Often

 As it often happens, I post about a project then I want to work on it some more. So my cherries were looking sad and I decided I wanted to finish the two cherries I started. And I did!

Now they look like cherries. This is. The fun of cross stitching, seeing the design take form. There are a lot of colors of red in these cherries. At first I was getting totally lost. So I used some highlighter tape. Then I colored some stitches on the chart with a colored pencil. I also put in a few guidelines with holographic thread.

I have a guild class tomorrow that I may start. We’ll see how the day goes. 

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New Start

 I have a new start.

I know it doesn’t look like much but it was fun to get a start. It is the kit I got for Christmas.

I have the Crewelwork retreat starting on Sunday. I will be taking two weeks off from posting. There are four hours of class many days and lectures on other days. 

I went walking outside today.

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One Slip

 I finished this pansy slip to Amy Mitten’s Blossom Etui.

It is stitched one over one on 40 count. There are lots of errors in it. It is small only about two inches square. But I did it!.

I feel especially poorly today after starting new medicine. No walking. Yet (?).

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Happy Mail

 My friend Stasi showed her pewter sewing station and it was so adorable. I wanted one too. So I ordered one for me from the UK. It came yesterday. It is not the same as Stasi’s, I chose a different design.

It is small, only about 3 inches high with the scissors. So sweet!

It is raining again today. I don’t feel like walking so I may take the day off. I started a new medicine yesterday and I’m a bit achy.

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Oops

 I meant to post on Saturday. I had a Zoom class that I thought was from 10:00 to 11:00. It wasn’t! It was 10:00 until three. We did take a break for lunch but I wasn’t sure what would happen if I left Zoom to write a post. Would I be able to get back on? After lunch was a trunk show. It was fun to see all her designs. The class was called A Schoolgirl’s Butterflies by Erica Michaels.

We weren’t supposed to look at the kit until class time. Ha! I wanted to change the colors a bit. I started stitching the strawberry design during class. Here’s what it looks like:

You can’t see it very well but the butterfly’s wings are sparkly. I like how it turned out. I have to iron, interface and finished it.

I went walking early today. 

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Guess what I’m Doing

 

I picked up two frames from Hobby Lobby this week. I’m still waiting on three more that had to be reordered because they were the wrong size. It is really hard to lace on a piece of foam core when the linen doesn’t reach over the edges of the foam core.

This is the front:

Don’t worry, the messy bits won’t show.

I have my choice of two frames for this one. One is a metal frame in gold. The other I found in my sewing room closet. It is much prettier. I have to put the metal one together and see what I like best.

It is going to rain today so I decided to walk indoors. I saw that Amy Mitten had a new offering. Yes, I ordered it. I am almost done with one of the slips on her last kit. I’ll show you soon.

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Newcastle Biscornu

 This is how far I am on the Newcastle Biscornu. I’m stitching it over two on 40 count.

I really like those butterflies. 

The rain was gone earlier this morning o I was able to walk outside. It was 51 degrees, very pleasant. Can you believe that Saturday it is supposed to be 80?!?

I have a Zoom class on Saturday. I want to change the floss colors. I’ll have to go digging for pretty variegated silk.

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Box

 Yesterday I had an infusion so I was afraid of messing things up stitching-wise. So I just attempted to lace up the sides of the Holbein Hexagon Etui. They aren’t as nice and neat as I would like but I guess they will do.

I went looking for the bottom of the box. It is just pushed down inside the box.  But I can’t find it - yet. It drives me crazy when I can’t find stuff. I could start working on the pin cushion lid. There is no cross stitch on it, just hand stitching. 

Where on earth is the box bottom???

I went walking outside today. It was nice. It is supposed to rain this afternoon and evening. 

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Two Sections

 I finished stitching the second section of the Stacy Nash Needleroll. I was glad to get back to this after losing my threads. 

There is a bit started on the third section. The last two sections will be easy as they are much smaller.

I need to go through my fabrics to find a coordinating lining for this. 

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Finishing

 I worked a bit on finishing the Holbein Hexagon Etui. 

I don’t know why I had such a hard time lacing up this side like shoelaces. I did it about four times and this is the best I could do. I sure hope I get better at it as I go along. I have 5 more sides to go. 

I haven’t started the lid yet. 

We woke up to snow! And it is still snowing. ARGH. Luckily it is 37 degrees so it will melt.

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Easter Saturday

 I got the order from Needle in a Haystack. It turned out to be three Gloriana threads that I ordered last December. 

They were threads that I needed for the Holbein Hexagon Etui. But wait, I already have that all stitched. I made substitutions so I could stitch it. So yeah, I don’t need them. 

I have to get going with the finishing. 

I got some very sweet Easter cards yesterday. 

The sun is shining today and I have walked outside. It is a little cold for an Easter Egg hunt at the park.

Happy Easter!

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The Other One

 This is the other class kit that I got in the mail, the Viola Hairpin. My hair isn’t quite long enough for the hairpin and I’m not sure I would wear this in my hair but it could be a brooch type pin. 

I’m impressed there is even twill tape in the kit to wrap the included hoop. Cool.

“Sew wherever you go”

This is the fabric this viola is stitched on. She calls it voile. There are two pieces of it.

This will be fun to stitch!

It is rainy again this morning. 

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Surprise!

 I told you yesterday about getting an email about my Crewelwork retreat kits being sent. I was very surprised when I got the kits in the mail yesterday. I looked at the date they were mailed, it was a week ago.  The kits were very nicely packaged. 

The design is printed on the satin. I’m very happy about that. There are some preliminary directions about framing up the satin. The classes start the first week in May. I’ll show you the other kit tomorrow. 

It is sunny today but much colder than yesterday. I walked inside. It is very windy today. 

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Auditioning

 I went looking through my fabrics for something to finish the Holbein Hexagon Etui. This is the dupioni silk that won the contest.

I have this fabric thanks to my BFF who took me to great fabric shops in Minneapolis. The sides of the hexagon are supposed to be laced up with ribbon. 

I went walking this morning before the storms that are coming later today. The low last night was 64 degrees.  I got notification that the kits for the Crewelwork retreat have been sent - from the UK. We’ll see how long they take to get here. 

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What?

 I got a notice from Needle in a Haystack that my order was ready to be sent. What order? The date of the order was last year. What did I order? I have no idea. Maybe it was thread. It will be an interesting surprise. Also House of Stitches is sending me the threads I needed. Yeah! I ordered two felting kits from The French Needle. I have been looking for a small bird for the inside of my casket. So I thought I could try making one. I got the kits on Saturday. 

Do I know how to do felting? Not really. I made a pin cushion a few years ago using this technique but all the felt pieces were already cut. It was pretty easy. The bird is an experiment to see if I can do it. I started out with the wire legs. I managed to twist them but in the process one of the wires broke. Well, I’ll be more careful next time. 

I have shaped the body.

Now I have to add some wings and spots and colored needle felting wool. Eyes come in the kit. I’m learning as I go along.

The sun is shining. It is going to be 70 today! It will be great for walking. Buds are appearing on the trees and bushes. Love it

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New Start

 Since I couldn’t work on the Stacy Nash Needleroll, I started something new. My favorite design from Nashville was the Newcastle Biscornu from Teresa Kogut. The called for nine was 40 count. I wanted to try it on 37 count Russian Teacakes linen. When I stitched Teresa Kogut’s sampler I didn’t like that some of the colors weren’t different enough from one another. So when I started stitching the biscornu I changed some of the colors for more contrast. After thinking about it, I decided to try again with the called for linen and colors. So I actually have two starts.

This is the first one:

This is the second start:

Together:

I like using the called for linen and floss. It is a bit smaller and I like the colors together. The linen is wrinkly because I took it out of a kit that I started a way long time ago. 

It got up to 61 degrees yesterday. It is spring again! 

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Lost

 I just hate it when I can’t find things. Yesterday I was in the mood for cross stitching, not embroidery. So I got the Stacy Nash needle roll project out but then I couldn’t find the threads. They were on a ring. Somewhere. I looked all over. I thought back on the last time I saw them. I took them them to stitch on when I went to an infusion on Monday. Did I leave them at the doctor’s office? I have no idea. So then I thought, I have tons and tons of threads a I’ll just see how many of the called for threads that I have. I found a few of them but the one I really needed I didn’t have. Rats. I was able to stitch a little bit. I finally broke down and ordered the threads I couldn’t find. Of course the thread I needed most was out of stock. House of Stitches was very nice and let me know they expected that thread this coming week. So I’m stuck here:

I then decided to find the threads so I could stitch something else. I’ll show you my new start on Monday.I walked inside today. It snowed a bit overnight. Ugh. And actually it is snowing right now. 

I am going to get some happy mail today. And I saw photos of Jenny Adin Christie’s Pekok glove all finished on Facebook. I really want to make it. I’m on the list to get a kit eventually.

Have a fun weekend!

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And Now For Something Completely Different

 I saw a photo on the internet that gave me an idea. It was a quilt made with Liberty Fabrics. I used to belong to a club that sent an embroidery project and four squares of Liberty fabric every month. I didn’t keep up with the club and canceled after the first year. So I gathered up all the squares of fabric and sewed them into strips to see if I had enough to make a quilt. I think I have more squares somewhere in this mess of a sewing room but for now this is what I have:

I think I can make a small quilt with them. Cool.

I need to iron the strips so I can sew the strips together. The squares were just randomly put together and I like how it looks. 

I walked outside today.

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Butterfly

 I stitched this butterfly as an experiment. I wanted to see how big it was and if I could use it on a needle book. It is from Amy Mitten’s Blossom Etui kit. I stitched over two on 32 count linen.

It is really supposed to be stitched over one on 40 count. I’m not sure I want to use it. I’ll put it as lining in a drawer of my casket if I don’t use it as the front of a needle book.

It was sleeting as I was walking this morning. 

Guess where I went yesterday? Hobby Lobby. I ordered out 5 frames and mats. I have several things that I have wanted to frame for a long time - over two years. I felt almost normal while I was there. No mask. It was great.

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Holbein Hexagon

 I got all the stitching done on the Holbein Hexagon Etui. All six sides and the top and bottom of the base. I ironed the linen.

Then I made a photocopy of the stitching to use as a pattern for the interfacing and lining. So the next step is to cut out the linen and photo copies. I’ll have to see if I have a good color of dupioni silk for the lining.

BFF used to take me to a place in Minneapolis that had lots of dupioni at great prices. I have some good stash. 

Rain, rain go away come again another day. It is going to rain for the next several days. Back to walking inside. The good part is that it is a warm 50 degrees outside. 

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Class Kit

 I got a class kit in the mail yesterday. It is Catherine Theron’s Bird in Hand Sewing Companion. 

My fingers are itching to make it my own by adding some motifs or different stitches. I finally finished stitching the Holbein Hexagon Etui. Now to iron it and start the finishing. 

It is supposed to get to 60 degrees today. Unfortunately it won’t get that warm until about 5 p.m. and then there is a chance of rain. 

The construction across the street has been shaking my entire house! They have been pushing dirt around for months. Maybe it is just a school for learning how to drive earth movers. We still have no idea what exactly they are building. 

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Slow

 Slow is the word of the day. I am trying to stitch Amy Mitten’s project Blossom Etui. It is over on 40 count. I knew it would be hard. I put on my extra strong glasses. This is the first slip:

I’m having to use a magnifying glass to see where to stitch. The design looks good but it is very slow going. I so wish it was over two. For now I will keep plugging away. I love the design, it is just hard to see. 

I haven’t walked yet today. It was raining pretty hard when I got up. Maybe later.

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Sweet Kit

 Our guild’s May meeting is a little kit that goes designed by the same person who designed the little basket of strawberries kit that I just finished. It came in the mail yesterday. 

Stuff in the kit:

I look forward to starting this but I’m trying to make some progress on other kits right now.

I watched two episodes of Bridgerton last night. Why do I have trouble figuring out who is who? The men all look alike. Dark hair. I can’t tell them apart. Sometimes I feel like I should go back and watch season 1 all over again just to get to know who’s who. Are Penelope and Eloise related? Friends? Neighbors? The book would explain who everybody is. 

I went walking outside today. I was lazy yesterday and didn’t go at all. 

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Button

 I’ve been working on the Jenny Adin-Christie button.  I took out the terrible sequins stitching. I saw that I have to put some on the outside of the organza so that will be much easier and I’ll just do those and forget about the ones behind the organza.

This is what it is supposed to look like.

This is what mine looks like so far:

I see that trailing is done around the edge. I did that in another project. It was fun to try some new drawn thread techniques.

Happy April!

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