September Fades Away

It has been a busy month heading into an even busier month.  Good things, however; grandgirls are coming from California for a visit and some dear friends from California are coming for a visit, then we are off to California for the winter.  This is the month of California I suppose.

I did make a little progress on stitching:

FINISH

Mini Mandala 05, Chatelaine

All done.  As it turns out, I ended up enjoying the specialty stitches and beading and even the subtle color pallette.  I wish you could see how shiney it is...you will have to use your imagination.  I am really happy to have this finished.

I probably will not have a chance to frame it before I leave so it will go with me I suppose.

WIPS

Books Reading Books, Heaven and Earth

This is still going slowly.  I try to work on it a little every day, that way all the confetti does not get so overwhelming.  I decided only to post photos of page finishes.

O Canada, Jeanette Douglas

I am still really, really enjoying this piece although it is somewhat tedious.  I think because I am gifting it I am attempting to be extra careful.  Or perhaps because it is the first thing I have done using only one thread.  It is pretty different and has inspired me to do more samplers.  I am still waiting for the thread to complete the lettering, then I think it will go really fast and will be off to its forever home before the end of the year.

I did a couple of NEW STARTS this month

Hatching Christmas, Better Homes and Gardens

Am doing this as a gift on 28 count Opalescent  from Fabric Flair  but I am not sure of the color (looks ivory to me) using DMC threads.  I may or may not put all or part of the lettering but I do like the border even though it may take a while.    I am planning to do this as a flat fold so I will consider the size before I make a final decision.

Bee Keeper, Plum Street Samplers

I really HATE the fabric that came with this, but I am afraid if I do not use it, I will never use it for anything else so I am going with it.  It is very, very stiff.  I am, however enjoying it. The sample was stitched on 35 count Natural Northn Cross Linen  but I am not sure if that is what came with the chart.  It uses Weeks Dye Works threads.  I picked this up while we were in Canada over the summer from Traditional Stitches in Calgary.

I have not picked up any other WIP in the past couple of weeks.

I will be moving into Christmas projects in October  (hence the Hatching Christmas start) and I have several that I want to do so I am trying to get them kitted up and ready to go next week.

While I was picking up some missing DMC for my projects I ran across these two Kreinik sets and simply could not resist.  They are so colorful and sparkly!  They reduced them to half price so how could I resist 18 spools of kreinik for $25.00?

I have whittled my current WIPS down considerably (I am less than 10 now) so I am planning on more new starts.  I also decided that I am going to leave the Americana projects and Halloween projects (as well as some others) rather than taking them back and forth with me.     I typically work on those two types of projects while I am in Texas, so I will see how it goes this year.

Yes, I am already planning the trip West.  At least my needlepoint projects will get some attention!

If you have comments or questions do not hesitate to post them.    The blogosphere is becoming more and more sophistaced and I am still not that good at it but will do my best to find and answer your comments and inquiries whether they appear here or not.

Thank you so much for visiting.

WIP Udate

Have been busy with chores this month.  We are going to be having some company in the next few weeks so not much stitching progress being made.

I will post photos of my progress at the end of the month

I have so many projects that I want to start.  I am trying like crazy not to start anything new until I finish something.  I had to order additional threads for the O Canada project so I am not giving it much attention.  Not sure how long it will take to get the one thread I need.  Annoying.

I did get Be Thankful framed:  I did not put glass on it nor did I put paper on the back but I wanted to get it done before out company arrived.    It turned out to be 9 x 12.

I got a new lap stand.  I am still getting used to it.  So far it is working OK and I think the more I use it the more comfortable it is going to be.

Last but not least, remember the center of Old World Vinery that I did for my sister?  Well she got it framed and it really looks nice.  I am so happy she likes it.

Thanks so much for visiting.  I hope to have alot of progress to share by the end of the month. Who knows, perhaps I will even have a finish!

September Finally Here

Still working hard  WIPs .  I have been feeling a little overwhelmed with all the various projects that have been going on for months and months.  Of course I have to remind myself I have done alot of smallish projects this year.

Be Thankful, Country Cottage Needleworks

I pulled this one out of the UFO pile.  I got tired of it last year but with less than 1/3 of it to go I decided to finish it.    I thought it was smaller, but perhaps it was means to be done of a larger count than I choose.  It will fit in an 8x10 frame so that is probably how I will finish it.  I was not paying much attention when I ordered it and started it.

I must comment on this fabric.  It is a 28 count even weave in Coffee by Fabric Flair.  I cannot remember where I got it.  It is a thicker than some evenweave fabric I have used and it is white on the backside.  It is a nice, soft fabric to stitch on, but the white on the back tends to be a little off putting.  It tends to stretch and who the while through onto the front side.  Hard to explain.  But it does go back into place pretty easily.  Not sure I would use this again for anything.


I wish I was more blog saavy.   There are so many things that a blog can do, like link to other bloggers and things they are doing.  There is something where you show our ORT jar, but I do not know how to link it all.

But, in case I figure it out, here is my ORT jar for the beginning of September.  I think it is really interesting that I feel so "attached" to my ORT jar.  Funny.  I have a new one every year.  I have put some years into those clear plastic christmas ornament jars and labeled them, but I do not think I have ever put them on a tree!  I just hang on to them for some reason!  What I do find interesting is that since I started doing several projects at once there is no longer a clear delineation of the projects.  I kind of like it.

I am planning to start a wedding sampler for some friends of mine that I need to have finished by May 2017.  This is But Happy They by Cross Stitch Antiques from the Headmistress Sampler Series.

 I had to write the designer to ask a dumb question about this project and she mentioned that I could add motifs in the open spaces of this chart.   What a great idea....but I am not sure how to figure out what to put on there or where.   I am looking forward to starting this.   It is about 15 x 18 as it is, so kind of large.

I have had a little progress on other WIPs but nothing I think warrants a photo at this point.  I have also been working on some Christmas ornaments between the large projects.   Hopefully, there will be a finish or two this month that I can share.

Thanks for visiting.