Stitching thru the years...

Today I was adding a few freebie charts to my Excel file inventory and decided to take a look back at my stitching life. Most of the time I keep the list of charts and leaflets in alpha order by designer and title, with columns for publisher, chart size and subject/use. I have a column for supplies needed and as each project is started and finished I make note in a final column. Today I indexed the Date Done column and it was eye-opening! It took a while to enter all the charts, kits and leaflets still in my possession...the magazines are nowhere near entered, and some few old kit charts are long gone, but looking back to 1978 when I first learned to cross stitch (after having learned some crewel and needlepoint as a child) I spent the next 20 years until 1998 stitching about 50 different projects, mostly as gifts for friends and family. In 1998 I attended my first stitching "event", the Spirit of Cross Stitch, in Knoxville, TN and concurrently discovered the online world of stitching message boards. A obsessive stitcher was born!

Fast forward to today, more than a decade later, and I have reached the 400 project milepost! Frankly, I'm amazed! Keep in mind that does not include stitched projects from magazine charts, but I hope to get them added in time.....nor does it put much of a dent in my stash of charts/leaflets/kits that I want to stitch "someday"! It seems I have reached SABLE....*Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy*!! I need to stitch faster or grow another arm to be able to get to the end (not withstanding future Stash additions), and therefore my future retirement is secure in that I will never be without something to stitch, as long as they still make DMC!

Now, back to the task at hand.....stitching my newest acquisition, Chatelaine's Chinese Garden Mandala! Progress pics to come......

Two small projects before a new start to come!

Finally able to get a post up with my last April project and the first one of May!

I had another Kitty Kalendar monthly kitted so I did that while watching THE WEDDING festivities...I'm sure you all know what that's all about! Such a nice distraction from the woes of the world and before reality hit again on Sunday. At any rate, this one is August, stitched on another 28ct Silkweaver Solo with called for Weeks. Longing for some sunny days now!




Sunday I whipped out another mini biscornu necklace fob, this time with a pattern by Janie Hubble Designs (formerly Cat's Whiskers) http://janiehubble.com.au/
This is Peacock Feathers, a freebie you can get by signing up for her newsletter. Once you are on the list, you will receive the current newsletter link, and can access the newsletter archives, where other freebies are offered. Of course, to make it small for wearing on a chain, I stitched it over one using one strand of Gloriana's Tropical Seas. It's just over an inch across!


Next month I'll be using another of her freebies from the May newsletter, called High Tea!


My new start was my birthday present but I had to wait for the supplies to arrive from ECC...it's the new Chinese Garden Mandala from Chatelaine! My rotation has been working so well this year, I decided I needed a reward...another BAP! Watch for my first WiP picture later this month....;D

As promised, Evening in the Park update!

Took over a week of stitching after dinner, but here's my latest picture update on Chatelaine's Evening in the Park.

Part 8 includes all four wall corners. Gates go in the openings, and the winter bare trees and lampposts sit around the outside of the walled areas. EP is now 2/3rds done! The fabric is a 32ct opalescent called Blue Mystery, from Silkweaver. Just the right touch for a rainy evening in old London maybe? I keep expecting 101 dalmatians sneaking around the corners!

Weekend stitching on next Kitty Kalendar cat

Over last weekend I was able to squeeze a quick stitch on the July Kitty Kalendar cat from Val's Stuff. Plain old gray jobelan and Weeks with a few color adjustments due to stitching from stash. Another reason I miss my LNS that closed.

I am ready for summer after stitching this!


Now I am working on Chatelaine's Evening in the Park again. Happy Stitching!

Rose Garden Sampler SAL progress

My last couple of weeks, I have been working slowly on the WDC Designs Rose Garden Sampler SAL, and now can say it's over 20% done. The entire top row of this 24 page design is complete. Stitching with DMC on 25ct white lugana, one over one.



I have so many large pieces going or just about to start, I am giving each one some attention, rotating thru them as I go, and mixing in some small designs to give myself a break. Next up is from the Kitty Kalendar series, and later this month, back to a neglected Chatelaine, Holland Landscapes.

April's Tiny Biscornu

Over the weekend I stitched up another tiny biscornu from Tor Rhuann, the Daisy Garden. The fabric was a scrap of 28ct linen called watercress, thread from leftover kit floss. (always frugal with thread around here!) On the back I added little flowers of my own, inspired by the lazy daisy stitches on the front, and used french knots in the flower centers as contrast. You can see by the needle that this is really tiny, about an inch square!

This completes Belinda's Getting Squared Away series. I now have four tiny biscornu to wear on a chain! I will be going in search of more tiny patterns (16 stitches square or so) in my stash and on the web.

Now I'm going to spend a little time stitching on my Rose Garden Sampler at least until it's time to go down to the DMV and renew my driver's license....just like me to wait until the last day (my birthday!) to get it done! If it's not stitching (or reading) I just put it off. Going out to dinner with my hubby and daughter tonight, then stitching the evening away!

Castles in the Air progress report

Hi all! So far, so good this year on keeping on my rotation! For the last week of March I was working on Papillon's Castles in the Air, adding part 14 along the bottom edge, which consists of two sides of a large blackwork gate covered with flowers. Anyone else stitching this might notice my little boo boo on the top of the gates. The fleur de lis motifs along the top should have all been in gold metallic, but I did not realize that until I had already done them in black, so I just did the larger post top ones in gold and left the smaller ones black. Se la vie...if you know what I mean!

Here is a close up of one side of the gate. The other is a mirror image.

Here is the entire piece so far....

Today I am going to finish up my monthly tiny biscornu and get out my next big project to work on. That is if I don't get caught by my latest new book by Jean Auel! We've waiting a long time for the last book in her series!

March Progress, April Goals

March Recap

WiPs...
~Class project-Tree of Life Journal, Catherine Jordan Completed front panel!
~Hummingbird Mandala, Chatelaine...finish beading on center motif Done!
~Castles in the Air, Pt.14 Done!
~Rose Garden Sampler SAL...finish Pt.1 corner motif New Starts...
~Daffodils Tiny Biscornu Done!
~Micro 02, Chatelaine Done!
~Kitty Kalendar-June Done!
~By the Light of the Moon, Primitive Needle honor piece Done!
April Goals
WiPs...
~Rose Garden Sampler SAL...finish Pt.1 corner motif Pt.1 Done!
~Evening in the Park, pt.8 Working...
~Hummingbird Mandala, pt.2
New Starts...
~Daisy Garden Tiny Biscornu Done!
~Kitty Kalendar-July Done!
~Little House Fruit Series-Apples
~Winter Watergarden Mandala (yes, I am certifiable!)

Chatelaine Micro 02

It's been busy this month, but I did manage to start and finish Chatelaine's Micro 02 mini mandala over the course of the last week or so. Each of this series (there will be 4 in all) have two different colorways. The fabric is a Silkweaver Solo, 32ct and sort of a lavender/green color. The threads and embellishments are as called for. I used the center over 1 section from one colorway, and the rest from the second, mainly because I LOVE the Gloriana Tropical Seas color and wanted to use it as much as possible! It is used on the center, the flower eyelets and the border woven stitches and corner eyelets.

Next up is Castles in the Air, from Papillon....starting on the blackwork fence!

Progress on a class project

Last fall I attended the last of the Stitching Jubilee (formerly CATS) events. I took one class from a favorite teacher, Catherine Jordan of Catherine's Designs. This is the front panel of the Tree of Life Journal cover. Most of it is done in surface stitches, or crewel embroidery, the rest is counted work. It is about 3x4 inches. The fabric is a fine 40ct linen, ideal for crewel.

Below you can see the back panel I have yet to tackle. The edges will be hemmed and the cover will go over the little blank book. This was an adventure back to my stitching roots, as crewel was the first embroidery style I learned as a child. In fact my mom has several little birds I did in high school that I have recovered to re-frame properly. I really enjoy doing the variety of stitches in a more relaxed format, tho' counted work will always be my favorite.

Off to a new start, my reward for the progress!

Val's Stuff Kitty Kalendar again...

First off, I'm watching CNN's coverage of the Japanese earthquake disaster, and my thoughts and prayers are going out to everyone there, including those around the entire Pacific Rim who are feeling the effects of an 8.9 earthquake off Japan, and the resulting tsunami. Over 50 aftershocks in excess of 5 have come thru from the USGS in my email inbox. It's just stunning.

Our own little troubles pale in comparison.

I finished my June Kitty last night and wanted to post a pic. This one is very colorful and makes me smile. May it do the same for anyone visiting.

Tiny Daffy Biscornu!

Last night I sat down to watch tv, and by bedtime this tiny biscornu was done!
Stitched on a scrap of 28ct pearl linen, with leftover threads from another project. Design is a freebie from Tor Rhuann Designs.

My third tiny biscornu made into a necklace....it is small enough to fit in the blossom of a daffodil flower!

I have daffys and jonquils blooming already in early March! This little daffodil biscornu fits right in don't you think? Happy Spring!