Marvelous Monday Update 5/6/2024

Hello!  Did you miss me?  More than one person lately has asked if I would update my blog.  It's been quite a few years... Yes, YEARS.  So, here I am... 💖 and where do I start?

How about we start with my cross stitch endeavors.

First up are the finishes. I've had a few...

American Sampler

Stitched on 28ct Wichelt Alma Cloth Linen "Gray Mist" 

with GAST, Classic Colorworks, WDW, DMC, 

and Needle Necessities Inc threads

Designer: Plum Street Samplers 

Started March 2020 - Finished September 2021

Flag Waving Santa

Stitched on 32ct Belfast Linen in the color Platinum 

with GAST, DMC, and Needle Necessities threads

Designer: Homespun Elegance

Finished on prim board from Homestead Needleworkes 

and embellished with cording, ribbon, and buttons

Started September 2021 - Finished December 2021

Let It Snow

(partial design)

 Stitched on 28ct "Splash" Lugana by Picture This Plus 

with DMC and Carries Creations floss

Designer: Wilst Irish Naps Designs

Started December 2021 - Finished January 2022

Ode to the Ort #2

Limited Edition Kit

 Stitched over-one on 28ct Wedgewood Brittany Lugana 

with WDW, GAST, and Classic Colorworks threads.

Mounted on a tin box with lavender 1/8" ric rac. 

I left off the strawberry as I didn't care for a dangly thing hanging from the lid. 

I added a big magnet on the underside of the lid as a needle minder.

Designer: Brenda Gervais for With Thy Needle and Thread.

Started April 2022 - Finished August 2022

Penguin Hugs Ornament 

 Stitched on 28ct Zweigert Lugana Wedgewood Brittany with DMC threads. 

 Embellished with seed beads, #32 Krienik blending fillament, 

snowflake buttons, and 3/16" ruched ribbon for trim

This was for an ornament exchange I participated in.

Designer: Paw Printings - JCS Christmas Ornaments c2004

Started and Finished October 2022

Stitch Some Happy

 Stitched with DMC on a random piece 32ct cream colored linen from my stash

with DMC threads.  I've switched up some of the colors

Designer: Hands On Design

Started and Finished October 2022

It's still sitting on my craft table waiting to be finished. 😐

Happy Harvest

Stitched on 32ct Ivory Lugana (I think!)

with DMC and WDW threads

Designer: Cherry Hill Stitchery

Started and Finished October 2022

Costume Party SAL

Stitched on 28 Cashel Linen by Silkweaver called Sudden Storm with DMC floss. 

 Finished into a flatfold using a version of my own tutorial HERE. 

Embellished with rick rack, ribbon, and buttons

Designer: Hands On Design

Started August 2022 - Finished December 2022

Emerald City

Stitched on 28ct Jobelan Silver Opalescent fabric hand-dyed by me

Kit threads, DMC, Carries Creations, and WDW

I changed out some of the floss colors so they'd show up better on the fabric.

Designer: Owl Forest Embroidery

Started January 2022 - Finished February 2023

Merry Christmas to Ewe

Stitched on Linen Banding with DMC floss

Designer: Faithwurks Designs

Started and Finished March 2023

Flamingle Bells

Stitched on  32ct Wichelt Linen called Sea Spray

with DMC and WDW threads

Designer: Hands On Design

Started April 2023 - Finished August 2023

Merry Christmas 2003

Stitched on 28ct unknown sage linen 

with DMC and Needle Necessities floss

Designer: Glory Bee

From the JCS Christmas Ornaments 10th Anniversary Collection

This was for another ornament exchange I participated in.

Started October 2023 - Finished November 2023

Christmas Parade

Stitched on 28ct Picture This Plus Cashel Linen called Crystal DaVinci 

with DMC threads

Designer: Cottage Garden Samplings

Refurbished frame and custom mixed paint to coordinate with stitched piece
 Started 12/24/2023 - Finished 2/12/2024

Framed 3/31/2024

Patriotic Tiny Town

Stitched on 32ct Ivory Lugana 

with DMC and Classic Colorworks

Designer: Heart in Hand

Started and Finished March 2024

Field Poppies

Stitched on 28ct Lugana with DMC floss

I hand-dyed the fabric a mottled gray-purple

Designer: The Cricket Collection

Started and Finished April 2024

Whew!  That was a lot.

Until next time... Keep crossing those X's

VINTAGE FINDS: The Perfect Pinker

I found this at an antique store over the weekend. The Perfect Pinker Model 1000. This vintage sewing tool cuts through fabric leaving a beautiful pinked edge.

 

 

It works like scissors, but instead of using traditional scissor blades it uses a smooth rolling wheel that the pinking blade pushes against. Fabric is placed between the wheel and pinker blade. While using short scissor like motions the fabric will self-feed.

 

Manufactured by the Metropolitan Cutlery Company, the Perfect Pinker is also stamped with Crane Brand, A Florian Product and has two cranes facing each other. Patent number 2174222 was issued in 1939. 

 

The instruction booklet says Metropolitan Cutlery Company was established in 1835 in New York, NY. The booklet also serves as an advertisement for other Met Co products such as cuticle nippers, nail files, clipper, tweezers, manicure scissors, dressmaking scissors, and hair cutting shears.

 

They measure approx. 7" L x 3"W x 1” thick. They are fairly hefty in weight. My research indicates they may have been manufactured in the 1950’s which makes sense with the black enamel paint. Aside from a couple scratches, the paint is in great condition and very shiny. Both the original box and instruction manual are in great condition also.

 

The inventor, Berkeley Julian Florian, was an inventor and manufacturer. He also held patents for folding scissors, folding wheelbarrow, and two-headed hammer. Berkeley was born in New York City, lived in Plantsville, CT (where the Perfect Pinkers were manufactured) and Florida. He also was a builder in CT and developed Forian Isles in Dania Beach, FL. He passed away in September 30, 2004 at the age of 98.

Except during WWII, the pinkers were manufactured by the family until 2007. In 2013, Overall Manufacturing received the rights to manufacture, repair and sell the Florian Rotary Pinkers. They cost over $100 new, with shipping.

 

When I saw this in a locked case at the antique store, I knew I had to add it to my vintage sewing collection. Only $4.50! Not only is it a cool tool, it works great so I can use it when I need a pinked edge. I have to say it works much better than the more modern pinking shears I own.

 

Until next time,

 

 

 

American Sampler

 I started American Sampler by Plum Street Samplers in March of 2020.

I'm stitching it on Wichelt Gray Mist Linen with Classic Colorworks, WDW, GAST, and DMC threads.  Not in the photo, but I'm using Needle Necessities Razzle Dazzle Red for the flags and bunting on the fence.

 

Below are some progress photos:

At the start of last weekend, this is what I had completed:

By the end of the weekend, I made so much progress!

Until next time...

Friendship Signature Quilt WIP

When I saw the tutorial by MSQC, I absolutely knew I ::had:: to do this quilt project!  I've asked my friends, both online and offline, to help me create a Friendship Signature Quilt.  Through the use of technology, signatures have been coming in from all over the USA and the world.  How cool is that?!

Here are some of the blocks I've made so far:

 

This quilt will have a scrappy floral vibe using two fabric collections:
Serene Spring fabric collection by RJR Fabrics
Meadow Bloom by Wilmington Prints 

I've got about six or seven signatures waiting for me to make blocks with, and four enroute via mail.  I'm looking forward to seeing how this project turns out! 

Until next time...

County Fair Fun!

It's been over twenty years since I entered competition in my county's fair.  This year, I scoured my mind as to what I could enter into the fair.  Since no fair was held in 2020, items made in 2020 and 2021 were eligible for entry. Much to my surprise, I won ribbons for all four items I entered!

Class: Full Size Quilt
Stars Squared Quilt
1st Place

It took me 18 months to piece, quilt, and bind this quilt on my domestic sewing machine (Janome 9450). I used Home for the Holidays II fabric collection by Borderless which is absolutely beautiful! Because I wanted to add borders to the quilt, I didn't have enough of the Grey Mist fabric and had to go on the hunt to find more... It was then I found out the fabric collection had been discontinued. Luckily, I located a company in California (Google is friend!) that had a 3yd bundle on clearance. ::whew:: I finished this quilt in 2020.

Class: Cross Stitch Pillow
Tie On October by Pine Mountain Designs
1st Place 
This took me about three hours to stitch this up on 10ct Heatherfield fabric with DMC threads.  Pine Mountain has a pillow form to go with these Tie Ons.  At the last hour (literally, the day before I was supposed to drop off my entries), I decided I didn't like the pillow form and I made a new one out of purple fabric.  I shoved the original form inside my purple one.  So much better!

Class: Small Cross Stitch Sampler
Suffrage Act by Little House Needleworks
2nd Place

I finished this August 18, 2020, excactly 100 years after the women's right to vote was ratified (See my previous post). It's Stitched on 28ct Silkweaver Lugana "Days Gone By" with GAST, DMC, and Classic Colorworks threads.  I changed the design by adding bricks at the top.

Class: Small Holiday Craft (No Christmas)
Camille Renee Mug Mat
4th Place 

This is the first wool applique project I'd ever done. It was a lot of fun to make.  I love the embroidered skirt and the cute button tags.

So how about you?  Have you entered anything in the county fair? I'd love to hear about it.

Until next time...