Gray

It's a gray day here at the Chateau.  But I was able to walk outside this morning so I'm happy.
I got the 4th part of A Case for India Ink done.  Now I have at least 2 more pages to do before I can put it together.  I cut apart and trimmed the parts I have done which will be the front and back of the case.  Cool.  Maybe I can even put these together with the skirtex.  I'll have to read the directions.

I am working on a large band of flowers on AW1662.  I'm not sure about the colors.  They seem too light.  but I'm putting them in anyway.  We'll see how it looks when this band is done.

I finished up the Bluebird Tweet. He still needs beads, beek and legs put on though.

 Cute.  I cut him out and now I need to put some interfacing on him.  I want to finish him up today so I can start something new!
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Panel #3

I'm working on panel number three of Can't See the Forest.

 It is going well.  I only had to take one thing out and move it over one thread.  I think I can finish this panel up today.  What will be left is the top and the bottom.  I feel like I have made good progress.

I dug through my floss bin.  It is so funny to hear people answer that question "How do you organize your threads?" Alphabetically?  By Manufacture?  By silk and cotton?  By number?  This is how I organize mine. Drawes and containers and box and bags and the floor.

 Not very well.  I found the one I was looking for so I was able to start Just Nan's Bluebird Tweet.  I got half of him done.  Maybe I can finish this one today too.

I put a little time into A Case for Indian Ink.  I also put a couple of threads into AW1662.  I'll show you those tomorrow.
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Stash!

It was a stashy kind of day yesterday.  The mailman brought me my order from Stitching Bits and Bobs.  I love getting good mail.  I ordered market stuff I couldn't find at House of Stitches and still wanted.  So now I have my heart's desire in regard to market swag.

I realize that I don't need any of this.  This is fun stuff.  What do I start?  Maybe with something small.  Something cute.  Okay, I've narrowed it down to these three:

I thought I would do the little Just Nan Bluebird.  But then I went looking for the right color linen.  Then the called for threads.  I'm still looking.  It's not like you can just pick it up and start stitching.  I may have to go to Michael's to get some floss.

I got this sampler pattern.  I saw it made up at The Attic last November.  It is just beautiful - and I'm not really a sampler person.  So I finally ordered it.  Most of it is done over 3 threads instead of two on 35 count linen.  It sure would be easier to do over two but then the picture at the bottom would be too big.  Hmm.
I'll have to kit this up.

So what did I work on?  Well, I did the backstitching around the third panel of Can't See the Forest.  I messed it up by using the wrong color of pearl cotton.  Duh.  So I took it out and stitched it with the right color.  Pay attention Amy.
Then I picked up AW 1662.  It is a sampler from The Scarlet Letter that I started a while back.  I got another band done.  It was easy stitching.  Why did I put this down and not touch it for so long?

Wishing you a Happy Easter!  I haven't even eaten any Easter candy this year. No chcolate covered marshmallow rabbits.   What is the world coming to?  Although I met a friend at Chocolatea and bought some chocolate covered orange peel.  My favorite.
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The Owl and the Pussycat

Betsy Morgan told me about this kit she was getting when I was at Williamsburg last December.  Being a fan of Jenny Adin-Christie, I looked all over the web for a photo.  I found one.  I wanted this kit too.  Jenny is a well known teacher of needlework.  She is very busy teaching all over the world.  Australia, Switzerland, England.  I emailed her and asked if I could buy a kit.  She said she would be making more kits next year (2015).  So I have been waiting to get this kit since December.  I made her Hampton Court last year and it was marvelous.  I learned a lot.  Her directions are great.  And if you have a problem, you can email her and she will help you.  I was thrilled this week when my kit arrived.

First of all, it comes in a bag with the photo of the project on the front.
Then there is a book of instructions.  This one has 39 pages.

Then the ingredients are inside the bag.  Tons of parts.  Many small bags with labels.

The ground fabric is the most gorgeous color of blue/green.  The computer doesn't do it justice.

Everything you need is in the kit - even some glue.
I can see now that even the photo on the kit does not show how beautiful this will be.  One could be intimidated by all this.  But having made Hampton Court, I know I can do it.  But it will be a major project and will definitely take a while to make.  I'll be so proud when it is done though.
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A Done Doll

I finished the Little Dutch half-doll pin cushion.  Cute.  I did it my own way.  Which is like saying that I didn't follow the directions.  But I'm happy with how she turned out.  I have had this poor little half-doll sitting around for a couple of years so it's nice to have her all done.

She is much smaller than my other one.

I have another half doll that has been sitting around for a while too.  I ordered her pattern last June from a needlework store.  Ten months and no word on my order.  So I ordered the pattern from another place two weeks ago.
I think that order is on its way.
I started the next panel of Can't See the Forest.  I think I can get it done today.  It is nice to make good progress on something.  Margret asked me about the stitch I used for the white flowers.  It is a stitch I learned from Cynthia Zittel of The Drawn Thread.  It is called Boucle stitch.  I haven't looked to see if you can find how to do it on the web but it is probably out there somewhere.

I got a kit in the mail from Jenny Adin-Christie.  It is wonderful.  I'll show you tomorrow.
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Finishing

I'm working on the finishing of the Little Dutch Girl half-doll pincushion.  I have just a bit more putting together before it is done.

The doll is on a stick.

The apron is lined:

The skirt is standing and has a bottom of ultrasuede (instead of felt).

I am almost done with panel one of Can't See The Forest.

 I put a different stitch in for the white flowers on the tree.  They almost look like snowflakes.  But I like how they turned out.  I started the skunk in the wrong place - twice.  Do I take him out and try a third time or do I adjust him a bit?  We'll see.

I saw 10 wild turkeys, 4 robins, 2 pigeons and 2 deer on this mornings walk, along with a little rain.  But it is so warm!
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Shoe-In

I finished the slipper!

Don't look too closely and it looks great.

 I made the slipper at least an inch shorter than the pattern.  I wanted a more petite slipper.  It has a pocket to slip scissors into.

 I'm pretty happy with it.

I also finished stitching the Little Dutch half-doll.  I hope to put her together today.  It would be great to finish her off.  I keep wanting to add some stuff to her skirt but she looks just fine like she is.  I have too much to do to mess around much more.

The sign-up for Jackie classes at The Attic in November is starting.  I can't possibly go this year.  I'd love to take all her classes.  Maybe next year.
What's next?
I want to finish Can't See the Forest.  I want to look up what I should do next on Friesland.  There are at least ten other things I'd like to work on too.
It is a wonderful day here.  Sunny and warm.  Our crocuses are starting to bloom.  We have to put chicken wire around them so the deer don't eat them all.  Maybe it really is spring!
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