ANOTHER FINISH! THE MULTICOLOR ITALIAN WHATEVER-IT-IS, IS DONE. Yup! It's done. Final finished dimensions (not counting the tassels), are 60 cm wide x 45 cm tall (about 23.6 inches wide by 17.7 inches tall). It's stitched using one thread of standard DMC cotton floss on 40 count linen. The stitches used are double running, Montenegrin, and two-sided Italian cross stitch. Although the thing is mostly double-sided, I did not take any special measures to hide ends.

ANOTHER FINISH! THE MULTICOLOR ITALIAN WHATEVER-IT-IS, IS DONE.

Yup! It's done. Final finished dimensions (not counting the tassels), are 60 cm wide x 45 cm tall (about 23.6 inches wide by 17.7 inches tall). It's stitched using one thread of standard DMC cotton floss on 40 count linen. The…

STITCHING FINISH, BUT NOT FINISHED-FINISHED And so the stitching on the Italian multicolor piece is complete! The sprigs are done. I will do a final patrol over the thing to see if I might have forgotten to fill a spot, or left out a curlicue, but unless something surfaces, there is no more double running, Montenegrin, or two-sided Italian cross stitch to work. What I am up to now is the narrow rolled hem.

STITCHING FINISH, BUT NOT FINISHED-FINISHED

And so the stitching on the Italian multicolor piece is complete! The sprigs are done. I will do a final patrol over the thing to see if I might have forgotten to fill a spot, or left out a curlicue, but unless something surfaces, there is no more double…

LET THE SPRIGGING COMMENCE! (AND A PRESENT) First, let's get the present out of the way, since that's what most of you are here to see. In honor of the Year of the Horse, here is a linear strip, for your personal/non-commercial use. Now on to the blather. I have finished the outer frame and wide inner band on my Italian multicolor piece. The next step is the interior edging of sprigs that circle the two empty panels, left and right.

LET THE SPRIGGING COMMENCE! (AND A PRESENT)

First, let's get the present out of the way, since that's what most of you are here to see. In honor of the Year of the Horse, here is a linear strip, for your personal/non-commercial use. Now on to the blather. I have finished the outer frame and wide…

POST HOLIDAY CATCH-UP Greetings to all on the flip side of 2025. The year had its ups and downs, but ended with a sweet rush of family and friends, both visits and visiting. Thus fortified, I head forward into 2026. First a couple of housekeeping details related to my books, broadsides, and posts. To the person who wrote to my address saying that they heard I was deathly ill, and asking if I had passed, so that my copyrights would all now be gone, I offer disappointment.

POST HOLIDAY CATCH-UP

Greetings to all on the flip side of 2025. The year had its ups and downs, but ended with a sweet rush of family and friends, both visits and visiting. Thus fortified, I head forward into 2026. First a couple of housekeeping details related to my books, broadsides, and posts.…

COOKIE COUNT-DOWN FOR 2025 And as promised, the family shot of our 2025 cookie plate, with prep notes. Half for the entertainment of those who follow our misadventures, and half so I remember what the heck I did next year, when cookie time rolls around again. To start, we did two sets, more or less divided between keto/slimmed (lower carb) cookies, and "full octane" ones.

COOKIE COUNT-DOWN FOR 2025

And as promised, the family shot of our 2025 cookie plate, with prep notes. Half for the entertainment of those who follow our misadventures, and half so I remember what the heck I did next year, when cookie time rolls around again. To start, we did two sets, more or…

UPDATING THE PENNY METHOD A while back I posted about using a penny, a cell phone, and a bit of math to determine the thread count of linens, both evenweave and skew. And now the US penny is quickly charging to extinction, abandoned by the US Mint, and soon to disappear entirely from circulation. Which means that I need to issue an update. Voila!

UPDATING THE PENNY METHOD

A while back I posted about using a penny, a cell phone, and a bit of math to determine the thread count of linens, both evenweave and skew. And now the US penny is quickly charging to extinction, abandoned by the US Mint, and soon to disappear entirely from circulation.…

A PI OF PIES Recipes for three pies – Apple-Orange; Chocolate Pecan; and Pumpkin Chiffon. Plus a recipe for a lard crust.

As a public service, in the run-up to the holiday season, I repost recipes for our family's trio of Thanksgiving pies.
string-or-nothing.com/2019/12/03/a...

TEN DAYS OF PROGRESS – KNIT METHOD COMPARISON Coming to the end of our recuperative sojourn out in North Truro. I had hoped to post pix of the aurora from here, but sadly last night was heavily clouded, and windy. So I maintain my record of weather-related disappointment in relation to notable sky events. But that doesn't mean that nothing has been accomplished in the past week and a half.

TEN DAYS OF PROGRESS – KNIT METHOD COMPARISON

Coming to the end of our recuperative sojourn out in North Truro. I had hoped to post pix of the aurora from here, but sadly last night was heavily clouded, and windy. So I maintain my record of weather-related disappointment in relation to notable sky…

CHARGING AHEAD ON MULTIPLE FRONTS We are making headway here! First, as I announced on FaceBook, I have completed radiation therapy. Minimal side effects to report even at conclusion of the course. We are now taking a bit of ease to recuperate both from the therapy itself, and having to drive out in the pre-dawn hours for 6:45 am appointments. 40 days of that doesn't sound too bad when compared to the decades over which we left early as commuters, but once you are no longer used to being part of the Dawn Patrol, it becomes a lot harder.

CHARGING AHEAD ON MULTIPLE FRONTS

We are making headway here! First, as I announced on FaceBook, I have completed radiation therapy. Minimal side effects to report even at conclusion of the course. We are now taking a bit of ease to recuperate both from the therapy itself, and having to drive out…

Yes we are. I am already subscribed for quite a few, just from my spawn and my niblings. I won't be done with those by Xmas. I am loathe to make promises I can't keep, but if I can get more yarn I may be able to swing it by April or so. No guarantees though, as much as I want to make Kes happy.

HOPPING OFF ON A DETOUR! Yes, I'm still working on the Italian multicolor strapwork cloth. But the holidays approach, and a topical whimsey presents itself. I am going to take a quick detour to kludge together a hat, then knit several for my various Offspring and Honorary Offspring. In specific, I'm going to knit topical event relevant frog hats, in egregious green. Complete with bulging Muppet like ping-pong ball size eyeballs.

HOPPING OFF ON A DETOUR!

Yes, I'm still working on the Italian multicolor strapwork cloth. But the holidays approach, and a topical whimsey presents itself. I am going to take a quick detour to kludge together a hat, then knit several for my various Offspring and Honorary Offspring. In specific,…

NEARING SECOND! Sorry for not posting many interim images this week past. The repeat has been established. Memorized, even. So progress is pretty much more-of-the-same. Not particularly visually interesting, just being repeat after repeat. But I'm now on the run up to the second corner. That diagonal just beginning to appear in the right side of the hoop will be the one that spans the corner, just like the one in the first corner.

NEARING SECOND!

Sorry for not posting many interim images this week past. The repeat has been established. Memorized, even. So progress is pretty much more-of-the-same. Not particularly visually interesting, just being repeat after repeat. But I'm now on the run up to the second corner. That…

QUARTER FOR YOUR THOUGHTS No, not inflation - at least not overtly. I'm just about 25% done with the frame around the outer edge of my Italian multicolor piece. Closeup posts of the bit currently under the needle are going to be repetitive from here on in, so I present the full canvas of this "painting." If it looks to you like I've sped up production - I have.

QUARTER FOR YOUR THOUGHTS

No, not inflation - at least not overtly. I'm just about 25% done with the frame around the outer edge of my Italian multicolor piece. Closeup posts of the bit currently under the needle are going to be repetitive from here on in, so I present the full canvas of this…

NOT QUITE EXACT, BUT GOOD ANYWAY So. More examinations of the corners of the big towel from the MFA, and my first corner. Here are the four corners of the original Not quite aligned but all there. Now my stitched corner as of this morning: It's closest to the one on the lower left, above. But not exactly. Look at this bit. That's a clear kludge. Not to brag, but my join is cleaner than this.

NOT QUITE EXACT, BUT GOOD ANYWAY

So. More examinations of the corners of the big towel from the MFA, and my first corner. Here are the four corners of the original Not quite aligned but all there. Now my stitched corner as of this morning: It's closest to the one on the lower left, above. But not…

CORNER AND TASTY MILESTONE My improvised corner on the current piece appears to be working out. And it looks like the original stitcher(s) hit upon the same notion, and did something very similar. Here's what I have: Note the extension of the zig-zag frame to a full iteration of the pattern, but one headed off on a right angle to the initial bit. And the beginnings of another red flower section in the triangle made by the border.

CORNER AND TASTY MILESTONE

My improvised corner on the current piece appears to be working out. And it looks like the original stitcher(s) hit upon the same notion, and did something very similar. Here's what I have: Note the extension of the zig-zag frame to a full iteration of the pattern, but…

TRUE CONFESSIONS I am very glad that I didn't focus on making this piece two-sided. At the outset, I thought about it. Hiding the ends on both Montenegrin Stitch and Meshy (Two-Sided Italian Cross Stitch, pulled tightly) are easy. Lots of real estate overstitched in which both beginnings and endings can be camouflaged. Double running is a bit more difficult, especially when one strand is used.

TRUE CONFESSIONS

I am very glad that I didn't focus on making this piece two-sided. At the outset, I thought about it. Hiding the ends on both Montenegrin Stitch and Meshy (Two-Sided Italian Cross Stitch, pulled tightly) are easy. Lots of real estate overstitched in which both beginnings and…

My Italian Fall No international or domestic tumbles involved. Only, just like that, my fall project begins. Yes, I am sticking with a project inspired by the big Italian towel/cover in my last post. I'm working it on a much smaller piece - a quotation rather than a full reproduction. I'm using the 19 x 27 inch (48.26 x 68.58 cm) piece of 40-count linen I mentioned earlier.

My Italian Fall

No international or domestic tumbles involved. Only, just like that, my fall project begins. Yes, I am sticking with a project inspired by the big Italian towel/cover in my last post. I'm working it on a much smaller piece - a quotation rather than a full reproduction. I'm using…

AHA! I've finally figured out what to stitch! Two years ago Friend Merlyn and I went to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and saw an exhibit that featured (among other things) this Italian masterwork. It's described as a towel done in Punto Scritto and Punto a Spina Pesce MFA Accession 83.242, Italian, 16th century, silks on linen. In terms of size, this piece is big enough to be a table spread to seat eight, much bigger than anything I'd think of as a bath towel.

AHA!

I've finally figured out what to stitch! Two years ago Friend Merlyn and I went to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and saw an exhibit that featured (among other things) this Italian masterwork. It's described as a towel done in Punto Scritto and Punto a Spina Pesce MFA Accession 83.242,…

Thinking aloud about what to embroider next. Feel free to chime in, but please click through to the post to see what I'm working with. string-or-nothing.com/2025/09/10/d...

A finish! And a discussion of how I un-spun then re-spun my vintage silk thread.
string-or-nothing.com/2025/09/09/p...

Kids are collateral damage. They really hate women, and want to force us all into being barefoot, pregnant, in the kitchen, minding all those children. All the better if we have to nurse them through illnesses - that just binds us closer to home.

Progress on Relentless Forward Progress.

Both are famous pieces that have gotten very little "air time" recently. Waybackwhen (pre 1980) there was a lady in the quiet edges of Carolingia who was experimenting with trapunto quilting, based on the Tristan quilt. I don't know if she persisted, though.

Motto and inner border complete. Now on to the outer framing border.

CONTINUING EXPERIMENTS The Grand Experiment of splitting the individual plies of my vintage six-ply Pearsall’s silk floss into component strands continues. So far it has worked out. I’ve only lost one of the …

More progress on Relentless Forward Progress, plus a look at what I'm planning for the outer framing border, along with the design challenges it contains.
string-or-nothing.com/2025/08/19/c...

I have turned in cash money with no identifying marks to the police, noting when and where I found it. Twice. Once I got it mailed back to me after a couple of months had passed, since no one stepped up to claim it. The other time someone did claim it and I got a "good citizen" note instead.

PLAYING WITH TOYS As I mentioned before, there’s no point in honoring a book called Forlorn Toys without showing some of the toys. So I drafted up a representative sample. I’m still filling in the backgr…

More progress! Plus musings on future plans.
string-or-nothing.com/2025/07/25/p...

ASSIST FINISH AND TOYS KICK-OFF At long last, ASSIST is complete. It still needs to be ironed and framed or otherwise prepared for display, but the stitching is done. The tumbled columns on the top are there because my life was p…

The promised post on the finish of Assist, and the kickoff of my next bit of stitching:
string-or-nothing.com/2025/06/07/a...

More than a WIP - stitching complete, ASSIST joins my ever growing pile of FOs awaiting framing or other finishing. Excuse the sickbed pin-out. I am not yet ambulatory enough to even consider hauling out the ironing board.

BLACKWORK/STRAPWORK RESOURCES HERE ON STRING Blackwork embroidery seems to be having an Official Moment right now, with tons of new interest. I’ve got a lot of resources here that might be useful to folk beginning or continuing their jo…

I have updated the list of blackwork embroidery resources on String-or-Nothing, including all of the material I have posted since that list was issued.
string-or-nothing.com/2023/05/09/b...