Thursday, July 31, 2014

Confessions

I confess that I am lazy.  I did a precursory search for the locket to finish my little pumpkin.  I didn't find it.  So I went to Hobby Lobby and bought another one.  How lazy is that?  I know I have one somewhere but I didn't want to spend the time and effort to find it.  Then the locket sat around for a couple days on the footstool of the happy chair.  Things are always falling off the footstool as I use it more as a table to keep things handy.  I happened to see the pumpkin I stitched on the floor, having fallen off the footstool.  So I decided to see if the locket would fit.  I think there are two sizes.  It would be like me to get the wrong size.
It works!  I still have to find some letters to spell "boo!".

Then when I was at Hobby Lobby, I got another little frame.

 It was very inexpensive, 1.99.  I have been looking for a long time for some sort of frame for my initial and a crown.  Cathe Ray of Needle in a Haystack makes frames for these and I admire her necklace.  So I saw one that was a rectangle and could possible fit.  I think it will work.

I have to figure out how I want to do this.  Maybe lace the stitching to a small piece of skirtex?  I'll have to check and see if a piece of skirtex sticks out too much or not.  Then should I tape it in?  I have to think about this.

I got the Toy Chest Primer pin cushion all done yesterday.
 I went to iron it and realized that I had forgotten to stitch around all the edges with pearl cotton.  DUH.  So I had to go back and do that first.  Now it is all finished.  Yeah!

 My Toy Chest toys so far:

I got a couple of kits that I ordered in April in the mail today.  Our mail is coming at unusual times.  It used to come around 3:30 in the afternoon.  Today he was here at ten in the morning.  He just trying to keep us on our toes.
A

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Clarify

I need to clarify what I said yesterday.  I am working on the toys of the Toy Box.

 I have one more to stitch from the original kit, the scissors fob.  I actually have two more kits of toys to add.  The Paint Box:

and the Hobby Horse:

I really want to stitch the Jack in the Box too but Betsy is out of springs and if she wants to make more kits she has to buy 500 springs.  We told her we would like a kit even if it didn't have a spring.
I dare not start these as I have too many irons in the fire so to speak.
I reached my goal yesterday.  The fifth butterfly wing is done and I've started the sixth one.

The Primer pin cushion to the Toy Box is all done and ready to be put together.

Today I see that Annette has posted her progress on the half doll.  We are having a SAL.   I need to put some stitches in that one.  She's way ahead of me and that drives me crazy!
So what is my goal today?
To finish-finish the pin cushion and get as close as possible to finish stitching wing number six.
Of course there are lots more things I want to do, but I'm trying to be realistic here.
A


Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Freezing

I woke up really cold today.  It is very cold for July here. 50 degrees.  I put on my MIT sweatshirt to go walking in but it was too huge for me to wear (Yeah!).  So I switched it out for a smaller one.

I got good mail yesterday.  I am an "Away Swan".  I joined the Swan Sampler Guild in Utah.  Since I don't live even remotely close to Utah, I qualify as an "Away Swan".  Someone told me that they often offer classes where one can buy the kit to classes they offer if you can't come to class.  I had thought of taking the Mistress L class that way but then I was able to take the class in person.  Anyway, every year they offer an ornament.  Money from the purchase of the ornament goes to sampler preservation.  I bought this year's ornament that was designed by Carolyn Standing Webb.  It is very sweet and it came in the mail yesterday.
It is a complete kit.  My favorite kind.

I like it and would like to start it but can't let myself until I get some other things done first.  Margaret mentioned that it was stressful for her to have too many projects going on at once.  I realized that I feel that way too.  I am so lucky to have so many fun things to work on but I feel pressure to get something done on them.  When you leave a partly stitched project sitting around for too long, you totally forget what you were doing on it.  So you have to reacquaint yourself to where you are and find all the parts to it and you've wasted a bunch of time before you've even put in a stitch.

I am working on the butterfly wings and hope to get wing#5 done today.

I am also working on the Toy Box Primer pin cushion and also hope to finish it today too.

  Someone asked how many more toys in this project.  Well, there is only one more, the scissors keep that is an Amish girl and boy.  Then I have to get the actual box stitched.
Happy stitching!
A

Monday, July 28, 2014

Monday

It's Monday and the walking is done and the bathrooms are clean.  DH has gone off to play soccer.
So where am I?
Some days it seems like I just don't have anything interesting to show you.  But just knowing that I want to show something makes me work harder and longer.  So you motivate me whether you know it or not.  I really want to get the butterfly from Summer Casket Keepsakes done so I am plugging away on those wings.  I have four done and four to go.

When I needed a break from the wings, I worked a bit on the pin cushion from the Toy Box.  It is coming along nicely.

Several people told me that Classic Colorworks is the new name for Crescent Colors floss.  Thanks!
BFF suggested a green for the border of the Ladies Prim Society kit.  Great idea!  I'm thinking a green/teal overdyed.
Idele Gilbert said she would let me know if she makes a pattern for the fish pin cushion.  Yeah!
Time to play.
A

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Ladies Prim

Good mail yesterday.  I got the latest kit from the Ladies Prim Society through Dyeing to Stitch.

I love getting a kit with all the parts in it.

I don't recognize the brand of floss in the kit, Classic Colorworks.  I wonder who makes it.  I am thinking of changing one of the colors.  The border color is a gray stone-like color.  I have no idea what to change it to, so I'm going to look through my overdyed threads.
I haven't even touched the kit that came before this one.  I like this new kit and want to make it.  I'm kind of picky so that's saying a lot.

I finished number three wing and I've started number four on the Summer Casket Keepsakes.

I'd like to concentrate on getting this done.  I read through the directions and I can do this but I have to slog through these eight wings first.

Then I am also working on the pin cushion Primer for the Toy Box.  If I concentrated on this today, I could get it done

It's very steamy outside today.  I am grateful for air conditioning.
A

Saturday, July 26, 2014

And Now For Something Different

Okay, here is the last photo of Hampton Court with it star spangles in place.

I put it on top of my double casket just to see how it looks.

 I think it will be perfect.  I want to start another side of the casket that will be a  mermaid from an old pattern of Nostalgic Needle.  Of course I have to find it first, although I'm pretty sure where it is.

So now what do I work on??  Something within reach of the happy chair.  I picked up a butterfly wing from Summer Casket Keepsakes.  I'm still on wing three (I think, it's been a while).

But the temptation to start something new was just overwhelming.  So I took a look at a few things that are sitting around the sewing room.  I took out the butterfly kit from Jenny Adin-Christie just to see what was the first thing that needs to be done on it.

 Padding with felt is first so I cut out the felt and started sewing it down.

Then I saw a Moss Creek kit I want to do.  Carpe Diem is a fish shaped etui.  So I checked what needs to be done first.  It is the backstitching around the edge.  So I did a few stitches.

Then I saw this sweet small from With Thy Needle & Thread.

 Do I have the colors I need?  Well, I had enough to get started.  It is stitched on 40 count.

 It went really fast.  So cute.  I have to find the pendant thing.  I have one around here somewhere.  Maybe I can put it together today.

I love starting something new.  I enjoyed started three new things.
A

Friday, July 25, 2014

A Few Spangles Away

I'm a few spangles away from being done with Hampton Court.

This last hillock was very challenging.  I put in the gold outlines trying to follow my pounced lines.  I didn't like how it looked so I decided to use the felt pattern to help me get the bumps in the just the right place.

  Then I had to couch the silk wrapped purl inside of the bumps.  That takes forever.

 Stumpwork is not my forte.  Anyway, I persevered and now all I have left to do is a few stars in the sky made with gold spangles.  I want to see what it looks like on top of my casket.
Does this mean I can start something new???

I was trying to remember what the other kit I got for Christmas was.  Oh yeah, the kit to Home Sweet Home.

Yes, I have to get back to that now that I have seen one all done. For now, I think I'll concentrate on finishing the Toy Box and the Summer Casket Keepsakes with a little half doll work thrown in for good measure.  I haven't cross stitched for a couple days and I miss it.
I can't believe it is Friday again already - don't I say that every week?
A



Thursday, July 24, 2014

One More Hillock

Hampton Court is almost done!  One more hillock to go.  This one will have lots of silk wrapped pearl (purl?) on it.  I was wondering when I would need the black pounce.  This is where.  I had read about pounce but never used it.  It worked out pretty well but it is messy.  I'm sure (knock on wood) that I can finish this up today.  I am so tickled that I will be able to stitch this to completion.


I got good mail yesterday.  I ordered the books that Janet showed on her blog (janet.brandt.com).

  They came from the UK but they arrived sooner than I expected.  I haven't had a chance yet to sit down and look closely at them.  They look like such fun to play with.  I would love to putter around and see what I can make.  I love making stuff.

I signed up for another class.  This time it is Amy Mitten's Autumn Casket Keepsakes.

 I just love her classes and the directions are always so good.  This makes me want to concentrate on getting that darling butterfly done!
A

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Hillocks

Hillocks must be an English expression.  That's all I have left on Hampton Court.  I finished Hillock 3 yesterday and started Hillock 4.  That leaves two hillocks to go.  Can you believe it?  I'm almost done!

I've signed up for an Ellen Chester class through my guild.  It has the most beautiful tiger maple carrier.  Like I need another class!

I finished my book.  Yeah!  I read a few pages of the next book too.  I'm not going to be so obsessed with The Silkworm.  Really.
It is a lovely day out.
A

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

One Curlique

I read  a lot yesterday.  I have only 200 Ipad pages to go and I am done with The Cuckoo's Calling.  So not a lot of stitching got done yesterday.  I finished stitching the top of the pin cushion to the Toy Box and started on the back.

I got one curlique on hillock #3.  My goal for today is to finish this hillock.  So far, so good.

It is supposed to be very hot today.  I'm lucky to live in air-conditioning.
A

Monday, July 21, 2014

Cuckoo and Chenille

I got the chenille rows in on Hampton Court.

I don't like the chenille because it is quite fragile and sheds a bit.  The next hillock is spirals made with metal threads surrounded by pieces of gold check. I have the felt padding on.  I'm a little afraid of messing this up but I need to just dive in.  I'm so close to getting this done.  I got this kit for Christmas so that's how long it's taken me to get to this point.

I was feeling guilty.  I have nearly 20 books on my Ipad and I just haven't gotten around to reading.  So I told myself that I would stop stitching and read for half an hour.  After reading for an hour, I didn't want to quit.  I am reading a very good book and I want to know what happens.  It is The Cuckoo's Calling. I'm half way through it.  I also have the next book in the series, The Silkworm.

I started the Toy Box pin cushion.  This is the top piece.

 I'd like to finish stitching the top today.  But that book is calling my name. . . .
A

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Empowered

I'm feeling empowered.  It's all because of Janet.  Janet is working on her trinket box for Cabinet of Curiosities (janetbrandt.com)  She's an independent thinker and the most creative person.  She says she is not P.C., period correct.  That means she will do things that aren't necessarily the 17th century way of doing things when finishing her trinket box.  Yeah for her!  I have not been happy with how my trinket box looks.
this is how it looked last August:
The metal edge was not adhering very well and raveled at the ends.  The stitching looked bumpy, not smooth.
 So hearing of Janet's boldness, I, too became bold.  I tore the lacy metal edge off of the trinket box.  I tore the linen off the top of the trinket box.  There, I feel much better.  Then I got to thinking.  How else to finish it?  I wanted it smooth so I thought of making a sandwich of linen on top, padding of some sort in the middle and cardstock on the bottom.  When I went to try this layering I saw several things that could be the filling: skirtex, felt, thermolam.  I decided on the thermolam as it was the most handy and softest.  So I zigzagged my sandwich together after doing a better job of trimming the threads on the back.



I like how it looks.  Janet mentioned putting some finger looped cording around the edge of hers.  So I want to see what that would look like on mine.  But I have to decide on the colors of pearl cotton to use and then I actually have to do it.  Cool.

I finished the Jacob's Ladder toy for the Toy Box.



I'm not sure I did it correctly.  Are both sides supposed to have skirtex in them?  I just put it in the lining side.  But it looks okay.  On to the next toy, the Primer pin cushion.

I am not quite done putting on the loops of metal thread and beads at the ends of the formal borders on Hampton court.


It is looking better all the time.  My goal for today is the finish the formal borders and go on the hillocks number one and two.  They are done with couched silk chenille.  I'm getting excited as I'm getting closer to having this done.
A