February New Start and Finish

Cotton Samples 05 (Tree of Hope) - Chatelaine

I cannot believe I have already finished the Chatelaine I started in January.  Granted it is a smallish  project, but still.  I really enjoyed it and it seemed to possess me.  It took about 60 hours total to stitch and bead.   I added beads simply because I had them and changed the stitching around the border just because.  I also left off the gold all the way around the outside.  Have not yet decided if I will leave it this way or continue working around the border to give it a little more heaviness which I think it needs.  I am going to go through my other Chatelaines for an idea I think.  Martina's designs are so incredible and inspiring.  I wish I could take a better photo.  It is on 28 count cashel linen in "Dawn".

Lavender Fields, John Clayton, World of Cross Stitch Issue 228

My February start will be Lavender Fields.  It is a pattern from World of Cross Stitch Magazine by Heritage Crafts and John Clayton.   I am doing it on 18 count  white  Aida since it is full coverage and all DMC.....that would make it easier as a travel piece.  Since Blanco is the Lavender Capital of Texas I will be donating this for an auction to raise money for the local area.  It looks to be kind of confetti heavy so I hope go have it done well before the Lavender Festival in June.  This is just straight forward cross stitch, no beading, no fancy border.  Hope I don't get bored with it!

I am still planning for 2016.  I really want to finish some of my WIPs this year, especially Books Reading Books and Gardens of London.  I am still putting time in on Knot Garden and the Mini Mandala from Chatelaine but they do not get the attention they really need for finishing.

The Needlepoint projects will get more attention once we start traveling again in early April.

I may add another start to February or pick up a project I have taken out of rotation.  Have not decided yet.

Thanks for visiting.

More as it happens.

First Finish for 2016

I finished Ink Circles, RYO mandala Set 5 Draco 66.6 for my friend.  It was a nice project as it is all DMC so I could travel with it and was able to wash it before framing.  I am pretty happy with how it turned out and may do another one this year.  At only about 9 inches square they are a manageable size.  This one is done on 28 count Lugana "Queen Ann's Lace, a very subtle green variation which does not photo well.  Really pretty.

I started the Cotton Sampler and after doing one corner of the border realize that the even weave is not even.  The border looks wider at the top than on the sides.  I have had this issue with some MCG even weave, but did not expect this issue as I purchased this fabric from 123 Stitch and it is marked as a Jobelan even weave.  I have not yet decided if I will continue or switch to a linen fabric that I know is "Square".  It is not a mandala in the usual sense, but still, I am not sure I am going to like working on it.

After much gnashing of teeth I decided to change the fabric to 28 count Cashel Linen "Dawn".  It is darker (much darker) than the original fabric I choose but perhaps it will be good for me to change things up a bit.  Now to just get it started and get going.

I am making good progress on Chatelaine's Mini Mandala IIC.  I am using the recommended silk threads rather than substituting the DMC..  Not sure why I decided to do that.  This will be my second in this series of three mini mandalas.

That is it for the moment.  I am a little "off" this year so far for some reason.

Thanks for visiting