… and some unstitching, too.

This is a really bad photo because I took it on the kitchen table in mid-late afternoon sun. The shadows are horrible. (Well the shadows are actually great, but they make the photo horrible.)

I don’t have any idea where I’m going with this. I picked up the center scrap with the intention of trying Jude’s multi line stitching. Rather than split stitch, I’m using stem stitch. For some inexplicable reason (probably just the first pink thread I picked up), I started with rayon thread. I have plenty of respect for anyone who consistently hand embroiders with rayon. I’m a patient woman, but it requires a great deal more patience than I have.

I switched to cotton. Shine makes color slightly different, but I’m pretty sure I ended up with the same color. . . Except for one frond, which I was just too tired of unsewing to take out.

I used only one strand, because I intend to line it on both sides with a light green and then a darker pink, and possibly the light pink again. I can’t draw a good line for love nor money, so I used the drag and click method, which creates as many angles as curves. It gives an idea, if not the actual look. The dotted line is fronds I have drawn on the fabric, which I may or may not add.

The center scrap is a knit I used to make some slacks for my husband back in the 70s. It’s approximately 2″ x 2″. It didn’t make using the rayon any easier! Before I started with the cotton thread I made it bigger with the cotton scraps. Because the log cabin has been on my mind (and blogs I read), I put it together that way. Oh, but I loved that fringe on the selvedge , so I kept it, using Jude’s glue stitch to stitch it down.

Wow! There are a lot of loose threads and tails in this photo. Knit is a lot less forgiving when held up to the light, too. I see a run and holes where I did some unstitching. What this photo doesn’t show, though, is how that knit sparkles in the sun. Who’d’ve thought?!!

I might also turn that top strip right side up. I didn’t see the chipmunk until after I’d stitched. He’s kinda cute!

I’ve been thinking about personal symbols, trying to figure out what mine might be. Since I’d never thought about it before, I don’t really have any. Certainly none I’ve ever used consciously as such. I decided I’m not going to worry about it.

But then, as I was stitching these curlicues, it dawned on me that I have always doodled tree-like curlicues. Trees, curlicues, spirals and circles are, for the most part, all I have ever doodled. I was never one to doodle cute people or animals. I may have doodled a few cats or owls, or maybe some dogs, on occasion, but 90% of my doodles are curlicues–curlicue trees, spiral roses with curlicue leaves, and curlicue flowers. Oh, yeah! I made some curlicue creatures one autumn in high school study hall.

I don’t think these are exactly symbols, but they are something I like to see and make and therefore are somewhat representative of me. I honestly don’t know how much I’ll be using them in my stitching, though.

Don’t know what I’ll be doing this week. Hopefully, I’ll get a couple of Christmas projects done. I also have to cook a couple of easy dishes for Thanksgiving dinner. Tomorrow my sister and I head to Costco for Covid boosters and also a shingles shot for me, maybe a flu shot for her (I had mine), and then shopping for Thanksgiving dinner. We had decided to eat out, but no place we all like is open or taking reservations. Cooking isn’t a big deal, but no one likes cleanup. There are only nine of us, but still, maybe we’ll use paper plates. I guess that’s up to Debie, since she’s hosting.