I am Back

I feel like I have been away forever.  At times I felt like I was so busy I could not take a breath without having anything to show for it.  When I sat back to think about it, I realized that I had accomplished quite a bit. 

I have taken the 1912 princess line slip as far as I can for now.  It remains to be seen if I will translate it into a modern day garment for myself. 

While I was working on the slip, I picked up a little project for the local hospital.  I made a set of vinyl covered pads that are used to protect patient's arms.  I think that with the pad is wrapped around the patient's arm with the IV so the arm can be kept closer to the body during transport within the surgery suite and to the room following.  After I assembled 6 pads, my sewing machine stopped working.  We made a quick run to the shop to drop it off.  It is now in Chicago as it needs major repair work.  At this point it is in otherwise very good condition and is worth this repair.  It should be back in a couple weeks. 

The next project was a finishing job for Patricia Ann Designs.  I finished Tricia's ornaments for the Just Cross Stitch ornaments issue.  Right now, I cannot show you the fronts because the design not published.  As soon as the ornaments issue is out, I will show the fronts to you. 

Next is an exchange gift. 

I have selected the fabric and threads. 

As much as I want to be working on my Quaker Winders Keeper, my attention has been diverted.  I want to get back to the Quaker. 

Yesterday we went to an estate sale and it was positively scary.  The woman did cross stitching, needlepoint, and knitting.  The sale was essentially liquidating a literal Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy.  I cannot begin to estimate how many 1,000 dollars retail value was in the stash, knitting yarns, knitting, cross stitch & needlepoint magazines and books, cross stitch and needlepoint kits, cross stitch charts, canvas, cross stitch linen, needlepoint yarns, fibers for cross stitch.  There were extremely expensive cross stitch kits; there were charts that had been kitted with fabric and fibers.  It boggled the mind.  Unfortunately, the people conducting the sale priced everything much higher than is customary in these situations in this area.  I think it will be a zoo on Sunday when most of the prices are reduced. 

The scary part is that this could easily be my things. 

One morning last week as we were coming home from the health club, a small herd, yes, I said H-E-R-D, of male yearling deer galloped across the road in front of our car.  There were nine deer and they stayed in close formation as they quickly crossed the road.  It was quite a sight.  Yesterday four wild turkey hens ran through the park behind our home.  They were trotting along and not dawdling.  We wonder if they were looking for nesting sites.  The robins are back.  All of the birds have been singing to claim their territory.  The weather has been unseasonably warm.  We can still have snow in March and April so we are enjoying the fabulous weather but wondering if/when we will have a heavy, wet snowfall.