Sampler September Week 1

I'm doing my own version of Sampler September this year.  I believe it was started a few years ago on IG but thought I'd post about it here too.  I'm defining this for me as a sampler of my WIPs.  I've pulled 20ish WIPs and hope to give each of them a day's worth of stitching.  Most are samplers, but not all and there are several teaching pieces included.  I may not make significant progress, in fact I won't, but I do hope that it will reignite the spark for the project.  

I'm only showing after photos as adding before photos would make this too photo heavy I think.

Up first was When Thou Art Rich by HATS.  I was at a spot - an entire row of queen stitches on a linen that was a similar color to the thread - where I was mentally blocked on this one.  I picked it up and something just clicked! I finished the row of queen stitches (which was only about 25% done) and started the satin stitch row below.  I'll definitely be coming back to this one soon.

Hannah Hammond by Gigi R was up next.  I was definitely not enjoying this last time I put this one away. I can't say that I love her now but we are in a better place.   Not a bad outcome.

This is a teaching piece by Jane Timmers of Fancy Work called Liberty Little Sewing Box.  This is for a class this fall.  There will be smalls and a box from LeHays that will be finished.  Super cute.

Mary Barres came out.  Hard to see but I completed the ghost alphabet and started that bottom motif.  She's a big girl and will therefore be a long term project.

Tocatta 1 by the Drawn Thread has not been touched in YEARS.  Why?  I have no idea!  It's so close to being completed except for the hem stitching which I've never done before.  This was, I believe, the very first SAL project of my stitching guild.

I started block 10 of Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow.  The black box outline was already stitched, I do that before I put it away.  Everything else was stitched on its day of stitching which was a weekend day.  Closing in on the home stretch on this one too.

I'd call week 1 a success!  If I focused, I could realistically finish 3 of these before year end.  Will that happen?  Probably not.  That's ok though!  

I hope you're having a great week and that all your stitches are happy ones!

Fancy Work!

Last weekend, my EGA Chapter hosted a class with Jane Timmers of Fancy Work.  The class taken was Shakespeare's Garden Sweet Bag.  It's a delightful bag.  I'd love to show you my project, however, I worked on practice linen during class.  That was a smart move as I learned several techniques and stitches that I haven't used before and really needed to practice the stitches.

Our class was 2 days, the first was focused on the speciality stitches and the stitching of the bag.  The second day was focused on finishing techniques.  I was delighted to learn we would be making tassels!  I'd made cording before so that part of the class was a needed refresher.  We won't discuss the Christmas ornament I've had sitting for 3 years just waiting for cording .  It might now also get a tassel!   Here is my tassel in progress.  It looks a hot mess but it all worked out.

Here are my two finished tassels that are connected to cording!   Isn't that cool?!  I was very enthusiastic about learning this technique.  Thankfully one person in class, Carol, shared my excitement.  We were both tickled pink!  My husband also showed proper interest and respect in this new skill of mine.  He thought it was amazingly awesome (well, he didn't exactly use those words but I know he meant to).   You can read more about the class and see some of Jane's exceedingly beautiful designs at our EGA blog which can be found here.   Lots of pictures over there!  Jane was a fantastic teacher and I love the project.  Win all around!

After coming home, I felt this urge.  This urge to work on the needle book from Ellen Chester's A Lady's Work Boxe.  I've stitched on it all week long.  Every day - which is very unusual for me since I work and many nights just don't have the mental capacity.  I've made good progress for me.  I actually didn't mind the over 1 stitching - let me just say, that shocked me.  I think I might even like it a bit!  And this is 36 count!

I'm absolutely thrilled to be stitching and sewing again.  It feels good and it doesn't feel forced.  Next week is going to be busy as we have family coming in at the end of the week from out west and still need to do some prep work for that visit.  I'll be sure to have the needle in hand a couple of nights though.  I'm looking forward to it!