The Peacock's Feather

Quaker Garden Finished!!

 

I have finally gotten around to pressing my "Quaker Garden" by Blackbird Designs.  Sorry the color of the photo is a bit off (the linen is more green than brown).  I took this a few days ago, but perhaps I will try again this weekend as we finally have some sunshine--maybe I can get a better shot of it.  I am quite pleased with it and this will definitely be one that I frame and hang in my living room!  It's nice to have a medium size finish finally--and one I get to keep!  I have started a new (Prairie Schooler) project, but more on that when I get a bit more stitched...

Vacation Goodies

Although I didn't go anywhere exciting this summer on vacation, my mom visited my sister in Fredericksburg, Virginia.  There is a lovely little cross stitch shop there (which I have been to as well) called Everything Cross Stitch, and she brought home a few goodies for me.  I did recently buy a Just Nan kit and the new PS charts, but otherwise I really have not bought very much stash at all this year.  I gave my mom a little list of charts I had been admiring, and she surprised me with quite a few!  I'm not sure where to start!  I now have: The Primitive Needle: Kindred Spirits, Little House Needleworks: Captains Inn (I really wanted this one!), Gourmet Garden, Fruit Game Boards, Two White Houses, Cherry Tree Inn, and Country Cottage Needleworks: Home Sweet Home. 

I hate to admit that for as many LHN charts that I now own I have yet to stitch any of them!!  I think I definitely need to get started on one soon.  I think I will stitch one of the Game Board designs first.  It calls for supplies that I should have on hand.  A question, though.  It calls for 16 count Lambswool Heatherfield.  How is this different than regular Lambswool?  Do you think I could just substitute the regular and have the same effect?  The finished size is 4" x 6".  I will have to measure things out and see how the sizes compare on the different linens.  I may have to try and stitch the Home Sweet Home design for her and finish it into a pillow--it could be a Christmas gift--since she was so generous in buying these for me!  It would probably take that long to stitch it and finish it! :)

I also would love to stitch the Kindred Spirits design.  It calls for 40-count Days Gone By linen by Silkweavers  and uses Soie silk by Crescent Colours.  I have never used either of these.  I wonder if I could find adequate substitutions in my stash.  I am trying very hard not to order any new supplies.  I am not the best when it comes to making linen and floss substitutions.  Is anyone stitching this one by any chance? 

I managed to finally finish Blackbird Designs' The Quaker Garden over the weekend!  I plan on pressing it tonight and will try and take a decent photo of it and post it in the next couple of days!!  I am quite pleased with it.  It's been a popular design and I feel like the last person to stitch it!!  And I started stitching a new design today...but more about that later!   

A New Temptation...Christmas Biscornu

Just Nan has new releases up on her website.  I have been wondering how long it would take for more designers to start creating designs specifically to be finished as biscornus.  I know there are a few designers out there who have been, but not as many as I expected.  Although the other JN designs are nice, I don't feel an overwhelming desire to have any of them, but I do think I will have to buy this chart.  I'll have to use plain old DMC, however, as I am trying hard to save money.  I think biscornus are almost my favorite thing to finish.  I am rather taken with this one! 

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!