First Post of the Day
First, auction mystery solved thanks to reader Carrie who reminded me that one of the Saturday and Sunday raffle models are included in the BreyerFest auction. Now the Math works! Thanks, Carrie!
I come from a family strong in the needle arts, a tradition that goes back generations on both my mother's and my father's side. My sister Leslie sews and does beautiful hand embroidery work. I sew near daily and embroider both by hand and by machine.
Then there was our mother, she who did all that plus knitting, something none of us ever learned. (Although I tried. FAIL!)
Our mother designing and sketching a new page for a quiet book in 2010.
The finished design - she also did all the coloring. (I NEVER would have thought to add yellow to the palm tree's trunk!)
She knitted this scarf for another page.
With Lisa and Jessica, all of them wearing clothing that she had made for a living history event in Kankakee, Illinois.
When our mother passed away in 2016, most of her sewing things went to Leslie and me since we'd always had the interest. Jenny has never had any interest in sewing, embroidering, knitting, or any other needle or fiber arts. None. (She's not horsey, either. Can she REALLY be my sister??? Haha!)
But somehow, Jenny ended up with some embroidering kits that were our mother's, and when she retired last December, she opened up one of those and dove right into embroidery. Just like that.
She did NOT start with a beginner's project - she jumped right in with a tablecloth that is long enough to fit my fully opened dining room table. Thousands and thousands and thousands of stitches!
And by golly, it's the end of June and she's almost done. Just in time for the annual 4th of July family bocce tournament held at her own home.
A week ago she texted Leslie and me with one word ("Nooooooo!!") and this picture.
"I was cutting the thread and my scissors slipped. I accidentally cut the fabric of the tablecloth!"
I could not blame her for being upset - a first time embroiderer who'd tackled a massive project and worked for hours and hours, was finally at the very end, and then that happens? I agree - noooooo!
Leslie and I were both very sympathetic but honestly, I could not see the cut in the photo and told her that.
She pointed it out so I could see it better. It was very small, at most just a half inch clip into the fabric. And that was good news.
I knew then that I could fix it, and told Jenny that, if she could get the tablecloth to me soon, I would repair it, send it back to her, and she'd have time to do the final embroidery work before the 4th of July.
Her relief was palpable.
When the tablecloth arrived, I could not find the hole. I looked and looked, comparing each embroidered part to the photo. It took me a half an hour before I found it. (More good news; it was that small.)
I cut a one inch square from the cotton I use to make 18th century chemises, ironed the cut area that needed repairing, and then put some double faced bonding fabric between the cotton square and the back of the tablecloth. Several passes with the iron, and the square was securely bonded to the tablecloth and holding the edges of the cut shut.
Jenny will be able to embroider those five last stitches without problem, and then, if she wishes, she can gently peel back the cotton square and trim it close to the embroidery work. Easy peasy.
I've already sent the tablecloth back to her and she is anxious to get back to work and have it ready for the 4th of July.
I can't wait to see her first finished embroidery project when it is out on the buffet table for lunch. It's going to be beautiful in all its 4th of July glory. Well done, Jenny! I am so proud of you!
Stay 'tooned!
