Daily Stitching and a challenge

 I didn't get as as many squares done this week but I was stitching every day on my challenge stitching book. I just did some tried and true for the squares that I could do whole watching TV. The book had to be done at a table because of the bulk.

This is a double page with a woven background. I'm still not finished. I want to do something on each little square or rectangle. I added some charms and button and yo-yos. I put lace on the edges of each page, as I will do for all the pages. I often used the pattern in the fabric for stitching inspiration. Click on the picture for a bigger view.

I'm linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Daily Stitching and Chocolate

 I seemed to get stuck on one stitch again this week. It was Eskimo Laced Running Stitch (ELRS). It was a very easy stitch to do so I just kept trying different variations.

ELRS facing out.

ELRS facing in and out

ELRS facing out with hatched mark center

My favorite of the week. ELRS with Straight Stitch and Lazy Daisy

My least favorite of the week. I was aiming for an elongated ELRS, but my running stitch was not even and thus the whole thing is cockeyed.

ELRS with chain stitch and French Knots

We had a sit-down dinner party this week for 13. We had all been double vaccinated and Dr, Faici said it was OK. I also had the doors to the lanai open so there was lots of air circulation. It was so much fun and felt so good to doing an almost back to normal thing. 

One of the guests brought this box of Norman Love chocolate. I do love chocolate and this box was exceptional in its beauty and taste.

Just look at them, each one a work of art and almost too pretty to eat. But we have sampled them and they are as delicious as they are beautiful. It came with a chart, explaining each flavor. 

I am linking up with Off The Wall Friday.

Daily Stitching and More Birthdays

 Even though I had a busy week with company and such, I still managed to get a square done everyday. I am still exploring the buttonhole stitch and its variations.

Double Twisted Buttonhole. So easy to do.

What would happen if I turned it into a Triple Twisted Buttonhole? I love it!

How about a Quadruple Twisted Buttonhole? Love that, too, but don't think I am trying for five.

Triple Twisted Buttonhole again with some FrenchKnots.

Crown of Thorns Buttonhole. Not my favorite.

Some stitches are hard to do on a small circle, so I did an In and Out Buttonhole in a straight line down the middle.

Crossed Buttonhole down the middle.

Celebrating my sister Ruth's and Claire's birthdays with my niece, Lauren at DeRoma's Restaurant (outside, of course.) The food was delicious, as were the Expresso Martinis. And,no, we did not all plan on wearing blue.

I'm linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Daily Stitching and Rock art

 I was a little behind on my daily stitching because I was working on my monthly challenge, which you will see at the end of the month. I had fun with the Buttonhole Stitch and its variations and I am not finished exploring those. 

High, Low Buttonhole, in and out

Double Buttonhole

Double Buttonhole with closer spacing.

 Just Buttonhole repeated

HIgh Low Buttonhole, French Knots and plain Buttonhole.

Closed Buttonhole. I really had a hard time with the spacing on this one. It is not a difficult stitch, but very hard (for me) to get it even on a circle. I took out quite a few and finally said "it is what it is".

 I walk for at least an hour every morning and was surprised to see these cute rock sculptures scattered around the common area walkways. There were a few more, but these were my favorites.

I am linking up with Off the Wall Friday. 

Daily stitching and a challenge page

 I've been stitching a bit every day, trying not to disturb my arm, but it is still hurting when I do certain things, like reaching for the car door in the passenger seat or reaching for anything on that side. I've been putting Arnica gel on it twice a day and ice in the evening. 

I did  three more interlocking circles and the rest just what I felt like at the moment.

 My theme for February was Knots and Dots. I did a variety of French knots and also took advantage of the dots on some of the fabrics.

I liked this little garden of Pistol Stitches. I intended to put a strip of lace on each page, but I didn't want to hide this section so I cut the lace short. 

Here you can see my stitching on the dots.

My two pages side by side. I also took advantage of the fringed edges on the fabric.

I'm linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Taking a Break--Ouch!

 My right arm and shoulder have been bothering me for a couple of months. Limited range of motion and a fair amount of pain. It would bother me in bed, especially if I rolled over onto that side. My sister suggested that maybe I was doing too much hand sewing. Nah! How would that affect my shoulder?

So I went to the orthopedic guy last Thursday and he deemed it to be Rotator Cuff and gave me a cortisone shot. He said that it would probably hurt more for a couple of days before it worked. Wow!  Was he right. It really hurt, as in throbbing by evening. I tried to do a little stitching in the afternoon and my sister was right! Every twist of the wrist was like an ice pick stabbing my shoulder. 

No sewing for several days and I missed it. Nothing to do while watching the impeachment trials, so I didn't watch much. I did a little sewing  Tuesday evening and a little more last night and only completed one square. My goal now (that I keep changing) is just to sew a bit every day. not necessarily complete a square. I don't want to totally mess up that arm/shoulder, my dominant side.

I thought it would be fun to have some interlocking open circles to mix in with the the whole circles in the rest of the squares. I was not aiming for a satin stitch, but rather closely spaced stitches. I think a satin stitch would be easier. 

I'm linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Daily Stitching and Threads

 I like doing my own challenge because I can change the rules anytime I want. So, I have decided not to give myself any restrictions, but just do what  feel like that day. Having said that, I did find myself doing variations of the chain stitch for five of my squares this week.

Half Lazy Daisies 

More half Lazy Daises. I think they look like a firefly or butterfly frenzy.

Just plain old French Knots with straight stitches

Long Tailed Chain Stitch

 

Lazy Daisy with Chain Stitch

Zig-Zag Chan Stitch. I think it looks like rickrack.

What's up on the wall as of this morning, just put up randomly. I had to take them all down to photograph a quilt and I did give a little thought as to color, but this will not be the final placement. 

I decided that I really like working with size 8 Perle cotton. It is about the equivalent to 2 or 3 strands of  floss. I found it to be a pain in the neck to have to separate the floss and I would end up with a big mess of partial floss skeins. With the Perle cotton, it's just cut your length and go. 

I went on Amazon and found what I thought to be a good deal plus free shipping. I had ordered from DMC before. They do have a gazillion colors, but you do pay shipping and what I had ordered the last time took forever to come. Joanne's only has it in a very few colors, so Amazon was by best choice.

They came in sets of 12.

Neutrals

Coral Reef

Pastels

Kaleidoscope

I talked about my 80th birthday last week. It was very special because of all the cards and postcards after my  birthday project of giving $80 to 80 people and asking them to pay it forward.

But that wasn't all that made it so special. I have a group of friends who go out to dinner regularly in normal times and go out for a lunch at a fancy restaurant on big birthdays. Claire tried to convince me to have small gathering at her house wearing masks, but I declined. My walking buddy called me in the morning to see what time I wanted to walk. I told her I had an appointment at the lawyers to sign a paper at 12:45 and we could walk after that.

When I pulled into my driveway there were signs all over the lawn and snow piles saying Happy 80th Birthday in many different ways. There were wrapped gifts, balloons, and flowers on the porch. I was flabbergasted. Then the garage door opened and inside were all my friends (with masks on) holding glasses of champagne. Not everyone is in this picture, but it is the best one I have. We moved out to the driveway and had my safely distanced, mask wearing birthday party. It was fabulous! I couldn't have been more surprised. It was my Best. Birthday. Ever!

I  am linking up with Off the Wall Friday.