A New Start & 2 WIP's

Melicent Turner

Little House Needleworks

30 ct R & R Olde Towne Blende

Called for Crescent Colour threads

 

This is one of my WIP's for 2013.  This is the first time I have picked her up since January.  She will be a fast stitch if I can get serious.  But I am being pulled in several directions as you will see below. :)

Potato Chip Scarf

NORO yarn

 

A new start!  I'll bet you aren't surprised that I choose pink. This was the program last Saturday at my local EGA guild.  Since my LYS closed last year, I gave up trying to expand my knitting skills (which are very few).  But this program was proposed and with a little help from my EGA friends I am on my way.  Who would believe that something as simple as casting on had escaped my brain?  Uh, me!

 

I'd like to share a little story with you.

 

 I took a beginner's quilting class in 1988.  The above book was our project book.   I handstitched all 24 blocks and was taught to attach sashing, then batting and backing, then quilt each block separately. Finally attach the blocks to each other.  As you can imagine the backing had to be folded over and slipstitched together. 

 

After I had attached my first 2 blocks together, my mother came to visit.  Yes, my mother, the over-the-top prolific quilter!  She looked at it and said "What is this?  I told her that this was the way the teacher in my class was showing us to quilt.  After a long pause, Mom said "I've never seen anything like this before."  She wasn't being unkind, just puzzled.  Well, that was all it took for me to put this away in a box under my bed and leave it there until this last week! 

 

What caused me to finally work up enough courage to pull it out? I think it was completing my 2nd beginner's class last year.  After studying what was already finished in the box, I couldn't bear throwing away all that handwork.  So I frogged a whole lot of hand quilting to get back to separate blocks and tossed old polyester batting.

 

Then I decided that I hated the fabric used for sashing (and border fabrics too), so I frogged all the sashing off and picked out new fabric.  Finally I'm ready to start making a quilt top .  Here is a little peek of some of my blocks below.  (I forgot to take a picture before I started)

 

 Luckily I kept all the extra fabric I used in the blocks.  I might get a narrow border out of one. And some small blocks for part of the sashing out of another. 

Does anybody else have a really old project under their bed or in a cupboard?  Come on and share it !

A New Start and a Giveaway Win

Birds of a Feather

Birds and Bees Birth Sampler

28 ct LL Buttercream

Called for DMC and GAST threads

 

Here is my start on the sampler for the new grandbaby coming in September.  Since the last baby sampler was done round-robin style with my daughters, I decided to ask them to do round robin again this time.  They said yes.  As soon as the border comes together properly I will be ready to pass it on.  I'll keep you posted with the progress.

I was thrilled to find out I won the giveaway from Annette at California Stitcher!   It arrived safe and sound and Annette included some wonderful little extras along with the LHN Around the World in 80 Days and the fabric and threads to stitch it.  I kept the chocolate hidden until I got the photo taken :) Love, love, love that project bag--(Annette, you should sell these) It is fully lined and the workmanship is just lovely.  Thank you so much, Annette!

 

I noticed I am getting close to 400 followers.  A giveaway is called for when that magic number is reached.

Another 2013 Finish!

Scarlet Letter

Mary Ann Hutton

36 ct cream linen

Mix of called for DMC and Soie d'Alger threads

 

I have been stitching like crazy on this sampler.  She has been so much fun and hard to put down!  Technically there is a plain 3 color border outside the beautiful flower border.  But, in the picture on the pattern, the border is nearly invisible.   So I am happy with it "as-is"  Is that cheating?

 

I got a package in the mail on Saturday-

It was from Clare in New Zealand.  She is Craftylady in Kiwiland.  She was so kind to help me out with a magazine pattern I have been looking for with no luck.  And look what else--a surprise!

Clare made me a project roll and a small project bag.  Miss Trenner's Needlework Academy pieces fit right into this roll and the threads & misc will fit perfectly in the bag!  And the workmanship is just beautiful!  Thanks so much, Clare!

Another Finish, SAL Update & Progress

Sarah Seifer

The Goode Huswife

28 ct mystery linen

Called for DMC threads

Another one that was too fun to stop stitching on!  I did change the border slightly. It is not framed, just laid under the frame I have chosen.

I had 3 Sarah's that I wanted to stitch. Last year I stitched Sarah Salter.  Next year Sarah Esch will be the final one on the Sarah list.

2013 SAL de Maryse

Chocolate/cherry mystery linen

Gloriana Fresh Snow silk thread

The April segment is done.  Slightly crooked because I have it stretched crooked on stretcher bars.  The color is much darker than the washed-out look is showing.

 

 Lorrie over at A Stitcher's Snippets, sent me this wonderful sampler to stitch for the new grandbaby coming this fall.  Thank you, Lorrie!  I am already pulling together the linen and threads.

 

 

 

But with the long list of projects I wanted to finish this year, one of them had to go.  Bye, bye, Happy Couple

 

My Millenium scroll frame has arrived!  Typically I don't care for scroll rods.  I don't like  basting the linen onto the tabs.  I don't like the loosy-goosy side edges of the fabric.  
But I saw Nicola's video on the Scarlet Letter blogs and it convinced me to give the Millenium scrolls a try.  I even ordered 2 extra lengths of rods-the 16" and the 27"

Here is Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow on the standard 20" rods that come with the 8-10" stretchers. It took a little bit of fiddling and pausing to re-watch the video when I went to use it for the first time. The fabric was loosened when I finished stitching on it, so it's not taut in this photo.  But, so far, so good--it is a keeper.

Without the stand I have to lay one corner of the rods against the edge of my Lowery stand in order to stitch. But the stand is on order and should be here sometime soon.

 

Finished and Framed!

I am delighted to announced a new finish!!

Mary's Best Handework

With Thy Needle & Thread

32 ct Lakeside Linen Light Exemplar

DMC threads

This was another design that I just couldn't put down once I started working on it again. Plus I was determined to have a finish in March . For a sampler it was a pretty quick stitch.

 

Here is L'Atelier Perdu's Patches of Life Sampler all framed!  Believe it or not, I have had this antique frame for ages.  Bought it years ago and could never find just the right thing to put in it.  I love the way this turned out! (I even managed to stage the photo :)

 

Except one small thing-despite repeated ironings the hoop marks just would not completely come out along the margins of the fabric  :(

Hopefully my new Milennium scroll frame will make it unnecessary in the future to put large projects in hoops.

 

I am having trouble with Google in general. I can't see the letters/numbers to leave comments on some blogs.  I can't bring up Reader or Picasa Web Albums.  Since my computer is old,  I normally blame it on that, but I don't really know.

DD#1 Has Been Stitching

DD#1 sent some pictures of her recent finishes.  I think this is a Country Cottage pattern.

 

I think this one is a freebie.  Don't know the name.

She finished it as a flatfold.

 

 

Footprints-a kit I think maybe Dimensions?? Really lovely. Framed by Michaels.

Not sure of the designer for this one.  Maybe Just Nan??

 

Next are my updates-

2012 SAL Sopresa 2 Before-

 

 

2012 SAL Sopresa 2 Now-

Laura Perin

Holiday Ornaments #1

 

This is my latest finish.  I am ahead on getting ready for this years ornament exchanges.

 

After finish-finishing 6 items in my pile, I sent off 9 more items to others.  Including DD#1 -she does a beautiful job on her flatfold finishes.  Now I can reach my Merry Cox items!

Moving to Bloglovin!

My heart sank when I read the notification that Google Reader is closing. :(
Thank goodness for other bloggers who were aware of other readers that we could use.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I'll give this one a try.  Gotta do something as I depend on my reader too :)

Busy Week

 

On Monday I met Barb, the Wicked Stitcher!

What a wonderful lady!

We met at our LNS which Barb has to take a ferry to get to. It is only 19 short miles for me.  Then after adding to our stashes, we walked to the local library where a group of stitchers meet informally on Mondays to stitch.  All were pleased to meet another fellow stitcher.

Then we headed to a local Mexican restaurant and indulged in some luscious food and stitchy talk.  Oh, the time passes so quickly!

I had a great time, Barb, and hope we can meet up again soon.

 

And look what I found in the mail when I got home!

Wonderful Kim from Wisdom with Needle and Thread sent me this gorgeous blackwork ornament that she stitched and finished!  The workmanship is amazing.  There is some gold metallic accents in the ornament that are hard to catch in the photo, but the metallic thread is picked up again in the twisted cording.

All because I was the first person to follow her blog!  Run right over if you haven't found her yet.  She is posting some adorable free patterns that you will love!

 

 

P.S.  Kim paints china and the little girl on the card is a photo of some of her work. Is she not amazing and beautifully done? Kim is a true artist.

What else have I been doing?  Well, my finishing pile was teetering on top of my ironing board.  I couldn't even get to my Merry Cox pieces (which I am ashamed to admit that I haven't touched since I came home from AZ in Nov).  So it was way past time to delve in and see what I could accomplish.   Here is the BBD Christmas box all put together--doesn't it look great!

 

(Sorry for the glare-I was lucky to get any pictures today as my phone slipped into the tub when I was giving Amber a bath this morning)

 

Of course, I did a lot of second guessing and why didn't I stitch that other design, but altogether I am pleased with the way it turned out.  What do you think? 

 

Now, would someone else pick a spring theme or Valentine's theme and try it out?

Here is my Liberty House.  Remember I stitched this on an uneven weave old linen?  And it turned out rectangular instead of square.  Well, I had this Olde Colonial basket that really needed a top, and as I am ornamented-out (is that a word?)  thought a basket top was called for.

Next up is Pretty in Pink by Brightneedle finally finish-finished!  Yes, the scissors came with the kit.  And also a little beeswax which I forgot to put in the photo.

 

OK, this was my first attempt at ruching ribbon and I want to share a little of my journey.  For the scissor fob I followed the written instructions to the letter.  Unfortunately when I was done, the cream thread they said to use to gather the ribbon showed too much for my liking.  And the same thread was used to tack it down around the fob. Didn't like the tacking down either. 

 

SO.... I decided to read up on Vonna's tutorial about ribbon ruching before I did the pinkeep to see if she had some words of wisdom on this.  She did and I implemented her tips AND used matching thread AND used the pins to attach the ribbon to the edge.  It was a much better and easier method.  But I think next time I will try tacky glue or hot glue.  Does anyone have any tips or advice on this?  

Here is With My Needle's Quaker Hornbook finish-finished with Crescent Colours hand-dyed chenille trim in color Bamboo.  This is a round chenille trim .  Any imperfections in attaching it is user error.

Isn't this box the cutest!  It was part of my advent exchange with Lorrie of A Stitcher's Snippets.  I finished the inside of the box and amazingly it was that same technique that I learned with Merry Cox last fall and that BBD used in their Autumn Song box.  Once you learn this it is so easy to finish the inside of any shape of boxes!

Last, but not least is the finish-finish for Gentle Stitches by Shakespeares Peddler.  This is the one that Theresa finished as a roll.  The colors are so wonderful and mild.  I painted the box and antiqued it with dark brown Briwax a long time ago.  It has been cluttering up sitting on my ironing board waiting for me to get in gear.

Did you notice something in common about all these pieces?  No sewing required.

 

This is just a portion of all the items that need finish-finishing.   There are items that I am finish-blocked (like writer's block).  And items that need more sewing than I want to do. 

 

I also got the Rhapsody in Blue by Jackie de Plessis kit and haven't even started it. Which I want to do this weekend after the girls Bible quizzing team we are hosting leaves and my EGA meeting is over and....  well, you get the idea.

 

Have a great weekend everyone!

New DMC Overdyed Thread #127 & Stitchy Update

I saw in the JCS January issue that they are celebrating their 30th anniversary with a new mystery sampler. DMC has made a limited edition overdyed blue thread #127 for that sampler. I don't know how long it will be available but I haven't seen it mentioned much on blogs, so here is the color. I won't be stitching the JCS sampler but this thread will look fantastic in just about anything!

 

 

 

Here is what is happening here stitching-wise-

2013 Grills de Maryse SAL

Month 3 is completed.

Mystery chocolate-cherry linen and Gloriana's Fresh Snow silk thread

 

I should clarify on this piece. It is not my first ever monochromatic piece.  I have done a monochromatic ornament-the cute Milady's Needle one I stitched last year for the sampler guild ornament exchange. And I did a BBD pin cushion in all one color.   But this project is my first large project all in one color.

 

Goode Huswife

Sarah Seifer

28ct mystery linen

Called for DMC threads

 

The Northwest sampler guild has voted on a new challenge for 2013.  It is to complete a sampler-he,he,he :)

  Oh, if they only knew how many I have ready to go!  It won't be long before Sarah is complete! I am already trying to decide if I want to stitch her border or not.  I'm going to find a frame and let that make the decision for me.  If there is room in the frame, I'll stitch the border.  If not, no border.

Scarlet Letter

Mary Ann Hutton

36ct cream linen

Called for DMC and Soie d'Alger threads

 

I wanted to do this one with threads from stash.  So I pulled the silks that I already had and filled out the rest of the threads with the DMC.

Christmas at Hollyberry Farm

Stacy Nash

35 ct natural linen

Called for GAST threads

 

This one has been so hard to put down.  I'm still bogged down with finishing the white on the house.  The roof is nearly complete.  After that I'll ready to flip this over and finish stitching upside down.

 

Gardening season is commencing.  I'm uncovering my raised beds and getting a plan put together.  It's time to start my tomato seeds and see if I can get any tomatoes this year from them.  

 

Have a great weekend all!

Sampler Guild Tea and More Stitching!

There has been stitching going on at my house.

Here is the latest-

 

Birds of a Feather

Night Before Christmas

1998 JCS Christmas Ornament issue

 

I finished the 2nd one of these (on the right). I kinda like the larger ornament better. I like the pale blue background and I think it is easier to see.

Stacy Nash

Chrismas at Hollyberry Farm (pic is clickable)

35 ct natural linen

Called for threads

 

This is several days work on this sampler.  Just love this border!  The house is going to take a few more days of work.

 

Yesterday was the annual Northwest Sampler Guild Tea.  The theme was houses.  I took DD#1 and we had a great time!  Here is our table with our favor bags.

Here is what was in the favor bags-a little house with a scoop and an opening roof. And a pattern to cover the house with stitching and 1 each cotton/silk skein of thread.

Here is the example of what the little house will look like-

And the other side--

What a spread of goodies!

The tea table--

 

Examples of stitching done this year (many with houses)--

Some of my favorites--someone was thinking out of the box on this one below!

Another view of the inside and some smalls of Miss Hannah's House designed by Carolyn Standing Webb- lovely!!

There were two examples of the Sally Munro sampler and I loved them both!

 

 

DD#1 stitched the Love One Another below-

 

 

 

Here we are--

Our guest speaker was Amy Mitten.  What a lovely lady and she brought examples of her own designs or reproductions for us to admire.  She also taught 2 classes.

Finally, I want to invite you to visit a new blog by Kim.  It is Wisdom With Needle and Thread.  And she has already posted a free pattern of one of her own designs!  Check her out.