Porter Co Fair (2 of 4) Results

Section 101 -- Special Occasion (any Holiday, Special Event)
c Needleart

Free
c.2008 Teri Richards
Shepherd's Bush

Stitched with Simply Shaker Brethren Blue, GAST Cranberry, Simply Shaker Antique Rose, GAST Evergreen, GAST Black Crow, GAST Tarnished Gold on 28-ct Country French Latte. Flag Button w/pattern. 03003 Red Mill HIll Beads.

Comments by Judge: "Wow! Very nicely done Good color selections"

Section 505 -- Needlepoint & Quickpoint
a. Canvas

Project Encore by Carmen Rupert

DMC 312 PC#5 & Watercolours by Caron 068 Mediterranean
Beads are 3mm round corrugated

Comments by Judge: "Nice choice of colors. Even Stitching. Nice finishing"

Section 110--Home Decorating Articles (Not Quilted)
c. Pillows

Honey Bee

Judge's coment: "Verry pretty. Well done! Corners should be stuffed a little more"

Misc from Lelia ...

What would cause me to buy the latest issue of Needlepoint Now?
Coni's column (aka Spinster Stitcher ) --- Job Well Done : )

I don't do much canvas / needlepoint. One pattern I have done several times (for GFs) is this scissorkeeper. You'd think I have it memorized -- but I don't. I'm using watercolour - eggplant and will add lavendar on one -- and then stitch it again using green. I am often amazed at the difference an accent color makes

Scissor Case Finish

I did get the sides closed up -- used DMC 312 pc#5 -- Long Arm Cross Stitch
I found a container of misc beads -- I've been sorting and bagging themNow ... back to laundry & ironing
As much as I enjoy scissors, I admit using & loving these Gingher thread snippersThey are just easier for me to use than scissors!I bought my Gingher 4" snips at JoAnn Fabrics (with a 50% off coupon)Does anybody else use these? Aren't they great?

Adding beads ...

Project Encore by Carmen RupertI'm using DMC 312 PC#5 & Watercolours by Caron 068 MediterraneanI'm trying to get the beads added today & have selected material for the lining

Last Saturday, Karol & I went to House of Stitches in LaPorte. Karol (Rosebud's Stitching blog) is coordinating a SAL for the NANI chapter members of EGA. She had 18 signed up to stitch My Favorite Things by The Drawn Thread. Special Thx to House of Stitches for having everything together -- looked so nice!!! (& thx for the extra special you-know-whats). I'm certain the NANI group will be thrilled to start this project at the chapter meeting in March!

After shopping, I found a basket of tatting shuttles & pattern books. And - GET OUT - guess who knows how to tat? Did you know there was a tatting expert at House of Stitches??? I bought a couple shuttles : ) And may have a couple lessons soon.

Thx to Karol, we met up with Paisley (Stitchin' Post blog), Coni (Spinster Stitcher blog) & Crys (Coni's sister who doesn't have a blog - and who needs one). After filling our shopping baskets we went to Portofino Grill for lunch. We had a smashing good meal, awesome conversation, & promised to get together again soon. Maybe even to stitch!!!

Scissor Case

I've been stitching over the week-end. This was an EGA chapter project a few years back. It is a small scissor case - great for using up watercolour & perle coton #5 left overs!

Done! Done! Done! + Nikki waits for me to leave

Happy Dancing X 3ish! Managed these finishes since Monday -- Encore Scissor Keep (gift for Grammy K. I think the Gingher scissors match the Far Horizons Caron Watercolour fiber I used.

Caron Keeper (times two). Freebie pattern on the Caron web site. The one w/dark blue cording is a gift. The other one made from left overs. Camp Quality book cover w/felt, buttons & various fibers. The spider web didn't show up well in the pic -- it is done with Kreinik glow-n-the-dark fiber. Used a lot of perle coton #8 & some purple tatting thread. The buttonhole stitch is not a good one for me! spacing gets off. Today I will get stitching on my Friendship project ....

Nikki curled up about two feet from my creative corner. He is just waiting for me to leave so he can bat the perle cotton balls all over the place. Nikki (my daughter's cat) aka "BRAT" is a constant pest into my floss and perle cotton. He sneaks into my room, grabs a skein of floss & chews it up .... or he paws at the perle coton balls and charges all over the house with them!

Dog in the background is Buddy .... Buddy was boarded at a kennel & never picked up by his owner. We took him in when he was about 2 yrs old. He sneaks on the bed after DH goes to work.

WIPs & Lake Co Fair

It is Friday .... time to recap the WIPs. First, thanks to Linda R from House of Stitches & DJ for suggestions on my rabbit/tree fob cord issue. Linda suggests making cording with the Sampler threads, using small cords on each side & making knots at the corners (little tassels sort-of). She also said there is a Week's Dye color similar to Black Crow. DJ suggests taking the sampler thread & knotting two strands together b/c when you make a cord, you twist + fold in half -- so, the knot in theory, will be at the END of the cord. Guess I'll decide after I shop .... still need to add the year and initials under the tree.
On the left .... I have two WIPs. The canvas project will be a scissor keeper. #14 canvas. Called Project Encore by Carmen Rupert (guild lesson). I made one using Watercolours - cantaloupe. The new one is stitched w/Far Horizons -- pinks & greens (gift). Delighted how the lining matched the fiber. See the small batch of stitching? It is what I accomplished during Thread Heads (4hrs) .... gathering of girlfriends. I had so much fun catching up on the needle chat and other good gab. The ccs project is the Caron Keeper from the Caron Web site. I'm going to make 2 -- one on 32ct Light Mocha (pictured) and the other will be on 36ct rue green -- using floss not silk.

Had a delightful time at Lake Co Fair last night. Deb L won Best-of-Best well deserved ; ) Grammy K & Sue D had loads of ribbons. WOOT! I did ok. Was beyond happy with the Acorn Sampler win. We all did the happy dance together. My Entries:

Handicrafts I / Holiday Decoration
(2nd)711. Counted Cross Stitch (CCS): Ornament - Chessie's Tree
718. Paper: Mill Hill kit - Stocking
Handicrafts II
(3rd)YARN 844. Plastic Canvas: CQ box + lid
(2nd)MISC 852. Beadword (glass): Mill Hill magnetic pin pillow
JEWELRY 857. Paper: Mill Hill Garden Bunny pin
JEWELRY 859. Bead-Glass: Amulet w/dark colors
(3rd)JEWELRY 862. Pin (lapel & brooch): Homespun Elegance - Rabbit & Bird
Needlecraft II
(1st)CCS Picture 1109. Acorn Sampler - Dawn Lewis adaptation
CCS MISC 1112. Blackwork - original stuff
(3rd)CCS Miniature Item 1114. 3 Kittens - Meg Shinell design
CCS Perforated Paper 1115. Mill Hill Bee skep
(1st)CCS Pillow 1116. Shep Bush freebie from 1990's
(1st)CCS Pulled Thread 1117. Drawn Thread freebie - heart throb fob
(1st)CCS Table cloth/runner 1118. Acorn table topper - dutch treat designs
(3rd)CCS Not Specified Above 1119. Shep Bush Folk Heart Needleroll
EMBROIDERY 1133. Asissi Heart - Victoria Sampler Kit
(3rd)NEEDLEPOINT 1148. G.Morrow First Steps - whitewash box (lid insert)

Website: http://www.lake-county-fair.com