The Peacock's Feather

A New Little Start

I started this little project last weekend.  I haven't got much stitched yet, but you can see a little progress on the beehive.  I plan on stitching two of the little squares--the beehive and butterfly.  I had thought of finishing this as a little fob, but I may try my hand at making one of those matress pin keeps.  Someone made one for my birthday, so I am able to see how it is constructed.  I think I may just be able to manage something small like this.  Now that it is warmer out, I am in the mood for spring motifs!

Quaker Garden Update

I took a few update photos over the weekend of projects, so that I have something to share finally.  Sorry the color is so off on this--the fabric looks horrible, but I had to take the photo late at night--so no natural light.  I have actually stitched a bit more, but you can see where I am at more or less anyway.  I am trying not to neglect it too long, as I hate to let this become yet one more UFO.  It is very enjoyable to stitch once I get going on it.  I have also been working on the next birthday gift, which will need to be mailed out in just a couple of weeks!  I have been trying to juggle back and forth, but eventually I will have to concentrate on the gift, so I can get it done in time.  Hopefully I can stitch often enough, so I can start taking regular update photos of my WIPs.  Slow and steady is okay, as long as I continue to make some sort of progress!   

My Latest Finish

Finally I have a photo to share with you!  This is what I made for a lady in my stitching group who celebrated a birthday earlier this month.  It was for the birthday exchange I am in. I decided to stitch Just Nan's "Garden Maze" and finished it as a biscornu.   I also took part of the design and made it into a little fob.  I am pleased with how they turned out.  I have to say that biscornus are now just about my favorite accessory to fiish!

Many thanks for all the advice on selling stash!  I am still a little bit undecided.  I think I will start with going through my chart bin, and pulling out the charts that I am very unlikely of stitching.  I think I will just create a page here on my blog and list them that way to start with.  I don't think I will get rid of anything out of print or hard to come by at present.  It would probably be good to try and sell on eBay if I did that, but I am afraid of the hassle!  I don't want to start listing anything until I have decided whether to just sell, or to trade, and what I would want to trade for.  I am trying to get rid of stuff, not get more, so I am not sure about trading.  I also don't want to start this until I know I am ready to be going to the post office and mailing out envelopes!  I will let you know, though, when I have a list of charts I hope to get rid of!

By the way, I think I might have talked myself out of ordering the anniversary design that Martina is going to be offering--the sweete bag.  It is truly tempting, but as long as I stay away from her website, I might be able to keep talking myself out of it.  I have to remind myself....am getting RID of stash, not adding to it!!!

One other side note--as usual I am running behind.  I have loads of emails that I need to go through and answer.  If you emailed me, I will get back to you--very sorry as usual for my tardiness!!  For some reason it is either my email or my blog that suffers, and this month it seems to be both!

Stash Reduction?

Maybe it is spring.  Or maybe I am just feeling claustrophobic.  I haven't been stitching very much this year, and that probably has a lot to do with it as well.  But I am contemplating seriously reducing the stash I own.  I have bought very few things this year, and they are charts or kits that I will likely hang on to or that I would like to stitch this year.  I have quite a lot of stash, however.  More than I can possibly stitch in a lifetime and I feel like I need to get rid of it, so it does not feel so overwhelming to me.  I have bins in my closet, bins under my bed, bins in my computer room.  Books on shelves...stuff everywhere.  I am not likely to get rid of books or fabric.  I will definitely keep the harder to find things--like all my old Prairie Schooler charts and other hard to find designers or favorites.  But there are loads of odds and ends and charts that are really nice, but I bet I will never get around to stitching. 

Do other stitchers go through these phases?  I don't want to give away things I will later regret.  I do think that I have too much, though.  If you have gotten rid of stash, how do you do it?  I hate to give to the Goodwill and completely lose out on good money that I paid for things.  I don't think I want to take the time and effort to try and sell on eBay.  It sounds like that can be a lot of work, though maybe I should consider it.  Does anyone sell on eBay?  I could list stash on a bulletin board or maybe just list it here on my blog.  Any ideas or suggestions?  I don't plan on doing this right away, but I need to give it a little thought.  Thanks in advance for any help. 

More New Stash

I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately.  I meant to share this photo last time I posted, as it is more new stash.  I received Tocccata #3 and the supplies for my birthday.  As the weather had been pretty horrible, we only got around to celebrating a week ago, so I finally got my gifts.  I am quite pleased to have this!  I finally finished the motif with the Queen Stitches on Toccata #1 last night.  I also moved on to the next motif.  It felt good to work on it again, and had I had more time I would have stitched more.  I don't take this one to work with me as I am afraid of it getting all mashed and crumpled in my bookbag, so I just leave it nice and flat at home and work on it sporadically here.

I have gotten behind in my stitching again.  I have been reading a lot lately.  This time I was finishing Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace.  I started reading it with a group last July, but then I fizzled out and only got the first 500 pages read.  I decided I needed to just concentrate on it now and finish it (which was about 850 more pages). I have spent most of this month on it, and finally I finished it tonight.  I literally spent all my extra time reading it--including what normally would have been my stitching time.  I plan on working on some less challenging books for a while now!  I did thoroughly enjoy War and Peace, though.  It is just such an epic read that you really need to devote serious reading time to it!

Now I need to think about what to make for a lady in my stitching group whose birthday is next month.  I always find it so difficult choosing what to stitch.  This seems to be what takes me forever!  I will need to decide soon, though I think I have a good idea.  I will need to order a few supplies however.  While I am waiting I will get back to work on Toccata I think!

New Stash

I have been very good this year by not buying very much stash.  I feel like I am at a point where I just have too much.  Considering I have been stitching less this year than in past years, it is probably good that I slow down on the new stash acquisitions.   I really need to go through my charts and weed!  There are a few designers that I like so well that I will usually buy all their designs, however.  Prairie Schooler is one of those designers I really like.  I try and buy all her charts as once they go out of print, it is amazing how expensive they become!  So, I had to get her newest designs.  I really like them, though I am not sure whether I prefer these samplers, or her older style (honestly--probably her older style).  I do like those little bee skeps!  I think I will have to make a little fob or two!

A Few Queen Stitches

Here are my queen stitches.  Although it is a tad bit hard to see them, you can at least get an idea.  I am pretty happy with how they are turning out.  I have a bit more to stitch on them and then will be ready for my next motif!

Here is my progress so far on Toccata #1.  I plan on moving over to the left border next and working my way down those motifs.  The trick will be to see if I can get everything to meet up okay.  I am glad I am back on track with this project as I would hate for it to end up on the UFO pile!  I hope to also stitch #2 and #3 this year as well.  Did I hear she has one more Toccata planned?  I am thinking she was going to do a blackwork design as well--or am I making that up?  I wonder if there is any chance of it being released this year?  Of course maybe I am being overly optimistic thinking that I could get them all done!  Still--I have managed those queen stitches! 

I have conquered the Queen Stitch!

Good news!  Not only have I finally got the birthday gift I was working on in the mail (yay--though I am very late!), but I finally worked on Toccata #1 last night!!  This is the first time in probably two weeks that I have stitched on one of my own projects!  I had left off on the motif that calls for the Queen Stitch.  I had gotten about three of them put in and decided they were too hard and gave up.  Last night I had only planned on stitching a few to use up my piece of floss and then move on to a new motif, but all of a sudden I just "got it".  It started making sense and they actually look pretty good!  I didn't finish the motif, as I am still slow in making them, but I got most of it done.  I might just be able to finish it tonight.  I will share a photo, but I am not sure how close up I can get to the stitch without making the photo look blurry.  I am working on the bottom border, but I think I will move back up to the left side and work on that, and then work my way across the bottom from left to right.  It seems like most stitches are worked that way and I am afraid of making a counting mistake coming from the opposite side.  It feels pretty good to master a stitch that I was thoroughly dreading!

Just When I Thought It Was Safe

Just when I thought I had my stash spending well under control--look what Martina (Chatelaine Designs) has gone off and done.  This is her 10th Anniversary design.  It is an Elizabethan sweete bag.  I love sweete bags and want to stitch one (a really authentic one, not just a little plain sweet bag, which I have done before).  I will have to ponder this one.  I told myself no more really big (and expensive) projects as I have PLENTY of things on hand and kitted up (including a few former Chatelaine Designs I have never finished!).  Is anyone planning on joining in on this year long project? 

Birthday Goodies

I'm afraid I have no progress photos to share.  I have been finishing up on the birthday gift I was stitching.  I decided I would make a little companion piece to what I made (which is all done and ready to go), so I have been working on doing the finishing for the second smaller accessory.  I thought it would be nice to share a photo of all the stitched goodies I received for my birthday.  They are all so lovely, I have then all sitting out on my nightstand so I can see them (and I am actively using the scissor fob).  I need to make a better area to display my stitching.  At the moment I am using part of a shelf, but it is getting full.  I would love to have a glass case of some sort, but for the time being I will just have to settle for my little shelf!