Sunday, July 19, 2009

Lots of progress this week - even with the scorching heat!

You know it’s a good thing I have my needle and thread to take out my frustrations with. I’d like to jab a few people with my needle instead of my linen but that’s not possible I guess. It's getting harder and harder to maintain any kind of decent attitude at my job….between pay cuts, crushing workloads, and a benefit cut announcement about every 3 weeks, my mood is definitely going downhill! With all the cuts my company has made to our benefits, more and more people are taking retirement this summer leaving the rest of us to wallow in our misery. And yes, I AM grateful to still be employed….but it’s just not helping me feel much better frankly.

Thank goodness I have my hobbies and my dear husband and doggies. Isn’t it funny when your dogs know you’re upset and will come and sit with you…..they don’t know what’s wrong but they seem to know when you just need a good hug or a gentle head resting on your knee to make you feel better. This week it would have been our former dog’s 16th birthday….he’s been gone 6 years but we still miss our sweet Elvis. We got him about 18 months after we were married and he was sort of our ‘child’. We told him every night that he was the best dog in the world and he WAS. He has his own memorial brick at Chase Field here in Phoenix – that’s the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. We always stop by to ‘visit’ his brick when we go to a baseball game. I guess I’m being a bit nostalgic this week…thinking of better times and being wistful. Thank you for bearing with me……….

I have been able to make some stitching progress this week. This is a closeup of the floral section on my English Sampler and the little strawberries done in a brick stitch.


I’m happy it’s done – it’s my favorite part of the sampler. There are various stitches used – tent stitch, satin stitch mosaic stitch, etc. In case you’re wondering, those green things at the top are supposed to be sweet peas. Not that I’ve ever seen a sweet pea actually growing in the ground (okay I’m not a gardener) but I assume they sort of look like this! I’m now working on the strawberry band below it – doing some queen stitches.

I know a lot of people don’t like doing queen stitches but I really do! They take extra time but I just love how they look. Unfortunately, the queen stitch strawberries are paired with the double-running backstitch. If you’ve ever done it, you know the double-running stitch is supposed to look exactly the same on the front and the back. So you've got to very careful to follow the chart and not screw it up. Luckily the designer (Sandy Orton) did include some numbered drawings and even with having to reverse them it sure helps. Of course, it’s not like anyone is going to see the back, right? So I’m not sure why this technique was invented but being the well-behaved stitcher I am, I try to do it the correct way. :-)

I did finish up my little French pincushion stuffed with the crushed walnut shells from the pet store. The smallest bag they had was still huge and probably will stuff 50 pincushions. Guess I won't have to buy any more for a LONG time! I ended up having to tea-dye the rickrack as I couldn't find any ecru-colored at the craft store. Is anyone else having trouble sewing on rickrack? I found it hard but at least it's done. I was trying to catch the back of the rickrack and then the pincushion and make my stitches not show. Very tedious!

Now if only I was on a little boat gently gliding down a canal in France with a glass of cabernet….some fresh bread and brie cheese…..ahhhhh. That’s a trip I’ve always wanted to do. Wouldn’t it just be lovely?

Captain’s Inn is inching its way along too. It was kind of b-o-r-i-n-g stitching all that outlining of the tavern sign but now at least I can stitch the little ship on it. There are so many LHN designs I want to stitch, I could keep one going all the time and never get through them all!

22 comments:

  1. Beautiful stitching Jeanne...all those specialty stitches are stunning! Love your French pincushion, it's perfectly finished.

    Sorry about your workplace troubles...hopefully things will turn around soon. Thank goodness for needlework!!!

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  2. Beautiful stitching and finishing. I too love queen stitches

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  3. I'm another one who loves queen stitches. And I'm with you on the trip to France. My daughter got to go there on a school trip this summer and we have pictures of her in the sunflower field at Arles (the one you have on your blog). Maybe someday I'll get there, too.

    Love your Sandy Orton sampler!!

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  4. Oh, what scrumptious stitching! Sorry to hear about your job - it's the same way at the company that my DH and I work for. Hopefully things will turn the corner soon!

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  5. Beautiful WIPs and a lovely pincushion.

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  6. Jeanne, I'm stunned by that lovely band sampler. You've done some gorgeous work, can't wait to see it completed. Adore that LHN design, and don't think I have it. Want to trade it for a chart you don't have? And that pin cushion sure doesn't look like you had trouble with the rickrack!

    So sorry to hear the problems at work. Sometimes its difficult to swallow, especially when the bosses are getting bonuses and raises--and the people who do the work don't even get their full wage. Glad we have our stitching to depend on. And lovely stitching buddies to listen to our 'tales of woe'. That's where our riches are, in our stitching friends, and our stash.

    thanks for the lovely comment you left on my blog.

    hugs
    debs

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  7. I hate that your job is so stressful. Hope things get better soon.

    Love all the stitchy pics especially the Sampler, gorgeous.

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  8. Love your sampler! The strawberries are completely amazing.

    I have a similar situation at work. My firm is taking huge advantage of us, I think, so my work habits have taken a downhill slide. And when times get better (and they will), I'll be out of there. They use the "lucky you have a job" on us too.

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  9. Jeanne, sorry to hear that things are sucky at work. Grab your stitching and cuddle up with your pups and try to decompress. Your stitching is wonderful.

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  10. I'm sorry to hear that work is really getting you down! It would be hard to be up beat in an environment like that! Thank goodness for our animals, they do know when something is wrong!

    Your English Sampler is just stunning!

    Great pincushion finihs, and your WIP is looking nice.

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  11. Sorry to hear that work is very stressful {{{{hugs}}}} Your stitching is gorgeous, congratulations on finishing your pincushion

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  12. Your English Sampler is looking gorgeous and I love the BBD pincushion.

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  13. Beautiful stitching I just love the brick stitch for the strawberries they look beautiful. I am sorry to hear of the happenings at your job. Glad you have a pup a hubby and a hobby to help cheer you up some what.

    Take Care

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  14. Jeanne I can totally relate about the wage reduction, benefit package changes and so forth - I work in the car business so you can imagine the challenges our owners have just to keep the doors open. I am soooo thankful I still have a job - so many don't but like you said - with so many cuts - people are pressed into doing their jobs and 3 more people's too. Lots of people say things will never be the same as before that we have entered a new age. I probably will never live to see retirement - I've lost so much and rolled what I had left last year into my new home which probably dropped $100K in value the minute I signed the papers. However I am still thankful - I'm so much better off than some who have lost everything - some who don't even have a computer to stay in touch with friends or a home to hang their beautiful things or stash their stuff or a chair in the cool A/C to sit and stitch. We are all so blessed.

    Love your English sampler - it is a stunning piece of work. Your BBD Souvenir is so darling - I want to do one of those for a good friends daughter who just got married and honeymooned in France. Thanks for showing - I need to press on with it and get to stitching. Hang in there - keep stitching and hugging your hubby and doggies. Mel

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  15. Oh I love your English Sampler. I have done 2 of the Samplers in this series and have the other one. It is stunning.

    I love your French pincushion and your French photos. Makes me want to pack my bag and fly over there again. Ah memories.

    Sorry to hear about your work troubles. Hopefully they will get better for you soon. - Sandra.

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  16. This is all so gorgeous! And you Ida Mae is FABU !!

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  17. I love the part your finished on the English Sampler. It looks great with the pattern and colours and all. And your Eiffeltower finish is just beautiful.

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  18. I just love your stitching! Everything is colorful and beautiful!

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  19. Hi Jeanne - I made a return visit. I love your band sampler but then I just love Queen stitches and double running stitch too! I have also stitched the French pincushion but have yet to 'finish' it. I need to find somewhere in the UK where I can get crushed walnut shells although, since my recent trip to Paris, I do have another 'finish' in mind ;-)

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  20. I love love love the little strawberries. And your Eiffel Tower piece is gorgeous as well - so fun with the ricrac!

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  21. I love love love the little strawberries. And your Eiffel Tower piece is gorgeous as well - so fun with the ricrac!

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  22. Dear Jeanne, There's only one solution to horrendous working conditions! Going home and stitching with a good snack and a cold glass of tea, coke or whatever! It's the best revenge, and you seem to be getting lots of it!!! :] Just awesome stitching going on there.
    Deb :)

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