And I'm Off

I'm off in a good way!  I leave early tomorrow for Spring Fling and some time with my BFF's.  It will be so fun.  So you won't hear from me for a week.  Oh the shopping and eating and talking that will go on.

I am almost finished with the Spring Pyn Pillow.

I like working on the 40 count sandstone over two.
 
I started the next wavy line under the crab.

 I think I will stitch this as shown on the chart.  The mermaid comes next.  She will be fun to stitch.
Claire liked her Easter basket.
The bathrooms are clean.
I'm packing.
Oh, joy!
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Something New

I got the linen in the mail yesterday.

 But it is overdyed - not my favorite linen to work on.  Overdying the linen closes up the holes and it is harder to stitch on.  I started it and decided that using two strands of the silk (as recommended on the chart) on the border was too much.  It looked sloppy.  So I thought I would try long arm cross.  That was better but two strands was still too much.  Okay, how about one strand.  That was much better.

  But now I may wait until I get to Stitchville to get just a plain regular nice-to-work-in-hand blue linen.

So then I went looking for 40 count linen.  You would think I know better than to work on 40 count by now.  But I have a new pattern by Milady's Needle that calls for working over two on 40 count.

Maybe that's not so bad.  I found two colors, a cream and a sandstone.  I laid the floss colors on the linens and I decided to try the sandstone.

It is working out well!

I think I can finish this soon.
Of course, I have been working on the birth announcement.  I got Mr. Crab done.

 I am deciding whether to leave out the next row and go straight to the mermaid.

We'll see. . .
The sun is shining.  Can't wait to see Claire today.
Happy Easter.
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Flubbed Fob

I finished off this fob.

It looks fine but it is really FUBAR.  I am off in the count on so many parts.  Some of this is full cross stitch over one on 40 count linen.  Some is half cross when I couldn't stand it anymore.  I didn't take out mistakes, I just glossed them over.  So it is what it is.  I'd almost (!) like to try this again but on a larger count.  I tried changing colors but it didn't work out.  I guess the designer knows best on this one.  The "Z" is really hard to see since it is worked in the same color as the linen.  Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

I made progress on the birth announcement.

Today I want to work my way down to the mermaid.  I think I am about half done.   The border takes forever to stitch.
I'm hoping for the Just Nan linen today.  Then I will reward myself with a new start.
I'm digging around for some small kits to take with me on my trip to Spring Fling.  I'm getting excited!
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Hedgie

Sweet Hedgie is all done!

He went together very fast.  I was supposed to flatten his snout but I didn't.  I think he looks just fine without it flattened.

Then I decided that time was getting away from me.  Grandson is due in a little over three weeks.  I better get cracking on the birth announcement.  So I found it (that's half the battle!)  and put a few stitches in.

 I am going to be gone for almost a week to Spring Fling where not much will be accomplished except shopping and eating.  I'm leaving spaces to stitches his name.  No, I have no idea what they plan to name him.  I just hope it isn't a long name like Alexander.  But I could take out the fish if it is a long name.
I'm hoping the linen for the Just Nan limited edition needle book comes in today's mail.  I know I'll be tempted to start it.
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Little Stuff

It is fun to work on smalls.  They are so much quicker to finish.  I love getting something all done.
I won this on ebay.

I love pansies.  It was easy to stitch up.  It is an old kit from 1997.

The colors are way different than this photo:

It goes in a little frame.  I think it is mounted on cardboard first.

Then here I am on Hedgie:

I need to finish putting on the beads.  There are a few strays stitches that I missed first time around.  I'll go back and fix those.  Then I can put him together.

It is raining today.  Luckily I got my walk in before it started pouring.  Good thing I took a picture of the crocuses yesterday!

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Tiny Needlebook

Our crocuses are blooming!  They usually get rained on and don't last very long.  So we have to enjoy them while we can.  It is supposed to rain tomorrow.

We have to put up chicken wire so the deer don't eat them.


I finished Just Nan's tiny needlebook.

Sweet!  It stitched up quickly.  Maybe I can start Hedgie today.
I decided to go back and cross all those half stitches on the clock design for the front of a needlebook.

 Thanks Terri for letting me know what you would do.  I thought that the design wasn't really finished until I crossed all of the other stitches.  It didn't take that long.  I still have half a flower to go.  I'll finish that up this morning.
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Monica

Monica is no longer naked.  She is all done!

 This is a GPA design.  I got the half doll when I was at Williamsburg last December.  It was rather pricey as it is made in Italy.  She has some delicate parts.  The roses in her hair:

Her hands are very delicate too.

So to justify the cost, I just had to finish her.  She joins her sisters in Curio#2.  It seems like I have to learn all over again the best way to finish these half dolls every time.  I wasn't happy with how the last doll turned out.  Her skirt just didn't hang like I wanted.  So I tried not gathering the skirt and apron together.  Doing them separately worked better.  It is always hard to pull the gathers tight enough around some very small waists.  I tried folding over the top and sewing a placket but that didn't work.  So I took it out and tried again.  Better.  I wish I had wider silk ribbon to fold over the gathers of the apron.  But I just went with what I had in stash.  This is actually leftover ribbon from the last doll.  Okay, so she isn't perfect but she is done.

Here she is next to the Queen's Crown.

I went walking in much warmer weather this morning.  It is going to be a glorious day.  If everything goes well, I will have another finish to show you tomorrow!
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Good Mail

I got the Just Nan stuff I was waiting for.  I love this:

  But now I need to kit them up.  I went diving into various storage containers looking for the floss.
All three designs call for DMC.  I should have the floss here somewhere.  I found most of them but for the few I need, I'm going off to Hobby Lobby.
I ordered the linen for the limited edition needlebook.  But instead I was sent the fabric for Hedgie.  The store is sending me the fabric I wanted but that means I'll have to wait to start it.  The other two projects will be quick stitches.  Maybe I can start one of them today.

I finished my experiment with the clock design as a front on the needlebook.  I worked this side over one. I started by doing full cross stitches but put it down.

Then when I went back I tried just half cross - much better.  So the question now is do I go back and take out the crossed stitches so all I have is half cross or do I cross all the half crosses.  Or do I just leave it as is?  I bet you can't tell where the full crosses are.
The back of the needlebook I stitched over two.

Which side do you like better?  I like the over one side.

It was cold walking today but tomorrow is going to be warmer.  The bathrooms are clean.  I'm getting excited as I leave in a week for Spring Fling.
I've got a finish to show you tomorrow!
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Proud

I am immensely proud to present my Queen's Crown.  It is all done!

In the photos you can't see its sparkle. Note the pearl headed pins in the ermine part.
I can't believe I made it.  It was a good exercise to couch down metal threads.  This project is wonderfully engineered.  Under the top cross is a needle holder.

When the drawer/tray is pushed in you can't even tell which side is the base and which is the drawer/tray.

 This was a fun project.  Amy Mitten has a journal of how the design evolved on the tutorial.  It is fascinating to read how this all came to be.  I look forward to her next creation - which I will get in a couple of weeks, the World Map pin keep.  Lucky me.
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Funny Things

I made this funny thing yesterday:

I started this funny thing:

They will fit together eventually.  Sort of like this:

This is how the threadwinder fits in the little tray/drawer:

I am so close to finishing this up.   Today is the day!
Very cool.
It was cold walking outside today.  I'm spoiled by all the warm weather we've been having.
I'm hoping for my Silver Needle stuff from Just Nan today.  Wouldn't that be a fun surprise?
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