The Peacock's Feather

M.I.A.

I stitched this "Dainty Housewren" by Carriage House Samplings back in 2006!  This is an unfinished scan of it (at the time I had no digital camera)--I would share a finished photo only it seems to have gone MIA.  I can't find it in the places I would normally have put it.  The only reason it even came to mind is I have started working on one of my other February projects, and working on red linen is harder than I remembered.  Then I recalled I have stitched on black linen, and whatever happened to my little dainty housewren??  I suspect is in in one of my stash bins in a plastic ziploc bag waiting to be sewed into a little pillow.  So this weekend I will be going through my stash looking for it.  I think I have some serious stash organization to do.  I have lots of completed projects that are just not yet finished into their final form or framed.  And I have lots of partially stitched projects as well that I need to assess and try to do something about!  I'm also trying to update my Picturetrail album so it reflects what I am actually working on.

All of this is due to my absence from the stitching world for the last couple of years.  I've really missed it and am wondering how I went on so long without picking up a needle and thread.  I've really been enjoying working on my projects and even if I only stitch for twenty minutes a day, I look forward to those twenty minutes.  Which brings me to another topic.  Since I hadn't been actively updating my blog I've missed out on new blogs that have popped up and I think I've lost many visitors who long ago would drop by here.  If you happen by, please do leave a comment and your link, so I can get my blogroll going again.  I am trying to find new stitching bloggers via other stitcher's blogrolls and am really enjoying seeing new people.  I'm not quite sure how to get the word out that I'm back and hope people will drop by again.  Blogging and email is about the extent of my technical savvy.  Do people use Twitter or Facebook?  Or do you just go our and leave comments and hope others will reciprocate?

And for those of you who have been stopping by and leaving comments and suggestions I thank you.  It makes my day to come home after work and see a new comment or two!

Happy Stitching everyone.  I'm off to do a little stash organization and see what I come up with...how many other forgotten projects I have laying around!

Blackbird Designs: Mystery Sampler

They're here!  Earlier I asked about Blackbird Designs' Mystery Sampler from 2008 and I decided to splurge and kit the charts up to stitch.  I guess I didn't quite realize what I was getting (hence the "bonus sampler" note on the charts), but these are four of the Loose Feather charts that have a bonus chart on each to stitch a sampler.  I really have been out of the stitching loop for the last couple of years.  I feel better about my splurge as I got not only the sampler I wanted to stitch, but four other charts as well.  It seems well worth the money now.  The charts used for the sampler are Loose Feathers Patterns #31-34.

 

I opted for the individual linens to go with each section of the mystery sampler.  All the linens are 30 count.  The first section calls for Korty's Blend, the second uses Irish Cream, the third calls for Old Town Blend, the fourth uses Iced Cappuccino, and the fifth Old Mill Java--all by R&R Reproductions.  Now I only hope I will be able to sew each section together without too much problem!  Suzanne and I are going to do a SAL for this and I can't wait to start (though I should really try and finish my Sampler Farm first!

On a side note, Kathy of Carriage House Samplings has started sharing photos of Autumn of Hawk Run Hollow!  As if I needed any other temptations when it comes to new designs!

A Few Letters Short

It was my goal yesterday to finish the alphabet on my Quaker Heart freebie and do the backstitching around the heart (I plan on making this into a pincushion), and then maybe even put in the first few stitches on the reverse side's design.  I'm afraid I got a little wrapped up in what I was watching, however, Emma on Masterpiece Theatre.  I think I like this remake the best and will have to buy it for my little DVD collection (I only buy movies I know I will enjoy watching more than once).  There are two Jane Austen books I've not yet read, and Emma is one of them, and this made me want to pull out my copy and start reading right away.  As I'm rereading Pride and Prejudice at the moment I will save it for later.  I stitched during the news and then was just too tired and it was getting too late to add those final letters.  So I'll finish them tonight instead.  And maybe I can start working on one of my other Valentine projects now that it is officially February. 

Just curious--when and where do you stitch?  I used to take my stitching with me to work, but as breaks and a short lunch is just not enough time to really make any progress (by the time I pull out my work and find my place my break is usually half over), I've stopped dragging it with me (to say nothing of letting it get wrinkled in my bookbag).  Now I stitch for a while in the evenings right before I go to bed, and actually stitch in bed!  The bad thing is I am either too tired to work long, or would like to work for a while, but I have to get up early in the morning, so try and turn the lights out at a reasonable time.  Weekends are my prime stitching time generally, though I also try and get caught up on computer related things as well (emails, blog reading).  Oh to have a few more hours in the day--or three day weekends every weekend!