Forest Park Friends: Ruth Beginnings

A fly by post to show you my Sulky Petites 12wt cotton thread choices for my next Forest Park Friend in the hoop ;-). Her name is Ruth. She is a design by Kathy Schmitz available in her webstore in printed and PDF version, and in her Etsy shop in PDF version. I get mine from her Etsy shop (link at the end of this post). Hoping that Ruth will soon be completed and join Lucy the gardening bear, which was blogged about here.

Non-affiliated links:
Needleminder (needle magnet) from Cynthia Crane's Etsy shop.
Sulky Petites 12wt from Uncommon Thread (they are also available in other sites, this site is where I got mine).
This below is a screenshot of Forest Park Friend: Ruth, PDF pattern available in Kathy's Etsy store.

Mouse Embroidery Finished!

Back in June, more specifically June 24th, 2018... I posted about the humble beginnings of this design. Now it's all done!

Pardon the wrinkles. Below you have a better view of the stem stitch.

Stitches used: back stitch, detached chain stitch (aka: lazy daisy), straight stitch, french knot, stem stitch, satin stitch.

Here are a few progress pictures in backward sequence:



Threads used were all DMC embroidery thread/floss. 

Aunt Martha's iron on transfers are so cute and easy to stitch! 
This particular one is no.3820 Mice Tea Towels from the Red Category (just in case you like to look in your local craft store).
This is how my lap quilt is looking so far.  Every other block will be hand embroidered using Aunt Martha's iron on embroidery transfers, with patches of fabric appliqué in the rest of the blocks.

As you can see, I have 3 other designs already transferred. The one with the red ink is a vintage out of print one. When I get to it will post envelope. Started on the bunny the day before yesterday and hopefully will get it done soon. 
I've been having lots of fibromyalgia flares recently, and combined with osteoarthritis... when the barometric pressure drops, the pain in my entire body goes beyond what I can bare.  Medication ease the pain a bit, once the meds takes the edge off the pain then I can focus a bit in something else. Stitching is therapeutic, especially when listening to spiritually upbuilding and encouraging mp3s. For some reason when I'm in pain reading is useless, I'm not able to focus, can't retain at all what I read. My hearing sense still functions well during a flare, so that's something I'm very grateful for! When meds don't work then I just completely rest.
Well, have to go now!  Until next time!

Non-affiliated links:
Aunt Martha's transfer no.3820 Mice Tea Towels.
Aunt Martha's quilt fabric top Retro Flower Print.

Stash Additions

In the last couple of years there hasn't been any "major" stash enhancements in the form of supplies until recently. 

These pretties above are Sulky 12wt threads. They also come in a larger size, this smaller size it's specifically called Sulky Petites 12wt cotton threads. They come in spools, with ends that snap in and out in order to keep the thread end tidy in place. You use the thread as it comes from the spool, no splitting of it. The Forest Park Friend, Lucy the bear, that I just posted about in the previous blog entry was stitched with these threads. Soon will complete a tea towel for my kitchen and will be putting it thru the washer machine, as I normally do with all my kitchen towels, and see how these threads stand to the intense washing test. 

Also added these two Simply Vintage Quilts & Crafts magazines (above) mainly because I was hunting down the embroidery patterns by Kathy Schmitz in them (the green mini garden/spring quilt and the autumnal Welcome birdie with an acorn in its beak), and as a plus there are other stitchery projects that got my attention as well ;-) as you can see below. I love stitcheries with nature/garden/year round themes or seasonal themes, not drawn to holiday patterns since we don't celebrate them.

In Kathy's Etsy shop you can find these cute patterns below. These designs were part of Kathy's stitching club (sign ups thru Kathy's website or Etsy shop), and now available individually. Looking forward to stitching these in the next few days/weeks, after coming home from volunteer work!

Have you made any additions to your crafty/stitchy stash recently? Do tell! Perhaps you are more disciplined than me ;-).

Until next time! 

Non-affiliated links:
Kathy Schmitz pattern on her Etsy shop.
Sulky's 12 wt cotton thread at Uncommon Thread, individually.
The entire collection it is also sold in 2 assortments, at Uncommon Thread... also on Amazon. Just search for "Sulky 12wt cotton thread".

Forest Park Friend: Lucy the Bear (Update: 7/13/18)

Lucy is finished! Very enjoyable pattern to stitch!
All the Forest Park Friends by Kathy Schmitz have a back side pattern as well. Not sure if I'll be stitching the back sides yet, I think for now I'll keep working on the front of the ones I got. For these cute creatures I'm using Sulky 12wt threads... loving how they feel when hand embroidering, also love the look!

The printed pattern version of these Forest Park Frieds come with the iron on transfers, mine are the PDF version so I'm having to trace mine. Got mine from Kathy's Etsy shop (link at the end of this post). Could've used the Stick-n- Stitch (aka: Sticky Fabri-Solvy), but this time didn't want to deal with the rinsing. Once I was done stitching it, I thought the watering can needed something else so I added an initial.
Oh, and wanted to share with y'all as a PSA;... you probably know already that Target have these handy first aid bags/pouches free with the purchase of 3 qualifying first aid items. Getting 3 inexpensive 1st aid items that you most likely need anyways, gets you one of these nifty bags free ;-).  I have a couple from previous years, and one from this year. Can you guess how mine get used? Yes, indeed! As an embroidery project bag! Perfect for on the go projects. 

Ok, so that's the end of the infomercial :-).
Now to complete the stitching of the flower mouse. 
Then to start with the 2nd Forest Park Friend that's set in the hoop ready to go in my first aid Target bag! Any guess which one is next? 

Update 7.13.2018: Adding progress pictures that I overlooked to add on original date of post.

Just wanted to add progress pictures of this projects for the record ;-). Took it to the pool, while my kids had fun swimming I stitched. I'm stitching onto a flour sack towel from Colonial Patterns (aka: Aunt Martha's).

Then in the late afternoon, worked on it a bit more in the living room. Took breaks from stitching to tend to family & household duties and to browse eye candy from these books.

Wasn't feeling good, medications weren't working, and couldn't sleep,...  some late night therapeutic stitching took place with the help of a tiny but powerful reading light. You won't believe how long I've been having this very handy light, about 9 or 10 years & still going strong! Got it at a Michael's craft store.

This last picture is to show you how I normally weave in the ends of my thread when done stitching, or when done with an element of the design.

Non-affiliated links;
1. Forest Park Friends PDF patterns by Kathy Schmitz on her Etsy shop, this is where I got mine.
The iron on transfer version available on her other web store.
2. Sulky 12wt from Uncommon Thread, this is where I got most of mine. 
However, they are some sets available in Amazon too... just search for 'Sulky 12wt' , Joann online has them too, some sellers on Etsy as well, etc.
3. Flour sack towel I'm stitching on is 18" by 28",  this one from Colonial Patterns (aka: Aunt Martha's).

Oldie but Goodie: In My Garden Stitchery

Don't think I ever posted this project. Can't even remember when it was completed... thinking some time mid 2011. Went to the craft room to take a picture of it completed, here it is.

This picture was taken recently with my smartphone at night, and the 1st one was with a digital camera few years ago,... what a contrast in color and clarity. A variegated blue valdani perle cotton was my choice for this cute stitchery. I do not think the pattern is available by itself any longer, however there's a book from Leisure Arts by Kathy Schmitz that has this pattern among other projects.
Today's a rainy day here, we couldn't go out to do volunteer work... so I took advantage to catch up on some encouraging and spiritually upbuilding reading and a listened to a few mp3s while I completed stitching Lucy the bear. Now moving on, perhaps the little flower mouse gets done as well! Have a nice weekend!