A Very Productive December

First things first, I have to grumble a little.

I have had this floor stand for my stitching for years and am not even sure who makes it or what it is called.  I have struggled with it and suffered with it the entire time.  As you can see, the two "arms" do not line up because the top cross bar is warped or something.  I have tried a thousand time to "fix" it and have not been successful.  I am sure it was not very expensive and it is terribly wobbly.  I have finally given up on it.   I was going to donate it (as I do most things) but I changed my mind and decided to take it apart and hold on to the hardware for later use.  I do not want anyone else to suffer through this awful thing.

I have a Just A Thought stand that I got over a year ago that lives in California but for some reason I have been using it in a different place.  (Hard to explain)  At any rate, I moved it into my utility/craft/laundry/computer room and use it.  Whew, what a difference.  I may get this HAED piece done yet!

Please excuse the mess!



On to stitching stuff


FINISHES

 Nora Corbet letters for my grandgirls.  They are framed and ready for Christmas delivery.

I did a flat fold of Hatching Christmas for my Daughter in Law...she loves it!  Woohoo.  Another Twisted Stitcher tutorial finish.

MORE FINISHES

I am thinking of 12x12 pillows for these two finishes.

Share the Joy of Christmas, Abbey Rose Designs

I am really pleased with this.  I thought the colors were going to be a problem, but I really like it.

Reindeer Games, Kathy Barrack

This turned out cute, but I did not use the suggested threads so I did not do the large black "vase" that is at the bottom.  I will probably do it again next year with the recommended colors.

Woodland Wonder, Glendon Place

The photo does no really show the opalescent fabric very well, but I am pleased with it.  I did not use the kreinik on the snowflakes because I could not get them to come out right.  It looks wierd to me because I did not start in the middle of the fabric, but 3" from the corner instead.   I will try to find a frame for it.



All in all a very productive couple of weeks....of course I have done nothing else!  No housework, no cooking, no laundry.......HA  I have to get to work now and get some cleaning and baking done.

I am trying to get these WIPS done so I can begin my 2017 planning.    I think I am down to 6 if I don't count the ones that I have given up as lost causes.  Who knows, perhaps I will drag them out next year for the Stitch from Stash 2017A.

I am planning to firm up my 2017 stitching plans the week after Christmas while things are winding down for the year.

Thanks so much for visiting.

Have a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season.

Mid November Finishes

Managed to finish a couple of this in the past couple of weeks.

 Nora Corbett Alphabet 

This was a really fun stitch.  I am looking forward to getting it framed.

2015 Prairie Schooler Santa

Because I used a dark fabric, I changed the moon and the stars to a light yellow.  I am not super happy with the wording (I left off one word), but I think I will wait until it is ready to finish (however I am going to do that).  I sort of like the subtle wording (Although it does not photograph well) as I am not a huge fan of words in most pieces.

I am making decent progress on the other Christmas themed projects in my WIP pile while getting the house ready to close for the winter, wrapping pipes, mulching flower beds and the like so I am not getting as much stitching done.

Also getting my projects ready for the upcoming trip.  We will be in the Dallas area for Thanksgiving, then headed West as weather allows.  I really enjoy stitching on the road and will be working on some needlepoint projects during the trip.  I got them all ready to go in the past couple of days.  Photos to follow in the next post.

Thanks for visiting.

November Plans

A Finish:  Giving Thanks:

This a really cute.  Quick stitch and will make a cute little pillow.  I am reminded about 32 count and how small it really is!  For some reason it has really given me fits.  I think I need to enlarge the chart as I keep making mistakes!

 Finally got through it, however:

I made changes to the wording, making it Give thanks, rather than Giving thanks.  Then, while I am on a pillow roll, I made it a little pillow to give to one of my nieces if she wants it.

Christmas themes for November stitching.

I learned from doing the small projects that they are not comfortable to stitch on the little pieces of fabric that they require.  So..........I put border fabric (just a piece of cotton) on all the fabrics for these projects so I can use a larger qsnap.  I have a 6 inch one, but it is too small for me hold comfortably and too small to go on a stitching stand.

Two of the Prairie School Santa's from 2011 and 2015.

I am going to do them on a 28 count opal lugana called Winter Soltice from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie.  I am a little concerned about some of the colors on this fabric, but will deal with it as i go.

Snoozin Santa by Holly Gordon

This kit was ridiculously cheap from somehwere.  It comes with 14 court aida, but I am switching it out to an opal aida because the white on the beard and santa suit are not stitched but just outlined.  I may put this project off for next year because I have a couple of other Christmas themed things I want to stitch.

Dear Rudolph by Lizzie Kate  Finished!

This is a kit that comes with everything but the stuffing to make a little pillow.  It will challenge my sewing skills no doubt!

Since I finished the October projects quickly, I got a head start on this little project and was able to finish it in just a few hours.

Took longer to make the pillow than it did to stitch the design.  It was fun, so I am looking forward to the next LK project......

Three Blox  by Lizzie Kate

I think I am going to make these into three separate blocks but who knows.   It comes with the fabric.  Again, a challenge to my finishing skills!

I may be a little too ambitious  with all these Christmas projects and may burn out on them, but we will see.

Last but not least I want to finish the Nora Corbett Alphabet letter A for my grand daughter.  It is going well and just needs a few hours of attention

October Update

Before I start on my update, I have to share a brilliant idea.  I am always looking for a way to make my stitching a little easier and my stitching time more effective.  I love Thread Heaven thread conditioner, especially for DMC and metallic threads.  I do not usually use it for silks for some reason.  Not sure why, I am just not comfortable putting on a project I know that I cannot launder.  Anyway, we all struggle with using that last bit of Thread Heaven and taking it out of the little box to run the thread over it when it is not new......well, I saw these little baby wax things for quilters and ordered them.

Then, I took the wax out, put half a container of Thread Heaven and a washer (so it will stick to a magnet) in the little container and voila!  I am lovin it!  They have the notch in the container so the thread can be run through.    No clue what I will do with the wax I removed, but I have used it in the past as a thread conditioner so I will hang onto it.  I am not sure how this will work out, but time will tell.

Now on to progress:

Be Thankful:

Perhaps because of the fabric I chose, I made a couple of changes to the recommended floss.  3865 was too white, the yellow and green were too bright.  So I used 3866 which is creamier.  I also just picked a softer yellow and softer green.

For some reason this piece is becoming a little tedious.  Perhaps because I do not like doing "words". Who knows.   I sort of fell out of love with it somewhere right after halfway.  So it is packed away and perhaps I will finish it next year.

Patterned Gourds

Finished this project in about 36 hours of stitching.  I really like the Chai Tea fabric that I used.  I will probably make this into a cube of some sort by mounting it on a piece of foam.  I like the argyle look of it.  It kind of screams autumn without being in your face.  Really like it.

Heaven and Nature, With Thy Needle and Thread

Have really been surprised at how much I enjoyed this.  While I am still not convinced this is the best fabric for it, it is working well for this piece.  I made a few tiny changes to what I am assuming are supposed to be snowflakes.  Just added a stitch in the middle of the small ones.  I like the trees and really like the red poinsettia at the bottom.

I know I mentioned the threads before, but I really love the subtle variegation of the Gentle Arts threads; particularly for this piece in the dress and the reindeer.

Now to make it a pillow without wrecking it!  I learned from this project that I cannot sew and really don't enjoy it.  Measuring and pinning and stitching and turning, oh my.  Not a fan.  Perhaps I just need practice.......

Stitching this project took about 28 hours, but the pillow making.......felt like it took every bit of that although I know it was only a few hours!

Nora Corbett Letter "A"

Am enjoying this one as much as the previous letter.   I am not crazy about the fabric, but it will work out just fine.

Ink Circles Mandala RYOB series

Made a little progress on this project.  One quarter done.

Books Reading Books, HAED

This project is going slower than I would like.  So much confetti, so many color changes1   I am trying to devote an hour or so a day.  I am wishing I could get the hang of the parking technique.  I have not been able to make it work for me and I truly admire anyone who can master it.

While I do not need any supplies (other than some substitutes for discontinued threads on my Chatelaine that I will do next year) I am wanting to visit Stitches from the Heart in San Antonio next week.  It is an hour away, but something is just calling me to go.

That is it for this busy October.  Lots of stitching due to trying to get my silly foot o heal up.  I do not like being "down" for what feels like weeks on end.  Especially since we will be on the road in a few short weeks and I have to get this house ready to be left for a few months.

Thanks for visiting.  I have some really nice things planned for December along with the on-going projects so don't forget to stop by in a few weeks.

New Starts for October

I have great plans for the rest of the year.  I am doing a few smallish projects for people that I think will keep me working on those large projects between them.  I spent the last couple of days kitting up projects that I want to do in the next two months.

I started Heaven and Nature Sing by With Thy Needle and Thread.  I am not thrilled with the fabric.  I think I would have preferred a more creamish color, but I got the recommended fabric ( two pieces of it as a matter of fact) so I am going to use it.  It is 39 count line in Cafe Kona.  It is a goldish brown.  I hope it will go with my sister's decor.  It is a Christmas theme so I guess it does not really have to "go".  It is a pretty fast stitch, so I hope to have it ready to give her by Thanksgiving so she can have it out for the rest of the holiday season.

 This project uses Gentle Arts Threads.  The angel's dress is done in Simply Shaker Lexington Green.  I bring this up because this is not the first time I have used this brand, but it is the first time I have really appreciated them.  The varigation in this dress is just amazing, and the subtle, faded look of the threads make this look really nice.   Perhaps there will be more primitive type projects in my future.


I started the Nora Corbett letter A for my grandgirl to get it done and framed for Christmas.   I am using the recommended fabric this time.  It is a 32 count  Water Lily linen.  It looks to have alot more beading than the "R" I just finished.

For some reason it makes sense to me to do Thanksgiving themed projects in October so here they are:

Thanksgiving themes for October:

Be Thankful by Country Cottage Needleworks

I will be doing this on 28 Count Coffee evenweave by Fabric Flair.


Giving Thanks by Not Forgotten Farm

I will do this on a 32 Count Ivory Lugana that I already have.  I may be able to get two of the little pillows out of this piece.  I am thinking of changing the wording to Give Thanks rather than Giving Thanks.  Not sure as I have not started this one.


Patterned Gourds by Sharon Pope from Just Cross Stitch magazine.

This is on a 28 count Jobelyn in Chai Tea.  I really love this fabric.  I have had it for a while and think it is perfect for this project; must more subtle than the orangy fabric in the photo.

This is a great piece to work on outside since the weather has cooled off quite a bit.  It is done in DMC from my inventory so I will be able to launder it once it is finished.  I like the way it is finished in the photo of the piece, just stretched over a canvas, no frame.  I think that is how I am going to finish it.

I am realizing that a week of October is already gone.  The good news is that I should have alot of time for stitching.....the bad news is that I have a foot injury that is not healing very rapidly so I am doing alot of sitting.

I gotta get busy!

Hopefully I will have a couple of finishes this month.

Thanks for visiting.

Finish Just in Time for Halloween

I finished the Pumpkin Patch Quilting Shop from Cross Stitch and Needlework Magazine, 2010.  I had alot of fun doing this project because I have a specific recipient for it.  It only took about three weeks (68 hours or so) to complete but I was kind of on a mission to get it finished.  I was going to frame it and give it to the local quilt shop here in town, then I decided they might rather finish it themselves as a wall hanging.  The ladies in there are so nice.  The shop carries DMC and Cosmo threads as well as a few speciality threads that quilters use.  I try to buy a few skeins a year there just to help the local economy.  Selfishly, it keeps DMC close in case I run out!

It was a fun stitch and I am looking forward to seeing how they finish it.  

I also finished the Nora Corbett Alphabet R

It was a quick stitch that only took about 26 hours to stitch and bead.  I am really happy with the outcome and will be starting the "A" letter on the recommended fabric.

On our way to the DFW area we stopped by Fancy Stitches in Cleburne, Texas.  It is a great shop but was overwhelming.   I got a couple of charts that I had not seen on line anywhere

Two patterns are Halloween based that I will do next year:

Ghouls Night Out by the Trilogy (this one is a kit)

 Flight School by Just Nan.

I picked up Heaven and Nature Sing by Brenda Gervais.  I am going to do this one for my sister as a Christmas housewarming gift.  Already ordered the materials from 123 Stitch and hope they will arrive in the next week so I can get it started.  Hope to get it done by November.  I am not sure I am going to finish it as it is suggested, I may just make it a normal pillow.  It does comes with all the finishing instructions to make this pillow with a pocket on it as it is pictured.

Finally, I took advantage of a sale somewhere (Stitchery I think) and got a Christmas project just for the heck of it.  It is called Snoozin Santa by Holly Gordon.  I have someone in mind for this also.

It is a kit that include 14 count white aida and leaves the white portions of the pattern un-stitched.  I am thinking of changing the fabric and doing the white portions in stitching.  Or I might get a sparkly aida cloth in a 16 or 18 count.  Have not yet decided.  If I have no other Christmas project that calls to me I will do this one when I finish the Heaven and Nature pillow.

That is the update for this week.  Am hoping to do some work on the larger projects that are on-going.  I am kind of burned out on Gardens of London at the moment and have put it away for a while.  I was enjoying it so much I am a little surprised

Thanks for visiting.

Halloween Finish and Christmas Plans

Here is Wicked Wanda all done.  I made a couple of minor changes to the pattern.  I did not want to do the wording, so I added the bat, and I changed the border.  Using a Cosmo variegated thread I did some stitches I learned doing my Chatelaines; Rhodes stitches I believe they are called.   I am really happy with the finished product.

The materials and patterns for the Nora Corbett alphabet came.

I am not aure about the fabric.  The suggested fabric is 32 count Water Lily linen.  It is extremely stiff.

Depending on timing and how things go I may do the "H" for their last name.  Have not decided if I will do it for Christmas or later.

For the 'R' I am using 32 count linen in Silver Moon which is a very pale grey.  It is a really fun stitch that is working up really fast.  Of course it has lots of beading that will take some time.  I will be doing an "A" also.

In the suggested supplies from 123 Stitch they included a spool of thread for beading,  here it is.

It is awful stuff.  It shreads like crazy and  is impossible to thread on a needle.  I am trashing this and using the nymo thread I prefer.

I have also made some good progress on Pumpkin Patch Quilt Shop.  I think I will finish it before October.  That is the plan anyway.  I made some changes to the pattern.  I did not think the ghost on the left side of the roof needed a heart; and I replaced the heart on the shop to the State of Texas since I plan to give this to the local quilt shop.  I will also change the wording on the sign so it meets the local shop a little better.  It is going pretty fast and I am about half way through the project.  This project has a lot of outlining but I am doing it as I go so it is not too bad.

I have made more progress on the Ink Circles project.  I have not decided if I will finish all the black outline work for the whole piece before I add the color, or if I will put the color in as I go from page to page.  So far, I am not yet sick of the black. Photo is a little blurry but you get the idea.

The good news is that I got a new laptop ....actually an Apple Airbook...and so far it is working like a charm.   There is a really large learning curve (especially in the photo portion of the program) but since it is so much like an IPad it is not too bad.  Not nearly as frustrating as the Windows 10 so far....

That is it for this week.  Thanks for visiting.