flosstube notes of goodness

Hi Friends,

Today’s blog is slightly different and happy.

I started making video’s on YouTube in November 2018 and today I made my 9th video.  After some very kind suggestions, I think every now and then I will use this blog to share notes from the videos.  I will also share pictures of some of the stitching that I talked about.

My channel name is Sew Grateful.  I have 1,070 new friends to talk stitching with.  That makes me very happy and yes, SEW GRATEFUL to have found a circle of folks with similar interests.

If you have a moment, please stop by my video and have a look.  You are more than welcome.  https://youtu.be/A8okw

In today’s video, I talked about my mother in law’s recipe for Banana Bread.  A slice with a nice hot cup of coffee was the perfect thing on this drizzly day.  Come to think about it, I have been baking this bread for over 36 years.  I am now calling it “my” banana bread recipe.  🙂

Banana Bread

3 large, ripe, bananas, mashed, 3/4 cup brown sugar (I use coconut sugar), 1/2 cup butter (I used Earth Balance) Mix together and add:  2 cups all-purpose flour (I used Better Batter flour mix, gluten-free), 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt.  (here you can add chopped nuts if you fancy)  Place in a greased and floured loaf pan.  Bake at 350* for 45 minutes.  Cover with foil or a lid and continue baking 10 additional minutes.  If the toothpick comes out clean, it’s done.  Now the waiting…………..cooling…….cool some more….then slice and enjoy!

I talked about my current work in progress, the Jane Pattison Scottish Sampler.  I will now be calling it the Georgina Thomson Sampler.  As her name is now stitched and the year she was born.  Georgina Thomson is Mr. Right’s grandmother.  I will be including initials of her children, her husband and 8 Ord Street, Scotland where the family home is located.

 

I shared a small moth cross stitch.  I will include the blog post where I first shared about this.  It is a pattern from  The Cricket Collection.  Here is more information if I piqued your interest.

https://sundayschildfullofgrace.wordpress.com/2018/07/11/wip-wednesday/

At the end of my videos, I like to share some things I am Grateful for.  In today’s line up, I mentioned that I am mighty grateful for homemade Ketchup!!!!  YUM.  You are just four minutes away from tasty goodness!  Oh look, there are some homemade buns as well.  Delightfully good.

https://thevegan8.com/2019/03/28/easy-homemade-ketchup-10-minutes/

Before I sign off, thank you again for all your kind wishes, prayers, good karma and thoughtful questions regarding my sis in law, Janis.  She is on the mend and doing better every single day.  Our family is mighty GRATEFUL for your concern and help.

Oh, maybe, just maybe it was the pillowcase I made her to help her feel better?  “Hope you are feeling chipper soon”.  (laughter is indeed the best medicine)

 

Thanks for stopping by today,

In this together, friends,

Chat soon.

WIP’s

Hello, friends, today is Wednesday’s Works in Progress.

“And a Forest Grew” by Karen Kluba.  Boy howdy is it growing, measuring right around 29 inches wide.  The biggest piece I have ever done.  I’ve already started saving to have this beauty framed.  She is going to cost a pretty penny.

I decided since I managed to stitch side to side, I would take a picture.  When my adult kids see this, I can already feel them shaking their heads.  haha, keeps ’em wondering if I have gone crazy.  Makes me smile just thinking of that.

I started this in August 2017.  28 count cream-colored, Jobelan fabric. There are 101 different colors of cotton thread in this piece.   I decided to add french knots as bunny tails.  

This piece has been mostly a pleasure to stitch.  I say mostly because I stitch “in hand”.  That means I do not use a hoop or frame.   It is a rather large piece of fabric and when I don’t have the sides rolled up, it is rather tricky to hold.

I’ve already stitched the date.

It is an inspiration to complete my resolution of finishing by December 31, 2018.  Gee, by already stitching the date, you KNOW I am determined to finish.    

The other Work in Progress is close, very close to completion.  It is called “Hen” by Ben Creek.  It has been a very quick stitch.

Over the weekend, I found the perfect frame to mount this piece on.  It was meant to be.  So perfect.  I can’t wait to complete.  (I did change the color of the chicken to match the colors of a couple of my barnyard beauties. )

Please share your Wednesday work in Progress.  I think we will be good for each other?  We can lift each other up, share progress and inspire one another.

Progress, not perfection!

In this together, friends.

Chat soon.

grace in progress

The very moment, the numbers on the safe dial all align and CLICK!, the vault opens.  In this case, my brain CLICKED and I finally “get it”.

Yesterday, I almost didn’t share a counted cross stitch picture with a private cross stitch group.  It was Wednesday.  They call it WIP Wednesday.  Work in Progress.  The idea is to share the piece you are working on, sharing inspiration or an idea.

When you join a group like that, you have to be willing to share & trade.  No, you may not sit on the sidelines and judge. If you do, well, you are a wall flower and NOBODY wants to go sit with the judgey wall flowers.  A huge, beautiful part of the group is to gain confidence and be brave enough to share your art.  Being a beginner or expert, it matters not.

Almost daily, I take.  I take inspiration from other members projects along with Work in Progress Wednesdays as well as Finished Fridays. I take ideas and I take the goodness they are sharing and it helps carry me through the day.  I smile thinking of some of the remarkable creations that are offered up.

The ying to that yang is, I have to share.

Like I mentioned, I almost didn’t share.  Then I thought, gee whiz, he is so cute, I want to share my happy.  As a recovering perfectionist, I am taking huge strides. 

I counted 6 mistakes in one little stitched dog.  Would anyone judge me?  Would anyone point out the mistakes?  Oh sure, maybe the folks sitting on the side lines not willing to take a chance themselves.  However, for me, leaving in a couple mistakes makes me proud.

Oh don’t get me wrong, this piece alone I have taken out several stitches and tossed around some swear words like a crusty, old sailor.

Speaking of the military, I recently learned a VALUABLE lesson from some current and retired Air Force pilots.

There is no such thing as a perfect mission.

“The goal is to have the number of take offs equal the number of landings.” 

Click, I GET IT!

Um, what is my goal?  My goal is to delight in a hobby I really enjoy.  My goal is to spend an hour or so a day creating.  My goal is to look for and find the joy in making something with my hands.  My goal is to sometimes make a gift to share.  My goal is to try new fabrics and new threads and stretch my limits.   My goal is to enjoy the process, learn along the way, go easy on myself.

In other words, sometimes it is not the perfect piece, it is the process.

Some days I feel myself buckling under immense weight of self-induced guilt.  The need for perfectionism.

I am learning to bathe myself in Grace. It is a process.

Vanessa from (in) courage said it beautifully-

“Truly giving yourself grace isn’t about giving yourself anything.  It’s about being open to His grace & fully accepting it, not just for the big hurdles , but for the tiny every day stumbles.”

onward my dog lovin’ friends, onward.

fairy dust for goodness

How much does the Tooth Fairy leave these days?

It has been several years since I knew the answer to that important question.  I sort of hope it is enough to buy a cup of frozen yogurt with blueberries on top.

In a weird twist called life, we happen to have a grand, old enough to consider such important topics.

Her birthday is coming next month.   I think she “needs” something this special.

I cross stitched the front. Today made the pillow. Using beads and ribbons and fabric that I already had in my sewing room,  all of the process makes me happy.

Oh, and I added a handful of dried lavender inside the pillow. Let’s call it Fairy Dust.  🙂

I sewed on some crystal beads using gold sparkly thread.

Many moons ago, son #2 lost a tooth while visiting relatives in Canada.  Guess what?  The Tooth Fairy found him and left Canadian money!  How about that?  He talked about that for many years to come.

For this grandgirlie’s special pillow, I made the pocket big enough for lots of loot.

One thing I did not do.  I DID NOT sew on a jingle bell.  I didn’t want to alarm the Tooth Fairy when she is on her secret mission.

Fingers crossed the Tooth Fairy will be delighted with such a fancy pillow and leave lots of goodness in exchange.

we wait

Early, early this morning, Mr. Right woke me up and asked if I wanted to take a phone call.

Son and daughter in law had checked into the hospital.

Grand number 3 will be here today!!!!!

Normally, I am pretty calm and collected and can stitch away my troubles, worries, and nerves.

I had to re-do (read that as rip out and try again) the numbers for the date…………..

I must be giddy or nervous with pure happy!

I just need the weight to finish this project.

Oh, and I NEED to hold a new grand baby in my arms.

Oh Boy!  We are such a lucky & grateful  family today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ps.  Something tells me, the new parents to be, are waaaaaaay too busy to read my blog today.  So I am guessing my secret gift will still be a surprise!

stitching my story

Yesterday while having a manicure, the lady said to me, “very short nails”.  I said, ” yes, I practice the piano and I stitch and I use my hands a lot.”  She just smiled sadly at me.  You see, in a nail salon, long, beautiful nails are the goal.  I just wanted mine to be healthy, clear and polished.

A sassy friend posted this verse yesterday.  It reminded me of what hangs in our hallway.   I got up to snap a couple of pictures.  If you look in the reflection, you can spy my white bathrobe.  haha

This counted cross stitch piece I did several years ago (wow) measures about 12 ” X 14″.  I stitched it on oatmeal colored linen. It has yellowed in just that amount of time.  I stitched over two threads as one.  This particular piece took somewhere around 90 hours to complete.

I really love the rhythm and rock of the needle with counted cross stitch.  It makes me happy.  I love to hear Jeopardy on in the background and stitch away, while Mr. Right shouts out the answers.

When our boys were younger and homework and writing was going on, I would sit and observe quietly, while they worked away.   I have stitched at playgrounds while they played and all sorts of sports venues while we waited for the game to begin.  I have stitched in airports and airplanes looooong before you were seen as evil if you dared to bring a two-inch pair of scissors with a blunt end and a needle on a plane of innocent people.

This particular sampler, I remember sitting in a chair, then a straight back chair, then a box, then the floor……..all in one day.  The packers were boxing up our household goods for a military move.  I had to be there, but could not help (insurance forbids folks from helping).  So I stitched and stitched some more.

Almost every time a new President is Inaugurated, I am in front of the television, watching the pomp and circumstance, all day long and yes, stitching.  You know I am serious, when I get up early, do my chores, put on something for supper to simmer all day and then nestle in to stitch.

Some people are lucky enough to have one piece or one sampler.   I have taught cross stitching, I have made several for gifts.  In the last 15 years or so, I have been keeping a few for myself.

I am fascinated with the sampler.  In the days gone by, no paper to be had.  So a person would stitch a sampler (practicing the alphabet and numbers), stitch their name, the date, animals, people etc… and then pass this piece around as the “pattern”.  People would copy it, insert their name and date and pass it on.

Many times, in the late 17th and early 18th century, the letter J would be left out.  The idea was that you could practice the letter I and then the loop of the J would be practiced with other letters. I have one sampler that I have done this.

Sometimes, I would finish a piece on say, March 28th.  However, I have stitched one of my kids, nieces’, God children and now Grand babes  birthday into the piece.  I just thought that someday, when everyone is dividing things up my things, they would pick the sampler with their birthday stitched into it.  🙂

I have been sad to watch all the small businesses selling counted cross stitch patterns, thread etc.. go out of business.  I now order all my patterns and fabric and threads on-line.  Good selection, just not the same.  I love to see what others have done.  I love to compare and share and learn.   There is a shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma and one in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania that are on my bucket list.  Yes, I am coming to visit one day and I am bringing a sack lunch.  I am staying all day long!

Why?  Why are all the small handicraft business closing their doors?  Why is it not a valued and honored skill and tradition?  Are we spending so much of our free time taking a chance at a Casino?  Is our free time eaten up with going to the latest and greatest restaurant or playing a computer game for two hours to “pass the time”?  Are our crafting dollars being spent on the newest gadget and the latest must haves?  

I was reading that every house hold needs a quilt or two or seven.  Every bed in the house could utilize 2 or 3 or more.  Each person we meet could wrap up in a quilt.  There is a never-ending amount of people who would love a quilt.  To quilt is a skill and it just happens to be very popular right now.

Yes, I adore quilting.  I adore hand quilting.  Going out of style very quickly.  Folks want their pieces machine quilted and fast.  I love the colors and the fabrics.  I will continue to quilt.  I do find great joy in the art of quilting.  It is a hand craft that brings me a lot of satisfaction.

I guess most of us don’t “NEED” a sampler that took 90+ hours to make.  Most of us don’t want to spend close to $100.00 to have a piece of needlework framed.  A framed piece hanging on the wall will not keep us warm at night.

I must say, I still smile every single time I walk by that piece and the others.  It warms my heart.   I still love that first stitch.  I love the wrinkled piece as I make the pattern come alive on the linen.  I love the idea of my Grands having a piece that was stitched with love and skill.

I love the process.  I really love the idea of making something of value to pass on. I am grateful for the skill I have built.

Popular or not, I will continue on.  Every single day of my life you will find some piece of needlework I am creating.

 Idle hands are the devils’ playground. 

 Sometime today, you will find me stitching.  I would love to hear what you are creating in you neck of the woods.