Surprise

I was surprised to get the latest Just Nan thingie in the mail.

I was on automatic last year for her cute little things.  I made the cute little mouse and the cute little cardinal that I gave to Claire as her annual Christmas ornament.  I thought I was done, that the automatic ended at the the end of the year.  But I got another one.  It is an owl.  Now I am not an owl person.  Some people like them and think they are cute.  I'm afraid owls don't do anything for me.  The automatic includes a piece of the called-for linen.  So I had to start it.

 It will be easy and quick to do and I like the colors.

I put in the felt for the right tower on Hampton Court.  Now I'll read the directions very carefully and try to get this right, I mean correct.

I got just a few more stitches into Along the River James.  Why is this taking me so long?  I don't know.  But I'm glad to make some progress.

I also finished the first band of AW 1662.  I want to work my way down to the colorful band.

I'm never at a loss for things to do!
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Lawns

I went back to lawn#2 on Hampton Court and took out the couching stitches.  Then I put them in again trying not to pull so hard.  I am happier with it now.

  I got on a roll and now I am almost done with lawns #3 and #4. I just have to couch down some of the threads.   Yeah!  They look pretty good.

 I really tried to get the over top threads evenly spaced.  What comes next?  Two tall towers.  They are padded with felt and buttonhole stitch is done over the felt.

I picked up Along the River James and put in a few stitches the bargello pockets are done.  Now I have to work on the inside so I have a place to attach the pockets.

 I still have to finish up the back.  I'll keep plugging away.

As you can see, no lawns are visible outside my computer room window.  We are expecting a warm up this week.  It would be nice if the roads were more clear of snow.  It is really hard to see around corners too with the snow piled so high.  It is so nice to see the sun!

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A New Book

It seems like I have been spending money left and right.  But really, I have been spending gift cards that I got for Christmas.  This is my latest gift card purchase:  Stumpwork Flowers.

I just love the pansy on the front.  After taking a few Amy Mitten classes, I think I could actually make this. The book gives the instructions on how to stitch it.

There are several other flowers in the book that I would like to make too.  I don't care for the chili but I like that the stitches are nicely illustrated and look well explained.

There are a couple of buttonhole stitches that I get confused and the clear diagrams and explanations make them easy to tell apart.  Thank you Santa for such a neat book.

I didn't get as much done as I wanted yesterday.  I got most of the satin stitched lawns (3 and 4) on Hampton Court.  After it got dark outside, I just couldn't see the line well enough to finish up.  So I have a few more stitches to go.  I didn't take out the couching on lawn #2 yet.

DH got me flowers for Valentine's Day.  So nice.  I'm making a cherry pie today to celebrate.
Hope you have a happy Valentine's Day too.
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Second Thoughts

I am having second thoughts about lawn#2 on Hampton Court.  I think I need to take out the couching stitches.  I think I pulled them too tight.  They are distorting the design.

I started lawns #3 and #4.  They are easy (so far!).  Just satin stitch in three colors.  Then there are angled stitches that will go over the satins.

It doesn't look like I got much done yesterday but I am working on a class project for March.

I was very surprised to get my Sampler and Antique Needlework magazine in the mail yesterday - just one day after getting Just Cross Stitch magazine.  They should have put a more interesting sampler on the front.

They are published by the same company and I thought they came out in alternate months.  Whatever.  Again, I found something in SANQ that I would like to stitch.  This so rarely happens.  It is a bird from an antique booklet.

I have been waiting for The Attic to post the projects that are going to be taught at their seminar in November.  I was considering making The Attic one of my trips this year.  But I have taken one of the three classes already (and I consider this project my favorite all time stitch).  One of the classes I don't care for.  The third class is not really cross stitch but a lot of beads and what looks like eyelets.  I'm having second thoughts about going to this retreat.  So maybe I can go somewhere else?  We'll have to see.

The plans for today are to finish up the stitching for the March class.  I want to work on the caterpillar on Home Sweet Home.  Then I should fix the couching stitches on Hampton Court.
I better get to work.
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Round Three

I got a reply from Jenny Adin-Christie about what I should do with Lawn #2 on Hampton Court.  She was very kind and had many suggestions for me.  She recommended taking out the threads.  So I did.  She also said I should make sure the fabric is drum tight in my hoop.  Since I usually work in hand, I'm not so good at setting up an embroidery hoop.  So I tried to make it as tight as I could.  I should probably wrap the inside hoop too.  Then she explained that my stitches were too many too close together.  I had assumed I should make them close together to cover the fabric.  Not really.  So I started again keeping in mind what she told me.  I wasn't sure I could do it right but now I am much happier with the results.

She also said that those last stitches help reveal the little light green squares.  I can live with the results this time.  What is next?  Two more lawns!  The next two pieces of lawn shouldn't be so hard especially since I have a better technique in mind.

I got my Just Cross Stitch magazine in the mail yesterday.

 I wonder sometimes why I have a subscription since I usually don't like any of the designs and never stitch them.  I was pleasantly surprised at this issue.  I liked several things in there.  The funky pincushion on the front looks interesting.  I haven't stitched one in that style.  There are two large flower charts.

  I like them but don't dare start something big like that.  I like the Elizabeth Talledo hornbook and pin cushion.

  If I had some of the forms, I might make Claire the little Easter basket.

  If I had oodles of time, I might even stitch one of the carrots.

It was -5 this morning but we are expecting a warm up.  I hope it gets up to freezing!
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Bargello

I saw Dylan yesterday.  We almost always play games but this time we made a collage valentine for his mother.  I ordered the January box from Little Pink Studio and it had lots of bits and pieces for a collage.  Dylan enjoyed making it and using my automatic tape gun.  It's such a handy tool.

I got started on that bargello on the second pocket of  Along the River James and I just couldn't stop!  I am going around the outside with a long arm cross stitch (instead of nun's stitches).  I have to get back to the outside back and get that finished.  The inside will be kind of boring as it is all done in one color.

I have one side of the Rambling Rose purse done and have started the other side.

I did just a bit more on AW 1662.  The linen looks huge after working over one on other projects.  So it is a nice relaxing stitch.
I hope the sun shines on you today.
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Try Try Again

It is hard to get the motivation to work on something that is not turning out like you want.  That is my problem with Hampton Court.  I made myself go back and work on it yesterday.  This is what it looked like second time around:

I am still not happy with it. The angles are better but it looks messy and the lightest color should show through in even little squares.  It doesn't look like it should.  I'm not sure what to do.  I emailed the designer to ask for some advice.  She is busy with commissions and teaching in New Zealand.  I'm tempted to take it out again and do something different.  I hate the thread so I would change to a thread that is more "user friendly".
If I left it, would it blend in and not be noticeable as crappy?
I wonder if I can leave it blank until I figure out what to do and go on to the next step.

So I picked up Along the River James and started the second bargello pocket.

 I had a couple of errors along the way but I've fixed them.  It's fun building it up and seeing how it looks.

DH has made egg salad, time for lunch.
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