The Flags of Our Fathers

Since I am on a roll with the WIPs and UFOs, I decided the other night to get out another one, after I had finished my nephew's birth sampler. I casted around and tried to find one that 'grabbed me', but wasn't finding anything in my WIP bag by my usual place next to the couch, so I went bin diving. Yes, you read that correctly...I have BINS of unfinished objects. Three to be exact. One in a small hall closet and two under the bed bins. Yes, I know it's the personification of gluttony, but honestly, I am truly trying to be better. :)

As I was rummaging around, nothing was really calling out to be worked on. Some of them I remembered why I didn't finish them (such as poor charting, mistakes on my part, ran out of materials, got bored with it, and in several cases, more stitching white floss on white fabric o.o) and others I had no clue. I kept digging away until I came across the one I eventually chose. I know why I never finished this one. This project was initially chosen to be the birthday gift for my beloved father. Being young and a new stitcher of two years at the time, I thought I could finish a 66 high by 109 wide piece in three weeks. I began the project in early August 1997 and worked on it day and night, whenever I could. Needless to say, I did not finish it on his birthday on the 29th of August. Instead of a completed piece, my father received the piece much as you see it below, wrapped up with my shamefaced apologies for not finishing it on time. My father was a big Civil War buff and I wanted it to hang in his library area where he had all of his books.

I kept stitching away at it until September of 1997 when my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He had the Whipple procedure done, however, he eventually died in the hospital from the cancer and complications from the surgery. Needless to say, I could not bear to look at the piece, and it has languished for 15 years in the far reaches of my closets and my memory. About 5 years ago, I finally got up the courage to take it out and at least be able to look at it without turning into a massive puddle of grief, but I never took it out and put it back in the Q-Snaps. Tuesday night, however, I came across the project and actually took it out. I teared up a bit when I took it out of the bag that it was stored in, I will admit. Then, like any stitcher peering into the looking glass of the past, I began to chide myself for the sloppy stitching in places. I will have to correct a few things here and there, but when I showed it to my beloved Hubmeister, he told me to leave it be, because the flag is supposed to be old, and not perfect. It's ripped and torn and faded a bit in places and looks like it's seen better days, but the stitching as it is gives it character. I'll think about it at least, because that is a fair assessment, however, the stitcher in me is saying it needs to be corrected. We'll see :).

At any rate, here is my longest running UFO, Faded Glory:

Design: Faded Glory from Portrait of the Civil War (an OOP booklet)

Designer: Jeanette Crews Designs

Fabric: 26 count undyed natural dirty linen

Fibers: DMC 347, 415, 762, 930, 931, and 3328

It hasn't changed too much from when I first picked it back up until now. The first few rows I didn't think I was going to get through, as I was crying so much, but after a while, it got better and then it felt like I SHOULD be working on it, which is important, I think. I am kind of hoping to finish it by the 29th of August which would have been his 66th birthday. But I'll be happy if I can finish it by the 23rd of October which is the 15th year anniversary of his passing. The only problem I see in all this is that the DMC floss that I am using is 15 years old and I am running out of some it. This is the label that is on the floss that I am using:

If anyone has any 347, 415, 762, 930, 931, and 3328 with that same label on it, please let me know. I am happy to buy or trade.

Hopefully, this will give me the courage to tackle a start I have been wanting to do, but can't quite make myself do and that is a memorial sampler for my only child and son. That one may take a while longer to get the courage up for, but hey, yanevaknow.

At any rate, I need to get going. Got lots to do before the weekend. Hope everyone has a great weekend! :)

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Respectfully submitted,

C.