"Buttons and patches and the cold wind blowing,
The days pass quickly when I am sewing"
~Author Unknown

Friday, January 15, 2010

It has happened again!

Last year, I caught a bad case of startitis but this year it has really taken hold. I should be busy working away on my hand quilting of Noah's Ark. And I am as you can see...


I am also going along well with my Mary Poppins so much so that my head is spinning with my finishing idea. I am excited and hoping it will all come together as I have planned.

But I also have had 5 charts from Blue Ribbon Designs sitting in my stash waiting for me for ages. I even purchased the 5 frames I want to use for these. The frames are plain oak so I wanted to play around with aging some linen. I never see anyone is blogland working on these sayings, yet I just adore them. Such great reminders in life to live now and be cheerful. But startitis has taken hold as I said so I dug them out along with my frames. I had to figure out which count of fabric would produce a result that they would all 5 fit. I will have to play a little with one of the designs but I ended up with 34 count and am stitching them 1/1. I also pulled out my overdyed thread that Clare had sent me one year for my birthday. It is from Needle Necessities and the first time I have used this thread. I really like it and the colors are so perfectly autumnal. Just what I love!

So off I went with my needle, last night, to just get a little start made as medicine for my startitis. I am loving the look of these letters!

Of course, that was only after I had literally let my fabrics cool down yesterday.*grins* I am not kidding. I started off with scrunching the fabric up and placing it in a tea bath. Then I baked it but did not like the evenness of the dye. I sponged on more tea and then scorched it on our woodstove. The first one frightened me and I pulled it off too soon. I let the others steam more and they came up beautifully aged. Just hope I can get the tea marks off the top of the woodstove when it is cool. *wink*

The woodstove is working overtime here as it is a delightful REAL winter this year. I am loving it and all the cozy stitching time it allows. I had to laugh at how Holland comes to a stand still on some days with a small amount of snow but I am so thankful we have it. I do have to admit that I don't like all the ice on the roads as our city does next to nothing about salting them. Yesteday, it did start to melt away but I have my fingers crossed there will be more to come in February, if not sooner. Yes, perhaps I am a glutton for punishment.

While surfing, I found the cutest new words set to the old familiar song Let It Snow. I think Katrina Werpetinski who wrote this new version is a genius who knows just what we stitchers are like at heart...

One More Row
[to Let it Snow]

"Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But this needlework's delightful,
Since we've no place to go,
One more row, one more row, one more row.

Shows no signs of quitting,
From the comfy place I'm sitting,
I'll just sit here and sew,
One more row, one more row, one more row.

When we finally kiss goodnight,
How I'll hate putting down all my floss,
But if you really hold me tight,
I'll forget stitchin' time lost.

My energy is dying,
But French knots I'm still a-tying,
And as long as there's one to go,
One more row, one more row, one more row."



Thank you all for your kind comments about Mary Poppins and my Noah's Ark stitchery quilt! It means so much to me. Many people commented about the mugs and wondered where I got them. You can find them here. I ordered them years ago and Lonneke designed them herself. She will be getting more in again although I am not sure if she still has the blue ones in production. Just drop her an email to ask.

17 comments:

lynda said...

I just purchased a couple of those Blue Ribbon designs in the after Christmas sales. I had never seen them before but I really like them alot. Not sure when I'll get around to stitching them though!

Nancy said...

Well, number one, Noah is coming out beautifully, I love Mary, as you know. The new items are going to be great. I was talking to you on Skype when you scared yourself with the fabric. LOL. I know you will do it, but that count would not work for me. Ahhhhhhh.
The poem is really cute and so true.
Have a good evening.
Love you, Mom
PS: Hi Jos and Dagi

angelasweby said...

Heidi,
I've looked at those designs many times and loved them but, never got round to buying them. I can't wait to see how you use yours. That NN colour is beautiful. Looking forward to Mary Poppins too, your excitement is infectious.
It sounds very cosy sitting stitching by the wood stove and singing thenewstitcher's theme song
Angela xx

Elizabethd said...

I can just imagine you, cosily sewing, with a log fire and your beautiful Noah's Ark!

Carolien said...

Hi Heidi,

I look forward to Thursday too :) Keep it simple for lunch, o.k.?

I love your new startitis outcome, those words are so nice ... And the poem is great, a nice variation!

Have a great weekend & hugs, Carolien

Anonymous said...

Dag Heidi
Mooie spreuken ga je borduren en je Noah's ark is prachtig. Gelukkig dat je grote steken kunt quilten dat schiet ook lekker op. Krijg je niet de kriebels van alle ufo's en nieuwe dingen die je start? Wat is het toch heerlijk he dat handwerken. Veel plezier ermee dit weekend. Groetjes, Elly

Maggie said...

Heidi i really like those Blue Ribbon Designs and now i want to stitch them!!, they would be great to hang in the girls rooms, i cannot find them on any UK sites at the moment though, i'll keep looking.
Sad to say that our snow as all but melted away, i got up to rain this morning:-( They think i'm mad a work because i said i prefered the snow back to the rain!

Hope you have a great weekend x

Linda said...

Heidi,

I bake my cloth in the oven after coffee or tea dying it. You have to keep a close watch. I turn the oven up higher than they say to do and I bake the linen longer, but it comes out looking so aged and neat looking!

Linda in VA

Karen said...

Love your fabric...nice job "aging" it. Love the quilt too..so cute.

I hadn't seen the BRD designs...will have to check them out.

Teri said...

The Blue Ribbon designs are all such "true" sentiments. They'll look fabulous when stitched and in matching frames! As for stitching entire designs over one, I'm still trying to figure out how you all do it! Love the poem/song!

Brigitte said...

It's a wonderful colour you chose for your Blue Ribbon Designs. Have fun stitching them on this beautifully aged fabric. I have never tried dying and baking fabric but after seeing all the great results on different blogs I should make a try.

Siobhán said...

Heidi, wow--that first picture--love it! Very drool-worthy. ;) I've seen a few people stitch up those BR designs. They're lovely, and as you said, nice affirmations for life.

Enjoy your woodstove--it does make it nice to sit and stitch and quilt, doesn't it? :)

onlymehere said...

You do such beautiful work and I learned so much about tea staining from you today! Maybe when I get my new glasses I can get back to stitching more. Oh to have more time and better eyes and hands, lol!

Christine said...

I love the way you've tea dyed your fabrics, very effective.
I wish they would develop a cure for that Startitis, I suffer from it too...

DonnaTN said...

One More Row made me smile! I like those BRD sayings and I have a different one, I think, in my stash! Stay warm and cozy this weekend!

Sonja said...

Yesterday I saw your Noah for real and I looooove it! And you looked like Mary, oh dear.
Your list of things to do, makes me humble and it would scare me if had to do so much...I just don't try to make such a list.

mainely stitching said...

Oh, I love your new quilt! And the improved lyrics to Let It Snow!! :D

Using Niek's pc today to try to get in touch with a few special friends - and that means you!! How are you?? Missing you, but also loving being home. LOTS of snow here! LOL!!

BIG hugs!