I’m going to try this yet again

My Grandmother and Great Aunt watched the soap opera “As The World Turns” faithfully; I do not have to watch a soap opera, my World is a soap opera or at the least a whirlwind. Now is could be that my world is turning at the same speed and I am getting slower and older but  I have two new knees and I want to get my money’s worth out of them before their warranty is up.

So no apology for not writing for a year, just know I have been moving and learning and having a whole lot of fun along the way! I will spend some time re-reading my blog and try not to bore you with re-hashing things and I’ll take lots of pictures. So if you see something in one of the pictures you’d like to know more about just ask.

In 2012 we combined households with oldest son and his family. It was a good experience and I would not change a minute of it but the time had come for us all to move on our separate ways. The two grandchildren at home have grown and are more independent every day, we all have different interests and different schedules. So we are empty nesters again (November 2018) and thinking seriously what and how we want to spend the next years.

I have spent the last few months putting house back in my order. I have been sorting thru things with the idea of downsizing, I have looked at all my holiday decorations with the idea of keep or let go. Of course no decisions have been made yet, we need to think about where we want to move (I will never want to do this again), so I want to take it slow but move forward too. I will ask the kids if there are things they would like to have but that does not seem likely as the next generations are minimalists. So I see a great multi generation sale in my future.

I have been thinking about my art/craft belongings and have decided to start going thru my needlework stuff and downsize them too, although I see this as a minimal downsize. If it comes to a tea set or my needlepoint books….well, I hope someone in the family wants the tea set it is nice and has some history. I do have some books I am will to part with, not because I don’t love them but I may have two of them and in some cases I have moved on from that technique or I will never get around to trying.

Anyway, I am going to take my computer into the computer doctor to get it a full check-up and then I will proceed like I never left and hopefully I can keep my blog  up to date.

But before I leave I want to tell you about an exhibit you should put on your calendar, especially if you live close to Kansas City. The Liberty Memorial WWI Museum (https://www.theworldwar.org/) has a special exhibit going on until Sept 2nd, 2019; Color of Memory, Fabric Art of WWI. I was privileged to go to a class last night that allowed us to see this exhibit and also to make a postcard (2019 version) of those made in WWI. Since I have one of these postcards (https://sudukc.wordpress.com/2009/08/10/my-birthday-present/), it was a treat for me and now I have two postcards to display from Memorial Day until Labor Day when I exhibit my R-W&B collection. So if you are in my next of the country, don’t miss this exhibit; and enjoy the rest of the museum too, it is our history.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for being patient with me. See you soon.

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you have time to stitch today.

ttfn…sue

Beading and Kumihimo

After our herringbone bead sampler class at Florilegium, my friend Nancy and I set out to discover what KC had to offer in bead shops and like any specialized needleart stores in our area there are few. We ended up finding a home at Bead Boutique KC (http://beadboutiquekc.com/) or (https://www.facebook.com/BeadBoutiqueKC/). Andrea is the owner; expert beader and enabler…just look at my stash.

 

We came away from our first visit with an easy leather stringing project; we could make a bracelet and scissor fob. And of course we ordered more to teach all our friends and grandchildren. It is a fun easy project; I have even done this with my Granddaughters. I made all my Grandsons a fact similar key-fob of a Boy Scout totem they wear when joining the tribe of Mic-o-say (https://www.hoac-bsa.org/tribe-of-mic-o-say) at H. Row Bartle Scout Reservation (https://www.hoac-bsa.org/bartle).

 

We set up a private class and learned Peyote: even-count. We signed up for a Basics of Beading meetings on the first Saturday of the month to learn different techniques from a basic beading book, Mastering Beadwork by Carol Cypher. We all bought it and a few others and more beads. We made a square of even-count peyote but I have to have an end result, so I looked through the two new books I decided to make beads.

 

There are two types of peyote beads: zipper and in-the round. I mastered the zipper method. And what do you do with 30 peyote beads; you make a bracelet. I also learned the ladder stitch for joining the beads, how to make a beaded clasp and a Pequot edging; not bad for a first project.

 

Our next class was an odd-count Peyote class. We made an American flag and I used size 8/0 beads because I was still trying to limit my stash accumulation. And I was also unsure of my ability and 8/0 beads are easier to do than 11/0 beads and definitely better than 15/0 beads, especially when learning. I hang this on a stand with all my other flags.

 

I have been very neglectful in attending the Basics of Beading 

meetings and need to get back into them; but before I became so lazy and weather became cold I did attend Double-sided peyote diamonds project at the Basics of Beading meeting. My color choices were too close and it is hard to see the changes. I have these diamonds but haven’t decided how to use them yet.

 

In the meantime I had finished my herringbone sampler we had learned at Florilegium and Andrea suggested rather than buying more different beads I buy just buy size 11/0 in a matte black and finish this necklace. Well, it took me a couple months but I finally had two bead projects under my belt. Someday, I am going to buy or have enough beads to make a companion piece like the one in Bead Talk.

 

Then we found Kumihimo with beads. We had learned basic Kumihimo from Gretchen at Florilegium,  but this added beads. Several books later and a stash of beads and we were off and Kumihimo beading.  I started off with a red beaded necklace that I was going to use some of the leftover beads from my even-count peyote RWB bracelet but haven’t done anything with the R-W& B beads yet. Maybe I’ll get back to doing something with the R-W&B beads since it’s almost that time of year again; but I finished the red necklace before to Christmas.

 

But before I finished the red necklace I made a Kumihimo with Magatoma beads scissor fob. After I had strung most of the beads I noticed these beads have an up and down to them….but at this point I didn’t care. I thought I had been careful to sting them all going the same way.  Let me preface this, depending on the look you are going for; if you string all the beads in the same direction, one way the beads will lie down like hair or scales of a fish, the other direction they will stand out and if you do a random stinging you will have a completely different look.  Mine all laid toward the bottom of the scissor fob like fish scales…but trust me, it was pure luck.

Last fall the group had planned another beading class; it originally was designed to be a necklace but Andrea thought it was to not pliable enough to be a necklace and so she had made them into two inch beads and put them on a chain. I have finished my twisted peyote beads and have to pick a chain but in the meantime decided to make a bobble for my red necklace to wear at Christmas. I chose green beads and in a couple days had a twisted peyote bobble to wear on my red necklace. It is easy to get on and off so I can make others (remember the R-W&B beads

 

 

 

 

I also have bought Kumihimo books by Karen DeSousa and she has a twisted bobble with a twist. I was making it for St. Patrick’s Day but after I got it finished I noticed it is so similar in color to the one I made at Christmas; and I think it will be difficult to slide this one on and off a necklace; so I see more beading in in my future.

I have accumulated so many to do projects not to mention the beads and books with so many ideas I like that I am now a bead addict too. I have accumulated I had to get another bookcase for my overflowing library.

I believe this sort of fills you in on the last year and half of my creative life; now I just need to find the time to do all these creative projects and the ones running through my head. I do have a few others to share but I think my next post is going to be needlepoint. It is my main love and I do have several needlepoint projects to share with you.

 

Don’t forget March 30 National Stitching-In Day.

 

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you have time to stitch today.

 

ttfn…sue

Happy and Safe Forth of July

Hope Everyone celebrates a Happy and Safe Forth of July.

This is  a flag I stitched a couple years ago. I intended to hang it vertically until my husband told me that it was stitched wrong to hang vertically. I thought I was a pretty patriotic person but I did not know the flag hanging vertically should have the “union” (blue part) hanging to the observer’s left. Guess I never thought about it since hanging horizontally the “Union” is to the  observer’s left also…I just figured you turn the flag clockwise, otherwise, it is seems to me you are looking at the flag from the wrong side.   Anyway, now we display my flag horizontally and one of these days I’ll stitch it again so I can hang it vertically…maybe I’ll chart it then too.

If you’re interested here are links to flge display: http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/more/displayonly.htm

and flag etiquette: http://www.usflag.org/flagetiquette.html

Be safe today I hope you have time to stitch today!

Happy Birthday America!

…sue

Betsy Ross stitched and blocking

Betsy is finished but she almost did not get a tuff-it to sit upon. I decided to use Ultra Suede for the cushion. I used short lengths (12 inches and a larger than normal needle) but I still had trouble. My thread kept breaking. After several breakages, I cut another piece and gentle pulled on both ends and it broke. At first I thought it was breaking where the Ultra Suede was bent around the edge of the card but this didn’t seem to be the problem (although the thread did break here a few times.) What it seemed to me to be more likely was it was an old thread. I have had this thread for a couple years and I do not think it has stored well. I did get the tuff-it stitched but it took a great amount of patience…probably would have been quicker to get up and get another thread but I am lazy and stubborn. Anyone else had problems with this thread? I am going to check my other Ultra Suede and if they are as unstable I am going to dispose of them. Frustration is not part of my stitching world.

Betsy’s cap is Alternating Scotch Stitches and again I stitched the scallops in tent and then before adding the bullions, I French Knotted some hair for Betsy using an overdye. You can see in the picture it started to diagonal stripe…that’s because I stitch everything I can diagonally, so I tried the puddle method. (see: https://sudukc.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/overdye-puddle-stitching/ OR https://sudukc.wordpress.com/2014/04/25/back-to-mom-me/) I’m not too sure I was successful but I don’t think it will be as visible once she is finished. After the knots were in then I did bullion knots around the cap. I’m pretty good at bullions now.

I also did needleweaving a basket for Betsy and was going to cover pony beads with floss and place them in the basket for balls of yarn/thread. But I did not leave enough give in the basket and I don’t think it would have worked anyway…I think the beads would have been too large, but you can see I tried and I prefer what I did better..

Betsy was a fun take-a-long, I really like stitching Anne Stradal,  ABS Designs (http://www.absdesignsonline.com/ or http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/) canvases; she paints a great canvas. My husband has hinted he likes lighthouses, so now I have an excuse to buy more canvases 😉 …I like this idea.

So Betsy is on the blocking board and will be finished soon…maybe not in time for the fourth of July but before too long.

It’s back to finishing for me and I promise to have something (finishing) to show next time.

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you have time to stitch today! ttfn…sue

Summer Projects & Betsy Ross

I am stitching but have decided my big project for summer is finishing…And I have a million things that could fall under this heading. I could finish about seven or eight original stitching designs in my computer (many in various stages of completion); or I could finish one of those class projects that I plan on getting back to someday; or I could finish the 25 Temari balls I have made; I could learn needlefelting that I played with at Christmas last year and I have a thousand ideas running around my head (oops that is not technically a finish)…Okay you get the idea more things to do than the hours in a day.

But I have decided to finish some of the needlepoint I have on blocking boards and in a UFBS box (Unfinished but stitched). I will take pictures as I muddle through this process and share with everyone. I’m guessing by Sept 1 I will really love my finisher and whatever she charges will look good to me.

Since I am carrying my cell phone everywhere these days I’ll have a camera at hand. I am carrying my phone because I have a step counter app installed…it is supposed to remind me to get off my *** humm and walk a certain amount of steps a day. I have a goal (haven’t met yet but have come close)…I really think this is a hopeless cause unless the app can figure out a way to jar me loose from the project at hand…I just keep saying latter.

But I digress…so finishing is the project of summer…Maybe I’ll have some of those gifts for family and friends finished by the start of the holiday season instead of being last minute Nelly.

But today I do want to show you my current stitching project. I love these small projects that I can take anywhere…Anne Stradal, ABS Designs has the cutes roll-ups, I’ve stitched several over the years and her lighthouses are to die for and I love the way she needle blends her floss for skies and seas. If you are not familiar with her blog (http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/) and website (http://www.absdesignsonline.com/ ), grab a cuppa and spend awhile with Anne, her designs are fun and her stitching is wonderful.

I am stitching Betsy Ross…I have stitched Thomas Jefferson (he’s in the UFBS box) Betsy’s dress is stitched with Rainbow Tweed and I have three card of the same color. And I am guessing that by the printed number on the bottom I have at least two different dye lots, but when I look at the cards side by side there could be three dye lots. So rather than take the chance of stitching and mixing up the three dye lots, I am mixing them up in the needle and stitching with all three.

We all know what happens if you assume a dye lot is the same…that nasty stitch ghost comes to visit and you have a mess. After you are done stitching you can see the difference in the dye lots and you are haunted by the mess until you frog stitch it out. Then of course you don’t have enough thread to redo so you have to head over to LNS for a replacement and more (never can go for just one thing). And then you have more dye lot differenced (unless of course you just bought this thread from LNS and then maybe you’ll be lucky and she will have same dye lot…but if you’re not sure then mix them up in the needle and avoid the hassle.

ED Note: everyone has a definition for ply-strand-fiber-thread. Mine is: fibers make plies, plies make strands, and strands and threads are the same. Some strands/threads have divisible plies (i.e.: cotton floss, Rainbow tweed and others) and some strands/threads are supposed to be stitched as non-divisible plies (i.e. perle cotton, ribbon threads, metallic threads.) Notice I said supposed
to be stitched; there is always the exception to this rule…ruching is where one ply of a thread is pulled to gather the thread. Ribbons are ruched and then the ribbon is couched into place for an effect. Almost any thread may be ruched.

Rainbow Tweed is a divisible thread; there are 4 plies to one strand of thread. So I pulled the same working length off each of the three cards and I am stitching with 2 ply of this thread so I mixed one strand/4 ply (Card A1-4, B1-4, C1-4) as follows,: A1&B1, A2&B2, A3&C1, A4&C2, B3&C3, B4&C4. I paid no attention about the ends I put together but I did knot one end just to keep the two plies together not as a stitching direction. I dropped these in my stitching bag and randomly pulled a thread as I needed. You can see the results, no ghostly dye lot changes.

Then I stitched her shawl and didn’t like the way the bottom was looking so decided to fill scallop with tent and then to give it some texture I would subject myself to Bullions. Bullions are not my favorite stitch but I think it is just because I don’t do them often enough. Practice makes better…with bullions there is never perfect. Normally I would wait to do the Bullions last but I got carried away and so they are in.

The flag is over one cross stitches with 3 ply floss.

Thank you for stopping by this week and I hope you have time to stitch every day;  I’m off to find some UFBSs and decide which to finish first! ttfn…sue