Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Done and Almost Done

I finished off the last bit of the Virgin Queen's Stitching Wallet.

I am very happy to have finished it.  I like it a lot!
I haven't stitched all the smalls.  We finished the needlebook in class.  It gets tied with ribbon into the wallet.

 Then the two pockets on the flaps are for thread winders.

I decided to stitch two of them yesterday.  There are actually four designs to choose from.  I like all four designs.  So these are the two I stitched:


They need to be lined and sewn together and will fit in the pockets.

There are a bunch of designs for a scissors fob too.  I like them very much but I'm feeling pressure to get my socks done for the retreat that is only two weeks away.  I'll show you my progress tomorrow.
A

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Close But No Cigar

I am so close to a finish-finish on the Virgin Queen's Stitching Wallet.  I would have been done if I hadn't made a couple of mistakes.  Sewing the lining to one side upside down was very dumb.  I was irritated with myself for not checking everything as I was sewing away.  But it was easily remedied.  I still have a hedebo and button to put on.  In class Betsy even has you take some sewing thread that matches the lining so you have the right color when it comes to sewing things together.  I didn't take enough but I found a floss that matched pretty well and finished up with that.

Now does it fold this way?
Or that way?
I'll have to look at Betsy's to see.

DH told me to get a new pair of walking shoes so I went down to Kohl's and tried some on.  I was not happy with my last pair and needed to try a different brand.  I have awful feet so I really need good support.  The last pair I had, I ended up cutting a hole for my bunion.  That looks so uncool to have holes cut in your shoes.  Hopefully the pair I bought will work well.  They are awfully bright.

I ended up making a banana cake yesterday. A whole cake is way too much for just us two.  DH had a piece just to be polite.  Oh well, it was one way to celebrate Memorial Day.  Across the street they celebrated by smashing apples with a mallet.  Each to his own.
A

Monday, May 29, 2017

A Finish-Finish

I can hear the high school band playing in the local parade to celebrate Memorial Day. Long ago I watched  many of those parades to see our Boy Scout.  I walked this morning as usual.  The bathrooms are clean.  I see the neighbors across the street are gearing up for a picnic.  We aren't doing anything special.  I could make a cake or something.  I have a banana cake mix I could make but I don't think DH likes that kind.  W'ell see what happens.  What I really should do is wash the kitchen floor.  Not very exciting.

I picked up something that was very close to finishing yesterday and got it done.  It is the Barbara Jackson egg.  There are two more to do, but not right now.


I even finished it off with batting, cording, backing and a bow.  It sure feels good to get something finished.

I got started on finishing the Virgin Queen's Stitching Wallet.  So far it has involved ironing, cutting,  interfacing. folding, lining, more interfacing and hand sewing.  And I'm not done.  Slowly but surely, I'm getting there.  I can't wait to see what it look like all done and in one complete piece.


I am tempted by the new offering from Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle and Thread.  I always say I'm not doing another mystery so I haven't signed up yet.  I'm going to control myself and wait to see what it looks like first.  Like I need another project.  What am I thinking?
A



Sunday, May 28, 2017

Time for Finishing

I got it done!  The Virgin Queen's Stitching Wallet is all stitched.

I have to read how to finish it.

This is a major project done.  I think the finishing will be easy as I think you just line all the pieces and sew them together.  We'll see how it goes.

I finished the tail of the fish by couching some pearl purl.  I can cut it out now.

The next part is the main body of the fish and it starts with felt.  I'm thinking I need to stitch on muslin and then applique it to the sock.  Who knows if this will turn out?

We've made plans to visit Claire and Evan.  I am so thrilled.  It will be great to see them in person.
The baby robins have grown enough to fly away from the nest.
Enjoy the weekend.
A

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Progress

I have been plugging away on the Virgin Queen's Stitching Wallet.  Two rows down, two to go.

  The whitework row is by far the hardest row to stitch.  I can't see it, even with magnification. There are probably a ton of errors in it but I can't see it well enough to tell.  I know I can finish the apple row today.   I'll keep at that white row and hope I can get it done too

 I decided try to make a fish to put on my socks.  So I started with going to the store for supplies.  I needed paper covered wire.  I found it in the cake decorating section of Michael's.  I thought I would find it in with the fake flowers.

 Then I got some organdy and some silver lame fabric.  Not great choices and they don't iron well and I had to bond them together with Stitch Witchery.

 We'll see if I can make them work.  So I started a fish tail.

 So far, so good.

I've walked this morning and been to the farmer's market.
Happy Saturday!
A

Friday, May 26, 2017

Good Mail

Those charts I "accidentally" ordered came yesterday.  I have to say that this is the first time I have ordered from Stitch and Frog and I was very pleased.  They had what I wanted in stock and they sent them out very quickly.  They were packaged nicely too.
This is what I got:
This chart is so popular.  I think I fatten the mermaid up a bit though.
I really like the little snippet of design.  This is number six.  I bet you could make it in a day.

What is better than birds and flowers?  Cute.
I finish-finished my Strawberry mouse.


Isn't she cute?
As I say every Friday, how can it be Friday again so quickly?  Time flies when you are having fun.
A

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Mouse

I made some progress on the Virgin Queen's Stitching Wallet.  One row done and three to go.

I put a few stitches in the mystery project but not enough to notice any difference.

Then I picked up something easy.  Every once in a while I need something that is easy.  It was Just Nan's Strawberry Mouse.  She is all stitched and ready to be put together.

I plan to finish her today.  She also has a house.  That will be a much bigger project.

I have a plan for the socks I need to decorate for my retreat in three weeks.  But it is a secret.  It may not turn out so I'm keeping it to myself for now.  If it doesn't work, I may be buying another pair of socks!
A


Wednesday, May 24, 2017

A Good Start

I got a good start on the last flap for the Virgin Queen's Stitching Wallet.  I want to finish the lowest row today.  I changed the row above the last row to strawberries from apples.

I think the whitework row will be challenging to see.  I'll probably have to use the magnifier for that one.  Then the top row I'm going to do as charted, in apples.

I worked hard on the mystery project.  It is going slowly because there is a ton of confetti.  I began with the strategy of starting in the top left corner.  Then I used the strategy of a jigsaw puzzle.  I tried to get all the edges in first and then build around that.  Yesterday I decided to pick a 10 by 10 square and finish all of it.  I didn't quite finish but at least I didn't get lost.  I want to finish off that square today.  I tend use the  "cross country" method of stitching.
When this rectangle of stitches is all done, it will be only one tenth of the design.  What was I thinking?  But it is fun to work on.

Three weeks from tomorrow, I'll be going to a retreat!  I'll be with both BFFs and we will have so much fun.
A




Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Not Decaf

Coming home from an errand yesterday I could see that there was a box on my front porch.  Oh, that must be the decaf coffee I ordered from Amazon.  But when I opened it up, it wasn't what I thought it was.  It was the kit I ordered last week.  Boy, did it get here fast!  I am tickled pink with it.  I must tell you that these are extremely limited kits.  I heard about them on Facebook that linked to a YouTube video.  This kit is a collaboration between Elegant Stitch and Hands On Designs.
This is what you get:
A paperboard box.

Inside the box are a couple of papers to line the box with.  Cool.

There is a waxer shaped like a key.  Love it!

A couple of finishing supplies:

Then here is the design:


I just love that tomato pin cushion.  So cool.  I like the verse for stitchers.  The bag and scissors fob are icing on the cake.
There is another bag with more finishing supplies.
I like the colors.

This will be so fun to make.  What a nicely put together kit!
A

Monday, May 22, 2017

Chores

My Monday chores are done.  The bathrooms are clean, the walking done.  I've also done some errands.  There is a brand spanking new shower curtain in the bathroom.  So I'm on to other things.  I stopped for a couple of DMC flosses.  I was amazed that Hobby Lobby did not carry 3860.  I wonder why.  I just assumed they had all the colors.  So I went to JoAnn's and they did have it.  It is one of the colors I needed for my mystery project.  It calls for 75 colors.  I've been obsessed with this and can hardly put it down.  It is a full coverage piece and I was just going to quit if it wasn't looking like I wanted.  But it is looking right.  There are no blended colors (thank heavens!).  I am working on the first page which is more than 3000 stitches.  It still looks like an abstract painting.

I finished the Virgin Queen's Stiching Wallet flap I was working on.

 Now on to the second (and last) flap.  Someone commented that it was a lot of stitching and she is right!  There are four rows of design on the last flap but I'm thinking of changing one row slightly.

I accidentally ordered a few new charts.
A



Sunday, May 21, 2017

Project Bags

When I was at Spring Fling a friend gifted me with a project bag.  I loved it!
 When we went shopping at Eagle Creek Quilt Shop I found some great fabric for another project bag and I asked my friend if she would make it for me.  She said "Sure!".  
It came in the mail yesterday and I love it!
It has a clear window so you can see which project is inside.  I'm already using it.
 I love how she lined up the motifs of the fabric on the bag.
 She put some ribbon on that I got on my England trip.
 The bottom is flat so it will stand up when there is stuff inside.
This turned out so cool that I got to thinking.  I have some French General fabric that I bought to make a bag but changed my mind.  Maybe she could make a project bag out of that.

One print for the outside and one print for the inside.
Then I thought of some other fabric I have.  Somewhere I heard that seven strips of a jelly roll stitched together would be enough for a project bag.  I measured and I think I need another strip or two.  But I love this Paris Flea Market fabric.  You could go vertical or horizontal with the strips.
Then I have this William Morris fabric.

That would be darling.  But I'm going crazy here.  I could keep her busy for a long time.
Thanks for the bag Vicki!
A