Stitching in Texas at last

We are safe and sound in Texas.  Have not done much stitching since we got here because the house sorely needed a good cleaning.   Now that some of the cleaning is done I am setting up my stitching spots and trying to get organized so I can get to work!

We have had a lot of rain which has given me some time to stitch.  I started a couple of new projects just for the heck of it.

First is Pumpkin Swirl.  It is going well so far, but I am not enjoying it as much as I thought I would.  I will finish it, but I  may use a different frame for it. 

I also started Mini Mandala IIA by Chatelaine.  I am loving it.  It is going well.  I decided to use all the NPI silk threads that were recommended.  They are lovely threads, but a little pricey.  I think I would use DMC in place of these for other projects.  I do like the colors, but on a large project I think the cost would be a consideration.  As far as the Caron and other specialty threads, I would not substitute them.  They are so lovely and really make a difference in the overall look of the project.

I am hoping to finish this little project this weekend so I will have a finish to show next time!  Hurray.

I did some work on Garden of London (another Chatelaine).  Still have a long way to go but I am loving it.  I have not done any of the beading yet. 

I am still working on Books Reading Books, the large Heaven and Earth Design.  I set it up next to the window since I do not need magnification for it.  It has, however been so overcast lately that the light is not quite bright enough to make it comfortable.  When the sun is out, it is perfect!

As I mentioned we have had quite a bit of rain.  No severe weather though.  We are just far enough into the Hill Country that tornadoes don't like it.   Here are some photos of the creek that appears in our yard when we get a lot of rain.  I am loving it.

This dries up pretty quickly once the rain stops.  It is going to be quite the mosquito heaven I am afraid! 

There was a lot to do.  The patio and front of the house needed a good power wash.  We got a little break yesterday so I got that done.  There is still a lot of work to do on the rental cottages, but they are booked this weekend so I will wait until next weekend to work on them.   Hopefully it will dry enough to paint, mow and get them into better shape before the peak of the season.

That is all for the time being.  The days go by so fast here!  It amazes me how busy I can be. 

Thanks for visiting.

Short Drive Day

Had a very short drive day today.  We are in Las Cruces, NM.  Nice park, but I sure wish I knew the secret code that tells the park you want the driver's side facing west.  It amazes me that no matter where we go we are usually not able to enjoy sitting outside under our awning because it is on the wrong side.  Of course we can sit in the shade on the other side of the coach by the sewer connection.    There HAS to be a secret code or something.

This has been a rough trip for me.  I just do not have my "RV legs" I suppose.  I have fallen out of the thing (thank goodness no one was around) and bonked my head in the middle of the night on the side cabinet (a rude wake up to say the least)  and have dropped almost everything I have picked up.    weird.  I think it is because of my cold, but who knows.  Not sure what I will blame once I am over it.

We found out that there is major construction in El Paso on the 10 in both directions causing hours and hours of delays.  It is supposed to be at least usable on Saturday so we are planning to try to get up early and get through.  Otherwise, we could have made it to Texas today.  We have made really good time -- no weather or traffic delays and we have hit no construction slows.  Amazing!

Oh, I also have to laugh.  There are about RV 8 spaces in a row.  All of them are empty.  We are sent to the ONLY space that has an electric meter in the middle of the small grass area outside the coach.  Even if it was shady, there is really no place to sit.  I tell ya, there HAS to be a code!

Will update you on El Paso tomorrow night.  We should be in Fort Stockton in time to watch the race.

We are off to a local brew pub that is dog friendly.

Thanks for visiting.

Headed East

We are on our way to Texas.  So far the trip has been uneventful (which is a good thing) other than a cold I managed to catch before we left.  Not too bad.

The "kids" are comfortable before we are out of the drive way!

Last night we stayed in Blythe just West of the river.  It was pretty, but warm!

Tonight we are Benson, AZ where it is hot!  Of course I like it.  It is nice and dry, tank tops and flip flops are the order of the day.

Have not done much actual stitching so far.  Lots of my projects are just too intricate to do while we are moving.  So I starting work on the Buddha (actual name is Purity, Strength, Truth by Dimensions) project today.  It is on 14 count Aida so it is OK while we are moving.  Got a couple of hours in this afternoon.  Hope to get into a rhythm tomorrow as we head toward Las Cruces, NM.

Am hoping to get some work done on Books Reading Books during the trip, but we will see.

I did some organizing of future projects, Knot Garden and Albambra Garden to be exact.  I put the threads on bobbins.   Not sure which one I will start next.  I also want to use s different fabric than the antique white/off white that was sent from ECC with the supplies.

Nothing exciting to report.

Thanks for visiting.

More as it happens.

Finishes and Framing

Have had a couple of finishes the past two weeks.


I finished the Good Things project from Lizzie Kate.  I made some changes in the border and the items in the corners.  The pattern calls for the top left to be a heart and the bottom right to be flowers of some kind, so I changed them both to spools.  Or my interpretation of spools!  It suits me better.  This was a very quick stitch.  I used a fabric that I practiced dying.  I used mostly the Weeks Dye Works thread as called out on the pattern.  I used some threads I dyed myself for the spools just because I had them.

I just used a 5x7 frame I had hanging around.  Nothing spectacular.


Also finished the Chatelaine Mini Mandala 06.  I just loved this project as you know if you have been following me.  It is so amazing to me that someone can design such incredibly lovely things.  All the beads and such makes this piece really sparkle.  Almost makes me want to get a camera than can do it justice.

The project took about 72 hours of stitching and I am amazed that I enjoyed it so much.  Even the beading, which was a little tedious was enjoyable.  I am glad it is finished, but I miss working on it.  Crazy.

I framed it myself for the time being.  I want to keep it from dust and dirt until I can get it matted.  I did use a spacer between the piece and the glass to help with the preponderance of beads and crystals.

I am still working on and enjoying Gardens of London; a large Chatelaine Mandala.

A great mix of different kinds of needlework.  Mostly cross stitch with specialty stitches and embroidery stitches mixed in.  The vines of flowers are especially tedious for me.  The placement is difficult for me as I am not that good at counting on linen.  Still enjoying it, however, even if I do have a long, long way to go.  This project also has lots of beading (those are the large blank spaces  you see) but I am waiting to do all of it once all the stitching is done.  Maybe. 

I am getting projects kitted and ready to get on the road at the end or the month (hopefully).  There is some spring weather to the East of us so I am not sure yet when we will actually head out.  I am doing the packing in my head these nights so sleep alludes me!  I must be ready to go.

I am going to miss all my "stash" but I think I am taking enough kitted projects to last me a couple of years so I should be OK!

April Arrives

Have been working diligently on my projects so let's get to it.

I have been working on my Chatelaine designs and am enjoying them more than I could have imagined.  They are complex and take concentration, but I love the designs and the threads.  I am even enjoying the beading.

First is Mandala 06.  The colors on this piece are so amazing.

I work a little on Mini Mandala 11b.  I am looking forward to reworking this piece on a better fabric and with the special threads that are specified.  This one, remember, I used all DMC substitutions and while I like it, I miss the variations with the different threads and the textures.  I may or may not finish this piece

Gardens of London is also coming along.  I hit a snag with a particularly challenging portion of the design, but I plan to knuckle down and work on it this week.  Thanks to some postings on this project I am a little less frightened of it.

I did work on Books Reading Books.  I am pleased with the way it is going which is a good thing since this piece is going to take a year or more at the rate I am going.

I have not touched the Buddha piece this month so no progress there.

I finished the bell pull I am doing for a friend.  This is a design by Ink Circles and it worked up rapidly.  Finishing this finish was a big of a challenge.  I would like to have better (or craftier) finishing skills. 

I have also started to put together the projects that I will take with me when we travel in a few months.  I have kitted up several of the Glendon Place dessert series designs.  I am planning on doing Pumpkin Swirl as a gift so will not post it until it is completed and gifted.  I also have others that are ready to go.  I think the Chatelaine Mandalas sort of got me into the symmetrical designs.  I am kind of stuck on them at this point.

I started a small piece just for a change of pace since my WIPs are pretty much all Chatelaines.  Well, the pieces I want to work on that is!  It is "Good Things Come to Those who Stitch" by Lizzie Kate.  Just a quick, small project.  I am using a piece of fabric that I dyed.  I will probably change out the pink on the right side for a gold/brown color as well as make some other changes to the pattern. 

 



 

Last but not least I did some more adventures in dying fabric.  I sure to love doing it.  I also dyed some thread for a tooth fairy pillow for my grand daughter.  Perfect timing as she lost her first tooth just after her 6th birthday.

 

 

That is it for this month's update.  We may be on the road in the next couple of months --- probably late May--so there WILL be road adventures!

Thanks for visiting

Have a great April!









March Begins With a New Obsession

I did some finishing of finishes this week.  I framed the Welcome Friends project.  Not bad.  It will live at my house until I see the person for whom it is intended.  That way, I get to enjoy it for a couple of months!

I finished and framed the Berry Cheesecake project from Glendon Place.  I did not add all the beads that is asked for as I got kind of bored and was not happy with the way the beads were working out.  Also, since they were Mill Hill beads I had trouble threading the beading needle that was required for them.  At any rate, I had a frame that had a good spacer in it so the beads do not hit the glass.  Lucky for me!

I finally finished page 4 of Books Reading Books from HAED and am on to page 5.  It has taken me a month to finish the page.  At the page a month rate it will take over three years.  I am going to have to get in gear and put in more time.  Although the confetti (random single stitches) in this piece is a little daunting, I enjoy watching the picture come together.   I definitely get more inspired when I photograph it.

 

 

I have becom obsessed with Chatelaine designs. It might not be a good thing.  They are expensive as projects go and use a lot of silk threads, specialty threads and beading.    I have a few going at the moment and have others on my wish list.  I think they are incredible and hope I will be able to do them justice.

This is Mini Mandala 06

This one is mini Mandala IIb.  This is the piece that is not square because the fabric is not even.  Weird.  I just could not stop working on it, though, so it will just have to be a rectangle!  I started this project as a practice using only DMC threads and beads and metallic threads that I already have on hand.  It is coming along nicely and I am enjoying it.  So much, in fact, that I plan on doing the other two in the set as well as doing this one again on better fabric and with the threads and beads that are specified by the designer. 

And this is a full size called Gardens of London.  I am taking my time with this one as it is going to be a gift.  It is much larger than the other two.

I would love to be able to get better photos of these as they are simply amazing in detail. 

I am doing my best not to start anything new!  I still have about 4 other projects that are in the works!  Holy cow.  I think I have lost my mind!  I am off to Michaels this week to pick up a bunch of DMC floss for a couple of projects that are on my wish list although it will be months before I start them. 

Thanks for visiting.

February Comes to an End



Have several WIPs that I have been working on, a couple of finishes and some new starts.

 

 

My first finish for this month is a Biscornu.  I decided to use the materials from the Stitchy Box that I received.  It is my first attempt and I have to say it was not as easy to get the thing sewn together as everyone would have you believe.  Not for me anyway.  It turned out fine, but I would not give it to anyone as a gift as it is pretty pitiful.  I will try another one and perhaps I will get better!

I am still working on this Dinky Dyes Berry kit.  It is my travel project  because it is the perfect size to carry around and only has a few colors.  It is coming along, but I am anxious to finish it.

I had another little finish this month.  My Daughter in Law has chickens and is always bringing eggs.  It is great.  I did not photo it once I got it in a frame.  It is a 5 x 7 by My Big Toe and was a lot of fun to stitch.  Did not take long.

Another WIP is this Budha for my sister to give to her brother in law.  I was hoping to finish it by the end of March.  I have become obsessed with other projects so I have to really use some discipline to get it done.  It is a kit.

 

 

I continue to make progress of Books Reading Books, my HAED project.  I am almost finished with Page 4.  Slow going but I am still liking it.

 

 

 

And last but certainly not lease is my latest obsession.  I started Gardens of London by Chatelaine and just can't put it down.  So much fun, so many different silk threads, different specialty stitches, love it.  It is going to take forever, but so far I like it.  

It is difficult to get a good photo of all the detail and specialty stitches.  There are also hundreds of beads that will go on this project once the stitching is done.  I can't wait.

 

 

And, as practice for the large Gardens project, I decided to do a Mini Mandala.   I am doing Mini Mandala II B.  I decided that since I was using this for practice I would use all DMC and a piece of evenweave that I attempted to dye a grey color.  I am enjoying it, but it sure does make a difference when you do not use the special threads!  

Hmm, wish I could get a better photo

 

That is a little better, but the part that looks white is actually shiny silver.   This is a good practice piece for me even though I am coming up on some pretty intense back stitching.

Have been clearing out years of stash and found a group in Florida that teaches kids needlework.  So, I am sending off a huge box of kits, notions, fabric and the like to them this week.  It dawned on me that I will never live long enough to do all the projects I have and that my tastes have changed drastically in the past few years so it is time to purge!

That is it for this month

thanks for visiting