Rip it, rip it, rip it out ...

I was catching up on blogs this week ... and, read a post by Anna about a new, great, time-saving, needlework new thing. Ok, Anna, go ahead, correct me -- but I think "needlework new thing" describes it well. I followed the link in her post, read the article, watched the video & burst out laughing ... there goes several minutes of my life I'll never get back. Then, thud - slapped my forehead. Something about all that basting with red nylon thread ... yeah, I just knew there was a special pattern in my basket -- started -- and set aside because I was not confident about the color choices I made ...
This is Free c.2008 Teri Richards. This is a photograph of the freebie from the Shepherd's Bush web site: It is supposed to be stitched with overdyed floss by Crescent Colors (DMC number provided) on 28 ct linen - with tan lines. I was given the pattern & the flag button. Naturally, I found some linen in my stash & pulled out fibers and basted the areas where the tan lines were supposed to be & started stitching. Selecting the blue (lettering) & red (flag) were easy -- then, finding a good green, red (same as the flag), pink for the vine -- ok, going well. Pulled out some yellow & gold -- just not sure about the dark blue stars. That navy blue ... nope, not right. Set it aside.

As I said previously, after reading Anna's post, I got this out again & started removing the navy blue stitches -- I removed the blue stars (corners of the flags & two of the now empty squares). And, IMO - this project is ready to FINISHED ... and I am thinking to follow my first instinct, to make the stars GOLD or YELLOW - instead of the navy blue suggested. Might perk up the piece. Last, I'll get the grid around the motifs stitched in -- I'm thinking to use london fog or something that looks good with the linen + motifs.
Stay tuned. - - - - - - -
The Valparaiso Dolls & Friends are having their annual Doll & Teddy Bear Show 9/7 at the Porter Co Expo Center (Valparaiso, IN)10am-4pmEntry $5.00 Per the newspaper: " There will be more than 100 tables of dealers with all kinds of dolls from antique to modern and lots of bears. Proceeds benefit local, regional and national charities. Phone: 219.923.3803."