Revisiting the Past -- Cross Stitch

My husband has always been interested in woodworking.  He has built furniture and play equipment, toys and useful household items.  When we moved to this house and he finally had space for a very small shop, he decided that he would move away from large projects like furniture and concentrate on small projects like toy tops.

I feel the same way about my hobbies and activities.  I am no longer interested in making large quilts or trying to do anything large scale.  My house won't accommodate it and I find it a lot less enjoyable if I have to struggle with something. 

However, in my last post I mentioned being drawn to all things artistic and that includes needlework.  I have always loved handwork and I honestly think that my interest in quilting started waning when I started doing it on the machine and not by hand.  However, my hands are a tiny bit arthritic and so I don't enjoy quilting by hand anymore but cross stitch and embroidery is still do-able.

So, anyway, I decided that I needed to find a diversion from Facebook (amazing what a time sucker and negative influence that little space in the interwebs can be) so I have been upping my reading time and have now decided that I should spend some time revisiting needlework.

However, like my husband, I have decided to start small.  I have a lot of unfinished things so I went through them and picked out a couple of small things to get busy finishing.  I have a piece started that is a lovely bird but it is large and very involved so I am waiting until I whittle down my stack of unfinished starts. 

So, this is what I pulled out of the rather large milk-crate I have all this stored in. 

this kit was a gift from my daughter -- a souvenir of their vacation in Boston -- it is the Old North Church -- it was a quick finish and I really enjoyed doing it.

This is a card kit that I had finished about half way.  The count of the fabric is small so it is taking me a little more time but it is quite lovely.  I think cross stitching cards is really fun and a good use for the stitchery

This little kit was purchased for me from the Alamo gift shop on a trip there almost four years ago.  I started it but I was ill and just didn't have the energy.  However, I am well now and have the energy and will be finishing it quickly.  Framed and coupled with the Old North Church should be a couple little grouping someplace in the house.

So, anyway, that is what I am working on instead of scrolling through FB all day.  With the exception of connecting with family and good friends, it is a huge waste of time and is ridiculously addictive -- like sugar. 

I will be back soon with some finishes here -- can't wait to finish the little Alamo!

I Always Knew Dragons Could be Pesky

I have had this cross stitch pattern for quite sometime -- bought it from Monique Keylon, if I remember correctly.  I loved him from the beginning but set him aside to pursue other things.  I finally started on the project, did the border and then started on the little guy whom I refer to as Alford.  I was about a third of the way through with his body and realized things weren't right -- I was off and I couldn't figure it out.  So, I put him up for another LONG time and went back to quilting.

The other day, realizing that I am sort of burned out on quilting, I turned my attention to cross stitch again and started sorting out my WIP's, of which there are many.  My eye was caught by Alford, who was basically no more, but the fabric was still in the q-snap so I gathered up all the thread and the pattern and all the other things needed to work on this and I gave him another look. 

I have never gridded a project before - I figured that I had done enough of this sort of stitching that I didn't NEED to.  Ever heard "pride goeth before the fall"?  Yeah.  Ok, so I decided to check the border and it was ok -- counted correctly.  So, I decided to grid from there and try that.

I used pink sewing thread to mark the grid figuring it would be easy enough to see but not obstructive and with a single strand, it should be easy to pull out. 

I grabbed my pattern and some sticky notes.  I made a copy of the pattern so I could scribble on it, and isolated each little 10 X 10 square with a sticky note on all four sides.  I started stitching and was thrilled at how easy it was going. 

Who knew how easy it would make it -- I guess you are never too old to learn!  I have a perfect place to hang this once I get it finished and framed.  I have become quite attached to Alford.  The only thing I wish is that I had chosen different colors but he is cheerful and will look nice on the wall.  I am happy and  I have to say that I was also burned out on cross stitching but I think this might turn that around. 

Off to a Good Start


As I said in a previous post -- I don't believe in resolutions for the New Year. I did do some soul searching, however, and realized that I don't use my time well. There are things I love to do but I procrastinate terribly -- that translates into watches too much television. So, I decided to make a concerted effort -- within my perameter of living one day at a time -- to do more of the things I love to do and quit worrying about the things I don't -- that translates into worry about housework.

One of the things I love is quilting. I have two projects going but can't show you here because they are a secret! I will show you photos eventually, just not now.

Another thing I love is cross stitch. Four or five years ago I bought some patterns by Terrance Nolan. The names of the patterns are "Fuji" and "Haiku" and they are the most beautiful birds I have ever seen -- they work up very nicely as I saw the models. I did start these once but was using 16 ct. even weave and, after about 20 stitches, I realized that is just too small for these eyes so I bought 14 ct. aida and intend to start over. Since I hadn't gotten very far I don't feel bad about it. I will be doing the work without a hoop as I am finding that my fingers don't do well while clutching things for long periods of time -- like the remote control or the Wii controller.

I will begin with "Fuji" as seen below. He is really a gorgeous little guy and I will post photos as I progress. I don't think this will be a quick finish.

When I get done with "Fuji" I will start on "Haiku". I am sorry the photo is so small but it is just as lovely. Actually, the patterns don't look too difficult, lots of colors, and some specialty threads -- I am looking forward to it.

Another thing I am trying to do more of is read. I was always an avid reader and have somehow let the pasttime slide. However, mid-month I am getting my Christmas present -- a Nook, the e-reader introduced by Barnes and Noble. I can hardly wait and have already purchased a cover for it that looks like this--


Another thing I am going to try to do more of is cook. It is difficult with an overweight me and a diabetic husband who doesn't like leftovers but I am trying. So, with that said, I am off to bake a cake for lunch tomorrow. I hope it freezes well since neither one of us are supposed to be eating it!! Maybe I will post a pic of it --

Friday fill-ins #130



1. She had a great handbag!

2. Rollie is my by my side always! And sometimes under my feet!

3. I know this: If it gets any hotter Texas is going to turn into one great big tortilla chip!

4. Be still, Rollie. It isn't dinner time yet!

5. These words apply to me: Uh, I don't have a clue!

6. Outside the sun was shining.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I am looking forward to a few more episodes of "Sex and the City", tomorrow I might attend the great big fabric/notion sale at Berry Patch Fabrics, and Sunday I want to go to church and either read or quilt or cross stitch -- so many choices!

News --

The baby is to be Kathryn! Finally, a name. I am sure she is quite tired of hearing "Sweet Pea" and "Sissy". Even though she isn't here yet I am sure she can hear us and is probably saying "hey, folks, it's Kathryn -- get it?" So, Kathryn it is. And now the embroidery begins.

Gone but Not Forgotten -- My Genealogical Search


Aside from my family and my faith, I have four interests in my life -- quilting, cross stitch/embroidery, reading, and genealogy. I wouldn't call them passions, I am passionate about my family and faith but I would say that I am drawn to these activities from somewhere deep inside. They are activities that have rooted themselves in me, planted and encouraged by others and I find no better way to spend my "alone" time .

The two activities that have the deepest meaning to me are genealogy and quilting and they are linked. My interest in quilting began with my great-grandmother, Maggie. One evening in her home, watching her and my grandmother hand piece quilts was the most fascinating thing I had ever seen. They even let me join in and the fire was fueled forevermore.

This same great-grandmother was the basis for the love of genealogy. My father's family had always held family history in geat esteem and had kept the family story alive. I grew up hearing historical accounts of my family's migration from Tennessee to Texas in covered wagons. I learned about our family's place in the founding of this country and this government. It was pretty awesome as a child and the interest never left me. In fact, it just expanded to include my maternal family and my husband's family, as well.

I have decided that this blog is a good venue for collecting and sharing these stories, maybe some photos, for family members that might be interested either now or in the future.

A few of the names that I research are Boyett (and all variations of the spelling), Cocke, Watkins, Conn, Davies/Davis, Webb, Palmer, Brinkley, Rantz. This isn't a complete list but the most immediate list. The areas that I research are Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, England, Wales.

So, if you are interested, come back and join me on my travels through my family search.

Friday Fill-ins


1. On my laziest day I like to do cross stitch.

2. Vacuuming makes me feel like I'm being productive.

3. I love little kids and big cats.

4. This summer I want to lose weight and get in better shape.

5. Pent up creativity made me start my blog.

6. Red roses and orange marmalade.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching "National Treasure 2", tomorrow my plans include helping A to build a base for the gazebo, and Sunday I want to go to church and work on the back yard.

For the Love of Cross Stitch







When I was about five, or so, my mother decided to introduce me to embroidery. It was a set of pre-stamped tea towels. If my memory serves me correctly, the pattern was of kittens. My stitches were too big and some of them were pulled but I was fascinated. That was my first venture with a great span of time until my next attempt as an adult. I did a few crewel kits as a young married woman. They turned out pretty well but I was not the least bit prepared for the fact that moths could actually eat my best attempt -- as it hung on the wall! I was devastated. So, in an attempt to find something that wasn't food for something else, I turned my attention to cross stitch.

I love cross stitch and have done a lot of it over the years. But, I struggle. I absolutely love the look of linen but have difficulty counting out the stitches over two threads -- especially if the stitches are far apart. Evenweave creates the same problem. I tend to stay with aida which is quite limiting in the look that I want to create. Sometimes frustration abounds but still I persevere.

I love the cottages, bungalows, lighthouses -- any houses-- depicted in the cross stitch mags. I have a weakness for small houses. I collect small houses such as David Winter cottages -- I even picture the families in the small houses. So, it is no surprise that I like to stitch them.

The picture posted here is of a WIP that has been recently -- very recently -- completed. It was a WIP for so long I almost never got the masking tape off so I could press it. I swear never to put masking tape on my work again -- I really do. It takes longer to wrap the edges in the tape than it does to put a zigzag around it with the sewing machine. In any event, here is my latest completion.

I have started a new project -- a pair of absolutely gorgeous birds. The thread variation is so intricate I am having to work on it one ten stitch grid at a time. Oh, thank goodness for sticky notes! I will post more when I have more done -- right now it is VERY hard to tell it is a bird.

At any rate, here is my little house!