The LineUp

Well, all Doc's friends (except one, which will be dealt with later) are now in straight jackets! Some people call them stretcher bars, but regardless, they are confined and can't move. They really are not very happy about it because they cannot play with their birds.

Sorry folks, I had to do it. you see, they were carrying weapons...these long sticks with numbers on them. Since I couldn't take their weapons from them, I had to stitch them so that they could not be used for violence. About nine are finished.

I am traveling to San Antonio for a big First Birthday party today, and three of the "detainees" have asked for wallpaper in their cells. Can you imagine?? I guess since the gitmo detainees asked for cushions on their chairs, all our incarcerated think they need luxuries. They really wanted Schumacher, but I told them they would have to settle for the Needleworks' wallpaper.

Now, the one that has not been put in his straight jacket, what about him you ask? He's Scottish, and the Embassy stepped in. (If he were Italian, he would have no support) So, we are delaying confinement for a few days. (Actually my stretcher bars are defective and splitting when I try to assemble them)

I expect the detainees sentence to be up for parole next summer when I attend Tony's class at The Needleworks. At that point they can go to the probation officer, I hope!!

Happy stitching all,
Kathy

Nutcrackers

Hi!

I've mounted most of the nutcrackers on stretcher bars, deciding that the assembly line process will work best for me. (I think I need to purchase a couple more stretcher bars)

This is the series by The Needleworks that I received monthly through this year, and promptly shoved in the drawer while working on Tripp's stocking. My goal is to finish by May 1, 2010, taking it for finishing by Pam in Houston when I go to my medical checkups. I will receive the last one at the end of December.

(You remember the Doc, Mr. White, and all their friends with the birds from the European clinics.)

Currently, I am working on the staffs of each, and plan to do the hands next--then faces, and backgrounds. All the common areas will be done first via the "assembly line" process.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!
Kathy

well....ALMOST back to stitching

Hi!!! I have missing you ALL sooo much!!!

Our textbook grandson was christened yesterday, I have finished two sets of invitations which tapped my creativity, the painters are REPAINTING the walk-in closets in my soon to be DEN, I finished my biannual checkup at MDAnderson, and if I can get my son off to Mexico in a week with international phone service, traveler's checks, and Tamiflu---well, then I might be able to actually make some progress in my stitching!!

"Doc" went with me to Houston for my checkup. (It was appropriate to take him--he was getting restless from no human contact. I think that is called "neglect") He was a bit intimidated among the finest oncologists in the country and hid during my exam, in his plastic tote. At least, he thought he was hiding, but the world could see him--ha!!! Anyway, I stitched some of his background.

I have started putting in the back snow area on my Entourage stocking. All the metallic silvers were too shiny for a shaded area, so I am trying Accentuate #362, which gives the dulled silver that should recede. I will see how it works and post the picture if I like it. It has a bit of a metallic khaki tinge which should work well with my other fiber colors.

GRIZZLE'S INVITATION

Grizzle has extended an invitation to Mr. White to come visit him at his home in the mountains of Colorado for a week. Doc thinks the change of scenery, and interaction with nature will do wonders for Mr. White's state of mind!! Doc has arranged his busy schedule to go with Mr. White, as Mr. White is in no condition to travel alone!!!

Since Doc doesn't have access to a corporate jet like Warren Buffet, or a G7 like Nancy Pelosi, they will be traveling by car, and plan to get some therapy sessions squeezed in while on the road.

What excitement is in the air!!

MEET THE DOCTOR

May I introduce Mr. White's doctor: "Doc". We are catching him on his way to Mr. White's therapy session. (Remember, Mr. White likes the birds the best) Doc is quite rich, as most doctors are, so he is wearing brocade longjohns. Well, actually they look more like the shortalls that my grandson wears. Fibers include medici, marlitt, and Krenik #3433, size 4. The picture doesn't show it well, but the marlitt is a reddish purple, tying in with the reddish purple ribbon, while the medici is more like the bluish purple ribbon. Once again I have deviated from the stitch guide and pulled from my stash, in this case to bring in the ribbon colors. I covered the white painted buttons with a cross stitch. Eventually he will have gold buttons on his shortalls, but in the meantime....well...he will just have to "hold it".

All joking aside, this is the second nutcracker in the series from The Needleworks, Austin, TX. (click on the title of this post to go to their website)

see ya!
Kathy

a Visit to Mr. White

Mr. White, as some of you may know, has been out of the mainstream while he is dealing with his "issues". I paid him a visit today, because I wanted to see how he was faring. As you can see, his eyes are still rather droopy; perhaps due to overmedication. He is going to be under the Doctor's care for quite some time. Pets are often used for therapy, and he enjoys the birds the best. But, secretly he told me the boucle tree is the REAL attraction. He LOVES pears!

poor Mr. White- we may not see him for awhile. Recovery takes time.

I will keep you updated. -- Cards and letters, and especially FOOD, may be addressed to me and I will make sure he receives them.

Kathy

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA

He's smiling; you just can't tell. I'm glad I am not a nutcracker. Can you imagine not having lips? You see, he did get a few gold beads after all. He found them in his STASH . Amazing what all we can find in closets!)

The red dots are french knots out of floss, and the epaulets are a WIP, eventually to be tacked down, perhaps with black. Instead of a burden stitch on his hat, I am doing basketweave because he just can't take on any more burdens. He is having a hard enough time! The gold will be couched and the flourish will be the focus anyway.

life is great!
Kathy

CHIN UP!

Keep your chin up, Mr. White!
Tuna isn't all that bad! Mix it with pico and champagne lite dressing and it's delicious! So, keep your chin up through this economic crisis, even if you can't have designer duds. Oh, you don't have a chin? .....sorry, I forgot!!

I have almost finished his jacket, and have done most of his face. He may not have a chin, but he has a cute nose!

NUTCRACKER SERIES LINK:http://www.theneedleworks.com/new.html#2009

Kathy

Manual labor for Mr. White

Adjusting to rice and beans, a bit of manual labor out back is called for (the background!).

You can see how I am putting in the gold first (on the right side of the background). It gives me a "roadmap" so I know to fill every other vertical area with the perle cotton and I start each segment in the bottom right of the second gold stitch.

I DID rip out until the mistake was eliminated! I think I had two errors that were offsetting each other, so it was hard to find how to fix it. But, Mr. White insisted I keep things tidy.

NUTCRACKER SERIES LINK: http://www.theneedleworks.com/new.html#2009

All for now,

Kathy

Mr. White falls victim to Economic Crisis

Well, so much for designer clothes!! Mr.White decided he had better save his money, and thus, no beads on his fancy jacket. Well, actually if he eats tuna for 2 weeks he may be able to afford a FEW beads! But, for now, it's rice and beans. I put in a rice (!!) stitch with Kr#8 202HL and had to run it under the white , and noticed a few spots I will have to go back and fill in. It is a more yellow gold than what's in the background, but I like it. I wanted the jacket mostly white, and the beads were putting the white in shadow, so I took them out. They stood up too much, too!

NUTCRACKER SERIES LINK:
http://www.theneedleworks.com/new.html#2009

Kathy

The Needleworks' 12 Days of Christmas Nutcrackers

Hi!!

This is the first nutcracker in the series from The NeedleWorks. (That is why he has a #1 on his shield...!) All the nutcrackers in this series will have ribbons flowing from the staff. All have the same backgrounds. If you would like to see other stitched pieces, go to www.theneedleworks.com/new.html#2009

I changed the front of the suit from what the stitch guide calls for, using Sprinkles from my stash which gives the same greenish highlights that the Kreinik in the background has. The guide called for petite very velvet white over a trellis of gold. It also has a different pattern for the sleeves and bottom of the jacket than I will stitch. It's always hard to do a white nutcracker against an ecru background, but I plan to do a brick with the Sprinkles, stitching over the gray outline. The thread in the beard is just my beading thread which I "stored" while working more of the background.

I LOVE this background, but initially labored over it, counting stitches to place the diagonal cotton. The vertical base is vineyard silk, which gives a nice sheen. The Kreinik has a greenish tint. Now, I've figured out if I put the gold in first, then stitch the long diagonals skipping every other area vertically, it is MUCH faster because the gold serves as a roadmap. I am off one stitch on the right side, but cannot find the error, so I am going to try to compensate for it and leave it. hopefully, the tree will help make it not so noticeable.

The jacket will have the petite gold beads and probably red beads, or, if not, then metallic french knots. so, this guy will have a designer jacket!


I have a tendency to "skip around"...sorta the way I live my life!

NUTCRACKER SERIES LINK:
http://www.theneedleworks.com/new.html#2009

take care,
Kathy :))