Stitching Up a Storm in Alamo City

Planet Earth Threads

Remember the Peas of Mind canvas I bought on eBay?  I thought it was the perfect piece to use basketweave AND to try out the new Planet Earth threads.   Last time I went to Austin for a class, I took the canvas with me and Kimberly identified all the right colors and ordered them for me.

 I think they're beautiful.

Here's a picture from the other angle so you can see all the colors in focus.

Here's a reminder what the canvas looks like.

 Maybe about 2012 I can start working on it.

Happy stitching.
Jane

Making Martha (sort of) proud

I've had it on my mind for a few weeks, and finally this morning I tackled the chore of straightening out a hall closet that happens to be the place where I store my needlepoint threads.  I've been using these flat boxes that have movable partitions in them for most of my threads, but they weren't labeled and were a pain because I'd end up pulling out 6 of them to find the one I wanted.

Anyway, once I found out Mark, who is very neat and tidy, had recently purchased a label maker, I was off and running this morning.

Before you become too impressed, I have to confess that the REAL closet I need to clear out is the one I keep all my WIPs in.  All those plus books, linens, family photos, all things crafty.   UGH.   It will be a long time before I take a picture of that closet for you.   I actually clear it out every now and then but  it is destroyed rather easily.  

Oh, well.   One thing at a time.

Happy stitching (and organizing).
Love, Jane

#12 002V Kreinik??? Don't even THINK about it.

I headed to Indiana on Sunday with 2 projects in tow -- the 1st day of Christmas Liz stocking and the Raymond Crawford Christmas tree. I worked on the partridge for a while on the plane and decided I need to do the bird in more light -- I'm doing my version of threadpainting on it.

So I pulled out the 002V metallic and started T stitching the background. After a while, I realized I had pulled out #12, not #8 as I intended to use. It looks ok, so I decided not to pull it out in favor of the #8. Then I used up the rest of the spool and was out of it. Oh, well, no problem, I can go to one of two shops in Indianapolis and pick up some more. (I happen to know that the Yarn Barn in SA, which has sold to someone as of last week, is out of #12 002V and they won't be reordering.)

You may have seen on the ANG board a lady asking about shops in Indy -- well that wasn't me. But I went to both of them in the last 2 days and I STILL don't have the Kreinik. Needle Fever, which is a cross stitch shop, had a very limited selection of Kreinik and no #12 at all. Today I went out to Zionsville (where I lived for 15 years) to the needlepoint shop -- Persnickety Stitchers -- and they had HL but no V!! Unbelievable. I even went to Michael's on the outside chance they might have it. No luck.

It was interesting to go back to the LNS where I shopped during those 15 years - not much has changed -- except me, I guess. The owner didn't recognize me.

They had an overdyed silk that I wasn't familiar with -- Northern Lights -- it's an 8 ply chinese silk that is quite nice -- I used it just a few minutes ago in the Raymond Crawford piece. I used Medium Carnation. Big surprise that I'm stitching with a lot of pink these days, huh?

I told my husband that I'm being the "wife" while I'm here at Manda's -- she started back to work on Monday so I'm trying to help out by easing the baby into daycare and cooking dinner every night. Last night I made a Silver Palate recipe -- Italian Sausage and Red Pepper Pasta. Very tasty. Quite nice on a chilly Indiana night.

Tonight we're having steak and crab legs. I fixed crab legs at home a few nights ago, and they were quite good, so I ran to Costco this afternoon while Maddie was in daycare and got a few to make as an appetizer this evening. Not sure they'll be as fresh as the ones I got in Texas, but we're trying it anyway.

Also, one more thing, while I'm rambling away. Do you know who The Pioneer Woman is? I stumbled on her blog as I was going down a bunny trail on the internet recently and now both Manda and I are hopelessly addicted to her. (She's not so happy that now that she's back at work, the company blocks blogs like that -- no catching up with PW from the office.) PW has two blogs -- one about living on a ranch out in the middle of nowhere (in Oklahoma) and one about her cooking. I'm making her twice baked potatoes this evening. From the looks at the recipe, she puts Paula Deen to shame (in the butter category, anyway). Take a look -- but at your own risk. I can't be responsible for an expanded waistline, a dramatic decrease in the needlepoint you finish or the piles of laundry in your laundry room -- but it's worth a quick look. www.thepioneerwoman.com

Happy Stitching and Surfing, friends.

Originally posted March 11, 2008

Who knew there were so many shades of green?

The background of the Italian Santa is supposed to be green. I'm playing with shades of Splendor -- trying not to just pick 2 from a "family" of colors. Sometimes that's a bit boring (in my mind anyway). Here are a few options I picked up -- actually on 3 different trips to the shop. It's likely I'll mix and match a bit and then go with whatever moves me at the moment!!

These colors aren't represented in this scan exactly as they are -- the bottom 2 look way, way off. Anyway, as I said, I'll mix and match and see what happens.

Originally posted August 14, 2007