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New and long lost stitching

I'm still wading through the posts dating back to 12-23. Thought I should take some time from reading to mention a couple stitching-related tidbits from my Christmas vacation.

My DSIL gave me TW's "The Twelve Days of Christmas" chart for a gift. If anyone has helpful hints for this pattern, please pass them along. Since all but the plain part of the border should be stitched over one, I'll have only one blended needle to worry about.

While we were visiting my parents, DD knocked a magazine off the back of the couch. When we pulled the couch out to retrieve the magazine, we discovered a plain, brown grocery bag. The dust was quite deep on the bag so the contents have been hidden from view for many years. I was shocked when I opened it; it contained a WonderArt SwifStitch kit ("Four Seasons") which I think I started sometime back in junior high school (roughly 25 years ago). Only a couple sections of long stitch were completed so it was mostly a blank canvas. The yarn appears to be all there. The needle and instructions/color chart are still in good shape. The problems are: Dust--tons of dust--in the canvas and yarn, and some kind of bugs got to the wool yarn and it is in terrible shape.

Should I remove the already completed stitching, buy 19 new skeins of yarn, beat the dust out of the canvas, and start over? Would there be any point in writing to the address on the instruction sheet? Is there any reason why this must be done with wool yarn instead of acrylic?

FWIW, I know there is a barely-started needlepoint kit "Scherezade" (sp?) hidden somewhere at my parents' house also! Beautiful colors but at the time I just couldn't figure out how to do needlepoint so it was put aside. If I ever find it, I'm sure I'll have to go through the same process for it.

Reply to
Brenda Lewis
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If they haven't cleaned behind the couch in 25 years, I feel a lot better about MY housecleaning!

Reply to
Karen C - California

You and me both ! ;-))

-- Carey in MA

Reply to
Carey N.

The odd part is I don't think the couch is that old. Other than pulling it straight out from the wall (less than one foot available), there is no way to move the couch. It was brought down the utility hall before the freezer, washer, and dryer were installed there and those would all have to be removed before the couch could go back out that way. Mom was horrified by the dust but not much she can do about it since none of us can fit into the space available to clean it. She's not supposed to do heavy cleaning anyway and the home health aides (who do clean the house) aren't required to move furniture when cleaning.

We have absolutely no idea how the needlework got back there. The whole shebang was big enough it couldn't have just slipped accidentally beh> Brenda Lewis wrote:

Reply to
Brenda Lewis

I'd say the problem with buying new yarn for a 25 year old project is that the color lot numbers may have changed in the interval and conversion charts may not be available. You might have to eyeball it. Some of the yarn colors might not be available in acrylic yarn. But otherwise, if you still like the canvas why not? I'd vacuum the canvas rather than beat it because you don't want to break down the sizing. Dora

Reply to
bungadora

Since there aren't any code numbers (just color names) for the yarn, I figured I'd have to eyeball the conversions in any case. Since I'll have to guess at quantities for each color, I want to buy something available really close to home in case I need more. Since the piece would most likely be framed for hanging, I'm not concerned about how the yarn would wear with use. I really need to make sure I'm getting the right weight to provide coverage for long stitch on a 12-mesh canvas. I'd rather use acrylic now since DH is allergic to wool and I wouldn't want to have little wool fuzzies floating around the house.

I'd have better luck pick> I'd say the problem with buying new yarn for a 25 year old project is

Reply to
Brenda Lewis

I've never used the dryer to remove dust, so I don't know how well that works. I don't imagine the piece is very large, and if you're doing it in long stitch, it won't warp as much anyway. If the sizing in the canvas breaks down by being knocked around in the dryer it might not be as much of an issue as if the piece were being worked in tent stitch. You might even be able to reset the sizing after tumbling if you mist the canvas with water and leave it flat to dry. I haven't actually tried this, but it seems like a plausible theory. Dora

Reply to
bungadora

FYI, the cleaning agencies I've dealt with have told me the same thing: their girls don't move anything to clean behind it. (In other words, they can dust the box of stash, or mop around the box of stash, but cannot put the box of stash away.)

Reply to
Karen C - California

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