Cross Stitched Mini--Fourth Finish 2nd Quarter FAL

This little kitchen magnet kit was in my friend Martha's stash. She had a number of these little miniature cross stitch kits. The original price on this kit was $1.99. The clearance price was .99 and the lowest price sticker was .50! For kicks, I googled the company, "The New Berlin Co.," to see if it was still in business.

I couldn't find any information on the company; but, I did see similar kits offered for sale on e-bay and etsy. The price was $15! From the packaging, I found a 1992 copyright date.

It is small. The dimensions are three inches high by two and half inches wide. The kit came with a needle, plenty of floss, the frame, an adhesive mounting board and directions. It did not come with a magnet!

Originally, I thought that this was a project that the granddaughters would like to do. Unfortunately, it was too complicated for a six year old! The white and cream floss were too close in value for me to see the difference. It was a challenge for me to read and follow the pattern! Finished, I do like the subtleness of the thread color changes.

Finished cross stitch

I took this project with me when we were in Hawaii this fall. I thought that I would enjoy working on it while we waited in the airport and when we were being leisurely on the trip. I stitched about eight rows on the duck. I didn't work on it after we returned home.

In late March, I started stitching on it again in the evenings. It was a bit of a challenge to determine where I should be stitching next in the pattern; but, over the course of about a month, I finished it! I didn't work on it every evening. When I noticed that I hadn't made progress in several days, I would load a length of thread on a needle and try to stitch that length of thread before I stopped for the night.

It is finished. I have a small basket of these little kits and perhaps, next quarter, I'll add another kit to the list. I might add a ribbon hanger to make it into a Christmas ornament. Or, I could add a magnet and gift it as a refrigerator decoration!

This was goal number 18 on my second quarter FAL (Finish A Long) list. Although, I used no fabric from stash in this project, I'm happy to have completed another finish! It is my fourth finish for the quarter! I have posted the finished photo on Instagram under #2020falq2finish

The Covid virus statistics:
Worldwide: 3.45M have it; 1.1M have recovered; 244K have died
United States: 1.16M have it; 152K have recovered; 67,076 have died
Oregon: 2,635 have it, 109 have died

The same food items are limited as last week. Meat, poultry and fish products are sometimes in limited supply. We are blessed that we have a freezer full of meat so we will be okay.

Many people are worried about surviving when they can't work. Unemployment benefits are still slow in coming for some and benefit amount likely won't cover the individual's essential expenses. Businesses are likely to remain closed when this is over because they couldn't afford staying closed for this amount of time.

Some of the states that have partially reopened are having an escalation of people contracting the virus. Oregon continues to be a locked down state. In a couple weeks, I will be teaching CPR skills sessions at the hospital incorporating the updated American Heart Association protocols as well as the governor's guidelines. It is going to be interesting. I will be wearing a N-95 mask and gloves the entire time I am working so I feel I am well prepared.

I learned that of the 11 full time people in my department, nine were laid off temporarily. My heart was sad when I learned of the layoffs. The hospital didn't have elective surgeries to make room for Covid patients. The patients didn't materialize. The hospital has operated at less than half of the patients it usually serves for the last six weeks. I am heartened that the plan is to hire all people back in 90 days.

Other than my daily walk with the dog, I have not left the house since March 19. When my youngest daughter learned I was headed back to work, she wanted to know if I had my last meals planned. Clearly, she isn't happy about my return to work decision!