Back to Stitching Again after 5 years!!

Not a great picture, but at least a fairly recent one of me with that little book character my granddaughter sent for a trip to Naples!! Can't remember his name. LOL   I've lost 13 lbs. since this picture, thank God!  I'm doing Jenny Craig.

Have you wondered where I've been?  I've been writing a book review blog for the last 6 years or so, and sadly neglecting my stitching.  Then, about two months ago, I took a notion to pick a couple of things up again and I'm off!  I'm really rusty.  Need all the help and suggestions I can get.  Everything feels awkward.  I can't seem to find where to put my arms and elbows!  But I figure with a little time, it will all come back to me.

I hesitate to take any pictures of anything to show you where I am on a WIP since it's been forever!!  But I'll show you what I've been working on, below:

This is The Plantation Sampler which I still haven't gotten very far on.  It's big and difficult to hold, so I'm having some trouble with it.  I had it on stretcher bars, but seem to do better with it just "in hand" or on a large hoop.  Because of my recent brain tumor and my fading eyesight, it's not easy for me to look back and forth between the pattern and the linen, but I'm working with it.  It's good therapy for me.  And, I love it.   I'm open to any suggestions to help it work better for me.  I'm using a standing mag. light which really is wonderful and makes a difference.

These are, of course, a couple of Santas I stitched for Christmas but never got finished.  I'm afraid of finishing.  Finishing phobia.  I always tend to ruin things when I try.  So, I figure I'll stitch a bunch of them and take them to my local needlework shop one of these days...or send them off to one of you with a big bribe!!

A needlepoint piece I've been working on, on and off for a while.  It's nearly finished.  It's a faux Matisse.  I think I'll just frame it.  I need to do some boring outlining, add some beads and silk to the flowers, and finish the browns.  I'm leaving the table rough canvas to seem like wicker. Should be nice in my little French stitching room which is mostly yellow and pinks.

I don't even know if you can see this...I'm making a very long, segmented, funky scarf.  This is just the first two and a bit sections.  I'm using Hannah silk for that hand-painted section in pale green with a touch of rose, and yellow, and I'll be putting in another Hannah silk in the burgundy colors of the shaggy yarn.  Rotating colors and yarn textures.  I'll post more pics as I go along so it makes sense.  Since it's still warm here even in the winter, this is just meant to be a decorative, wrap around the neck thingie for fun.  The air conditioning gets very cool in restaurants at night.

And, last...I have looked for YEARS for a frog for my scissors, and finally found a lovely little ceramic one at an antique shop yesterday.  It's hard to get a close up, but I hope you get the feeling of it.  I have more scissors in a keepsake box, and hope I'll be lucky enough to find a glass frog one of these days.  Meanwhile, I like this one very much!


So, that's all I have to share in pictures of what I've been doing lately.  Please stop by and see me as I try to make some progress on my sampler.  I'm also going to pick up one of my Quaker samplers, as well.  I love Quakers...still have work to do on Ackworth's Beatrix Potter and a couple of others.

If you'd care to take a peek at my book review blog you can find it at:  http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com


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Sunday visits

I wanted to stitch today, we all have good intentions, I guess. I had (non-stitcher) guests who wanted to see my stitching, and to make sure I wasn't unhealthy keeping myself shut away from them so much. It was fun to see their reactions. I always wonder what they think we stitchers are thinking about when we sit and poke those colored threads through those tiny little holes, repetitively until we get the picture! LOL

Most admire the work, but unless you're a real stitcher, I don't think you can really appreciate the feeling of peace and joy that our art brings. It's really hard to explain the contentment I feel when I'm stitching, the excitement over new charts and threads, the unexpressible elation when a get a package in the mail with new stash, the joy of discovering a new website, blog or shop with a yet unseen design or designer (how have I missed this all this time!!???), the feelings of accomplishment when a piece is finished and you think your children, your DH, your grandchildren or generations may cherish it, and so on...

How do you describe to a non-stitcher the absolute glee of snuggling down into the cushions of your favorite stitching spot, adjusting the light, preparing the threads, finding and stationing all your tools to be at hand, positioning your fabric and chart, and picking up that piece you can't wait to work on so you can discover the image that blooms under the careful pick of your tiny needle and delicate touch on linen. That's the ultimate happiness. It's simple. It doesn't cost alot, considering... It does no harm, only gives lovingly and in beautiful things that last many lifetimes.

And, it shows and tells something about the stitcher that she may never have been able to express otherwise: who was she, why did she choose the pieces she chose, what was she saying by her choices, what was her favorite color, what things meant the most to her, how did she view life, did she value friends, family, home and country, was she fun loving or serious-minded, was she interested in history - art - music - flowers - antiques - toys -....etc..
To see a stitcher's choices is to know her. I guess these are my musings for a lazy Sunday.