Sunday 17 November 2019

Stitching Meditation, Tools, Dogs, The Crown

Last month I spoke about stitching as meditation. To that end I joined a Facebook group, Stitch Meditations,who share their stitching and write about the comfort it is to them especially during difficult times. It is amazing the number of folks who are stitching in hospital beds or waiting rooms for instance. I myself have never seen anyone. Except my mom who always took knitting and her cross word book with her which I do as well.
Below is a little piece I've been stitching that is solely hand work and combines my love of hand stitching with a kantha style of running stitch. This works well when my eyes need a break from the counting of the cross stitched Swirling Flowers. I'm using the General's Sketch &Wash HB pencil to mark a little guide. I'm  practicing keeping my stitches evenly spaced and the same length. I've had to take out a couple.
I have this little box of 12 and with Hubby's auction winning of office supplies last year, I think we have enough pencils to see us through now. :) Btw, it was Anne at Every Stitch who recommended them. Sadly, she is no longer posting but you can still visit her blog and see the most beautiful of projects.
Image result for general hb sketch and wash pencils"
 This is also a quilt as I go piece with batting on the back which is often done with Kantha stitching.
I got the circles hand stitched on those Dresdens and counted how many are completely finished. Exactly 68. Hmm, need more than that. Scrappy projects can take a long time to finish. But my stitching motivation for this particular project is still high.
Goals this week re stitching..
Keep the three projects- Autumn patchwork, Swirling Flowers and the Dresdens moving forward.

Our upstairs TV room is taking shape. The new TV arrived and is one of those 4K, whatever the heck that means. Apparently it's a good thing; anyway, we've been blown away by the picture quality and the size of the darn thing.
We had debated whether we needed to buy a new one but now are glad we did. And in time for The Crown ...I will be able to see even more details of their lovely clothes and the palace. Olivia Colman is already getting rave reviews.  Anybody else a fan?
                                   Image result for the crown season 3
I got all the gardening stuff stowed away in the garage and extra bird seed brought in just in the nick of time before the snow came to stay. I'm running two feeders now and there has been a lot of activity with the sharp downturn in the temperatures.

Keeping them filled, checking the mouse trap (3 more added to the list) and shoveling the steps are my basic outdoor chores which are not that much.  And it already feels like I have more free time with no gardening.
Rex on the deck patiently waiting to get back in the house.  He doesn't at all mind lying in snow.
Miss Murphy, our diva, letting me know at the window that she wants back in right now, as she always does.
We just got in from our morning walk with them (more of a slow saunter for Rex) and the ground is frozen enough to allow tramping around the wetland area next to the pond. This means we can do almost a complete loop of the property on our walks including the area where we watched the snow white weasel last year.  Perhaps I'll be lucky enough to get a photo this year.
Hope your Sunday is wonderful!
Linking this post with Kathy's QuiltsSmall Quilts and Doll QuiltsQuilting is More Fun Than HouseworkHome Sewn By Us, Brian's Home Blog and Love Laugh Quilt.








23 comments :

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I love your dogs! In a way I would like to have one but I know hubby doesn't - he wouldn't want the responsibility that comes with having a pet. Maybe one day? Whatever happened to Anne from Every Stitch I so enjoyed her post her quilts beautiful!! So many just stop all of a sudden.
yes scrap projects can take awhile and I really need to get more going to use up some of this fabric.
I occasionally take a project with me to work on in a waiting room but usually it is crochet as I find that easier to stuff in a bag. One time years ago when my late younger brother was in for one of his many procedures I took an applique project along and it did help pass time but I thought later that if I had dropped a needle it might have been hard to find it and there were some of the kids along with other family dropping by to find out how Scott's surgery was going and it wouldn't have been good for a child to find the little needle. So now I just stick to crochet - I rarely have ever seen anyone else stitching in a waiting room

NADINE said...

LOVE stitching, too, and I'd like to start some khanta stitching. THANKS for the link to Facebook. I have enlisted and am awaiting approval :)

ENJOY your stitching !
NADINE

Sarah said...

I love Olivia Coleman (she has become a bit of a british icon) but I have never watched any of the Crown but I must admit I think she will be amazing. Did you ever watch her in Broadchurch?
Your stitching is lovely and very even - great job!
Your dog certainly seems to be happy in the snow. Mind you wearing a big woolly overcoat like that must help! My little cocker spaniel is much lower to the ground and when ever we get snow (not often in my part of the UK) she gets these ice balls clinging to her underside. Not much fun when I have to defrost her to get them off LOL

Jenny said...

I love the picture of Rex lying in the snow. He is such a majestic looking dog.

Carla A Few Of My Favorite Things said...

Looks cold out I can see why Rex wants in. I love the crown too!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I love The Crown - so looking forward to watching season 3 this week! I think Olivia Colman will be good as Elizabeth. We have one of those TVs, too - I think they are smarter than we are... :) Your heart stitchery is lovely, Jocelyn! I'll have to look for those water soluble pencils - they look handy!

Brian's Home Blog said...

Your stitching is just the best! Hey Rex, don't get the frosty paws dude!

Nana said...

I have an older flatscreen TV and can already see that its technique inside isn´t up to date. So I surely believe that you´ve been blown away by the sharpness of what you´ve seen.

Nana

Jenn Jilks said...

I love the dog.
I think, if you can afford it, a new TV is wonderful. We don't go out to movies anymore. Hubby has hearing issues.
I used to do needlepoint when visiting a particular client. I got myself a tough project and quit, though. Perhaps I should find something. Thanks for the motivation.

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Your Kantha stitching is pretty uniform. Are you able to be this precise with a rocking motion stitching? I just can't seem to get it right when stitching through all layers. We had leaves down, not from our Sugar Maple but leaves that blew in from the neighbors. Then we got 8 inches of snow and more leaves to cover the snow. Temps just above freezing have melted most of the snow. Terry has taken to mulching the leaves with his riding lawn mower. Me? I'm done with it all. I could just care less about leaves. My big dog doesn't mind the snow, but I have two little Min Pins and they just freeze in the cold but are still looking for squirrels to terrorize.
xx, Carol

Out To Pasture said...

As always, I do admire your very handsome Rex. The Crown does look interesting. Perhaps I'll relent and resubscribe to Netflix this winter. Happy stitching!

Mary in Peoria Handmade said...

I love Olivia Colman in almost anything. We don't get Netflix but might some day. Congrats on the new tv. Your stitching is just so lovely.

Denise :) said...

Your hearts are so fun! I forgot that season 3 of The Crown was available! Whoohoo!! :)

Cathy said...

Your post today is so calming and delightful. I’m resting up post-surgery (carpal tunnel) and hope to get back to the ranks of hand stitchers soon. Your handwork is beautiful! Olivia Coleman - loved her in Broadchurch - is an amazing actress. And your Rex is a handsome dog, I must say.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

We haven't been watching The Crown - another one we probably missed the boat on. Rex looks absolutely comfortable lying in the snow (brrrrr), but I have to admit Miss Murphy and I feel the same about being outside in the cold.

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

It's so funny, I just watched an episode of The Crown before coming to your blog. A big screen would be nice to see it on. I am debating getting a TV since I don't watch it much. My dog, Zeus, likes being in the snow too, which means every winter he comes in and out like kids do in the summer.

Michelle Ridgway said...

Your doggies are gorgeous. Thank you so much for the meditation link...that is often what stitching is for me. I love your heart stitching and your Dresdens are coming along.

Home Sewn By Us said...

Hi Jocelyn! Your stitches look BEAUTIFUL. So nice and even and straight. I've never heard of Kantha but will check out the link. Your Dresdens also look fab. I'm not exactly sure what 4K is either for a TV but I think the excellent picture you're seeing is because of that! I'm glad you're enjoying it! HAHA - I adore those photos of the pups in the snow. Let me in, please! Miss Murphy wants to be by YOU, I suspect. I definitely would be a fan of The Crown if I had Netflix - I love those type of shows. Thanks for linking up! ~smile~ Roseanne

Allie said...

So much snow! Ours is almost melted now - thank goodness - except for a few icy spots in the driveway where it drips off the roof. Love your stitching. Jocelyn, I think you would enjoy Bernadette Banner on youtube - she does historical clothing re-creations - I find her mesmerizing, especially the one where she dressed her sister as a painting and took her to the museum.

Angie said...

Wow, you have a lot more snow than we do! We are ready for it to come, especially if the ski resort has even a chance of opening on December 6! Yes, we love the Crown. We just finished the episode with Charles' investiture as the Prince of Wales - a stunning episode. Love your pups and your hand stitching!

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

Like the heart!!!

Brian's Home Blog said...

Thanks for joining the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop, we appreciate you hopping in!

Glenda said...

Your Kantha stitching is very much like Sashiko quilting from Japan, that I enjoy doing Jocelyn. It was also originally used for repair working clothes or bedding, Only difference I think is in the stitch usually the stitch is the size of a short grain rice and the distance between each stitch is the same. It is done with a long needle and the thimble is held at the bottom of the middle finger and is pushed through by the hand rather than pulled through with thumb and finger.
??? As I have arthritis it works so good for me. Pam Holland is touring India right now and has shown the Kantha's been made and several of them finished. Cheers Glenda