The Peacock's Feather

Vacation is Here!

What I might be doing for the next few weeks (but I make no promises)...

Although there is still the list (now down to three books left to finish, which may or may not happen at this point), I am really itching to start something new.  So, I think I am definitely going to read Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey.  I'll probably start Mary Elizabeth Bradden's Lady Audley's Secret and I'd like very much to squeeze in Sarah Bower's The Needle in the Blood, too.  Then there is Ada Leverson's The Little Ottleys, but I have a feeling I won't manage quite so many. 

Since I'll have lots of chunks of free time I'd love to work on some needlework projects.  I had hoped to finish my Toccata before the end of the year.  It would be great to make some progress on my reproduction sampler, Ann Kirby--so many strawberries to stitch on that border (it is quite large, though, so I am sure I'll be working on it for a very long time!).  I also have wanted to start working on a bookish design by Little House Needleworks called The Bookshelf.  I had thought of making author substitutions and choosing some of my own favorites, but I'll have to see how creative I'm feeling.  And then there is the problem of narrowing the list down to a very few. 

I have one more afternoon of shopping to get through (and fingers crossed the last couple of things I'm waiting for in the mail will arrive soon).  I might have to bake a batch or two of cookies (peanut butter blossoms and pecan sandies).  And I have lots of presents to wrap. 

I hope to go to a restaurant or two, will probably hit the library at least once.  I hope I can find some good movies to watch.  I might drag myself up to the gym on campus a few times.  No doubt I'll spend a little time daydreaming (I'm really good at that when the list I make includes things like dusting and laundry!).  Mostly I suspect I'll be very lazy!  As long as I have a book in hand I should have a very good break (and boy do I need it!).

I'm Still Here...

I'm still here everyone.  I have been a terrible blogger this summer, haven't I?!  And everyone has so kindly still been dropping by and leaving comments anyway.  Thank You!  I have been reading your blogs via bloglines, but I admit I have been an even worse commenter.  I usually read posts from the bloglines window and don't usually click outside.  As for why I have been so bad?  I blame most of it on the weather.  I know I am not the only one in this situation--horribly hot and humid temperatures!  My home computer sits in an un-airconditioned room.  I live in an old house and the upstairs gets quite warm.  We only have three (yes, three) ducts to get cold (or hot in the winter) air upstairs, though there are five rooms!  I try and keep the windows closed, the sun out and the computer turned off for as much time as I can, as my computer room is one of the "no duct" rooms.  I just can't bear to sit in there when it gets so warm and stuffy (and not doing anything more than moving the mouse I sit perspiring in my chair).  I have been stitching, however.  I have been concentrating on Blackbird's "The Quaker Garden".  I am nearly finished--hopefully I can get in those last stitches this weekend.  I will do my best to take a photo to share something new here!  I am hoping cooler weather is not too far off, though the coming week is going to be full of days in the triple digits.  Even on days when it is only 85, with 90% humidity, it is horrible!  Okay, enough complaining!  I hope to be back posting regularly again soon!

Paypal?

Today I pulled out a gift that I am working on to stitch, so I am afraid I have no updated photos to share.  I need to get going on my obligation stitching once again as I don't want to be racing at the end trying to finish things!  The one I am working on is for a November 24th birthday, so I have just over a month to get it done.  I need to make a list of other gifts I need to get finished.  Three birthday gifts and two Christmas ornaments!  Exchanges are fun, but sometimes a tad bit stessful as well.

Does anyone know anything about Paypal?  I have used it with my credit card in the past.  In order to receive money on Paypal what do you have to do?  I am, as I mentioned recently, thinking about weeding my stash.  I am trying to figure out the easiest way to sell items and get the money for them.  As this is meant to be a stash reduction sort of thing I don't really want to do exchanges (as that is sort of defeating the reduction part of this equation).  I haven't even gone through my stash and I wonder how easily I will be able to part with anything.  I was thinking about a few of my pricier kits, but I need to sort through things.  And of course that calls for some free time....Lately I don't seem to have much of that!

Drooling.....

Have you been watching Vero's Blog as she posts photos from The PCB Exhibition that recently took place?  I have been, and I am drooling over such lovely needlework pieces!  There are more photos here as well!  Lucky French stitchers!! I would love to see something like that up close and personal.  I am not sure which are my favorites so far, but I have to say that I might just be talked into joining a Round Robin again if I could end up with one that looks like the RRs that the ladies stitched with Prairie Schooler designs.  Oo La La!  I have been in several round robins with fairly good luck.  The problem of course if someone drops out and they have your RR....well, things don't always run so smoothly.  But I have to say the ones I have seen here are absolutely gorgeous!  It of course inspires me to stitch and stitch and stitch!

Punchneedle or Emboidery Anyone?

Today I went to the library in search of books on embroidery.  No need to worry--I am not planning on stopping cross stitching.  But I do admit that I have been watching Vero's progress on her "Rose Cottage" project and  am absolutely entranced by her lovely work!  I am not sure I could even do that type of freehand style embroidery (and all those french knots!), but I was hoping to find a book that at least had something similar.  Alas, I found many books on embroidery, but nothing in that class!  All the books seemed quite dated and not at all in the style that I would be interested in attempting.  Does anyone know where you can find books or magazines (or do they sell charts?) that are as elegant as you see on Vero's blog?   I have a feeling that she has gotten her projects from somewhere in France or possibly Australia.  I hope to go to the bookstore this weekend, so I will be able to at least look at magazines.  I know they carry a few foreign needlework ones.

I did come away with this book on punchneedle.  Is there anyone who does punchneedle?  This is something I have thought of attempting on and off for some time now.  Although I don't really care for the designs in this book, it looks like it gives good instructions on how to do it and the materials you need to have.  I know there are several (maybe more than I think) cross stitch designers who are also releasing punchneedle charts, plus there are always patterns in Create and Decorate magazine.  I think I can easily buy the hook (or whatever you call the "needle" that is used) from Nordic Needle.  It is just a matter of pricing out how much it would cost and then choosing one design to try.  I suspect that I will always prefer cross stitch to other types of needlework, but it can be fun to try other techniques as well. 

2006 Goals

There are only a few more hours here until the New Year arrives.  In my other blog I was able to look back over 2005 and see what I had accomplished bookwise.  I hate to think back to my goal list that I set earlier in the year for my needlework!  I probably didn't finish a single thing from it!  However, if you take a peek at my Picturetrail Album and look in the 2005 album, you will see quite a few things stitched and finished.  I think the majority of projects were for exchanges or gifts, but there are a few in there that were for me.  I did manage to finish Peace by Birds of a Feather, which was a medium size project, and some smaller scissor cases, which I was quite pleased to make!

As for 2006, I plan on working on larger projects.  I will join in a few exchanges, and of course there will be gifts here and there, but by and large I want to work on samplers for my house.  I know I keep saying this, and eventually I will believe myself--I need to concentrate on what I have in my stash rather than coninuing to add to it.  Well, I at least want to try and be "better" about not doing that!  So without further ado, here is my goal list:

• Historic Stitches: John Foster (nearly finished--I plan on getting it framed and hang it in my living room--the sooner the better!)
• Carriage House Samplings: The Houses of Hawk Run Hollow (this one was on the list last time, too!)
• Carriage House Samplings: Dainty Housewren (nearly finished--this will be made into a pillow)
• Chatelaine Mystery IX: The King's Vegetable Garden (a French Garden--the first part has just been posted to the Yahoo Group--yay)
• Sarah Tatum (she is all ready to go!)
• Drawn Thread: Toccata #1
• SAL: Prairie Schooler: Prairie Year
• SAL: Bent Creek: Walking in a Winter Snapperland

Those are the biggies!  I also want to finish the Victoria Sampler freebie angel - Serena, work on class pieces (finish the Indigo Rose Armchair Pinkeep, My Beekeeper, and the new VS class that I will be taking this month called Peaches and Cream pincushion), and do the finishing on a few little straggling projects.

I have a secondary list:

• Marquoir de Justine
• Just Nan: Silkwood
• Victoria Sampler: Heirloom Homecoming
• Au Fil de Reves (I have three of Sylvie's kits!)
• Little House Needleworks (too many things kitted up to list--something from that stash!)
• Various other "smalls" like pincushions by CHS or Good Huswife that are kitted up, and This Too Shall Pass II pinkeep--I have plenty in this area to choose from!
• Something from my UFO pile (right now I am leaning towards BC - Snappers, and PS - Summer Sampler)

Am I asking too much?  Probably.  But even if I only complete a couple of large projects and some small ones, I will be very happy!  I completed more this year than any other year that I have been stitching, which made me feel like I had really achieved something--even if it wasn't from my original goal list!

On that happy note, I am off to print out part 1 of Martina's new Mystery!  I wish everyone a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year!!!

Punchneedle, Anyone?

Okay, so who out there does punchneedle?  Over the weekend I picked up the current issue of Create and Decorate, and there are about four different punchneedle designs.  I have also noticed more than a few designers also have charts specifically for punchneedle.  I know nothing about it really.  But I thought this mitten was really darling and I wouldn't mind making it!

I really like this little crow as well. I was wondering what you do with a punchneedle project once you have completed it.  With cross stitch there are endless (it seems) ways to finish something small, and something large can be framed.  Punchneedle designs seem much smaller than a hooked rug or penny rug, but this looks really nice mounted and framed.  So now I need to do a little investigating.  There must be a website with information on this, and I know I have seen books on it in the Nordic Needle catalog (which I think I will be digging out later tonight).  I anyone has any experiences with this type of needlework--good, bad or otherwise--If would love to hear about it!

Needlework Goodies

Yesterday I went to a craft fair and I had to share two things I broke down and bought.  The lady who made these is at this craft fair every year and I admire her work every time I look.  I have never bought anything as I always think I know I can do that, but I never find time to try either primitive stitchery or penny rugs (though I have kits/supplies to try my hand at both).  So I decided to go ahead and buy this pillow and penny rug.  I was very good, as these plus a little ornament that I plan on including with an exchange, were my only purchases!  Maybe this will give me inspiration to try these types of needlework as well!

My Goal List Revisited

Since it is already half way through 2005, I thought now would be a good time to look at my goal list and see what I have accomplished so far.  In terms of finished projects--there isn't much really.  I finished three projects for exchanges (a Valentine's Day mailart, a Valentine's Day cushion, and a Friendship themed cushion), The Little Bunny by Bent Creek, and Peace by BOAF, which was actually a UFO for a very long time!!  Pretty slim pickings for finished work, I'm afraid!

As for my WIPs: 

Historic Stitches: more than half way finished (just have to stitch the house in the middle and the bottom left side motifs)--I plan on finishing this one sooner rather than later.  CHS: Houses of Hawk Run Hollows--I want to stitch at least six of the squares.  That will be half the chart.  I have not stitched on this one for ages, however.  CHS: Dainty Housewren--I should be able to finish this one soon--it is just a matter of getting time to work on it!  Blackbird Designs: Greetings--haven't done anything on this one in ages, but it is a Christmas design, and I have not been in the mood!  Needle's Content: Another one that I have not had time to work on.  I am not sure what I will be able to finish on this one by the end of the year.  I have a feeling I won't finish it, though.  LHN: The Bookshelf--barely started this one, but I hope to work on it more once I finish John Foster.  The other two projects are in my current rotation (as well as John Foster)--This Too Shall Pass, and IR: Catherine's Arm Chair Pincushion.  I want to definitely finish both of these and do all the sewing on them as well! 

I am not sure really that I have made all that much progress.  I have sort of fizzled on some of my earlier projects, but I hope to get a few things completed.  As for my monthly projects I have let my Chatelaine Mystery Sampler I fall by the wayside.  I am still working on May  for my BC Snappers!

At this point I am not sure if I will start anything new.  I have a list of six charts that I had wanted to stitch in addition to all this.  I may only start a new BOAF project at this point.  I do plan on hopefully stitching and finishing a couple more accessories this year, though (JN And Many More needle case, and a needleroll and possibly the Hillside Samplings Strawberry project).  I have some freebies that I have ready to go, waiting for some free time.  And I have a couple more exchanges later in the summer/fall. 

It always amazes me how some stitchers can complete as many projects as they do, and many times these a *large* projects!!  How do they do it?  I guess that instead of being online I should be stitching, eh!!

I will have to take another look at my goal list in a few more months--I hope I will have progressed considerably!! 

Country Sampler Quilt Store...

Oh...I know...I am so bad.  Today I went with my sister to a local quilt shop.  I picked up a couple of fat quarters of fabric to finish my Friendship exchange project.  But after seeing and buying a primitive stitchery work at a craft fair last weekend, I want to try it myself now.  The quilt store carries some primitive stitchery patterns as well as patterns and kits for penny rugs.  I found a small variety of all this.  I tried to keep it small, but I still managed to pick up several patterns and a kit.  I bought the base fabric for one pattern, but I will rummage around my own floss and fabric bin for the rest of the supplies.  The first pattern I will "try" has some fabric cut into shapes fused onto the base fabric.  It calls for tea dying, but they do theirs after all the stitching.  I have never tea dyed fabric--either before or after stitching, so I will have to ask about this process!  Of course first things first...I plan on stitching away at my exchange project tonight while watching a movie.  I hope to get it nearly finished!!  I can then do the "finishing" on it this week or next weekend.  That is the plan anyway!!