The Peacock's Feather

Finally a Few Updates

I was holding off posting here until I had finished my Prairie Schooler "February Sampler", but as I am still working on it, I thought I had better just share  my progress before January slips away entirely.  I still want to try and finish this before next month, and I am getting close.  I only need to finish filling in the snow/white under the houses and add a bit of backstitching.  Almost done!

All that white fill in was getting tedious, so I pulled out my poor "Mystery Sampler" by Blackbird Designs.  It has been untouched for months and months.  I wasn't looking forward to those eyelet stitches for the grapes, but I need to just knuckle down and do them.  I don't like how  my eyelets look, but I think once they are done they'll be okay.  There was no explanation on the chart about how the eyelets are to be done or how many plies of floss, so I have been using two--not sure that is right, but the smyrnas called for two plies, so I decided to keep it all uniform.  I'm ready to move on to section three, so I am stitching away on this one now. 

And after seeing Susan's gorgeous finish, I was thinking Hillside Sampling's "Strawberry Fields" might be my 2012 project.  My long term project that is.  I accomplished very little last year and hope to do better this year.  We'll see, so it's best not to make too many plans or assume I'll whip this design out quickly, since I expect it will take me months to finish.

Here's  my little start.  It looks like a challenging project, so I hope I can stick it out and do it on my own!

Almost There...

I'm hoping to finish this before the end of the week!  I've only a few more motifs to add and then on to the white fill in.  It will be a perfect mindless task for when I am watching movies.  And then it'll be time to pull out another project to focus on.  I certainly have plenty to choose from, but something small would be nice--instant gratification of I can finish early in 2012 and get going in the new year.  I hope I'll be able to stitch more then and complete more projects as I only finished a paltry few this year!

Happy Holidays!

Warmest holiday wishes everyone!  I had sincerely hoped I might be posting more this month but December somehow flew by!  I am now on vacation from work for a week so I am hoping I can get in a bit more stitching time in between family festivities.  I am nearing the end of my "February" sampler, so I will share it as soon as I get all that snow filled in!

Have a great holiday--however you celebrate!

Almost Finished: February!

I seem to be posting all of about once monthly here, so now that it is December I guess I need to share a little progress!  I am almost finished with my PS "February" sampler.  I've actually stitched a tiny bit more but I am too lazy to take a proper photo.  Maybe this weekend I can share another update (Shocking!  Two posts in one month?).  I'm not looking forward to all the filling in of white, but it'll be the last bit I need to do.

And a little close up of the bottom.  Doesn't the little brown guy look a little bit like a frog?  I need to fill in his eyes and mouth and then he'll look more like the ground hog he is!  He'll be holding a flag by the way.

Ooh, and look what I recently started: another Prairie Schooler design--"The Tortoise and the Hare".  When I get tired of filling in white stitches for snow I can come back to some lovely green letters and motifs and think of warmer days.  It has officially snowed (a plowable snow) where I live.  We didn't get much but it was enough to cause problems and as someone who walks and takes the bus to work I had to deal with lots of un-shoveled sidewalks this morning.  I'm hoping for a little warmth and sunshine this week to help melt it away.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Quickie Update

Sorry, I've all but disappeared lately!  I wish I had more to show for my time away, but I do have a little progress to share.  I really like stitching this, and wish I had a nice chunk of time to spend on it, but as usual can just squeeze in moments here and there.  Still, I am making progress, even if it is slow progress.

And a little close up.  I've been lucky as the weather here has been really gorgeous, but I think it is finally going to come to an end (sad to say).  I guess this will be an appropriate project to work on as the days get shorter and the nights longer.  I still would love to finish this by Christmas.  I think I might be able to manage it and think I will try and at least stitch one letter every night. 

By the way--even though I seem to be absent from here a lot lately, I do thank you for each and every comment I get.  They are much appreciated and I do check in behind the scenes daily to see if anyone has dropped by even though I am a very poor blogger of late!

Happy Stitching All!

Lo, How a Rose Sampler Update

As I have had several questions about this Lo, How a Rose sampler I thought I'd mention exactly which book it is found in.  If you're interested in stitching it as well, the book is out of print, but there are inexpensive used copies available from Amazon.  Look for: Better Homes and Gardens: A Cross Stitch Christmas.  The ISBN is: 069621363x.  It's nice for once to be able to share a sampler where the chart is still available!

Here's the section I have been working on.  The colorful words are stitched first and now the rest is more or less stitched in a color called London Fog--so lots of variations on grey!  It's quite pretty, though, with lots of little motifs to add it dashes of color.  Hopefully I'll be working on it more this weekend.

Finally Back to Stitching!

If only summer could be as nice as the last few days have been!  It has finally been nice enough for me to want to pick up my stitching again that I managed to get most of the middle section finished and add a few motifs to the bottom area.  I'm dreading filling in the bottom with white, but I am so happy to be near the end I think maybe I won't mind so much.

Here's a close up of the middle.  I will also need to do a little backstitching, but nothing too extensive.  This would have been perfect to work on in the heat since it is a snowy scene--I hate to think cold weather is only around the corner, but I plan on enjoying the nice, cool fall weather as much as possible.

On the spur of the moment I decided I wanted to start something new and happened to pick up this sampler which I had kitted up ages ago.  It is from a Better Homes and Garden Christmas book.  I'm using Antique White linen and overdyed floss.  

I'm not sure if I am just in a stitching mood or if I like the feel of my materials and the type of designs I'll be stitching, but I think this is going to be a very enjoyable design to work on.  The verse is from a German Christmas carol that was translated into English.  I've seen this one finished by other stitchers and think it's a very elegant design.  I'm hoping I can finish it by Christmas!

Chart Lust

 

Isn't this nice?  I want it, of course.  No matter that I have yet to finish any of the other Hawk Run designs, but maybe this will give me inspiration to pull out one of my UFOs to work on it while thinking about buying this one?

My mom recently visited my sister in Virginia where there is a wonderful little needlework store.  I gave her a list of charts I would be interested in having if they had any on hand.  She brought back two Prairie Schooler designs that I'd been eyeing--"Tortoise and the Hare" and "September", which I look forward to stitching at some point.  Now that the weather has cooled off somewhat (still warm and sticky, but much improved) I hope to get back to stitching very soon--I'm getting itchy fingers!

Too Hot to Stitch!

Sorry there've been no updates here.  June was very warm, but July has been downright miserable.  I live in an old house, which means even with air conditioning it can be pretty toasty inside.  Days in the 90s with  high humidity means it can be completely oppressive, so I've not been tempted to pick up a needle and sit with a piece of linen on my lap.  Maybe this weekend as the last couple of days have been slightly cooler and cloudy, so it's not quite so warm.  Not sure about you, but I am very ready for August!

Rose Quaker Sampler - First Stitches

It's really way too hot to stitch right now, but I broke down anyway and recently ordered "Rose Quaker" Sampler by Stickideen von der Wiehenburg and the supplies to start stitching.  I've been lusting after this for quite a while now.

Here's my very large cut of linen.  I didn't think about how bit it would ultimately be, but this will be a Long Term project I guess.  It is a soft white color (don't remember exactly which) in 30 count.  I will be stitching it with DMC colors.

And here are a very few first stitches.  Two and a half motifs finished out of....loads.  I have stitched a little more than is shown here, but it has been so hot and humid and my house so warm that I haven't really felt much like working on any of my projects and having a piece of linen sitting on my lap.  I'll try and finish the partially stitched motifs and maybe add one of the letters (there is also an alphabet scattered about).

So, a small start, but something new to look at!