Before the Craziness

Two weeks ago we spontaneously went on vacation.  Usually we plan our trips to the mountains months in advance but this time we made plans 3 weeks before we left.  We are so glad we went, it was just what we needed.  We gone the week of Friday the 13th, the full moon, and the time change.  Little did we know things would get even worse with the virus.

Here is the place we stayed at in NE Georgia.  My parents had a cabin there for 30ish years and my first visit to this area was in 1982.  I'd love to live there full time but it would be hard to leave my adult children and healthcare could be tricky. 

My stitching nest was set up in the chair by the window.

 We could watch the sunrise from the bed in the master bedroom without even getting out of bed.  It was glorious!  I haven't seen a sunrise like this in years and years and am glad I'm waking earlier these days.

 The almost full moon from my stitching nest was also beautiful.  It was overcast on the night the moon was completely full.

 The overcast days were just as beautiful.  I live in Florida very near to beaches but my heart is really in the mountains.  They are never not beautiful to me!

There was even a little yarn and fabric buying.  

A lot of things have changed since we've been home.  All of our activities etc have been cancelled.  I was already working mostly from home.  Greg works for the school but has to go in because he is a 12 month employee (not sure how that makes sense) but I'm hoping he will be working from home starting mid next week.  He is a licensed clinical social worker and has already practiced having a therapy session virtually with a student and it went well.  My oldest son is a nurse as is his girlfriend so I worry about their health.  My youngest son has to go into work as well and I'm pretty sure that won't change.  My mom is in memory care and we can't see her for at least a month.  I woke up yesterday with a sore throat and sniffles so I cancelled our visit to my dad. 

I'm so thankful during this time for our online community and my love of stitching, knitting, sewing and reading.  It's truly been a source of comfort.  Greg doesn't have hobbies like that so he's working in the yard.  I'm certain that I will enjoy my time more than he will!

I hope you and your family are safe and have the supplies you need.  May your stitches be happy ones!

Finishes!

Hello everyone!  I hope you are having a nice Monday!  I have to admit, Monday's are not my favorite day but I do try to make the most of them.  

I do have a couple of finishes to show you today.  The first one is Ode to the Ort 2 by Brenda Gervais (link is to her shop).  I really enjoyed stitching this.  My favorite thing about it was the thing I initially liked the very least and that is the hanging strawberry.  It's really darling in person.  

Ode to the Ort 2

Brenda Gervais

28 Count Mushroom Lugana

Stitched 1 over 1

Called for threads

I rarely stitch in season so I was shocked that I stitched this in January and had it assembled before Valentines Day.  This is a freebie from Piecework called Quaker Heart and can be found here.  I made one change and that was to replace the date on the back with my husbands initials. It's a sweet quick finish and free is never a bad thing!

Earlier in the month, my EGA guild went to St. Simons Island for a weekend retreat.  It was a lot of fun!  We had a good group of ladies and it was an easy and relaxing weekend.  The photo immediately below is part of the view from our stitching room and the bottom photo is from my room.  If you have never visited an EGA chapter, I would highly encourage you to do so.  It's our 40th year and we are having some very special events to include a lecture and class with Nicola Parkman.  She has charted a project to celebrate our guilds 40th anniversary!  

Wishing you lots of happy stitches!

A Big Finish in 2019!

Y'all I have a big finish - And They Sinned!  I'm shocked that I stitched it so fast.  I was obsessed.  I started this in May of this year along with a couple of other things and I finished December 27, 2019! Shocked!  It is SO hard to get a good full photo of this project but here it is!

And They Sinned (OOP)

36 Count Picture This Plus Legacy

Called for Threads (mostly)

I'd be very remiss to not thank Robin in Virginia here as she came to my rescue when I had serious dye lot changes for a thread in that green grass section at the bottom.  She had some of the older dye lot and a Victorian Motto that matched perfectly.  Thank you Robin!  I couldn't have done it without you and you eliminated my frustration with your generosity!

Wishing you all happy stitches for 2020!

For Mom

As some of you know, my mom moved into Memory Care at the beginning of this year.  It's not been an easy transition but she is safe.  She may not always recognize me but we always laugh together and our visits are filled with much love.

Thinking I wanted to take her something to dress up her room for the holidays, I knew that something with lights would not work.  She is light sensitive, always has been and even more so now, and always unplugs her clock etc.  Then I stumbled on this Tree Mini Quilt from Maker Valley and saw that they actually had a kit!  The kit arrived the week before Thanksgiving and thankfully with a lot of time spent at the sewing machine in the evenings I was able to deliver it to her on Thanksgiving Day.  What you can't see is that I also hung up a note telling her that I made it and who I was so if so if anyone was curious about it, she didn't have to go through the confusion of not knowing.  It's now back home with me (there was no time for a label) to label.  She enjoyed it and it made her happy!  That's all I wanted!  Love you mom!

October's Doings

October has turned out to be a busy month.  Shocking how fast the year has flown by.  At the beginning of the month,  my EGA guild had a fabulous lecture from Cissy Bailey Smith of Gentle Pursuit Designs on Scottish samplers.  The entire crowd was captivated and I learned a lot!

I've also been sewing a little bit.  I have started a mini spider web quilt.  It was a kit I purchased from Westwood Acres Fabric and the fabric is from Cotton and Steel.   This block is WAY outside my comfort zones with all the bias edges.  I'm pushing through but at this point, I can't say that I love it.

 In the sewing room, I'm trying a wool pressing mat.  My old pressing station by my sewing machine that I use for individual blocks, etc was in bad shape so I figured why not try something new?

I've also finished piecing my Yankee Doodle Dandy quilt.  It needs to be ironed and quilted.  In the photo below you can get a general idea how it will look.  The blue star section is over the back of the chair.

And just because, here is a photo of Murphy who is learning to be in the sewing room with me and not be a handful.  I'm not sure how successful we are so far but we have made progress!

I doubt I'll be back before month end.  Have a happy Halloween and I hope all your stitches are happy ones!