In just the past week, I've been a stitching machine! After all those months at the beginning of the year not getting a lot of stitching done, it feels good to actually see some progress! I've been rotating things around a bit, trying to finish up some challenges and some REALLY old WIPs.
I'm really hoping to finish up Christmas Quaker Bellpull from Weihenburg designs before Christmas this year. I think I started this back in 2010 or 2011 (I'll have to go back and look that up). I'm almost down to the last page. Here is where I am right now....
I've also been working on this freebie I found on Charting Creations Facebook group. I love this design (even though you can't see all of it here, I think you can get an idea what it will look like finished...think Santa and his sleigh). I signed up for the SAL but it looks like I won't finish by the end of the challenge. *sigh* I have finished pages 6, 11 and 12. It's called Merry Christmas Freebie.
I finished Take Time to Stitch by Jeanette Douglas. This is the third one I've stitched and I still have to make one more for me! I'll probably be posting this picture again in September for the Gifted Gorgeousness post. I made this for an exchange for St. Michaels last year. One lady loved it so much that I promised to make one for her in exchange for something she would stitch me. I tried to have it finished and framed for her for our monthly stitch day last week, but didn't finish it in time. Hopefully I can get it framed and back to her for the next stitch day in September. (I'm hoping I'll be around for that one....now that most of the work is done in NY, my husband has been making plans for trips here and there.) This is actually a fun thing to stitch, I love all the different stitches and it really doesn't take much time. I love that I've been able to stitch all these on one package size of material, and there was enough silk floss to make all the ones I've stitched!
I've finished two Christmas ornaments too! But I'm not going to post them until next month as they are all part of a challenge I'm participating in. Next up will be a wedding sampler the kids have picked out. Back to work on another ornament I started. Happy Stitching everyone!!
My goodness this year is flying by at a fast and furious pace! I can't believe it's August already. I feel like I've been on a treadmill travelling 90 miles an hour and getting absolutely NOWHERE! Oh well, on with the show!
If you haven't got a clue what Gifted Gorgeousness is, why haven't you visited my blog before?? Just kidding!! I enjoy this challenge so much! We are encouraged to showcase stitching things that are gifted. It could be fabric, a special floss, a pattern, something we made for someone else or something someone made for us. Pretty much everything goes in the gift department! If you want the official rules, head on over and see Jo from Serendipitous Stitching. If you click HERE it will take you to the page where you can sign up. But....if you click HERE, you can see the amazing things Jo is stitching and find the links to see what everyone else is stitching too! The reason I love this challenge so much is because it encourages me to sift through all that stash I have hanging around and stitch something someone has generously given me. (My husband likes it too, because it keeps me out of the LNS and out of his pocket! LOL) I rarely go to the store anymore, and that makes me sad because I've become good friends with most of the ladies who work there! Gee, I keep taking tangents...ok....on with the show (where have I heard that before?)
Let's see....first up is Christmas Morning Goodies by The Frosted Pumpkin. This was an ornament from the 2018 JCS Ornament Issue and is part of a challenge I'm doing. I didn't stitch the border because I really didn't like it that much, and I decided I would finish it in a circular manner and the border would have looked a bit odd. The fabric for this was a gift from my friend Mouse who lives in England. We've exchanged Christmas and Birthday gifts for years. Thanks Mouse!! This was stitched on 32 count Glacier Blue Sparklies fabric over one.
Next is 8 Maids a Milking from the 1989 May issue of Cross Stitch and Country Crafts Magazine.
Next is Snowman Mitten by Ursula Michael from the 2005 JCS Ornament issue, part of the same challenge as above.
Last is 1999 Christmas Ornament by The Vermillion Stitchery from the 1999 JCS Ornament Issue. It's still a work in progress but I hope to finish up in the next day or so. Can you tell what it is?
All four of these are stitched on 28 count over one except the first which was stitched on 32 count over one and the magazines were gift subscriptions from my husband over the years. They are all challenge pieces and you can see which areas they are from by visiting the 2019 goals page above.
Ooops, I almost forgot!! My son's fiance was here a week or so ago and told me she was having problems with her scissors poking through her bag while she was carrying her project back and forth....we can't have THAT now can we? I had this Alice Peterson Kit on standby for emergencies when I have to quickly make a gift for an exchange...so that weekend I whipped this up for her. Now this is needlepoint, and it's already made into the scissor case, all you have to do is stitch it up and zip it up and voila! Hopefully now she won't have any more mishaps with her scissors poking through her bag!
I'm editing this to post this last item that was a gift from a friend. I have only stitched the top portion, there is more in the pattern to do. This is Sarah Elliot's Sewing Chest. I just love this serene scene! All the sheep were supposed to be white, but I couldn't resist putting a little me in there. Can you find the black sheep? Don't confuse him with the black dog...hahah. I took a poll and it was unanimous that I put a little black sheep in there to represent me. This was my LNS challenge piece for July and I finished just in time! I will be doing more from the series as time allows. I'm having so much fun! Thank you to my friend who gifted this to me. I'm honored, and so excited to finally be working on it! It has so many things in there that I love. A light house, whales, and that beautiful tall ship.
I'm still working on the challenge my LNS is hosting, but trying to finish up WIPs we've had going or new patterns we've had lying around for ages that we truly want to stitch. So far I've finished all but one! I'm still working on that and really hope to finish before the year is up!
Til next time....Happy Stitching everyone!
Whew....my last post had me secluding myself and having a bit of a hermit moment from society...or what I thought would be hermitting...haha. I should have known better than to think I could hide myself away for any length of time. I have made stitching more of a priority, do you find it clears your mind too? Something about creating something out of a few fibers and scraps of fabric just seems to sweep the cobwebs away, bring out the sunshine, and soothe the soul. Anyway, I should have known my family wouldn't let me tuck myself away for long!
Wedding plans are in full tilt, and no, Jo I haven't found a hat yet...haha. They are planning a beach wedding, and I can just see myself charging full tilt down the beach with my skirt hiked up around my knees chasing a wayward hat into the surf. Which makes me think, should I wear flats, high heels, or flip flops to a beach wedding? I'll have to ponder that for a while. The lovely bride found her dress, and she is going to look FABULOUS!! We all laughed when she went in with a list of things she didn't want and found that THAT was exactly what looked best on her. Once she picks her colors, then we can discuss decorations....and what dress I should wear.
You may wonder why I'm posting a day ahead of Gifted Gorgeousness. Weeeeellll.......I have a finish that I want to polish my dancing skills over and since she wasn't a gift in any way shape or form, I can't post about her tomorrow....can I? This is Chanson de Noel by Ekatrina Chaykouskaya. I've had her in my stash for quite a while, she was a chart I found at a retreat some time ago. I don't remember when I started her, it was quite some time ago as well, and it feels good to have a long time WIP finished.
Don't you just love her face?
I would love to thank the designer, but I don't speak Russian! She is an amazing designer!
So....I guess I'll have more pictures for you tomorrow. Back to my stitching spot to work on my Wednesday WIP. I'll have pictures another time of my Christmas Quaker Bellpull which is my Wednesday WIP for now until I finish it. It was my challenge piece for June when I was in NY and couldn't finish. Happy Stitching everyone!
Just Breathe. I've been hearing that a lot lately. In all honesty I feel like I've been holding my breath since the moment I heard my Mom had passed. My life is busy and out of control and full of decisions I have to make and am having trouble making. So....I'm taking a break to just breathe. Don't panic, I'll be back. For now, I'm hibernating. So for those friends who read this and can't reach me, I'm just taking a breath. You don't need to call every day, or text every day. I'll be back when I've taken that one, long, lung filling, head clearing, breath. I'm fine, I'm just breathing. Till then, keep stitching!!
Just when you thought life would slow down.....it throws another curve ball at you! Here it is, July. I've been working hard trying to settle my Mother's estate in New York for the last five months while still trying to live my life here in MD. I haven't had much time to stitch, and still have a lot of work to do here now, finding homes for the treasures I brought back from NY and working at helping to plan a wedding. Yup, that's the other curve ball I was referring to! While I'm flattered and thrilled the kids want me to help, I feel slightly overwhelmed at all I have to do between now and May of next year!
So that brings us to today. It's the 15th and time for Gifted Gorgeousness. Gifted Gorgeousness is where we showcase stitching items we have been gifted or are gifting to others. If you want to know more or sign up for this challenge, you can follow this link and it will take you to Jo's blog Serendipitous Stitching. She hosts several blog challenges during the year. I happen to love this challenge because I like making things for other people (and lately I've been gifted a lot of charts I really want to start). If you want to see what others are stitching you can go to her main page here and click on the links.
My husband has gifted the Just Cross Stitch magazine to me for years and a few years ago gave me the CD's of the magazine from the beginning to the year 2010. I've been using these CD's and magazines to participate in a few ornament challenges I've signed up for this year. I have them listed in my goals for 2019 page if you want to take a look. So....here are the ornaments I've stitched this month.
First up is Winter's Eve by Country Cottage Needleworks. This was published in the 2006 JCS Christmas Ornament issue. I stitched this on 32 ct natural over one.
Next was The Heart of Christmas by Rosewood Manor. This was published in the 2018 JCS Christmas Ornament issue. I stitched this on 32 ct. cream over one.
Next was Let it Snow by Plum Pudding NeedleArt. This was published in the 2013 JCS Christmas Ornament issue. I stitched this on 32 ct. light blue linen over one
The last ornament I stitched was from Cross Stitch and Country Crafts May 1989 issue, also a gift subscription from my husband. This is 7 swans a swimming stitched on 28 ct. white over one.
I started a project today that was given to me by a friend. She gave me the fabric, pattern and chest for this project (I know, I'm spoiled, right?) and I have loved it from the beginning. I'm also participating in a challenge from my LNS (there is a separate tab at the top explaining this challenge) and this month they chose project #6 to work on. This is my #6. I wish I had been here at the beginning of the month, because I would love to spend a lot more time on this project. Never-the-less I'm starting it today, and only put a few stitches in but wanted to include it here. This is Sarah Elliot's Sewing Chest by Primitive Traditions. This is stitched on 36 ct. Dove linen, some is over one, some over two and there are specialty stitches thrown in for good measure. I love these kinds of challenging pieces! Here is what it looks like....
And here is where I'm starting right now. This part is stitched over one on 36 count. Heaven help me!!!
II very nearly forgot!! I took part in an exchange with a yahoo group for Christmas in July. I finished these two ornaments and sent them out at the end of June. Now that my partner has them I can show you what I made for her.
This piece isn't a Gifted Gorgeousness but I wanted to post it here. This is the challenge piece I worked on last month. This is Christmas Quaker Bellpull by Wienenberg Designs. I have been working on this for 9 years (at least) and was so hoping to finish it during this challenge. I only have 3 pages left to finish, but hopefully by next year I'll have a finish. I did get quite a bit more accomplished on it though!
I guess that's all the news that's fit to print. I'm hoping I'll have a little more time to stitch now that I'm back from NY for a while. I still have a lot of work to do here now, unpacking all the belongings I brought back from NY and finding places for them here in my little townhouse. Wish me luck! And Happy Stitching!
I'm not going to say it....I'm going to think it, but I'm not going to say it....you all know what I'm talking about, right? Ok, I'll say it.....Where did the time go? I can't believe it's June already!! It's time once again for Gifted Gorgeousness! If you don't know what that is, you can hop over to Jo's blog, Serendipitous Stitching and see what all the excitement is about! You can find the rules here, and see what others are up to here. Once a month we post our progress on things we are stitching that pertain to gifts. It can be a gift of a pattern, floss, fabric, or even something we stitched for someone else! Here is my contribution this month!
First off, DH gave me all the Just Cross Stitch CD's that have been published so far. They include all the magazine issues that have been published until 2010 I think. He has also gifted the subscription to me for the past 15 years (since we moved back from Germany). So....the ornaments I have stitched for the challenges this year have been from magazines he has gifted me. The first one is from 2019 and is called Special Delivery by Pickle Barrel Designs. I love this and it reminds me of "home" where I grew up!
I stitched two others, but I'm participating in a Christmas in July exchange and can't really show them to you. Sorry about that! Hopefully by the next time I post, you'll be able to find them here.
Next was a freebie from Alita Designs called Snowmen 2014. I've had this in my stash for a while, and found it online. The link to the page is here, I think it was under the Christmas patterns. There are a lot of nice patterns here so it's worth the time to search it out!
I finished up 6 geese a laying from the March 1989 issue of Cross Stitch and Country Crafts, a magazine that was a gift subscription from a college friend many years ago!
That's all I have for now! I hope to have more next time, and I'm hoping things slow down just a little bit so I have more time for stitching. Til then, Happy Stitching!!
I was able to attend a retreat in June called Flower Power II hosted by LinAnn Events. These ladies are a barrel of fun and I always enjoy their retreats. I stitched only on the bellpull while I was there. Here is a picture of our group....see if you can find me! I'll give a hint, I'm tall so I'm always in the back of the pack!
We had a grab bag exchange, but I didn't have much time to prepare. I should probably have not participated, but you know me, haha. I'm always up for a challenge. I feel sorry for the lady who got mine, but I think she was impressed by the scissor fob I included, which spelled out Flower Power. Here's a picture of what I included. The 5 objects had to spell out the word, Daisy. So there is a Doily, Accessory kit for sewing, an Iron stitching kit, Scissor fob, and Yarnology socks. haha.....can you see they say too many WIPs, the other sock says, Not Enough....haha. It was all placed in a little tutu bag.
I received a cute little wheelbarrow full of my goodies, with Dust sweep, Aida cloth, Ice cubes, Syrup and Socks, and Shovel, and Yarn. What a lovely gift, with a stitched card. A lady from Canada put this all together. I assure you, I was spoiled!!
I haven't had much time to do much stitching, but I'm still working on the challenge my LNS is hosting. This month our number was #8. My #8 is Christmas Quaker Bellpull. This was a work in progress and I had all but the first 4 pages stitched. So far this month I've been able to finish off page number 4 working from the bottom up. That leaves 3 pages left. I really want to finish this, it's been hanging around for 10 years now!! haha Here is where I started....
And here is where I am now....
I'm home from NY for a little break. I learned that my son got engaged to his girlfriend while I was away so we are in the midst of planning a wedding. It's hard to believe Katie has been gone almost 2 years now. It's been quite a journey since then, but thankfully Ben has met a lovely lady who has really helped him get past his grief over Katie. His new love embraces his memories, has participated in fun raisers for Cystic Fibrosis, and is already a big part of our family. I'm excited for her to legally become a member of our family!!
I'm still going through things back at the house. I've found a few things that make me smile, or think, or wonder. I've found my Dad's diary from the time he was in the Navy....
I've found a few more things I have stitched for my Mom....
I've found antique things that make me scratch my head. This jar has the date Nov 30, 1858 on it....wow, I never knew they had it! I think I might fill it with cross stitched smalls to have sitting about. Sometimes I wish inanimate objects could talk!
This journey of clearing out my parent's house of more than 50 years has evoked so many emotions....some tear jerking, some hilarious, some mysterious. I feel closer to them in many ways, but in others it has me scratching my head. I miss them, but it's been an exhausting journey. I think I've worked through the initial shock of it all, and I'm in a place I can move on now. A few more trips to NY (her internment is this month) and I think I will be able to only travel back when the lawyer needs a signature. I've talked to Mom's friends who have come to the yard sale we've had. Hearing stories of her generosity and kindness will be cherished. I hope folks will say similar things about me when I'm gone. While it's been a tough journey, and I know it will never be completely over, I feel like I've worked through a lot of my grief and I'm in a good place now. I'll miss them both, but I'm at peace with their memories. Time to move on.
So...that's where I've been. Hopefully I'll have more time for stitching now (in between getting ready for a wedding) but we'll see. Watch this space! Till then, Happy Stitching!
