Knocking

I'm back to working on the door of the Painted Lady Sewing Case.  I made a few errors on how tall the columns were beside the doors so I had to go back and frog a bit.  Now they are fixed and I am moving on. I think I am about two-thirds done with this.  The other pages of the needlebook only have words and a simple border so they will go fast.  I'd like to finish the needlebook front today.

I found out that our guild is having Barbara Jackson teach two classes in April.  I was thinking of taking her classes at Celebrations but the guild classes will be sooner, closer and less expensive.  I had such a bad experience last time I took a class that I swore I would never drive over there again.  But now I am tempted.
How can I resist another class for something that I like?  We'll see.

Dylan was delighted to make smoothies yesterday and we both loved the pizza.  He was so sweet, he wanted to share the chocolates I gave him for Valentine's Day with his parents.  What a nice kid.

I bought issue 2 of Sampler and Antique Needlework Quarterly on ebay and got it in the mail yesterday.  I was hoping that the issue contained the chart and directions for the Berlin work shoe pictured on the front.  Alas, no.  Rats.  I will probably put it back on ebay.  The article was about Berlin work and quoted CaroleAnne Wells from Dallas.  I think that is CA Wells.
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Ta-Dah!

I am so happy to show you two finishes that I did yesterday.  First up is the Thimble Nest from the Rose Trellis kit.  I actually messed this up by putting the top edge down but it looks fine and I'm not going to worry about it.

Next up is the goofing-around butterfly.  I took one of the Cabinet of Curiosity designs or was it the Needlework Nibble?  Anyway, I did it my way and tried out some colors and stitches and threads.  Then I tried to finish it according to the directions - sort of.  I just can't use that foam for the inside so I cut up some Warm & Natural batting and basted all the pieces together.  Then I wanted the gathered ribbon look edge.  But I did it in a way that worked for me.  Just gathering ribbon and hand sewing it to the edge didn't work out so well last time.  And just flat ribbon doesn't look as interesting.  So I took a cue from the beads I just made and used a quarter inch strip of paper and a long piece of the backing silk.  I whipped stitched the silk around the paper strip then scrunched it up to look gathered.  I ladder stitched it to the edge.  I like the stability that the paper gave it.

When I was all done, I realized that it would be harder to stick pins in the edge with the paper there.  But this pin cushion is more for decoration than actually using.
Here are my butterflies all together.  The white one is the Needlework Nibble.

I'm going out to see Dylan soon.  We will finally be able to make smoothies and have pizza today.  I have a little valentine heart with candy in it for him.
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Thimble Nest

I finished the stitching on the Rose Trellis Thimble Nest.  Yeah!  It doesn't look too hard to finish off.  I like how it turned out.

I have to confess that I didn't draw on the little arcs of vine and just made it up as I went along.  There is only one vine that I wish were a bit more curved but it will do.  It is so interesting to see how colors change due to what color is next to them.  The darker coral color of the flower is in the border but it looks to be a rust color next to the brown and gold.

Next up is the pin keep.

I got the door done on the Painted Lady Sewing Case needlebook.  It is coming along.  Yes, it is easier second time around.  Although I am just working it by looking at the front.  I probably should read the directions too.  Famous last words.

I've been waiting and watching Amy Mitten's site for the posting of the Needleworker's Pocketbook Tutorial.  Yesterday afternoon it was posted!  I love the little thread cutter and ruler that go with this.  Amy Mitten is really talented and inventive.  I really want to take this so I signed up for it.  It looks like it doesn't start until the end of May.  So I have signed up for two Amy Mitten tutorials and two Jackie DuPlessis classes.  That ought to hold me for a while.
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Inching Along

I feel like I am going slowly but at least there has been some progress.  I am working on the needlebook for the Painted Lady Sewing Case.  Since I have already done the door once, it is easier this time around.  I think it will be very cute when it is done.  I was afraid that I couldn't fit it onto the piece of congress cloth but it will just fit.

I worked on the thimble holder for the Rose Trellis kit.  It is a bit more challenging since it is on 40 count.  I can't wait to get to the pretty part - the flowers.  I am very close.

We had a sub at pilates this morning.  She had us do too many planks.  I hate planks.  So I came home and finished off a bag of Chex Mix.  I'm very bad.
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Inside Front

I am almost done with the inside front of the Painted Lady Sewing Case.

It went fast since there isn't that much stitching.  It is more or less a border for the needlebook that will go in the middle of this page.  I love the needlebook as the front of it is the door pattern.  I am trying a couple of new things with the inside.  First I changed the stitch to a straight stitch and then I changed the color it is done in to the lovely light blue instead of the dingy light green.  Big improvement!    You can see the comparison to the front.

I want to work on the needlebook next.  I probably should just go on to the inside back but that is boring.

I finished the little purse front.  I worked hard and am happy with the result.  Then I realized that I have to stitch it all over again for the back.  I may change a couple of things just to make it interesting.   I think I want to make the scissors a bit darker so they show up more.  But I don't want to do them in "walnut" like the pattern recommends.   Maybe I'll try to change the color of the flowers too.  Purple?

Here are photos of the back yard with all the branches covered in snow.  It really looks gorgeous outside today.  We got at least 4 inches of snow according to DH who shoveled the driveway.  Luckily I was able to get to exercise today which is good since I was feeling guilty about going out to eat last night.
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And Now for Something Completely Different

I have been itching to cross stitch.  The Painted Lady Sewing Case is needlepoint and some of the other stuff I've been working on is embroidery.  So I picked up one of Country Stitches little purse charts.  I was too lazy to go find the overdyed floss so I just grabbed some silks leftover from a three different Drawn Thread projects.  The linen is 40 count and I am getting very used to it now.  I used to think, how can people work on 40 count?  Now it doesn't seem any different than other linen.  I like how it is turning out.  I have another one of the little purses stitched but not finished.

I bought a couple of the little Russell Stover hearts boxes of chocolates.  One is for Dylan, and one for the Country Stitches heart design that just came out.  It has the same lady with scissors on it.

I also picked up the Cabinet of Curiosities butterfly design that I have been playing around with.  I finished off the stitching.  Now it needs to be finished off into a mattress shaped pin keep.  I like how this one turned out as it is more "me".

We are expecting a bit more snow today.  The estimates range from 1 to 4 inches.  So who knows?  The bad part is that it starts with sleet.  Ugh.

I'm going to work a bit on Painted Lady today.  I'll show you my progress tomorrow.
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Trying Out

Could I let that Rose Trellis kit just sit idly by?  No I had to check it out.  I wanted to try out the linen and then try some non-overdyed linen.  The trellis is made using linen thread that is the same color as the linen.  When I tried it on the kit linen it looked okay.  Sometimes over-dyed linen is wrinkly and doesn't look nice.  But I think this linen will be fine when it is ironed.  So I am going to use the kit linen.

The second photo is my regular linen.  It looks nice and even and smooth.

I went out to see Dylan yesterday.  We still couldn't make smoothies or have pizza as there are too many other people in the room that we would disrupt.  So I'm hoping next week we can get back to Mondays when we have the room to ourselves.  We were able to make the hand lotion and package it up for his sister's birthday.

I finished stitching the main part of the scissors case for Cabinet of Curiosities.  I pulled out the waste canvas to see what it looked like.

Last night, my decision was to pitch it. I have to look at it again today and reassess.  It looks so amateurish and it has glaring mistakes in it.  It is not worth finishing.  I got a big laugh from a blog where the lady actually burned her stitching.  Set it on fire.  I know the feeling.

I'm trying to decide on what retreats to go to this year.  I'm already signed up for Spring Fling in April.  I'm watching the classes for Celebrations and my BFF is signed up for Dyeing to Stitch's retreat in October.  Other retreats in the mix are the New England Stitcher's retreat and The Attic in November.   I was going to stay home this year!
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