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

 

 

 

How I Spent My Weekend

Last weekend I attended the annual national meeting of our German Club.  Luckily I didn't have to travel this year, it was located at our own facility.  I attend these meetings every year, and sit in the back and stitch my way through them.  This year they decided that the entire national board needed to sit in the front, where everyone could see us.  I am third from the left on the bottom row.  I did not get to stitch.......

WIP Wednesday 4-27-2016

I've been working on the second of two Superhero Alphabets the past few days.  Currently I am on the letter K. 

Another Model Finished

Sue Hillis sent me a chart that she needed stitched yesterday, I had the perforated paper, so I just dug in and started stitching.  It doesn't look like a lot of stitching, but the frog came a visiting, and it took much longer than expected.  It is now at Sue's and she will be doing the finishing.  It will be a birdhouse, and will be available at Celebrations this coming weekend. 

And now back to my regularly scheduled stitching....

A Foxy Finish

I finished the January square of the Joyful World Stitch a long.  Just love that cute little fox! 

Page 1 finished!

I finished page one of the French Alphabet sampler, including the metallic highlights on each letter.  I finally decided on gold, and love how it looks, sorry the picture doesn't do it justice.

WIP Wednesday 4-13-2016

today I am working on the January block for the Joyful World Stitchalong hosted by Maja at the Snowflower Diaries blog.  I started late, and started with February because it is in the middle of the top row.  I hope to get caught up soon.  Before anyone tries to correct my spelling, I am stitching the months in German, so there isn't a "Y".

Snowflake Seranade Finish

I'm on a roll, blogging buddies!  A second finished in just as many days.  This rotation thing really does pay of in the end. 

This is Snowflake Serenade by Little House Needleworks.  I stitched it on a 28 count fabric, Lambswool Jobelin, I think, with the suggested fibres.  It was fun to stitch.  I think I will frame it in a white frame....or blue....or.....whatever strikes my fancy...stay tuned

Around the World in 80 Days Finished!

I finished!  Thanks for all your comments on this piece, blogging buddies!   I was so unsure of what to do until someone said, use a smaller font!  Now why didn't I think of that?  I found a smaller font that I liked better, and voila!  Here it is!  After stitching for 10 hours for this month's rotation on this piece I knew I didn't have too much left for a finish, so I just kept going.  I can do that, my rotation, my rules!  5 more hours and it was done.  Despite all the errors on the chart, it was enjoyable to stitch and I am very please with how it turned out.  I need to find the perfect frame for it.....

Birds Flowers Patches Quilt Progress

 Spent some time working on the Birds Flowers Patches Quilt by Handblessings Designs this month.  First I did block 7.














Then I stitched block 8.  I really wanted to keep going, but I restrained myself!






Here is the entire piece so far.  It is such a happy, colorful piece!

I Need Your Help!

 

Hey blogging buddies!  I am currently stitching Around the World in 80 Days by Little House Needelworks, and I am almost finished, but I have a dilemma. I don't want to put in the year 1873. I understand the significance of that year (it is the year Jules Verne published the book), but it's a little big for my taste and too prominent. But what should I put in it's place? just fill in the grass or ???   Anyone have a suggestion for me?

WIP Wednesday 4-6-2016

Here is this week's WIP, Home of a Needleworker by Little House Needleworks.  I am stitching it on 25 count antique white Lugana, over one fabric thread with the suggested DMC colors.  I don't know why I am stitching this over 1, I kitted it up this way many years ago, but I am enjoying it.

41 Years Ago....

 

 
 
 







41 years ago today I married my best friend.  Here we are in happier times, young and full of plans and hope.  He left us much too soon. 

Looking at the picture of our bridal party, I think of those that are no longer with us.  I didn't realize that so many have also gone too soon.  Trudy Mueller Bradford, Nick Schneider, Liz Wolf Wagner and Norbie Sieb, along with Peter are all together in heaven.

A Finished Runner

 I finished the runner that I started as part of my crazy January starts this weekend.  You might recall that I received the prefinished fabric from the stash of a stitcher that passed away.  I finished the stitching on it, and have donated it to the Maine Township Education Foundation for their dinner and auction that will take place later this month. 

  Here is a close up of one of the ends.  I am quite pleased with how it came out and almost wish I had kept it for myself. 

March Progess, April Goals

Lots of stitching in March, 5 finishes, 3 of which were from the crazy January starts.  That leaves 9 left on that list to finish this year, from the original 28, I would say that is going quite well!  All of the Crazy January starts were stitch on in rotation this month!  There was great progress on all the pieces.  I am finding that the 10 hours rotation is working well for me, so I am going to continue on, doing 10 hours on each WIP each month.

March

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

In Progress

4 person RR Marguerite’s

Crazy January starts

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

Future New starts

Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 5 finished
Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 6 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
Nancy Cucci flag frame weight worked on it
Joyful World February  finished

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

Future New starts

Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 7
Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 8
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 SAL January

 

 

Another Finish for Me!

I finished Silent Night by Country Cottage Needleworks today.  It is stitched on 32 count light blue Belfast linen with the suggested threads.  I did change the words though.......

WIP Wednesday 3-30-2016

I spent some quality time with the Superhero Alphabet for the past few days.  When I picked it up, I only had a little bit of the D character done, and now that I am ready to put it down I am almost finished with the H character (the hulk)! 

WIP Wednesday 3-23-2016

Here is one of my current WIPs, Breath of Autumn by La Di Da.  It is stitched on 32 count with 2 strands of silk over 2 fabric threads, AND in some places 1 strand of silk over 1 fabric thread......thank goodness I found my magnifier!

I have really enjoyed working on this piece, it reminds my how lovely it is to work with silks!  Can't wait for it come up in my rotation again!

A Small Finish

I stitched up the February piece from the Joy World Stitch-a-long this week.  The charts can be found on the Sunflower Diaries blog.   I will be stitching all the monthly pieces on 1 piece of fabric, and I chose a 40 count Newcastle.  I am using the suggested threads, one strand over two fabric threads.  I would love to get caught up and then stitch each piece as it is released each month, but I am behind and have lots of other stitching to do.....so I will try and leave it at that.

A Finish for Me!

I finished Secret Garden my Heinzeit in the wee hours of the morning.....still have to frame it.  I have the perfect frame for it, but as I have previously posted, I have to get motivated to do some framing.....check back and I might surprise you.

A Recent Finish

I didn't plan on stitching this piece, but, well, it's a long story.  My dearest sister-in-law purchased the chart, fabric and floss with the idea of stitching it herself.  She had never stitched on evenweave, (in fact, she had only ever stitched one small ornament on aida) and was having difficulty 'seeing' the holes.  So then we started over on aida, and that didn't work well for her either.  So....I offered to finish it for her.  I still had some of the original evenweave, and started over.  It stitched up very quickly, but in all of the back and forth, the charms were missing, so I ordered the chart and charms again, and now they are attached!  The frame that I have for it is great, but I will have to motivate myself to do some framing.......

WIP Wednesday 3-16-2016

Snowflake Serenade by Country Cottage Needleworks, a very enjoyable stitch.  I have stitched on it for 20 hours so far.  It was one of my Crazy January starts, and has come up in my rotation this month.  It should be finished after two more times in my rotation.

Square 5 and 6 done!

I have been working the Flowers Birds and Patches Quilt by Handblessings Designs. My goal was to stitch 2 squares each month, and this month I again met that goal by stitching square 5 and 6.  Square 5 has some birds in it and stitched up fairly quickly.

Sqaure 6 is a flower square, and thanks to a visit from the dreaded frog, it took much longer than it should have.




Here is the entire piece as it stands with 6 of the 12 squares done. 

Wednesday WIP 3-9-2016

I spent some quality time with enjoyable work in progress this week.   This a French alphabet sampler, done on 25 count lugana, with one strand of Gloriana silk over one fabric thread....so enjoyable to stitch.....can't wait until next month when it comes up in my rotation again....

February Flower Finish

I finished the February Flower from Ellen Maurer-Stroh's Flower of the Month series that was a freebie in 2010...just a little bit behind in my stitching....

It was really lovely to stitch, all the subtle shading made for lots of color changes, but so worth it....can't wait to start the next month's flower.....

I FOUND IT!!!!!!

Yes, I am shouting!  I have been looking for my clip on magnifier for over a month.  I really needed it when I was doing some over one model stitching recently, and when I was working on some of my own 'over one' pieces.  I tore my stitching room apart and still couldn't find it.  I knew that if I purchased another one, I would then find mine, or I would find it when I no longer needed it, so I didn't rush out and get another one.  Today, I grabbed a project bag from the shelf and headed off to babysit for my little Peter.  One he was settled watching Paw Patrol, I took out my stitching, and guess what I found in the bag, besides my stitching......yep, you guessed it, my magnifier!!!!  Why was it there?  I have no idea.  but now that I don't need it for awhile, I have found it!

Another Model Stitching Finish

I got a call from Sue Hillis last week.  She needed a model restitched asap and shipped to her in Nashville so that she could frame it and display it along with the other 3 pieces that went along with it. 

The original model stitcher had mixed up two colors, and the piece didn't look right.  I headed to Welcome Stitchery to pick up some fabric and then went home to starte stitching. 

Now, stitching buddies, the entire point of model stitching is to catch any errors that the designer might have missed in the chart.  There were a number of errors and unclear instructions that I found, that the original model stitcher never mentioned to Sue.  She had already printed the charts thinking everything was correct.  Once I let her know, she immediately made the corrections and then had to reprint the charts before leaving for market.  She received the stitched piece today, and all is now well!

WIP Wednesday 3-2-2016

 

 

Here's what I have been working on yesterday and today,  Home of the Needleworker by Little House Needleworks, stitch with one strand of floss over one fabric thread on 25 count.  I am quite pleased with the progress.

February Progress, March Goals

Although I always wish I had a bit more stitching time, I was happy with my progress.  15 finished pieces, 2 of which were from the Crazy January starts  ( there are now 12 of those pieces out of 28 that are WIPs).  7 more from the crazy January starts saw some stitching time, and 5 that didn't get any stitching time.  I would have been able to work on more of the WIPs, but a designer friend had some emergency model stitching that needed to be done right away.  I hope to get to all the Crazy January pieces in March. 

February

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

In Progress

Crazy January starts

Justin’s Birth Sampler worked on it
Silent Night (CCN) worked on it
The Breath of Autumn worked on it
Photo Booth Easter Surprise finished
French Alphabet block sampler
Landon’s Stocking worked on it
Embroidery Guild 
Rico Runner worked on it
Secret Garden worked on it
Around the World in 80 Days worked on it
February Flower 
Snowflake Serenade 
Home of a Needleworker  
Pines in the Snow Ornament  finished

Future New starts

afghan pillow moose finished
Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 3 finished
Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 4 finished
Crystal Violets
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
4 person RR Marguerite’s worked on it
Carnival
Walking on Water’s Edge
20 cardinal ornaments
         4 small finished

          4 medium finished

 Sue’s spool models finished
Life’s a Stitch model  finished

March

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

In Progress

4 person RR Marguerite’s

Crazy January starts

Justin’s Birth Sampler
Silent Night (CCN)
The Breath of Autumn
French Alphabet block sampler
Landon’s Stocking
Embroidery Guild 
Rico Runner
Secret Garden
Around the World in 80 Days
February Flower 
Snowflake Serenade 
Home of a Needleworker  

Future New starts

Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 5
Birds, Flowers & Patches Quilt Square 6
Crystal Violets
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
Carnival
Walking on Water’s Edge
12 cardinal ornaments
Nancy Cucci flag frame weight

WIP Wednesday 2-24-2016

Only one of the WIPs that I stitched on this week, but it happens to be the one I stitched on Wednesday, so here it is.  Unfortunately there isn't as much progress as I would have liked as there were some errors on the chart and I ended up unstitching quite a bit.

WIP Wednesday 2-17-2016

This week I am working on some models for Sue Hillis.  Look for a chart with spools when the new releases from the Nashville Market become available.  That's all I know.....

Some More Squares Finished

 These two squares are not part of the Crazy January Challenge, they are new for February.  I plan on doing one or two squares on the Birds & Flowers Patches Quilt by Handblessings Designs every month, so these two are February's squares.  If I keep to this schedule, this entire piece will be done in July

Pines in the Snow finish

The stitching on another Crazy January project is complete!   Slowly, they will all be finished eventually.  I will ornamentify this one at a later date.

Getting Ready for Easter

  I finished the stitching on Easter Surprise, another one in the Bent Creek Photobooth series.  I think I have about 5 of them done now, with a few more to go.  I really need to decide how to 'finish' them! 

Another Animal Finished

I finished the stitching on Northwoods Moose!  This one is also off to the finisher to be made into a pillow, this one however is for my moose-loving daughter-in-law.

Bear Finish

I finished the stitching on Northwoods Bear.  It is now off to the finisher to be made into a pillow for my favorite son-in-law. 

WIP Wednesday 2-10-2016

Here is what I am working on today, the superheroes alphabet for my little Justin.   the fabric is a soft green, didn't photograph too well.

Spring Table Topper Finish

Good morning blogging buddies!  Today I share with you another finish (if blogger cooperates, this is the 4th time I am trying to post this!).

This is the Spring Table Topper that I finished recently.  It came from the stash of a stitcher who passed away.  Now that it is finished, I will have to decide which charity to donate it to.

I really enjoy stitching these toppers, because once the stitching is finished, it is truly finished!  No framing or other finishing needed!  And the 11 count is certainly easy on tired eyes.