Serious Serial Starting Stitching Saturday

I'm still cleaning/moving stash and trying to organize in some fashion: therefore, I find so many things I would like to stitch. Now. Exactly at this moment. So my time in cleaning stops in 5 minute increments to run around seeking to pull threads and linen and needles to work on them. Not much overall done but, it's another serial start. Then my day  is gone from the distraction of a new start.

The weather is day 6 of rain, several days of hard rain where driving was hard to do. Today, it seems the sun is struggling through the drizzling rain to come out to show us it's still there, but then the rain continues and I wonder if I should send a bird out for an olive branch. Perhaps a Bluebird?

To lift the rainy mood, I found a Blackbird Design sampler pattern gifted to me by Jennifer Holcombe a couple of years ago. She is the sweetest. She also made a button box for me that is always nearby and reminds me there are truly some special sweet stitchers in this world.

The design is  Bluebird--Reward of Merit pincushion. I'm stitching on 30 ct R & R linen in Gardner's (something, I can't read the rest of the label)? and using the CC SILK Belle Soie floss in Blue Lagoon she also sent with it. Bluebirds are cheerful to me and for such a rainy week----need one!

So starting with the border here.

 

I love the rich, blue colorway in silk. I can't afford silk threads regularly or even at all right now, so it's so refreshing to revisit this and stitch with it.

 

 

This hoop I've had for years, came from The Scarlett Letter. I think they still have those wooden ones and  have thoroughly enjoyed the oblong one for samplers. I looked up this name of R & R linen and couldn't find it anymore, so maybe it's retired, dunno.........

Speaking of Dunn, this linen I found in my stash from Karyn Dunn, Ma TeaKettle that she kindly gifted me a couple of years ago as well. She was so generous in giving me many, many linens that are neatly tucked away for my stash eye candy and for samplers!

 

And though my whole life turned upside down 2 years ago, there are sweet memories of the stitchers that are special to me still in my heart. I will say I learned many life lessons with my stitcher friends that year, but kept moving forward with the strength that I had.

 

 

Jennifer H. even put a mother-of-pearl thread keep heart, linen included with this sampler pattern all in the mail one day.

I hope to get some progress on this one. Even finish it!!!! soon. I want to thank all of you for the past 4 years of friendships. I appreciate those who chose to stay on my journey in life even through struggles and those who didn't for whatever reason so I could learn lessons from it.

So this weekend, I will be working on this little sampler in Blue Lagoon, hoping for blue skies to appear once again.

 Rain, Rain, go away,
 come back another day.
 If not, I'll stitch a bluebird to stay

I have vivid memories of my mama holding my hand at the back double doors looking out at the rain inside and singing this song when I was only 3 or 4 years old. Even now in long days of rain, I think about it and I'm almost a half a century old!!

The other news on the stitchy side is a side knitting project, I'm calling it The Walton.
The name is because I only mindlessly stitch 16 inch squares during the Waltons show every week night. It's when Mr Darcy, Abbie and me cuddle on the sofa and never tire of a new episode.

I had this rich, Caron Simply Soft in a jewel tone of teal and it is so soft!

I'm using Addie turbo circulars 8/ 24 in. I still haven't decided if I will do each block a different basic stitch pattern to piece together for a big blanket or garter all of it? I just don't know. I'm wingin' it.

 

I may mix this with Autumn Maize in Caron Simply Soft as it's a muted light gold color. These skeins hold over 300 yards, just can't be beat and Joanne's has them on sale this week for just 2 bucks.

 

I also haven't decided if I will stitch this as a throw or a coverlet for a bed. Now that would take a long time and many episodes of The Waltons!

 

There's always something brewing here with needles.

 Methinks it's time though for baking for the Mr.

His work group loved my Peach Cobbler muffins at a meeting and I think I started sumfin'. :0

 

Don't forget to visit the Etsy shop of Feathersinthenest. This is the last day for 25% off this week. Orders for this will be good until midnight. Mailed out on Monday.

 

I hope you all had a great Independence Day celebration. Happy Birthday America!

 

Jennifer