Yes, I have perfected the art of procrastination...LOL I really should be upstairs finishing off my stitching room which I have been working on for 3 weeks now. I've hit a roadblock...I need some hanging file folders so I can sort and organize and store away all my patterns. Ok, don't laugh so hard! I think they might all fit in the filing cabinet I have...and I've sort of sorted them...into accordion file folders ...well some of them anyway, the rest are in boxes...but I'm stuck for the moment. And then life happened. Ben had a birthday... the big 25! And then it was my Mom's birthday...and then Father's day, so the weekend was pretty much a blur. We actually went out to a restaurant for Ben's big day...the first day they were open for business to eat inside. Yep, we took the plunge. It was a fun evening, honestly. And nice to spend time with the kids. We still kept our distance and wore masks, but it was almost like being back to normal.
Because I'm waffling about how to sort and store my patterns, I decided I needed to stitch...so I started finishing up some small projects I had going that I found while I was sorting.
I should have taken pictures where I had left off ages before...but here is Live Laugh Love by La-D-Da. It is stitched on 35 count straw over one. I love the colors of the silks I used in this piece!!
I also finished up God in my Garden by Tempting Tangles. This was a SAL that recently published the last part of the pattern last week. This is stitched on 32 Antique Ivory over one. It was a pretty quick stitch! I used silks on this one too, but not the recommended Dinky Dyes it called for.
I have wanted to stitch this ornament for ages. It's from the 2016 JCS Ornament issue and was designed by Swallick Stitchery and it called Waiting for Santa. I stitched this on Mocha 32 count over one. Love those little sheep butts! LOL
I was able to stitch the Birds and Blackwork flowers SAL for this month also. This was designed by Lesley Teare....I just love these designs. This was stitchedon 28 count over two!
Last is The Stockings Were Hung by Rovaris. This was from the 2019 JCS Ornament issue and was stitched on 28 count lambswool over two. I think I might leave it in the hoop to finish it...I'll have to think a little more about it before I completely decide.
I've been asked to stitch The Last Supper again...so I've been gathering materials. Once I get a little more of the things I want to finish caught up I'll get started...so watch this space!
And now it's back to the sewing room...let's hope I get some file folders soon!! I hope you are all getting your home improvement projects finished before we are allowed out of our houses! Keep safe everyone and Happy Stitching!
Hello Fellow Stitchers!
Yes, it's that time of month again when we showcase our needlework that have been or are gifts. Jo, over at Serendipitous Stitching hosts this lovely challenge where we showcase our work that has been gifted. You can read about the rules and sign up to take part in the challnege here (click here) and see what others are posting here (click here).
Last month was a bit crazy as I participated in Maynia...where I made up my own rules. I started out thinking I would stitch only on things I had already started and choose a different WIP each day, but I tired of that quickly...and then just started stitching on things I had kitted too. I was able to stitch on something new every day, and if I finished something, then I would go back and try to finish up another small project I had already worked on that month. I got so much stitching done, but I think I burned out a little bit too. Still, it was a productive month...but once that was over, it was time to buckle down and get some work done around the house...so I haven't stitched much since then. So...let's see...where should I start?
I finished another ornament for the kids for Christmas. This was a Shannon Christine design stitched on 40 count natural linen. I really need to get busy and fully finish so many of the things I've worked on! I love how this one came out though...
I also wanted to finish one of the #Be well freebies that was floating around out there. I have so many that I would like to stitch...just no time at the present, but I did finish this one by Hewitt Hill Samplers while we were still in quarantine. This is stitched on 40 count vintage mocha.
I finished the "under top side " of the casket from Sarah Elliott's Sewing Chest. This whole kit was a gift from a friend who was downsizing her stash. There are tons of pieces in this chest, and I'm trying to finish a few here and there before I do the final assembly. This was stitched on 36 count dove linen. The mermaids were stitched over one!
I made a little progress on Flowers and Lace by Kooler Designs. This was a gift from DH one year. He bought the pattern and found all the floss for it as a gift for Christmas. Yup...I'm truly spoiled!!
I also made a little progress on Oh Holy Night by Heaven and Earth Designs. This was also a Christmas gift on a different year from DH. Again, he bought the pattern and all the floss. Isn't he amazing? I wish I made more progress on this...I truly love this design.
Rummaging through my closet I found this half finished piece that was gifted to me at a retreat. This is called My Scissors by Not Forgotten Farm. How do you think I should finish this? Maybe a sweet little pillow? It's also stitched on 40 count over two.
I started a Dimensions kit that had two bookmarks. A friend of mine had picked this kit for me to stitch for her as a gift. That was a couple of years ago...I finally got started on it. Hopefully I can finish it for her for her birthday in January...wish me luck!!
I'm caught up on Gloria so far. This was a Christmas gift from DH this past year. I love this design, and each piece that is published (it's an ongoing SAL) has it's own surprises and delights. While it's a PAIN to stitch on the opalescent, I can't not stitch this, it's really a feast for the eyes.
I guess that's all the most current GG things I have. I'm sure next month it will be slim pickings as I seem to have lost my mojo a bit. It's been a challenge this month as I've been going through stash, moving things out of my sons room to make it my new sewing room. I've determined I might be a cross stitch hoarder...that's the first step to recovery right? It's a little disconcerting, as I've found things from my mother, things from Katie, and even things from my Dad...it's heart wrenching, I'll be honest. I did find cards from when I turned 50...and they had me laughing and crying and remembering all the fun I used to have in the Yahoo groups I belong to. Going through Ben's room is like a time capsule from the last 25 years. Whew...I have to stop I'm probably boring you guys to tears! LOL Let's just say the past two weeks have been quite the walk down memory lane. Time to wrap this up and call it a day. I hope you all are staying well and finding joy in your stitching! Till next time, Happy Stitching!!
And I lived to tell the tale! LOL I made my goal of stitching on something different every day! Yay!! Now to go back and finish up the things I started...and get my June stitching done too! This month should be a piece of cake! (I hope I didn't jinx myself!)
The last two days of May were a blur because so much was going on here in real life...haha. I never though I would be this busy during a quarantine...but this is ME we are talking about...haha.
So on the 30th I stitched on Santa Basket. This is a piece from the Cross Stitch Christmas 2003 issue. When I started I thought he might be a quick stitch...man was I WRONG!! I know you can't see it in the picture, but his beard has pearl Kreinik blending filament in it...I HATE that stuff but LOVE the way it looks. I read a little while ago to stitch the cotton floss first, then just do the half stitch of the blending filament over the top. I have to say it really does look better to me, so have been doing it that way since. Keep in mind that almost doubles your stitching though. UGH!! His beard took the longest of everything! I was going to give this as a gift to a friend of mine who likes Santas, but I fell in love with the little guy...so don't tell my friend...but I'm keeping him for myself! LOL!!! (I really doubt I'll stitch that little time sucker again!). He is stitched on 40 count white over two, so I'm wondering if the jingle bell is a little too big for him...but I'm leaving him just the way he is! I only got this far...
But I loved him so much that I worked a few more days and finished him up last night. So now he looks like THIS! The reason he's called Santa Basket is because he's supposed to be finished on top of a basket...but I think I'll finish him as a round ornament. Watch this space, hopefully in a few weeks I'll be getting some finishing done!
On the 31st I pulled out Kringles from Little House Needleworks. I LOVE this pattern...but I HATE working on this blasted roof! My patience can only handle so much of this part of the pattern. I'll nibble away until I have the roof done, then hopefully the rest will come along quickly. I didn't get far this day, and went back to the Santa.
And that's a wrap for Maynia. Hopefully June will bring a lot of finishes, fingers crossed! Happy Stitching!
