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.

Computer Woes

I recently had a crash on my laptop computer.  It is in the lab now where they are attempting to retrieve my data files.  I have lost everything.  Sad as that is, it is not the end of the world.  I can re-purchase the patterns from Chatelaine that I lost.  Not optimal, but does take my to-do list down a bit.

The biggest problem is that Windows 10 is on most new computers.  It does not work with Blogspot.  Photos will not load from the computer to the blog, so any photos I took with a camera cannot be posted.    I am going to attempt to use my IPad for future postings until there is a fix or I get my old computer back without the new Windows 10.  The funniest thing is that for some reason I cannot type on my Ipad without a thousand errors!  Who knows what I might post!

And while I am on the subject, the photo program for Windows 10 is just terrible.  You cannot organize your photos into files or folders where you want them.  It seems they all go into one place by date I believe.  It is interesting to me that microsoft had such an easy photo program before, and they just chucked it and put in something unusable.  I guess there must be a crisis in Silicon valley.

So that is my tale of woe for today.  I am hoping the issues will be resolved but I am not holding my breath!

My advice, for what it is worth, is that if you like the way your photos are organized, do not upgrade to Windows 10.

Plans for the Rest of 2015

Before I get into the WIPs and planned projects for the rest of this year, I have to share a "gadget".  I have tried every type of eye assistance to enable me to stitch without sitting under my Mighty Bright light.  I LOVE my Mighty Bright light and have several of them as a matter of fact.  I have tried many types of magnifying lamps and it is by far my favorite.  That said, I have tried many, many things that might help me stitch during the day in different places...like in the car, on the patio (stitching outdoors is one of my favorite things), on the porch, in a waiting room, etc.  Over the years I have tried it all, clip on magnifiers (I have every strength they make I think), the kind that are like headgear (once again I have every strength), the one that is supposed to hang around your neck and sit on your chest.....none of them worked.  I recently purchased BIG Vision from one of the thousand catalogs that I get.  They came in a few days ago and I used them this evening on the patio.  THEY ARE AWESOME.  They are plastic so I want to make sure I don't scratch them.  I cannot remember what I paid for this pair, but I went on Amazon and they have them for about $15.00.  I am definitely going to order at least one more pair.  They fit over my glasses and work like a charm.  So far, I am sold!  Here is a photo.

 

On the Cross Stitch stuff.

I have decided on my projects for the rest of this year.  Well, for the time being anyway.
In addition to Books Reading Books (HAED), Pumpkin Swirl (Glendon Place), Gardens of London (Chatelaine), the Ink Circles, and all the rest,  I have added a few more.


I want to do a couple of Halloween themed projects.  These two patterns are from the September 2010 issue of Cross-Stitch and Needlework magazine.   I plan to do these in DMC.  Just what I need, more WIPs, right!  I think that only bring me to 7 or 8.

Wicked Wanda:  I am going to use a variegated thread for the border rather than all the color changes and because I am not that crazy about 'words' I will probably leave that off.  For this project I decided to support my local quilt shop that carries DMC and Cosmo threads.  It is quite a shock to pay so much for DMC floss but I need to do my part to keep the local shop in business.  I suppose it works out since the pattern was relatively free from an old magazine.  I am doing this on 28 count ivory Jazlyn.

Here is the progress so far:

This is a really fun project.  She is turning out to be larger than I had anticipated and I am enjoying it.


Pumpkin Patch Quilt Shop:  I want to do this for the local quilt shop here in town.  The ladies there are so nice and supportive.  They are always trying to get me to quilt!  I am using a piece of 32 county DMC linen that I dyed myself during my dying phase. 

Here is my progress so far:

I got a little carried away with the Halloween theme.  I also have my first Alessandra Adelaide pice called Haloween Tree.  I think I am going to do it on a 28 count linen from Dye Stitch Love called Key Lime.  It was the April 2015 fabric of the month selection.  It is a color I would not usually choose, so I thought I may branch out a little.

I may not get to the AAN this year.  That should give me time to change my mind about the fabric!


I also decided to do a piece for each of the Grandgirls for Christmas.  I decided to do a Nora Corbet Alphabet design for each of them.   I will post them when the patterns and materials arrive.

That should keep me busy for the rest of the year!

Thanks for visiting.

A Finish and a New Start to end August

Finished the Grace project for a friend of mine.   Framed it and got it in the mail.   It took about 9.5 hours of stitching.  I did not follow the pattern as written.  I changed a couple of the bands and used a couple of variegated threads I got in an ebay purchase of Caron some time ago.  I really enjoyed using the silk threads.  They are heaven to stitch.

I also decided to try one of the cards that come with the World of Cross Stitching magazine.  They are really small and I discovered that it makes my hands cramp if I do it in one sitting.  If I do another I think I will baste it to a larger piece of fabric so I can put it in a hoop.

While my friend was on my mind I started the Ink Circles pattern she saw while she was visiting this summer.  She loved the colors.  It is on 28 count dyed fabric Queen Anns Lace.  A very nice light green.  It should turn out well.  I am enjoying it.

I watched some videos on the you tube and it inspired me to do the new start.  Although I have several projects in the works, they are quite large so I am going to start a few smaller ones that I have kitted up and ready.  I also feel inspired to do a Halloween project for some reason.  I broke down and ordered a couple of patterns today.  I will share them when they arrive.

I am making use of the hot weather to get some stitching done!

I am finding that while I love stitching with the silk threads, I am going back to DMC cottons for many of my projects.  I am concerned about washing them once they are finished.  I know I cannot wash the silks so I try to be more careful with them and do not work on them outside or in the car. 

Thanks for visiting.

Working and Stitching

I have had so little time to stitch that it is really frustrating if I let myself think about it.

It has been a busy summer of cleaning.

The worst part is that I do not pace myself very well so I end up getting hurt and over tired so that stitching at night is not an option.  I would love to blame my age, but the truth is I am just in lousy physical shape!  I think I heard about some exercise program somewhere that takes every day tasks and makes them a work out.  It is probably a California thing.  I can claim that is what I am doing!

Since I killed my regular camera during the flood (note to self:  do not take photos during torrential rain) I am struggling with getting pictures.  It is hard to find a camera these days that takes a decent picture and does not require a computer science degree to operate.

The weather is hot so afternoons are perfect for sitting with iced tea and stitching.  I have also started refinishing a door I got for free from my brother.  What a score.  Am sanding it down to re-stain and varnish it.

 This is the glass in the door.  I have it covered in the photo above to protect it while I am working on it.  Cannot wait to finish and have it installed.

And in the meantime, I am working on Pumpkin Swirl by Glendon Place.   Enjoying it, but it is not going as rapidly as I would like.  I am almost finished with the top half. 

 

 



I have done some work on Gardens of London..  It is interesting to me that the lamp is in greens.  One of the best things about this huge Chatelaine project is that it has so many different areas that have different stitches and threads.  Am enjoying it a lot.  My biggest concern is that it is going to take me so long it will need washing and I won't be able to launder it because of all the threads that are not color fast.  I guess I will have to frame it dirty if it comes to that. 

 

And have done some work on Books Reading Book.  This is my HAED (Heaven and earth Designs) project.  I hope to finish page 8 this week. 

 And a Chatelaine I am working on called Knot Garden.  I work on this when I travel or when I sit outside because it is mostly DMC threads and I will be able to wash it once it is done.  This is just the middle section.  There are many more parts to it!

And here is a little baby bunny that has taken up residence in one of the rosemary bushes.  Obviously, the dogs have not found it yet!

That is all for this post.

Thanks for visiting.

A Finish and a Flood

I have been working on this post for what feels like months!  It is a little rambling, but here it goes.  The camera I was so used to using got too wet during the flood while I was trying to take photos.  Unfortunately, the photos on this posting are not as good as they could be. 

We survived the flood in Blanco, but have quite a bit of work and clean up to do.  There are many who lost everything and some lost their lives.  We are living in a new normal now. The riverbank has changed dramatically and many of the old springs are flowing again.

It has been busy around here with clean up and reworking some water flow.  In addition, there is a layer of sand covering the back yard.  Good for the grass in most areas, but there are many areas that have too much sand for the grass to get through, so it needs to be moved.   I have learned that shoveling, raking and hauling dirt and rock is not for someone my age! All this work has really put a damper on my stitching time! 

Just one of the many collections of debris to be cleaned up.



Back to Needlework!

I finish the mini mandala IIA by Chatelaine.  It was great fun.

Photos jus do not do justice to the special threads, stitches and beads.


Have been far too busy to stitch for more than a few minutes at a time, but things should slow down after this week.

It is raining most of the time so I am getting a little more done at last.

I have been working on Books Reading Books by Heaven and Earth Designs.  I am just finishing page 7 at last and am looking forward to getting into page 8 (of 35!)

I have done a bit of work on Pumpkin Swirl by Glendon Place but not too much.  It is becoming a little more fun as I get into it.  I think I am going to bead as I go since it have it on my millennium frame.

I am making progress on Gardens of London by Chatelaine.  Am working on the third "garden" and am still enjoying this project. 

I also started Knot Garden by Chatelaine.  I am doing this project because it is mostly DMC, which means than I can work on it outside and on the patio because I will be able to wash it before I add the specialty stitches in silks and the beads.

I have not done any work on the Buddha project.  Oh well. 

I have kitted a few new projects so I really want to get going on the ones that are in progress right now.  All of the projects are large and intricate so I may start something smaller next week.  Who knows.

I hope my posts improve in the next few months. 

Thanks for looking