The Peacock's Feather

Cupcakes Anyone?

Okay, this has nothing to do with stitching, but I bought it yesterday and the recipes look yummy!  I hope to try one of them out this weekend.  I know this lady has out cake books along the same lines, but I have never bought any of them.  I guess since lately I have been making muffins, and there are muffin recipes in here as well, I was tempted to buy it!

As for stitching, well...just more of the same I am afraid.  I am nearing the end of my exchange project--YAY.  I have a solid area to fill in and then backstitching.  I hope to do that today sometime (though I have errands to run and then a birthday party later), and then finishing tomorrow.  I need to look for some extra little goodies to add to the package.  I found a cute little chart, so now maybe some candy or something.  It is a shame not to have any sort of local stitching shop.  I only have Michaels and they have a small supply of stitching things!!  But I will see what I can come up with.  I chose a chart that was something like 84 stitches by 84!  I guess I always hope to make up in size what I lack in finishing skills!!  I have another exchange coming up.  I chose a nice simple little ornament with maybe 50 by 60 stitches or so.  It should go much more quickly I hope!  Before I start that one though, I want to pick up my own projects again!!

Almost finished...

Yes...I am still working on my exchange project, so I have nothing new to share.  I really wish I could get in more stitching time.  I am contemplating taking off work on Monday to try and get caught up with things.  I pulled out my Just Nan Twenty Flowers scissor case, which has been laying beside my bed--unfinished.  I have it partially sewn.  I have the lining in and am getting ready to sew the case closed (two sides and bottom), but I am afraid the lining is going to gape out.  I was told the cording should hide this.  Anyway, I have been "studying" the instructions for a while now--I need to "do" it!  I must say the instructions are wonderful--lots of photos.  That is exactly what I need for all my finishing!!  I want a book like that--that covers all sorts of accessories!

New Little House Needlework Charts...

Today as I was checking out my favorite online needlework stores I discovered new charts by Little House Needleworks.  I really like both of them!  She designs such sweet little samplers that they are hard for me to pass up!  The nice thing is that they are less expensive than many new designs and they use plain old (cheap) DMC, and the occasional overdyed floss.  I can't wait now to get started on The Bookshelf!  As soon as I finish my Friendship project--I am going to put in my first stitches.  I have also been thinking of starting a needlework accessory.  I have been looking at too many online photo albums and I see so many lovely little pincushions and needlecases, etc.  I am thinking of starting This Too Shall Pass.  I have been "studying" the instructions, and I think I might be able to handle it!!  But first things first--I have to finish my exchange project...

Coffee Samplers

Last week I mentioned that I had some coffee themed samplers that I have "waiting in the wings".  It is funny as I am not a coffee drinker (unless you count the occasional cappucino--with lots of whipped cream), but it smells wonderful when it is brewing.  I have a couple of charts by Little House Needleworks in my stash that I would like to stitch.  "Spot of Coffee" is one of them.  I don't have this one kitted up yet.  It is cool as the reverse chart gives a slightly different design for tea lovers!

"Ye Olde Coffee House" appeared in the June 2004 issue of Just Cross Stitch.  This one I have all kitted up and I actually took it on vacation planning to stitch it last summer.  Unfortunately I didn't get to this one.  I really would like to stitch this design.  I love colonial style designs and both of these coffee charts are favorites.  I like just about anything by LHN and I can't wait to start "The Bookshelf".  I have yet to stitch any of her charts, though I have a growing number of them.  They sort of remind me of Prairie Schooler, so maybe that is my attraction, though they definitely have their own feel to them! 

Too Little Stitching Time...

I didn't get in much stitching time this weekend.  So my plan of finishing my exchange project flew out the window.  I will be stitching away on it this week, that is for sure as we are due to mail out on Monday.  I did get the fabric I am using for the finishing part. 

Saturday I had wanted to stitch on it in the evening, but when I came home from doing errands I thought I should "straighten up a bit".  Well, that turned out to be an all out cleaning fest.  My piles of books in my bedroom were looking rather colossal, so I had to organize and take some down to my "book room".  Of course then I had to organize those.  Then I moved on to the rather large pile of stitching charts and other ephemera that had collected on my side of the bed.  So that was next.  By the time I got around to popping in a movie, I was beat and didn't get much accomplished on my project. 

I am making progress, so I will just have to keep stitching a bit each night.  I always tend to pick slightly larger designs rather than smaller ones, so I have only myself to blame!!  But I am enjoying stitching on it, and that is what counts I figure! 

While I was putting charts away, I took a little peek at my stash box and pulled out Kitty Cat Row by Bent Creek.  I would have to order a piece of fabric for it as I am sure I have nothing in that size in my stash, but I might have most of the overdyed floss.  I also found a hand me down chart by Shepherds Bush that a friend gave me after she finished with it.  It is for a needleroll of a Halloween design.  I was thinking that might be fun, but I would have to completely kit it up.  At least it just calls for DMC, and I think there are two bead colors.  I am just in the thinking stages for those, however. First things first!!

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!!

Prairie Schooler!!

Prairie Schooler has been one of my favorite designers from the very first!  I have a fairly nice collection of her charts, but like everyone else I wish I had more of the out of print charts as well as the freebies.  It always amazes me how much PS charts can sell for on Ebay!  Who can afford those prices??  Today I discovered a new bulletin board devoted entirely to Prairie Schooler.  I think it is a newly formed board and there are not a whole lot of members yet, but I think it will be a fun place to visit daily.  I have already been by there several times today!  And...hmmm...it has made me want to look through those charts...The picture of the one I posted is a favorite.  I love all the samplers (especially any garden related themes), and the village scenes.  I have finished and framed one of the Garden Samplers.  Plus I have several more started that are in bins that so much time has passed I can't even think of them as WIPs.  I guess they have long been UFOs.  Maybe I should look and see what I started but never finished (though in most cases most likely just never got too far).  I think I have one that is an Autumn Sampler.  I certainly don't need any new projects, but it is always nice to go back and rediscover old favorites!

2005 Stitching Goals Updated

It is not too far into the year, but I thought I should realistically look at my goals and really think about what I am going to be able to accomplish.  In my Birthday Buddies group we are having a Needlework Challenge and we have a list of goals (which are the same basically that I have here--only the top section actually), which I also went in and updated.  I had planned to really pare things down, but I think I only removed about three projects I had wanted to stitch.  So here goes:

My WIPs:

CHS: Dainty Housewren (I really should be able to finish this one--including adding all the beads and sewing it into a pillow!)

CHS: The Houses of  Hawk Run Hollow (I am only on house #3--realistically I think that if I can finish half the houses on this one by the end of the year, I will be happy--so a total of six houses/squares)

Blackbird Designs: Greetings (a Christmas-y design I will pick up later in the year again)

Bent Creek Snappers (I am more or less keeping up though I need to get going on April)

Chatelaine Designs: Mystery Sampler I (I am way behind on this one--there is one more instalment. I am still on #2, but I hope to get all the other parts stitched as well by the end of the year)

Historic Stitches: John Foster ( I am working away on this one--I hope to finish it in a month or so)

Needle's Content: Spanish Geometrical Sampler (I haven't been stitching on this one too much lately--while I finish my exchange project--but I will get going on it again soon)

Waiting in the Wings:

Little House Needleworks: The Bookshelf (very soon to be started!!), Americana, and any of the coffee themed samplers (I hope to finish the first two for sure, the coffee one would be a bonus)

Elizabeth's Garden: Trudy's Flower

Lizzie Kate: My Secret Garden (I have wanted to stitch this one for a long time)

Drawn Thread: Toccata 1 (I would really love to stitch this one this year---maybe...)

BOAF: My Betrothed

Needlework Smalls:

Just Nan: And Many More (companion needlecase to Twenty Flowers Scissor case--already stitched)

This Too Shall Pass I - Scissor Case

A needleroll (any design)

Elegant Stitch Class: My Bee Keeper

Elegant Stitch Class: Catherine's Armchair Pin Keep

Freebies:

Bent Creek: All You Need is Love

Bent Creek: Buzzz

Barrick Samplers: Five Birds

Brightneedle: Primitive Alphabet

Sheepish Designs: Baby Alphabet

CHS: Pins & Needles

Things to Finish or Frame:

Just Nan: Twenty Flowers Scissor Case (partially finished)

Bent Creek: Little Bunny (fob)

BOAF: Bloom Where You're Planted (frame)

Bent Creek: Freedom (pillow)

BOAF: Remember Me (frame)

Okay, so my list is rather larger than smaller.  However some things are already stitched and I just need to finish them in some way, and I added some freebies to the list, all of which are on the very small side.  Stitching them will depend on what fabric and floss I have in my stash.  I also added a few smaller accessories to the list.  I really, really have wanted to work on my finishing skills, so I need to get some of those going.  I also signed up for the two online classes that Elegant Stitch is offering at the moment.  I do admit on those two that that is a financial splurge, but that is as close as I will come to taking any sort of class (or a vacation this summer for that matter), so I am going for it.  We'll see how much I will accomplish of all this!!

A Few More Stitches

Okay, not a whole lot accomplished since last time on this one, but I have gotten a few more stitches in.  The only part of this I have not enjoyed are the flower-y, puffy things in the flower pots.  I am working on the second one now on the left side.  The flowers have all been great, but for some reason I can't follow the pattern well on those other little floral stems.  So I will be happy to get those all finished.  I can't decide whether to complete the entire left side, or to move down to the bottom right and work on one of the trees that sits next to the house.  It would be a nice little change.  Decisions, decisions...

It's Calling Me...

Well, I have decided that this is going to be my next project.  I was watching Annemiek stitch this and saw her updates on her blog so I think I won't be able to wait much longer!!   I plan at least on finishing my exchange project first.  But this one is all ready to go!!  I just finished reading books by Austen, and two of the Brontes, so maybe that is part of my fixation!  Even if I already have plenty to stitch on, at least this is on my 2005 Goal List!!