What’s On Your Workdesk this Wednesday?
Apart from emptying a couple more batches of teabags, I’ve had to set aside my UFOs (UnFinished Objects) for a while because I’ve been asked to make something.
Cross Stitch Needle Books
Last week I was asked if I would make a needle book for someone, and she gave me free rein to decide on the design for the cover. We talked about a few of her interests and I thought I would be able to come up with something all right. Later, I had a brainwave – because of her interest in oriental rugs, I thought I would use some designs relating to this. It will be an extra special surprise for her because this was not a subject we discussed, and she won’t be expecting it.
A couple of days later my blabbermouth hubby told our sister-in-law about this project and of course she said she wanted a needle book too!! Oh well, if I’m making one, I might as well make two! I decided to make them the same.
On Pinterest I found a lot of gorgeous designs for miniature oriental rugs that people make for dolls’ houses, and I thought that was a good starting point. I downloaded several pictures and finally decided on two: one for the front and the other for the back cover of the needle books.
Scaling the designs
To get the most amount of detail, I am using 22-count Aida fabric (the finest I’ve got in my stash) and using either a single, or two strands of stranded cotton to work the designs, depending on how good a coverage I get – I’ll need to work a small sample to experiment.
I decided that the finished cover would measure 3 x 4 inches. Obviously the downloaded pictures were not going to have exactly the right proportions and would need some editing. Also, working at this small scale, I was going to have to lose some detail from the original designs. Knowing the finished size, and knowing the count of the fabric, I was able to work out that each design would need to be 65 stitches wide and 87 stitches tall.
I used to have a brilliant cross stitch design program called EasyCross but it ceased to work with later versions of Windows, and it no longer exists. The more recent available programs are not nearly so good and after experimenting with their trial versions I got rid of them, so it’s back to the trusty old graph paper and a pencil again.
Working on one-inch graph paper divided into tenths of an inch (my preferred size – with centimetres and millimetres the graph paper squares are much too small to work from comfortably), I plotted the basic shape, marking the centres both vertically and horizontally, and proceeded to sketch in the basic design. After this I was able to work on the details.
The front cover
This is the original design I chose.
Here is the design I have created.
The back cover
For the back, I chose this design.
Obviously I was going to have to alter this quite a bit because the proportions are very different. This is what I came up with
I am hoping that when they are stitched, they will resemble miniature oriental rugs! I love the design of these fabulous carpets.
Many years ago, I made a table runner adapted from a charted rug design in a book which I thought I still had, but after searching high and low, couldn’t find it. This is the piece I made, working in cross stitch on red Aida fabric. I think this one is 18-count.
Here are the two designs for my needle books, together with the 22-count Aida fabric and the stranded cottons I have chosen to work them.
I need to hunt through my stash to find some suitable fabric for the “pages” of the needle books. Traditionally this is a soft woven woollen fabric which would prevent the needles from rusting, but I’m not sure I’ve got any and I may have to use felt. The edges are cut with pinking shears to prevent fraying and to give that traditional decorative look.
Food
Last week we had two meals out and we took our own food. For the second one, I cooked for everyone. In addition to a large bowl of green leafy salad, I made these salads and the filling for some wraps:
I think they have all featured in “Recipe of the Week.” I also took some chocolatey nibbles for our tea, made with oatmeal, nuts and dates. Our hostess provided stewed apricots for dessert, which she had grown herself – really sweet and delicious! I took a bottle of custard made with soya milk for us to have – I just had to cook it on the stove to thicken it.
Nutrition update
A few weeks ago after I bought my soya milk making machine and discovered how many things I could make very satisfactorily with soya (including delicious yoghurt that thickens, unlike that made with nut milk), we took the final step in going totally whole-food plant-based, by ditching dairy. When my latest whole-foods order was delivered a couple of days ago I had a blitz on the freezer and finally got rid of a few things lurking in there, and my cupboards, pantry, fridge and freezer are now “clean”!!
My hubby had an appointment the other day at the doctor’s surgery for a cholesterol test. A few months ago they put him back on a statin which he’d come off a few years ago. They said it was necessary because of his family history of coronary artery disease and stroke. This is what they often do – they assume that just because there’s a family history of obesity and related diseases, it must be genetic and nothing to do with lifestyle.
Doctors generally have little idea of the importance of nutrition and can have as little as two hours’ tuition on the subject in their whole training, usually only relating to the special nutritional needs of patients suffering from specific diseases. Modern medicine does not generally address the root causes of disease but simply diagnoses it and treats the symptoms with drugs or surgical procedures. This system is perpetuated by the powerful financial influences of the big pharmaceutical companies who make no money out of people being cured, or dead people, but only out of sick people – and the huge vested interests of industrial animal farming and processed food manufacturers, hand in glove with governments. Many studies promoting the so-called health benefits of meat and dairy are funded by big agriculture. The western world now spends more on health care than on defence, and never has it been fatter and sicker.
Like nearly all his family, my hubby has been either overweight or obese nearly all his life, but this is not necessarily genetic. When I first met him, and long before I had much interest in nutrition and very little knowledge, I was appalled at the vast quantity of rich, animal-based food his family were habitually consuming. It’s very easy to blame one’s genes for being the way one is, when a change of lifestyle can prove otherwise. I wasn’t happy about him being on statins, that have been proved to have as little effect on preventing cardiovascular disease as 1-2 percent, and with significant adverse side effects. Recently he’d been complaining of muscle pain and I put two and two together and suggested it might be the statin. He contacted the GP and said he was coming off them, and within a week or two the muscle pain had disappeared. They asked him to come in for a test. We have yet to hear the result, but the nurse took his blood pressure and said that it was significantly lower than previously and was now normal!!
I am expecting his cholesterol levels to be significantly reduced as well. I do not know whether they test for total cholesterol or whether they distinguish between the dangerous LDL variety and the essential and beneficial HDL, so the resulting figure may be a bit misleading.
What we are doing with our lifestyle is obviously working. The whole-food plant-based diet is the only diet that has been proved to prevent and actually reverse a whole range of chronic conditions including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes which are caused by the standard Western diet high in saturated fat and animal protein, and it has the added bonus of significant and sustainable weight loss. My hubby is doing extremely well in this department as well and everyone is now noticing how slim he is starting to look! He is very pleased with his own progress, and for the first time is more engaged with his weight and health, although he is still reluctant to dig a little deeper and understand the science behind this lifestyle, and also the ethical and environmental implications of animal-based eating.
Kitties
Again, it’s Ruby stealing the show this week. At last the weather bucked itself up enough to allow us to sit out for lunch a couple of times, and inevitably, the kitties joined us – they love pottering around knowing that we are nearby.
Ruby suddenly showed great interest in something she heard on the bank in amongst the lavender.
Total focus and concentration! Eventually she gave up – I have no idea what it was! The following day she continued to be interested in the same place, but didn’t catch anything.
Yesterday my hubby bought two new storage boxes, and put them in the sitting room to see if anyone would be interested in investigating them. Within minutes, Ruby got into the first one.
What is it with kitties and boxes?
Clothes
Modelling for you this week – a gorgeous top I fell in love with and had to buy at the Totnes Show last year. It had my name written all over it! Seen here worn over a long-sleeved black T-shirt, with my black harem pants and a natty scarf. (Note the matching socks.)
Sorry I got to visit so few of you last week but I was very busy. I am still catching up and needing to rest, but there’s always a lot to do!
Have a great creative week, everybody.
You have had a busy week Shoshi. Good to hear the effect of the plant based diet on your husband’s health. Ruby certainly loves her boxes (but then, she is a cat lol). The designs for the needle books look amazing. Can’t wait to see the finished pieces. Stay safe, meow to the kitties and happy WOYWW. Sarah #?
I LOVE your designs for the cross stitch, they are so beautiful and actually, I think there’s nothing better than sitting down and working out a chart on graph paper, I used to do it when I knitted fairisle jumpers, was always making up my own patterns. My friend has croccstitched several rugs for her four dolls’ houses and they are beautiful too. Your friend will be thrilled when she gets her needle case!
Hugs LLJ 3 xxx
Give a cat a box and you’ve got a friend for life! Your cross stitching is lovely – I really haven’t got the patience to do it.
Wow those cross stitch needle books will look amazing when complete. You are a very clever person to work out all the science about the cholesterol treatments etc. So often we just take the experts advice and they rarely treat from a holistically perspective. Gorgeous kitty, enjoy your sunshine as you stay safe.
Sandra de @9
Your post is always so interesting! I am so impressed with the proposed needle case rugs – cant wait to see the finished project!
As regards diet – my husband and I have been vegetarian (with a little bit of fish) for the last 40 years. The problem I am having at the moment is that I am gaining weight. Same diet, not enough exercise for the last 3 months…
Happy woyww! Stay safe and keep well. Susan #15
You WOYWW-ers have inspired me to get my cross stitch out again after 15 years! Your needle books like very intricate and fiddly!! I’m really impressed by your whole food diet. I keep trying and failing but with more time now I intend to fully research more options of what I can eat to make things more interesting. Have you read “How Not To Die”? They have an info book, which was the original one (the one that I have on my shelf to read) and they also have a cook book out now too. I’ve heard amazing things about both. Have a fabulous week, Lisa-Jane #2
Hi Shoshi, love the dress, as you say, very you. I think they do measure for both types of cholesterol, I’m pretty sure mine did. The garden is looking gorgeous, so much colour. Stay Safe, Have a lovely week, Hugs, Shaz #7 X
Those needle books look beautiful – now we will all want one 😉 Ha ha Ruby is SO helpful testing out the storage boxes for you . Another stunning outfit – Love that top !!
take care and have a lovely week . Soojay #22
I love your cross stitch designs. Those little needle books are going to look wonderful when they are done.. I that top on you – it really does suit you so much. The kitties made me smile as usual, and good news that your methods are working on your hubby! So pleased. Happy WOYWW. Take care and stay safe. With love & God Bless, Caro xxx (#1)
Loving the designs for the needle books, they are gorgeous. I have one of my late parents’s oriental rugs (sadly rolled up in the other room, not enough space to display it at present) which I couldn’t bear to part with. the designs are very familiar! have a good week – glad you’re keeping busy!!! Helen #17
Well, we can trust that nothing you do is simple and ordinary – those rug designs look amazing and I’m sure they will ‘wow’ the ladies you’re making them for. They look very fiddly though! (But hey, they don’t know what you’re making and you can always change your mind, we won’t tell!) Love the picture stories of Ruby – so funny with your annotations. Your top is so pretty, although I would probably call it a dress – I have one quite similar from India – I practically live in it in the summer! Very hippy and psychedelic the way you model it – takes you straight back to the 60s! Have a lovely week Shoshi and take care! xx
Well now we’ve discovered your hidden talent can you run me up a rug for the hallway please haha.
You look fabulous in that top. I love the whole outfit including your headscarf. You always look super and so individual Shoshi.
Take care
Lynn xx
Great outfit Shoshi and loving the kitty pics. Loving the stitch projects too. Have a fun week and and a happy woyww, Angela x14x
Hi Shoshi!
I absolutely love the tiny carpets, my doll’s houses all have a few Persian-looking rugs in them but none as fabulous as yours.
Love the Lily and Ruby photos, cats are so inquisitive, aren’t they? Put anything on the floor and they’re in it, on it or walking over it.
Your food looks gorgeous, really tasty. Middle Eastern food is one of my favourites. I suppose Jon & I are lucky in that we don’t gain weight and other than my hip & Jon’s knees our blood pressure & chloresterol are spot-on. I’ve been a lacto-vegetarian since I was 18 months old and don’t have a sweet tooth or any inclination to eat between meals, Jon enjoys meat but only eats it when he goes out for a meal (except in India) and that’s something we haven’t done since the beginning of March!
Your trapeze top is lovely, I like how you’ve picked up the teal with the matching socks!
Have a lovely week. xxx
Love the needle case designs, I had a great CD cross stitch designer but as you say with updates it would no longer work. I designed the UFO rug on it. 22 count you must have good eyesight for that.
I agree with you about the pharmaceutical companies only wanting sick people. I am sorry but will not give to cancer research anymore as I am convinced a cure has been found for all cancer but for this reason they only want sick people. A few years ago I went on a ‘wheat free’ diet it did wonders for my weight, diabetes, cholesterol levels etc. You would be surprised at the food that contains wheat of one description or another. Someone recommended the book ‘the wheat belly diet’ I am not in agreement with American writers of such books but found this fastinating.
Sorry to go on but something hit a nerve with me. Ani #6
Interesting point about the western world – $ spent on health care yet we have never been fatter or sicker. I have to say that dieting played havoc with my weight health over the years, and I am so over the latest info about foods and diets. I was vegan for many years, vegetarian for many more – I still mostly am. Fantastic how a plant based diet is being so great for your husband. IT is a nice way to live. I am so impressed by your needlepoint – what a gift you have. So beautiful.