Slow Sunday Stitching

 I’m working exclusively on the sampler that Charlene gave me these days. As the summer progresses time for stitching has decreased, so sticking to just one project is easier at the moment. Plus I really want to get it done.  Here’s where I was last week. And this is my new progress. I’ve run out of the colour that goes around the lettering, so I’ve had to order more and will be working on the other elements while I wait for it to be delivered. 

A number of years ago I made a stitchery folder. But one it was made, it sat and didn’t get used. I was finding that I needed help confining all the different pages and threads for this project and I came upon it while unpacking. I’ve now put it into use. It sits on my lap while I stitch and then I can fold it all away and keep it all together when I’m not working on it. 

We are beginning to get a bit more acquainted with the area surrounding our new home. There is a lovely beach only 15 minutes away. We’ve spent a couple of afternoons there. Our little Abbie is quite happy with it. And considering it is only June, the water was surprisingly warm enough for Grammy to go out into it with her.

And as if I don’t have enough to do I’ve decided to try my hand again at sewing clothes. I’ve bought some patterns and some fabric for some tops and pants. I’m starting with this top from McCalls. I have this pink and white striped fabric that I’m using for it. However I have made the decision that a 67 year old Grammy should not have horizontal stripes going around her hips so I’m changing that bit. I laid the pattern out onto the fabric yesterday. I am hoping to cut it out today. Although, it looks like such a gorgeous day that I may spend at least part of it outside on the porch. I’m linking up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching

Slow Sunday Stitching

 Well here we are, my first post from our new home in the beautiful region of Muskoka Ontario, also known for good reason as cottage country. It’s taken several weeks to get to the point where things are feeling semi settled and unpacked. Some of the windows now have proper curtains, rather than sheets thrown over them. I found some fun fabric that I bought quite a few years ago now that was designed for the Row by Row shop hop theme that quilt shops were doing. Back in the days when shops were open and a girl could actually go in and browse the fabrics in person. Do you remember that, way back when? It seems like it has been ages since we were able to do that.

Anyhow, I found this fabric in my stash and it seemed a perfect happy choice for curtains. And isn’t this a perfect spot for a sewing machine station. Lots of natural sunlight during the day, a lovely breeze and a gorgeous view. That was my view for part of yesterday as I made curtains for this window and also for the bathroom. 

When the weather and bugs allow, we have been spending some time outdoors planting up some grow bags and also some pots. I have 5 tomato plants, a couple of bags of green beans and some pots seeded with dwarf zinnia and another seeded with some calendula. Here’s 3 of the tomatoes, perhaps not all that exciting, except this is the first time in years I’ve had a sunny spot in which to grow things so it’s exciting for me. I’m thinking of getting outside again this afternoon and seeding up a few more pots and bags.

Between unpacking and planting up the pots and looking after our grand daughter, my slow stitching time has been mostly confined to the evenings. Before we left London a good friend of mine, Charlene, gifted me with a cross stitch pattern and the fabric on which to stitch it. I ordered the threads for it and as soon as the threads got here I started it. The pattern is from Plum Street Samplers by Paulette Stewart and is called In Friendship. It can be found here. It will look like this photo when finished. I’m working my way through the lettering. 

The entire saying states: “How much to be esteemed is a friend on whom we may always with safety depend”. I’ve never done a sampler in this style before, so it is fun and also reminding me of all my friends on whom I can safely depend. I am so grateful that this day and age friends can still keep in touch no matter the physical distance between them. 

I’m linking up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching. and then am heading out to enjoy this gorgeous day.

Slow Sunday Stitching

 I’m continuing to work on my Harbour Village Sampler by Victoria Samplers. One of the many bonuses of doing weekly slow stitching posts is the ability to track a project’s progress. Last week I had the hills on the left side of the piece done. This past week has seen most of the hillside on the right done. I didn’t really think I’d gotten much done at all this past week, but comparing posts shows that I got a lot more done than I'd thought. There are blank spaces on some of the buildings waiting on a delivery of black floss and also white floss.

Our packing and getting ready to move is going well. Next weekend is moving time. It seems like it has been a long time coming, but at the same time it has gone by quickly. I will share pictures once we are up there. 

I’m going to continue on this project only for the next while since everything else is going to be packed away. Plus there is so much else going on, I think I might be easier to focus on just one project. The next time you hear from me, we will be in our new home.

I’m linking up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching. 

Slow Sunday Stitching

 I have finished my Love Is Sampler. It is now folded carefully away. I have a frame for it already, but I’m waiting until after we move before I put the time in to get it into the frame. I bought short sequin pins to use for setting in onto the acid free foam core board. However, at the moment, I’m not too sure exactly where they are. In a box somewhere......

Here’s a picture of the whole thing and then close ups of the top section. I decided to place more words from the scripture passage into the box that describe what love does. and the bottom. 

After that was finished, I spent some time on my monthly Victoria Sampler piece. April is finished and I’m almost done the second instalment for May. 

And then I started a new piece. It’s called Harbour Village and it is also a design by Victoria Sampler. This one has a lot more cross stitch applied more densely than the other projects I have worked on recently so it is going to take a while. It reminds me of the town up in Muskoka where we will be living. Two more weeks..... We have most of the packing done and are currently living surrounded by boxes. The only thing left to pack up is the kitchen and personal stuff we need to live with between now and then. I am so looking forward to having this done, or at least this phase of it. We can unpack at our leisure once we are up there.

I am linking to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching.

Slow Sunday Stitching

 My Love Is Patient Sampler is getting close to the finish line. I’m ready to start section 29. After that comes the last section consisting of cut work which is challenging but fun. Before I can declare it done though, I have to add all the beads. I decided on this one to do the beading all at the same time at the end. The beads are tiny and fiddly and are difficult to get out of their little bag and then back into it again without losing some of them. This way I can put them all into a bowl and go fishing for them all at once. Plus the beads make it difficult to place the hoop. I also have to place our anniversary date into the box.

I’m looking forward to finishing this one so I can move onto the next. I have the threads for 3 more of the Victoria Samplers here waiting to start.

I’m linking to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching.

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Slow Sunday Stitching

 Cross stitch continues to be my focus. I truly think it is helping to keep my sanity. The news around us is getting worse and worse and our provincial government is doing nothing substantive to mitigate it. I’m not a political person and won’t get into it here. But I will say that I am getting more and more discouraged and angry, like many others. The good news is, I have an appointment for a first vaccine dose on Tuesday. I have no idea at this point on how the second dose will work. The appointments are supposed to be booked at the same place. But by the time my second dose is due we will be living 4 hours drive away. I’m hoping it will be possible to transfer the dose to another location. I called the pharmacy and they seemed to think that would be possible. But I’m not willing at this point to put the first dose off for another 5 weeks until after we move. So, in the meantime I stitch to keep both my hands and my brain distracted and occupied.

I’ve made really good progress on the Love Is Patient Sampler from Victoria Samplers.

 I’m up to section 19 out of a total of 30. I’m not sure yet what I am putting into the box. I may leave it as is, or I may put our anniversary date into it. 

I’ve also almost finished the third instalment of the April stitchery. This is also from Victoria Sampler and is free through their facebook page. The green stems at the top of the piece need their flowers added and then there are some boxy type stitches that go under them yet to do. I may finish this up this afternoon and then get back to my sampler. 

I’m linking to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching.

Slow Stitching All week long

 I continue my obsession with cross stitch. It is helping to keep me sane during this very crazy season of life. This whole past year has been nuts, I’m sure everyone thinks and feels that. Add in the whole moving thing to that and it has been rather stressful. We now know where we are going though. Matt and Becca have bought a house suitable for all of us. But the distance and the Covid lockdowns mean that Matt is the only one who has actually seen it in person. We were hoping to get up there to see it when he does a walk through, but that isn’t going to happen now. We have seen pictures of our apartment area, but it is so difficult to tell exactly how things will work in it from the pictures. We do know that we have to get rid of some of our big bulky furniture. And we can now begin to pack more stuff away. From the pictures we’ve seen it is a gorgeous house, about 10 minutes outside of town on 18 areas of land, most of which is forested. The land backs onto Crown land, so it is highly unlikely that anything will ever be built behind it. I am looking forward to the next phase of our lives. 

Meanwhile, the stitching continues. I have finished the Canada Sampler. It is from the Victoria Sampler people. I can’t remember on whose blog I first saw the family sampler, but I am so glad she shared it. I love all of Thea’s designs. I have started another one, this time the Love Is Sampler. This one is going to take a bit of time since all the vines at the top of the piece are stitched using one thread of embroidery silk over one thread of the fabric. It’s a good thing I have magnifying glasses. I have 2 more of these samplers kitted up and ready to stitch as well, but I’m trying very hard to get one done before starting another of these big projects. 

I’m linking up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching.