Stitching in the Mountains

our cabin on Seven Devils Mountain in Banner Elk, NC

Bob and I are  at our mountain cabin in North Carolina, enjoying the cool air and relaxing a little.  I love this place, located between Boone and Banner Elk, in what is known as The High Country. The cabin is at 4500′ elevation, above the summer tourist bustle and the heat.

All afternoon I sat here, smocking and sipping sweet tea.

But there is always work to be done when we are here so we’ve done a little of that as well. And there is more to come.

This afternoon, I sat on the front deck and started on the ready-to-smock Jon-Jon for Alastair.  The combination of needlework and the tranquil setting left me feeling peaceful and serene. Bob was banging around replacing molding, cleaning out gutters  and hauling long-since forgotten storage bins from the utility rooms below the deck.  Even his noise seemed domestic and comforting. 

The smocking plate, Farmlands by Ellen McCarn, is one I’ve used several times and have always liked.  I love the look of picture smocking, but have never enjoyed the process itself.  But for children, it’s almost always about picture smocking.  I especially dislike stitching large areas of stacked cables.  So this country scene with minimal stacking has always appealed to me.

Farmlands  stitches up pretty quickly, so unless I take on more chores around the cabin, I’ll probably finish this as well as the two daygowns I’ve brought along.  If I run out of smocking, I may be forced to clean out the owner’s closet or reorganize the pots and pans cupboard.

Ouch!  On second thought, I think I will smock slowly and carefully and take my time watching the chipmunks scamper below the front deck.  And continue to enjoy the cool peace and quiet.

P.S.  If you would like to see more of our mountain retreat, click here.