Ornaments!

In the last week or so, I've had a chance to fully finish a couple of ornaments.  These were all stitched this. year and pinned to my quilting design wall to remind me to do the finishing. Typically, I make my own cording and sew it on.  This time I tried chenille and glued it on. Time will tell if that was a smart move or not but for now, I'm happy that they're fully finished!

Woodland Wish by Blue Ribbon Designs

Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue

Called for Threads and possibly the called for linen in 40 count

Little Red Barn by Little House Needleworks

Called for Threads

Called for Fabric in 36 Count

Be Merry by Chessie and Me

Called for threads

Called for fabric 36 count

Here are all of them together!  I'm happy to know that my stitching tree will have new ornaments for this year.  Last year was a dud!  

 Happy stitches!

Focus!

I picked up Scottish Sampler from the framer and thought I'd share it with you.  This was definitely not one of my favorite stitches due to a linen issue but it certainly is a pretty sampler now that it is done.  I don't have it on the wall yet so I threw it on a stand to take the picture.

Close up of the frame.

I've been meaning to share this Chessie and Me book box now that it is fully finished.  She has designed a series of them and they're all so cute.  This one is called Tudor Rose Stitch book.  The cardboard book box was painted with acrylic paint from Michaels (it's about $2) bottle and then the placed where I didn't need to place glue were waxed.  

This simple pin cushion is filled with graduated sizes of cotton quilt batting.  I was concerned it would not lay flat but placing something on top while it dried solved that problem.  It's still nicely glued down.

Inside there is a pair of scissors with a scissor fob.

On the other side of the fob I stitched my initials and the name of our EGA guild.  The finishing of this box was taught by our EGA member Linda F.  She did a great job of explaining each step!  As far as finishing stitching goes, this was a simple finish.

My New Years start was the Heritage Sampler by Paulette Stewart.  I saw her FlossTube video prior to the release of the chart and I was hooked.  It was wonderful having the background on the design.  I have been SUPER focused on this project and I have the outside border completed.  The bottom inside section is entirely over 1 and that took a lot of time.  I'm stitching this on 36 count Vintage Meadow Rue (called for linen) and the called for over - dyed cotton floss.

What are you focusing on this month?  Hoping you have a great week and a Happy Valentines Day!

More Finishes?

I've pulled out a project started long, long, ago when I was a fairly new stitcher.  Teresa and I traveled to The Attic Needlework in January 2011 for A Primitive Gathering and this was one of the projects from Linda of Chessie and Me.  The project is called Needlebook of Stitches.  We assembled the cover in class and made the cording.  We did a little bit of stitching as well.

The inside is really a sampler of stitches.

The linen is stitched onto wool.

The back cover has some cording with which a pair of scissors can be tied.  The front cover can be used to store spare needles.  When I got home, I finished almost all the stitching except for some of the nunn stitches on the border of the "pages".  This finished really quickly when I pulled it out and realized I was pretty close to a finish.  It's not my best work but it's a project that reflects my journey as a stitcher and I'm very ok with that!

 

Today, I actually turned on the sewing machine and used it!  I made a grime guard using the tutorial from The Left Handed Stitcher.  Here is also a great tutorial from Tonya at Tonya Stitches if you only have a fat quarter of fabric.  I've learned a couple of things to improve on my next time around but for now, this is good.  You can also see my new start - Heaven and Nature Sing from Kathy Barrick.  This has been fun to stitch.  I'm using NPI and 40 count Lakeside Linen Vintage Pecan Butter.

Last week and the end of the week before was all about Hurricane Irma and prep and then cleanup.  We are high and dry/not in an evacuation zone so we stayed.  It was a 5 days of prep/waiting and then several days of cleanup.  I was outwardly fairly calm but I had a headache for 5 days.  Here is a video from the hospital where my son works.  The entire city has felt the impacts in one way or another.   I've heard from many of you checking to see if we are ok.  I so much appreciate that!   

Hoping you have plenty of time with needle and thread this week and wishing you happy stitches!