The Peacock's Feather

State Fair Material?

Over the weekend I ordered supplies to stitch this sampler, "Pink Hill Manor", by Blackbird Designs.  I've owned the chart for about a year and am in the mood now to stitch it.  I've also got an ulterior motive as I have decided to enter some of my recent needlework projects into the State Fair.  I've never entered my work into any sort of competition, and haven't a clue whether anything I do would be good enough to win anything, but it sounds like it could be fun and might even provide motivation to me to make better progress on my work.

To that end, I need to decide what I want to enter.  The work has to be something completed within the last three years.  And it has to be something that I think might actually have a chance of catching a judges eye.  Do you remember my "Mystery Sampler"?  It is also a Blackbird Design and I am more than halfway finished with the stitching.  I think the last two sections would go fast if I could just get past this more labor intensive (lots of filling in of stitches) middle part.  Once it is sewn together and framed I think it would be a pretty striking piece.

This biscornu would be easy to finish, and maybe fairly quick to stitch.  The designer is Just Nan and it's called "When Barnabee Met Bella".  Barnabee and Bella at bees and they are recurring 'characters' in a series of needlework designs by Just Nan (I've got a number of them by the way).  This is one of my favorite ways to finish a design, though it might have to go into a "miscellaneous" category.

And there is a sampler category, in which this would fit nicely.  However, it is only perhaps a third of the way finished.  The State Fair is in late August, which means I don't have a lot of time and should really concentrate on just one project (or one project and the little pincushion).  

How to choose?  If you were a judge, which would you be most impressed with?  Has anyone entered needlework into your local state fair?  Any suggestions or advice?

The Work Continues

It's amazing how trying to add just a letter a day will speed progress along.  Which is what I've been trying to do--at a letter or row here and there.  I'm itching to spend some time stitching this weekend--hopefully I can make time for it, as stitching time seems to be hard to come by on weekends lately. 

By the way, are you on Pinterest?  I am.  You can visit me here.  If you tell me your username or give me your link, I'll follow you--have just recently discovered it and find it hugely addicting!

Working on . . .

As much as I liked working on something small, like my last finish, I'm happy to get back to my Lo, How a Rose Sampler that has sat untouched for far too long.  I have several WiPs that really do need some attention, but this has been th emost enjoyable and easy to stitch on.  So, I've pulled it back out and have been trying to add a letter a day at the very least.  Once I get this right hand side of the sampler filled in, I think it is going to fly by--at least I hope so!

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.