Being an embroidery artist...............my work is a lot about

rescuing, re purposing and restoration.

I am always thrilled to come across tossed and forgotten pieces like this kit.

If you like to work kits like this................you know how expensive they have become. This kit, if you look at the small tags on the right was once $17, reduced to $11 and I found it for only $1.

This is a kit from 1978...........and as a friend commented.........$17 at that time was expensive.

So if this is the thing that you like...........take a look at your local thrift shops. Go past all of the rows of different decades of clothing......the scuffed and worn shoes...........the dusty knic knacs and usually, around the book section.........or sometimes........the bed and bath linens............

you might find a few sewing items tucked away in boxes or on shelves.

You might be lucky to find complete kits as this.

It was only partially embroidered in thick crewel yarn. It still had most of the unused yarn, as well as the instructions and even the needle.

As you can tell, the embroidery was worked in long quick stitches.

The linen the design is on, is in  wonderful condition........except for some reason, a corner has been cut out of the left top and out of the right bottom of the fabric. This I can remedy by finding matching fabric to stitch and repair in it's place.

There is still quite a lot of design left to be stitched. And as most of you know about me.............

I don't like large heavy stitching on unfinished pieces like this. The only reason I purchase them, is to remove all of the previous stitching and to stitch the design all over

the way I want it to look.

(click on photo for better view) 

If you look closely at the right side of the owl's face...........this is the original stitching.

Look closely at the left side of the owl's face.........this is my stitching.

I removed the yarn and used floss and stitched the owl's eye,nose and face the way I want to see him.

It will take me 10 times the amount of time,  hundreds of stitches,  and large amounts of floss, to finish this piece............more than it would have with the yarn.

But I think ,instead of a pretty restored piece............

I will have a beautiful restored piece when I am finished.

What do you think?

 

***drop by my cooking blog***

for a great snack recipe for Christmas guests,

My Country Kitchen

and for an end of the year reflection,

stop by my country blog

Eggs In My Pocket

Christmas is only a few days away............

and I am sure most of you are either busy in you kitchens

mixing up all kinds of goodies............

or maybe you are busily stitching away at special stockings.......

or even a handmade gift or two?

I am right there along with you...........I have been mixing, baking, taste testing

and decorating............

I just now have the gifts gathered up and I need to get them wrapped and put under the tree before Salem decides to make this his permanent resting place.

I have also been busy stitching. Last year, I stitched a dresser scarf like this and decided to make another. I still need to work a crocheted edge around it.............

should I crochet it in red...........or maybe a white edging would be pretty??

 

I found this vintage vase to go along with it..............

just perfect for the holiday season,

don't you think?

So tell me,

what are you doing to get ready for this time of year.........

are you preparing to cook a large feast...........

are you decorating all through the house?

I would love to hear!



When one door of happiness closes,

another opens;

but often we look so long at the closed door

that we do not see the one which has been

opened for us.

 

Helen Keller

I have had this chair for a little over a year now.............

given to me by a friend who dropped by for a visit.

It needed a new seat. Through the year, I have started stitching on several different designs..........

and not being happy with how they looked for this piece.

I knew I wanted something with roses and this needlepoint design gave me the look I was wanting.

It also took me a while to figure out how to place it onto the seat to make it look like it belonged there.

Here it is!

And now it sits in my dining room, where I hope to add more rose embellished items along the way!

How about you?

Do your dining room chairs have padded cushions.............

or maybe needlepoint of some kind?

I would love to hear!