April Smalls SAL

I finished a couple more Hardanger angels for the Smalls SAL.  This little pattern is a fun, easy stitch.  Go to the Stitching Lotus site for more info about this SAL.

Happy stitching!

Stitching update .....

Hooray! I have 2 finishes back from the framers. Happy dancin' time!  I love my Harvest Angel and can't wait to get her hanging on the wall.  The other piece is an EGA correspondence course called Laksana's Sampler.  I learned a couple new stitches here.  Myreschka, aka, Ukrainian pulled thread and another pulled thread stitch called  murver (around the large heart).  I really like this stitch and also used it in the angel's wings.

I have also been working on a couple other samplers from the Marquior Group:

This first one is such a lovely sampler.   The pattern calls for lines of celtic knots above and below those lovely letters but I plan to attach thin lace instead -- probably with some beads for a little glitter.   I think that will be so pretty.  I'm a sucker for beads and lace ...... what can I say.

This second sampler is such a cool pattern and a wonderful opportunity to just play with colors.  I am loving it!   It's a little hard on my eyes, however, because I'm stitching over 1 on 28 ct fabric.  However, since I'm using only 1 thread, it seems to go faster because there is no laying of threads to slow me down. 

This upcoming weekend should be a nice one -- it will be a laundry, stitching, puppy weekend.  What fun!

ENJOY!

Stitching with agility

Well it's 2010 -- woohoo -- another year down the drain.  Oh well.

I did manage to get some stitching done over the holiday, not as much as I wanted but that's ok. 



Harvest Angel is almost finished. She needs eyes, some beads, a spider web and the date and she will be done. Hopefully this week will see her completed and to the framer's.

I changed her wings from butterfly-type to more bird-like wings and filled them with a pulled thread stitch.  I like them better this way. 

There is a goof in her dress at one point ..... but I'll never tell where it is. 








I began the Christmas Design SAL on January 1st.  I didn't get much done but I did start it.  At least I got over the first hump.  I probably won't do any more on it until next month now.  Or maybe I'll finish the brown squares at the top before calling it done for the month.

And last but not least is See the Star.

I was visited by some froggies here -- ripit -- ripit!!  Froggies and over 1 stitching are not pleasant creatures.  Hopefully, they are gone and will not return.  With luck I can get this part finished tonight or tomorrow.

On Sunday, the dogs and I went to a CPE agility trial.  My scardy boy River did wonderfully.  He was happy and not stressed for his run.  Stormy is officially off the injured reserve list.  He ran fast and without any problems -- he is back to his ol' bouncy self.  Whew!  And Willow ran beautifully also.  I screwed up her Snooker run because I wasn't in the right place but her Colors was perfect.  Out of a total of 4 runs, the dogs and I Q'd 3 times.  Not to shabby! 

Holiday stitching

I got lots of stitching time in over the Christmas holiday.  How fun!

These first two photos ended up as Christmas presents.  The tree wall hanging is a SAL and the little holiday sampler is an original -- just some thread doodling I did.

I also dug out the heart sampler (Victorian Heart by Lynne Tomlinson Designs) and filled in the outside lacy area and the long, central ribbon. The ribbon isn't entirely finished plus I have to decide if I want to put beads or French knots around the outside of the eyelets. And then I want to add a few charms or beads in some of the patches. This has been in the works for some time now and I can see the end of this project nearing.

I also spent time stitching on the samplers from the Marqouir Group:

And, last but not least, Harvest Angel:

Here's hoping I can get lots done over the New Year holiday also ......

Thanksgiving stitching

I was very productive over the Thanksgiving holiday.  Not only did I get lots of stitching done but (knock on wood) it appears the dreaded flea epidemic has subsided -- WooHooHoo! 

And little Firefly seconds that.

Can you believe nasty fleas on this little lovely -- what an abomination!


Anyway, back to stitching ......

I worked on Harvest Angel on Thanksgiving Day while at my dad's house.  I didn't really get much of her done -- too many distractions -- but she's closer to being finished.


Since it is fast approaching the Christmas season and I'm stuck in Autumn, I decided to kick myself in the pants and begin a very pretty French SAL (http://novalee02.over-blog.com/categorie-11085668.html). 

The fabric is a 25ct Navy evenweave (can't remember which kind), the threads are all shiny -- talk about Bling.  This is something I've never done before.  I love adding beads and shiny threads to my stitching but this is the first time the entire piece will glitter.  What fun!

The white thread is Treasure Braid while the gold and pink threads are Kreinik braids.  The white and gold are wonderful to work with and make lovely cross stitches.  The pink thread seems a little stiffer and thicker.  It doesn't work as well as cross stitches on the 25 count (did I mention I'm stitching over 1) but it works well with larger stitches.

I plan on adding beads -- probably gold, maybe pink? -- once the stitching is finished.   And instead of stitching the bird and letters in the circles,  I'm going to add some pretty gold charms (which are not picked yet).

You would think that would be enough but I also pulled out lots of smalls that are stitched but need finished.  And here they are, my to-do-stacks, patiently waiting:

I spent most of a morning cutting out boards, picking & cutting backing fabric, cutting the quilt batting, gluing material to the back boards and the batting to the front boards, picking out buttons and various other assundries to enhance the finished smalls.  Whew! -- what a lot of cutting and gluing!  I thank the crafting gods for my electric cutter!  It definitely saves mega wear and tear on my hands.  We won't talk much about the gluing except to say that it isn't one of my strengths.

Some of these smalls have been stitched for y-e-a-r-s.  Others are recently stitched.  Some are for me and some are for gifts.  I figure if I do a couple a week, I should be able to get them finished in the near future (no pressure -- except for the Christmas presents for this year).

And speaking of Christmas again .... the kick in the pants did nothing but leave a bruise on my tush!  I'm still not in the proper mood for the season.  There is a neat pattern calling me with pumpkins and crows and other inappropriate autumnal symbols.  Bah! Humbug!

Looks like Fall to me ......

Finally .......

A relaxing evening at home stitching!  Just me and the lil dawgs.  It's been awhile.

I stitched more of Harvest Angel.  I decided to cross stitch the pumpkins then cover that with satin stitches to make the pumpkins plump.  Ususally I just  stitch a couple layers of the satin stitches but I wanted the pumpkins to be exactly the pattern's size.  Soooo, since I recently read somewhere about covering XS with satin, I decided to give it a go.  The results are not too bad.  I even like that the plumped areas are a little rough -- just like on a real pumpkin.  It makes me smile.

In case you have noticed, this pattern is originally done all in XS but since I tend to get bored with just one stitch, I have adapted it using other stitches.  I also plan to put some beads on this once all the stitching is completed -- gotta love the way beads add something to a piece.

"Unfortunately" I need to get to my LNS if I plan to finish this piece.  I am almost completely out of the plum thread.  Of course, I could always work on something else until I get there.  I hear Mary Wigham whispering .....