I know it's been a while...actually it's been a lot of whiles. April was not a terrific month for us, and I have gotten almost NO stitching done.
In the beginning of April DH was in the hospital...fortunately he is totally alright now (except for a tooth ache he developed this past weekend), but spending time in the ER is not condusive to stitching on a complicated piece as "Antique Sampler" is.
After he was pronounced healthy, we had a bit of travelling to do (again, not easy to stitch on that piece while flying.)
And then the major zonker...last week we found out that one of our closest friends, and DH's former business partner, passed away very suddenly from a massive heart attack. Apparently it was exactly how he wanted to go -- fast and with little or no suffering, but the rest of us had to deal with the shock of it all.
Of course we attended the funeral and then drove out to our Indiana home so DH can help the widow deal with finances and whatever papers need to be put in order. It will be a very short visit here as we have other obligations to deal with next weekend.
What I DID find time to do was to work on an afghan for one of my GD's American Girl Dolls. I have crocheted 11 of the 30 squares needed...of course they are not yet joined together. The colors did not come out right...what looks like blue is actually purple. What I like about doint the squares is that they don't really take much concentration and I can do them while watching TV, or talking to someone or whatever.
Well, since I only wanted to check in with you guys and let you know that all was well with us, I'll close by saying I hope May will bring me more actual stitching time, and as a result, more pics of the "Antique Sampler."
Be well.........................................
Grandma
Here is the blue floweres (above) and the finished basket of fruit (below).
And the whole piece so far.
I do have another announcement to make. While we were visiting my ds and his family, (And the American Girl Doll Cafe for Dinner in Washington, DC) I taught my 8 year old granddaughter how to crochet. We started with the chain stitch (with orders that I am to teach her single and double crochet when I see her next time) and I think I maght have created a small monster.
Here she is crocheting away at her brother's boy scout meeting. She doesn't stop! She asked me to sew her 3 yard + chain into a Kipah (skull cap) for her Dad. Here it is below.
Before we left, she had at least two other chains at least as long. I had better brush up on MY crochet stitches.
The view of the river from the front of the house.
Of course one does not visit such a famous home without purchasing some sort of memento. My son bought me a China thimble in the shape of the cupola at the top of the house, and I bought this:
It is a kit to reproduce one of the pillows Martha Stitched to decorate her home. It comes with Aida cloth which I just may switch out for linen, and these threads. Aren't the colors luscious?
Should be a busy time ahead for my needle.
Here are parts 1 and 2 of "Antique Sampler". The next part won't be available until next Thursday, March 1. This is the first time I have started a SAL without having most of the charts in my hot little hands.
I'm about 3/4 of the way finished with part 2 of my BAP sampler from Ellen Maurer-Stroh's monthly stitch along. I need to get a skein of the dark brown for the basket before I can finish it.
