Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Tiny Needle Tuesday

 Good Morning My Friends,

How are you?  I am terribly groggy!  Despite waking up a couple of times in the night, I slept soundly and woke up later than usual.  So far the first sips of coffee have not kicked in.  The last week was so busy-busy-busy that I doubted I would have time to do any stitching, but as I mentioned yesterday, Sunday was a very lounging day and I managed to do a little.

First up is the funny bird from Black Bird Designs (title of the pattern:  Gathering Basket).  The beginning of the green vine has been stitched and I'm loving it.


Next up is the "Praise Loudly Blame Softly" sampler from Eileen Bennett.  The large gold acorns are now fully stitched.


Well, fully stitched except that each of those acorn caps have French or Colonial Knots to be done.  I started them several times and each time ripped them out.  The old adage "Use It or Lose It" applies here.  I used to stitch French Knots ALL the time and had no issues.  but, I have not made them in quite a number of years and my lack of practice was showing.  I'll get a scrap piece of linen and practice a bit before trying to apply them here again.

Last up is Ellen Harrison by Needle Work Press.  Being a little weary of letters, I decided to start the dividing band beneath her name.  When I did that, I realized the big red E of her name was off by one single linen thread.  Yup - it was quite noticeable and had to be fixed.  So the bottom half of that red E was frogged and replaced properly.  Then, apparently I can't count, and my white dividing band was off by a thread not once, but twice.  Ouch!  More unpicking.  I think I'm back on track now.


Click to enlarge as the white thread is so hard to see.  Or, see the close up below.


 I can tell this particular piece is going to take me some time (and it is so large!!).  The entire sampler looks like this:


Well - should keep me busy all winter!  LOL

Meanwhile, yesterday was a bit of a reprieve at work.  I did have a conference call at 2 p.m. - regarding a new database we are getting for our legal documents (contracts and the like).  True confession:  I actually dozed during the call!  Yup.  Thank goodness I don't ever have my camera on for work conference calls.

But this morning found an email waiting for me that will mean another hectic/busy week.  Bonus calculations are finished (total number I worked on:  roughly 1,700 plus over 200 exceptions).  Those payouts have now been approved and they all need to go on a separate spreadsheet for our parent company's payroll department.  It's a lot!  And, unfortunately, it is not something where I can just copy and paste.

First though, more coffee is required!  Hope your week is going well!

12 comments:

  1. You did get a lot of stitching done on Sunday didn't you? The unpicking part not so fun though. Your funny bird always makes me smile when I see it. He/She always looks so happy to me. I'm sorry you're going to have such a busy time at work.
    Dennis has been working hard on the house, getting the final things out while I put them away here at the apartment. We're mostly down to Christmas decorations, cleaning supplies and the garage. Moving is so much fun. Not!
    Today though, I'm going to lunch and a Downton Abbey cothing exhibit at a museum with four long time friends. I had committed to it weeks ago, before we knew we were moving and Dennis wouldn't let me back out to help with the house. I hope my back cooperates. Yesterday was spent in my chair recuperating from the weekend of big furniture moving.
    Have a great Tuesday Vera.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  2. I love the large bird, the small birds, and the acorns! Your stitching looks pretty good to me despite being incredibly busy, especially now that you've got Ellen lined up. You deserve all the coffee (and a large bonus for yourself) as you work on that spreadsheet!

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  3. That house and that big deer (?) are going to take some time. Everything is looking great.

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  4. Ellen's sampler certainly looks like a lot of work, but I think it will be worth it. And it seems to me that, whether you do it or no, you always seem to choose projects with birds in them -- and they're usually so fun!

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  5. Oh, WOW! You've got some great projects in the works. I LOVE that long legged bird. I can't do french knots anymore to save my life. My raccoon is supposed to have them in the center of his eyes but mine made him looked cross eyed and silly. I ripped them out and I think he looks fine without them.

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  6. I'm interested in how you know you dozed. Did you do one of those blinky wake ups?

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  7. I really love your stitching projects, Vera. You do such neat, precise work -- and it always looks great! Good luck with that spreadsheet. I'm sending all the spreadsheet juju your way . . . so you can get back to stitching! XO

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  8. I'm chuckling over the mini nap you had during a conference call, lol. Lovely bird and I like his long legs.

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  9. The stitching looks great--the long legs of the bird just make it so whimsical! Hope your day goes well!

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  10. What pretty samplers. I love the details of the last one photographed. Like you, I'd have picked out stitches that show mistakes. I pulled out some hand quilting Sunday. Good luck with all the details and spread sheet at work. All of the calculations sort of make my head spin.

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  11. Ellen is gorgeous! I could have a record number of errors in that one. As for the BBD bird, wasn't a record number, but quite a few!

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