A Start, A Start & Finish, and A Finish

A Start-

Bucilla kit-Sophie

14 ct Aida cloth

Cotton floss (not DMC)

When my little granddaughter was born in January, DD#3's friend volunteered to make the birth sampler/announcement.  This is it. Unfortunately the friend was unable to complete it and DD#3 took it to finish. 

I am pitching in and stitching the bottom left block and the border. Hopefully DD#1 and DD#2 can do one block each and we will have a Round Robin!

Boy, I am so spoiled by the beautiful linens, silk and overdyed threads that I normally stitch with. This is hard for me to stitch on in more ways than one :)

A Start & A Finish-

Little House Needleworks

A Stitcher's Heart

30 ct R & R Old Towne Blende

Called for CC threads

This was a quick and very fun stitch! I actually found a small piece in my scrap basket to use! Hope to get to the second half of this project soon (Gentle Stitches by Shakespeares Peddler)

A Finish-

CJC Finish #6-The Goode Huswif

June Morning

24 ct black Congress cloth

DMC threads

Love how this turned out!  There is some wonkiness to the fabric now that it is finished. I think it needs to be blocked.  I used the tent/continental/basketweave stitch and didn't have to cross any X's :) Lots of color changes. This design is so eyecatching --it would lend itself to a large format like 25 ct over 2 threads.  I used my lighted magnifier and didn't have any problems with stitching on the black.

Since I am ahead on the CJC, I am hoping to devote the rest of this month to Holiday Patches and Paradise Lost. I'll keep you posted!

Welcome to my new followers!  I see that the count is creeping closer to 300!  I'll have a giveaway when we reach it.

June Morning and Inspirations magazine

The Goode Huswif

June Morning

24 ct black Congress cloth

DMC threads

Here is the latest on this CJC project.  Love the bright colors on the black.

Are you familiar with Inspirations magazine from Australia?  This is issue #65 and I finally got my hot little hands on it.  It is a little on the expensive side but this issue has a Betsy Morgan etui with some smalls in it. It is right there on the cover.  The 32 ct Belfast natural linen is on the right in the pic and I am waiting on the Gloriana threads to get here.

I also have kitted about a dozen more projects--wishful thinking right now :)

I am struggling with the new blogger dashboard.  It won't let me upload anymore photos, so I'll just tell you that I finished the alphabet sampler that finishes up BBD Peacock Pinkeep.

 I'll go to picasa and delete a bunch of old photos on my blog.  Hopefully that will take care of this :(

A Finish and A Half

Prairie Schooler Country Wise

28ct mystery linen

Called for DMC threads

I did revise the border and made it more simple.

Blackbird Designs Peacock Pinkeep

28 ct mystery linen

Gloriana overdyed silk threads (from misc package so I don't know the names of the colors)

This is my half finish.  There is still a long alphabet sampler that will go around the outside of the round box to stitch.  But I am pleased at the results so far.

A Start, A Finish and Progress

Do you remember Susan Kerndt's Holiday Patches?  This is what it looked like before.  A little progress has been made-see below. I "borrowed" the idea from some stitchers in my local guild and used a beautful cardinal fabric for my main square.

 My fingers got sore when pushing the needle thru the fabric, so I took a break. But I am anxious to get going on it some more!

Here is a progress photo of my latest start from Stitching Day. It is Prairie Schooler Country Wise.

Here is my finish! It is Pineberry Lane's Prim Sisters School of Needleworke.  I am seeing it a lot lately on blogs :) A delightful and quick stitch.  Now I just need to finish it into the hanging pocket.

I forgot to show my little sampler boxes that I got from Marly at Samplers and Santas.

  She does beautiful work and these are adorable. Thank you, Marly!

I'm off today to have lunch with DD#1 and to visit my first ever Hobby Lobby!  Looking forward to it!

Stitching Day Yesterday at DD#1"s

It was a beautiful day for stitching in Seattle.  That means rainy and cloudy!!

Here are two of us at the end of the day. (I forgot to get photos of my other 2 daughters and their projects.) We are both showing our stitching projects.  Brandon asks everytime we stitch if there is something he can work on.  So today I came prepared with a beginners needlepoint kit that my DD found at JoAnn's.  He took to it like a duck to water.  And look below--

It was completely finished this morning!  The kit came with the frame, yarn, plastic needle and painted canvas. Great job, big guy!  He told me at church this morning that he is going to give it away as a present-(I think to mom) He has a giving heart and that makes me happy :)

DD#1 has been a busy stitcher. This is one of her recent finishes.  It is a picture of her husbands favorite ferry in the WA state ferry system. (He is an engineer on one of the boats).

Here is another one of her recent finishes.  A friend had a little boy just a few days after Amber was born. And this is his birth announcement.

This was a surprise for me from DD#1.  Isn't it adorable?  I think it is a Lizzie Kate design. And look below-

Another beautiful flatfold finish--thanks, Vonna, your tutorials are fantastic!

This was her new start on stitching day.  Lizzie Kate's Think Spring-very appropriate and we certainly could stand to see a little sunshine in this part of the country. 

I won't even talk about my garden as so far it is nothing but mud and swamp in the yard. 

Have a great week!

My Stitchy Update

My DD#1 informs me again that I am neglecting my blog.  Yes, I am stitching.  But much of it are things I can't share :)  Here is what I can share- 

One project I am working on is a drawstring bag for an exchange at my June stitching retreat. I surfed the internet looking for a tutorial that I liked and this is the practice bag I made. It turned out pretty cute, I thought. But, I am sooo glad I practiced because the interfacing I used is a little too heavy and I need a lighter weight one for the exchange bag. No photos of the exchange bag until June!

My Fourth Crazy January Challenge finish!

LHN Liberty Belles

30ct R & R fabric (can't remember color)

Called for DMC and GAST threads

Hoping to make this a box or flatfold finish.

Here is my progress on my nametag for Regional EGA seminar in June.  It is not finished.  The needle has disappeared into the fabric (it is in the middle of the A) So I am looking for another thread and will have to frog this one. And there is some backstitching on the right side to finish.

A new start!  Can anyone guess what this is?   I think this is too easy of a clue!!

Last, but certainly not least, is an update on my Amy Mitten Quaker Winder's Keeper.  This is the largest piece and it is basically finished.  I need to add my initials and some backstitching.  This has been a lovely and fun stitch so far.

My new little granddaugher, Amber, is already 2 months old.  She is an angel and getting big.  Here's a sweet one of her-

I'll be back soon with another post of DD#1's stitching. 

Stitchy Update & A Mystery

I have finished the pre-work for Betsy Morgan's Helix Etui class. Well, except for my initials on the right end.  There was no graph for the letters included.  The class will be in May in Spokane.   Looking forward to it!

I did a little shopping. One thing I bought was at Country Stitches.  It is the Ann Sandles floss keep. Very tickled with it.

Another thing I bought is Home Sweet Home by Carolyn Pearce.  It is a book about a gorgeous embroidered workbox in the shape of a house! Mary Corbet did a pictorial and informative review of the book here.  Maybe a SAL for 2013 & 2014 ?? LOL

 I am working on the Amy Mitten Quaker Winder's Keeper.  I started with the Vierland Winder's Keeper, but just did not like the fabric/thread combination when I got it. Amy was very kind and allowed me to switch to this one.  Behind on the stitching but enjoying the journey :)

One more thing, DD#1 has a mystery. She found a picture of a pattern that she thinks is a freebie.  But she is unable to locate it.  Can anyone help her out?

We Have A Winner!

The random number generator choose #10.

Congratulations, Tatkis!

You are the winner of my 2nd blogoversary giveaway!

Please contact me at kiddlady at yahoo dot com with your snail mail information.

And I will get this package into the mail for you.

Thanks to all who participated!

A Finish, Sampler Guild Tea, and Giveaway!

2012 Crazy January Challenge Finish

Tree of Life Samplings Penny America

36ct Lakeside Linen Maple Sugar

Called for threads-WDW and DMC

Such a lovely and fun stitch!  If I could do it over, I would do it on a larger count fabric, as I think this design lends itself well to a larger format. Not sure how I'll finish this but leaning towards a flatfold finish.

Last Sunday my local sampler guild (Northwest Sampler Guild) held their annual tea.  Even though they have been holding this tea for many years it was the first time I ever attended. It was a delightful time and our speaker was Carolyn Standing-Webb on Needlework Tools and Toys.  Very interesting pics and info.

I wanted to share with all of you some of the show and tell and challenge pieces on display.  The challenge this year was to stitch something related to tea. What a wealth of inspiration! Feel free to click on the pics below for closeups.

What a great bunch of stitchers!  I feel so fortunate to be a part of this group!

Tomorrow  at midnight is the deadline for my second blogoversary giveaway!  Be sure to go enter by clicking here.

4 Week Birthday, Treasure Bags, & 2nd Blogoversary!

It is darling Amber's 4 week birthday!  Time really flies!  She will be dating soon, I'll bet.  DD#3 is a great mom-I'm proud of you!

In other news, on Superbowl Sunday  Attic Needlework had a sale.  I placed an order for 2 mystery treasure bags ($20 for $100 value).  I want to share with you the excitement of opening my package today.  Here is what came out of the box--wrapped in gorgeous red toile tissue paper. Hmmmm, wonder what's inside?

OK-here are the treasure bags-there is one below the top one-

Here is bag #1-with two of my favorite designers-Judy O'Dell and Belinda from Blue Ribbon Designs, then a selection of designers that I wasn't familiar with (except Cricket Collection), two beautiful samplers from Milady's Needle.   What a haul! 

Check out bag #2- another Judy O'Dell and Ellen Chester's Within My Heart Sewing Case, Rosewood Manor, The Workbasket & more, including a Wild Strawberry Fall Berry kit!  OK-I love mystery treasure bags!  Thanks, Attic Needlework!

 More news-it is my second blogoversary!   So it is time for a giveaway-see below-

Here is my giveaway-3 fat quarters of patriotic fabric, tokens & trifles, threads, 2 pieces of linen, a Mills Hills kit, 2 spools of ribbons, new cross-stitch towel, Christmas pillow,and pattern for Flutterby Garden for ipod or cell phone cover.

The rules are easy-

1. Please be a follower or become a follower.  Leave a comment on this post only. Yes, I will mail to international addresses.

2. If you post about this giveaway on your blog, please leave a second comment telling me so. You can have a total of 2 entries.

3. The drawing will close on February 29th at midnight PST.   The winner will be drawn by random number generator. 

4. If I reach 300 followers during this giveaway, I will draw a second number and that person will also get a surprise gift. It is a surprise because even I don't know what it will be yet. :)

Please be sure to leave your email address on your comment.  Especially if you are a no-reply commentor.