Happy Thanksgiving!

MAY YOU BE SAFE & ENJOY THE HOLIDAY!

Fall Stitching, Workshops & Gnarled Fingers

I have two new fall finishes and after browsing other blogs, I have an itch to 'finish-finish' them in the next week.  

Crow On a Pumpkin from JCS 2015 Halloween issue

Winnifred Witch from JCS 2010 Halloween issue

I also attended two workshops with Sherri Jones of Patrick's Woods a few weeks back and have been practicing the art of lucet braiding ever since.  My square braids are getting much better but the flat ones still need alot of practice!  You can see the tool we used below.    

The 2nd workshop was for A Spotted Hare Needle Purse.  All the parts are stitched and ready to go.  

During the workshop, Sherri was showing us how to finger crochet ~ something a 6 year old could probably easily do ~ but I felt like I had claw hands while trying to do it.  It's the same when I knit.  I watch other people and they have these long delicate fingers that easily wrap the yarn around and then there's me ~ with two claws that have short gnarled fingers attempting to accomplish the same thing.  People will actually stop and ask me what I'm doing.  When I say "knitting", I get the funniest looks.  Then I realize it looks so different because I compensate for those claws with gnarled fingers!  I think I've done some pretty decent knitting but it's definitely not pretty to watch, LOL!    

If you haven't read The Martian, do so before seeing the movie.  It's one of the best reads I've had in years and I enjoyed the movie even more for having read the book first.  You'll understand why I'm in love with Mark Watney ~ and yes, I do realize he is a fictional character!  :0) 

I am in love with Mark Watney

NASA astronaut, botanist, mechanical engineer and all around perfect man.  If you don't know who he is yet, I suggest you read The Martian by Andy Weir before the movie comes out in October.  If you've seen the trailers and still want more because you can't get enough of Mark before the movie comes out, try this link for a viral video of the six astronauts being interviewed after 10 days in complete isolation as part of their training.  If you're still clueless, watch for the trailer with Matt Damon dressed up in a space suit with red dirt all around him.  Mark Watney rocks!  He is the Kind of Mars!

Yes, I'm in love, sigh.  Have a wonderful work week .  .  .  .  .  .

Bluebird Out My Window

Here's a pic of Bluebird Out My Window from Brenda Gervais that I finished up for an exchange this past week.  I love the colors in this design!  I finished the edges with ribbon that I 'ruched' thanks to Vonna at Twisted Stitcher and her great tutorials!  The piece was stitched on 36 ct light khaki linen with the called for threads.  I did fix the wonky trim on the bottom before giving it away.  Now I am scrounging among my stash for more linen to stitch a 2nd one for myself.  

Can you feel the autumn stitching calling?  Even with the 100 degree weather we had yesterday, I'm beginning to itch for a Halloween stitch!   Have a wonderful weekend everyone!  

August Progress ~ WIP's and a new one!

First Up . . . . . 

Continuing on my long-term project Christmas Garden which probably would have been done by now if I didn't stop so often to begin new things. 

 I'm almost done with the EGA Guild Sampler group's project the Winter Strawberries Roll.  I used a bulletin board to try the stretch/spray/dry techinique to block it and it worked great.  All I have to do now is finish the scissor fob and put it all together.

And a new project ~ Bluebird Out My Window ~ from Brenda Gervais.  I just love the colors!

Summer Reading and Stitching

Three of these books have been on the bestseller lists for awhile but 3 others were new to me ~ Girl Under Water,  A Man Called Ove and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.  All were superb reading and if you haven't had the chance to read them, add them to your wish list!  

   
                       

As for stitching, I have been working on a project with the sampler group at my local EGA chapter.  It's called Winter Strawberries Needleroll from Theron Traditions.  When I first signed up, I was rather 'meh' about it all and then the kit arrived and I fell instantly in love with the colors.  

The main portion is just about done.   No matter what light I used, it does not do it justice as to the beautiful golden color of the fabrics.

The lettering for 'scissors' and 'needles' is done in smyrna and the background in avocado green is done in petit point.  It really helps to show off the slight relief of the smyrna cross.

Here is a pic of what it will all look like in the end.  I have started on the smalls that go inside and I'm hoping to have it done in the next two weeks so it can be on display at our chapter's table at the state fair.  

What Luck!

Is there a patten you just couldn't let go or forget about?  While my tastes in patterns has changed drastically over the years, some patterns have remained on my wish list for a long time.  Case in point ~ 

OOP Prairie Schooler Kris Kringle #62 
I just love the ones where Santa is holding a bird!  I have wanted this pamphlet for well over 10 years.  I had forgotten about it until I saw some being stitched over on Stiches & Samplers a few years ago and the hunt for it began anew!  I checked e-bay but yikes ~ $26 or more!  Really?!  Just by luck this past week, I found a shop selling a copy for the normal price of $6.  YESSS!  These little guys are going to be so perfect for my new routine of stitching Santas on Sundays!   

I'd like to give a shout out to 3 Stitches in Spring, Texas for having this wonderful find and not charging an arm & a leg for it!  I am so appreciative!      

Stitching Santas on Sundays

Greetings!  Don't you love looking at other people's blogs for great ideas on stitching?  I have found ideas for finishing pieces, storing supplies and even ideas for displaying what I have.  This past week, I ran across this blog by Carol and loved her idea of Santa Sundays.  I have so many Santas I would love to finish for Christmas so I'm going to try and save Sundays just for that.    

Today I finished a WIP titled Santa's Helper.  It's from the 2012 JCS Ornament Issue and was designed by Mosie & Me.  

Now all I have to do is start participating in the Finish It Friday group and I'm set to go in December!

Victorian Motto Give-A-Way

It's a great time to visit the Victorian Motto Sampler blog as she is having a give-away in march for a Spring/Easter Primitive Hand Dyed Trim Bag.  If you have never seen her assortment of trim bags, take a look at her shoppe.  I bought one for fall/Halloween and love it!  The bags include everything you need to decorate your stitched pieces from ribbons and ric rac to buttons ~ all hand dyed in various seasonal colors!  Her latest in spring colors are beautiful!

February Stitching

Hi Everyone!  First up for this month is a darling kit put together by Lois at Elegant Stitch as a fundraiser for the Komen Breast Cancer walk.

The design is a "re-deaux" of the Blackbird Design's "Buttons and Blooms".  It comes as a kit complete with linen and threads and the box with the sweetest items inside ~ a tiny pair of scissors with it's own fob, an acorn pin cushion, thread wax in the shape of a heart as well as  a small board to store your threads on.  Last week I completed the stitching and then spent the weekend painting and finishing the box.  It's small enough to fit inside my stitching basket to use as a portable stitching kit.

One of my goals this year is to stitch from stash and finish some WIP's.

In that vein, I finished Be My Valentine by Shepherd's Bush, a WIP from a few years ago.   

I also finished stitching the Be Mine stocking from Blackbird Designs.  I'm not happy with the fabric I have in my stash at the moment so I'm going to wait before I finalize these two into pillows or ornaments.      

And last but not least, some progress on BBD Christmas Garden.  I'm actually working on two versions of this.  Yes ~ I'm that obcessive at times!  One is on a higher count linen because I like the look of it better but the other is on a more cream color of linen that I feel shows off the pinks and greens better.  Yes ~ a bit obcessive I know but I've decided one will have the alphabet where the other will have Chrismas Garden stitched.  Thank goodness I love muted pinks and greens!

Take care everyone!