About Patti_is_knittinginflashes

Living and crafting between the hot flashes

X-stitch

Posted on November 24, 2013 by Patti_is_knittinginflashes

aka – cross stitch

A lovely family moved into our old neighborhood in 1984. Janet and I bonded almost immediately.

Cross stitch Sampler Finished size 10×15 inches

She taught me all about counted cross stitch. Every time I look at my projects or see any cross stitch, I think of her. We still write once a year. At Christmas.

My first project? A huge wedding sampler (18×24) from a magazine for my brother and his wife. It was supposed to be for their first wedding anniversary in 1985 but I didn’t get it finished until that Christmas…just a few months late. Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos of it nor the magazine pattern. It was quite an undertaking but Janet encouraged me constantly.

She and I would go to a small shop (that no longer exists) and look at patterns, linen and Aida cloth.

My second project was much smaller. In fact most of the cross stitch I did was small. The following one was done on 32-count linen.

I bought at least 20-25 greeting cards with the patterns on the back intending to copy the pattern and mail the card. I still have them all. The cards were 4×6 so you can see that the finished piece isn’t much larger.

My daughter completed this watermelon when she was six years old using six-strands of floss on Monk’s cloth, which is large enough for a child to see and use. The pattern was simple and used four colors of floss. I got it framed for her and it hangs in her house. Again, no photo.

My aunt did this Father Christmas and included it in a quilted 36-inch wall hanging that I hang in my house during Christmas.

I made this for my Mom and was going to make it into a Valentine’s Day card for her but never did.

I should do something with all these x’s.

Someday…

Wrestling with wine

Posted on November 23, 2013 by Patti_is_knittinginflashes

Why would Walter wrestle with William?

Well, William whines woefully.

Walter wishes William would whine without whimpering.

Walter wonders with Wilma, William’s wonderful wife, whether William will whine with Wilma.

Walter wistfully watches Wilma and William waltz with watermelon wine while washing windows.

Velcro

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Patti_is_knittinginflashes

Velcro has to be one of the best inventions yet. Tiny, slightly stiff hooks on one side and soft loops on the other. My first experience with Velcro was when I was in a marching group and our uniforms had Velcro closures on the vests. Pure magic. The carpet in our first house was just like Velcro. Everything stuck to it. When I had major surgery in 1990, I asked the doctor how I was put back together: staples, stitches, glue? His reply in broken English sounded like “Velcro”. It turned out to be the brand name of dissolvable sutures: virkron ?, vicryl?, the exact name escapes me. Being put back together with Velcro is still a family joke. Velcro or hook-and-loop material is so common anymore that we take it for granted.

We use hook-and-loop strips to keep our electrical cords corralled.

Do they even make kids shoes that tie anymore or do they all close with Velcro? A blast from the past: Velcro hair rollers. Wearing flannel pajamas to bed with flannel sheets is almost like wearing Velcro. There’s no sliding into bed or getting into the best sleeping position. The two flannel pieces are stuck together like Velcro.

Usefulness

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Patti_is_knittinginflashes

I’ve had a couple of people ask me what is the use of fingerless mitts.

Having fingers exposed allows one to use their fingers while keeping the rest of their han and wrist warm. Think of buttoning you child’s coat or tieing their shoes when it’s cold outside. Feeling for something (keys, lip gloss, tissues, gum) in your purse without taking your gloves or mittens off. Answering your cell phone or texting. Buckling your child into a car seat when it’s c-o-l-d outside. Typing, filing, taking notes in a cold classroom or office.

The difference between fingerless mitts and fingerless gloves is (IMHO) is that fingerless mitts just end so the fingers are free while fingerless gloves have topless fingers.

I’ve made a combination of fingerless gloves and mittens once for a friend who loves to take photographs on the C&O Canal towpath in our area. Ever try to take a picture with gloves on? The pattern is called “Glittens” by Nuttinbutknittin.