2 WIPs and a Finish

Here is what I’ve been working on for the past few weeks:

This is my Herz Yin Yang parts 1-3. I’m trying to get caught up on this project. I think the group is already on Part 5. Hope to get caught up with this piece by the end of the week.

This is my new start, Flowers Bandsampler Evangeline by Wiehenburg Samplers. I’m stitching it on 28ct Pearl Linen Evenweave and I’m using Carrie’s Creations Threads. I’m using my own color palette on this one.

And here is my third Finish for 2013….Sweet Little Berries by Little House Needleworks. I was inspired to stitch this piece after a trip to my local grocery store. I was so excited to see fresh strawberries available in the produce department. So after eating a big bowl of strawberries, I decided to stitch this lovely design! It is stitched on 28ct Mushroom Evenweave and I used DMC floss.

2 New Projects!

OK, in my last post I said I was going to concentrate on 2 projects for January--Mirabilia holiday cherub and Rosewood Manor's Flowers of Rosehall. A day or two after posting this, I decided to start a brand new project--

SAL abecedaire from Carton-Marie . I've been admiring how this SAL has been unfolding and decided I couldn't hold off any longer so I started it! It took me about 2 1/2 weeks to stitch the first 13 parts and get caught up with the SAL group. I'm stitching it on 28ct White evenweave with Needle Necessities #126 and DMC 838 and 3726 (which are components of NN #126).

The second project I started was Herz Yin Yang freebie offered through the Sticklounge Group:

This design is by Jean-Louis Grandsire. I signed up for this SAL quite a while ago but was unable to start it because I was waiting on the dark purple threads from HDF. They finally arrived last week so I decided I'd better get started on this project because I am way behind (I believe part 4 has been released and I'm still at part 1!). I am stitching it on 28ct White evenweave with HDF silk threads #6119 (dark purple) and combo 2101/2103/3251 (lavender and green combo--even though it looks like lavender and yellow in this horrible photo). Hopefully I will get part 2 soon so I can get stitching on it.

2 Finishes for the New Year

We are only a week into the new year and I already have two finishes! Here they are:

Mirabilia's Sunflower Fairy, which appeared in the September 2009 issue of Cross Stitch and Needlework. I started it in June and finished it on New Year’s Day. I made a few changes: I stitched her wings in an antique gold Krienik #4 and I omitted the antennae (I don't think fairies should have antennae). She is stitched on 28ct Earthen from Picture This Plus.

My second finish was on January 5th:

Cottage Garden from Country Cottage Needleworks. I believe I started this project way back in 2010 during the Winter Olympics! I am glad to have finally finished it. I stitched it on 28ct Lambswool Jobelan from Wichelt and used the recommended Crescent Colours threads.

And here are two projects that I intend to focus on for the Month of January:

The first is the 2012 Holiday Cherub from Mirabilia. I’m stitching it on 28ct Sprite from Picture this Plus, using the recommended floss and specialty embellishments.

The second is Flowers of Rosehall from Rosewood Manor Designs. I am stitching it on 28ct Bright White Lugana. I am using a HDF conversion instead of the Valdani threads.

I believe I started both projects near the end of August just before I began having problems with my right hand.

Another Year Has Come and Gone

I have not posted in a long while due to a couple of reasons. First off, my computer died so I had limited access to the internet and was unable to update my blog. Secondly, in September I was having carpal tunnel problems with my right hand (the hand I use to hold my Q-snap frame) so I had to give up almost all stitching for 12 weeks (I only stitched on my SAL piece for Sticklounge) so my hand could rest and heal. Now I am back to stitching…boy did I miss it!
This is what I have been up to get finished before the end of the year:

Here is One Nation by ByGone Stitches. I started it in July 2010 and finished it on August 20th. It turned out beautifully. I stitched it on 28ct Caramel Truffel by Sassy's Fabbys and Blacksmith Blue, Cupid, and Antique Lace from Crescent Colours.

I also finished Many Years Ago Sampler:

This design is by Gudi Kolden, a member of the Sticklounge group who generously provided the design for this group. I stitched it on 28ct Bright White Lugana and I used HDF silk floss combo 2111/2125/2143 (dark purple) and #2121 (lavender). I made several changes to the original design to make it more suited to my tastes. I really love how it turned out.

I wish everyone a very Happy New Year! May it be filled with many stitches!

One Nation Progress

Slowly but surely I am getting there. I have 2 more stripes to go and it is done! I've made this project my goal piece to finish for the month of August.

After I finish One Nation, I will have to decide what 'new' project I want to start. It is a toss up between LHN's Old Nantucket and Ink Circles' Cirque des Cercles done in a special dye color that Vikki at HDF did for me:



My plan is to stitch CDC on Black Lugana. I will probably go blind stitching on such a dark fabric, but I think the combination of the floss and black fabric will make this design really pop. Wish me Luck!

A Finish and Progress on a WIP

I’m a bit late posting these, as I did these the week of July 4. So here they are:



The Weathervane/Four Corners from Little House Needleworks. I finished it on July 4th. I stitched it on 28ct Dwarf from Picture This Plus. The fabric is a gorgeous Blue. I used the Crescent Colours threads included in the thread pack. I think this is one of my favorite LHN designs. I love the lighthouse! I wish Diane Williams of LHN would do more ‘water’ themed designs. Her latest design, Old Nantucket, is on my list to stitch in the very near future. I am waiting on the specialty threads to arrive before I can start this one.

In the meanwhile, I pulled out an old project I haven’t worked on since Memorial Day weekend 2011:



I’ve decided this project will be my MUST FINISH project for the month of August. I am trying to finish at least 1 project a month and so far I have been doing well this year getting projects finished. In the past I have been a notorious serial starter. When my WIP box started to overflow I knew it was time to stop starting new stuff and start finishing some WIPs.

Four Corners Progress

Here is my progress on Little House Needleworks’ Four Corners:



This section is North and South. It was a rather quick stitch. I am hoping the final two pieces, East and West, are equally quick. I really look forward to stitching the East block as it features a lighthouse and I love lighthouses. I am hoping to finish this project by the end of the week.

I joined the .Passione Ricamo Fairy Mystery SAL, which starts at the beginning of July. I am not sure I will be able to have all my supplies by then as it requires a lot of beads and petite treasure braid. I will have to go through my stash first to see what I already have and then order what I don’t have. Plus I have to decide on what fabric to use. I may just stay with a White fabric as this project has a lot of bling on it and I don’t want a colored or hand-dyed fabric to make the piece look too busy.

Until then, I will probably go back to stitching on my Sunflower Fairy until I get everything for the SAL put together.