My First Giveaway

Here is a photo of the things I sent to Lynda, the winner of my first giveaway.  I can share this now that she has let me know she received the package.  Actually, she let me know several days ago.  It's taking me a while to catch up.

 



I hope to have stitchy updates later this week.  I have been working Nana's Garden (the quilt) and wee bit on Hare Pyns, and a little bit on January Cottage of the Month.  So many projects, so little time.

Keep on Stitching!

January Cottage of the Month

I have kitted this up to take the place of Winter Fling as my lunchtime/travel project.  I made a bit of a start so I don't have to do the pesky measuring but can just stitch.

I'm stitching this over one on 28 count.  Unfortunately, I don't know the name of  the fabric, just something I had in my stash.

January Cottage of the Month by Country Cottage Needlework

Keep on Stitching!

Weekend Wrap Up

This week I finished stitching Winter Fling by Heart in Hand.

He was fun and a great lunchtime/travel project.  For now I've put it on my sewing table.  One night next week I hope to get this turned into a little pillow for the basket.

Yesterday I went to my LQS named At Piece Quiltery.  I was in search of a project to welcome a new little girl into this world.  They had just what I was looking for.  Yesterday I began the stem stitching.  I will share more about this project when I get it finished.  I will say that after doing so much cross stitch I found it quite relaxing to stitch without a chart and to turn my fabric to make it easier to stitch.

I took Baby Girl back to Temple in Philadelphia today.  It will be quiet without her here again.

Have a great week.

Keep on Stitching!

Hare Pyns - Part 3

I made some progress on Hare Pyns on Sunday afternoon.  I'm liking the way it's looking.  I think that I will leave the dark green in the leaves alone.  I think that it gives the piece a bit of patina with the background fabric peeking through.

Keep on Stitching!

Sunday Summary

I finished stitching Sampler Months - January on Saturday night.  I wasn't able to sleep due to a three hour nap in the afternoon.   Here it is with the stitching finished. 

Sunday afternoon I finished it into this little pillow.  I had thought I would use the green snowman fabric when I first started the stitching.  I am happy with the way this turned out. 

 Except that when I put in the intended basket it looked a little lonely.  See what I mean?

So I headed to the attic and found this other bigger pillow that I had finished years ago.  Still not the look I want but it's a bit better.

Then I decided to look through the box of shame and I found the following pieces which I can finish sometime soon to add to the basket.

Then I needed a new lunchtime/travel project.  So I started Winter Fling by Heart in Hand.  This one will be a quick stitch.  I had to make myself stop stitching on this.  I hope to make some more progress on this at lunchtime this week.

Have a great week!

Keep on Stitching!

Samplermakers Saturday

Yesterday was Samplermakers.  A group of ladies who orginally got together to finish a project from a class they had taken and have been meeting ever since.  I found out about the group several years ago and love going.  They meet once a month, usually the second Saturday for about 4 hours.   A very informal group.  There are all kinds of things  being worked on.  Some ladies knit. Some stitch.  And some do both. 

I took along Sampler Months this time, my travel project.  It's amazing how much progress a girl can make on a small with project with a few uninterupted hours of stitching time! 

This month one of the ladies proposed that those who are interested and have Betsy Morgan's Toy Chest in progress complete the stitching on the scissor case before the May meeting at which time we will assemble them.  Sounds good.  Hope I remember to get that baby out between now and then and get that piece worked.

Keep on Stitching!

Thankful Quaker and Blue Mountain Bunny Chart Winner

This is Thankful Quaker by Bent Creek finished on a JBW Collection pillow called pumpkin pillow.  This is not my original idea but one that I saw at Salty Yarns in October.  I stitched this on 30 count fabric that I had in my stash.

Lynda please email me with your snail mail address so I can pass the chart along.

Keep on Stitching!

Hare Pyns

Here's an update on my Hare Pyns progress.  I've made some progress over the past couple of evenings.  I'm not quite sure if I'm happy with the darker portion of the leaf.  I'm going to work a bit more and see how I feel.

My idea was to outline most of the elements and then go back to fill them in, kind of like coloring with floss.

I've figured out that I have to upload pictures to Picasa in order to show them here. I'm not sure why.  I tried downloading Google Chrome on my laptop but that didn't bring up the browse window like it did on the dinosaur.

Keep on Stitching!

Sampler Months

Earlier this month I started Sampler Months - January by Little House Needleworks.  I am stitching this using the recommended floss over one on 28 count.   So far I've made a bit of progress.  I plan to have this be my lunchtime project and travel project.

Have a great night.

Keep on Stitching!

Hare Pyns

And so it begins.  I have started Hare Pyns in preparation for my class in April.  A couple of weeks ago I started on the scissor sheath as recommended in the directions.    I enjoyed this little taste of things to come.  An appetizer, if you will, and a chance to practice my tension adjustment so that the silk lays gently on top of the fabric.  So far I love the colors in this piece.

Next I worked a little bit on the scissor fob to get the feel of the tent stitch.

And finally, this afternoon, I began to work on the pocket itself.  I can't wait to go do a bit more before I turn in for the night.

I intended to add pictures however,  Blogger is not being helpful tonight.   I can open the Insert Image window but it is not prompting me to Browse.  So for now I'll post this as is and hope for better luck with Blogger tomorrow.

Update:  I uploaded Google Chrome to the dinosaur and I am able to choose pictures again.  Tomorrow I'll try to do that on the laptop.

Keep on Stitching!

Blue Mountain Bunny

Here is Blue Mountain Bunny by The Sweetheart Tree.   I stitched this on a 28 count fabric with Caron Waterlilies Morning Mist.  I have finished as a little pillow to go in a basket in the Spring.

If anyone is interested in receiving this chart including the buttons and my leftover Waterlilies, please leave me a comment.  If I have multiple comments, I'll choose one name and forward it to that person.

Keep on Stitching!

Be Merry

Here is my finished version of Be Merry by Shepherd's Bush.  When I ordered this years ago I was able to get the fabric, finishing fabric, and the buttons as part of a kit. 

Keep on Stitching!

My Word for 2013

I had every intention on posting this on January 1.  However, some health issues (what my dentist calls a "failed root canal" and the onset of a cold) have put those plans on the back burner.  With any luck I will make it through the day without a nap - a first since Saturday!  And will be able to return to a full day of work tomorrow.  So far this week I have been in for 3 hours, 2 on Monday and 1 yesterday.  Seems foolish to go in for such a short time - but - people do look for their paychecks on pay day and so far I have only missed one in almost 7 years, but was bailed out that time by a co-worker.  Having said all that affirms that I have made a good choice for 2013.

In the past few years I have seen this idea of choosing word for the coming year.  This year I have chosen

                                                          B-A-L-A-N-C-E

I've gotta find some.  And I know that we don't find something unless we look for it!

You will probably see a few posts about this in the coming year.

Happy New Year!

Keep on Stitching!