Mid March Update

Wanted to get a post in before we head off to Texas for the year.

Had a finish early this month:

Home of a Needleworker by Little House Needleworks

Thanks to Sampler Sundays at the Little House/Country Cottage facebook challenge this has finally been finished.







WIP Progress:

Coffee Quaker by Heartstring Samplers

I gotta tell ya, this project is really giving me fits.  After stitching one of the motifs three times, I found out it was in the wrong place....so time number four a moved it to its proper location....then, as I was preparing for the far right motif, I discovered I had done the "problem" motif in the wrong color....I am leaving it and adjusting the colors as needed.  Holy cow this project has become a pain.  But I am sticking with it.





The Library by Little House Needleworks

This is not on the Sampler Sunday list, but I am still working on this on Sundays




Linen & Threads 2020 SAL

Part 3 for March all done (the bottom three motifs).  I have still not decided on the initials at this point.  Perhaps if someone expresses an interest in having it when completed I can put in initials that have meaning for them.  Who knows.

A Perfect World by The Scarlett House

This project has lead me to discover I am not so fond of stitching houses.  It gets alot of attention, but is slow going.





Tis a Lovely Bird by Homespun Elegance

Thanks to a couple of hours in a waiting room this bird is coming along nicely  Would like to finish it this month but we will see.



Frances Pool by Brenda Gervais

Once again I am finding the colors a little strange, but I am going to stick with it as charted.  Sage green birds seem a little off to me, as to Red Rock colored squirrels!!  I am enjoying this very much.  I like that is not a huge sampler as some of the projects I have in the wings.

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Extras:

Another great find that my Mother-In-Law stitched from a Paragon kit in the mid 60's.  I feel so lucky to have it.  It fit perfectly in a frame from Amazon and hangs in the dining room with her other piece.






Most projects will be packed away during our trip and I will work on a select couple.  

We are planning a stop at The Attic needleshop in Mesa, AZ if time and weather permit.  Since I rarely visit an actual needle shop I am looking forward to it.  The last time I visited one many years ago I was so overwhelmed I did not buy anything!  

Thanks for stopping by.  I have still not mastered the "comments" section of this blogging thing so please know that I read the comments and I do reply, but my replies do not seem to show up!

WIPocalypse End of February

HAPPY LEAP DAY....

This is a long post with lots of photos!  I got on a roll this month for some reason so I have lots to share.

Be sure to check out 2020 WIPocalypse:  What do I listen to while I stitch?  Flosstube and/or some movie or true crime show.  And sometimes, nothing.

The Challenge from Embroidery.com was to stitch for 30 minutes a day (at least) and post progress daily.  That has really helped me get alot done on my projects.  I am going to try to continue the 30 minutes a day on a focus piece and see how it goes.

I have a goal of 20 finishes for 2020 so I need to average about two finishes a month.  I am on my way and have several pieces that are close.  Of course my goal of 20 starts is not a problem since I have so many kitted and ready.

Before I start, I want to show you a sampler that my Mother-in-Law did in about 1965.  Thanks to so many generous and knowledgable stitchers on facebook at Sampler World, I was able to find it (found a kit for it on EBay) and found that the original sampler is called Catherine Ann Speel worked in 1805 and is at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Pennsylvania.  So amazing.  I just adore it.  I also found that the Attic in Mesa, Arizona may have the reproduced chart.  Might be interesting to do it if I can find the chart.  What a wonderful family heirloom this is.






February Finishes:

Elizabeth Poole 1838 by Threads of Gold



Good Luck Always probably from Cross Stitch Magazine



And I posted the finish of Easter Parade earlier in the month.


New Starts:

Frances Pool by With Thy Needle and Thread




I am enjoying this so much so far.  I am using the threads as suggested and the colors are a little odd to me, but that is kind of common for me and samplers it seems.  But I am still enjoying them and have many ready to start.

Learning Stitches



This is an on line class I am taking through Sassy Jacks.  These are stitches in a Jeanette Douglas book made into a band sampler.  I am too cheap to buy banding so I took a piece of fabric that was 36" long and created banding for it and am using variegated DMC threads that I have on hand.  I will never use them for anything else.  It is kind of ugly, but it is for learning, not display!  HA


Progress:These projects have my attention at the monent so there has been progress for this month.

A Perfect World by The Scarlett House



This was my 30 minutes a day focus piece for February and I am very pleased with the progress I have made.  I am still on the fence about doing all the black that is called for at the bottom.  I kind of hate to leave it off, but I might hate doing it worse!  Perhaps I will tent stitch it??


Coffee Quaker by Heartstring Samplery



This project was a frogging nightmare so I decided that I would "grid" the motifs before I start them to make sure they are lined up property

Tis a Lovely Bird by Homespun Elegance



My travel piece since it is on 28 count fabric (I can actually see it).

Still My Sunday Sampler Focus Pices from Little House Needleworks

Home of a Needleworker



The Library





Knotgarden by Chatelaine



I am not making any progress on this for some reason so the goals of finishing it before mid-March is definitely not going to happen.  Not sure why, but I am not feeling this one right now so I guess it will have to travel back to Texas once again.


S.L. 1862 Small Sampler  by Lila's Studio



I tried to do this little sampler with the DMC conversion andd the colors were just terrible to me.  I also was getting a little "browned out" from the samplers that I am doing so I decided to dig out the left over silk threads I had from the Chatelaine and other projects that calledl for various silks.  It is quite a variety of colors and I am just winging it.  Now, bear in mind that I am not good at putting colors together so I am just playing with these threads.   The bad news is that it has really made he remember how wonderful it is to stitch with silks.  Especially with a single thread.  Oh my how wonderful it is to have the thread just gliding through the fabric.....heaven on the needle.

2020 SAL from Linen and Threads


A very small start of Part 3



And finally, I framed one of last year's finishes.  I really like this piece and even with the alphabets (which I am not too fond of stitching) I did enjoy doing it.  I left off the french knots that were called for in the skirt and basket of which is supposed to be donuts...looks like flowers to me.  And this piece has a million "customizations" (my term for errors) but I still like it.  I got the frame from Amazon.

Coffee Saves Lives by  Heartstring Samplery



Thank you for stopping by.  Be sure to hop around to other WIPocaplyse posts.

March

I have been so remiss with my posting.  I decided to go ahead and post the March update and move on to April rather than try to combine them.  Sorry all.  Hope you enjoy.

March is shaping up to be really, really busy for me.  Have lots of company coming in for a wedding the one of the weeks, I had some emergency dental work done last week (yuk) and that will be finished off this month, a granddaughter birthday and packing to finally get back to Texas.  Perhaps that is why I have been stitching and finishing like a crazy person for the first two months of the year. Everything stitch related will surely slow down from here on out other than my opportunities to get in some stitching time since the NASCAR season as begun and Sundays are race, laundry and stitching.

FFOs to finish out February

This was a little freebie from somewhere.

Woodland Wonder by Glendon Place.  Finally found a frame at a thrift store that it would fit into.  No glass but it has alot of beads so I am not too worried about it.  Also, will probably only have it out during Christmas.

A little flat fold done for Halloween.  This is by Trilogy but I cannot remember the name of the pattern.   Thanks to Vonna, the Twisted Stitcher I am getting a little better at flat folds!


Finishes

Delivery Spring Blossoms by Homespun Elegance.  Pretty fun little stitch that I made into a little pillow I am sure.

And since I was playing with the ribbon technique I learned from Shepherd's Bush on the Utube I decided to fully finish this little project from last year.

WIPs

Linen and Threads 2017 SAL: No real progress, I am at least a month behind

Ship's Manor Beautiful Sea SAL: So close to a finish, but no progress


NEW STARTS


Afternoon in Paris by Country Cottage Needleworks.   I am doing this for a niece that loves all things Paris.  I am using Silver Moon linen instead of the blue linen that is called for on the pattern (thanks for Stitching from Stash challenge) and I ordered the frame that is pictured with the sample.


I will be posting April and May soon.  I hope.  At any rate.....I am hoping to get caught up.

thank for visiting

Mid February Update

NEW STARTS

Delivering Spring Blossoms, Homespun Elegance

This is a fun stitch.  I am doing it on a really lovely piece of 28 county Lugana from Silkweaver called Astor.

FINISHES

I finished the Valentine from Sitchy Box on the fabric that was included in their 28 Days of February box. I used GAST Cranberry.

The photos is terrible as far as the fabric color.  

I had to use tea to dye the lavender fabric for this FFO.  The fabric was much more "antiqued" that I thought.

ANOTHER FFO

Thrift store frame.  No glass, so I padded it heavily.

I also framed the Beekeeper by Plum Street Samples.  I used the tea to darken the mat a little.  I got the frame and mat at a local thrift store and the mat was too white.  It is a little better now as it looks a little more brownish/yellow in person.

WIPs

Excursion #1 Scotland, Amy Mitten Designs

Well, I am just sick about the progress of my current sampler that I am enjoying so much.  I did not measure accurately and the fabric is not wide enough as a result.  I am going to make adjustments to the pattern as I simply cannot bear to give up on it and I am certainly not going to frog all that I have done and risk running out of the silk threads.  It will be off-center, but what the heck.  I think I will be OK, but what a mess I made for myself.  I am hoping it does not damped my enthusiasm for this piece.  So I have decided to complete the house which is the main focus of the piece, then the border  and worry about the other motifs when I figure out how much room I will actually have.

I think that is it until March.   While I think I am enjoying the Stitch from Stash 2017A (as is my budget)  I am missing the package deliveries.  Crazy isn't it.  I am also trying to keep my WIPs down and I think I am getting a little bored.  I also realize that I do not have a Chatelaine piece going.....perhaps I will start one in March.

Thanks for visiting.

Welcome to 2017

First Things First:  Happy 10th Birthday to my sweet little Jasmine all curled up after destroying the bed!  She was not too happy that I uncovered her to take her photo......

I am doing Stitch From Stash 2017A.  It is stitching only from what I have on hand and sticking to a budget for the first six months of the year.  I have so many things I want to complete this year and I know I have more projects that I will live long enough to finish!



New Start 

Ye Old Coffee House, Little House Needleworks

Am doing this with the called for DMC on 28 count Clay jobelan and I love the fabric.  Unfortunately, however, the frog has been visiting me on this project so it is really dragging.  I am going to change out the heart at the top to a coffee cup.....I am not a huge "heart" fan.  I also am thinking about changing the date to the date we moved into our house in Blanco, Texas since that is where I plan to hang it......




Beautiful Sea Sampler SAL, Ships's Manor

I am determined to catch up on the Beautiful Sea Sampler SAL.   I am into part four so I am just about halfway caught up!    I am doing it on 28 Count Mystic Lugana with the Ship's Manor threads.  They are really great colors and I am enjoying it.  I cannot wait to be caught up.

Linen & Threads 2017 Mystery Band Sampler

This is a free pattern from Linen and Threads and it looks like it is going to be a year long project.  I have a piece of 32 count belfast in Platinum that I am going to use.  My dilemma is the threads.  It takes about 30 skeins and I am stitching from stash this year.  I went through and pulled all the DMC colors that I had over 10 skeins and they are mostly greens, golds and a little brown. I think it would be pretty, but I am so bad at deciding colors I am kind of nervous to start it.  I really do not want to fall behind (comes out monthly) so I gotta just go for it!  If I use the greens I may put the Evergreen Sampler on hold since it is alot of green.

WIPS

Here is where I am starting this year.  No photos as I have not made any progress on any of them.   With the new starts that give me about 8 WIPs which I think is plenty for a month or so!

Dancing Deer, Cherished Stitches

Evergreen Sampler, Good Housekeeping Christmas Book

Alice Merryfield, Pineberry Lane

But Happy They, Homespun Elegance

Books Reading Books, HAED

Knot Garden, Chatelaine



Thank you for visiting.  I hope your new year has had a great beginning.

Change of Plans

As is usually the case, October comes to Texas and I cannot bear to leave.  So, I will stay on the bend until some time in November.   We had such a great time with our visitors.  I forget how I enjoy having them.

The fall is so terrific.  The deer are out and all the critters are getting ready for winter.  This is a year for pecans so the squirrels are staying busy.

I have made a little stiching progress this month.

Hatching Christmas, Good Housekeeping

Just have to work on the border.  I am considering changing it to a more Christmas themed border.....perhaps holly leaves.  Turned out pretty cute for my chicken raising DIL.

Home is Where You Hang Your Needlework, Homespun Elegance

Once I got the lettering done I just winged it on the motifs around the outside.  I think it is finished.  This is a project that I may stitch again and follow the chart a little more closely.

Books Reading Books, HAED

I just started Page 15 so I am almost halfway done.  I will not bore you with another photo.


Woodland Wonder, Glendon Place

I am thinking that perhaps this fabric is a little too sparkly (if that is possible).  Interestingly, this fabric is a little more difficult to stitch on that I would have thought.  However, I still love it and will keep going.  The pattern calls for combining 2 strands of white and one strang of the Kreinik metallic but I don't know.  Seems like it will be bulky.  I decided not to put the metallic on the snowflakes around the border (since the fabric is so sparkly) and am still pondering the snowflakes inside the border.  I may wait until more of the reindeer and trees are done to make a finaly decision.

Bee Keeper, Plum Street Samplers

I am enjoying this project in spite of myself!  Alternating the large blocks of color with the other details and border.  It is going well.

Comet, Nora Corbett

This project is kind of interesting.  I like it, but not as much as I thought I would (and I ordered 2 other reindeer.......I cannot imagine that I will do all of them)   It may be one of those projects that I like better once I get it done.  Who knows.

A FINISH!!

O Canada, Jeanette Douglas

Although this project has proven to be far more tedious than I would have thought, I really enjoy doing it and it has given me a new appreciation for samplers in general.  There are so many errors in it I cannot even remember most of them....but it will be off to it's recipient in a couple of days.  I have not "signed" it and am not sure that I will.  So I am hanging onto it until next week.

Planning a Busy October

Lots going on this month.....I hope I get my stitiching fixes!

Two sets of company and the trip back to California.  I have a tendency to plan, replan and overplan before I even start packing things up and getting the house ready to leave.  It makes me a little sad to leave the bend, but after a day or two on the road I will be looking forward to getting to the West Coast for the winter.  We have alot of plans for the months that we are there so the time should go by rapidly.

WIPS

Books Reading Books, Heaven and Earth Designs

The never-ending wip.  Making progress, but it is slow.  About 500 stitches left on this page.

Bee Keeper, Plum Street Samplers

Enjoying this in spite of the awful fabric.  I did her face 1 over 1 and it makes her look like she has a big long nose.  I am not sure I will re-do it.

O Canada, Jeanette Douglas

I have still not received the thread I need to finish this.  It is kind of depressing.  I am going to look for a replacement I think.  I have ordered it from two places (ABC Stitch Therapy and Stitching Bit and Bobs) and have heard nothing so I broke down and ordered it from Canada and they are waiting for it to come from the supplier.  Grrrrr.  This may not be completed by Christmas after all.

Hatching Christmas Cheer, Good Housekeeping

This is turning out really cute.  The fabric came in a Stitchy Box a few months back.  It is a cream color opalescent by Fabric Flair.  Lots of back stitching should help make it really pop.  It is a pretty easy stitch.

NEW STARTS

Woodland Wonder, Glendon Place

This is on 28 ct. Lugana,  a solo from Silkweaver.  It has gold flecks in it....I love this fabric.
Just barely started the border.  I am not so happy with the border snowflakes (white DMC....), but they are OK for how.

Comet, Nora Corbet

I ordered the fabric called for but did not like it, so I am doing it on 28 count Dwarf Twilight opalescent by Picture this Plus

The border of this piece is in white DMC but it is so unforgiving  I ordered pearl cotton #3 and #5 and will use that when it arrives.  Not to file:  Never do a project that has alot of white stitches on it....!  I am not sure if I will do all 8 reindeer and rudolph, but I am watching anotherh stitcher doing Santa's sleigh and it is amazing.

Home is Where You Hang Your Needlework, Homespun Elegance

I just could not resist this sampler pattern.  I had purchased a bag of silk threads Waterlilies from Caron) over a year ago and had not figured out what I could do with them, so I used them on this sampler.  I am really pleased with how it is turning out.  It is on 28 count Prairie Grain linen.  It is a little stiff, but not too bad.  I am really liking the "homespun"  rustic look of the sampler.

Months ago I ordered the Coloris set of DMC.  It finally arrived today.  I am not sure if I will do the sampler that is included but the colors are really nice.  It is odd to me that the sampler says "Sweet Home"  and not "Home Sweet Home".  Just kind of sticks out to me.

I also took advantage of the month end sale at the local quilt shop and loaded up on fat quarters for finishing.  I think I have all the fabric I could ever use for finishing!

It dawned on me that for the first time in years I do not have a Chatelaine going.  Seems odd.  Of course there is Gardens of London but I have completely lost the love for some reason.  I have several kitted and ready to go, but will try to wait until 2017 to start a new one........maybe.


I will probably not post again until we are on the road.  Depends on if I get anything accomplished.

Thank you so much for visiting.  I hope you enjoy visiting as much as I enjoy creating the blog.