I realized I have not shown you an update of the current Bargello pattern I am working on in a long time.

This is the cubes pattern. As you can see I am inside my guidelines at the top and bottom and outside them on the sides. The first *draft* of any Bargello pattern is where you figure the final size and shape. Each pattern has it’s own “logic” and natural stopping points.

I begin a new Bargello at the exact center of the canvas. The I work to one side, find the point where I should stop in relation to my desired size and the guidelines I drew.

Then I do the exact same thing on the other side. After that I work down (or up) and again figure out the number of cubes for the size and balance of the pattern. Then again I copy this going the other way.

Each Bargello pattern will, in the end, set itself up differently with different counts.

As you can see from my canvas, there are always adjustments to be made.
See the finished size right side? When I do the left side I will expand the pattern a bit and expand the top stitching to make it all fit.

Once I have done this, established the counts for the pattern chart, this does not have to be done again for this exact pattern.

So, really a Bargello dictates what actual size it will be, in the end. The guidelines really are just a reminder and a suggestion for the size and shape of the finished piece.

The cubes pattern stitches up very quickly, surprisingly so. I have no idea why but it does seem to when I actually stitch it.

The time I am taking finishing this is not a reflection of how hard this pattern is or how long it takes to stitch it. It is me. I have been lazy and more interested in reading in my warm bed than sitting up and watching a move and stitching.

Now, if I had a fireplace, like we always did when we lived up north, I would sit next to it and stitch but here in Florida there are few fireplaces. In this cold snap, I want to be under a pile of quilts and blankets with a warm (but decidedly not happy) cat snuggled up to me between the sheet and the quilt and a snoring husband.

Isn’t that a cozy picture?

I seem to be in a reading rut, a very pleasant and happy reading rut but still a rut. I am alternating re-re-reading my Georgette Heyer books with my Barbara Pym books. I tired slipping a Barbara Vine (Ruth Rendell’s more psychological minded alter ego) in there but it did not take.

I could maybe manage to insert a Faye Weldon Novel, then again maybe not.

The packing is going well, so far my breakage report is 3. In adition to the 2 vases I have also broken a nice Seiko crystal bedside clock.

I broke nothing (nada) packing last time. Clearly this time is different. It is an odd feeling, with just the very first *layer* of the house packed. The stuff we do not use or need every week is first.

Next will be the stuff we do not use everyday then finally the stuff we do use every day until we are done.

I have moved so often that I have some systems.

I leave out a duffel bag, the morning of the move I put the sheets, blankets & pillows from the bed in there. Then I can easily find the stuff to make up the bed for sleeping the first night in the new house. I also pack us a couple of overnight bags, so we do not have to scratch through boxes to find the things we will need right away.

Several years ago, I unpacked and arranged my entire house in 3 days, after the move. I can’t and won’t do anything like that again. It was what has to be called a Herculean labor.

I am almost done putting the new stuff on NewNeedlepoint.com. Then I will concentrate fully on the move.

I listed the Emperor & Empress today both as kits or canvas alone. I think they are terrific.