My lovely and talented daughter-in-law, Melissa, brought me this kit.  She saw it at JoAnn Fabrics and thought of me!  She knows me so well!

Breath of Autumn Finish

I finished the stitching on Breath of Autumn by La Di Da yesterday.  This is one of my crazy January starts...and the 26th finished of the 28 starts.  It is stitched on some mystery 32 count fabric with the suggested silks. some of it is stitched over one.....

The other three seasons in the series are all kitted up and waiting in the to-do mountain.

A Finished Finish

Hey there, blogging buddies!  Some of you might remember seeing this piece when I stitched it last January.  I had intended to finish it as a flat fold for my friend Marguerite's birthday in May......I got the fabric for the back, and the perle cotton for the chording, and the mat boards to mount it on.....and I figured I had time. 

I woke of Tuesday morning, and panicked!  Tuesday was Marguerite's birthday and I was going to be seeing her that evening for dinner and our EGA meeting, and I hadn't done a thing about the finishing of the flat fold!

I gathered all my materials and supplies, and started 'finishing'!  I did really well until the perle cotton got all tangled as I pulled it off the skein....took an hour to untangle it all, but it got done....I layed it ever so carefully on the back seat so that the glue holding on the chording could dry on my drive, and then shoved it in a gift bag as I got to my destination. 

Happy Birthday, again, Marguerite!

WIP Wednesday - 5- 25-2016

Hello blogging buddies!  I have been busy with German School end of year festivities so I haven't had too much time to stitch, but I am back in the happy chair stitching away today.  I am currently working on La Di Da's Breath of Autumn, should have it done in the next day or so.

Another Finish!

A long time ago, when this design was first released, some friends were either stitching this design over one, or were going to, so I kitted it up with 25 ct Lugana, and then put it in my to-do mountain.  This past January, when I was doing the Crazy January Challenge, and started a new design each day for the first 28 days of January, I came across it, and decided to start it.....and now it is all stitched!  I is stitched with one strand of DMC floss over one fabric thread, and I am really thrilled with the results.  I know just what frame molding I want to use for the frame!

A Finish!

I finished stitching Embroidery Guild by Little House Needleworks recently.  Not sure how I will 'finish' it, probably frame it, but we will see.  This was one of my 28 Crazy January starts, and now there are only 4 left to finish from that marathon start month!

Stitch Maynia, Day 15

 

On the 15th Day of Stitch 'May'nia, I started Witch's Stitches by Sue Hillis.  I got the chart a few weeks ago, and at the Get together in LaPorte, Judy from West Virginia, had shown us her completed Witches Stitches.  She had stitched it on an overdyed lavender Aida, and I just loved it so I went in search of a similar linen or evenweave.  I found one at House of Stitches!  I pulled all the floss for it the other day, and enjoyed most of my stitching time on Sunday.






I did run into a problem though.  I pulled a bobbin of #209 (the one on the left)  but when I stitched with it, the color just didn't seem to work with the other floss colors.  So I checked my floss again, and pulled another bobbin of #209 (the one on the right).  It was a different 'shade'!   That shade worked better so I pulled out all the stitches with the first bobbin of #209, and restitched it with the second bobbin.  I have heard of people having problems with dye lots but this is the first time it has happened to me!

 

Stitch Maynia Day 14

On Day 14 I started The House That Love Built by Ursula Michaels.  If you follow my blog, this may look familiar, and you are right, I stitched this one in January.  So this is the second time I am stitching it, this time it will be for the Ronald McDonald House at Lurrie Children's Hospital in Chicago.  I am stitching it on honor of one of my students.  David is treated at Lurries and will eventually need a liver transplant.  Although his family has not needed to stay at Ronald McDonald House yet, eventually they will need those services. 

Stitch Maynia Day 13

On Day 13, I started on Princess by Hinzeit.  These charts really stitch up quickly, so I am sure I will have it done in no time at all!

You can't tell from the picture, but I am using a pink hand dyed opalescent fabric, think with the sparkles in it.  It is a pain to stitch on, but my little princess will love it!

Stitch Maynia Day 12

Well, Day 12 was a bust!  I stitched and had quite a bit done on this piece but realized that I was using the wrong number of strands of floss, and I really didn't like the coverage, so I pulled it all out!  So although I spent 4 hours stitching, I have nothing to show for it! 

Stitch Maynia Day 10 & 11

On Day 10 I started the March Square of Ellen Maurer-Stoh's Flowers of the Month.  It is the square with the Dafodils.  The shading on these charts is amazing!  Really fun to stitch.

On Day 11 I started the January square, which will be pink carnations. 

Stitch Maynia Day 9

On day 9 I started ABC Lessons by Lizzie Kate.  I made good progress.  I am stitching this on 32 count Lambswool Jobelin, with the Crescent Colors that came with the chart (kit),

Day 8

On Day 8, I started page 2 of the French Alphabet Sampler...again, not as much stitching time as I had hoped, but I did get one square done and started on a second.

Stitch Maynia Day 5, 6, and 7

On Day 5, 6 and 7 I started the March, April and May squares of the Joyful World Stitch-a-long.....didn't get as much done as I had hoped, but at least I stitched!

First Four Days of Stitch Maynia

 There were four squares on the Birds Flower Patches Quilt by Handblessings Designs left to do, so here is square 9.

Square 10 is also done, and those innocent looking birds gave me a lot of trouble.  Let's just say they attracted frogs.....

Square 11 was also fun to stitch

 
 



Square 12 is very similar to square 1

 

And here is the entire piece all finished, charms added and ready to be 'finished'.  Can't decide if it will be a wall hanging or something else.  Stay tuned to find out.....

 

Stitch "May"nia!

Since the Crazy January Challenge was a big success for me, I have decided to participate in another similar challenge; Stitch Maynia!  For this challenge, we are to have one new start for each of the first 15 days in May...although the challenge is very flexible, and some people are working on a different WIP each day in May...or any combination of the two.

I have decided on 15 new starts, mostly smaller ones, and hope to get them al finished by the end of the year.

Here is my list.

Stitch Maynia (15 new starts in May)
Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 9
Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 10
Joyful World March 
Joyful World April 
Joyful World May 
French Alphabet Sampler page 2
January Flower of the Month
March Flower of the Month
Hinzeit Princess
Witch’s Stitches
ABC Lessons
Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 11
Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 12
Cardinal ornament 
The House That Love Built #2

Last Weekend, Part 3

 Sunday evening, at the Hofbrauhaus in Rosemont, Illinois.  My children's group was scheduled to perform at 5:30 and 7 pm.  Although not all the kids could be there, the ones that did, did a marvelous job! 

 

The Maypole dance is always a must on the first of May!  The older members of the group performed it perfectly!













All the Kids love "the Wurm Dance"! 

Between performances we were able to have dinner.  This is Natalie, my favorite granddaughter, who was seriously enjoying her pretzel bites!

 

 
 
 

Last Weekend, Part 2

 A fun part of our annual stitching get together in Chesterton, Indiana, is a trip to House of Stitches in LaPorte.   I haven't been able to get to the shop the past few years, but I managed to go twice last weekend.

 House of Stitches is a great shop, lots of charts, and very helpful staff.

 Lots of fibres......

 Lots fabric! 

Here's what I purchased.....

WIP Wednesday, 5-4-2016

Spent some time working on my Santa's Train Stocking.  It is coming along nicely....should have no problem getting it finished by Christmas.

How I Spent this past weekend....

...this time I was stitching!   A group of us gathered in Chesterton, Indiana for our annual stitching weekend.  It was a smaller group than usual, but still fun!

 Here I am, all comfy and stitching away! 

 Lynn, on the right, all the way from Canada, and Judy on the left from West Virginia.

 Barb on the right from Canada, and Cathy on the left from Michigan.

Mary on the left from Michigan, and Holly on the right from Illinois.  Holly was my room mate and proclaimed that I didn't snore! 

Thanks for a great weekend ladies!  Let's do it again soon!

April Progress, May Goals

Another month of stitching completed!  I did manage to finish 4 more of the crazy January starts,  which only leaves 5 (out of 28) and I am quite happy with that!  The five that are finished are larger pieces, so they will take some more time, but I am confident they will be finished by the end of the year.  To add some excitement to the mix, I decided to participate in Stitch 'May'nia....15 new starts, one each on the first 15 days of May......

April

WISPS:
10 hours on Rocky Mountain Christmas  
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II 

In Progress

4 person RR Marguerite’s
Nancy Cucci flag frame weight

Crazy January starts

Justin’s Birth Sampler worked on it
The Breath of Autumn  worked on it
French Alphabet block sampler page 1 finished
Landon’s Stocking  worked on it
Embroidery Guild  worked on it
Rico Runner finished
Around the World in 80 Days  finished
Snowflake Serenade  finished
Home of a Needleworker   worked on it

Future New starts

Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 7 finished
Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 8 finished
Crystal Violets
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
Carnival
Walking on Water’s Edge
12 cardinal ornaments
Joyful World January finished
French Alphabet Sampler page 2
January Flower of the Month
Sue’s birdhouse model finished

May

WISPS:
10 hours on Rocky Mountain Christmas  
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II 

In Progress

4 person RR Marguerite’s
Nancy Cucci flag frame weight
 
Crazy January starts
Justin’s Birth Sampler
The Breath of Autumn 
Landon’s Stocking 
Embroidery Guild 
Home of a Needleworker  

Stitch Maynia (15 new starts in May)

Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 9
Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 10
Joyful World March
Joyful World April
Joyful World May
French Alphabet Sampler page 2
January Flower of the Month
March Flower of the Month
Hinzeit Princess
Witch’s Stitches
ABC Lessons
Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 11
Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 12
cardinal ornaments
The House That Love Built #2

Future New starts

Crystal Violets
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
Carnival
Walking on Water’s Edge
12 cardinal ornaments