Joyful World Stitch-a-long.....progress to date

 

March is finished, April is finished, May is finished.....on to June!

 

 Here they are all together.  I am stitching this on 40 count linen over two fabric threads with one strand of the suggested (for the most part) threads.

WIP Wednesday 6-22-2016

I have been stitching on Lizzie Kate's ABC lessons for the past two days.  Made great progress, but now on to another piece in my rotation.

A Haul of Hummels!

 

I feel like I hit the mother load!  A dear friend had been storing her deceased mother-in-law's

Hummels for a long time, through a few moves, and decided they needed a new home, with someone who would love them.  She though of me!  My daughter was going to be near her house, so she picked them up for me so they wouldn't have to be shipped across a few states, and I just got the box!  It was better then Christmas!  

International Hermit and Stitch Weekend - The Results!

Well, Friday was a bust, too much stuff going on.  A Funeral and memorial luncheon to attend, interviewing new caregivers for my mother....and then just collapsing.  Saturday was a bit better, driving a daughter around to get her car repaired, hospice doctor visit for my mother, babysitting for some of my grandchildren, and unpacking a wonderful gift box of Hummels, but I did manage to get some stitching in.  Sunday was Father's Day, so lunch with Dad was on the agenda, some shoe shopping to replace the black sandles that broke last weekend, but there was stitching!

In all, I got 15 hours of stitching this weekend, which isn't earth shattering, but it was a good amount!  I mostly stitched on the French Alphabet Sampler, which is over 1 on 25 count, so it is a bit slower going. 



Here is where the weekend started.
















...and here is where it ended....doesn't look like much, but it is all done over 1 on 25 count, so although it is tiny, there are a lot stitches done.

International Hermit and Stitch Weekend

I haven't had a chance to participate in quite awhile, but this weekend, I plan to try!

A Bunch of Baskets!

This past weekend I visited my sister-in-law.  She recently lost her mother, Barbara, and was cleaning out her home.  While I was there, I was given a bunch of Barbara's Longaberger baskets!  What wonderful treasures!  I can't wait to fill them all!  And every time I use one I will remember Barbara, a wonderful lady.  We have many memories of spending time with her both in our home and in hers.  Rest in peace, Barbara, and know that I will treasure these baskets and put them to good use.  Can you imagine how much stitching stash these wonderful baskets can hold?

Saturday Stitching and a Finish!

 Even though I stitched until 1 am the night before, I got up at the crack of 8 on Saturday morning and pack up my stuff, and headed off to the stitching room.  After fortifying myself with a bagel and tea, and some chatting with my fellow stitchers, I started stitching at about 10 am on Together We Stand by Handblessings Designs. 






Even though I took a break for lunch, and then later in the afternoon, drove to Savanna Illinois to has dinner with my sister-in-law and then chatted with her and her step father all evening, I did manage to get it all finished before getting ready for bed!

Retreat Stitching - Friday

Friday morning, at about the crack of 10:30, I pulled out this Nancy Cucci piece, a flag frameweight that I started a few months ago in a class with Nancy and hadn't worked on since. 

 After stitching for a good part of the day, here is my progress.  I still need to do the white stripes and the border, but I am pleased with my progress.

A Break from Stitching

 I have been to Galena many, many times over the years and have never taken the time to visit Grant's home, so this year I decided to just do it!  Friday afternoon, I took a break from stitching and drove a short distance to the home.   The home was given to Ulysses S. Grant after the civil war by the citizens of Galena.  After his death, the family gave the house back to Galena to be used as a memorial, and it is now owned by the state of Illinois.  Most of the furnishings are original to the house.  It was a delightful tour!

 Here is the study.

 The parlor

 the dining room

and a bedroom.

Retreat Stitching - Thursday

 Once I arrived in Galena, I quickly settled in to stitch.  The first project up was Overture II by Kay Stanis.  This project hasn't seem the light of day since August of 2013.  Here is the piece where I left off.

 ...and here it is at the end of the day Thursday....not as much progress as I had hoped, but progress non the less!

Here are some of the ladies stitching in the beautiful ballroom at the Desoto House hotel.

On the Road Again.....

 

 Today's destination is Galena, Illinois.  I traveled to Galena to attend our ANG Chapter's annual retreat, held at the Desoto House Hotel.  It is a very historic hotel in downtown Galena.  Galena is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from home, but due to some road construction took a bit longer. 












The hotel itself is the oldest continuously run hotel in the state of Illinois and has seen many historic events.  Abraham Lincoln has stayed there, Ulysses S. Grant used it has his campaign headquarters during an election, and stayed there.  Many other famous historical figures have also stayed there. 




 
 
 
 
 




It is a very charming hotel, and is still decorated with historical furnishings and pictures.  I enjoy staying here every year!

Wednesday WIP 6-8-2016

Hey there blogging buddies!  This week's WIP is the Santa Train Stocking by Stoney Creek.  It is coming along nicely, and seems to be 'on track' for a finish before Christmas!

WIP Wednesday 6-1-2016

This week's WIP on Wednesday is the Superhero Alphabet.  I am a little more than half way done....it is a fun stitch, but since I have already stitched it, it is not so much fun the second time around.  But.....since it is for a grandchild, I will just suck it up and get it done eventually.

May Progress, June Goals

As always, I wish I had more stitching time.....never enough time to stitch.  But I was happy with my progress, never the less.  Most significant is that there are now only two projects left from the Crazy January starts, out of an original 28!  To celebrate that, I started 15 new projects for Stitch "May"nia, and finished 4 of those already.  Hopefully June will be month with lots of stitching!

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 worked on it
The Breath of Autumn  finished
Landon’s Stocking  worked on it
Embroidery Guild  finished
Home of a Needleworker   finished

Stitch Maynia (15 new starts in May)

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

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

June

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
Landon’s Stocking 
 
Stitch Maynia (15 new starts in May)
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
cardinal ornament
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
              

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!