The Peacock's Feather

Back to Work!

 

There is not much to see yet, but I am back to work on Merry Cox's "Shaker Spool Holder".  After seeing Nataliejo's wonderful finish, I feel like I need to pull mine out before it ends up in the UFO bin!!  I have most of the box outlined--still need to put in the diagonal lines.  I hope I am not too off on the flowers I have stitched.  I am finding that the tent stitch is not really my strong point (over one stitching in general!).  So I might be fudging a bit, but hopefully if I am one thread off it won't matter.  It is really pretty small, so hopefully it won't take forever for me to finish the stitching.  I plan on finishing my Just Nan ("Miss Kitty's Dragons") and then taking the Merry Cox to work every day.  However, I do still have a bit more to stitch on the JN, so I will switch off (I take two projects with me each day to work) between the JN (until it is finished) the MC and the birthday gift that I need to get going on (I will be mailing it out next month, but I don't want to wait until the last minute!).  So, we'll see how it goes.  I hope to share a progress photo each Monday, so we'll see how I get along with this.  If anyone who originally wanted to SAL with the project is still interested, please let me know!  I would love to see your progress!

The Motivation I Need?

Remember that Merry Cox SAL that I was so gung ho to start???  Go check out Nataliejo's blog!!  She has finished hers and has lots of lovely photos of her work!  Isn't it gorgeous?  Maybe I need to dig mine out again?  What do you think....

Apples for the Teacher

Not much to see yet, but here is my September start for my Prairie Schooler SAL.  It is easy stitching.  Some designs are like that.  They don't take a lot of thought, not many color changes--they are simple and relaxing.  Not to say they are not as nice as more difficult designs, just different.  My "Miss Kitty's Dragons" is turning out to be like that though it is much more detailed.  I have been working on it every morning before work, and it is a nice way to start the day.  I did begin "Spring in the Square" last night, but there is nothing yet to see (once again I got too involved in a movie and didn't make much progress).  This week I was meant to start the last Bee class (from Its Fine-ally finished).  They are accessories to go with "My Beekeeper", but of course I never did get around to any of the pre-stitching.  Like the others I will simply have to print out the instructions and hope to get to it eventually.   I don't think I will get any stitching done tonight, as I am nearly finished with a book.  I don't want to wait until tomorrow to find out how it ends!

August Ornament Finished

I have actually finished something finally.  I guess it is a matter of working on something straight through for a few days!  That and choosing something small-ish!  This is the August ornament for my Prairie Schooler SAL project.  It is from "A Prairie Year II".  I definitely prefer it over the watermelon from the other chart.  I think I will finish it as a pillow with tassles on the four corners.  I am not sure if I will work on that today or choose something different to work on --perhaps I need to finish my "Wee Fancies"!  I really do need to think about doing some finishing soon.  I have several small items that I could finish fairly easily.  It is just a matter of  getting the backing fabrics.  In most cases I will use the same sort of linen, which means I need to at least stitch my initials and the date (I hate to leave it completely plain).  And then all that backstitching!  The Wee Fancies will go into their frames.  They came with no instructions, so I will need to decide how I am going to do those (the frames are open both front and back, so they are a bit unusual).  As for the PS ornaments I still need to finish April and stitch May and June.  Unfortunately I will also need to do a bit of cleaning today as well--ugh.  Still it is nice having a nice long weekend.  It is amazing how an extra day or two feels so less rushed than a normal work week!

A Prairie Year...So Far

 

I have a few gaps in my Prairie Schooler--"Prairie Year" ornament SAL.  I started out pretty good--January, February, and March were all stitched and finished in the same months.  April I got tired of stitching, but now it is time to get back to work on him and finish him up!  I skipped May and June.  I think the designs were too boring and I wasn't inspired to stitch them.  July I stitched up in June, but as you see I have not yet finished.  And for August I decided to use a design from "Prairie Year II" rather than the the other chart.  The ornament on the other chart is a watermelon--I definitely prefer this bee skep!  I hope to fill in the missing months still, and for the remaining four months of the year I will choose whichever design appeals to me more between the two charts.  I had just about given up on this little project.  I am glad that it now looks like I will be able to finish this!

A Change in Plans

This year I was meant to be stitching the ornaments in "A Prairie Year"--the first chart (on the left). You will see it paired with "A Prairie Year II", which is also in my stash.  I did very well for the first three months.  Not only did I get them stitched on time, but I also finished them.  Then in April I started fizzling.  I managed to stitch July, but I didn't get it actually finished into the little cushion I had planned for it!  So now I am rethinking this whole SAL.  Honestly I don't really like all the designs on that first chart.  I do like the ones I stitched (which must have been what kept me motivated).  Some of the other designs are okay, but do I really want to spend precious stitching time on something that I am don't really love looking at?  So I am contemplating either completely abandoning the whole SAL (which I feel like I practically have anyway), or stitching from the chart on the right as well as the left.  I would still like to have a year's worth of ornaments.  I love Prairie Schooler, but there are so many charts that I have that I would love to stitch, I think it is sort of silly to force myself to stitch something I am not enjoying.  So, for August it is either the watermelon or the cool little beehive!  I think I will have to opt for the beehive!  I have yet to complete a year long (monthly installment) project.  Perhaps it is not yet time to abandon ship on this one!

Merry Cox Monday (Sort of...)

This is where I would normally show you my progress on my "Shaker Spool Holder" by Merry cox, but I have made no progress yet again this week.  Sandra has very kindly allowed me once again to share a photo of her Merry Cox stitching!   This is from the Tulip Tree Needlebook--isn't it lovely!!  I am wondering if I should pull out my supplies to work on a small Merry Cox pinkeep, which I have had ready to go for a while now.  I just hate starting anything else new.  The solution of course is to pull out the" Shaker Spool Holder" and work on that!  Once the backstitching is done I can concentrate on the flowers.  It is not terribly large, but I have just not felt like pulling it out lately.  I love her designs, but I guess I am just lazy these days. 

I am going to blame it on the weather.  When it is so hot, and today it was over 100 not counting the heat index, I just feel unmotivated.  I take the bus to and from work and the ride home today was unbearable. There was no air conditioning, and the windows only open about 6 inches wide!  As you would expect when it is so hot it was full.  The ride felt like it would never end, as it stopped at every corner to let people off or on!!  Bring on Fall is all I can say.  I hope the heat is easing up on everyone else, then please send me your cool air!!   

Miscellanea

This was meant to be a Merry Cox post, but unfortunately I can't seem to upload the photo!  Nataliejo has completed stitching on her "Shaker Spool Box"--Brava!!  She only needs to assemble it.  She sent a photo via email, but for some reason Typepad absolutely will no recognize it as a jpeg or gif!  I know it was saved as a jpeg, but I can't get it to load.  Aarrggh.  So please take my word--Nataliejo did an exceptional job stitching it!!  I will try to figure out a way to share a photo of it!  I have not worked on mine, so I can't share any progress photos of it (surprised?!--LOL).  So this post is going to be a bit of a mishmash.

Way back I signed up for  an Elegant Stitch class to round out my Queen Bee projects!  Yes, those projects that all sit half started!  I have another one to add to the pile!  I should not have signed up, I think, but I couldn't resist.  This one is also by Jackie du Plessis (It's Fine-ally Finished).  I am not sure when I am going to fit this one in, but you never know!  First things first--I will have to take a look at the instructions!  Anyone else signed up for this?  Anyone else also behind in stitching these pieces?  Anyone else actually finished stitching the first two sets?

I managed to finish the little fob for my friend, and it and the other little goodies I bought for her are in the mail as I type!!  Yahoo!  I still need to finish the other accessory.  But at least she has everything else and I don't feel like such a naughty person for being so late!

Since I worked on the gift over the weekend, today I pulled out "VoHRH"--yay--and added a few stitches to it.  I may work on it for a few days as a little break!  And now, I am off to walk on the treadmill---I can put it off no longer.  Ugh.  Too hot to walk....but sweating is good for you, right?!

Merry Cox Monday!

Although I actually did stitch on my Merry Cox "Shaker Spool Holder" project, there is not much new to see on it.  I worked only on the backstitching, which doesn't seem to show up well in  photos anyway.  So once again, I am sharing a progress photo of my friend, Sandra, who is working on her "Stitcher's Case".  I am not familiar with this design (and you can see other photos in Sandra's Merry Cox album!), but I think it is lovely.  I am just happy to add a few stitches to mine.  Even though it may not be a lot of progress, it is better than ending up in the UFO bin.  It is always the same in the morning.  I get started stitching and and have gotten into a good stitching rhythm, and then I look at my watch and it is time to pack up my things and head downstairs to work!  I also worked on more smyrnas for my friend's birthday gift!  Same problem--I am smyrna-ing away and time absolutely flies!  It never seems to go that fast when I am at my desk!

Any other Merry Cox progress?  I heard from Laurie who is also SAL-ing, and she attended a MC class that the Orange Coast Sampler Guild just recently held.  She stitched one of the Diminutive Sewing Sets (or is there just one?).  She said Merry had her Shaker Spool Holder there and it was much smaller than she had imagined it--only about 3" long!  It does seem fairly small as I am getting the backstitches done!   But I think I like the smaller size.  I had pictured it larger, too!  Laurie is working on "Her Needles Safely Kept", which is also progressing slowly (though she must have been working on the sewing set, so I am not surprised as they usually have several little pieces to them).  I would love to hear how everyone else is doing.  Until then I will just keep adding a few more stitches each week!  And thanks to Sandra for letting me share a photo!

Merry Cox Update!

Okay, not much can be seen in this photo, but I finally managed to pull out my Merry Cox "Shaker Spool Holder" design and work on it today! (If you click on the photo you can see the detail a bit better).  I added more backstitching (sorry you can't really see that) and started on a second flower!  I am hoping to post each Monday my progress, as perhaps this will be the impetus I need to work on this every week (so I have something to show you)!  I am trying to stitch on the birthday gift every day, as well as working on and rotating a bit between my other WIPs.  I don't know whether it is better to work a few days on one project and then switch?  Or should I go on to the next?  I suppose once you are on a roll with something, it is a good idea to stick with it!  Maybe Merry will go to work with me tomorrow as well--she has been neglected for too long!   Anyone else have Merry Cox progress to share?!