Sweet Nothings

CathyB: This is a better picture. It is Reineer Parade by JBW Designs.

What's Up?

Current photo of my creativity corner ... not any stitching going on!

Yesterday, I cleared off the desk so I could work on my 'shopping list' for House of Stitches New Year sale. I have a ride tomorrow morning (while Tori & Alex sleep late) & look forward to seeing my stitching pals & the sale items. Oh, and if any of you are going to shop -- you better beat us there, when we leave, there will be nothing left!! ha ha ... just kidding.

I'm looking forward to a couple SALs in 2007, too. I've joined the Christmas Ornament SAL, hosted by Nicki to make one ornament per month.

I'll be getting out my Sampler Game Board WIP by Drawn Thread, too. I'm not sure how many stitchers will be SALing. Is that a word, SALing?? Stitching-a-long. Check out the new Game Board Sampler blog, hosted by Cathy B!

I keep looking at the photograph of the completed project. I would like to get mine done, too. The Game Board SAL will be starting up next week - to stitch TWO squares per week. I've been stitching one house at a time - I think I'll be doing a house and one of the motif squares per week.

Have a Happy New Year. I'll be cooking while the boys watch football on t.v. Tori returns to college on the 1st of January (which makes me sad already).

fa la la la la ....

This is the ornament my Mother stitched for our daughter, VicTORIa [ha!!]

And, yes, two of the cats are getting along very well. Aren't they sweet?

I got some packages out to MIL, SIL/BIL, Mom last week -- with ornaments. My Mom liked hers ... verdict still out with Mother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law & Brother-in-Law.

Thanks a million for all the comments, e-mails, and cards. I appreciate your visit to my blog + comments. After the break ... I will enjoy visiting blogs & seeing all the new stitchie stuff. Needlechat is so much fun. Yes, I'll pick up some stitching after the New Year.

Stitching Gifts

I spent the better part of the day with my Mom. She made these ornaments for us:

This is a small pillow. For my husband & I

Isn't this cool? Made for Alex

Very sweet. Made for Nicholas. There is another package for our daughter who will be home from college on Saturday. Lucky us! I have not been stitching at all. I did finish my re-do of the entire household. I'm looking forward to holidays and family activities. I keep it simple. Did anybody else peek at the calendar & notice it is the 12th?? Where do the days go?

It is nine degrees outside .... brrrrr

The work on our bedroom ceiling is finished. I was planning to roll up the drop cloths & put my 'corner' back in place ... didn't want to wake our Prince Nikki.
Mrs. Kitty is doing well. (my husband continues to call her "kitty" & made mention she really needs a name) Last night, she brought three mouse toys to my husband while he was asleep ... and proceeded to play with them. She has attached her affection to him & I laugh because he is such a 'dog' person.

I have no stitching news. I have been diligently working on the storage areas in our home & have ONE MORE place to clean, sort, pitch junk and tidy-up. By my glance at the calendar, I need to get my ornaments stitched! I continue to post on my SOL II blog and my xanga book blog. With the changes at xanga, I may delete the whole thing. Something to think about for 2007.

Thanks a million ...

Thank you for such kind comments re. the project completed by Nicholas. Poor kid became ill yesterday w/stomach flu & headache. I'm tip toeing around the house this morning.

Aside from having Tori home from college and the Thanksgiving meal preparation, I've been busy going thru drawers, closets, cupboards, shelves, etc., cleaning pitching junk & rearranging. Sure was a wonderful feeling taking out extra bags of trash this a.m. I have a pile to donate, too.

I plan to go thru every box in this house before sitting down with a good book or a stitching project.

Will be back to blogging soon.

Meanwhile, I'm bossing around the dust bunnies and pitching 20 year old junk clutter. Sound like fun??? Send some spare energy in my direction. These old bones need it!

Nicholas finished!

Yay :D This is Lavender & Lace "Fairy Dreams" by Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum. c.1996 Told in a Garden. Nicholas finished over the week-end. (Nicholas is our 16yo son). After final exams (Wed, Thus, Fri) this week, he hopes to get working on the Sampler Gameboard.

I set aside EVERYTHING in order to get a couple ornaments stitched for my inlaws & my Mom. Plus, I need to get this household in order. The dust bunnies seem to be taking over.

SAL news

I stayed up until 1:30 a.m. [earlier this morning] trying to get the set finished. After pinning the cord in place, I quit for the day! Needed some sleep. Tonight, I plan to sew the cord on after the evening meal.

This is the first time I've used Dinky Dyes threads. This project was stitched with Red Dust (silk) & Nullabor (cotton) 'Hand dyed Australian threads'.

The scissor pocket and needlebook are all done. ta da! I used the lighter color silk for the cord on the scissor pocket. Other than changing the cord color, I followed the finishing directions on the scissor pocket provided on the pattern.

This is the inside of the needlebook & the scissor pocket. The scissors fit nicely inside.

Myrna: Thanks again for sending me all these materials. If you look at the 1st picture, you'll see I used everything (but a couple strands of thread). The kit was excellent! The lining material matches nicely. I'm thrilled to have this lovely set!

"Finishing" Part One

When Myrna & I started the weekly scissor pocket SAL, we were guessing 2 weeks for stitching and 2 weeks for "finishing". For me, it took 3 weeks to stitch & this is my 2nd week for the finishing. This photo shows: Interfacing has been ironed inside + the cotton fabric is pressed & pinned, & idea where to sew the button in place. Myrna suggested adding the button & cord before sewing the lining in place [sounds like good advice].

Second Photo: Shows the needlebook front, scissor fob basted together, and the 'french vanilla' color felt. I want to finish the needlebook similar to the one in the top-middle of the photo ... I plan to use a buttonhole edge with the light silk. Using a sharp needle, I'd stitch thru the linen & lining at the same time. Inside will have the cotton lining (currently folded on the edges & pinned in place) AND the felt added last.

This is the back of the scissor pocket. I like the progress I've made so far.

To do: Tonight, I want to get the button sewn on, make cording & tack on the pocket, sew in the lining, stitch the sides shut. PLUS, I want to sew the fob shut, make a cord for the fob & attach it in place. The needlebook will need a buttonhole edge with silk & add the felt. With DH at a meeting tonight, I just might have this all completed.

Pine Cushion

This is part of A Stitch in Pine. The cushion uses all the specialty stitches which are in the larger sampler. This is excellent. I get the chance to practice! Last night I practiced the corner eyelet, pin stitch, and mosaic stitch.

The other stitches used are: Queen stitch, Diamond stitch, 4-sided stitch, Smyrna cross, Continental stitch & Diamond Eyelet. Kewl.

Have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy the radio? The Justin Timberlake song is playing now. I guess with the teenagers in the house, I find myself singing along, mindlessly, memorizing the words to all these crazy tunes. Isn't that odd? A 48yo SAHM singing "bringing sexy back". I wonder what the neighbors think? Yeah, yeah, I like other music too -- like classical, blues, rock, folk, etc. Music makes me happy.

DT Gameboard SAL & MIOM

I heard from Cathy that she was setting the gameboard aside until after the holidays.

Also from Kay (without blog): "Well, so much for the Drawn Thread game board. I ALMOST finished half way--got 16 houses finished, the border around the top- except for the side where the year and initials are suppose to be sewn, and the little squares between the houses--then last night--I started on the second half--goofed up the pattern--had to cut out half a house--and decided to put it away for a while. Want to work on some little-quick-no brainer things."

OK, so, I put it aside to work on a holiday ornament for my Mom. I think working on some holiday stitching is in order :D I'll pick up the DT sampler in January!!

- - - - -

As for Move It Out Monday ... I still have Country Garden to finish.

I read on Karen's Blog that she was going to start A Stitch in Pine this week. Wanting to launch this ... I spent most of my Monday -- moving my stash around! I did find everything & was happy to start this sampler. Didn't get much accomplished ... just the outside border. If you go to Karen's Blog, you will see the trees just GREW right on her linen!! She is so far along. She may finish it by Friday ... yikes.

One problem I HAD, was the button. I couldn't find it (never mind I bought this pattern, floss, button back in 1998). Lucky me, Tina had charts for button substitutes. Tina has a picture on her blog of "A Stitch in Pine".

As I was working my way thru 'stash', I came across this chart. I pulled out the floss the chart called for (301, 400, 610, 829, 832, 3031) There were Needlepoint Silks listed, too. I thought the floss colors I had in my hand didn't really look like the colors in the photograph -- I was thinking the floss colors looked brighter in the picture. I tried to match floss to the photograph. This will be my next 'Monday' project. And, if the colors I pulled out don't look right -- I can always do it again in the suggested colors. It is 74W x 93H

Now, after working on WIP after WIP, it is really fun to get out THREE new projects to stitch.

Photo added:
See the difference? These are the floss colors the pattern calls for.

Nick's stitching

Progress Photograph - still working on the hemline ...

Nick received this pattern & supplies from my Mom [his Grammy K]. He liked the birds & snowflakes! Once he finished it, she paid for the frame. Because of the glass, the image is difficult to photograph. But you get the idea!

still more to stitch ...

Country Garden c.2004 Blackbird Designs.

Suggested Fibers are: Week's Dye Works: Cocoa, Camelia, & Schneckley. GASampler Threads: Dried Thyme & Straw Basket. I switched the Straw Basket to WDW Angel Hair.

Myreshka

This is a bookmark using Myreshka (Ukrainian Drawn Work Technique)


I took a class by Jane Ellen Balzuweit in September of 2001. Her contact information here.

(Front of Bookmark. As always, click on the photograph to view detail.) The person I was with received permission to teach this to our local EGA chapter.

It is my understanding this technique usually is done in white & off white fibers.
(Back of Bookmark.) I made some examples, for the class, using other colors so the students could have a better idea of working the fibers. I sent those samples to Cathy for the Bookmarks for Literacy outreach program her chapter is doing.


This photo shows bookmarks made with dmc Perle Cotton AND Rainbow Gallery Overture + Encore! color #128.

Cathy was interested in this technique. I found some pictures, instructions, diagrams & definitions on line. Check out these links:

Diagrams, instructions, samples

Diagrams, instructions, pictures, samples

Wikipedia Info

photo

Country Garden WIP

Country Garden by Blackbird Designs was my MIOM* project. I'm using Week's Dye Works & Sampler Threads on 32ct Sand Belfast Linen. The stitch count is 65W x 71H.

I first noticed this project on Chelle's Blog (post dated 21 July 2005). Chelle stitched this TWICE! It is a fun, hard-to-put-down project :D

Thank you Karenv for your linen suggestions. I have double checked my stash & found a linen that might work with the Week's Dye Works - Curry. I think your 'dirty linen' would be an excellent choice for the pear.

*Move It Out Monday

MIOM

Very kewl, stitched up last Monday's project. Managed to complete this before 10/31!

For this week, I selected French Country Pear [Dec JCS mag]; however, I am trying to figure out what type of linen will look good with Week's Dye Works - color Curry. I'm not sure what I have on hand will work. Maybe I need natural linen?? Anybody have any ideas? Better set it aside until I find something that will work.

SPECIFICS: French Country Pear materials, per JCS, are 11x9 30-ct White Swan Linen from Access Commodities w/WDW Curry [stitching over 2 threads] AND 9x8 18-count ivory linen from Wichelt w/GAST Gold Leaf [stitching over 1 thread]

For MIOM - 10/30, I'm going stitch Blackbird Designs Country Garden on 32 ct Sand Belfast linen. I've got the overdye fibers ready. This should be really fun to work on :D

Thank you for all comments & e-mails. Esp the comments on Nick's project. He is doing a wonderful job. As for questions: Yes, the face is stitched over one thread. He is 16yo. I don't remember when he bought the kit. He has been working on it for awhile - my guess is that he bought it in the Spring. I'll have to ask him tomorrow.

ANSWER per Nicholas: The kit was purchased March 7, 2006 from the sale bin at Hobby Lobby. It was marked down to $14.00. Nicholas is our 16yo son. His progress photos are posted thru this blog since March & I started a photo album for his project [link in sidebar]

Nick's stitching

So far, so good.

This is a close-up of the area he is stitching.

This is Fairy Dreams by L&L. I think he is doing a great job!

Response to questions: Nicholas is our 16yo son. He bought the kit at Hobby Lobby [In the sale bin for $14.00] on March 7, 2006. At that time, I tried to talk him into a simpler project & he would not have it. It was THAT project he wanted to stitch. I started a photo album for his stitching (sidebar)

Contest Winner

I won this kewl pair of scissors from Jenna.

She had The Great Scissors Giveaway on Tale of a Shooting Star.

I went thru some of my patterns, looking for a fob to go with the scissors.

Guess What? They are a perfect match for my needlebook! Many thanks Jenna!

Update: Needlebook pattern is based on Two Pinkeeps by Anne Brown, The Goode Huswife

SAL update

Close up - the silk colors are so pretty.



Ta Da!

Red Desert Scissor Pocket: Update

Looks like Cathy & Melissa have completed ALL the stitching. Three cheers! Myrna, Terri, and I have a bit more stitching to do today. Next: Launch into the finishing. [Links in sidebar]

Now, our GF Annette, at My Life & Stitches posted photographs of her FINISHED pocket. WOOT!

I have a few eyelets to finish up this afternoon & will post a photograph tomorrow. I'd really like to get the scissor fob stitched & finished this week. I have a tiny scrap of linen left for ???

PLUS, my Nicholas has been working on Fairy Dreams. I'd like to post an update of this L&L; however, blogger will not upload. I created a photo album "Nick's Stitching" & you can see his progress. In the next week, I'll put some close-up photos into the album. He was adding metallic last night & it shimmered in the light.

MIOM / Move It Out Monday

Anybody recognize this? It is October Flip-It c.2002 Lizzie Kate, Inc. About time I stitched this ... LOL

My next MIOM project will be from the December 2006 Just CrossStitch magazine: French Country Pear [JBW] from designer Judy Whitman of JBW Designs. The pear has the partrige & pear tree within the pear. Very clever! Lucky me, I already have WDW Curry in my stash. As with the pumpkin, the optional French word for pear, "LaPoire" is charted as well.

The boys are off school Thurs & Fri for Fall Break. Sometimes I think they are out of class more frequently than they should be. I'll have to stock up on the groceries!

e-mail from Tori

I'm thrilled Tori has a camera. Every once in awhile, I get an e-mail with an attachment. Isn't her Halloween hat cute? She is going to be a Cowgirl. She says the hat is pink.
Sweet.

Wanted to share these with you!

My husband brought these home for me to celebrate Sweetest Day.
These just might be THE most beautiful bouquet of roses he has ever given me. I am enjoying their scent and watching them slowly open.

Happy Sweetest Day

Stitching by my Mom

Please click to enlarge & read the cute signs my Mom added. My favorite is the cat! But, it is totally clever & creative.

This is my Mom's Round Robin / Friendship Sampler. The stitchers are members of Needle Artisans of Northwest Indiana.

This week-end is The Threads That Bind needlwork exhibit held in Munster, Indiana [details on the web site, link above]. Saturday & Sunday 10am - 4pm. It is my understanding there will be 240+ projects on display stitched by the EGA chapter members. Along with the exhibit will be a boutique - stitchie goodies for sale.

I am dropping off my Mother's exhibit pieces on Friday late afternoon. Lucky me, she is picking up everything on Sunday afternoon.

I took pictures of her entries and will load all the images into a photo album later this morning.

Wanted to share this:



My Aunt passed away a couple years ago. Her scissors were given to my Mother. My Mother used Forget Me Not freebie from the Drawn Thread web page to create a fob & scissors sheath for my Aunt's scissors. What a special keepsake!

Scissor Pocket SAL

I thought I'd have all the stitching done ... wrong! Maybe next week :D I have started a small fob, too.

Not sure I like the border & motif -- I have enough linen to try it again without the border.

To view other stitchers working on this project, see sidebar.

MIOM

Pumpkin c.2006 JBW Designs. French Country IV

This is about 3.5" x 3.5". I'm thinking small pillow for table decoration. This looks better than I thought it would!!

Tonight, I'm going to be stitching on the Scissor Pocket. Another project using beautiful autumn colour. Thankx for all the comments and private e-mails. Stitchers Rock.

Hip to be Square

My progress. Sampler Game Board C.A. Zittel - The Drawn Thread - c.2003


Just added the white house at the bottom

Mini Needleswatch

Mini Needleswatch c.2006 Dutch Treat Designs.

There is a different needleswatch pattern on the web site The Pink Needleswatch compliments of Claudia Dutcher

OK, now I have to turn on my printer :D

Brrr ... pull out the afghan

Flower square complete. Acorn Sampler Afghan c.1989 Jill Siegler, Mill Hill

The answer is Cetaphil

Today's SBQ was suggested by Lee and is:

As we all know, stitching in the winter can really be rough on the hands. What do you do to treat your hands well in the cold winter months? Do you have any suggestions for creams or soaps? Or perhaps a special regimen that you would like to share?

The permalink to this post is: Renee's Blog

Happy Stitching!
Renée

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Stitched With Love and Cat Hair


A: