EMBROIDERY STITCHES : ONE HUNDRED EMBROIDERY STITHCES

ONE HUNDRED EMBROIDERY STITCHES – published COATS & CLARK’S BOOK No.150-B, published 1979, original cost 60 cents. 

A few months ago I purchased an embroidery sampler book with a wide variety of stitches, I want to finish the book BUT many of the stitches I did not know and could not find a lesson on how to do them. I have searched YouTube and purchased books to no avail, until I discovered this used book. 

ONE HUNDRED EMBROIDERY STITCHES my not have all the stitches I need but it has many of them. What I am discovering is the best book for learning how to do various stitches are often out of print books. Thus, sources like WORLD OF BOOKS and THRIFT BOOKS, there may be others will have books for how things used to be before machines took over. I have found this to be true with quilting and applique as well.
ONE HUNDRED EMBROIDERY STITCHES arrived encased in a plastic envelope, my plan is to have a printer duplicate the booklet, 33 pages, to preserve this classic book. WHAT A FIND!

WRITTEN by Marsha L Floyd
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

GARDENING FAILURES

 

I THINK THIS IS FROM 2021 
NEW PICTURES PENDING

I do not believe in spending a lot of money buying things to grow That my ancestors grew without. Such things as store bought raised beds, fertilizers and even pre-built greenhouses, these items can be a budget buster or a waist of money if you decide you don’t like gardening.  I have always loved gardening, when I lived in Maryland, Florida and now North Carolina, and have had varying success. Even farmers have failed cop!

One of the best lessons I learned from my gardening failures, the first lesson,  is the type of gardener I am.

This gardening season Grok has become my new best friend. I have quite a few gardening books and my favorite seed catalogue: The Whole Seed Catalogue. Lesson number two: research, research, research.

This year I chose to order plants not seeds because, work and those hand embroidery projects have kept me very busy.

In preparation for having a flower and vegetable garden,  I coordinated ordering my plants with the work my yardman was commissioned to do.  The plants came, days before he was scheduled to work,  but he did not show up for over 3 weeks; he is scheduled to cut my grass every two weeks.  I fired him, this was the second time he canceled his services with me in exchange for another job.  Lesson number three motivated me to not depend on the new yardman to do what I need to get done in a timely fashion.

The new yardman prepared my ground as requested and I went out and purchased plants.  It is important for the reader to understand; I have to coordinate my work schedule with yardwork and an embroidery project. I ordered plants for the raised bed flower area, and then on my day off I went to two places too purchase the plants I wanted from a customer I trusted.

My plants are in their proper containers. Unlike the first time I planted vegetables, when I lived in South Florida, I used soil specifically for container vegetables, my ancestors grew everything in the ground and used homemade compost- I don’t have time for that, not this year. With each plant I double checked with Grok as to: what size container, the number of plants per container, and were two different plants compatible. Grok said no to one but yes to the rest!

As I was winding down, I was very excited to discover there was ginger in a container. I had not harvested the ginger last year even though I knew it was ready because I did not know what to do with all of it.   Lesson number four: Know what to do with what you produce before it is time to harvest.

I am looking forward to my potential harvest. I have already decided to use what I deem necessary to be successful, knowing my ancestors will be proud. After all, I am living in my grandfather’s house, he was a successful gardner,

Written by Marsha L Floyd
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

 

I WANT TO QUILT

 

A QUILT I MADE FOR MY GRANDDAU

Friday, January 23, 2026 2:31:24 PM

I am watching SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL QUILT COLLECTION:AN OVERVIEW, prior to this I was watching a video on hand embroidery: HAND EMBROIDERY ART-Step by Step Design and Embroidery, because I want to quilt and embroider.  In my perfect world I would write and hand craft but in reality I do those things but I also must work. 

The reason for this blog: MARSHA SEWS AND GROWS AND COOKS, is to chronicle my journey, my struggles and my successes, but mostly struggles. I am ever learning because I often do something that doesn’t work, it is in those errors that I learn the most.

What I learned today, from this video, the basics are better than the trends.  I had long since turned away from quilting trends and amd doing those things according to how my instincts and desires lead me. Once upon a time people did it “that” way. 

For example: About 2 years ago, I started piecing fabric remnants together thinking I would just add pieces to the ‘thing’ until it looked like a quilt top. I learned in the video that in 1897 EDNA FORCE DAVIS started working on a CRAZY PATCHWORK QUILT that she completed in 1929  That is 32 years of sewing every now and then, I don’t know if they were called crazy patchwork quilts, patchwork quilts or just a quilt. Today they have precut pieces and books that tell you how to make a crazy patchwork quilt in addition to instructional videos.

No, it is not that I am not making a quilt incorrectly I am just not doing it like them. Today I learned what I knew instinctively, I have a unique style but it is not an original style. It is confirmation, validation that I am on the right track. The way I want to quilt is the way quilts have always been made but, like the quilters of the past, with my own unique style.

WRITTEN by Marsha L Foyd

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

FOOD NOTE: HONEY

 

In my first FOOD NOTE post I shared information on sugar, which I am trying to decrease my personal usage. I have not been a fan of honey until I tasted “real” honey. I consider real honey as the stuff I get from a beekeeper not a store.  

The following videos share: what is at the store, the difference between store bought and farm sourced , how honey is made and e different types of honey.  I now know why I do not like store bought honey and I understand why the honey I purchase from farmer’s markets are different colors. 

At the store: 

The difference between store bought and beekeeper bought: 

How honey is really made

Why "natural" honey comes in different shades of yellow

WRITTEN by: Marsha L Floyd

Friday, January 16, 2026 8:06:36 AM

FOOD NOTE: SUGAR

My 2017 container garden! 

I am determined to not just grow foods but store them as well, as part of my getting healthy journey. Because I am learning I think it will be best, for now, for me to share information from my sources. 

As my first post on the series, I will call, FOOD NOTES I will discuss sugar. I no longer use white sugar but cane sugar. White sugar is cane sugar as you will see with a unique difference.  My next episode will be about honey

WRITTEN  by Marsha L Floyd
Friday, January 16, 2026 7:49:14 AM

GIVING IT AWAY

 

Wednesday, November 5, 2025 3:53:08 PM

The oversized doll is over 35 years old 
3 Rag-dolls I made (not for sale)

Today I attended a workshop related to writing, of the many take aways there was one that applies to everything I do: Be true to yourself. 

I have been knitting, crocheting and sewing for decades now, and I rarely sell what I make.I have made a few things for profit but, the pressure of having to mass produce what I do is discouraging.  I did make money selling soap but that is because my batches were so large that there was more than I could use. 

Crafting ain’t cheap, the cost of equipment, fabric, threads, and other supplies add up.

I have a Cricket Maker: Cost $300, Heat Press $100,  starter kit $70  and various accessories (card stock, vinyl, t-shirts, caps, and other items needed add up!

Machine Embroidery - The machine cost $350, my supplies include thread, stabilizer, patterns, and the medium I am going to sew on, 

Machine Sewing and Quilting- My machine was a gift the Serger cost around $250 - 

  Hand Embroidery and quilting - I have hoops of various sizes starting around $2 and up

      The supplies for sewing, quilting and embroidering  by machine or hand include: 

          Fabric  $5 a yard and up

        Thread various types depending on the project cost $5 and up 

        Needles various types depending on the project cost $2 and up 

        Stablizer

        Interfacing

        And other miscellaneous items depending on the project example: buttons and zippers  

Knitting and Crocheting Knitting needles and Crochet hooks

                        Yarn

The biggest expense is the cost of my time. I spend days, weeks and months on these projects because I do original, one of a kind pieces. From planning, purchasing supplies, execution to delivery, on any given project, if I charged what many crofters charged most people would not want to pay. The truth is store bought often cost less than homemade.  The lowest hourly rate that I am aware of is $20. 

Example: If it takes you seven hours to make a baby quilt using 3 yards  of fabric I could charge $250  I have gifted over 5 baby quilts and the fabric each with original designs, one special order with 4 different fabrics needed. 

So why do I give it away? Because I like blessing people. I enjoy when I gift something I made and someone appreciates my work. There are a few individuals who offered to pay me and I declined.; a gift is a gift. 

However, if you are going to sell your products, you need a to know what each item is worth and what you are willing to do to market it. As I enter 2026, I have request for 3 carry-all bags, that include hand embroidery, a ragdoll and a pair of wide leg pants. I do not like making clothes for other people but this is for my great aunt, she is 95 years old, and what she wants she will get! I also have to put a zipper in her carry-all bag, that was gifted to her by someone else. I have at least 3 individuals who want me to make them quilts. Yes, some will pay me! 

Written by Marsha L Floyd

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.