Category: Prim Stitching

Stitchy News

I have been busy stitching orders and am having a difficult time keeping up. So busy in fact that I’ve had to start saying no. It’s hard for me to say no but I realize that I just have to. It’s not fair to a customer to have to wait for weeks and weeks for something they’ve purchased and it causes way too much stress on my end. I promised Joe when I started selling my cupboard keeps that if it started to interfere with family life then I would stop. Well, it had gotton to that point where I felt I should be stitching all the time to get orders done. That alone interferes with family time because if I have to be stitching all the time I can’t be involved in other things. It also interferes in that if I’m constantly worrying about not getting my stitching done then I’m not able to enjoy other things. So, I’ve started to say no. I still have a ways to go in doing that but I’ve gotten much better! So, I’m still stitching lots of orders, but I’ve also put a limit to how many orders I will take, and I’ve started to say no. I’m so very flattered that so many people out there want something that I have made to display in their homes. It’s an amazing feeling. I can only hope that some of my humble little stitches bring joy to others. I can’t imagine not picking up a needle and thread on an almost daily basis and to know that I’m making something that others actually want and enjoy just makes the process even sweeter!

Stitching

We’ve been so busy lately and it’s been hard to fit in some stitching but I’ve managed! I’ve been stitching orders and stitching things to sell and once in a blue moon I stumble across a pattern I just have to stitch for myself!

When we were at the quilting/needlework store in Amana we found this cute cross stitch/beadwork kit. Two of us purchased the kit and are going to make Christmas ornaments to commemorate our camping trip. I haven’t done beadwork in a long time and it’s been fun to do a little bit of it again. I’m looking forward to finishing mine and seeing how Susie finishes hers. I’m sure they will look totally different from each other and yet both will be beautiful!

You can’t really see how the beads sparkle but they do. And they’ll really sparkle on the Christmas tree! It’s fun to have someone else stitching too as I don’t have anybody local who stitches and I’ve always thought it would be fun to stitch with friends!

Winter Stitching

I’ve been doing a little stitching these past few cold winter days. Yesterday was the perfect stitching day as we had a blizzard. I was thankful I could stay home and not have to venture out as it was pretty nasty out there. I didn’t even have to chore as Joe was home and took care of them for me! I finished stitching a couple pieces and pulled the threads and started a new piece last night while we watched an old episode of Survivor. I have to have something to do with my hands while watching TV or I fall asleep! I like to stitch up a few before I sew them into pillows, dye them and stuff them. Spring themes seem to be my patterns of choice lately!

Winter Days

I’m sitting here munching on dehydrated apple chips from the apples we picked at a friend’s house this past fall. They sure taste good on this cold, foggy winter day! I’m thankful I broke down and bought a dehydrator. I got it thinking we would make beef jerky and so far, that’s the one thing we haven’t tried!

It’s been a quiet few days around here. It’s cold and there’s lots of snow on the ground. I enjoy these days and would enjoy them even more if Drew did. He needs to be able to get out and run. Being cooped up is not for him. We’re planning a trip to the library later this week. We have to make an appointment to be able to get in. Hoping to find some books for our mammal study we’re starting and hoping to find a good book for him to read. With all the books in this house that his siblings read you would think something would grab his interest but so far nothing.

I’ve been busy stitching orders and am finally caught up so last night I switched things up and stitched a chicken. No reason. Just ran across the free pattern, had some fabric begging to be used and ran with it. A little bright spot in the kitchen to cheer us up on these cold winter days!

Drew learned to run the snow blower and got to put it to use over the weekend. He thought it was fun to try and bury me in snow! We went on a road trip before the snow hit. Joe showed us where they hunted for deer and told us about the hunt! Drew and Rambler must have gotten bored, they both fell asleep! There’s been a lot of fort making going on and I’m ready to have my living room back! And then there’s Possum, just enjoying being King of the Castle!

Memories and Stitches

It’s a cold, rainy day here today, but no complaints. I love these kind of fall days. They just seem so cozy and homey to me. Although I do realize the fact I get to stay home and I don’t have to be out in it does make a difference. Although even when I was working full time, I still enjoyed these days. And I do have to go out and chore but it’s always good to get out of the house and get some fresh air and visit the chickens! Joe on the other hand is out in this weather willingly today. He took the day off to go pheasant hunting. He left the house at 5:00 this morning and we have no idea when he’ll be home. In the 30 years we’ve been married I don’t know that he’s ever gone pheasant hunting. I’m really hoping he gets at least one bird. I have never fixed pheasant but I remember Mom putting them in the crockpot and I remember I liked it. Plus, he has strict orders to bring me the tail feathers of any bird they get. I have wanted pheasant feathers for years to decorate with!

Pheasants always remind me of Thanksgivings as a child. We would always have Thanksgiving at my Uncle Jerry and Aunt Konnie’s farm. We are a small family so it was Grandma Ward, Uncle Jerry and Aunt Konnie (my dad’s twin sister), my cousins Terri Jo and Todd, Dad and Mom and me and my sister. Aunt Konnie was the best cook. Everything was homemade and just plain, simple, old fashioned cooking. Grandma always brought the homemade rolls and pickles. And the turkey was always a wild one Uncle Jerry had harvested. Then after we ate, the men would go pheasant hunting while the women would make a Christmas craft of some type. I can remember Christmas tree pins made from cinnamon sticks and fabric, or angles made from pasta. One year we made yo yo’s and turned them into Christmas trees on sweatshirts. Everything was homemade and simple. And so much fun. Then the men would come back and we would watch them dress the pheasants and we would go home with a meal for later. Such good memories of Thanksgiving as a child.

So back to today, Joe went to bed early last night and I stayed up and stitched. Then I was up early and started back up and finished this beautiful sampler. It was a fairly quick stitch and it turned out so beautiful. The designer is Falling Star Primitives. I had stitched a lot of her designs in the past and then she stopped designing for a few years. I was so excited to see she had started offering patterns again and this is the first one I stitched. I love her designs and I’m sure I’ll be stitching a lot more of her stuff. I was thinking I would dig around in my stash and see if I can find a frame and keep this one for myself but I’ve had someone ask about buying it so it will probably be shipped off to another home. And that’s fine too. I really, really don’t need to keep another stitched anything. And I can always stitch another one if I feel I just have to have it!

Football Saturday

I don’t do football but Joe does! Drew and I are home today being lazy while Joe is running the chains at the Uni Dome in Cedar Falls. Our high school football team made it to the State semi finals and are playing today. These four good looking guys run the chains for the the home football games and were asked to run the chains today at the game. They consider it an honor to be asked! My dad ran the chains for over 40 years for our high school and at some point during that time he recruited Joe to sub. When Dad finally had to give it up Joe took his place. I remember going to the Dome once when both Dad and Joe ran the chains together. These guys don’t give up their spots willingly – there’s a lot of combined years standing there. A good group of guys for sure who love supporting our boys!

While Joe is having fun, I’m at home with taco soup in the crockpot, his favorite chip dip chilling in the fridge, enjoying the afternoon warm and cozy in the house, checking in on the game as it’s being broadcast live on the Iowa High School Sports Network, and stitching up some cupboard tucks. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

Stitching Time

Sameul and Elizabeth by Lori Brechlin of Notforgotten Farm

I love how this one turned out. I thought about not posting it to sell but decided I should. I just have way too many cupboard tucks stuffed away in the nooks and crannies of this house – I sure don’t need another one. I love that Elizabeth is offering Sam a pie and look at those boobies – oh they remind me of my Great Grandma Houseal. She gave the best hugs! And isn’t Sam quite the dandy!

Hickety Pickety by Lori Brechlin of Notforgotten Farm.

I’ve been on a Notforgotten Farm kick lately when it comes to my stitching. I love love how this one is turning out. Remmeber the old nursery rhyme Hickety Pickety My Black Hen? I’m not sure but I just may have to frame this one and hang it in the kitchen along with all my other chicken stitches I have in there. We’ll see. And maybe I’ll stitch another one to sell after I finish the Notforgotton Farm pattern I started last night. Although these are such teeny tiny stitches on Lori’s 40 count linen – I’m really getting too old for such little stitches!

Stitching Time

I finally got some stitching time in for me. It took me forever to get these three done – Sheep Heap, Goat Load and Hen Pecked. I had to stitch two of the Goat Load for others before I could finish one for myself! I will admit they came out pretty darn cute when they were finished into cupboard keeps. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with these three now. I’m thinking they would look cute framed but finding the right frame could be a challenge. They may end up in my HUGE pile of to be finished projects for now. We’ll see.

Then I started this one last night. I love bringing these little characters to life with my needle and thread. I swear that sometimes they talk to me as I’m stitching! To sit and stitch in the evening – there’s no better way to relax and unwind after a busy day. I know for sure I would simply fall asleep in my chair if I didn’t have something to do with my hands. A day without stitching doesn’t happen often for me and I usually have Drew snuggled up right beside me. Although those days are starting to be fewer and fewer. I’ll miss it when he decides he’s just too old to sit with him mom anymore.

Holiday Stitching

I’m mixing up my holidays! I got these all sewed up and stained last night. Now today at some point they will get stuffed and closed up and will be ready to find new homes. The Christmas ones will hopefully find new homes. I’m thinking I will keep the two Halloween ones for myself. I just have to do that once in awhile and these two are calling out to me!