Stitching on The Book Store

Moving right along on my stitching of The Book Store by Country Cottage Needleworks.  It has been cold and rainy and grey where I live, so sitting in my cozy home and stitching has been delightful.

2011 - The Start

The final jigsaw puzzle has been completed.  It is time now to quit this foolishness and get back to my crafts - quilting, stitching, and knitting.  I have thoroughly enjoyed putting puzzles together this holiday season and will look forward to more puzzling perhaps on vacation (what about it MB?), and the 2011 holiday season.

Lest you think I have done nothing else, I have started three new counted cross-stitch projects.  Why three?  Why not three?  It will keep me from getting bored with one project (of course I have several other non-finishes hiding in baskets - but we won't talk about those) and I have a lot of Little House Needleworks and Country Cottage patterns in my stash that I am anxious to do.

I suppose you noticed that when I say I "started" that one is coming along nicely, one has the beginning of the border and a snowflake, and the last has one tiny little border line.  Well, it's a start!

Today I shall work on these pieces and perhaps do a little more knitting on my scarf.  As for quilting - I still have the cutting table to clear off and a lot of putting away to do.  It will be an all day project, so I am saving that for Monday.

Right now I am very optimistic about the new year and all that I hope to accomplish.  Lots of bloggers list all of the projects they hope to complete in the new year, but my list is so long that I might crash Blogger.  True! So I will spare you the details.  One of my goals this year is to blog more often - use my blog as an on-going journal of my projects - so you will see plenty of projects as the year progresses.

A big THANK YOU to all you bloggers out there that inspire me on a daily basis.  My Google "Reader" list is long because there are so many wonderful quilters and stitchers that I count as my Internet friends.

OK..........time to go get started on my long list of projects.............

A Good Day

This little stocking was fun to stitch. It is from Blackbird Designs in the Sweet August booklet. Although the suggested fabric count is 30, I made it on 28ct and although the suggested beads are Czech glass beads, I used some little wooden beads I had in my stash.

This is the backing fabric I chose.

On to the valance project for church.............I made a sample to make sure I knew what I was doing. The lining has to smaller than the front so that when it is ironed, the backing will not show.

The lining fabric - a 50% off bargain at JoAnn's.

Cutting the lining fabric.

Sewing the lining to the front.

Sewing the rod pocket.

One valance completely done. And I had time this evening to get started on the second valance.

Now, for all my family and friends who think that I am always neat and organized, please enjoy this photo of my very messy fabric/cutting room. This is the way it usually looks. I clean it up only when expecting company.

In addition to the stitching finish and the valance finish, I also worked on some binding. It was a good day!

My carriage awaits......

Little House Needleworks

Dream

stitched on 28 count Jobelan Dusty Green using Belle Soie threads

The pattern calls for an inner white border, but I have opted not to stitch it. Because I made some major mistakes and had to remove quite a bit of my stitching, I almost ran out of thread. There are 10 stitches of DMC thread somewhere on this piece, but it is my secret.

Yummy Pears

FINISHED

The Pear Tree by Little House Needleworks

28ct Lugana Potato

DMC and Mill Hill Seed Beads

The little beads add a nice sparkle to this already colorful piece. I thoroughly enjoyed stitching this partly because I love the yellow/golds and that touch of rusty red, and partly because it went quickly - no getting bored with this one!

The designer suggests that it be stitched on 32ct and finished into an ornament, but because I stitched it on 28ct it is really too big to be an ornament and now I don't know how to finish it. Any suggestions?

Block #1 done

Block #1 of Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow

by Carriage House Samplings

o n 28ct Jobelan "Lambswool"

using DMC

As experienced stitchers know, the Hawk Run Hollow series calls for 40ct Linen using silk threads. My poor eyesight and small budget keeps me from this ideal, but I really love these stitching works of art and have therefore chosen to do a few of the blocks on 28ct with the more affordable DMC threads. My plan is to finish them in a quilted wall hanging.

Today I found the Hawk Run Hollow series designer's blog and have seen a preview of the Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow piece which will be out next month. Oh my - I LOVE it.

Just too many wonderful designs to possibly get them all stitched, sewn or knitted. Meanwhile, the blue quilt awaits my attention. And speaking of the blue quilt, I sent for Judy's new book and I'm sure I will want to do all her designs too. My head is spinning.

It is all too much to think about, so I'll make popcorn and grab my Kindle for some reading time.

Finished, but not done

Halloween may not be around the corner yet, but this is a project I started last August and finished stitching today. Eventually I will make it into a pillow. The fabric on the right will border the stitching on the front, and the leaf fabric on the left will be on the back of the pillow.

Witchy Witchy Winifrid

The Trilogy

stitched 6/1 on 7 count Klostern "Sand"

using DMC

Although the original pattern called for 28 count and Weeks Dye Works threads, at the time I wanted something BIG that I could do on vacation without having to drag along my special light and magnifying equipment. It undoubtedly would look better in the smaller version, but a pillow is more practical than getting it framed.

The original pattern also calls for a trinket to hang around her neck. I think I will go through my buttons and find something appropriate to add as a neck decoration.

To those looking to see my progress on the blue quilt - it is slow going. I have about a third of the pieces cut out and am sewing them in groups of ten to keep from getting too bored. Doing things assembly-line style becomes too tedious for me, so I have to break it down into smaller sections. And I take lots of breaks - to read, to stitch, to eat, and to look at blogs.

Yes, I read a lot of blogs. I don't often leave comments because they all sound alike - "oh how pretty", "that sure is beautiful", "nice job", etc., etc. However, I do enjoy reading quilting and stitching blogs, I do think what others are doing is pretty & beautiful, and I probably should leave more comments. Not leaving comments is another aspect of my basic laziness.

Today I am grateful for - getting the last three skeins of #310Black DMC floss at my local JoAnns.

Piecing done

Today I put the borders on this quilt made from Cherrywood fabric which I acquired many years ago at Paducah.I also pieced a backing, made binding, and assembled possible threads for quilting. The quilt will go with me to my Bee group in another few weeks to get everyone's ideas on how to quilt this simple quilt. Straight line quilting will be done, but up and down, or cross-hatch, or around each block - or........I'm open to ideas.

This is my progress on Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow.

What quilting project am I taking on next? Well, I pulled out an old project, re-read the instructions, and started doing some machine applique. Pictures will come - perhaps tomorrow.

A day of sewing........

Here are the simple blocks I made with the Cherrywood fabric - two strips 2-1/2 X 4-1/2.Since I did not want to plan out the quilt, I put all the blocks in a container, mixed them up, and blindly pulled them out as I sewed them together. This is not easy for me! I usually like things symmetrical and planned.
However, the finished product is quite nice I think. From a distance this fabric almost looks like suede.
There are two yards of the darker color that I will use for a narrow border and the binding. I hope to get that done tomorrow.
Taking a break from my sewing today, I finished up this piece.

Acorn Hill

by Little House Needleworks

stitched on Vintage Lakeside Linen - color Navy Bean

using Crescent Colours and one Belle Soie (Sister Scarlet)

It is a snowy day here in the Midwest and I am lucky enough to be able to watch it all from my front window. It sure is pretty when you don't have to drive.

Good Day

It is a good day when you can sit in your favorite chair, listen to a good book on your iPod, and stitch a Little House Needleworks one-color piece.

Posted on a Good Day by.........

Six Hem Sampler

Finished !

Six Hem Sampler

Indigo Rose

28 count Cashel light sand

Silk Threads - Soie d'Alger and Caron Waterlilies

Mill Hill Beads

(Thanks Brenda for your encouragement and help. Thanks MB for your good comments.)

Gratitude -

1. Soup cooking away on the stove, filling my house with mouth-watering smells.

2. Friend Liz who got me excited today to try two new things.

3. Trader Joe's

4. Honey Crisp apples

Tuesday evening I took the final class on how to do the cut work for this Six Hem Sampler by Indigo Rose. Now I am working on adding the beads and hope to complete it tomorrow. The original design is done with teal blues and rose pinks. Fortunately for me, the shop was out of those colors and I was forced to choose another color-way. I love Fall colors, so I chose greens and rusts, and the Waterlilies silk used for the letters is called Rainforest. I'm pleased with the end result and will spend the additional money to have it framed.

Between the counted cross-stitch and knitting a baby blanket for my great-niece who is expecting her first baby, quilting has been put to the side. On September 14th I blogged about a batik crazy nine-patch that I was working on and below is a picture of the tree fabric I had in my stash for ages that will be part of this quilt also. I love this tree fabric and have been waiting to find just the right place in which it could be showcased. I hope to get this top done over the weekend.

It is a good thing to have so many projects from which to choose. It would be even better to blog about things I have finished!

New Camera

My last post had a horrible picture of this stitching. Today I purchased a new camera and just look at the difference. I'm so happy to have a good camera again. I can see all the stitches, even the over-one stitches.

I wanted a camera that could take good close-ups so that the stitching would show, like the red stipple stitches on this quilt.

And I wanted to take good distance pictures, like these blocks on my design wall.

A great big Thank You to Julie King who's expertise helped me pick out the right camera for me.

Stitching progress

This is the tenth picture I took and it is the best that I can do with my failing camera.

In preparation for a class, I have been working on this Indigo Six Hem Sampler. The bar space between the two little over-one blocks will be "withdrawn thread areas" which means cutting threads and making six different finishing hems. I have never done a cut work before so I am excited to learn this new-to-me technique.

I sure wish the picture was better as I am very happy with the project so far. The silk Fall-color threads are beautiful and the over-one sections are my first attempt at such tiny work. After the cut work, the final touch will be beads all along the border.

I'm looking for an inexpensive digital camera that will take good close-ups. Does anybody have any recommendations?

Stitching Day

It was a quiet day at my house and I relaxed in my red chair to finish this piece.

Little House Needleworks - "Music & Books"

stitched on Lugana "potato" 28 count.

Started 7/1/09 and finished 8/3/09