Quick little Finish

Ohh the moment I saw this pattern I had to do it! This is called Sherbet Flake by one of my favorite designers; Ink Circles. It was in the latest issue of Gift of Stitching ornament issue. (get it here: http://www.thegiftofstitching.com) I didn't have the recommended orange fabric so I subbed a soft green instead, but I think it turned out beautiful anyway!

Some Goodies, Mary Wigham, and a FINISH!

So Much to update you on! First a few goodies - My super talented best stitching buddy made me a beautiful housewarming gift and gave it to me Months ago. So long ago and I neglected to post anything about it! So here it is, a beautiful house:

Not sure who it's by, but I will update when I ask her. She also recently made this GORGEOUS Quilt for my baby girl's first birthday! I'm so amazed by her and her talents! I have tried quilting and while I love applique and building the blocks, the rest of it overwhelms me. Here is a pic of Gracie on her b-day quilt. She loves it as you can tell by the grin!


In my own stitching news I FINALLY have a finish! Yay! This is an old UFO from a few Octobers past; Vinnie VonFang by Lizzie Kate. I stitched him (appropriately enough) on a lovely Lugana by Blended Needle called Moonlight! It's a bit greener than it's showing up in the pic.

Since I've been working on Vinnie I haven't gotten far on Mary Wigham. I did manage to do her name in over one - but in hind sight I wouldn't do that again. I don't want to be a whiner, but I am really struggling with this piece. First I chose a horrid fabric. It's a 36 count linen which is really uneven in it's threads and makes it hard to count. I've already had to frog quite a bit because I got one stitch over three instead of over two. Not helping that is the fact that the pattern is based on a sampler that Mary Wigham started when she was 9 years old. As you can imagine, there are errors which are built into the pattern, but I didn't realize that would be so difficult for me, mentally. I guess my brain wants the hexagons to be even, and so far, most of them aren't. I count each side over and over, thinking that it will even out or I made an error in counting, but still the sides will be one or two stitches off. My brain has a problem with that I guess! LOL!

Anyway, This combination of unbalanced patterns and bad fabric choice led to a small disaster - the frame of latest motif ended up one thread off somewhere, but I can't for the life of me see where! I just left it and started on the bird in the middle. Hopefully my mistake will become clear at some point because I cannot imagine leaving it like that. I am NOT a perfectionist and I have occasionally left errors in my stitching, but I think this error will bug me and make this piece less of an enjoyment for me. Silly maybe, but true. My stitching buddy is doing Mary Wigham as well and is screaming right along with hers. I will post a pic next time she comes over and you will see how much further along she is! I love looking at hers and it keeps me motivated to work on mine despite the frustration. At least I've got Vinnie done and can finish him for Halloween! Happy Stitches!

Upddate Pics!

Sorry about the long absence! Unpacked from the move, things are settled and I'm back on track now. My best friend and I have been motivating and encouraging each other and I have been stitching! Honestly, with 4 kids, I need a little serenity in my life and I've found that if I have time to work on my stitching amidst all the chaos, I am calmer and happier! She and I are meeting nearly every Tuesday to stitch together and gab. I love having a regular stitch time and of course it doesn't hurt that it's with someone I love spending time with! Yay!
Here are some pics!


Here is an update on Growth Rings. I'm afraid I haven't really done much on this one...I still love it and will probably go back to it next month.


I've pulled out an old UFO for halloween. Vinnie Von Fang from Lizzie Kate. This is an old kit that I started 4 or 5 halloweens ago. I never remember about it until this time of year and so I hardly work on it. But here it is and I'm determined to get at least his pants and cape done before this halloween!




I've done a bit more on my La Di Da piece. I'm really loving this one and the colors make it pop for me. I can't wait to see this hanging on the wall!



Last but certainly not least is Mary Wigham. My BFF and I are stitching this together! She's a much faster stitcher than I am, but here are our respective pics!
She started in the upper left corner, but I started in the middle so they look different! She is a super talented stitcher and she even made us these chic q-snap covers! Wahoo!

updates and 2 new starts

I haven't posted for a long time because of the move. The family has settled in and I have set up my special little stitchy spot. It's comfy, has great light during the day and my ott light during the night. A perfect table nearby for my cuppa and my stitching frame. I love it!

So despite the move I have been stitching and had a bit of stash enhancement. One thing I got was the new pattern by La De Da designs; live laugh love, which is one of my new starts. Of course, I changed it up, this time pretty dramatically. I'm stitching it on a bit of hand dyed linen from silkweavers and the deep blue just called for a bit of color change in the pattern. I'm using different shades of dark blue and green and subbed white for the dark red


I've also been working on Growth rings, adding in the second color - I really like how it's blending and complimenting the first color.


My BSB (Best Stitchy Buddy) and I have had several late night stitchy sessions and now that schools back in we'll have a bunch of time during the day and I am so excited! We are working like mad to prepare ourselves for our first ever SAL. We are going to be starting the Mary Wigham sampler together. This is a BIG project for both of us, but we thought we'd tackle it together and should be ready to start on the 1st of Sept. We are using the same fabric, but not the exact same threads, so it should be fun to see how they turn out. No updates on Alla Turka or my little sampler at this time, not because I haven't worked on them, but I have no pics right now, so I will update again next time. Happy stitches!

Alla Turka color update

I had a wonderful time on Saturday - I met with my stitching group and was able to stitch UNINTERUPTED from about 10 am to about 3:30 in the afternoon. BLiss! I worked a bit on Alla Turka and some on Growth rings. The little sampler has fallen by the way side for now, but when I'm done with June's portion of Alla Turka, I'll pick it back up. Here's an updated pic of Alla Turka with the new color accent added in. It really pops! I was so anxious that this color choice might melt into the background because the pinks are so similar, but it doesn't at all. The picture doesn't really do it justice, the brown is a rich chocolaty brown and the rosey pink is perfect with the fabric. What do you think?

updates

I have been stitching on my two current pieces: Here's updated pics.
This simple little sampler has been frog infested and I'm getting frustrated with it. I love the theme of it, but for some reason I keep having brain farts when I stitch it. LOL!
I have to say that I am LOVING growth rings so much! I can't wait to finish it
and start another Ink circles design! Its my piece of choice 90 percent of the time. My toddler boy is potty training so I have to drop whatever I'm doing about 50 times a day to rush him to the bathroom LOL, so this piece is easy to pick back up, get a few stitches into and then drop again if I need to.

In this pic I've put the threads I'm working with for the main circles and then the yellowish combo that I'm going to use as the accent color. What do you think of that combination? Thank you to everyone who gave me the advice on Alla Turka! I'm going with the pink - I've got the part 6 on it and I'm going to stitch that part and then go back and add all the pink touches to the first 6 parts. I'll post a pic when I do. My stitching group meets on June sixth and I'm clear to go. Even though that's soccer tournament weekend for the kiddos I lucked out and all our games are on SUNDAY! Yea!

Growth rings and gentleness

So I've been working on my Gentleness sampler a bit, but had to frog one whole side so put it down for a while. generally easy to stitch and pleasant colors. Of course I modified it, I centered the top line.

I've started one that I've been excited about; Growth Rings by Ink Circles. I absolutely love it! I got the pattern from JCS magazine. I'm stitching it on a smokey blue/gray hand dyed linen and I'm stitching it with Threadworx fibers. The thread in this pic is called Rocky Mountain and is a combo of blue green and purple. I love the effect and not having to change colors all the time is very soothing to me. The magazine version of the pattern does have several errors in it, but the designer has done a very easy to use errata, so I'm having no trouble with it. It's been fun to stitch.

Alla Turka update and your opinion

I just finished Alla Turka part 4 and now am caught up! I am really enjoying this piece plugging in a few specialty stitches, but mostly just going with the flow of it and enjoying the design.

I have hit a problem and I am asking you; gentle reader and fellow stitchers, to help me. I have been leaving out small parts as I stitch with the idea that the Chocolate brown might be too overwhelming by itself. I wanted to add an accent color for little touches (inside the birds, a few small diamond shapes inside motifs. I just can't decide which color. The fabric is a mellow orangy-pink (the yellow in the pic is a result of lighting I think, not part of the fabric) the stitching I've already done is a rich chocolaty brown. I have narrowed it down to two colors- a Pinkish and a deep blue, but which one to use? I like both colors so much I need help!
Please post a comment or email me direct with your opinion! Thank you!

little tiny give-away

Hi all! Hope you had a nice Easter weekend, whether you celebrate it or not! Our weather here was gorgeous and we spent Sunday in the park with my hubby's family and friends, maybe 45 people in all. Nice day!

Anyway, I have a tiny little give away that I will send to a person drawn from the comments to this post. I stitched up this pattern by Pine mountain a month or so ago. It came with DMC threads which I used and a charm, which I didn't use. I am giving away the pattern and the charm (and maybe the 6 DMC floss colors if I'm inclined to stop by the craft store) to some lucky stitcher. I did use the tuck pillow, so sorry, no pillow included, but this pattern is very cute and quick and would look darling finished without the pillow!
Please email me direct at jackq@att.net or post on this blog. I will draw on April 28th, 2 weeks from today.

Alla Turka Update, STASH and a new start

Ahhh! I've been a stitching fiend lately! Last weekend I got to join my stitching group at a LNS for a bit of stitching and shopping! Here's a pic of my stash:
Pretty much just stuff to round out some projects I've picked out, Some threads for a Barbara Ana design, some linen (40 count!) and yummy silks for a CH sampler I want to do, and a neat little bookmark kit. These cute little floss organizers too. I had the baby in tow and while she was reasonably well behaved, I didn't get much stitching done. Hopefully i'll be able to go without her next time! I did manage to finish my part two of Alla Turka - Here's a pic! I've moved onto part three and am already almost done I will post a new pic once I am.

I've also started a new little sampler, couldn't resist this one from Little House. This pattern came with the CC threads and I'm surprised at how much they gave me - I think they are full skeins. I've stitched the beehive already and easily have enough threads to do a second! I'm really enjoying this quick stitch, so maybe I will do it again, or maybe I'll share the wealth..we'll see!

Happy stitches, happy spring!

Everything's coming up butterflies

Well it's spring and I had a wonderful day yesterday. I had someone babysitting my youngest two so I could go to my 7 year old daughter's soccer game at 1:00. We had to arrive early because they were taking team pics. I had a rare moment that I had no one to supervise and nothing I had to do, so I sat in a folding chair, with my stitching and enjoyed the sun and blue sky and fresh air. The birds were singing, the butterflies flitting and I was stitching away without a care in the world! Ahhhhhh bliss! I managed to extend the feeling by moving it all to my back yard after the soccer game. The whole family spent as much time outside as possible. Check out my regular blog to see our butterfly catching.
I am almost done with part 2 of Alla Turka and will post a pic soon. I'm having fun dropping a few special stitches into it. Keeping with the butterfly theme, I've also signed up to do a new sal by Papillon Creations called Castles in the Air. Here is my color selection - a bit daring for me as I'm not really fond of rainbows like this and usually prefer simpler color schemes or tone on tone. We'll see if it overwhelms me and I simplify it as I go - you know me, gotta change it up! Anyway, check out www.papillon-creations.com for this SAL. It's beautiful. I've never paid for a SAL before but it was only about a $1.50 American, so cheap and there is a specialty stitch version so it's practically made for me!

Alla Turka and Rave about designs

Well, I've been working on a Mystery Stitch along by Pelin Tezer called Alla Turka. Here is my finished part one. I'm really enjoying it - the patterns are rythmic and soothing and I love the rich chocolaty brown I'm doing it in. I can't believe how much I'm enjoying it. When everyone I knew was doing the Boink I just didn't get it - It looked hard, confusing and while they turned out lovely I thought it was something I'd never stitch. But I've changed my mind - I'll admit when I'm wrong and boy was I!!! If you haven't done one of these kind of projects I strongly recommend it. I'm on the second part of Alla Turka and when I work on it my needle is flying - I'm almost ready to do part 3 and I can't wait! I started this project with myself in mind I picked colors I love and I plan on hanging it in my bedroom when I'm done so I can have a bit of my stitching for myself for a change. And with the pleasure I'm getting, I went and checked out the designer for Boink and am putting together the stuff for the growth rings design and plan to do it next. Check them out http://www.inkcircles.com/
Happy Stitches!

bookmark, Bitty Finish and update

Here, finally, is the pic of the bookmark I made for the exchange on BBInteractive. It's by one of my favorite designers, the Drawn thread.

I haven't been posting or stitching much this past month! February blew by and now March is here definitely like a lion in this part of the country.. we've had a week of steady heavy rain, but the reports all promise that we'll be back to our usual sunshine soon. We definitely have it better than most parts of the country because spring is here for sure: the fruit trees are in bloom! That's one of my favorite parts of spring the Cherry/plum/apricot flowers every where! I've been reading a lot because that's easier to do while breastfeeding than my stitching or crochet. I have been working on my Pelin Tezer mystery SAL and I have this small finish as a gift for a friend that is about to have her second child a baby boy.

Happy stitches!

bookmark exchange.

Well, I've been doing a bit of stitching. I worked on a bookmark for an exchange - here's a pic of the bookmark I got from Penny- I love snowmen!

Isn't it cute!? I stitched a cute one for her, but I forgot to take a pic so maybe I'll get one from her when she receives it. Other than that I've been working on a SAL by Pelin Tezer I'm on part two of 'Alla Turca'and really enjoying it. I'm stitching on a lovely hand died fabric that is a blend of beige and pink and I'm stitching it monochrome using this yummy chocolate brown. I'll post pics soon! Happy stitches!

January is here

Craft wise 2009 has already been fairly productive! I've gotten in some stitching time and my 7 year old and I made these really cute key chains to give as gifts to special aunties! They turned out nice and I already nabbed the blue one to use as a scissor fob. I've decided to join in another stitch along, Pelin Tezer has one she's sending out by newsletter a monochrome motif sampler that will be done in parts. I love samplers and have decided to do this one for me! You can check it out at her website: http://www.pelintezer.com
Happy stitches!