps finish the Birdhouse Alphabet or those last two border rows on my Lizzie Kate Jingles which has languished all week. 

I'm hoping the upcoming week has less running around in it... plan to stay home on the 4th which is fine with me. I've got my Sunday dinner prepped... made some cold salads yesterday... tri-color rotini pasta salad and tabbouleh and marinated tomatoes... picked up some rotisserie chicken from Costco...best $5 chicken you can buy...and I made some prosciutto wrapped asparagus bundles that I'll pop into the oven just before my son and his wife arrive... should be tasty.

I'll link up with Kathy's Quilts today and Super Mom - No Cape on Monday....hope you have a wonderful 4th of July !!!

happy stitching-
carol fun 

19 comments:

  1. Lovely stitching to do. My `Summer School` came this morning. Wanting to start but chores need finishing first. :) Happy Stitching.

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  2. That was quite a color difference between your floss skeins. So many pretty cross stitch projects underway. I also think Costco's rotisserie chicken is the best deal around. I am thinking about making a ramen noodle/cabbage salad with it. Yum!

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  3. Your dinner sounds very yummy!! Nothing like good cold salads and chicken in the summer. Your new stash is great. Vintage Birds is lovely!! All that over one is so impressing me. I love the new charts by Brenda but did not get them because of the over one. I am anxious to see your progress. Have a nice peaceful 4th!

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  4. What lovely projects you are working on! I really like the birdhouse one. I hope the skein you order will go better with the portabella you have already stitched. Your dinner sounds fabulous.

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  5. That little birdhouse is so cute and so tiny. The ABCedarian piece is nice. I went over to her site to see the project. I'm itching to do a sampler. The Prairie Schooler project is amazing. How big is it? Where do you order your pieces from? Frustrating about the floss - glad you caught it now instead of when you're in the middle of the piece.

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  6. All those new projects should keep you busy and out of trouble for a long time! I can't believe how small your little bird alphabet is!

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  7. I am a huge fan of Brenda Gervais so I love the Schoolhouse pattern, the Vintage Birds is gorgeous too!
    I have done the Little birdhouse tiny too, you can see it on our blog on the May 24 post, I wanted it small for an ornament for my Christmas tree. I sewed buttons all around the edge and I liked how it turned out. WE would love to have you stop by our blog, Stitchingfriendsforever2.blogspot.com
    Mary and RJ

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  8. Oh Carol! This post makes me so happy! I positively adore tiny stitching. I mainly stitch over one! I am currently stitching the whole Anniversaries of the Heart by BBD over one on 25ct. I saw Brenda's post on the ABCedarian pieces. :D And yes! Do the PS ABC's!!!!

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  9. Darling tiny piece in green! There must be a large number of squirrels watching your house and partying!

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  10. Love that Vintage Birds piece! And to think it will look even more beautiful as a stitched piece (than in the picture)! I almost signed up for the Abcedarian series... but, then I remembered that I still haven't finished last year's Blackbird Garden Series! lol! It's all good though! :-)

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  11. Carol, Love the over one birdhouse..so sweet! I got sucked into the Summer Schoolhouse series too....not sure what the heck I'm thinking but had to have it!!! I have those PS charts and have also thought about doing them all over one on one piece of linen.If I could only get everything done that I so want to!!! Have a good 4th! Will you be going to see the Blue Ash fireworks?

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  12. Vintage Bird, wow! Had not seen that design. Hate dye lot variations what a bane they are.

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  13. You do have some great stitching fun coming up, and your threads are wonderful colors. The birdhouse is quite appealing. Your title and first paragraph made me laugh. =)

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  14. I love that Vintage Birds piece and I too have the Prairie Schooler ABC in waiting. Happy Stitching!

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  15. Is the Birdhouse alphabet by Little House Needleworks a newer or older pattern? I love it, and can't find it listed on their website.

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    1. Hi Connie... I think this is an older chart... I got it here at 123 stitch....

      http://www.123stitch.com/item/Little-House-Needleworks-Birdhouse-Alphabet-Cross-Stitch-Pattern/13-1131

      it came as a kit that included two buttons and the skein of silk floss. Hope this helps..

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  16. You have some really lovely projects started!

    There is quite a difference in the color of those two skeins of thread, isn't there? I hope you receive a closer match when you order.

    Thanks so much for linking up to last week's Stitchery Link Party and for the link back. Aloha hugs!

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  17. Hi Carol, I am enjoying your blog and your lovely stitching. My friend Mary and blog partner told me all about your blog and I was anxious to see it. I love all of the charts you have chosen. I too love stitching over one...I did the birdhouse alphabet over one on 25ct lugana and really liked how it turned out. Stitching yours on 28 ct. linen will be so lovely. Happy stitching. RJ@stitching friends forever

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  18. Vintage Bird, wow! Had not seen that design. Hate dye lot variations what a bane they are.

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