1 Year!

Yesterday was my blog's one year Birthday. I started this blog post 2 days ago, but we have been very busy here.

I started blogging to find myself again. After a very hard life I had found a wonderful man and we were about to start our life together. I felt inclined to re-discover who I was and start participating in the things I had enjoyed over the years but had virtually stopped doing because of my divorce, lack of time and money....mostly lack of time- being a single, full time working mom of 4 teen girls was...well difficult to say the least!

I am happy to report I am very happy! My girls have flourished here in SC. Their life is secure and happy, I am secure and happy and I look forward to the future I have with my husband David. God has blessed me beyond measure. It's with heavy heart though that I came to the decision to stop this blog. Let me explain:

I had hoped the blog would be a way to re-discover all the things in life that gave me joy and give me an outlet to share my talents and possibly inspire others. I thought the blog would be a wonderful outlet to meet other women with similar interests and have a community where we could share and support one another.

For me blogging has been discouraging and a hit to my self esteem. It takes a long time to take step by step pictures and make a good blog post, but even longer to enter all the parties. I don't mind doing the posts, they are fun for me. The sad fact is this: If you don't enter parties consistently your blog does not seem to grow. I started looking at the time it was taking me to enter the parties and it was starting to become a part time job. I understand the parties are fun, but my time is dear with such a large family and all the activities we are involved in. I struggled with thinking I must not be as good as the other women out there who had families and could manage to do these parties. I realized this: I am not less than anyone. I choose to spend my time away from the computer, walking with my husband, cleaning the house, decorating, spending one on one time with my girls, cooking, creating art, sewing for my niece, making gifts for family, talking with my grandmother and sister and growing that relationship. When I looked at it, I found that those things rated higher on my list than blogging. There's nothing wrong with that right? So when others are getting way more traffic and members to their blog, they deserve it, they have put the dear time into making their blog a success. I was wrong to think I could do a blog and share great projects and it would be enough....beginners mistake. I realized it wasn't that others had a better blog, they just advertised themselves better so there's nothing to have low self esteem about! Problem there solved.

Another goal of my blog was to take baby steps. I am now doing that. Slowly working through my past and healing. Attacking projects and completing them, even slowly. I am doing this DESPITE the blog :) The blog snatched allot of valuable time where I could finish a project, scrub the pantry, take a day trip, do a program on healing the past. Now that I haven't posted in a bit, I have been able to spend more time completing things. Large things that is. I would tackle very small things for the blog because of the pressure to put up another post. Many times I delayed a big project, because I felt it wasn't blog worthy. So eliminating the blog will help me achieve the goal of taking Baby Steps and moving forward.

My last goal was to be able to share and be part of a community. Here's where I felt sad. I really thought sharing projects I'd get some feedback. Not much, but some. The truth is, I didn't. I'd go many posts with no comments except my mom's and sisters. Now while they are dear to me, I needed to know the time I spent maybe, somewhere, touched someone? I'd let people know I'd love comments and yet didn't hear any. I started to doubt anyone followed the blog? Who knows, maybe this blog post will go unread and uncommented on by any one but family? I guess I'm at the point where that's okay. I've always enjoyed sharing and teaching others around me. I was blessed to move something like 18 times! To be honest I am trying not to count!!!! LOL In every place I lived I taught at least one woman a craft or some sewing skill. It gave me joy and I thought the blog would be a great way to meet even more women. I haven't met anyone yet. This is not to say I have not cherished the comments I DID get.  I just kind of thought I'd see some regular followers and be able to communicate and share something. Many people I know have had this experience, I have not. You know what? It's okay as well. I enjoyed the projects I did, I enjoyed sharing, and I totally enjoyed getting the comments I did. I just don't know that I am really reaching too many people and the time thing makes it an uneven balance in my life.

Bottom line is. I will still read blogs, I will still create and I'll still grow. I don't have to author a blog to do those things. If anyone is reading this, I wish you great happiness and fun reading all the wonderful blogs out there! I enjoy reading so many of your wonderful blogs and seeing the amazing talent people have. Be happy, be sure of yourselves and enjoy your life. In all things trust in God to guide you and direct your path to what He has intended for you...I am attempting to do that now :)

Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:6

Goodbye Dear Reader,

Chatty Cathy

Embroidery...Drawn Thread Embroidery Follow Up

So I did it! I actually started the edging to that drawn Thread Work I last posted about 

here

I decided on a satin stitch for the outside edge and it worked nicely. As I went along I found the reverse side looked neater than the front! I have no idea if this is normal? Since this is done on just a plain piece of cotton, I guess there is no stopping me from using the reverse when done? 

Disclaimer: I am not trained in this technique, don't take what I'm doing as "The Law".

Okay now that that is out of the way!

I satin stitched around the edge before moving to the bunching of threads to create the open lacy look. Let's break this down:

What is a satin stitch?

The Embroiderer's Guild describes the satin stitch as:

Working straight stitches closely together across the shape, as shown. Take care to keep the edge even, and if you are following an outline marked on the fabric, take your stitches to the outside of the line so that the marked line does not show.

source site

As you can see from the picture (hopefully!) I used this stitch around the edge of my work to "hold" the threads and keep them from unravelling.


This picture is SUPER blown up. I mean this section is only 1/2" that you are looking at. The quality isn't great, but I wanted you to see a close up of the satin stitch.

Here's a shot of the whole 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" piece.

Now, once that is sewn all around the edge. My next step was to "group" the threads in threes. I found a great example of this in one of my old copies of Creative Needle. I have searched the web for this article so I could link it, but it isn't anywhere. I have scanned it so you can see it and am letting you know....it's from Creative Needle in the mid 90's.

I fiddled and kind of taught myself. I am sure there are mistakes all over the work and I probably didn't do it right- however! Mine looks pretty darn good in person. I was really excited at how nicely it turned out my very first time. You can work on a little piece and give it a try. I bet you'll find it is a tedious but relaxing work to do. The results are impressive and every person who has seen this when I've worked on it at practices, tea shops etc. has exclaimed "wow that's beautiful" Isn't that what you hope for after all your hard work? So I'd say my dabbling in Drawn Thread Work has been a learning experience and rewarding.

I'll leave you with some shots of the work and you'll see what the next blog will be on.

Basic Embroidery stitches.

I have started the Eyelets on the piece and will have that post to you soon. Enjoy and please inbox me if you have questions.

Until next time Dear Reader,

Chatty Cathy

Embroidery...old school- Whitework

Whitework. The simple look of white on white....timeless.

I love linens that are white on white where the attention is drawn the the beautiful simplicity of the stitches. I am dabbling in a type of whitework, more of a drawn thread work.

Drawn Thread work is where one removes the waft and weave of the fabric and then stitches over it to create a grid or design over it.

Here are some examples (I have sited the pictures)

Drawn Thread Dress

heirloom-baby-gown

antique quilts and textiles

As you can see it's quite beautiful. Now I have done a type of drawn thread work, called Hemstitching, many times over. I HAVE NOT, however, completed a dress front with drawn thread work. I am at the start of said project currently!

Now, find the mistakes...ha ha ha. Where aren't there mistakes? First, it should be worked on even weave fabric, which I do not have. Even weave has the same thickness threads running both horizontal and vertically. Mine aren't and my fabric is a much smaller count. Pulling the threads and cutting has been painstaking work which I did over 2 long nights. Try looking at a bedsheet and then count out 64 thread and don't lose your place...you are starting to understand! I had to count out 3 threads remove them, skip over three threads and then three more...remove them! It's beautiful and still people keep saying WOW! I see the mistakes! Now, from what I read, these accidentally nipped thread will be concealed during the next step. I hope so!

The next step is to buttonhole stitch all around the edge or sating stitch around the edge....I think I'm satin stitching it as the buttonhole stitch gets pulled more and I'm afraid of fraying the edges of this! I have a sinking feeling I'm going to write to you tomorrow explaining the breakdown I had while my hubby sat calming me down convincing me the world won't end just because my hours of thread pulling were simply a  learning experience as to how NOT to do drawn thread work! We shall see :)

I may need to wait till morning with a caffeine drip to bolster my strength to move forward. At this point it looks so neat and it may be the last time it looks "neat".

Wish me luck!

Oh, I am making this into a little sundress yoke for my little niece Jennifer. She is my hubby's pride and joy! He loves her so much and I do too! I want her to have something pretty made by her Aunt Lori in Summerville. I really hope little Jennifer sees this dress someday????

Until next time Dear Reader,

Chatty Cathy