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?

A Little Update

I'm still here, but I'm afraid I've not had as much stitching time as I would like--isn't that always the case?  So, sorry I've not been sharing any updates, but I've not had much to share.  I did finally get in a little stitching time this weekend and I decided to pull out a few UFO's from my stash bins.  I don't have much to finish on Just Nan's "Summer Spell" which I started several years ago!  I've finished the letters and just have a few flowers and vines to finish.  It seemed to be a good choice since the official start of summer is just around the corner.  I have the frame for this and hope to have it finished by next weekend.

I don't recall when I started stitching this--earlier this year, but as it is sitting close at hand and there isn't much to finish, I should really just get those last stitches in.  It is "Britty Christmas Kitty" by Brittercup Designs.  I'm not sure which JCS ornament issue it is from.  I'm not sure how I'll finish it--not necessarily as an ornament--we'll see.  I am not usually a fan of over-one stitching, but this one has gone fairly smoothly so far.

And for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday I have Ewe & Eye & Friends' "Liberty House".  This is on a high count of linen, so more small stitches.  I expect I put it aside for that reason (small stitches!) and no doubt the holiday had passed so I lost interest.  We'll see if I can put in a few more stitches.

I hope everyone is well--your comments in my last post (oh so long ago) are really much appreciated even if I have been a really terrible blogger of late!

Happy summer everyone!

This & That -- Updates

I've been meaning to do a bit of an update all weekend, but here it is Sunday night and the weekend is all but over and now I need to get things ready for work, so this will be a quickie!  I've put in a few more stitches on my BOAF design though haven't used many new colors.  I'm still not sure how I feel about it, and now I've discovered I counted wrong!  I have one too many stitches in her dress lengthwise.  I am putting this one aside for the moment in favor of something else that is working better for me.

 

I had also made a mistake in my "Rain, Rain" design by Prairie Schooler, but I frogged the incorrect color and went back and restitched the wrong letters, so now I am back on track.  So she is coming along nicely and I think I'll try and concentrate on finishing this little design.  I'm in need of some instant gratification, I think.

 

I'm not sure what the weather is like where you are, but it has Already turned hot where I am.  Over 90 degrees today and it's still only May.  This is August weather.  I hate extreme temperatures and someday I dream of living somewhere where the temps are more moderate year round.  In any case, since it is practically summer and already feels like it, maybe it is time to work on my little Just Nan whimzie design that I started, oh, how many years ago now?  This might just be my instant gratification, though there are all those color changes!  I even have the little frame for it. 

And I'm still working away on my Mystery Sampler by Blackbird Designs, but there wasn't  much new to share there.  Maybe later this week?  Once again I am finding it hard to fit in stitching time and even harder for blogging time (both writing here and leaving comments on other needlework blogs).  I am, however, at least reading posts and feeling envious of everyone else's work as I keep things straight via Google Reader. If I can't stitch and blog, at least I can live vicariously through everyone else.