Ohio Road Trip

Hey Blog Buddies,

How has August been treating you?  It's winding down!

This week we went on a road trip to Cleveland.

It seems strange that I've lived relatively close to Cleveland all my life but had never visited there before.  When I told people where I was going, I did get asked:  what's in Cleveland?

Well there are a lot of things,

but this was definitely my main attraction.

It's big--a music enthusiast can easily spend the entire day there.

And, once inside, there is music everywhere.

Heavenly!

 

There are larger-than-life photos of rock stars

(they were so young in this photo!)...

...lots of displays featuring genres, artists

and geographic locations...

...and tons of cool videos which are hard to photograph.

I got lucky with this one.

My two purchases at the museum store were...

...a T-shirt with this design on it.

The clerk said that a lot of young people don't know what this is.

I still have some of mine, since I kept all of my old 45's...

...and this little gem.

Rock and roll and crochet DO go together well!

DH spent some time with me in the museum,

then he went off to visit the submarine next door.

 

  

There's a radio room in the sub,

 and DH got to make some contacts

on their ham radio.

He had to climb down the hatch to access the sub,

not something I was inclined to do.

Besides, he couldn't pry me away from the music.

Cuyahoga National Park is just south of the city.

It's very pretty and has several waterfalls.

Brandywine Falls is the largest.

Beaver Marsh was my favorite spot:

This is on the way to the marsh.

This used to be a junkyard,

then they removed all the cars and the beavers just moved in

and created this lovely spot.

If you look hard enough,

you can see DH walking on the boardwalk

on the far left of this photo.

I did manage to schedule a short visit here:

They have a very lovely store in Cleveland Heights.

This is their Hallowe'en tree--so cute!

There were lots of painted canvases...

 

...threads...

 

...and stitched models.

My stash enhancement was limited to

these two items.

It's hard to tell from this photo,

but I haven't stitched the bookmark yet.

The design is painted on.

That ends our mini-tour.

Hope you enjoyed the Cleveland area!

To all my US friends,

have a safe and happy Labor Day Weekend.

Thanks for traveling along with me!

 

Another Holiday Ornie--Finished!

Here is my second Laura J. Perin ornie--finished--from Holiday Ornaments, Series 1.

I chose the traditional bright red and green colorway.

 I think this one is even cuter

than the first one I finished

(which was pretty darn cute).

The variegated yarn is

Caron Collection's Watercolours "Holiday."

There are two more ornaments in the series.

Once I finish them, I will probably pick one

to stitch again.

Then I will have five,

enough for a cube.

(The bottom will be fabric.)

But that's a project for 2012.

Hope you're having a great weekend.

Thanks for visiting!

Mail Order

Hey Blog Buddies,

Do you ever get your stitching supplies by mail order?  I use the term loosely, because sometimes the stuff comes by UPS or FedEx.  Maybe from one of the needlework stores which has a big on-line presence and a glitzy website?   I know I have, and you probably have, too.  And it's great fun surfing these sites, looking at the pretty photos of merchandise and putting an item or three into your virtual cart.  I have shopped at these sites in the past, and more than likely will continue to do so.

But let me tell you about my experience this past week--and I am going to name names.  A certain chart had caught my eye, and I also needed to price out some evenweave fabric for a class for next year.  So I called The House of Stitches.  I have gone to them before with funky requests, such as 30-count Onyx linen by WDW, and they have never not had the item in stock.  I prefer the telephone for two reasons:  I can instantly know whether or not they have the item I'm looking for and, quite frankly, their website is a wee bit clunky.  Within a minute of their answering the phone, I found out that they had:

...the chart that I was looking for...

...and they were able to kit it up for me...

...the called-for 36-count buttercream linen

and all the over-dyed floss

all wrapped up in a pretty ribbon.

They didn't have to do that.

But I was really impressed--

it's the little things...

...and I got a free chart!

I don't even get free charts when

I make a personal appearance

at my LNS...

...and the evenweave I was inquring about?

...they sent me samples

of all the different types

that they have in stock

(with pricing info) on a little card.

And yes, that's a handwritten

thank-you note next to it.

I get one of those

every time I place an order.

You don't get those

at the "big box" stores!

They usually ship the order

the same day that I call,

so I get my goodies

in 2 or 3 days, tops.

I have only one complaint

about the House of Stitches.

It's a 120-mile round-trip drive

from my house.

I'd love to go there

on a weekly basis

and be able to

fondle all their merchandise!

But this is the next best thing.

And they only add

the cost of the postage--

no "handling" charges.

And, no, I'm not related to the owner

or anyone who works there.

Now for a quick update on the

Laura J. Perin needlepoint ornament

that I started this week.

It's a quick and fun stitch.

Well, the metallic ribbon

does slow me down,

but it contributes a lot to the look.

If I were making an ornament

to hang on a tree, this would be a 

good stopping point because

it's a good size (about 3" x 3").

But I have other plans for it,

so I'll continue on and stitch the entire

4.5" x 4.5" ornament.

Hope you were able to stitch this weekend.

Thanks for visiting!

Odds and Ends

Hey Blog Buddies,

It's been awhile since we last spoke.  I've been working on a piece for a class I'm going to teach next year.  Unfortunately, I can't show it yet, but the good news is it's now finished and I'm itching to go on to other things.

What I can show you is this darling little ornament that I purchased at the Quilters Plus boutique earlier this month.

Isn't it just the cutest thing?

All those tiny prairie points--

I would never attempt anything like this.

But I don't have to because

this ornie is now mine!

I also had another little Hallowe'en finish,

unfortunately not in time for the day itself...

This is a little Mill Hill kit

that I picked up at a white elephant sale.

The photo is much larger than life.

I just need to trim the perforated paper

and put a hanger on it,

and it will be ready for next year...

...as soon as I find my "paper" scissors!

I got a call from my LQS earlier this week

letting me know that

 my Christmas wall hanging

is all quilted and ready to be picked up.

Woo hoo!  That was fast!

I really should pick the piece up

even though I don't have my binding ready.

It should inspire me to get

my binding ready.

Last but not least

I started a new piece yesterday

at my Wednesday needlepoint group.

This is the second of four in

Laura J. Perin's Holiday Ornaments,

American Quilt Collection.

I love them all!

That about wraps it up.

If it's cold where you are

(like here in the Midwest),

stay warm!

Thanks for stopping by.

The Best Laid Plans...

Hi Everybody,

First off, thanks so much for all of the kinds comments on my little giveaway.  They warm the cockles of my heart.

Today I had an idyllic morning planned.  DH was going to be out until early afternoon, so I had several hours of stitching planned--and I'm now back working on The Uptown Stitcher, my little lady.  But at 8:00 am, I got a call from the Site Manager of our local Meals on Wheels program.  She was in a bind because one of her Tuesday drivers couldn't make it, and she needed a sub.  (DH and I deliver meals to elderly shut-ins every Thursday.)  So, of course I said yes, because she is a very persuasive lady, and I didn't have anything that important planned.

I took photos some time ago along our Thursday route.

The name of this place is "Hope Center."

I have never seen it open in four years.

No, this is not a place we deliver meals to.  Just indicative of what the neighborhood is like.

Many, many boarded-up houses in this suburban neighborhood.

But all of our "clients" are nice people, grateful for the food delivery.

We've noticed that public improvements take quite a long time to get done in these neighborhoods.

These barricades, over a very roughly patched section of the street,

 lived near this intersection for at least a year and a half.

They were still there when we stopped our delivery to this street because our client had passed away.

I did not go into this particular neighborhood alone today. 

I was assigned to a "safer" route.

There was a new person on my route.

She's a real sweetie, and we had a nice chat.

She told me she was so happy to be getting a hot meal every day.

Before, all she was able to make for herself was sandwiches.

So, that was my morning.

We really do enjoy delivering the food.

Unless there's a blizzard.

But, back to my little lady.

There is a reason that she is taking so long to get done.  Here is a little tote bag that she is supposed to be carrying.

This is approximately 25-count, stitched over one.

The instructions were to make a bag by folding

this linen piece and sewing the sides.

Then sew a fabric lining separately, and line the little bag.

Whip stitch the lining to the linen.

That didn't work for me, so I had to frog.

So, I got my sewing machine out.

 With right sides together,

I sewed the lining to the linen on three sides.

Turned the piece inside out,

and carefully hand stitched the last side.

Here's what it look like.

I'm not super happy with the corners--they're too rounded.

But it is what it is.

Yes, Virginia, there is a fabric lining.

So I folded the "tote bag" and held it up to my little lady.

It's really too big.

More frogging, but not tonight.

Hope your stitching is going well, with no frogs.

Thanks for visiting!