I have migrated my Sympathetic Threads blog over to WordPress, and so now have a new web address: sympatheticthreads.com. My site here on Blogger will no longer be updated.

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Opa!

A couple of weeks ago I had a wonderful ramble around the Greek Glendi held at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church. I so enjoyed the guided tour of the church with its Byzantine art that I went back for a second wander, and took loads of photographs of just about everything (with their permission, of course)!

The delicious and authentic Greek food that was served over the course of the four-day event was probably the biggest draw for the thousands of visitors who attended, but there was also plenty of dancing and live music highlighting Greek culture.

I especially enjoyed watching the kids dancing in their colorful and elaborate costumes, and all of the parents and grandparents looking on so proudly. And those Loukoumathes! Light and fluffy honey puffs served with syrup and dusted with cinnamon - just heavenly!
 

17th Annual Scottish Highland Games & Celtic Festival

This guy wanted a photo of his girlfriend
and a cow. I daren't ask why.

This past Saturday I wandered around the Scottish Highland Games & Celtic Festival being held at the Sarasota Fairgrounds. I'm not Scottish (I think I am perhaps one-fourth Irish, through a grandmother who died 40 years before I was born) and I'd never been to this particular event before, but I thought it might make a fun afternoon out. Indeed it was! I met lots of nice folks, many of whom were researching their heritage, took plenty of pictures, and heard some very lively music by Albannach, a Scottish tribal drumming band. I even bought myself a present of a little silver Kells knot design pendant and a ring. I also came home with some delicious blueberry scones which I have been having for breakfast ever since, and some Empire Biscuits, which barely lasted out the weekend! So it was a very good day out all in all.

Albannach onstage.

HERE is a link to my best pics of the day.

The first stitching I've done in almost two years

Just had to post this as proof that I've actually begun a new project. Amazing how time gets away from one! Let's hope that this very brief beginning is followed by lots and lots more stitches. :)

Endings and Beginnings

Amazingly, it's been almost two years since my last post here, so I intend to remedy that right now. :) I simply haven't been doing ANY stitching in the intervening time, which is why I've had nothing to blog about.

Frankly, after my mother's death in February of 2010 I lost the motivation to continue with any of my hobbies. You could say that I took a sort of sabbatical from crafting of any kind. I did run across my charts every once in a while, but didn't have the heart to work on any existing projects, or start any new ones. Since there was no point in pushing myself, I decided to just wait until I felt ready again.

It was just last week that I finally felt an urge to get back to my stitching. My big sister, who is also a crafter, is planning to visit at the end of the month. In preparation for her visit I started straightening the guest room, and found one of my many boxes of cloth neatly tucked away up on a shelf. This started me thinking about how I had shelved my current project basket those many months ago, and when I dragged it out I saw several envelopes full of charts that I had ordered back in 2010. Charts that I had so longed to work on once upon a time, but had abandoned. Loose charts that I had never even filed away for later. This made me sad.

So I took my big binder of charts from the shelf, dusted it off and started flipping through its pages. I suddenly realized that it needed a good deal of organization now, and that was something I felt I could probably handle. Adding the new charts to my log, slipping them into their plastic sleeves and sorting them into the book had me reminiscing a bit about all of the work I'd stitched in the past, and all of the wonderful designs I had yet to do. Something inside of me flickered a little, and right then I decided to begin something.

In my entrance hallway on one side of the large oval mirror hangs my Prairie Schooler "Welcome" blackbird. It used to reside in a glass topped tray, but didn't look quite right there to my eye, and so migrated to a frame I'd picked up on the cheap from Tuesday Morning. There exists a matching and still empty frame for its companion piece, which I'd always planned to hang on the other side of the mirror, but never quite got around to choosing or starting. Family issues and all that getting in the way. But now I've selected "Home Sweet Home" from the Prairie Schooler "Welcome Home" booklet #92 as my very next project. By stitching up this old design I can complete the hallway display that I planned so long ago, and in a way bring that chapter to a close. Perhaps then I will be ready to start something completely new. :)

But before I could begin I had to locate some matching cloth, and found to my disappointment that I had no more Fiddler's Cloth left in the correct shade. Not to worry, though, as I did have some left in a lighter ivory tone which I proceeded to tea-dye to the right color.

This experience was my first time ever tea-dying something, and I must say it was an easy exercise which took only a short time and gave me an excellent result. Now that I have my matching cloth ready, I must merely choose floss from my large supply and I can begin. :) Off to pick colors now.

It's been a few months since I last posted

Due to my mom's death in February I haven't felt much of an urge to stitch recently. However, lately I find I have been thinking about cross-stitching now and again, and I even ordered some long-desired patterns from 123stitch.com last week to try to tempt myself into picking up a needle. I don't know when I will start something, but you can be sure I'll post about it when I do.

And I have some good news to share, this month I became a great-auntie for the first time. :) Meet my nephew and niece-in-law's baby Natalie.

Dear friends

My elderly mother became ill and passed away earlier this month. I just haven't had the heart to do any stitching for ages. I hope to take it up again later, but for right now a break is probably the best thing for me. My best to you all.

The never-ending story

My progress on the Mary Wigham sampler has been very slow, I just haven't had much time to stitch, or when I did my hands would not cooperate. Ah, the joys of getting older! lol I knew that this would be a lengthy on-going project when I started it, but I had no idea that I would still be working it after all these many months. Long ago I had to abandon my original (and what I thought quite achievable) goal of stitching just one motif of the chart each weekend, and merely fit in stitching on it when I can. But I decided to no longer obsess over getting this sampler finished by any self-imposed arbitrary deadline. I am still quite appreciative that Needleprint.com offered this chart online for free, I only wish that the time I spend working it could equal their generosity.

Tiny treasures

Bought myself a teensy present at the crafts store this weekend: four gold-plated DMC embroidery needles. I've always wanted to try this kind of needle and since they were on sale for $1.99 it seemed a cheap treat. :) They are supposed to "slide easily through fabric and be more resistant to rust", so I shall see if this is, in fact, true. :)

Happy New Year!

Welcome, 2010! May this new year be the start of many lovely things for all of my friends!

Christmas thoughts

These past few weeks before the holidays I've entertained myself by perusing other folk's stitching blogs. While I was looking for ornament ideas and admiring all of the fabulous trees and decorations that people created in their own homes, I realized something very surprising – I haven't a single ornament that I stitched myself on my own tree! All of the ones I have made over the years I have gifted out to others. So I decided that next year I would choose a design and do one just for me! :)

My own Christmas tree is decorated with a variety of things that I have collected over time, and changes very little from year to year. I could never seem to stick to just one "theme" for a tree, and so have amassed inexpensive old-fashioned glass ornaments, wind-up musical boxes shaped like instruments, simple wooden toys that evoke childhood memories, a heap of santas and snowmen of every variety and manufacture, and even some tiny sparkly jeweled shoes! Not to mention all the lovely package and floral decorations that were just too pretty to throw away that now nestle happily within the branches, adding glamour and glitz to the greenery.

But I think my favorite decoration is still the "walnut". This little item, inexpertly painted red to look like a strawberry and adorned with a green felt "leaf" and a simple twine hanging loop, was made long ago in an elementary school art class by one of my sister's kids. I had always thought that my nephew made it, but during her visit last month my niece claimed all of the artistic credit. :) Regardless of its origin it has always represented family to me more than any other bauble. It is the first thing I place on my tree each year – right at the top next to where the star will go, and the last thing I take off the tree when it's time to take everything down. Once all of the other ornaments are safely wrapped in tissue and packed into their compartments I make sure to place the walnut on the very top before the decorations box is sealed. That way each year when I open the box I once more remember what Christmas is all about for me. :)

"Be Merry" Ornament

I just finished this tiny hanging ornament for my dear niece. For gift-giving I popped it into a small premade paper-covered box from the crafts store, which I enhanced with an added scrapbook sticker that says "forever joyful" – which is how I think of her. :)

Val's Stuff "Be Merry"
from Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments 2007 magazine
25-ct. Dublin Linen Light Blue, DMC floss (substituted for Weeks Dye Works)
Stitch count: 40W x 35H
Start 12/18/09 - finish 12/21/09

"Merry Kitty Klaus" completed

Finished the kitty ornament last evening as a stuffed pillow hanging, backed with a piece of dark red printed cotton and using some silky green cording for the hanging loop. And made a tiny white pom pom out of floss for the hat.

Val's Stuff "A Merry Kitty Klaus"
from Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments 2007 magazine
18-ct. Oatmeal Fiddlers Cloth, DMC floss as charted (mostly)
Stitch count: 48W x 49H
Start 12/10/09 - finish 12/19/09

Inching along

<-- I'm only a little bit farther along on the Merry Kitty Klaus ornament. Real life job has kept me busier this week, and earning dollars outweighs stitching for pleasure every time! One good thing, since this ornament is being given in person I don't have to worry about finishing and mailing it early.

The pattern calls for Wisper floss (a fuzzy blend of mohair and nylon thread) for the "fur" on the Santa hat – which is actually something I'd never heard of before this chart! – but I am skipping that bit. It is possible that I have a tiny jingle bell somewhere in my sewing basket for the tip of the hat, and, if not, I will use a homemade pom pom instead – if I have time to make one!

Found my stork scissors!

I am a happy camper once again – I found my favorite embroidery scissors hidden away in the deepest recesses of my couch yesterday! I had to turn the furniture over and rip some of the dust cover off to get at them, but it was all worthwhile. And now see how pretty they look wearing their new handmade beaded scissors fob? :) I am going to give these babies a good sharpen and then take very good care of them from now on, I promise!

Fa la la

Sympathetic Threads blog has gone all Christmasy for the holidays. :)

Merry Kitty Klaus

Last evening I started working on a new ornament for gifting. I had a little scrap of 18-count fabric that I wanted to use up, so I dug out my teensiest embroidery hoop which, as Goldilocks would say, was "just right"!

I got this "Merry Kitty Klaus" chart by Valerie Danish of Val's Stuff from the Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments 2007 magazine that big sis lent to me recently. It should be a quick and easy stitch over just a few nights.

New beaded scissors fob

Made a little present for my big sis for Christmas. While she was here I asked her to select the beads and colors she liked so I could make her an item and she suggested that I make a scissors fob once she saw the one I'd made for myself. I was happy to oblige. There will also be a little something else in her package, but I haven't finished that yet. ;) I hope to get things done and mailed in time for the holiday! At this rate it may be a race to the finish.

Still working on my Mary Wigham reproduction sampler, as my hands permit me. Even though I love working on it because of all the different motifs my progress has been very slow. Too few hours in the day for these things! I've been sticking mostly to the color palette provided, but have occasionally made changes here and there. I've also collected many of the images that other stitchers have provided to Needleprint so that I can compare their revisions and see what I should like to incorporate into my own version. For example, I have already decided to use my own family's initials on the piece, but as I intend to stitch those last it may be many months before I get to that point. :)

Side note: I STILL haven't found that favorite pair of embroidery scissors that I lost a month ago! I may yet break down and get myself a pair of 4-inch Gingher scissors if they never reappear.

Punch needle goodies

Big sis came to visit this week and brought me some needlework goodies that I can't wait to use! Not only did she hand me her spare punch needle tool, but she also gave me the cute all-in-one kit shown here containing cotton thread, printed fabric and easy beginner instructions. Now I can finally try some punch needle embroidery, which I've long wanted to learn how to do.

Sis also presented me with a mini basket full of a marvelous selection of colorful cross stitch fabrics in various counts, and shared her stack of cross stitch magazines focusing on Christmas ornaments with me. So I now have lots of inspiration for holiday needlework. :)

Lizzie Kate "Welcome Friends"

Now that my friend finally has her birthday gift I can post a full photo of it here! I am really proud of this little Lizzie Kate project because it was an experiment in my ability to recreate something from a photo instead of using a real chart. ;)

Lizzie Kate "Welcome Friends"
18-ct. Oatmeal Fiddlers Cloth, my choice of DMC floss
Stitch count: 81W x 40H
Start 10/1/09 - finish 10/14/09