Erica's Stitches

I've got lots of pine trees ... and the squirrels took all the acorns from the scrub oak.  But ... I finished stitching the Pine Tree and Acorns mini-sampler. This seemed like it took a long time to start but it's only been since before Thanksgiving.  I had trouble finding time to work on it and I think I spent more time ripping then stitching. I still need to decide how to finish it.  If I could find a 6 inch frame easily I would be done.  Instead I'm trying to decide between a pillow or a wall hanging.

I keep all my cross-stitch charts in a file cabinet.  I haven't been in there too much recently so I pulled out my favorite folder:  Minis It's filled with free charts and smaller chart cards. I picked the Acorns and Pines Sampler from Little House Needleworks. I've been doing too much crafty sewing and not enough cross-stitching.  So, I'll probably work on a few of these for a while.  I saw some Christmas patterns in there that look like fun.

Quilted ... check Binding attached ... check Hand sew the binding to the back ... the first 2 feet ... check OK,  I've got a ways to go and this is were it starts to get tedious.  From now on, when I feel like stitching I MUST sew down a threads length worth of binding before I work on any other project.  After all, I'm only half way across one of the short sides. Mostly I'm looking at the back of the quilt (and I really like the acorn print I found).  But, every once in a while I catch a tantalizing glimpse of quilt underneath and that keeps me going. Every once in a while I look out the window and it looks beautiful.  I want to put the quilt aside and go outside.  But, the temperature is about 20 degrees cooler than it looks and a crazy wind is howling through the trees making it rather unpleasant out. So, maybe I'll sew another foot or so of binding down and hope for warmer weather tomorrow.

Acorns!  There are acorns on the Gambel Oaks this year! Usually there aren't many and they are quickly picked off by the squirrels. According to Wikipedia the acorn is a symbol of patience.  I believe it because I don't see them that often.  We have planted many baby oak trees and it will be years before any of them have acorns. Thinking back, I have many samplers with acorns on them showing a patience of a different kind. I also have very patient friends.  These acorns were stitched on a round-robin sampler. Isn't it fun looking at all the variations on a simple acorn design.  They are all different and they are all obviously acorns.  Makes me want to stitch some more acorns.  Maybe later.