I ended up stitching a little more on "This is the Day" last night. I think Titania will have to be neglected for a little longer.

Today I worked on Quaker Christmas. I got a few small motifs finished.

Well, this is going to be a short post. I'm making dinner again (I actually ended up making pork chops last time, so this time I really am making meatloaf). Write soon! :)



P.S. To see before and after pics go to my right sidebar where it says "Current Wips" - let your mouse hover over the design name and then you can click on the arrow to see the pictures for that design.

Quaker Christmas

I worked on Quaker Christmas some today. I got two motifs finished.

.
Before


After

I also worked on HoHRH a little bit last night. I'm really trying to finish up block three before the end of March. I'm running out of time! :) I didn't really stitch enough for a progress pic. Just filled in some of the windows. I will either get back to it or work on "This is the Day" a little bit. Write later! :)

Quaker Christmas Wednesday

I got just a little more stitched on QC yesterday. I finally got to stitch a little yellow! That was a thrill - let me tell ya! :)

Before

After - 40 ct. Vintage Examplar, Belle Soie silks Cranberry, Collard Greens and Butterscotch.

I was planning on starting Primitive Needle's "ABC Hornbook" today since I finished "Simply Live" last week, but I haven't gotten the fabric for it yet from Silkweaver. So I was thinking of starting Primitive Needle's "Earth Sampler" instead.

I'm thinking of going with this 40 ct. linen I dyed a while ago. It sort of looks like the linen that they used for the model. Well, nothing else going on here - just hanging out with Matthew. He's being such a good boy, maybe he'll even let mommy stitch today?? :) Write later!

A Little More Quaker Christmas

I didn't get a lot of stitching done yesterday. I spent most of the day cleaning. I would have rather been stitching, but I had a ton of clutter built up and it was so good to get rid of it. Now I can stitch with clear mind. Thank you to everyone for your feedback on before and after pics. Everyone said they liked them, so I'll keep doing them! Here's my latest progress on on "Quaker Christmas."

Before

After - 40 ct. Vintage Examplar, Belle Soie silks Cranberry and Collard Greens.

The pictures look so different because it was overcast on the day that I took the first picture and it's sunny today.

I also got a little paypal money, so I got a small package from Down Sunshine Lane. I got the fabric (30 ct. Old Mill Java by R&R) for Blackbird Designs "Keepsake Box and Pinkeep."

I also got this sweet little chart, "Love Letters" by With Thy Needle & Thread. I pulled some fabric and the DMC. The fabric is 29 ct. Natural Glenshee.

I'm so amazed at the response I've gotten so far for the drawing. Thank you everyone for your very, very kind comments! I appreciate them all! :)

Quaker Virtues SAL

I got out QV yesterday and worked on it some. I put it away though because I'm just not sure about the colors.

40 ct. Ivory (with a little tan rit dye) Ricamo, Crescent Colours Wild Berries and Weeping Willow.

I got out Quaker Christmas and worked on that some because I know I love these colors...

40 ct. Vintage Examplar, Belle Soie silks - Cranberry, Collard Greens and Butterscotch

My problem is not seeing it completely stitched in the colors I picked out. I'm such a copier that I usually go with colors that is recommended by the designer or that I have seen someone else use, which is what I did with Quaker Christmas. I copied Merumo's colors. Anyway, I may just work on Quaker Christmas for the SAL (hope that's ok girls) and try to get it finished up and think about Quaker Virtues later. That's so Scarlet O'Hara of me I know! She was the queen of justification and worrying about it another day! :) Write soon!

Quaker Christmas and a New Start!

Here's my progress on Quaker Christmas. I finished up one large motif and a few smaller motifs.

Stitched on 40 ct. Vintage Examplar using one strand of Belle Soie silk.

I also decided to start LHN's "Herbal Tea" yesterday. I needed a break from the 40 ct! :)

Stitched on 32 ct. Vintage Examplar using two strands of Belle Soie silk.

I didn't get a lot done, but I am liking it! Well, not much going on here. The boys are being good playing their game and Matthew is sleeping. I'm planning on taking them to Blackbeard's Cove later to let them run around a little bit and have some fun. Write later!

edited to add: The Belle Soie silk colors I'm using in Quaker Christmas is Cranberry, Collard Greens, and Butterscotch.

Ahh... Vacation!

It was so nice to wake up after 8:00 am today and not have to go anywhere! What luxury! This is what I've been doing today while the kids play.

Stitching, listening to my book and drinking coffee! :) I've been working on Quaker Christmas some. I hope to get at least one motif finished up today.

We found several cute places to rent. We're going to look inside some of them on Friday. Hopefully we find one that we like. I'm getting excited! Thank you to everyone for your kind comments on Sampler Lady! Write later!

Quaker Christmas

Ok, I've tweaked my rotation. I've decided to devote two days to bigger projects (Quaker Christmas and SoHRH) and one day to smaller projects (Garden Girl, Sweet Treats and Hanky Pysanky). We'll see how this goes. I'm so bad at sticking to a rotation! No matter how hard I try, the screaming rotation usually wins out. So today is day one of working on Quaker Christmas for this week.

I got two motifs finished up and now my eyes have had enough of 40 ct., so I may work on something else or just rest. I'm still not 100%, but I'm getting there. Thank you all for your very kind comments and well wishes! Write later! :)

Even Badder!

I was stitching away on Quaker Christmas and my eyes were getting really tired. I wanted to keep stitching, but all my current projects are either on 40 ct. or on black, so I decided to start Little House Needleworks "Brave Hearts."

I found a piece of 32 ct. Examplar big enough, so I decided to go with that. I'm using two strands of Belle Soie over two. Here's another little progress pic of Quaker Christmas. I got just a little bit more done before I got too tired.

Thank you all for your very kind comments yesterday. It makes feel glad to know there are others out there who understand me and my nerdiness! :) My family just shakes their heads! Write later!

So Bad!

I couldn't resist! I started Quaker Christmas last night. I decided to go with the 40 ct. Vintage Examplar and I'm loving it so far! :)

I had to make a fob to match - I'm such a nerd! LOL! :) The silk is Cranberry by Belle Soie. Well, Matthew is fussing, so I'll write later!

Please Don't Look Too Close!

Ok, here is some of my class piece. I took the idea from some of the ladies in class to put a piece of felt on the bottom and attach the fabric to the felt. Then attach the scissor holder to the bottom instead of the lid. Well, I did this, but it's not right. It's uneven and I hate that I'm such a perfectionist, which is why I don't finish anything. Which is why I just stitch and stitch because I can get the needle through holes, that is mathematical and structured and ususally comes out ok and if not it's easy to fix. Ok, anyway, I'll stop blathering...



And here's the little pin cushion that I'm still working on. I know the joining stitch isn't right, but I think I'm leaving it. It's joined - it looks ok to me. :)



I know it's so silly, but I have zero confidence in my finishing skills. I guess it just takes practice - lots of it!

Anyway, I decided on a different fabric for my Quaker Christmas. I think I've decided to go with Vintage Meadow Rue by Lakeside Linens. I've got a cut of 36 ct. that I bought for something else and I'm trying to decide if I want to just use that or get a new piece for this in maybe 40 ct.?? Here's a pic with the Vintage Meadow Rue...

Oh I also got a couple patterns yesterday that I had ordered a few weeks ago...

"Poinsettias and Pines" by Blue Ribbon Designs

I already had the silks from before and the fabric, 40 ct. Elegant Bean, was leftover from my abandoned "And They Sinned" - it was a perfect cut for this piece. I was so excited about that!

I also got "Prairie Sampler" by Little House Needleworks. The silk I had too. I'm going to go through my stash for a fabric later...

Speaking of LHN have you all seen this?? It's called "Brave Hearts" and it's a Little House Needlework pattern that's going to be released at the end of November! It's gorgeous! I told Mary Kathryn to put me down for one and a few silks I would be needing for it. After that I'm going on a serious stash diet - well, until Christmas that is! LOL! :) Write later!

It works!!

I shook it really hard and it started working! Don't ask! :)

First up! Susan from Afford Your Passions sent me a box last friday. I, like Vonna, was going to tear into, but then turned it over and saw this....

I was very intrigued and everyone in my class on Friday told me to just open it, but I didn't. I wanted to wait. Susan even said she would've opened it if it were her! :)

So today was the day! After I got the brown paper off there was a beautiful pink box. I love pink and boxes, so that was a treat on it's own!

Here's what was in the box...

A note explaining about November 13th being World Kindness day, which I didn't know, and her birthday. She wanted to give gifts on her birthday. How amazingly kind is that? I am humbled to have received such a wonderful present. Also included a very sweet Little House Needleworks ornament, card, and chocolate! Thank you again Susan! :) I will treasure it always!

And now that my camera is working I can share some other things! I started "Frappucino" by LHN after I finished Curly Q. I decided to try two strands of silk just to see what it would be like and I love it! The fabric I'm using is 32 ct. Vintage Examplar.

I also decided to milk my birthday a little further and placed an order with Elegant Stitch a few days after my birthday (got 20% off!!). I ordered the new "A Quaker Christmas" by ByGone Stitches. After seeing Merumo's stitched with Belle Soie silks in Cranberry, I knew it was a must have! :) I had originally ordered Vintage Basketweave, but Lois thought it was too dark and I trusted her, so she sent something lighter, Light Examplar by Lakeside Linens. When I got it I thought it was too light and ended up getting Mockingbird by R&R at my LNS (Silk Road Needlearts), which is very close to the Basketweave. I figured I can just use the Light Examplar for something else. Anyway, here's a pic...

I'm going to try to work on my class piece a little more. I think I know what I'm going to do now, so I don't have to glue. I'll write more tomorrow! :)