First Framed Piece and Quilting Peek

I picked up the first piece I've had framed from the framers a week or so ago.

Close up of the frame. The fabric color is more accurate here than in the picture above.

Here is a peek of my 2010 $5 quilt in the process of assembly. I'm at the point now where I have hours of thread clipping and ironing in front of me. I decided I'm done with this for the weekend. Anyone who knows me, knows I hate to iron.

Here's a quick pic I took of Cody. He hates getting his picture taken. A second before he was sitting up pretty, looking right at me. A second after this picture, he'd taken off.

I'll most likely be taking a blog break. I started my new job this week and I have to give a presentation in Texas the week of the 14th. A one hour presentation on a topic on which I knew nothing about on the 1st. The yet to be created presentation I can handle, the questions I'm not sure about. So I'll probably have some late nights this week and possibly spend some time in the office over the weekend. While I won't be posting myself, I'll continue to read your blogs. I'm always so inspired by you! Happy stitches!

New Start!

I had indicated I was going to hopefully start a new project while on vacation. As I finished up HallowEden early in the week we were gone, I not only was able to start a new project but I finished the first block shortly after I returned home.

Anniversaries of the Heart

by Blackbird Designs

36 Count Lakeside Linen Vintage Light Examplar

Called for threads (substituted Light Khaki for the thread in the windows)

I do wish I'd used a 40 count fabric in retrospect. You'll notice that I haven't added the personalization as yet. I need to review the entire project and plan out what I'm going to do. I'm now well into the February block - border done and into building the house. I'm really enjoying this project. I think this block is the fastest I've ever stitched anything. I don't have this kind of time to devote to stitching, quilting, or knitting while I'm working or frankly when we're at home. There is just too much else that needs to be done. I appreciate the time I had to get to a good start but recognize that things will be very slow going from this point on.

I spent today cutting out some sashing and cornerstones for my $5 Quilt. I might be able to spend some time tomorrow laying out the blocks and possibly sewing together some of the rows. We'll see how it goes.

I've been watching Extreme Couponing. Wow! I can't see the need to stockpile so much but I'd certainly like to save some money on groceries. Does anyone out there done this successfully long term?

Wishing you all Happy Stitches!

Rested

Greg and I just got back from our annual "No Tech" vacation at my parents cabin in the NE Georgia Mountains. By no tech I mean no internet or cable services - only NBC on the tv. It was a gray and cold week. We loved every second of it! Plenty of time to stitch, read, watch movies and just be together without distraction. The temperatures were about 30 degrees less than what we are experiencing here in Florida. Yep, the loooong hot summer has started. Not my favorite time of year.

I took some knitting and my sewing machine. The sewing machine didn't see the light of day. I did knit a bit but stitching and reading captured my interest. I finished Hallow Eden. What a joy it was to stitch! I also started a new project but don't have pictures as yet.

Hallow Eden by Plum Street Samplers

Called for threads

40 Count Purely Primitive Newcastle

Here is a close up of the snake. Oddly enough, my favorite part of this project is those little stars one of which you can see a bit further up. The use of muted color with the bright bits really seem to catch my eye.

So it's back to work tomorrow. Exciting news for me in that area - on June 1st I'll be starting a new position with the same employer in another division. I'm very excited about it! Lots of new things to learn, little to no travel, and while it started as a lateral move it's ended up being a promotion.

I have lots of blog reading to still catch up on and I hope to do that today and tomorrow. I'm not feeling overly inspired to do much today. I hope everyone has a great Sunday and that your stitches are happy!

Hodge Podge

This post has a little bit of everything in it. I apologize in advance for the pictures - it wasn't a good day for natural light at the hour I had my camera out.

Here is my latest Stitchers Garden block. Not my favorite of the bunch. I was supposed to use the fringe foot and sew in some fringe into the center of the flower heads. I'm not a fringe kind of girl so I omitted it.

After finishing the Age of Brass and Steam I started another shawl. This is yarn purchased at Stitches South 2010 along with a pattern I found there as well. This is only the 2nd project I've used my Stitches South purchases for. I think I bought 19 skeins of yarn. Not a good success rate! This shawl is on my goal list for the year. I'm not sure I'll end up giving it to my mom as planned. I'm using a lighter weight yarn and it may end up being neckerchief sized.

I like the short color pattern in the yarn. Hopefully you can see it below. It's just a couple of inches before you transition into another color. I'm not a fan of color pooling like you get with longer sections of color.

I was so very pleasantly surprised yesterday when a box came in the mail for me. I knew I had not ordered anything. I saw the name and I kind of started getting a feeling that I knew what it was. Sharon at Daffycat is doing a random RAK and she picked me this month!!! Is this little guy adorable? If you're not familiar with Sharon, not only is she a bea-u-tiful stitcher, she is an amazing finisher. I didn't get a good picture of the pins but she made those as well. Thank you Sharon! I'm still smiling!

I just realized that I never thanked Tonya for sending me this bag. I saw her video on installing a zipper in a coin purse. She can crank these things out in minutes - about 10 to be exact. I'm not sure I could get a needle threaded in that time. Tonya sent me one and it's beautifully stitched. Thank you Tonya!

I forgot to get a picture of my stitching project. I'm thinking of starting another project - a big one. We'll see if that happens before I talk about it. You know how quickly things can change!

I hope everyone is having a good week. Happy Stitches to you all!

I Still Knit!

When I started this blog, it was a knitting blog.  Since then, I've branched out into quilting and then stitching.  I don't knit as much as I used to knit but I still do.  Here's the evidence:

Details

Pattern:  The Age of Brass and Steam

Needles:  Size 9

Yarn:  Cascade Rustic, Colorway 12, 2 Hanks (13 grams were left)

Modifications:  1 extra repeat of both the stockinette and garter pattern

There was a lot of dye discharge in the rinse water when I was preparing the shawl for blocking.  I didn't think to throw some vinegar in there to stop the bleeding.  I'll have to do that next time around.  Other than that, the yarn blocked well.

You may remember but this is the project that I was halfway finished and decided to start it again as I'd messed up the pattern.  I didn't mind starting again and am actually quite happy that I did.

Now it's time to think about what's next!  Wishing you all Happy Stitches!