Walking the Plank

Wow, I can't believe I got as far as I did today.  It's been a whirlwind of activity on projects yesterday and today!  First of all, I cut all my vines for the AotH border and sewed them on yesterday.  Last night and this morning I stitched the vines around the corners.  Then, after making a yummy Sunday breakfast for the family, I sprinted upstairs to my sewing room and got busy lapping the seams in place and - Viola!  Here is my totally finished (stitching wise) Anniversaries of the Heart Sampler -

 

The border pattern I used comes from the July (Swan Lake) booklet.  I picked that one because it was not used in any of the other designs and because that block happened to be in the center - using that border, it would not be outside of itself, if you know what I mean.

Yesterday I worked for 3 hours cutting the fabric strips to make my new grandson's quilt.  Today, starting at 10AM I got busy sewing it.

 I've decided to call it Walking the Plank - because it's a pirate quilt.  I have a feeling that ya'll are just kinda goin' ugh - huh; like my husband and son did, but you'll see.

At left, all the pieces are cut out and labeled.

After the Cheeze-its, I've had to cut back to just water.

 This is the first step, getting the yellow centers surrounded by the next colors.

 This is where I have realized that somewhere along the way, I made a measurement mis-calculation.  But, not time to fiddle with figuring that out, I just forged ahead and trimmed up my blocks as I finished them.

 Here I've gotten the pokey-dotted blocks and the red ones done - I'm all ready for the black strips - closing in on the finish line! 

 Ugh - Houston, we have a problem.  Unfortunately, I forgot to cut the black strips that go at the top and bottom of the polka-dot blocks.  Oh Frazzle! 

So, had to take a few minutes to cut those strips and then sew them on.

I've been working very hard and deserve some chocolate to go with my water after this set back.

 Ah, this is much better.  On to joining the rows.

 First row done.  Three more to go.

Like I said, three hours to cut yesterday and I started today at 10AM.  I was finished at 3PM which makes this an 8 hour quilt top!

Just one eensy-weensy little problem.  I did not count on the double rows of black in between the colored block rows.  Oops!  So now I want to figure something out to go there because it's just a little more black than I was counting on.

Above, the finished quilt top Walking the Plank.  Just ignore the hands and feet; there's no one behind that quilt, no one at all.  Now, doesn't that quilt look Piratey?  Stop looking at me that way!

Here is the picture that my son posted today on his Facebook page.  He called me this morning to tell me that he'd just finished decorating for the baby yesterday.

At left is his picture of the crib.  Turns out there are a lot of pieces (o' eight) to this set.  You can't see the mobile too well in his picture, so I went to the website and got . . .

 

This one - you can see that it too is pirate themed.  I went shopping at Baby Gap a few weeks ago and found this really cut pair of jammies.  Also got another set of jammies and a onesie, but they don't have them on the site anymore.  Anyhoo, I've already sent those out, along with the baby towels, so they're getting all stocked up.  His arrival is two months away now!

Finally, I got a giftie here recently and I thought all you frog collectors out there might enjoy seeing it - 

It's ORANGE - I think that's unusual - what do you think?  Hope you enjoyed!

Needlewoman East and Updates

Had a lovely trip to downtown Falls Church, Virginia the other day to visit The Needlewoman East.

This is Liz, the proprietor of Needlewoman East.  She's being very professional, ringing me up, and then she looks up to continue our in depth conversation.  Liz looks a lot different - she's lost more than 100 pounds.  She looks wonderful.

My reason for going to TNE was to get some yarn to stitch the hunt scene needlepoint that I was given a month or so ago.  Liz pulled some Elsa Williams and I'm all set to go.  Here's a progress pic:

Just the two colors, blue for sky and green for grass.  This photo was taken a few days ago -I've done about as much more since.

And I have reached a point with the baby's birth sampler that I am just waiting for the event to happen and I will fill in all the details:

I will either add or remove triangles on the sides as needed to fill in the date and place information.  I just sent the kids a boatload of baby towels and wash cloths that I picked up at Target and a cute few pieces of clothing for my granddaughter.  I'm hoping that if I can send something for her each time I send something for the baby, we might keep the sibling rivalry monster at bay.

These are the border strips for the Anniversaries of the Heart sampler.  I have finished stitching them as much as I can on the scroll bars.  Next step is to cut them apart and sew them onto the sampler.  Then I'll finish stitching the corners of the borders - that way I can adjust the design as necessary to make the turns.

This is my Dick and Jane quilt top.  I started it about two years ago and then had trouble figuring out exactly how I wanted to finish the outer edge.  Decision made, this weekend I put the finishing touches on the border.  It's all ready to go to the quilter.  It's probably a twin size quilt top.  Anyway, I intended for it to be for my granddaughter, but she's a pink and purple fairies and princesses kinda girl and I don't think this will work for her.  I am going to finish it and then just hang onto it.  You never know what will happen.

Finally, this is just something I love.  I adore the way hens & chicks (or cats & kittens) look.  I always have, ever since I was a child.  So the last few years I've had a pot of them in the house.  This spring I put my pot of them outside (intending to transfer them to the garden), but they got sunburned and died.  My fault.  So, needed a new one for this winter.  I picked them up at the nursery and also the urn.  Now, the urn is kinda cool.  It started out as one that was plastic, and terra cotta colored.  You know the kind I'm talking about - they look really really fake?  So I got this one (they come in two parts that you sorta clip together).  And a can of black plastic spray paint.  Took it out in the back yard and sprayed the heck out of it.  Now it looks like cast iron instead of fake terra cotta and my hens & chicks are very, very happy as you can see by all their growth.  Even better - they don't have to be watered too often!

So that's the round up for today.  Gotta go check out the Pioneer Woman website.  I saw her Christmas show and made her brussel sprouts for Christmas dinner.  Boy, were they yummy!  Hope you enjoyed.

All the Hoo Hah on AotH

January

For anyone who wants to know, here is a full and complete list of the substitutions and/or color changes I made on my Anniversaries of the Heart series.  I have a collection of Weeks flosses that I am trying to use up; that's the only reason that most of my substitutions were to Weeks colors.  My favorite overdyed threads are those made by Gentle Art.  I have nothing against Crescent Colours threads, but I do find them a little more expensive.  I was simply trying to be a little more frugal.  Please note that when I determined my substitutions, it was based on the DMC colors that were given on the charts.  Sometimes, like in the May and second Bonus blocks, I didn't like the way the substitution worked out and eyeballed a better replacement based on the color photo on the chart.  What I'm trying to say is that this is not an exact science (see August) and I offer these substitutions to you as a guide.

CC= Crescent Colors; GA = Gentle Art and WDW = Weeks Dye Works

Pattern 1: Snow Garden (January) - changed the left and top border flowers (carnations) to alternating WDW Garnet and WDW Lancaster Red.

Pattern 2: Valentine Rose (February) - replaced CC Onion Skin for DMC 612 and CC Used Brick for DMC 5859

March

Pattern 3: A Wish for You (March) - replaced CC Onion Skin for DMC 612 and CC Peanut Butter for DMC 437 and CC Used Brick for DMC 3859.

Pattern 4: Pink Hill Manor (April) - replaced CC Cinnamon Toast with WDW Hibiscus; CC Gingersnap for WDW Honeysuckle; CC Jakey Brown with WDW Cinnabar; CC Sunkissed with WDW Cherub.  Replaced CC Onion Skin with DMC 612 and CC Peanut Brittle with DMC 437.

May

Pattern 5: Farm House (May) - replaced CC Cinnamon Toast with WDW Hibiscus; CC Avacado with WDW Scuppernong; CC Fool's Gold with WDW Olive; CC Mulled Berries with WDW Purple Majesty.  Changed GA Cidermill Brown to WDW Olive.  Replaced GA Lexington Green with WDW Sea Foam (to better match color on chart picture).  Instructions called for birds to be stitched in GA Old Purple Paint - I combined 1 strand of Old Purple Paint and one strand of GA Tin Bucket to stitch all the birds.

Pattern 6: Happy Birthday (June) - replaced CC Cinnamon Toast with WDW Hibiscus; when I ran out of that, I substituted GA Sweet Petunia.  Replaced CC Jakey Brown with WDW Cinnabar.

June

Pattern 7: Swan Lake (July) - replaced CC Camoflage with GA Aged Pewter and CC Magnolia Blossom with GA Oatmeal.

Bonus 1: replaced CC Cinnamon Toast with WDW Hibiscus; CC Jakey Brown with CC Cinnabar and CC Queen Bee with WDW Gold.

August

Pattern 8: Clara Ellen (August) - made substitutions which I do not recommend - this is my least favorite block.

Pattern 9: Moonlight Visitor (September) - replaced CC Almost Auburn with WDW Nutmeg; CC Cappucino with WDW Mother's Day; CC Onion Skin with DMC 612; CC Tufted Yellow with WDW Light Khaki; CC Ye Olde Gold with WDW Olive.

Pattern 10: Pumpkin Farm (October)- replaced CC Gingersnap with WDW Honeysuckle and CC Peanut Brittle with DMC 437.

Low Contrast

Pattern 11: Evergreen Lane (November) - replaced CC Barn Door with WDW Red Rocks; CC Calico Kitty with WDW Terra Cotta; CC Camoflage with GA Aged Pewter.  Note that the color designated to surround the windows did not contrast very well with the pane color.  I did backstitching around the windows using the door color to give them some contrast.  If I had to do it over, I'd use the door color to surround the windows instead of the called for color.

Pattern 12: Elizabeth Jane (December) - replaced CC Avacado with GA Mustard Seed; CC Antique Lace with GA Antique Lace (frankly, I'm not sure that this wasn't an error on the chart and they meant to put Gentle Art as the manufacturer); CC Camoflage with GA Aged Pewter; CC Little House Brown with WDW Adobe and GA Flax (which I'd run out of) with WDW Angelhair.  Also, this chart called for CC Country Lane, but I never could actually find it used in the chart so don't go out and buy it.  Some of the snowflakes were to be stitched in GA Lexington Green and I said "No Way!" to that; I just alternated between WDW Angelhair and GA Antique Lace.  Note that I added more snowflakes and changed the blackbirds to male and female cardinals; I omitted the blackbird on the chimney holding the heart.  The male cardinal was stitched using WDW Baked Apple and the female cardinal was stitched with GA Mustard Seed with her breast done in WDW Adobe.

December

Bonus 2: For Those Recorded Here - replaced CC Avacado with GA Mustard Seed; CC Calico Kitty with WDW Terra Cotta; CC Jakey Brown with WDW Cinnabar; CC Onion Skin with DMC 371; CC Peanut Brittle with DMC 437; and CC Sunkissed with WDW Cherub.  Note that the Cherub did not show up well against the linen color I was stitching this particular block on so I actually only stitched one motif with Cherub.  The rest of them, that called for Sunkissed, I just used the next lightest of the pinky reds and it ended up working out to my satisfaction.  Instructions given were that the house would be done in GA Aged Pewter.  I changed that to GA Banker's Gray so that it would be a blue-gray as shown in the picture.

Hope you enjoyed.

Happy New Year - The Big Reveal

Here's the wider view of the last bonus block of the Anniversaries of the Heart series.

Since I put myself on the month of January, it seemed redundant for me to put my information on the whole thing again.  I came up with a little phrase that summed up what the project was all about for me    >>>>

And it was the women of my heart that took center stage on this final bonus block.  Last time I talked about Miss Willie Fairfax - a story that came out sadder than I really wanted it to.  Miss Willie is a wonderful memory for me and I think her story is one of overcoming tragedy.

But this entry is about the other woman of my heart that I've highlighted on this block.

Dorothy Mae Kendrick.  Dot.  She is the most special person on this whole piece.  Dot is my guardian angel.  She is the lynch pin in my life; responsible for where I am today.  Not kidding.  Oh, she also taught me my first swear word.

This is a great story!  Dot was my mother's best friend.  She lived on Glendale Avenue and we lived on Luray Avenue in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria.  Back then they were called row houses, what we lived in.  Nowadays they have the high falutin' call sign "town homes".  The houses on Luray and Glendale backed one another and were divided by an alley.  It's where the garbage was collected, the laundry was hung, the cars were parked.  And it was where the housewives hung out and (as my mother called it) "yacked" over the fence.

One day, Dot watched me for my mother.  Dot had a chihuahua called Peppy.  And that particular day that Dot was watching me, Peppy got ahold of Dot's family bible.  Dot was just beside herself with greif at the destruction of the bible and had quite alot to say to Peppy about it.  When my mother arrived to fetch me, Dot was still in a state.  Concerned for her friend, my mom asked her what was wrong.  And before Dot could reply, I said "Damn dog got Dot's book" whilst glaring at Peppy.  Dot was absolutely horrified and could not apologize enough to my mother for swearing in front of me. 

This transgression is made worse when you consider the following (that I did not learn for many years).  Dot's husband, Wes, didn't swear.  Ever.  I was in my thirties when I learned this.  We were visiting Dot and Wes and somehow got into a conversation about swearing.  Probably because I said a word (as my salty, uncontrolled tongue is wont to do) and Wes probably looked at me and asked why I'd want to go and say that.  Then he told me that in his whole life, he'd never sworn.  Never.  I still remember being surprised into stillness.  He told me that he'd just decided that it was nothing to be proud of and that he would not do it.  And he never did.  How many people can say that do you suppose?  Anyway, the story was always a source of great humor in our families.

I was always crafty and artistic and there were two people in my life who encouraged that.  One was Ray Wilkins, my art teacher for several years in high school.  And the other one was Dot.  If I was using crayons in a coloring book when I was little, painting rocks as a tween, drawing as a teenager, or stitching as an adult, Dot would always encourage me.  And sometimes, gently critique.  And it was always appreciated.  I painted her a ladybug rock long, long ago and she always makes a point of telling me that she has it still in her hope chest and when she looks at it, she always thinks of me.  I have a lifetime of happy and funny memories of Dot.

And thankfully I have a handful of memories of when Dot was there for me like no one else.  I had reached one of the lowest points in my life and had no one to go to for help or advice.  So I called Dot.  It was hard to tell her what my problem was, but there was never any condemnation from Dot and I always knew she loved me.  She said she'd need to think on it and she'd get back to me.  I think it was the next day when she set me on the coarse for the rest of my life.

Following her advice got me a job.  Then I met a really nice man and had a long relationship with him and his family that lead me to another job that lead me to my husband who I've been with now for nearly 21 years.  None of those things could have happened without Dot.

Dot and Wes (seated) and my mother at our wedding in 1991

Dot & Wes about 1993

For years we'd go and visit Dot and Wes.  Then Wes passed away in 1995.  Still we continued to visit Dot; a more or less annual pilgrimage where we would play catch up and laugh about old times.  Then, to be nearer to her own children, Dot moved to Richmond and I would write to her.  And responses ended up not coming anymore.  This year I looked up her son and wrote him a note telling him that since it had been so long since I'd heard from his mother, I could only conclude that she had passed away.  I told him how sorry I was about that and that I had loved his mother dearly.  It had probably been a month or six weeks after I'd written to him when I got a little note in the mail - and it had Dot's return address on it.  It was a Saturday and my husband and I had just come home from running errands.  I got  the mail out of the box and was flipping through envelopes as I walked back to the car.  I got to Dot's note and realized what her return address meant.  As I got into the car, I was laughing and crying at the same time and could barely speak.  Husband was concerned and was asking what was wrong and all I could do was hand him the envelope and say "She's Alive!"

I immediately wrote her a response and apologized if I'd distressed her or her son.  The only mention of it in her note was that she'd said she loved me too!  That was such a wonderful day knowing that Dot is still somewhere - loving me.  And then it struck me that I wanted to put Dot somewhere on the Anniversaries of the Heart blocks.  So, I wrote her again, told her a little bit about the project and asked if she'd tell me her whole name and when she was born so I could make her a part of it.  I was thinking of adding her to the block of her birth month.  When I received her response, I just could not believe it.  Her whole name - Dorothy Mae Page Kendrick.  MAE.  I absolutely never, ever knew that!  Unfortunately I'd already done her birth month block, but I knew about the final bonus and was determined that's where she would be honored.

Dot's side of the block (at left).  You can see that I had to fudge some of the petals on the flower so I could get her name to fit. 

Since my phrase at center top was not as big as the original design, a lot of shifting took place.  The central flower was moved up; that gave more room to add Miss Willie's name below.  I also added a bunch of those diamond outlines all over the whole piece and another star in the lower left corner to reflect the one over the roof of the house.

Take note, I also changed the color of the house.  It was supposed to be stitched in GA Aged Pewter, but my Aged Pewter was clearly gray, not gray blue like the picture on the chart.  I wanted to use gray blue as that related to Miss Willie, so switched to GA Banker's Gray instead.  I am going to go through all my notes and do a future post that will hopefully have all the color substitutions and/or changes that I made.

Here are the two halves of the blocks out in the back yard the other day when we had temperatures near sixty.

 

And yesterday, I united the two halves.  However, our temperatures have taken a plunge (snow showers this AM) so I took the photo in my workroom instead.

 

It's been pressed and starched and awaits its outer borders.  Hope you enjoyed!

AotH Bonus Block - Part One

I've completed the final bonus block of the Anniversaries of the Heart series.  But, of course, as usual, I have to complicate things a bit.  First of all, I have two stories to tell about this final block.  Then, I have to stitch a border piece to go around the perimeter of the whole thing because I messed up when I was starting out and didn't allow for the extra linen we need on the sides for framing.  Too focused on getting started!

I have chosen another neutral linen and juiced it up with fray preventer and am just about to start stitching that border - I've even decided on the pattern I'm going to use.  But, right now I'm focused on stitching on the birth sampler and won't move to work on the border until I've reached a certain point on that.

Doesn't mean I can't show you a bit of the final block and tell you about Miss Willie Fairfax.  Don't you just love that name?  Miss Willie was my Godmother.  I have no idea how my parents knew her; whether she attended church with us in Alexandria, or she worked with my mother, or what.  But, we saw her a lot when I was little.  I can remember back to when I was three.  I have many vivid memories of that year and I know it was when I was three because we moved to Oakton, Virginia when I turned 4.

I remember riding the bus with Miss Willie down in Del Ray.  We went to Mr. Pasquallie's.  He was the shoemaker.  Really.  He actually made the shoes.  Of course, he repaired them as well.  Remember those times, when we wore shoes forever, having them repaired so that we could keep wearing them?  Now they're made to fall apart in six month - forget about repairing them.  I can still smell the air of Mr. Pasquallie's - all leather and shoe polish.  I also remember visiting Miss Willie at her house.  It was a craftsman-style bungalo and she had a veranda that was shady and wide and went around at least two sides of the house.  We sat there and sipped lemonade in the summer.

Miss Willie was a diminutive, blue haired, lady who smelled like lavendar.  I've done a little research on her.  I gather she was born about 1898; which would have made her in her 60's when I knew her.  The census information I can find on her is intriguing and I think that she and her sisters may have shared a family tragedy that changed their lives forever.  First of all, in researching, I was only able to find Miss Willie in the Census records three times; once in 1910, then 1920, then 1930.  Oddly, In 1910, she is with her sisters, Nannie L., Huldah V. and Fannie R., living with Nannie Sar??? and (perhaps) her husband Upton Sar??? with Emily ???? their grandmother.  Now, whether she is the grandmother of Nannie who is married to Upton or the girls, that is unclear.  In 1920 and 1930 the girls are living with their Aunt, Nannie Davis.  At all times, they are living in Alexandria, Virginia.  Then, I found a transcription of a Manassas Journal dated April 5, 1907.  It's one of those little society entries that says Misses Nannie and Huldah Fairfax, of Alexandria, were visiting Miss Lillian Hixson of Manassas for Easter that year.  So, I looked up Lillian Hixson and sure enough, she lived with her family in Manassas.  Then I found only two birth records for Fairfaxes, but both of them were at Wolf Run Shoals, Fairfax, Virginia.

Well, I grew up in Fairfax and never hear of Wolf Run Shoals.  Where was that?  Googled it and found that it was, interestingly enough, on the Occoquan River at the boundary between Prince William and Fairfax Counties.  Huh.  Did some more checking and found a blog about Civil War (River) Fords.  The guy was talking about Wolf Run Shoals, even had a picture of a Civil War era map on his blog.  When I blew up the map, it was noted with the names of property owners - namely DAVISes.  Well, that was just a little too co-inky-dinky if ya know what I mean.

Then I found someone's research on Rootsweb where the Fairfaxes and Davises of Fairfax/Prince William Counties are linked (one of those family alliances so to speak).  And I found a fella named George Caleb Fairfax who was married to Emma J. Fairfax in Washington, D.C. on October 15, 1891.  I actually found that marriage record.

And it got more interesting.  George had some sisters named Fannie, Huldah, Winnifred and Anna.  "Nannie" is a nickname for the names Nancy and Anna.  The researcher had written down that George had five children.  Didn't even put in his wife's name.  But, Emma was his 1st cousin,  daughter of his father's brother.  Maybe that's why they were married in Washington.

But wait, it gets worse.  There was a notation about him committing suicide while in jail, but that was it, no further explanation.  I was able to find lots of queries on Google about him shooting some guy, but again, no details.  So I dug deeper.  And then I found it.

George Caleb Fairfax was a mail carrier; delivered mail from Fairfax Courthouse (now Fairfax City) to the post office in Farr, Virginia (near Clifton).  According to newspaper accounts, George was insane.  He'd already attempted suicide by hanging himself.  His wife had discovered him and cut him down.  Well, this particular day, June 5, 1907, he went into the Woodyard Store in Farr, Virginia and, it is reported,  had a disagreement with Isaac F. Woodyard who worked in the store.  The disagreement was over where the Democratic primary polling place should be.  Even the papers remarked on the triviality of the disagreement.  Incensed, Fairfax went home, got his gun and went back to the store where he shot Woodyard at point blank range with a double barreled shotgun.  Woodyard died instantly.  Witnesses were in the store, one of them was Fairfax's own brother in law who attempted to stop him, but George Fairfax shot at him too.  Missed.  Then he ran off into the woods.

Pursued by witnesses and the sheriff, George Fairfax was found and taken to the jail in Fairfax City to be detained and await a preliminary hearing.  On the 7th of June the jailer discovered him collapsed on the floor where he confessed later to the doctors who were summoned to tend to him, he had taken strychnine tablets.  George Caleb Fairfax died when he was 38 years old.

I found George and Emma in the Census records only in 1900.  They were married with two children - Clarence and Maggie.  I don't think it's a stretch to say that Maggie could actually be Nannie.  I don't know.  But, that's my guess.  I also am not so sure that George killed Woodyard over a polling place dispute.  The reason I say that is because in the 1920 Census records, I found Emma (a widow) living with her son, Walter E. who was born in 1908.  So maybe there was more to the dispute between George and Woodyard?

I really think I'm onto something.  I think that the family were devastated by the press - this story ran in all the D.C. and Virginia papers - even down in southern Virginia.  I think that the girls ended up with an aunt - whose relationship I haven't been able to work out yet - and that their mother may have been cast out on her own.  If my guesses are right, they had a hard, sad life.  It would not have been easy at that time to overcome a scandal of that sort.  Clearly further research will have to commence.

Miss Willie made me a quilt, probably when I was a baby.  I remember always having it.  It was an Irish Chain quilt made with little squares of white and mint green and a 1930's fabric with white and mint and little tiny red tulips.  My brother was always sneaking off with my quilt.  Often he was allowed to do this because he was the spoiled brat, baby, only boy, of the family.  One day too many I caught him with my quilt - I guess I was about ten or so - and I grabbed it away from him and he grabbed it back.  There commenced a tug of war and the quilt split in the middle.  Typical of my mother (for she often punished me to punish him) she took the quilt away from me (as my brother had lost interest as soon as it was torn) and threw it away.  I have missed that quilt ever since.   I've even looked for a little 1930's print that would be close to the tulips, etc. so I could re-make it for myself.  Alas, no luck yet.

Sadly, Miss Willie died in 1988.  I have not yet been able to determine where she is buried and even more sadly, I have no photographs of her.  We lost contact with her after my family moved out to Oakton.  I would have liked to have visited her and wish I'd pursued it more then.  All I have left of her is up in my head.  And that's why she takes a spot on the bonus block of AotH.

 

Note that I changed the color used on the house to GA Banker's Grey.  I wanted a blue gray like was shown in the picture on the chart.  I have shifted some things around to accommodate names and wording, but stayed true to the charted design.  Hope you enjoyed.

1st Giveaway Winner and AotH Update

I set aside the birth sampler so I could work on the December block for AotH.  I can't believe that it's been nearly a year and I'm almost finished with the blocks.

Those who have worked the blocks ahead of me will note some significant changes.  This being a December block, I thought that a little Decemberishness should be displayed.  So, I changed the lower border into holly instead of flowers.  I used WDW "Holly" and GA "Cherry Wine".  Then I changed the birds into Cardinals - the lower one using GA "Apple Cider" plus the house color and the upper one repeating the "Cherry Wine".  Decided not to pretend that my ancestor had made this "sampler" and just put in REMEMBER instead of REMEMBER ME and threw in some extra snowflakes.  I alternated the snowflakes between "Antique Lace" (I used the GA version) and GA "Oatmeal".  Oh, I also was not going to do a green star on the tree with "Mustard Seed".  At least, my mustard seed was green, not gold or yellow.  So, I used "Apple Cider on that too.

The highlighted ancestress is Christina Trapp who was born on December 31, 1783.  She was born in Bullskin Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania.  Back then, it was the frontier.  The Revolution was only just over.  The Whiskey Rebellion yet to begin.  I've been reading up on early county history and from what I read, families were really self-sufficient.  They had to be their own blacksmiths, tanners, farriers, etc.  Christina's father, Andrew, was born in Salt Like Township in 1760 according to researchers.  I think that's just a little too early.  In 1760 they were still fighting the French & Indian War.  Things were bad with the natives in southwestern PA, so I'm not sure that her father would have been born there.  Andrew was the first Justice of the Peace in Fayette County (which was formed the same year Christina was born).  He also operated a mill.

Christina's mother was Catherine.  She died between 1783 and 1789.  In 1789 Andrew remarried and this second wife bore him 10 children.  As an older sister to all those babies, Christina learned how to care for children, and I guess love them - lots of them!  She was married to a neighbor, Michael Senff, on February 12, 1804.  She and Michael migrated on to Ross County, Ohio where they would eventually settle in Green Township.  Christina was the mother of 13 children.  She would lose 7 of those children either at birth, in infancy or childhood.  Can you imagine, having half of your children die?

I am sure that Christina was a needleworker.  She may not have done much for pleasure, but as much as they were pioneers in Pennsylvania and later, in Ohio, there was probably much utilitarian sewing that she had to do.  Christina died on November 17, 1839 and is buried at the White Churches Cemetery in Colerain Township, Ross County, Ohio. I only just found this tombstone picture posted on Find-A-Grave and am disappointed to see that her name was Christi -ANA - Not Christi-na.  I'm pretty sure that her husband knew the proper spelling of her name.  The info I have on her was mostly from my mother's research 30 years ago, so I'm not surprised that new information has now come to light.  I don't think I can change the name on the sampler - not enough room!  Boo Hoo!

I had a lovely lunch with my friend last week and she brought this needlepoint that she'd picked up at an auction.  She was asking me what colors I would use to fill it in.  I suggested a very light green for the bottom and a pale-ish blue for the top.  Then I told her how much I liked it and if she ever saw one like it at the auctions again, pick it up for me.

And then she hands it to me, just like that.  She said it was actually supposed to be one of my Christmas presents.  So, if anyone is out there who does needlepoint, I'm looking to get my hands on some Paternayan needlepoint wool.  Let me know if you have any resources - I know the supply is dwindling like crazy, but . . . It would be just wonderful if that company could pick itself up by its hindquarters and figure out how to do business again!  But, I LOVE this piece and can't wait to see it on the leather sofa I have imagined I'm buying soon. 

Finally, the winner of the giveaway is Theresa S. (aka KiddLady) of Kent, WA.  She's been notified by Email.  Sorry I was late posting the winner - I seem to have come down with the creeping crud after the busy weekend, so I was really under the weather and the covers yesterday.  The second giveaway of the Holiday season is this:

What we have here are two gently used charts - One is Polly the Witch from Brooke's Books and a little Christmasy piece called Sweet Nothings.  Charts only on these.  PLUS some nice little petite needles.  My fingers are too big and fumbly for petites, so it's your lucky day!  This time, you'll need to post a comment here and post about the giveaway on your blogs (for an extra chance).

 Oh, and I have lots of pictures of the Civil War extravaganza, but they're on my other camera that I (DUH!) left in a friend's car.  I hope to get it back tomorrow so I'll fiddle with the pics and get something posted later in the week.  Hope you enjoyed!

Addendum to Last AotH Update

Ugh - DUH!  I really have not been operating on all four wheels lately!  First, thanks to all of you who posted compliments on the block and commiseration on our car situation.  Husband is out right now shopping for a new car.  Son is still alive.  All good.

Now, to refresh your memories, I'd told you that at the bottom of the November block, I'd put my great grandfather's initials and that he'd served in the 116th Illinois Volunteers in the Civil War.

What I forgot to put in the post was the wonderful picture that we have of him and his wife, Cyntha Virginia Smith Cothren. 

Cornelius Piet Cothren was born May 27, 1845 in Ramsay township, Fayette County, Illinois.  His mother was Margaret D. Harris and his father was Calvin Cothran.  Margaret and Calvin were divorced when Cornelius was still a toddler.  Margaret later married George Washington Guthrie and they migrated to Cedar Vale, Chatauqua County, Kansas between 1860 and 1870.  In the meantime, the war was upon them and Cornelius signed up with the Illinois Infantry, mustering in on August 14, 1862 at Decatur, Illinois.  In this photo, he is wearing lapel pins that have his company number and another number.  I believe that he was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic - a Union veteran's organization that formed after the war.   Because of the regalia he is wearing and the flag pin on Cyntha's shirtfront, I like to think that they had this picture made on the 4th of July.  Cornelius is buried at the Wadsworth Cemetery in Leavenworth, Kansas.  Hope you enjoyed!

Oh, What A Week I've Had - and AotH Update!

Snoses

First it was the OcSNOWber storm.  Our power was cut off for four days.  I've decided that while I CAN survive, I am not a pioneer woman.  I like my electronics way too much.  I LOVE my power company for getting us back up and running ahead of schedule!  In these pictures you can see my Windy Ridge walnut tree in the snow and the following day you can see how the snow was hanging onto the ridges and fall was back.

That got us to Tuesday.  Fast forward to Thursday, my son had an accident with probably the best made mailbox this side of the moon and sheared off the passenger mirror and both door handles on my mini van.  You cannot open the doors (from the outside) on that side of the car.  In orbit around the moon was about where I was five seconds after seeing my car.  Nuf said.

Then there was Friday morning - about 7 AM when my husband called.  You know it's going to be bad when the first words out of their mouth are "I'm O.K."  But, the car was totaled.  His car this time, not mine.  But, he's O.K.  and I really am very grateful for that.  His chest is still really sore from where the airbag deployed into it, apparently trying to make it out the other side, but he'll be fine.  The car, not-so-much.  Fortunately, we've got good insurance and I'll pick up the rental car tomorrow. We will have to get him a new-to-him car and we were already talking about getting a new car for me.  We'll have to spend quite a bit of time sorting it all out.

But, this morning I put the tahdah on the November piece of Anniversaries of the Heart.; so not everything is coming up crappy.

This month's featured female ancestor is Barbara Grove.  She is one of my oldest American born female ancestors, being one of my 4th great grandmothers.  She was born November 1, 1743 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.  That's the Norristown/King of Prussia area.  Barbie's parents were Jacob Graf (alternatively spelled Groff) and Maria Ledrach Graf.  They were presumably from Germany, but I haven't worked those lines back far enough to know.  Barbara married Joseph Warner in the Old Goshenhoppen Church located in Upper Salford Township (Montgomery County) in 1774. I just love that name Goshenhoppen.  Joseph owned and operated a fulling mill in Cumru Township, Berks County, PA.  You can read about fulling mills and how they finished cloth here.  

If you read about the fulling process you'll read about TENTERING  and tenterhooks.  I think it's funny, being on tenterhooks was a phrase my mom used often.  I wonder if that phrase worked down through her family to her from Barbara's family.  I mean we use funny words that our parents used, right?  Joseph was from Chelsea which is a suburb of London, England.  Chelsea is on the shores of the Thames and if you look at old maps, you can see symbols that look like the Tentering Racks mentioned in the write up.  Joseph came to America in 1767/68 and learned the fulling process from his Graf/Grove in-laws.  Family tradition holds that Joseph produced linen cloth in his mill that was used to make uniforms for the Continental troops of George Washington.  One thing is for sure, if her husband operated a fulling mill, Barbara had access to cloth and was probably a heck of a seamstress and needleworker.  They had five children.  Barbara died in Adams County, Pennsylvania in 1831, probably living with one of her adult children.  But, she was buried with her husband in the Sinking Spring Cemetery near Mohnsville, PA

You'll also notice another line below Barbara's name - CPC 116th ILL. Vol. - represents Cornelius Piet Cothren, one of my great grandfather's.  "Corny" fought in the Civil War serving at Vicksburg, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Stone Mountain (among others) and finally Sherman's March to the Sea.  Only one third of his regiment survived to muster out in Washington on June 7, 1865 - 23 days after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.  As a man from Illinois I'm sure that was a very sad time for Corny.  His wounds and diseases (he was stricken with typhoid, chronic diarrhea, and piles; he lost the use of his left thumb due to an improperly tended fracture and had an unhealing wound on his foot that was two toes wide.  Poor Corny died on November 20, 1925 at Fort Leavenworth.  No, he wasn't there for punishment - he was at the VA Hospital.

With regard to the November block, I decided to omit the trees that went up the side of the house.  It started off that I didn't like the color and then I decided I wanted more "white space".  I substituted for all the Crescent Colors flosses.  On the house I used all the called for flosses and ended up not being able to see the window surrounds.  I was disappointed by that.  I ran a backstitch in the door color all around the window surrounds to make them stand out a bit more.  Doing it all over again, I would do the window surrounds in the door color.  However, I am very happy with the final results of my block.

Here you can see that November completes the first Anniversaries of the Heart panel.  December and the final Bonus Chart will complete panel two next month.  Then I'll have to work out the border in 2012. 

Now I'm moving on to Opus Magnusson, but I have been working on the Christmas Stocking for my daughter in law and hope to show you all the progress soon.  Hope you enjoyed!

End of September Update

I had planned on getting back to Opus Magnusson, after my start on the American Sampler, but, I got so busy and so into AS, that I just never did.  Here is my progress on the sampler -

I am stitching it on Lakeside "Navy Bean" 32 ct. and using the DMC colors.  That house was a bugger to do with all those over-one stitches, so I've begun cheating.  Instead of doing ALL over-ones, where I can, I am doing over-two and then doing the over-ones to complete; like in the sheep.  They were supposed to be done ALL over one.  I looked at that and said "Forgedaboudit!"  (I love the way Hugh Grant says that in Mickey Blue Eyes!)  Also, the windows are all done mostly over-one.  But what I did there was just a half cross stitch.  Got the same coloration I needed and took half the time!  YAY!

Some of you, like Siobhan, have correctly calculated that this is THAT chart that has tons of Queen Stitches.  I really dislike Queens.  I will try and do the thing as charted, but if those Queens give me fits, I will convert those sections over to cross stitch - or some other stitch that will cover; I am not into self-torture.

Husband's car has been repaired, mechanically.  Thanks to all of you who inquired after my son's welfare.  He's absolutely fine.  The judgement of the mechanic (and others he's consulted) is that the value of the car makes it not worth continuing with the major body work that the car will need to be brought back to where it was.  So, looks like we've got to get Husband a new car sometime soonish.  Husband is stubborn, so he's driving car until it falls apart underneath him.  I'm thinking of getting him a kevlar suit for Christmas.

At the same time that the car was wreaked, my dishwasher broke down.  When we bought it, the house had been outfitted with Jen Air appliances.  Except, for some reason, had no fridge.  So, we had to buy our own.  I'm a pretty loyal Kitchenaide/Whirlpool customer, so we bought a KA fridge.  Every single one of the Jen Air appliances have had major problems over time.  The oven door has never shut properly.  We had a repairman out when we moved in and he said, oh, you have that oven.  They know there's a problem, but they don't know how to fix it.  Say what?  I ended up having to put a strip of industrial velcro on it to hold it closed; can you believe that?  One day my husband went to open the oven and the plastic oven handle broke.  One day he left the oven door slightly ajar (you know how you do in the winter to get the residual heat into the house?) and the digital display no longer works.  The dishwasher had a small leak that we'd fixed a couple of times, but one day I opened it and the handle broke off in my hand (I swear we are not a family of Godzillas!)  Soon the delay feature on the dishwasher wasn't working and then it just wouldn't start at all.  My husband said it was some sort of relay switch.

We calculated the time and effort in repairing it versus going out for a new one.  Well, I've found the layout of that dishwasher difficult from day one.  Did some research, came up with a price for a new one and Husband said, let's go shopping.  So, for $449 we got a brand new model Whirlpool.  Even better, they're running a $50 rebate on it, so we end up paying just under $400 for it and got free delivery.  I even saved money by not buying the more expensive "stainless steel" finish.  Black looks just as good - even better since it won't require special cleansers like the SS.   Husband installed it the other night (savind $125) and I ran it for the first time yesterday while I was cooking dinner.  The dishwasher was quieter than the oven.  I am very pleased.  I have decided that if I can put a new oven in the hole for the old one I'm going to treat myself to a new one at Christmas.  I may have trouble because the microwave is over the oven and I'm not sure if they're a two-fer.  Will have to investigate that.

Will begin work on my Anniversaries of the Heart for October tonite or tomorrow so will update soon on that.  Hope you enjoyed!