Some End of the Year Finishes

The last part of my year was taken up primarily with exchange stitching. I had a December birthday exchange due as well as a Christmas exchange. Now this may not look Christmas-ey but it was requested by the person I stitched it for. It is from the PS Pumpkin Patch chart and my first attempt at ruched ribbon finishing. Laura seemed to like it and I really like how the ribbon turned out. I will definitely try this technique again.

My next attempt was a biscornu for Leigh's birthday. I had never tried this technique before but I'm glad I did as it was easier than I thought it would be. I waffled on whether or not to add a button in the center but decided against it. The design is one I purchased from Creative Poppy. I really love being to able to download and stitch a chart instantly - very handy when the closest LNS is an hour away.

I started another exchange piece yesterday - this time for Valentine's day. I won't be able to show the progress on that but will remember to post a photo once its been received.

Are you going to be starting a new project tomorrow in honor of the new year? I feel a strong urge to but I also have several large WIPS (one almost a UFO) that I really need to make some progress on so I'm going to try and resist the urge. I did order a few clearance charts from ABC Stitch Therapy this week so maybe I will start one of those when they arrive. Stay tuned!

I wish you all a safe, happy and healthy 2008!

Not a sock knitting

Believe it or not, I've started something that isn't a sock! I started this Everyday Cardigan project from the book "Hip to Knit" which I think might be the first knitting book I bought after I learned how to knit again. I bought the yarn - Manos del Uruguay kettle dyed - at a Superbowl Sunday sale in 2004 I think. I absolutely love the colors in this and this knits up quite quickly. I started this project on the 24th and have been trying to work a bit on most days since then. I received a blocking board from Patterworks for Christmas from my family which is great as it will come in handy for finishing off this project.

End of Year Stitcher's Wallet Progress

Well, this is the last of my progress for 2007. I managed to finish the third panel so there's only one more to go and the stitching part will be done. I have promised myself that I will immediately start on the finishing so that it doesn't languish away in a drawer. I am probably going to end up giving the lady a bit of a face because I can't stand just having a blank one - gives me the creeps!

Merry Christmas!

I couldn't decide whether I wanted to purchase a live tree this year or one of the fake ones with the lights already on it. A peek at my bank balance had me looking for another alternative so I decided to use the wire tree I bought this summer. I think it's quite festive looking but I need to stitch some ornaments this coming year as their a still a number of "branches" that don't have something on them.

I wish you and yours the happiest of holidays!

Stitchers Wallet SAL Progress

It's been a while since I was able to pick this up due to exchange stitching. Life has also been very busy so I've not been working on this piece as usual on Friday nights. However, I did pick it up on Saturday and spent a luxurious day stitching just for me! I got all of the wording stitched on the third panel and most of the frame completed. I had really hoped to have this completed by the end of the year but that's not going to happen. I do plan to keep working on it though as my commitment stitching has slowed down for a little bit.

Stitchers Wallet Progress

Although I haven't been doing a very good job with keeping up with blog entries, I have been doing pretty well with stitching on my Stitchers Wallet. I forgot to take a photo last week - I hadn't done too much - so here is a photo as it looks from yesterday. I would say I'm about 1/2 way done this panel at this point.

I've also been working on a Christmas exchange ornament and on Sunday's I've been pulling out my HAED Storey Keeper and working on that. It seems to take forever to do one 10x10 square on the chart but I've made pretty good progress the last few weeks.

Halloween Exchange Received

Yesterday I received the most wonderful package in the mail from Donna in Canada. She was my exchange partner for the Halloween exchange in my Yahoo group. Donna stitched me the most adorable pillow which I promptly displayed with some of my other decorations.

She also included a piece of the cute fabric she used to complete the pillow, some wonderful socks that I immediately wore to a dinner party that evening, a piece of fabric from Enchanted Fabrics called Witches Brew, GAST Black Crow and Carries Threads Harvest Brew, pumpkin stickers, napkins and a cute felt pumpkin bag, some great scrapbooking ribbons and a paper garland. I just love everything!

Stitchers Wallet Progress

It was 9:15pm by the time I sat down to work on my SAL piece so I didn't get too much completed. I worked on it a bit more over coffee this morning and here is my progress. I've now put in two of the little over one letters. I think they turned out okay. Having managed to get past the 1/2 way point on this project, I am really hoping to keep the momentum going and get it completed by the end of the year. That includes the sewing together part!

I Think I Remember how to do this....

Blog that is! It's been quite a while since I last sat down to write something. The three or so weeks since I've been back from vacation have been the craziest in quite a long time. I had some stitching deadlines, some book reading deadlines and lots of stuff going on with work so my time on the computer was limited to trying to keep up with emails.

I have not spent much time on my Stitcher's Wallet SAL - just too tired or not enough time to work on it but I did managed to get a bit done since I last posted a pic. The date on the photo doesn't mean I stitched on it last Friday, just that I pulled it out and thought about it! I hope to get back to my regular Friday stitching on this piece this Friday.

Yesterday was UFO Sunday with my Yahoo group and I decided to pull out my HAED Storey Keeper. I can't remember the last time I stitched on her but it was a LONG time ago. This time I managed to get two 10 by 10 squares done. I really enjoyed stitching on this piece so I'm going to leave it out and see if I can get on a regular Sunday stitch schedule with it.

I'm also going to work on my blog reading to catch up with everyone. Sorry I haven't been by but I'm working on it!

We're Back!

Well, it was a fairly long trip but Lola (my Carolla) and I made it back from our road trip to NY, PA and OH, crossing through NH, MA and CT at various points in our journey. It's so amazing to me how many states you can cross through in a relatively short time when you live in New England.

I had a lovely time visiting with Joanie and her wonderful husband David. They are fabulous hosts and I'm sure I gained at least 5 pounds on each of the brief 2 days I was there! I arrived at about 3 on Friday and was given a tour of Joanie's lovely home - including her stash room which contains a serious amount of stash! Of course we had to do some comparing and discussing of stash! I also got to meet Chrissy the Wonder Dog and the horses.

That night after a wonderful dinner of local favorites, we sat and stitched on our Stitcher's Wallets together - we talked to Sue by phone, and she was working on hers in VA so it's like we were truly SALing together. This is the only progress I have to show that is stitching related. The rest of what I worked on is an exchange piece so I can't show you my progress.

On Saturday Joanie took me to her LNS which she can walk to - very dangerous stuff! It was a nice shop with a very good selection of fibers and fabrics. I bought one piece of fabric, which you will see in the stash photo below, and the Ginnie Thompson Flower Thread I needed for my Stitcher's Wallet. The rest of the items I got at a shop in Berlin, OH. I got the top two charts for 50% off and then I think this is a relatively new Halloween chart from The Primitive Needle. Or it is just relatively new to me!

Joanie (on the right!) took me to Owego which is about 20-30 minutes away and we had a really wonderful lunch sitting outside on a deck that backed up to the Susquehanna River. It was just heavenly. That is us sitting out on the deck before we ate a really wonderful lunch and some divine dessert with some great coffee.

Then we proceeded to visit all the neat little shops in the town. Owego has some really great architecture so I had to take a few photos - of the streets where we were shopping and their court house. There is so much brick work in PA and OH that you just don't see in New England. I really enjoyed our day!

I really hated to leave for PA on Sunday - it was a rainy day and would have been perfect for stitching the day away with a dear friend! Next I will share some photos of my OH visiting.

Road Trip!

Cowboy has gone to "camp" and I am leaving tomorrow to visit Joanie and some family. I plan to take lots of pictures and have lots of stitching to show when we get back.

Final Birthday Exchange Package Received

Today I received the last of my birthday exchange packages from Britt in Germany. She made me the most adorable "tie on" pillow that is just perfect for displaying right now and I immediately set it out on display. Britt included the PS Birdsong II chart I had on a wish list and 4 great pieces of 32 ct linen in Antique White, Toasted Almond, Sand and Light Mocha. I have been really needing a piece of Antique White and the other colors are just perfect for samplers (or other good things in my stash!) I also received a really cute lavender sachet kit which I will make for my undies drawer and some great cards.

Pin Exchange

I found out this evening that my pin exchange piece has been received in Canada so it's safe to share some photos. I used one of the designs from the July issue of The Gift of Stitching.

I used the finishing technique they showed involving rolling 1" strips of felt up until you have the right size for the design and then you lace your two pieces to the front and back. I was pretty pleased with how the piece turned out and I hope the recipient is too. I forgot to take a picture of the sides but I found a piece of quilting fabric in my stash that worked with both colors and attached it using Mill Hill seed beads and a running stitch. I would definitely like to make another one of these for myself as it was not as hard as I thought it would be.

This is a photo of my Stitcher's Wallet progress. I stitched on it a bit yesterday instead of Friday night. I finished the top band and tested out the DMC#8 to see if I would like it for the lettering. I did not and promptly pulled out what I had put in. The #8 is too thick for my taste and will never work on the little letters that you have to stitch over one in various places on this panel. I will pick up the Ginnie Thompson Flower Thread I need when I visit Joanie in a few weeks.

And speaking of Joanie, this photo is for her - my clean blinds in the living room Joanie! Just three more rooms to go. LOL Can't wait to see the photo of your clean bedroom.

New Start

Thank you everyone for your kind comments on my PS finish. I do think I will end up finishing it as a felt backed ornament which I think will be easier to display around my home. I plan to start the large piece from this chart quite soon as it's one of my favorites.

I promised I would share a photo of my newest start which is an exchange piece so it's probably the only time I can show it until it is completed and sent to the recipient. The mail date on this is October 1st but I think I will be having the piece framed so I need to get cracking to allow time for the framer. I've shown it with the Atalie threads that are to be used but there are also four DMC colors as well. I am hoping I will have enough of the Atalie threads left over to stitch this for myself at some point because it's a really cute design.

From UFO to FO

Well, I was able to finish off my PS Autumn 4 square last night and mark this off my 25 projects list. I love how it turned out - the designer is so wonderful at picking plain old DMC and creating brilliantly colored pieces that have so much character. I think I'm going to wrap this around padded foam core board and then attach a ribbon and a felt or wool backing with a pinked edge and use it as a little hanging decoration. But it would probably look quite cute framed as well but it's so small I'm not sure even custom framing could be done. Any opinions?

This morning I started another piece of my 25 projects list that will be an exchange piece. It's a french designed chart that uses Atalier threads. I've never used them before and I must say I really like them so far - very soft and smooth. They are hand dyed and remind me a lot of GAST threads but somehow smoother. I may show you a little bit tomorrow since it's just been started and a photo shouldn't give too much away.

Stitcher's Wallet Progress

Well, there's not as much done as I had hoped after Friday night - I had quite a bit more - in fact most of the top band - in but discovered that I'd put one stitch in one hole off at the right had edge so it all had to be ripped out and redone and this is how far I got before I called it quits. On Saturday I went and picked up a spool of DMC #8 in black to do the lettering. I still haven't found the Ginnie Thompson thread I know I bought and was going to order another but the website wouldn't recognize my zip code so I gave up and just went and got the DMC. If I don't like how the first row turns out, I'll rip it out and order the GT but I think it will be fine.

As our weather has turned quite cool and fallish this week it was 37 degrees on Monday morning when I walked the dog!), I've been stitching and making a fair bit of progress on my PS Autumn over one piece. I may even finish it tonight!

Very Slow Going Toe

This is the mate to what is likely to be my one and only pair of socks for the Summer of Socks KAL. I had such great plans for multiple pairs of socks but will be lucky to finish this pair. Too many other projects and things vying for my time these days! But I will complete the pair and be proud I at least finished one pair.

Wire Tree Display

Please accept my apologies for the horrible picture but this was hard to photograph! I picked up this wire "tree" recently at an antique store that carried both antique and reproduction things. It was only $22 which I thought was a great price. I knew I had to have it to display smalls and ornaments as you can see. It is now sporting Carol's scissor fob and a wonderful pin cube I received in the pin cushion exchange I am participating in. Mine was sent off on Saturday but I can't show you photos until it reaches its destination.

I did not make much progress on my Stitchers Wallet SAl on Friday. I was so tired by the time I sat down to work on it, I was afraid I would make too many mistakes and have to frog so I only put in about 5 beginning stitches on the third panel. I also realized I have somehow lost one of the GT Flower Thread colors I ordered which was to be used for the lettering inside the frame of the third panel. I think rather than reorder (I'm still hoping I will discover it!) I will use the #8 DMC that was used with the alternate thread listing.

More lovely presents received recently

I've received two more lovely packages from my birthday exchange partners Kathy and Leigh. I will start with Leigh as her package arrived a bit before Kathy's.

Leigh is a very talented beader as well as a great stitcher and I was lucky enough to get example of both of her crafts together! She sent me this wonderful red pin mattress with a heart design, a gorgeous red crystal bracelet that I immediately put on and a great book mark with wonderful heart charms on either end. She also generously included two charts that were on my wish list - LK Halloween Thrillology and PS Friends. Plus there was a gorgeous piece of R&R Fabric in 18th Century Red.

Kathy's package showcased two of her talents as well (two of the many with these ladies!); sewing and stitching and her incredible finishing skills (okay that could be considered three). Kathy made me a fantastic knitting bag she made herself based on all the things a fellow knitter would need. It has a ton of wonderful pockets for gadgets, your pattern and needles and lots of room as it is nice and deep. And she stitched the perfect little pillow for me - a figure of a lady knitting socks! Isn't that so clever and perfect for me? I think so! She also included two great balls of yarn I can't wait to try for socks, some Eterna silks and Needle Necessities fibers, three packages of beads and a great felted bag pattern.

I feel very privileged and spoiled to have received so many wonderful gifts to celebrate my birthday. Thank you all for helping me to start off this new year in my life's adventure.

Garden Goodness

Or should that be godess? LOL Here are some pictures of my "garden". I am growing curly and flat leaf parsely, basil and tomatoes. One of my tomatoes ripened early. The next day after I took this picture (the dates are wrong I think) I couldn't resist and I ate it. Never even got it inside, just picked it and chowed down! LOL

There's nothing like a home grown tomato. I think I'm going to expand this side area of my yard to a raised bed for next year now that I know I inherited my dad's gardening genes.

I have been using the basil to make my own pesto and layering it with mozarella and tomato on some good fresh bread. Yumm-o as Rachel Ray says!

Gift from Carol

Carol and I share the same birthday and I received this lovely scissor fob from her - early of course. She is so organized! The stitching and finishing are wonderful. Thank you Carol!

I was late in getting mine out - I'm so unorganized lately! Hopefully she will receive her package this week - it only has to go one state over but the mail can be quite quirky sometimes.

It's back to work for me tomorrow. I will have finished my pin exchange piece (the stitching part anyway) and will hopefully get that project into the mail this weekend. I'm going to attempt a hand sewn finish so cross your fingers!

Stitchers Wallet Progress

So it's been quite a long time since I have posted. It's been a combination of being on vacation and having some hot weather - the room where I have my PC gets quite warm so it's not been very comfortable to spend time in. Plus I've been busy stitching! LOL

I am now halfway done with this project as I finished the second panel/page during this week's SAL time. I am very pleased with how this panel turned out and I'm looking forward to starting the next one on Friday although that one is a LOT of letter stitching which is not my favorite.

I have taken a lot of photos of wonderful gifts I've received over the last few days but I will spread them out over the course of the week!

Pressies

I have recieved two lovely packages in the mail this week - both from members of my online stitching group. Jodi sent me this lovely yarn - it is unbelievably soft! I couldn't keep my hands out of it - LOL It's a great color and I'm already mulling over some options for working with it.

I also received this wonderful PS tasseled pillow from Danielle. I just love it and her finishing is wonderful although she always thinks it's not. She sent me the spring and summer PS charts so now I have all four seasons and she included some yummy Crescent Color threads and two great pieces of fabric. And some yummy candies that got opened right away - Haribo gummy bears and Sour Patch kids.

Thank you ladies for thinking of me!

Week in Review

Okay, I was not on the computer much last week because I spent every waking minute trying to finish this - and I finally did on Wednesday night. I still haven't decided if I'm going to put beads on the end of the ribbon or not. I bought four different kinds/colors of ribbon and ended up using this matching rayon velvet ribbon. It hugs the fabric better so not as much slipping around as with the satin ribbon I also bought. The fit is pretty good with the exeption of the ribbing. I didn't knit it tightly enough - maybe I should have gone down another needle size - so there isn't much of a blouson effect when it's worn but I'm very happy with how it turned out. And oh so happy to be done that endless stockinette!

Friday night I had to go to a company event so I didn't get much time to work on the Stitcher's Wallet so I put some time into it on Saturday morning. I should be able to finish this panel when I get back to it this Friday. I think it's looking good!

I have more to post about but Cowboy needs to go for a walk so I'll save it for tomorrow! Stay tuned......

Stitching Update

I worked on my Stitcher's Wallet SAL piece on Friday and a bit more on Saturday. I really like how the blue and the "orangey" color work together. I feel like I'm about 1/2 way through this panel and hopefully I will be able to finish it off this coming Friday. For some reason that K is still bugging me!

I also picked out my pin exchange piece along with the fabric and the fibers - yummy silks this time! The finishing construction is one I've not tried before but looked interesting so I hope I don't botch it too badly when putting it together. I won't be able to show you that until some time next month as the mail date is August 15th. Aren't I good to be starting so far ahead? LOL I'm sure I'll be scrambling to get it finished on the 14th!