Another Thanksgiving in the Books...Moving on to Christmas

This year's Thanksgiving was strange this year due to COVID precautions.  Our Austin boys got tested before visiting and although it wasn't totally without risk, we felt that their visit was worth the little increased risk we took.  (They're all working from home and not going out much (wearing masks when they DO go out.)  We also did a Zoom visit with the relatives we would have seen on Thanksgiving which was strange but better than nothing.  I was so distracted setting up for the Zoom that I forgot to take pictures.  One of the boys took one of the table before I put out the food.  We even used paper plates for the first time for Thanksgiving instead of the good china, our nod to trying to make it a little safer.  I must admit that I didn't miss hand washing the china but I did miss getting to use it.  Hopefully next year!

I finished the Theresa Kogut's Give Thanks Turkey but didn't finish it in time to FFO it.  (Maybe next year!)

I blame it on COVID but I was very late choosing an ornament to stitch for the family ornaments (total of 5!).  Then I saw someone stitching A Very COVID Santa (from BeverlyStreetShop on etsy) and knew I'd found the one!  I'm not celebrating COVID by stitching it but it will indeed be something to remember in future holidays when we finally get back to normal (whatever normal will look like).  I popped the first one temporarily in an embroidery hoop to see what it will look like FFO'd that way.

I mailed off the rest of the stockings (designed by Bent Creek) I made for our daughter's family and they received them yesterday.  Our poor granddaughter (4) forgot that I'd made hers a couple of years ago and was a little sad that there wasn't one for her in the box (although I sent her some treats in the same box).  All was well when I explained that I stitched hers FIRST and wanted her brother and parents to have their stockings too.  I stitched them and they were beautifully FFO'd by my friend Vonna Pfeiffer aka The Twisted Stitcher.

The boys left us yesterday and a cold front arrived bringing rain that will probably go on all day.  I'm looking forward to putting away the Thanksgiving decorations, maybe putting out a few Christmas ones and then being a couch potato today while watching football and stitching.

Happy stitching!

 We've had a few cool days here but it's back to 80's weather for a few days.  The ragweed pollen count is lessening so at least I can go outside without sneezing and my eyes itching.

I've mostly been model stitching this week (almost done) but pulled out my own project last night....Give Thanks Turkey by Theresa Kogut.

I managed to finish stitching Miss Fortune the day before Halloween and have an idea for an FFO but haven't gotten around to it yet.  As is often the case, she was a lot cuter "in person" than the photo on the chart.

I worked a little on my Carolyn Manning piece for the sal.  It's going to be an enjoyable stitch;  with all the repetitions you can get "in a grove" with this one.  It's amazing to see just how many DMC reds there are!

 

Our Thanksgiving will be a bit smaller this year.  2 of our kids will come here (after testing for COVID).  This weekend I plan on 2 baking/freezing cookies (chocolate chip and oatmeal) to send back with them when they go back home.  I hope to make some peanut butter cookies too before I get caught up in Thanksgiving plans.

Be well and....

Happy Stitching!

Salem Remembered, Ann Pegg framed, WIPS, 2 Upcoming New Starts

 I did manage to finish stitching my Salem Remembered (Primitive Needle) piece but not sure how I'll eventually FFO it.

 

I picked up my Ann Pegg 1877 (The Scarlett House) and we finally remembered to go outside yesterday to get a beauty shot.  (I like to photograph them outside under natural light so I don't need a flash that would reflect off the glass.)  The framer told me this was the nicest needlework he's framed and further said he could hardly tell the difference between the front and the back.  It made me feel good.  I've printed off the lyrics to the hymn from which the "motto" (on the sampler came) and will put it on the back of the framed sampler along with my name, the name of the design, the designer, and the date I finished it.

I finished one of the models I've been stitching.  It has arrived "home" and the designer is happy with it.  Now I just have 7 more  models (one is small-medium sized and the others are small) to stitch.  So fun!

I've been working a bit this weekend on one of my pieces, J. M. Gardner by With Thy Needle and Thread.  It's a small sweet sampler and I'm enjoying it very much.

I'm joining a SAL starting Nov. 1 with one of my Facebook stitching groups.  We're all choosing a design by Carol Manning.  My choice is Ruby from her Shooting Star Collection.  I've gathered up my reds and will probably use a piece of fabric from my stash.

Another project I'd like to start is a turkey by Teresa Kogut that was in one of my stitching magazines.  (While looking for a picture online, I see that she's released it as a pattern since then.)  I'd gathered up the overdyed threads when it first came out but finally ordered some fabric for it today.

I feel like between all the Facebook stitching groups and watching Flosstube that I want to stitch "all the things".  I've also decided I should always have a sampler wip since there are so many I want to stitch.

Our city's water crisis is almost resolved but the county told us they found some mosquitos in their traps with West Nile virus.  Mosquito spraying has been more frequent.  There's so much ragweed pollen outside now that I can't spend much time outside anyway...although the weather has been gorgeous lately.  Oh well--more stitching time.

Stay safe and...

Happy Stitching