2023 Stitching, and a lot of it!

As my faithful readers know, stitching takes me to my happy place!  So, this means 2023 must have been overwhelmingly cheerful - seven completed projects, and two more well underway!  Let's go to my virtual sewing room!

In my January 11, 2023 post, I showed pictures of my first blackwork piece in progress, a cross-stitch destined for my oldest sister.  Initially I had planned to give her only the finished cross-stitch, but once I decided that I would hand-carry it to her in October (on the same trip as our daughter's wedding), I was inspired to bring her a fully completed pillow.

This project tested my ingenuity.  First, I wanted to "hide" the back of the cross-stitch.  I devised a plan to sew the cross stitch onto a solid piece of fabric, which would then be sewn to a second piece of fabric to form the pillow case.  Second, it seemed ugly to leave the raw edge of the cross-stitch fabric in full view, so I took a page from some of my past Christmas ornaments and added ribbon around the edges.  Third, I discovered "invisible" zippers while researching how to sew zippers, and I decided to give it a try.   This also meant learning how to change the foot on my Mom's sewing machine to an invisible zipper foot - for many of you long-time sewers out there, this process may seem old hat to you, but I had to call in my local engineer (Spousal Unit) to help me with that one!

The next large project of 2023 was a Christmas stocking for our son-in-law-to-be.  In fact, it was finished the night before we would fly to Cincinnati for the wedding!

This time last year, I had completed a stocking for our daughter (see my December 21, 2022 post).  My heart danced to see both stockings hung on the mantelpiece at their new house for this Christmas!

 

 

 

 

Of course, in the midst of all this I also crafted the wedding handkerchief for our daughter (previously shown in my Wedding Bells post on October 30, 2023).

On one of our recent visits to the UK, I came across designs for cross-stitch bookmarks, and they were perfect choices as Christmas gifts for our son and daughter.

Several years ago, I instituted the tradition of selecting a Christmas ornament design for each of the kids (including our son-in-law).  This year, to commemorate the new house for our daughter and son-in-law, I created a single ornament for the couple.  And the Monopoly ornament is for #1 Son, reflecting our shared love of board games.

And now to works in progress!  As soon as I wrapped up the Christmas stocking for our son-in-law, I embarked on the new stocking for #1 Son.  (I have "child" stockings for our daughter and son, which we have used for years.  Two years ago, I offered to "replace" them with adult stockings, and this is the design chosen by our son.)

Now that Christmas is past, and it is obvious the stocking will not be completed until NEXT Christmas, I am going to take a little break from it, allowing me to return to my 2023 Stitch-A-Long.  I wrote about this project in my January 11, 2023 post.  "During my time in the blogosphere, I have seen many mentions of stitch-a-longs, and viewed creativity in action when my fellow bloggers post pictures.  This year, I finally decided to jump in.   Somebody out there introduced me to Loretta Oliver, and I subscribed to her email for access to free cross-stitch patterns.  On December 29, when the Great Big List of Stitchalongs to Join in 2023 popped into my email inbox, I decided to take a look.  Imagine my delight when I found The Steady Thread Botanical Blackwork Stitchalong.  Flowers AND blackwork, a perfect combination for me!!!  And it's free!"

March 21 marked the last time I took a picture of this project (12 hexagons completed), but at the moment I suspended stitching, I had 36 full hexagons in the design, so that must have been the beginning of September! (Steady Thread released one hexagon per week, so I calculated 36 weeks.)

I have 13 hexagons to go, plus the leaves that frame the pattern.  I chose my own color palette for this project, and so I will also have to think through my approach to the leaves and stems!  As most of you know, I am a "follow the recipe" person, so this is stretching me (just a little!!!!)  *NOTE: when I went to the Steady Thread website to retrieve the 13 remaining hexagons and the leafy frame, I learned that the Stitch-A-Long is closed and there is a charge for any designs I need.  It's not a lot of money, and I certainly don't begrudge the artist who created this lovely design - just a memo to me for the future!

 

I asked for the above book for Christmas, and I leave you with this Navajo song (from Night Chant, for the ninth song).  Praying that 2024 brings you the desires you hold close in your heart.  Happy New Year!

May their roads home be on the trail of peace.

Happily may they all return.

In beauty I walk.

With beauty before me, I walk.

With beauty behind me, I walk.

With beauty above and about me, I walk.

It is finished in beauty.

It is finished in beauty.

******

Joining LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color for I Like Thursday - prompt this week is: Does your family have a favorite appetizer? Bean dip.  Sausage, Pepper Jack and salsa - need I write more? Can you share the recipe?  See photo below.  Would you rather have buffalo chicken dip or artichoke dip?  Artichoke dip - sometimes the buffalo is too spicy for me.  What do you try first when you go to a party with snacks?  I prefer savory snacks, and I like to try different things, so I would gravitate to anything new that is also savory.

Linking to Thankful Thursday

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching

 

Linking to Needle and Thread Thursday

 

Linking to Mosaic Monday

Mosaic Monday #28 - Little, Simple Joys

Royal Red Norway Maple - leafing out in our garden

My friends, we're taking a road trip!  That is, Spousal Unit and I are taking a road trip.  Now, now - don't worry.  Letting Go of the Bay Leaf will post all the pictures and the details that are fit for a refined audience such as yourselves when we return.  Which means this week's post will be shorter and simpler than most.  Which some of you may greet with a "finally"!  Welcome to a snapshot of my recent little, simple joys - all I need!

You've seen neighbor cat Katniss before in previous posts - I had the opportunity to look after her again recently.  She is so soft and fluffy - such a luxurious coat for a cat!

And then there's our 17-year-old lady, Maggie, who digs the sun spots in our house.  Sometimes I have to check that she's still breathing!

If you've been following my blog, you know that we have applied for several backcountry camping permits in Glacier National Park.  Two of our three applications were approved, and we learned that mid-May, you can access real-time availability of the back-country campgrounds.  As a result, we applied for an additional two-night camping trip, and it was approved within 24 hours.  Yippee!

I volunteer at the Whitefish Historical Museum one day a week, and our executive director has witnessed my various craft projects during slow times, whether it is drawing or cross-stitch.  Last week, she surprised me with this bookmark, which she said had been left in a donated book.  So what is so special about this?  Well, my friends, it looks the same on the front AND THE BACK.  No knots, or crossing the thread to another section, and it is one piece of cloth … I was amazed.  It is simple and yet remarkably beautiful, all at the same time.  I especially like the Celtic knot patterns in the corners!  I almost cried when I considered that she thought of me when she saw it, not to mention the wonder of the craftmanship.



My dear neighbor took me to a nearby waterfall.  I couldn't take my eyes from the 100-foot drop over three distinct cascades, much less the wildflowers that seem to be several weeks ahead of those I have seen elsewhere!

Left: Yellowbells; Middle: That's me standing to right of the upper cascade;

Right: Shooting Star

We recently hosted a dinner party for several of our fellow Mountain Ambassadors, and I had prepared some flower arrangements to grace our outdoor tables.  One of our guests brought tulips, and I added them to the vases.  The next day I received my Mother's Day cards - it all made for a marvelous mosaic.  Until next time, dear readers, I pray for you that every day brings little, simple joys!

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Monday (U.S. Mountain time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us. 

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