New Sister Blog! Knitting in My Nest

As time rolls on, things change in my life, as well as others and I have decided for organizing and for your benefit to create a separate blog for knitting stuff. Feathers in the Nest is mostly for cross stitching of which I dearly love, our life in the mountains and how we keep up the homestead.

My interest in learning to knit came about 18 months ago. I had always wanted to knit but was a little intimidated with it. I got a certificate as a gift several years back from a local store and took the 2 hour class, came home and was lost when I made my first mistake. I couldn't figure out how to fix it.

So, many months later in December 2012, I took a course called Knit Lab on Craftsy.com. If you don't know about this site, it's a GREAT site for any creative arts, not just knitting. Some classes are discounted deeply around certain times of the year and because of December and Christmas, the class was half off. This was the best decision I made because the class was taught by an excellent instructor, Stephanie Japel, and for 12.50 I got 8 hours of instruction and also 3 patterns that were not on Ravelry.com. She had lessons you can play and repeat over and over so it was almost like sitting right next to a teacher.

I also used You Tube to help with some instructions on certain new stitches and patterns that were basically free. The class I took from Craftsy.com incorporated one main pattern that included teaching increasing, decreasing, knit, purl stitches to make garter and then sections of basic lace.
As you know, if you have followed me for a while, I began to knit a lot. Mostly I gave away as gifts

Because I have a deep love for both antique samplers, designing AND knitting, I decided to split up to put any knitting progress, patterns, news etc. on Knitting in My Nest. This way if you are only wanting updates on cross stitching, Feathers in the Nest will not be a waste of time if you are not a knitter and vice versa.

I hope these changes are for the betterment for everyone. Sometimes, very frequently I have both a sampler project and/or homestead news updates as well as a knitting project or two going at the same time. This way if you are interested you can be selective in your interests.

For the click to the Google Blogger BlogSpot for Knitting in My Nest, look at the top of the right side bar and click directly on it.  You can follow it by favorites bookmarking, or even better following the site. The link will always be on Feathers in the Nest side bar also for your convenience.

I also have a selling blog for items that I clean out of my stash or items that may help you with finishes for sampler making. I haven't added anything to it in a long while but while it is still there, in the near future I will have new items posted. Once I stitch a sampler, I usually sell it because I have never really stitched samplers of the same twice. For example, the Scarlett Letter one that I just finished will be added for sale at a reduced price fairly soon. So stay tuned for this if you are looking for accessories or patterns. I simply use Paypal for this and it works well.

I appreciate all your feedback you have given me, and I do take it and try to make better use of new ideas to help you.

Again, thank you to all readers and followers that have been hanging out with me through changes!
My yearly mission of simplifying includes making some of these changes.

 

Hope you have a great Tuesday!

Jennifer

The Scarlett Letter Sampler Finished and Framed

This week I finished up the Antique Alphabet Sampler by The Scarlett Letter. I enjoyed the color and variety of the silks that were in the package.

 So one more WIP completed from my stash!

 

 

The measurements the sampler called for did not turn out to be the ones on linen but it's all good!

 

 

 

 

The Antique Alphabet Sampler

designer, The Scarlett Letter

 

25 count unbleached linen

silk thread supplied in kit

stitched 1 over 1 as directions in kit

 

I framed this myself with hubbie's help as well. This frame I had in my stash, found once in a junkin' store and contained a very old black and white photo of a young man dressed in late 18th century clothing. He was quite dapper! It was not until I peeled the paper off and removed the old wire they had for hanging that I saw a name and date.

 

There are slightly rusty nails that held the picture in. I actually used them again to hold in the sampler on a board piece.

 

The frame has one ding in it and also 2 of the joints are not tightly flush but this is what you get with vintage frames and to me it adds character.

I often wonder when I find such items, who the person was, was he a local or did the framed picture migrate from estate auctions to the junkin' store from states away?

I had the picture but misplaced it and I'm sure it's somewhere in my stitching space.

 

 

The rest of the frame has been well preserved. If this young man, who appeared to be no older than 25 years old, was truly born and died in the years written, the frame would date to be mid 18th century.

 I paid 2.00 for the frame. I'm glad I can repurpose this with a small sampler.

 

Something right off that also told me later this frame was old was the odd dimensions. It is not a true to size 5 x 7 but more like 4 3/4 x 6 3/8.

I know that frames can be made to fit certain pieces individually but there was quite a bit of space around him in the picture.

All in all, I like the walnut wood and will treasure it on my sampler wall in the family room.

 

 

I have one from the Scarlett Letter on the far left bottom that is actually part 1 of a two part sampler. I already have the matching frame for the second sampler and had started it long ago. When I complete this one, I will need to rearrange my sampler wall in this room a bit.

 

 

This is the next WIP in my stash I picked up. The NPI silks are gorgeous for this coverlet piece. This one is designed by The Scarlett HOUSE........a different designer than above.

I miss counted 2 threads off to start the head of the bird so I am frogging out back to the neck and restarting, hoping to get the count right. Just 2 threads off would have put it off in appearance.

 

 

This one when finished will most likely be framed very similarly as above in the picture.

 

 

Abbie is finally getting some peaceful time.

 

 This week has been a real chaotic time but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thank heavens for homeowners insurance but OMG at the deductible and at such a bad time... (really when is a good time LOL)

The pipe that burst is cleaned all up. The hammers and machines that sound like jets have ceased, just for a little bit. The new flooring for the kitchen will be on order tomorrow but will take a week to come in. This project has propelled my sweet hubbie and I to be able to do some re arranging in the house for our needs and more practical.

The kitchen island although very useful 10 years ago with teenagers at the time, now is going to the utility room in the basement for storage of linens, quilts, and the big counter top for folding.

The wood table that really was an eye sore in the basement will be repurposed with a little oil based painting and cutting down the legs to a picnic area outside looking over the mountains on the property. My DH will build benches for it.

The kitchen will have a large braid rug with our table for cozy eating for 2, 4 or 8 actually.

And on and on with re-establishing our home to fit our basic needs.

 

I think all in all it will be more functional. The guest bedrooms will be also rearranged for better function. We also will have some painting to do maybe in the kitchen cupboards.

 

Feathering the nest is quite a job but as long as love is in the home, it's worth every bit and we feel so blessed to have a home.

 

Hope your weekend is a good one.

 

Jennifer