Please Vote on New Project!

Yes, I know the last thing I need is another new project. :) But, it is on my mind, so I might as well give in. The problem is I want to start them ALL! In March I had you vote and it really helped me. Here are today's choices and I need your vote. Yes, you can have a first and second choice. Please leave a comment or you can email me directly at kiddlady at yahoo dot com--

Birds of a Feather

Le Printemps

Gay Ann Rogers

Snowflake Girl

(yes, this one is a holdover from March, but she is still on my mind :)

Plum Street Samplers

Paradise Lost

Needle Delights

Rainforest Crunch

Blackbird Designs

Mystery Sampler

Margaret Bendig

Potpourri

(I don't have a picture of this project, but it is a geometric needlepoint-very pretty. These are the colors I am leaning towards using.)




Can you see my conundrum? So little time and so many riches to choose from! (Do you see a pattern in these choices? All of them are large projects--why am I not drawn to SMALL projects??) I will let you know the results of your voting after the weekend. Have a great one!

Another Bargello Update!

Gosh, do you get the impression that all I do is sit around and work on this project? Well, lately, that is true! It is so much fun seeing progress every day that I keep working on it. I'm actually starting to see the beginning of the end-let's hope I don't loose interest anytime soon! Feel free to click on the pic.

Contemporary Bargello

Susan Hulmes

Needlepoint Now magazine

Grey Congress cloth

Called for DMC cotton floss and a few Caron Waterlilies

Two Updates

Here is the latest on my Contemporary Bargello. This is the most fun project! It does have a lot of color changes, but I love watching the design come together each time I rethread the needle! (Feel free to click on the picture to see it better.)

I'm afraid I have been neglecting Prairie Schooler ABC while working on this.
And I finished one of the two Pat Mazu mini-stockings on the canvas below. The one on the left was finished last night-it is from Needlepoint Now's Jan/Feb 2008 issue. Beading is called for on the bottom portion of this one--but I am still undecided about adding the beads. What do you think?

The purple one (upside down) on the right is finished EXCEPT for the metallic thread. It is from Needlepoint Now's Sept/Oct 2006 issue.

I will tell you a secret-the threads called for are silks. I used 1 ply of Caron's Watercolors. They don't require laying, are less expensive, and I have many choices in my stash. Also, when I finish them the Watercolor thread gives a more sturdy feel to the stocking and I don't have to worry that I am going to snag a thread or otherwise damage the stocking from my handling of it. It seems a little strange to substitute OUT of silk into cotton instead of the other way around.

Another New Start--Bargello

This is the beginning of my Contemporary Bargello piece from Needlepoint Now magazine. (You can order a reprint of this great series for $15 if you click on the above link then click again on the reprint pdf link) You might remember a previous post where I asked my readers to vote on which new project I should start? This one was NOT the winner ! :) But I had it all kitted up and didn't forget about it. Then I saw it actually started at the retreat I went to in May. It was lovely! (I mean it, Lori!)

This grey Congress cloth canvas has been recycled from a project I bought on ebay. FYI-all the projects on that previous post are either finished or WIP's now (except the Berlin woolwork-don't ask me why, but it is just not calling my name). As usual, please forgive my abysmal photography skills and ignore the needlepoint stand that you can see thru the canvas.

Contemporary Bargello

Susan Hulme

Needlework Now magazine reprint

Using grey Congress cloth

Called for DMC, Caron Waterlilies and Needle Necessities

Mary Wigham Update

I admit that Mary Wigham has been on the back burner lately. But, this week I have had some stitching time in bed before lights out each night and look at my progress! Here she is before:
Here she is now! (You can see I am still struggling with hoop marks) But I feel tickled at how much can be accomplished with just a small amount of consistent time.

I am using Vikki Clayton silks and really love them. But I ran out of one color. I had to dig through several other kitted-up projects and found more of the needed color. Thank heavens!

Another 2009 Finish & Season of Giveaways

I really am stitching, but on some big projects and won't have an update on that for a few more days.

Here is another beautiful finish from 2009--Blackbird Designs Willow Tree. This frame came from Fred Meyer-on sale for $15. I thought that was a great deal and it really works for this piece.

Do you think my choice of this project had something to do with the name of this blog?? I really do have a willow tree on the island in my pond in my backyard. I'll post a picture one day.

It's seems to be the season of giveaways out in blog land. Here's the skinny on two more wonderful ones--check out Jan over at Belfonte Notes AND a different Jan at Tree of Life Sampling . They are giving away more great stitching stuff!

2009 Finish and Another Giveaway!

It is finally summer and I want to share with you a beautiful M Designs Floral Sampler. This is one of those charts that is much more lovely finished in person than you would guess when looking at the chart. After I finished this one, I bought M Designs Insect Sampler to stitch as a companion piece. Has anyone ever seen that one mentioned (or stitched) on a blog?

I am busy gathering up canning supplies and getting ready to try my hand at canning. I made many jars of homemade jam when the girls were young. But I would really like to learn to can green beans this summer. I used to watch my mother can beans and tomatoes when I was a child. Should I mention that I have actually blown the seal on a pressure canner before in my life? Yes, I didn't have enough water in it--but I think I am ready to try again :)

Also, don't miss another generous giveaway by blogger/designer Paulette at Plum Street Samplers!

Another Giveaway!

Stitchers are the most generous people. Check out Deb over at Thread Gatherer--she is having a fabulous giveaway!

Prairie Schooler ABC SAL Update-July

It is finally summer here in the Pacific Northwest! Today is supposed to get to 79 and tomorrow is forecast to hit 90 degrees. It has been spring (meaning 50-60's) until yesterday. My sympathies to all my blog followers in the east suffering in 100+ degrees. :(
My goal for June was to finish letters L, M, and O. As you can see O is not quite finished, and below, M is finished, but L still needs some work.

Here is the photo of the entire project so far. I am falling slightly behind my schedule of trying to get this finished by the end of 2010. We'll see if that happens. Have a great day!

ANG SOTM-July Update

Here is June and July installments on the ANG Stitch of the Month project completed! It feels so good to get my monthly projects all caught up! Now back to catching up on the Prairie Schooler ABC project--

Hope you are having a safe and stitchy 4th of July!

Sylvia's SAL Update-July

Sylvia's SAL is completely caught up--including July! It is a quick and easy stitch with lots of immediate gratification--just what I need with all the BAP's I have (see my right column).

Not to mention that I have more big projects I want to start--Plum Street Samplers Paradise Lost for just one. :) I was getting ready to pull threads for that one and realized I didn't have a large enough piece of fabric to start it! Check out Cathy's beautiful finished piece!

I also worked on the ANG SOTM last night. June is almost finished and I'll post a picture when July is caught up too.

He's A Flake is Finished!

I'm struggling mightily with my computer this morning, so I will make this short.
He's a Flake is finished-well, except the beads on the tree. But I need to add the beads to Pear Tree also. So I will have a beading time tonight. Did you see the date next to the tree instead of 2 snowflakes? I like the look.

I'm catching up Sylvia's SAL and the ANG SOTM this weekend. Hope you make lots of stitching time this weekend too!