The Peacock's Feather

Rain, Rain Go Away

 

Here is the gift I sent off last week that I mentioned.  It is a Prairie Schooler design from the "Rain, Rain Go Away" chart.  I really liked this one, so even though it is the middle of a hot summer, a spring design is what I stitched.  It is stitched on Lambswool 32 count fabric with good old DMC floss. 

Here is another shot of it that I took inside.  Although it looks good from a distance, when you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can see what the flash does to the colors.  It makes a glare and the fabric and floss look all shiny.  I will have to try and take photos outside from now on, though perhaps not in so much shade.

Here is what the back looks like.  I had thought I would just leave it blank as I was feeling lazy, but in the end I stitched our initials, the month and year and some flowers.  I am glad that I did so, it looks much nicer that way.  I tend to get lazy with the personalization--especially on things I plan on keeping, but I need to at least try and stitch my initials and the date.  So, finally a finish...even if it is a small one.

I have not picked up a needle since last week.  I have been wrapped up in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, which I didn't read when it originally came out.  I finished it today and right away started Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  They have both been very entertaining.  I hate to admit, but I sort of don't want to put the book down, so I will get back to stitching when I finish (probably by the weekend).      

New Stash

I broke down and ordered the new Prairie Schooler charts!  This is one of the few designers where I will pretty much buy all their new charts.  What is nice is they are actually still quite affordable compared to other designers.  Usually I even have the floss and fabric in my stash.  As much as I love all the new fancy designs that call for silks and hand dyed fabric, it is really nice that there are also designers still out there that use the basics that almost everyone can afford!  I am contemplating going through my stash and kitting up the sampler on the Halloween chart--I love the saying.

Unbelievably, I am actually mailing out a birthday exchange gift AHEAD of time.  Usually I am late.  It helped that I started this months ago.    There is one more birthday in the group I will need to stitch for, but her birthday is not until the end of December.  Still I think I know what I am going to stitch, so I might go ahead and start working on it.  I started a new design that I am keeping for myself.  It is a Little House Needleworks freebie called Summer House.  I am stitching it on overdyed blue fabric (Needlecraft Corner offered a little kit all ready to go that I took advantage of).  I'm not very far yet.  This weekend I can actually stitch whatever I feel like and not feel guilty (that I should be working on an exchange!).  Now to decide what to pull out...

Toccata Update

Although I have not had a chance to work on my Toccata for a few days, here is my progress so far.  What I have been working on--a birthday gift that needs to be mailed soon.  I think I can finish the stitching tonight or tomorrow and then start on the finishing.  It is a spring-ish design (I started it when it was still spring), though now we are into the middle of summer!  I think it is a cute design, even if it is slightly out of season!  I am greatly looking forward to actually finishing something!  My Picturetrail album for this year's finishes is nearly empty!  Last year I had over 40 photos in it.  It's quality not quantity, right?  Well, that's what I am telling myself anyway.

New Goodies and a Small Finish

I had hoped to finish this before the Fourth of July, but I put in the last stitches yesterday.  It is a Bent Creek design called "Pop".  It is meant to also have three blue star-shaped buttons, but I don't have them and I might just finish it as is.  It is a smallish design and I am not sure how I am going to do the final finishing on it.  Any ideas? 

I also received some new stash in the mail (sorry for the oversized photo!).  I splurged and bought the new Just Nan limited edition kit, "Queen's Bluebird Box".  I even started the backstitching.  I also started filling in the cross stitches, but I see that I have already made a mistake, so I will need to go back and see where my error is.  I am not too far into it, so I hope I can fix it easily.  I also bought the new WhimZi design, "Summer Spell".  To round things out I got the supplies for Little House Needleworks freebie, "Summer House", as well.  I am hoping that at least the WhimZi and the freebie will be quick stitches.  Though quick for me is never as quick as I'd like.  Now that it is July, I need to concentrate on finishing the little gift I was stitching for a birthday exchange.  Luckily I am nearly done, and I will just need to decide how to finish it.  Finishing is always a problem!