Finally, a finish!

It took more than 18 months to stitch, but this stocking is in the TA-DA column!  It started off its stitching life on scroll bars, moved to stretcher bars for the bottom, then went up to the middle on stretcher bars to finish.  This was in progress in the heart of the pandemic, when threads were scarce, so I stitched what I could when I could.

The drapes and bedskirt were worked in an encroaching Gobelin stitch with three values of rose Impressions.  Santa's coat was fashioned in basketweave with two values of Petite Very Velvet.  The little girl's hair and Santa's hair and beard were stitched with Burmilana.  The trim on his hat and cuffs was stitched with French knots with Vineyard Silk Classic Bright White.

The coverlet was created with Vineyard Silk Classic in a Nobuko stitch for the center and outer band in encroaching Gobelin stitch.  The rug was worked entirely in basketweave using mostly Impressions, except for the gold, which was The Thread Gatherer's Sheep's Silk.

The stocking is already in the hands of the finisher and hopefully will be ready for Christmas 2021 to join the other three stockings in my youngest son's family.  But I'm weary of large projects, having now completed three in the last six months, and will look forward to something considerably smaller in the near future.
 

Mother's Day Memories

 Shirtwaist dresses, necklaces, permed hair, high heels, and shopping bags out the ying-yang.  That was my mother to a tee.  My mother was known for going to the mall to buy a pair of stockings and emerging three hours later with--believe it or not--one pair of stockings.  She hated to return anything, so what she didn't want was added to my closet.  She was known to borrow a dress from me and hike it up with a belt to allow for the fact that I was four inches taller than she was.

So what goes around, comes around.  Just this past week, I learned that my oldest granddaughter, just three, has inherited the "Shopping Gene."  Until recently that honor belonged to her father, the only one who could go shopping with my mother and, after four hours of cruising the mall, ask if there were any other places she'd like to go.  Did he know he'd be receiving his comeuppance someday when he chose my mother's name as part of his daughter's?

Happy Mother's Day, Ma--I'll always love you to pieces!