25 October, 2011

Miles and Miles...

... of thread! You may wonder what I was actually doing while being a captive passenger on our recent Canadian adventure. Well, I spent time stitching, among other things (GPS inputting, reading two books, napping, map reading, picture taking) and I have show and tell to prove it! It was a lo-o-o-o-ng way around all the scalloped edges of this antique Double wedding ring quilt that required a new binding. Whipping down the edges consumed many hours that these hands would have been otherwise idle. Now it's completed and ready to be pressed back into service.

This Swiss (French) sampler cross-stitch was begun in 1997. It had migrated to the top of the stack and this time I didn't push it back down to the bottom. I decided to take it along and finish it, at long last; quite unbelievably, it was almost done already, why I had ever abandoned it at 90+% completion is a mystery, even to me. Now it is done and ready to be framed and hung in our kitchen.

Life is Good!
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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love that sampler. Doesn't it feel good to have completed projects.

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

That sampler is gorgeous ... I've always been partial to cross stitching on colored fabrics, and that is such a beautiful color.

Ancestor Collector said...

Ohhh, counted-cross stitch! Now that's my girl! ;-) I love it and it will be a nice reminder of your time in Switzerland. I've been stitching like mad on my first of two baby samplers, almost done with Baby Bobby's Baseball Teddy Bears so it'll be ready for framing soon and for giving over Thanksgiving. Then I'll start Baby Girl's. :-) I've discovered that hardly anyone does counted-cross stitch anymore....I think it's become an old lady's sport. :-(

I'm envious of your ability to stitch/sew/read in the car....I can't do it....makes me feel really awful. So nice that you could make such good use of your long hours of riding shotgun. Shot-GPS?

Salem Stitcher said...

Love the sampler. I could almost get bitten by the cross-stitch bug again...almost.

Nane said...

The Swiss sampler is great, I would have bought that too if I had seen it on my trip to Switzerland back in the early 90's then made my sister cross stitch it for me! I wish I could stitch and ride, gotta keep my eyes ahead in the car.

cityquilter grace said...

very nice and always feels good to have a finish....lots of my favorite blog quilters have been in maine this october...

LizA. said...

I love doing handwork or knitting in the car. It sure helps to pass the time. We also listen to audio books when we travel. Love the sampler--kinda makes me want to dig out some of my long abandoned cross stitch projects.

Janet O. said...

What a lovely sampler. I like the darker background color, too. I used to cross-stitch up a storm, but after supplying everyone I knew with at least one, if not 2 samples of my work I finally gave it up and got rid of all my patterns--except 2. I wish they were 90% finished, like your project was. : )
Binding a scallop-edged quilt is no walk in the park. That is a major accomplishment! Congrats!!

AnnieO said...

Nice to be productive in such a beautiful way! The sampler is so unique and pretty.

Anonymous said...

GOT TO LOVE THAT SAMPLER!!!!! It made my heart skip a beat!!!

Edith said...

Glad to have my much-traveled and much loved quilt back. Thank you for all your hard work!

Paula, the quilter said...

May we see the front of the Double Wedding Ring quilt? Pretty please? I love how the sample asked to be finished.