And Now For Something Easy

Eleonora's Box was a lot of work so I wanted to stitch something easy.  I picked up the ebay kit and got the front done.

The back is even easier so I can finish that today.  Maybe I can even put it together.
I started the second corner on Friesland.

 I have an itch to start something new.  Uh-oh.  I am going to try and find the early bird class from Jackie that I had in Williamsburg.  I think it won't be too hard or too long to make.  There is a certain excitement starting something new.
Here is one last photo of Eleonora's Box.

 The lining got installed yesterday and it is DONE.
The weather outside is crappy.  That the nicest work for it.  Snow, white-outs and bitter cold.  It makes me want to eat brownies.
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Almost

No cross stitching was done yesterday.   I worked on the finishing of  Eleonora's Box all day.  I am very happy with how it is turning out.  It looks nice and neat.  I'm changing how things are done here and there.

 I wasn't crazy about the lining.  It was (gasp) polyester.  I really prefer to line stitching with silk dupioni.  I have a stash of dupioni from when my BFF and I went to this place in Minnesota that has a ton of silk dupioni.  So I went through my stash to see if I had something that went with the box color-wise.  I found a lovely color that matched the linen color.  Luckily I had enough to line the box.

I have replaced the gluing with lacing and sewing.

 I have needed the help of pliers.  It helps pull my needle through some tight places like when I'm joining the sides of the box.

The lid is done and I have to sew the hinge to the inside of the box.

 Then the lining can be sewn all around the top edge.  I still have to figure out where to tack the box lid stays - that's the cording that holds the lid up when it is open.  Then I'll be done done done!

I'm very proud of this box.  I worked really hard to get it done.  There is actually a needle book yet to do but I'm not doing that right now.

Jackie DuPlessis's facebook page today shows models two of her classes for Williamsburg this year.  I am loving her projects.
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Construction Zone

I am in the throes of constructing Eleonora's Box.
I went back and gave Elly lips and an eyebrow.  I put a braid in her hair.  She is much more attractive now.

She was supposed to have a ribbon in her hair but I didn't like that so I left it out and did the braid instead.
 I was tickled pink to get this all stitched.  So now I can start putting it together. Of course, I ironed my stitching and it looked 100% better.   I put interfacing on the back.  I measured the various sides to see if they matched the recommended cardboard cuts.  (No, they didn't)  I was excited to finally sew on the Eleonora cameo to her box lid.

I cut batting for the lid and the bottom.  The designer says to glue the edges to the cardboard but I would be more comfortable lacing the stitching onto the cardboard.

 So that is my next step.  Here are the pieces:

I also have to do a lining piece for each side and the lid.
I sure hope it goes together okay.
Can I get this all done by tomorrow?  I'm going to try.
Do or do not, there is no try. (Yoda)
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So Close

I am so close to finishing Eleonora's Box!  I am really sick of it and just want it done at this point.  I think I can finish it today.  That would be wonderful.  But then of course, there is the putting together that may be a bit "challenging"!

I finished a motif on Friesland.  I'd like to start on another corner.

I managed to find a piece of black linen.  I decided that I want to use silks on the ebay kit.  It is a kit from Great Britain.  That's probably why I haven't seen it before.

Oops, I think I took a photo of the back.  Well, you get the idea.
Five weeks until the Betsy Morgan class.  That will be so much fun.
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Name Done

I finished the little name for my great-neice-to-be.

I only got a teeny bit done on Eleonora's Box.

I'll keep working on it today.

I may have to take a break and work on Friesland or the Quaker Sewing bag.  This is the motif I want to finish today on Friesland.

I won a sweet little kit on Ebay.

 It has black aida in it but I want to work it on black linen.  I went looking to see if I had any black linen but haven't found any so far.  I have a couple of other places to look.  I was reminded that I have a lot of linen.  I never feel like I do but when you go digging and digging you find that you have amassed far more than you realized.  I know I have a small piece of black linen somewhere.
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Monday

As usual for a Monday, I've done my walking and the bathrooms are clean.  I'm pretty sick of Eleonora's Box.  But I know I'm close to finishing it out.  I started on the last (!) side.  I need to get some more done on that today.  I have read parts of the directions several times and hadn't found dimensions for cutting the cardboard.  But yesterday I happen to notice that the designer did include the estimated sizes to cut.  Yeah!  That will make things easier when it comes time to put this sucker together.  Will I be glad to get this done?  You betcha!

I totally finished that ribbon around Friesland.  I did it while watching Downton Abbey.  I've found that I associate what I'm watching on TV with what I am stitching at the time.  So when I go back to Friesland, I'll remind me of Downton Abbey.  Weird.

I put a few stitches in the Quaker Sewing Bag/box. The colors are way off in this photo.  The linen is star sapphire - really.

 It goes so slowly, but it will be a masterpiece when done.  At least that's what I keep telling myself.
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Not Quite

I am not quite done with the back of Eleonora's Box.  There are two more plants to complete.  So I'm very very close.

I got the "A" done on the great-niece-to-be name.  Only one more to go.

I have been working on the ribbon border on Friesland and wondering if it would match up when I got all the way around.  And the answer is YES!  Whew, I was glad about that.  It will make putting in all the other motifs easier to begin.

The kid across the street is building a snowman.  The snow is very heavy and I am watching to see if he can get it piled up.

He did pretty well.
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