Joining The Sisterhood

In case you wern't aware, there is a traveling pattern that's been going around since 2007. It's called The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pattern and the premise is, each 'sister' receives the pattern, stitches it and offers the pattern up on her blog to travel to the next 'sister'. I don't remember how long I've been trying for her, but it's been a while; I've been following her around and put my name in every time she comes up. Carolyn had her last and when she was finished and offered to pass her on...my name was drawn! WooHoo! Ms. Sisterhood arrived safely yesterday and I hope to be able to start stitching her very soon.

I thought it would be fun for you to see where all this started so I looked it up. If you go to the 2007 posts of Harmien's blog and scroll down, nearly all the way to the bottom, you can see where The Sisterhood first appeared.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Crabby Rabbits

It's been a while since you've gotten a glimpse of Crabby, hasn't it? May's stitching went pretty fast, especially considering I didn't get started on it until the 16th. This was a very quick and easy block and really fun to stitch. Hum, I'm not exactly pleased with the three-strand Lazy Daisies and I might pull them out and try two threads. What do you think?

Here is Crabby All Year to date. Cute! I wish I could put the buttons on already. I might have to get them out and see what they will look like...if I do I'll get a photo for you.

Now, this is supposed to be a stitch-a-long project but I'm not sure who's still with me. Updates please, girls!

It took me an hour to get a photo of mom & dad House finch, who have five eggs now. I sat in the chair on the patio waiting for them to come to the feeder. Although I could hear them on the roof above me chattering (perhaps discussing whether or not I was safe to eat in front of) they wouldn't land in front of the camera. I finally got tired of sitting there and went to look at my gardens. When I turned around I was able to snap this picture of the pair on the phone lines. That is dad on the right. Best I could do...sorry, Jo. Am I still forgiven?

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Eggscellent!

Every Spring I buy a Boston Fern to hang on the front porch. Every year, without fail I have a pair of House Finches build a sweet little nest inside. It makes for scary watering of the fern but I love my birdies!

But, I have a confession to make.

I am a murderer.

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Yes. You heard that right. Yesterday, when I checked the nest there were four eggs. I went into the house and got a teaspoon and carefully dipped out the largest egg. Then, with little remorse I threw the egg away. I deliberately murdered a baby bird before it had even hatched!

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It was a Cowbird egg!

Cowbirds lay their eggs in other birds nests. The Cowbird chicks are precocious and hatch well before the host bird's eggs. The host bird's babies die because the parasite chick gets all the food. I couldn't let that happen to my sweet House Finches!

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I checked the nest again this morning and again there were four eggs. All the right flavor this time!

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When I told Jessie what I had done, she quoted the ever-logical Mr. Spock, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." She's a pretty quick kid. Maybe I don't feel so bad, now.

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Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Fabric Dyeing Sunday

Sundays seem to be my dyeing days, don't they? I decided to show you how it's done after all the amazed comments received the last time I dyed. This is sooo easy, anyone can do it!

First up, gather your supplies. You will need:

*Boiling water

*Rubber gloves

*Spoon

*Dye packets

*Fabric-duh!

*Laundry powder

*Salt~Any salt will do...I used Margarita salt only because I didn't like this salt on my beer glass. Rather than waste it I'm using it for something I'm not going to taste.

*Not shown here, you will also need towels (ones you don't mind accidentally turning a different color) and an iron to dry the fabric.

Dump some dye powder, salt and laundry soap into the sink. Use a plastic tub if you think the dye might stain your sink! My sink is stainless steel so a little scrub takes the dye out. Note how carefully I measure the ingredients out...not!

Add boiling water and stir with your spoon. No splashing or stuff gets stained!

After you are sure the dye has completely dissolved, you can add your fabric. If you want the fabric mottled and streaked wad it up and soak. If you want even color lay it flat and move it around. Gloves, please, or you'll have Easter Egg Fingers On Steroids.

I want mottled fabric so I wadded.

When you think you might have the color you want remove the fabric and rinse it well. I even wash with laundry soap. The color right now is much darker than it will be when it is dry. If the color isn't as dark as you'd like you can put it back into the dye again.

Here it is the fabric after being ironed until it is nearly dry.




And here are all the fabrics I dyed today. I used blue and purple dyes as I was planning on fabrics for Just Nan's When Barnabee Met Bella Biscornu.

Wasn't that easy? It is fun and every piece you come up with is beautiful and unique.

I'll have a stitchy update soon. My four day weekend is half over but I've gotten a nice stitchy fix. I've completed the backstitch on the Wisteria biscornu and gotten a nice start on May's Crabby block. I don't feel quite as stitch deprived today!

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Edited to add answers to some questions, Tammy wanted to know how colorfast the fabric is. I usually wash my fabric again in hot water before I stitch, to make sure. Then I wash in cold water after stitching. I haven't had any problems with bleeding but with very fabric dark colors, I'd be really careful. Jo wanted to know my favorite brand of dye. We have RIT and Dylon here, haven't tried any others. I use both, no preference, they are just the same to me.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Biscornu Update

Just a quickie update on Wisteria Biscornu by Okenka's Stitches. I've completed the cross stitch and most of the backstitch. Aren't the colors in this deliciously yummy? I cannot wait to get this side finished so I can start on the back...it has bees! Yay! Although, I'm halfway through the month of May and I haven't even started May's Crabby block. Oh dear. I better get it finished before I fall behind. There really hasn't been enough stitching going on around here to satisfy me. I've been too tired after work this week. I have a four day weekend coming up and I'm preparing to get myself a serious case of stitch-ass. Doesn't that sound like a great mini-holiday???

Thank you all for the offers of the Lilies for my garden. There should be some on the way to me soon. I'm terribly excited! Maybe you'd enjoy pictures after I plant?

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Gardener's Plea

One of my favorite flowers is Lily of the Valley. My grandmother had this growing around her front porch. I loved to visit in the Spring and pick the lovely bell-shaped flowers that smelled so heavenly. When I married, I had Lily of the Valley flowers on my hat (silk, of course.) Over the years I have purchased root stock from various garden centers, planted them, waited in vain...no plants ever appeared.

Is there anyone out there with Lily of the Valley growing abundantly enough to send me a few? I'd be willing to send you a stitchy gift in return...

My email is in my profile and in my sidebar.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

I'm abandoning my stitching...

A peaceful scene?

I was minding my own business; well, actually, I was reading your blog posts, which is really minding your business. But I digress...I was reading blogs when I saw something moving overhead. Glancing up, I saw a small spider charging across the top frame of the chalkboard hanging over my stitching desk. And I mean charging; this little guy was moving fast! He reaches the edge of the frame and goes scurrying around on the Hello Kitty purse hanging there. I'm sure I was sitting with my jaw dropped, watching, as he reaches and reaches trying to grab another foothold somewhere. He falls onto the button box, right under the "R" in the photo. Puzzled, I'm trying to think what to do. I don't want him on my desk but he is one speedy spider. I pick up the button box carefully, carefully, and I shriek as he takes a flying leap...where? You can see the clutter in that corner. The other corner is worse by far. I'm such a clutter-bug! Where did the little creep go? I grabbed the can of air-duster and tornadoed the desk. Vanished. Crap.

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Now, I have the creeps. I don't mind spiders in general but I like knowing where they are and I don't like them on me. Little tickles, imaginary spiders, keep me skittish. Where did it go???

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Here is my progress on the front side of Olenka's Stitches Wisteria Biscornu. I'm stitching this on 32 count Summer Sunshine Belfast (dyed by me.) Yes, this is what I was dyeing for last week! The colors aren't true in the photo but there are spiders creeping around this place and I'm not waiting for them to jump on me!

Be sure to visit Edgar's blog and wish him a happy blogoversary! To celebrate two years of blogging he is hosting a giveaway! Happy blogoversary, Edgar!

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Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

And The Envelope, Please...

Okay. That does it. The next time I decide to host a giveaway I am going to do it with fewer variables! Just gathering the names of who has signed up is difficult. Add in the other things like a second giveaway, figuring out who posted on their blog and who is following my blog and you give me a whopping headache! I must have been crazy! Holy smokes that was hard.

However, after much blog searching, writing, cutting paper and an eyes-closed-dip into each tub we have winners! Sorry, no photos this time. I had enough trouble as it is!

The winner of the 28 count evenweave fabric is Julie of Julie's Stitchyknitter Journal.

The winner of the 22 count aida fabric is Suzie of Cat In The Moon.

Congratulations, ladies! Please send me an email to the address in my profile and I'll get your package sent as soon as I can.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox