The next-next generation

Since my children would be the next generation, I have titled this post as the 'next-next' generation. I see my grandchildren often and am lucky enough to babysit them. At times I have tried to show them different crafts that they could do. There is always paper, crayons and markers available. I have even started some of them on needlework. My own children used to do plastic canvas needlepoint and I still have some the pieces they have made. My eldest son actually made a model of his high school in plastic canvas years ago. One of my grandchildren, Esme, has taken to needlework at a very young age. This past summer, when I visited them in Nelson, British Columbia, where they were staying at the time, I brought a small plastic canvas kit. It was actually shown as a cross stitch kit. Esme started it while I was there and when assistance was needed (mainly to thread the needle), I helped out. 

It didn't take long for Esme to figure out how to cross stitch. Here's a photo of the finished piece. The family is now in France. 

Before arriving in France, they were in Barcelona and while there, a small kit was purchased. To remember the family's time in Spain, Esme chose this piece and is hard at work. It's almost finished and I am one happy grandmother (or Mummi.)I was on facetime with Esme and her mom this morning and before hanging up, Esme had to finish the rose. Now, all that's left are cross stitching the leaves. Determination. There are so many other things for Esme to learn - needlepoint, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, wool felting and on and on...

Updated frame

I finally went to the frame shop and got a new frame for the old needlepoint. It's not far from where I live and I have never used their services before. It took less than two weeks and the whole experience was not stressful at all. My daughter came with me to help choose the frame. I wasn't sure if I wanted gray or brown but in the end, the brown looked a lot better.

This is the 'before' shot.

And this is the 'after' with the new frame.

I tried to get a shot without glare. Both my daughter and I liked the wood grain that showed in the frame.

Going back in time

 In January, while I was in England, I kept busy doing a bit of crocheting.

I had purchased a couple of balls of yarn from Fabricland with the idea of making the new twins something.

Luckily, there were two different balls of yarn.

I don't often crochet but I don't mind doing it.

These are the finished items - a ball of yarn, directions and a soft, stuffed head.

I thought this was interesting. 

It's a little hand impression on a soft, thick blanket. It was of one of the twins in England.

I saw this on the way to the park. It's a hanging basket of flowers - in January.

Tomorrow is Canada Day and instead of wearing the traditional red and white, a lot of people will be wearing orange to "honour the Indigenous children who were sent away to residential schools in Canada." My middle daughter got an orange t-shirt from a friend of hers but it was a large size. She brought it over along with a book that has instructions on 101 ways to transform a t-shirt.

Here's her sister wearing the t-shirt after I transformed it. I just cut off a large chunk from the hem, sewed it so it's thinner and then gathered the top part. I sewed the two pieces together and voila, an easy fix.

While doing some searching and cleaning, I came across some needlepoint that I had forgotten about.

There were actually two. I asked my eldest daughter, who lives in British Columbia in an area where there are a lot of mule deer, if she wanted them. 

They need to be framed and the buck actually should be cleaned first. I still have another 'oldie' that I made but it's quite slanted. It's a couple of pandas and I suppose I could finish it and give it to one of my grandchildren.

Next Project?

Pieces on the floor. Some of the blocks were already done and you can see the book on the bottom left. It's by Kim Schaefer and the book is called "Cozy Modern Quilts." The quilt finishes at 50 inches square. I found some of the blocks done and all of the little black squares cut already. I'm debating as to whether or not to finish it right away or get down to quilting another baby panel. I was looking at either tops (flimsies) or parts of quilts that I could finish since there are 3 upcoming quilt shows. 

Last weekend I visited a couple of needle art stores. I wish there were more around but I guess people aren't much into cross stitch, needlepoint, petit point, crewel or any of the other needle arts. I was looking for needlepoint wool. Wow, what an education. While I wasn't looking, embroidery floss has taken over and it's more popular than wool yarn. 

 I took this and...

 this with me so I could match colours. I ended up changing the green in this. I got a lighter, prettier green yarn at the second store I went to after I purchased a whole skein of Persian yarn that is a really close match to this green. I just don't happen to like the colour and wanted something a bit brighter.

The ladies at both shops were really nice and helpful. Both of these canvasses were bought for $2.99 each at ........Simpsons (a Canadian department store)

 (http://departmentstoremuseum.blogspot.ca/2010/05/robert-simpson-company-ltd.html). 

If you're a Canadian, you know that Simpsons closed its last store in 1991. It's sad. Both Eaton's and Simpsons were great stores.

http://www.hbcheritage.ca/hbcheritage/history/acquisitions/retail/simpsons

There are other things that are keeping me busy and many more things that I could work on. I just have to decide which one is next.