I haven't had much time for stitching and have spent most of it sewing my grandson's Halloween costume (delivered last night) and tatting motifs for the dye pot. Last weekend I went to tatting guild and then afterwards, I visited a few antique and thrift shops before coming home. One place used to have a whole room FULL of linens and lace but the shop has divided into three parts now with different owners. It was a little confusing. I had inadvertantly drifted into a different shop where I found these embroideries and almost didn't pay for them in the right place!

This is the only one I bought. It's just a simple length of cotton, actually probably polyester/cotton blend, hemmed and embroidered with the pumpkin but the embroidery was so well done compared to much of what I've seen that I decided to get it and will tat or crochet an edging for it later. It wasn't very expensive either. I saw other embroideries that I would have loved to buy just to save the pattern since the fabric itself was damaged but they had some exorbitant prices so I passed. This one was only $1.50 I think.

I loved this apron and it was reasonably priced but I didn't have a lot of extra money so I passed on it too but I did take photos! It's a regular full-length apron but I loved the embroidery on it. There's also some pink ricrac along the edges but that wasn't what caught my attention. This is as close as I got to taking a full photo of it.

I was particularly intrigued by the pocket. It's placed so that it is the lady's skirt! I just thought that was clever even though I know it was commonly done, it's the first time I saw one. I really couldn't tell if this was a vintage piece or something more recent but I would guess more recent.

This is the bottom front of the apron. I love aprons, even though I never wear them. I'd be tempted with this one though.

In another booth, I found this slip/skirt. I thought it was a slip at first but why would you put a pocket on a slip? I love spider crochet and thought this insert very well done.

Here's the pocket, crocheted in the same pattern but heart-shaped. I think I'd rather see this treatment on a table cover or maybe a short jacket with the insertion not so wide, but it still impressed me with the skill used.

I haven't had an opportunity to get back to my sampler piece. I'm a little overwhelmed with things to do at the moment. My lace guild is setting up an exhibit at the Arts Center plus I'm still dealing with house/garage issues. I wish I were at least half done with Christmas gifts but I'm not even started!

No lace besides tatting lately and no embroidery. I've been busy with domestic issues and deciding if I was going to take the retirement incentive offered at my work. I didn't. Still have more domestic issues to handle before winter sets in so I'm still limited on time.

I did want to note that I got this book at the weekend for $2.00 at the half-price bookstore. Many years ago, during my one year with the EGA guild locally, someone came in and instructed a program in goldwork. I still have the sample in storage. I'd never heard of "goldwork" before that so it's always intrigued me since.

Gotta get ready for work now!

I was busy last night. The first line is "wide chain". It was fun to do though it doesn't really look like anything special here. The next one is a sort of vining chain stitch and it took me forever to figure it out! I bet I pulled the thread out and started over five times. The third fourth one is an easy one but I began to space them wider as I got near the end because I was running out of thread. I barely made it to the end. There's a row of French knots in there too - forgot about those! I had to do the vining chain stitch again just to get it set in my mind how I did it.

I have less than 2" left on this side. I think the other side will be mostly border stitches.

Last night about 7:30 p.m., I discovered that the water coming out of my kitchen faucet was a mere trickle. I tried the bathroom. Same thing. I checked the outside faucet. Again, only a trickle. Before I made it to bed, there was no water at all. I was really frustrated that this couldn't happen earlier since I was home and could have called someone on the spot to come out. So instead, I left work early afternoon today to meet a plumber whom I'm waiting on now. He remodeled my sister's bathroom where I took a shower this morning. It is GORGEOUS! I have a well since I live out in the country. I suspect it has something to do with the well pump and I hope it's a simple part. It's no fun living without water.

I'm seeing a notice on blogger that they improved the editor and what I'm using now will go away soon. Rats! I tried their new editor several months ago and didn't like it so I hope the new version truly is better since I won't have a choice about using it.

Wish me buckets of water coming through my faucets today!

Back to embroidery! The first one is a whipped chain stitch. I was disappointed that you couldn't see the chain stitch as a chain at all when it was done. The next one is a Pekinese Stitch. Loops are worked through a backstitch. I thought it was very clever and liked the look of it except my thread colors don't contrast enough for you to see the effect very well. The last one is some sort of "crown" buttonhole stitch. I need to stitch in some guidelines instead of trying to follow a thread. My eye's simply don't follow the same line very well without some help. I tried holding it with my thumbnail but it covers a couple of threads!

This side is more than 3/4ths done. I'm starting to move around in the book and doing those that appeal to me most.

Well.....think I'll make a few phone calls, pick up the mail, and run a quick errand.

TA-DA! One needlelace egg completed!

In truth, I should have stitched a buttonhole cordonnette all around the outside but I don't really like those big bulky edges. I should have done it anyway.

Instead, I took it off the background (not my best idea) so that I could crochet around it instead. It does have a nice scalloped frame now but I should have done the buttonhole in black and THEN cut it from the backing and crocheted the scallop to the buttonholing.

Next time.

I'm quite happy with the stitching though, or at least the tension, especially with the top two colors. I needed to break up the bottom a bit and I think that threw off the consistency there, but it's still pretty. I have no idea what to do with it!

No embroidery today. I just didn't get to it but I think I needed a break from it anyway. Those last stitchings are not my best work.

Well, another fun weekend put away. Looking for a wonderful week ahead!

More line stitching. This is basically a record for myself. I don't expect anyone else to get excited about it. The first one is called the Barb stitch. It's basically two blanket stitches back to back with the center whipped in another thread. Then there is the Basque stitch, interesting to do but I'm not clear on how I would use it. I suspect the type of thread and fabric you use dictates where you would use it. The next one is the Berwick stitch which I may have spaced a bit far apart. It's a variation on the blanket stitch. Lastly is the closed feather stitch which I'm probably going to take out and do over or leave out altogether. The thread I chose wasn't a good one to illustrate this one.

When I finish a tatting project, sometimes I wind the leftover thread onto a floss holder. That's where I've been getting a lot of thread for this project. Sometimes I take it from the ball but I'm trying to empty those floss holders too.

I decided to try a little needlelace last night since I haven't stitched any for a long time. I'm sticking with the simpler stitches for this one. I used an embroidery pattern for the shape. It's a little chick-faced egg. I've covered up the eyes now so he can stop staring at me! I don't have a real plan for this but I wanted to practice my stitching. I started out with single corded Brussels in the blue. I changed to doubled corded Brussels with the yellow. It was late and I was tired and out of thread so I stopped at this point last night. I was going to do the egg in thirds with a different stitch in each third. It always takes more thread than I expect so I'm not sure now....maybe I'll do stripes in this middle part but all double corded brussels. I'm using up my floss holder threads here too. LOL!

I guess I should do a little housework today before I get started on stitching. I tend to forget about everything else once I sit down and get a needle or shuttle in my hand.

This is what I ended up with last night. The first one is called the Cretan Stitch. I did it twice. Again, I had to lay in running stitches for guidelines. Then I started a line of groups of button hole stitches, each group facing in opposite directions but they were totally off kilter so I just took them out. The Cretan stitch is done in some of my hand dyed thread from last May, btw.

I did two lines of the back stitch but embellished both so there is no single example of the backstitch. The first one is called the threaded back stitch and the last one is called the whipped back stitch.

Here's some lace that I bought in a small baggie at some thrift store in the past. I kind of stumbled across it in my haphazardly stored stash. I was planning on taking them to my next dye session but it also occurs to me that some of the long pieces can also go on this little sampler pillow when it is done.