Monday, January 6, 2014

Almost Four Months to the Day

Hello Dear Friends:

Yep, it's been almost four months to the day since I last posted!  In September it was 90 degrees, and today - well, it's been a crazy few days with huge snowfalls and currently the temperature is 2 degrees! And with the winds whipping like they are, I don't even know what the real feel temperature is.  I don't think that I want to know.  We got at least a foot of snow yesterday and it's still coming down.  Such a difference from when I last posted.   I don't know where the time goes - but I've missed blogging, keeping up with blogs and I'm going to try to be better - promise!

Although to tell the truth, I haven't gotten much done in the past four months - sad, but true!  Not for lack of trying mind you, but for lack of time it seems!  It's been a busy past four months, but I think that things are finally calming down (knock on wood).  It doesn't help that for a month (during the Christmas season, no less)  I was almost flat on my back from the flu, but things are better now.  Seems that I caught a little bit of a bug from a wonderful young man that was sitting next to me on a flight back home from New York in late November.  Nice boy - bad cough - nasty bug. And the bug decided to come home with me!  Figures!

But my trip was great nonetheless (I visited Purl Soho and City Quilter among quite a few other places) and I came home with a some really unneeded stash from both them (although we all need stash right?), but also came home with a wonderful surprise!  My wonderful surprise was acquired at a Tag Sale on Long Island.  Now I've always heard of Tag Sales and equate them to what we call Estate Sales here, although things are taken a step further there.  Like sell the contents of the home - everything that you can remove from it - doors, windows, floors, kitchen cupboards - and then tear the house down.  Why? Because the owners are bored with the house!  Must be nice to have money, right?  And the antiques! OMG, are there a lot of them!!  I plan on going again in the summer with my van and loading up! Anyway, my Sister and her SIL's are avid Tag Sale shoppers and they dragged me out in the wee hours to stand in line at a Tag Sale (in 20 degree weather for a good hour) as my one SIL was eyeing a dresser.  Well, thank goodness she did that as we were 2, 3, and 4 in line.  And what did I find?  There were a lot of wonderful things, but one was this sampler:



She's Charlotte Kinsley, Aged 7, stitched in the year of 1800!!  I can't tell you how thrilled I was to come across her!  Poor Charlotte needs a little bit of work.  I need to take her out of the frame and unmount her (a scary proposition) and then I received the name of a person at The Henry Ford that I'm going to have look at her.  See about cleaning her up and whatever else I can find out about her.  I've been trying to track down her information, but haven't come up with anything yet.  From what I understand she's a New York Sampler in the federal/biblical genre, but need to get that confirmed.  It appears to be though by referencing Betty Ring's two volume set of books on samplers.   I'm anxious to look at the back of her to see what colors were actually used as I think that I would like to chart her sometime down the road.  From this picture it's hard to tell, but there are a lot of pinks that are faded, but I should be able to see them better when I look at the other side.

As far as getting things done in the past four months, I haven't had one finish!  Well, I had one and I'll show that in a minute.  I've had a lot of starts though.  After I finished off Mary Gail, I was kind of at a loss as to what to do.  Don't we all go through that?  Have tons of stash and then don't know what to work on?  But I decided to start on Jane Atkinson:


Jane Atkinson
The Scarlett Letter
DMC threads and mystery fabric

I worked on some quilting and managed to knock out blocks on some of the BOM's that I've had around here:


These blocks are for four different BOM's that I've been working on over time - Civil War Tribute, Women's Voices Civil War Quilt, Harvest Song and one other BOM whose name escapes me right now.  Tells me I have too many things that I need to finish if I can't remember the names of them!  LOL

And just because I love confusion and also a new project, I started on Tula Pink's Peaks & Valley's quilt:


And have a few blocks done:



I got about this far before I went to New York, and then came down with the flu two days after I got home and somehow working all that over one wording on Jane and messing around with quilt blocks just didn't appeal to me.  What did appeal to me for some reason was knitting and crocheting.  I started an afghan for my daughter:


Flowers in a Row
Free pattern on Red Heart Yarns

Then I started a Wiggle Wrap and actually finished it:

Kauni Wiggle Wrap
Done in two color ways
On Ravelry

A little closer shot:


This shawl was so much fun to work on!  And loved, loved the yarn!!  It was the perfect thing to work on when I wasn't feeling well.  Sit in a chair with a cup of tea, a blanket over you and the TV on a good movie - doesn't get much better than that!!  Although I think that I ended up falling asleep more than I knit for most of those days.  And I never sit during the day, so I almost felt like I was getting away with a crime doing that!  The shawl needs to be blocked, but I'd almost like to make another one in another color way.  Well, maybe not - this shawl has been called the Never-Ending Shawl by a lot of people, but it was so fun to watch the colors emerge and I have another project using similar yarn in the knitting queue!

From there I went to the Hitch Hiker scarf:


Hitch Hiker Scarf
Sausilito Yarn by Crystal Palace Yarns
On Ravelry

This one is so much fun also, although I still have quite a ways to go.  I'm about half way by the number of "teeth" at the side, but it increases in size as you knit it width-wise so I still have a ways to go.

Then if this wasn't enough, I decided that I needed to start something for New Year's, so instead of one project, I started two:


Mary Gibson
Haslemere Museum
done in a variety of silks - mainly AVAS

And then the Rococo Shawl:


Rococo Shawl
Merino 5 yarn by Crystal Palace
on Ravelry

So there you have it.  The last four months of my life in review.  At least with the crafty side of things. There is more, but I'll save that for another time!

Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment if you do.  I have missed blogging, not only because I feel that I've missed so much, but also that I love to use my blog as kind of a diary of the things that I do over time.  It's fun to look back over the pictures and see what you finished or didn't finish during a year (in my case, what I didn't finish!).    I hope to get a little better about posting and commenting in this new year. Sometimes it's hard though with so much going on.  I never realized that a 16 year old daughter could be so much work.  And also, on a more serious note, my FIL was diagnosed with bladder cancer a few months back so that has been a big concern.  He's gone through treatment and we're now waiting for the results. Prayers for him would be much appreciated.

Hope that you're surviving the cold where you are.  I understand that a great portion of the US is shivering in their boots right now!!  Good reason to stay inside and stitch!!  Or knit!  Or quilt!!



36 comments:

Vickie said...

Oh my goodness!Charlotte is sooooo fabulous! Wriggle Wrap is very cool.

Melissa said...

Hello, Deb, Happy New Year! It's great to see your post. I am glad you are over that nasty bug that you had!

Wow, love that sampler you bought! It's lovely. Will you chart it I wonder?

I see you've been busy creating lots of lovely things! I love the flowers in Jane - there's nothing else to compare!

Stay warm!

Linda said...

I think you got lots done...and what a find...we have estate sales here...but never anything that cool! I need to head East for those finds I guess...stay warm!!

Helen said...

Hi Deb nice to hear from you again. Happy New Year and it looks as if you have managed lots.love the wriggle wrap.

carol fun said...

Hi Deb - Happy New Year! I think you've been quite productive. I love the Wiggle Shawl and that Roccoco one you just started. Both are beautiful.. and the cross stitch and the quilting -- oh a woman after my own heart! Take care!

marly said...

Nice knits. Sounds like a fun sale and your sampler is wonderful!

samplerlover said...

Amazing collection of work Deb. Your Jane is looking lovely btw. I hope that you are able to find out what you need to know on your sampler. It's a really lovely piece.

Lanie said...

Hi Deb! What a great group of projects! And lucky, lucky you scooping up the antique sampler. Have fun finding out more about her ... let us know what you find.
Definitely will remember your FIL in my prayers. Hopefully you will have a positive report.
Stay warm and safe. Here in western PA we did not get the amount of snow that you in the Midwest did but at 7:00 this evening it was already 4 degrees below zero ... aarrrgghhh!!!

Jenny said...

Hi Deb, Happy New Year! I love all the projects you have going. They are all beautiful. Yep...16 year old daughters can keep you busy all right...mine is 18 and I still am busy...busy...busy...but I wouldn't trade a minute of it :) I love the sampler you found, that is really exciting. I hope all is okay with your FIL and the reports are good! Stay safe and warm!

Sherry :o) said...

Sorry about your FIL, Deb...my thoughts for him and your family.

Miss you at guild! I love the wavy knitting! So cool looking...and as for not getting lots done - I don't seem to ever get done what I intend...that's the way, isn't it?

Take care - stay warm!

Gillie said...

How nice to see you back! Some great projects, I've knitted the Hitchiker twice and another by the same designer . Great sampler. Stay warm!

Jackie's Stitches said...

I hope you are able to find out more about Charlotte Kinsley! Beautiful piece and well worth getting up early for!

You've certainly been busy! You may not feel it but it looks like it.

I hope your FIL responds well to treatment and is back to 100% soon!

Chris said...

Great to see an update from you Deb! The sampler find is amazing, full of wonderful motifs!
Lovely crafting too. The wiggle wrap and hitch hiker pieces are lovely.
Hope to see another update soon!

Cath said...

Gorgeous projects . The wiggle wrap is amazing .
Hope you are fully recovered from the flu , and fingers crossed for you FIL. xxx

Faye said...

Welcome back! We sure have missed you~~~. Nice projects......

Margaret said...

Love seeing all your projects! Prayers for your FIL too -- hope there is good news. I'm dancing with excitement on the wiggle wrap. You know why. lol!

Unknown said...

Love, love your tag sale find! I can't wait to hear more about the sampler. Mary Gail is my New Year's start, but Jane Atkinson may be next in line :-)

Praying for your FIL! Keep us posted on his progress!

Annie said...

That sampler was quite a find. Quite a chore to actually chart it I would think. You must have felt like a kid in a candy store at those sales.

Maybe not a lot of finishes, but a very productive period! Such a beautiful variety of projects.

Sending positive vibes for your FIL.

Evelyne said...

First a happy and creative new year for you.

Love the Hitch Hiker Scarf and the Wiggle Wrap, beautiful colours.



Sinta Renee said...

Nice to see that you are back in blogville again! I love the sampler you found! What a treasure!
All of your projects are going to be so fun to work on... and so diverse with knitting, needlework and quilting... you shouldn't get bored at all!

Penny said...

What a lovely sampler acquisition! You may not have had a finish, but you sure have been busy with some pretty projects. Love the Wiggle Wrap! So sorry to hear about your FIL. I will keep him in my prayers. Glad you are feeling better!

Brigitte said...

Happy New Year and welcome back to the blogging world. As always it's very nice to see a new post from you and as always it's full of crafty news and pictures.

What a find Charlotte's ampler is. Wouldn't it be great to find out more about the girl and her family? Where and how they lived? Whenever I see such old samplers it seems unbelievable to me that they were stitched by such young girls.

Mayr and Jane look great, Looking forward on seeing more progress on them.

Your knitted pieces are all so great but I particularly love the Wiggle Wrap, these colours are wonderful.

You were also very busy with quilting projects. Oh, so many patterns and fabrics. Just looking at the pictures makes me want to go to my sewing machine and start sewing. Unfortunately I'm in the cutting process right now and that's the least loved part for me when starting a quilt or a bag, lol.

I'll keep your FIL in my thoughts.

Katrina said...

I've heard that sentiment a lot about blogging, makes me want to get back to mine too.

The sampler is just beautiful, hope you can find some more info on it! All your other projects are just gorgeous too.

Patti-Rocky Mtn Stitcher said...

Ho woinderful. If you evr chart Charlotte Kinsley sampler LMK I wil definately love to have it. I get the knitting bug this time of year but trying my best to keep my stitching going.

Sonda said...

What a fabulous find! All your projects are lovely. I really like the colors on the hitchhiker scarf.

Cari said...

Oh my gosh…if I knit, stitched and quilted 24/7 I'd never be able to catch up with your amazing work!!!

Love each and every piece !! HUGS

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

What a find in that sampler! Couldn't have a better home :)
And all your knitting! FABULOUS! I love those shawls! Your quilting is beautiful and your Jane Atkinson...I love her!
I have your FIL in my prayer book and will remember him each day.
I'm glad your back Deb, I miss you!

Karoline said...

Glad to hear you're feeling better & I shall keep your FIL in my thoughts and prayers.

You've got some great projects on the go, they look lovely. Congratulations on finishing the wiggle wrap.

What a great find the sampler was

Susan said...

So sorry to hear of your bout with the flu. You have some great starts and I especially like the Wiggle Wrap.

Jeanne said...

Nice to see a post from you Deb. I think many of us have that same resolution to try and blog more but life is so hectic. Your projects are all lovely...I don't knit much at all and have sort of stayed away from the temptation since I live in a warm climate where I wouldn't use much of these things. Butt I sure enjoy seeing what people are up to. There seems to be a lot of bad colds and fle going around, I've been doing a lot of work travel and it's tough staying healthy. I've started taking zinc before and after any trips and I wipe down my tray table and armrests with anti-bacterial wipes. Anything that might help I'll try!

Carin said...

The Charlotte sampler is beautiful !!!

I love your scarfs, especially the wiggle one, that is so beautiful !!

Your stitching, quilting and afghan are also very pretty.

Glad you are back to blogging :-)

Marie said...

Wow, sick for a month? That's terrible! Glad that you are feeling better.
My son lives in NYC so I was able to visit Purl Soho and loved it. The colors, such wonderful colors in that shop. What an amazing find at that tag sale.
You are beyond busy with all of your crafts. I enjoy seeing your quilting as I too am a quilter (when I can put down my stitch).
Prayers for your FIL.

Loraine said...

Hi Deb! How did I miss this post from you? I've been looking at blogs so infrequently that it slipped past me.
I wanted to tell you how amazing your projects are! I love all of the knitting projects that you have going. They are so pretty. One day I will knit!
Your sampler is stunning of course. Have you had a chance to take it out of the frame yet? I am going to start an e-mail to you right after this, so hopefully you can catch me up on it.
I love your sampler start as well. So pretty! Here's to a great year in 2014. May you get a lot done, and may the flu bug stay away!
Hugs to you dear friend!

pamina....stitch said...

Very nice projects, Deb ! I'm looking forward seeing your progress along this year !

Ulla's Quilt World said...

So lovely! :)
Greetings from Finland!
Hugs, Ulla

Catherine said...

So good to catch up with you. What a fabulous find ~ that sampler is gorgeous! Wonderful projects you have going on. So sorry to read about your FIL ~ will keep you all in my prayers...