Slow Sunday Stitching - July 30, 2023

For the first time in absolutely ages, I am reporting on all three of my craft categories!   Not a LOT to report in any one of them, but enough that I feel like I can at least mention stuff. 

Now knitting won't have a photograph this week since I just added about an inch/2.5 cm (6 rounds) to the body of the brown sweater in simple stocking stitch.   When I get another 10 rounds or so, I'm going to put the sweater body on my longest cable and try it on.   I think that's about where the waist shaping should go, but I need to check.   I'll take a picture then.

But for needlework, take a look at the tiniest, cutest little stitches on my BBD "Two Hearts" needlebook:

For scale, that needleminder is almost exactly the size of a US quarter/UK 10p!  56 count linen, one strand of CC floss over two fabric threads - full cross.    And let me tell you, it's fiddly work too!   I need both a 5x magnifier light AND my needlework glasses.   I do have a 10x lens, but it's hard to work with since the smallest movement (like just drawing the thread through the fabric) will knock it out of focus.   Technically, those stitches are the same size as one over one on 28 count, but having twice as many ground threads makes for a much more supported, much denser and altogether to my eye more attractive stitch.

Speaking of one over one on 28 count.  This month I put in 1268 stitches on the Sugar Skull; a much more respectable showing than June.   My monthly average is just short of 1600 stitches per month, well over my goal of 1000 stitches.  Time so far on this project is 66.25 hours.  Picture of it when I hit my next milestone, which is getting one of the temple areas done.

And my quilt is one long seam and a small outer border from being an actual quilt top!!!  I got the bottom third of it put together over the last two weeks.

The reds are actually rose pinks, it's a hard color to capture.

Linking up with the SSS crew (current roundup is here)

ETA:  my thumb is better.  After it not getting much improvement for a couple of weeks, I went to the doctor. X rays say that it's not broken, but I'm in a splint for at least a few weeks to keep it protected and not moving to let the tendons heal.  I think it's helping.

Slow Sunday Stitching - October 25, 2020

 It's been a busy month here in Kansas: Quarter close at work, getting ready for my boss to go on maternity leave next month, putting the garden to bed, early voting.   But I have gotten a bit of crafting done.

Biggest news is that I got to ten hours on Millennium, and it is on the beading!!  I am not putting this away even though I am at the rotation mark; a finish is just too close.

I am working on the beads 15 minutes a day - that's about all I can manage as beading is not my favorite thing, though I love the way they look!  Clear crystal petite beads all over the 'space' area,  gold petite Mill Hill beads in the foliage top and bottom and four garnet beads in the broaches and sword hilt.  So many beads.

While Millennium is on slow progress toward a finish, I am also working on the last two cutwork napkins (introduced here). I got halfway around the center of the waterlily motif in padded blanket stitch.  There will be some stem stitch and French knots to finish this area off. 

I am going to have to frog at least one of the outer petal 'veins' where a thread was carried (needle is pointing to that area below).  I tried to anchor it under the center, but there just wasn't enough slack for it not to pucker.  This may why this project was left where it was.  I know I have occasionally back burned a project where there was something that needed fixed.

Once the center petals are complete and that fix is done, there are only the two 'leaves' and the center stamens (french knots done last) left to do.  One leaf even has the outer edge done, and the padding is done on both of them.

Today is my birthday; the kids had me over for dinner last night and my sister arranged to work in the Topeka store yesterday so she could come, too!  The haul was a collapsible chair to take to softball games (I have been borrowing one from JC), a Fitbit to replace my old one that isn't holding a charge anymore, a gift card to Michael's chain craft store, and a fancy carrot cake cupcake that was delicious. And I am treating myself to a new knitting start today.

 

As soon as I check out the other SSS folks (link to current roundup), I will be getting out my ball winder and swift and turning this Heritage Sock Yarn into cakes and casting on! 

 

Yuck - summer cold

I don't know what it is about travel, but I seem to get sick every time I go somewhere.  Last week I finished the little wall quilt for the quilt guild challenge display, went to guild on Tuesday (picking up my rental car on the way).  The next morning, I got up crazier than usual early, drove four hours south to Tulsa, had a bunch of meetings, drove home.   Got up Thursday morning at the usual amount of crazy early, drove an hour to work, worked an extra long day to make up for being out of the office the day before. 


Friday, I woke up feeling a little "off", but went to work at the local office (I love Fridays).   By the end of the day, I was doing "ok but not great".  But by Saturday, I was running a fever, dripping nose, nasty cough, the works.   The next few days were a fever blur.   No crafting occurred.  No housework occurred.  I skipped church and called in sick on Monday .......


And it's a busy time of the month - Tuesday and Wednesday were brutal.   I am so glad for the holiday. 


Hey, on a better note.  Happy Canada Day last Monday to my northern readers, Happy Independence Day today to my friends in the states.  And Happy random Thursday to everybody else LOL. 


I am finally feeling better, though the cough is hanging on.

surgery

The tooth extraction went as well as can be expected.   The tooth did not break, which was a concern.  But I'm still in a fair bit of pain and am glad I took tomorrow off.


I hate dental stuff.