Needle book done! On to something new?

The needle book is done!  I just put the last stitch in it.  Now there is a lot of finishing to do.  I stitched this one 'in hand' which is not something I do very often.  I have never felt/thought that my tension is very good when stitched in hand.  I always feel that using stretcher bars is a better way to go.  So some reason I tried 'in hand' with this one.  It was enjoyable.  I think it looks fine.  (It is stitched with wool not cotton floss.)  I might try it again.  It is certainly more portable when you don't need to stretch the fabric.  Time will tell.....

Meanwhile - I am dreaming and scheming.  Prepare to hear stories of days gone by.  My family had a camp on the Schroon River and I spent most of my summers there.  I am embarking on a project to restore and/or replace the cabin that holds so many memories.  I have a lot of memories of my own but now I am hearing stories and being given hints and reminders by family members.   I started a separate journal to write those memories down in.  I am just warning you now....  Once I start talking about camp, I can't seem to shut up.

To this end, I put together the parts to do a new band sampler.  My father died a very long time ago.  I do remember him.  I had to memorize a poem for school and Daddy helped me do it.  The poem was Robert Frost's Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening.  Years ago the last stanza of that poem was charted and appeared in a magazine.  I saved it of course.  I have decided to stitch this up and hang it in the new cabin one day. 

I picked the dark blue which I imagine will be a challenge to these old eyes.  I pulled the DMC floss and I am ready to go.  I actually stitched parts of this when I did a mail art that was mailed to my son.  Now I want to stitch the whole thing.  Stay tuned.....