I have had a horrible flu, the first day of which I also had a *really* bad fibromyalgia flare.
It's been eight years since I've had the flu. I've gotten weird all-sinus things which involve the nose and throat and lots of phlegm, but not a proper, feverish, achey flu. I blame the niece and nephew.
Until they moved here I'd only gotten sick once in six years. So now I'm thinking perhaps I should reconsider my opposition to flu shots, what with all the school germs they bring around and how I wanted to die with this flu and would have gone to the emergency room if there'd been anyone on hand to take me.
Through parts of it I tried to stitch on black Aida. This was so foolish. I hate black Aida, I hate it SO much. Only I keep buying it and using it, because damn it, it looks so cool!
Anyway, just the lower border to do and then she's done. Hoping to finish it before I go to the beach on Saturday. I might start the wisteria project up again and work at that during beach week.
I started knitting this hat prior to see this adorable picture of my niece in her all-apple outfit (while eating an apple, of course). After that I just had to make it an apple hat. I think it's turned out quite cute and I hope it fits her.
If it's a bit small for her there are always other kiddos around. I think I have endless supply of baby hats in my possession, all ready for whoever I know who's having a baby.
I'm dragging my feet about starting another cross-stitch pattern for some reason. I guess I'm still a bit burnt out on that. I just need to work out the best way to paint the background on Frida and do that. Definitely not burnt out on non-counted embroidery yet!
Well, here's the piece I couldn't show you yesterday. Now I have full permission. The design comes from the Tumblr Fuck Yeah Subversive Kawaii. I totally want to stitch all of those things and hang them above my niece's bed.
You can find the pattern for frees right here, and I hope lots of other people make it!
Now I'm working on a red cotton hat for my niece's birthday (not until April). I wanted to do a pointy gnome hat for her, but with this yarn the needles would have to be too small for me to use (to achieve the right stiffness). Now I'm thinking I'll turn it into an apple hat, with a happy little face.
I'm quite lucky that she and my nephew both adore the hats I make them. Also, how cute are they?!
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My mom just bought a house, and I've been keeping her company and wearing myself out entirely too much to stitch.
I did finish one piece, but want to obtain permission from someone before I post it. So, we'll see about that.
I did some knitting however, including a pair of these non-felted knit slippers for myself, and a pair for my friend Christine (pictured).
Also made this crochet hook holder for her. I kept putting it off because my sewing machine isn't working and I had the sew the whole that. That's not a hugely onerous task, but I didn't have a good way to mark straight lines onto the fabric, and it was a horror trying to keep things straight.
Yesterday I randomly decided to stitch this color wheel. Other than there being not perfect blue or red-orange, I think it turned out quite prettily. I might outline it in white and then do a ring of each color around that (probably just ROY G BIV).
I really want to work on Frida, but I don't have a good method for coloring the background. I'm out of normal watercolor paint in the colors I need. The next thing I can think of is just grinding up the watercolor pencils I have and mixing that with water (watercolors, at least the kind in tubes, are very staining).
Plus today it was just too cold to stitch. Granted, I could have turned my heat on, but it's a point of pride that I never have in this apartment. When it's really cold I just do some baking (Earl Grey cookies and broiled polenta today) and keep the tea flowing. I'm pretty sure the apartment below mine is empty now, because last year when it was this temperature I had to keep the windows open a bit. Today I've had the windows closed, a wool hat on, and two layers of slippers, one of which were sheepkin. Keep in mind I normally run quite hot.
I started on Frida such a long time ago, in 2011, I think. I'd barely done any embroidery, especially not free embroidery. I used the figure shape in a painting and transferred the outline onto my fabric. Then I just drew in the vines freehand, though rather incomplete.
Planning has never been my strong suit. This is by way of saying, there are so many things I would change about this piece. It is so imperfect and frustrating because of that, even if there's only myself to blame.
There is a need to finish her, though, and I hope I will. The original plan had been to send her to a friend from high school, as a wedding present, though I also made a quilt block for her wedding quilt. She's an extreme Frida fan, or was. We haven't been in touch for a long time. I couldn't bear to have this on my walls. While I love the piece, the reminder of the friendship and the staring face of imperfection would bother me too much.
Maybe I'll send her off anyone. This friend, she wouldn't think it was too odd, I don't imagine, and I don't think she'd feel guilt over it, or like she owed anything. She was always easy-going and accepting where I was controlled and over analytical.
Well, after saying I would start on Frida again about every three weeks, I finally did! I have to add some more of the light green vine, and finish and outline the brown, but it went really quickly.
Given that yesterday I went through an entire box of tissues (getting 3-4 nose-blowings on each sheet) it's amazing that I accomplished that much. I also finished the book Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm which is only the best thing ever. It is certainly equal to Understood Betsy and Five Little Peppers and How They Grew.
I'm a little burnt out on counted cross-stitch, so I might work this for a while. I also have some other free embroidery plans I've had for a long time. Possibly it's also that I'm burnt out trying to keep my store regularly updated.
Today I posted the finished, but unframed, umbrella piece for sale, and I've been slowly posting a number of finished pieces. I've been sending order pleas to the gods so I can afford more postcards and stamps! Sending mail has always been my addiction, but now I have people who actually write back and of course the international stamps for Postcrossing are super expensive.
