Happy Mail Part 2

 I've been wanting to see what an issue of Guiliana Ricama magazine has in it.  I was able to or an issue from The French Needle and it it came this past week.

Cathy Boyd talks about this kind of embroidery. I'll have to read about it.

There is quite a diversity of needlework techniques in the magazine.

I like this heart.

There are step by step explanations of techniques like button making.

I decided Santa would like to give me a subscription to this magazine.  They send out two magazines at a time to save on postage. There are many more projects in a magazine than are shown here.

Happy weekend!

A

Happy Mail Part1

 I got some happy mail the other day.  It is another Inspirations kit. But there is a story behind it. I went on a Casket tour around England and Scotland in 2015. On the day the tour ended I was having breakfast in our London hotel and happen to sit across the table from another person on the tour.  It was Victoria Laine. Come to find out she is a needlework designer. I was telling her how I was afraid of screwing up my mini casket. She had already designed and made a casket all on her own. She was so positive and encouraging.  She told me to "Just do it". I came home with her positive energy and actually finished my mini casket.

I have since taken off the top and sides and put them back on about three times trying to do a better job each time. 

Then I went on another tour last year, the Queen to Queen tour. I had the most fabulous time. Victoria and her friend Susan were on that tour too. She is so much more than a needlework designer. I wish I had a photo of her coat. It's unbelievable. She spun her own yarn, dyed it, and knitted it into a coat! She is one of the finest stitchers ever.  Many of her designs have been in Inspirations magazine. Blackworks, sweet bag, Alexander the bug. She can do anything.  That is not to mention that she is one of the nicest people I have ever met-and so positive. In the latest Inspirations magazine is "Castle Keep" designed by Victoria. I absolutely mast make one of her designs. So I ordered the kit.

The project is small and sweet.  There are a lot of different threads.

It is special because it is designed by a wonderful person and friend.

A

Christmas Decorating

 These are stitched pieces I did a while ago and put up every Christmas. Well, not every Christmas. Last year I didn't do anything so I'm happy to be able to do more this year.  I love being home instead of the hospital.

Here are my decorations:

My Santa stays out all year.

I got some nifty happy mail. I'll show you starting tomorrow.

A

Huswif Progress

 I've made some good progress on the huswif. This is the third section. There is a pocket flap after this. 

I made fudge this morning. Yum! There is some to give away and some to eat.

I put up my Christmas stitching for the season. I'll show you tomorrow. I have a bit of chemo this afternoon.

A

Of a Tuesday

 I got the latest Vikki Clayton solid colors assortment in the mail. Beautiful colors and they look great on my quilt.

I am going to stitch a little Pikachu figure for my granddaughter and the yellows might be good for that.

I started section number 4 on the Limonera Pear. It looks more blue than I wanted. There are eyelets using a sparkly thread that was in the kit. Three of the pear sections use the same blackwork pattern.

Same pattern, different colors.

A

Next!

 I did it! I finished that stupid blue queen stitched flower. Done.

Where I started.

Not so bad, I guess.  Molly, what I really need before stitching something difficult is a pina colada!

I still need to do the next two (easy!) bands to make it the right size for the casket side.

I started the next band. It will go way faster than the queens band. 

A

@#$% Flower

 I should have told you the title of the sampler I want to use for part of my casket.

I think I ordered these from Germany.  I have a couple of their other charts as well.

I have three quarters of this last flower made of queen stitches done.  Don't look too close. This flower is a mess.

I will finish this #$%^ flower today. I will.  I absolutely will.

A