Redeemed!

Beginning of Quaker Diamond-Hillside samplings
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Todays blog entry is brought to you by my current project, Quaker Diamond by Hillside Samplings. I started this one using DMC 310. I did not like the color so I decided to do a dark brown instead, and since I was at the store . I splurged and bought a couple of skeins of silk that the pattern called for originally. I have never used silks...no wait, I have, yes it's coming back to me now...on a couple of christmas ornaments. Every time I work with them I expect to be impressed because of all the ravings about silk threads that you see on the internets. I mean there are whole boards and chatrooms where people spend alot of time trashing "inferior" threads and effusing about how fabulous silk is. Yes I will admit it feels nicer in hand , but I think it has the same coverage and look that cotton floss does once it is stitched, maybe I am missing something?

Now on to the real reason for this entry. Yesterday Ian and I took our daughter to the neurologist. I have mentioned to you all before that I was concerned about her lack of advancement in the gross motor skills arena, while everything else is chugging along quite nicely (object permanance right on schedule). And of course I kinda expected him to say what every one else has been saying, all together now, "Babies all develop differently, she will get there in her own time". Which I might add is kinda frustrating. but he did not say that! THERE IS A REASON SHE IS NOT DEVELOPING WITH HER PEERS! Yeah, I cannot tell you how redeemed I feel. I knew something was up!

Oh you want to know what it is? ....congenital ligamentous laxity or joint hypermobility, or as it is better known, being double jointed. Her ankles, hips, and elbows are the most loose, which explains why she can still bring her foot to her mouth from any position.
Annabeth has got too much slack in her ligaments, and her muscles are not strong enough to compensate. But the reflexes are there and once her bones grow somemore and lengthen her ligaments, we should be right on track. Doctor says she may not walk till she is 18 months, but till then it is just a waiting game. ~10% of kids have this and most grow right out of most of it. The doctor said he sees babies like this about once a month.

She got this from me and my moms side....it explains so much

Story behind the runes

Rune Sampler- enchanted needle
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

So I got this chart from a friend to do as a gift for someone yet unnamed, and I decide that the floss used in the model is not my color (Needle Necessities MacAulvey Manor, it is too yellow/ too green), and I couldn't see it on the internet, since they are now out of business. But I do want something that is tricolored overdyed as ahown in the model. So I head to the local shop, spend 20 minutes mulling over the colors and finally pick out a georgous NN skein that is Mauve/Blue/and Gold. It has no name just a # 127. I head home pick out 4 DMCs that match the skein for the stripes, and start stitching. About halfway through I notice that my DMC color choices are just one or two shades off the model #'s. I go to look up the # of the MacAulvey Manor....#127!

So long story short I stitched this with the colors called for (even though I had no Idea I was at the time). on 17 count fabric.

Hmmm that story was way more interesting as it was going on.

The LIST for 2008

I mentioned before about a list of patterns for this year, I think I am ready to share them now.

I've never done this before, I mean I have had monthly goals, but a whole year shows a bigger picture. I think it is a good way for me to organize my thoughts and see goals completed. I pulled all the patterns that were calling to me, all the ones I have been really meaning to do, and a few gifts to stitch.

Here it is, if ithe project is done it is in yellow

Current Works in Progress
1. Simple Gifts, Homespun elegance
2. Mitten Games, Crossed Wings
3. Little Angel in the Clouds, Heart in Hand
4. A is for acorn and B is for Butterfly, Erica Michaels
5. Nine Patch Village, Brightneedle

For my Office

6. Four Trees, Bent Creek
7. Dragonflies, ladybugs, and bees, oh my!, M designs
8. Blackbird Sampler, Blackbird designs

For Others (with deadlines)

9. Rune Sampler, Enchanted Needle (May)
10. For the Birds, Drawn Thread (May)
11. Blessings, JBW designs (Oct)
12. Grand Old Duke, Arelate Studio

The Rest

13. Roots and Wings Birth Sampler, Pat Rogers Counted Collection
14. Miss Mary Mack, La Di Da
15. Four seasons ornament series, Prarie Schooler JCS Mags (2007)
16. Quaker Diamond, Hillside Samplings
17. Puppy Dog Row, Bent Creek
18. Pumpkin Patches, Full Circle Designs
19. Halloween House Sampler, Drawn Thread
20. Ringlet Tree, Marilynn and Jackie’s Collectibles
21. Snowman Needleroll, M Designs
22. Just a Little Snowman ornament from Twisted Threads JCS Mag
23. Angel of Joy ornament from Bent Creek JCS Mag
24. Open
25. Open

Currently I am working on the Rune sampler, which is very simple and going quickly, I have a cool story about that (well- just cool for other stitchers) I hope to post it tomorrow .

My little sister is sooooooo jealous of this right now!

Four Trees by Bent Creek
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

My sister is the self proclaimed tree-huggin-save-the-earth-hippy in the family. Don't get me wrong, we were both raised to recycle, reduce and reuse by my my just-missed-the-freelovin-60's-but-got-the-point-of-it mom but my sister is right now trying to put together a "green" wedding for her 150 closest friends/family/future inlaws. This is not as easy as you may at first think. It is way easier to trash the earth on limited funds, being carbon conscious is expensive.

So no, this is not for her wedding, this is mine for my office (I AM a biology teacher),. It is Four Trees By Bent Creek. I believe it is an older pattern that is now OOP. I used the called for threads in Anchor/DMC/and GAST on 28 ct linen. Stitched it over spring break, and framed it yesterday but I have to wait for a sunny day to take a decent picture for you. This morning's light didn't cut it.

Anna, thanks for the advice on attaching trim, I'll try that next time and let you know how it goes.

Another finish....

Little Angel in the clouds, by HIH
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Ok this one is not as impressive. If you are a long time reader of my blog, you may remember Miss Little Angel in the Clouds. long story short: She was supposed to fit in this frame, the stitch count on the pattern was wrong, I specifically bought 36ct fabric to compensate, then the wings blended with the fabric! So as typical with me, when the going gets tough, the tough sits in a box for 6 to 12 months..till I can stand to look at it again.

So I finished the wings, and decided to backstitch them. took 2 hours.

Another finish tomorrow.....staytuned

Christmas in March

Finished ornaments
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

I have not posted this past week because it was spring break and My mom came to visit from the great white north to care for A. while I did stuff to make me happy, like stitch, shop, and clean. No seriously that DOES make me happy. One of the things on my list was finishing 2 years worth of stitched christmas ornaments. I stitched all of these (except the PS on the lower right, I recieved that in a tuck pillow as a christmas gift). So I measured and sewed and twisted cord, and sewed some more, and swore at those people who make finishing look so easy and perfect. (note that I did not show a close up photo of these 8 ornaments

Question of the day from a frustrated ornament finisher: How do you attach twisted cord? If you glue it it looks like a first grader did it (unless there is some fancy glue out there I am unaware of), If you stitch it do you go over the cord or through it? I tried it both ways and it STILL looks like a first grader did it, ok ok maybe a third grader. I can't seem to do it where the attaching thread is well hidden and doesn't distort the cording.

Finished!

Mitten Games
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

I was going to post a photo of this one almost done yesterday, but I ended up finishing all of the backstitching last night. It went really fast once I got back into it (I didn't rip anything out) and the dog only took one night. The fabric is Crossed Wing collections own 28 count Snow Squall, with the called for DMC threads. I don't usually use overdyed fabric, but I thought that this went perfectly with the pattern, and so I bought both at the same time. I am in debate over what to do with this now. I think I might finish it into a folding stand up thingy.

Oh and as for A. appts. dontchallworrynone, they are 2 months from now, (specialists!) so if her eye clears up and we start catching up with our peers, maybe no doctor appt will be necessary!

9 months old

9 months old
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

As promised, a baby update post. Miss Annabeth is now 9 months old and saw the doctor for a checkup today. We are still a skinny minnie at 15 lbs 8 oz, but middle of the road in height (27 and 3/4 inches), and head circ (17 1/2 in).

We did get 2 referrals for her today, one for an optomologist, her right eye has not been draining correctly since she was born, and one for a neurologist, because she is very slow in the gross development skills area, stil showing no signs of rolling over onto her stomach or even wanting to be mobile. She just started progressing toward sitting without support over the past few weeks. She can sit now for minutes at a time with out mommy there, but there has to be a pillow behind her as she kinda FLINGS herself back without warning

She is eating everything in sight , table foods are starting to be more common, and she can even feed herself with small finger foods. our first tooth just started in a couple of weeks ago and seened to offer no pain.

I also wanted to thank everyone for their kind comments while I was down, I am doing much better now, and can see how she fits into my life much clearly now.