Some downsides

Do you remember that in my previous post I claimed that, although I am addicted to stitching I am not addicted to the piece of stitching I showed, i.e. the Beatrix Potter sampler? Well, I was lying. Turns out I am hooked. Totally hooked. I can't wait to see what the next motif looks like all stitched up. I can't wait to see which colour I'm going to use and how that looks with the other colours, and all of a sudden, without wanting to do any more work on this sampler until March, I found myself diligently plugging away on Bea.

Apart from the fact that the picture is upside down (sorry) you will notice the appearance of some green, and I have you to thank for it. I love it. I'm also loving the linen threads I'm using. One teeeeeeny tiny downside of the linen threads is that they're completely unfroggable. Yet another reason to leave mistakes and declare them part of my own, unique way of interpreting a design.

Next update: Nobody Loves Me. Oh boy, how I love this sampler.

When I picked the colours I was a little worried about the colour combinations, but I have to say they look magnificent put together on the fabric (30 count Old Mill Java by R&R Reproductions). One teeeeeeny tiny downside of stitching this is that I need about three different sorts of needles to work on it. Now before you start wondering what on earth a person could possibly need three different sorts of needles for one project for, let me say that I am very particular about my needles. For one, I hate - let me stress that word - HATE - those bijoux, petite, teeeeeeny tiny needles that always seem to disappear into thin air (or in your mouth because they're so small you forget that that's where you parked the bugger in order to pick up another thread, or in the couch, or on the floor or, worst of all, in the tip of your stitching finger, which is not the place you want them to disappear into at all, because that tends to leave some nasty stains on your lovely fabric). So when my fabric count allows, I'll go for the big, whopper needles size 24, which have the added advantage of lending your stitches a luscious, juicy look rather than the thin, may I say emaciated look you get (or I get) when you use 28s. Now casting off* is quite difficult with a big needle, so I use a 26 for that. I've recently found a needle that made my old stitcher's heart skip a beat: it's a double-eyed needle. Two eyes at the end, ideal for blending threads and making your stitches look as if you railroaded them all the way.
So. Three needles for one project it is. But where to store them?

Right!

A needlebook.

I need a needlebook, with felt leaves marked with the size or the name of the needles they hold. If you care to take a look at the sidebar, you will see a needlebook I made for my MIL a month before I decided I no longer wanted her for a MIL. Bollocks. It was a nice looking needlebook.

As luck would have it, though, I have a needlebook. It only needs to be finished. And that's the teeeeeny tiny downside of this needlebook.

Until next time, dear friends!

*) Could someone please tell me what the English stitchy term for 'casting off' is?

Tag and duh

How come sometimes I can find nothing to write about and other times I have so much to say I just don't know where to start? I should have written another blog post last week, but hecticity in our cottage was rife. We were *this* close to ending up in the hospital for a second time, but thanks to a couple of very sweet and helpful doctors Pelle was able to recuperate at home. He is now back at school, and I'm back at the old computer. Not doing what I should be doing (i.e. working), but answering some e-mails (one at a time!), trying to wade through hundreds of missed blog posts, and trying not to give in to the incredible urge to stitch. First though, a tag. I was tagged by Melissa of delightful Words and Blooms. She wants to know five things that I'm addicted to. My first reaction was 'oh, how nice of Melissa to think of me'. My second reaction was 'DUH! Everybody who has followed my blogs knows five things I'm addicted to'. And my third reaction was: 'Only five???' I'm sorry. I can't possibly limit myself to five main addictions. I have at least 6 that I am confronted with all day, every day. I need these things as much as I need the air that I breathe. Here are the first four, all in one picture:

1. coffee.

2. stitching (not necessarily the Beatrix Potter sampler, although it does have a very addictive rythm to it).

3. words on my computer (which, as you may imagine, encompasses a lot more than just 'Bloglines'. I'm not addited to blogs, Bloglines, blogging, e-mailing or anything. I am addicted to the written word though, and since written words (my written words) are my livelihood and I write them on this computer, I suppose you can say I'm addicted to my computer as well).

4. music. Lately I have started to listen to music again. Really listening. Not just playing it on my car radio, but letting the music wash over me and move me and carry me away to other worlds. I have to admit that this particular CD by this particular Dutch band is my current favourite, but I'm just as addicted to all kinds of other music. Can't get enough of it.

My fifth addiction? The house that I live in at present. It's my haven, and I think it is Pelle's too. No matter the foulness of the mood I'm in, as soon as I set foot in this house, it's gone. It is, in every way, perfect.

My sixth and main addiction is the duh-est of the duhs:

Pelle, the joy of my life. Very thin after everything he's been through, but smiling, as you can see!

So now I have to choose 5 tagees. I can't think of anyone who hasn't been tagged yet. Oh, I know one, I think! Harmien? Have you been tagged? Well, you have been now. I know you don't like tags but go one. I can't think of anyone else :o)

1. Harmien

2. Wee Bird (Sue. Check out her blog, it's fabulous!)

3. Valie (ditto)

4. Donna (extraordinary designer of By the Bay Needleart)

5. Annemiek (Once Upon A Stitch)

I really don't know if you girls want to play, and if you don't, that's perfectly alright.

Oh, before I forget!!! We have a winner! I thought guessing the design and designer of my new sampler would keep you all busy for a couple of weeks, but it turns out we have some very clever stitchers in our midst. Mind you, mentioning that Su had stitched this sampler was perhaps not the smartest thing to do: Annemiek just took a peek at Su's old stitching albums and found the picture of Moira Blackburn's 'Nobody Loves Me'! So that's the one, ladies, and Annemiek is the winner. Sorry, Margaret, you were too late!

Next blog post will be about stitching, and only about stitching. That's a promise! Meanwhile, thank you so much for visiting and for taking the time to leave comments. They mean a lot to me, and I do believe all of your positive thoughts have helped the little man and me through another very difficult time!

Holy snot

I could have chosen another title. Something involving another sort of bodily fluid... hang on? Is that 'other sort of bodily fluid' actually a fluid? Well, let me tell you, in this case we're talking about fluids. But in order to keep things decent here, let me just say again, and in capital letters: HOLY SNOT.

We're home!!! But we're not better.

Turns out Pelle is suffering from more than 'just' an infection of his knee. His knee is nearly back to its elegant slimness, and it doesn't feel as hot anymore, but this afternoon, he became if not as ill as he was last week, then very nearly so. I called the hospital and they gave me some very interesting news. Apart from the tummy bug that has obviously been nagging him since last week, his blood tests show that he very likely suffers from Celiac Disease, which would explain all sorts of things about him, including the problems with his development. Please keep your fingers crossed for the poor little guy. If it turns out to be Celiac Disease all he has to do is follow a gluten-free diet for the rest of his life and he will probably feel a lot better soon! I'm not terribly well-informed on the subject, but I will keep you posted.

Now that I'm home I can show you some of the stitchy things I've been up to. First of all, Bea. Thank you all for telling me what you think about the colours. Now I know I will definitely use greens. Here's my progress so far (and the more perceptive among you will notice there's no green there yet):

Of course, me being me, I made a boo-boo in the left motif, but since I'd rather deep-fry my left pinky toe and eat it than frog anything, I found a way to keep it as it is without anyone ever noticing what I did and how I did it (and if you DO notice it: get a life!).

The next one I'm working on is Olde Shaker Tune by Homespun Elegance. I found this chart a couple of weeks ago at a REAL LIFE SHOP! Here! In The Netherlands! Amazing... Anyway, I found it and I had to start it, so I did:

The third project I started in the new year is something I'd been wanting to stitch since I first saw it stitched up by Su, years ago. Here's a pic:

Any idea what this is? Who the designer is and what the chart is called? If you do, leave a comment. The first one to guess correctly gets a hand-crafted giftie from moi. Harmien is excluded from this draw. She begged to know which project I had started, even at the risk of losing out on the stitched giftie. Now, she is either very interested in my stitchy endeavours, or she doesn't want any more of my stitching in her lovely house. Either way, Harmien, you're out!

I think I may go to bed now. I know, it's only seven in the evening, but since Pelle's been asleep since three this afternoon, I have a feeling I have a very interesting night ahead of me. Again, please send good thoughts for the little man. He really, really needs them! Thanks...