The Peacock's Feather

Prairie Schooler July--In Honor of the Fourth

I have completed the stitching on my monthly Prairie Schooler design in the right month for once!!  Although I haven't actually done the finishing I am happy that it is all stitched up.  Now I need to stitch the back and complete the backstitching on both pieces to get ready to finish it.  I still plan on putting beads all around the edges.  I had thought of doing a red, white, and blue pattern, but now I am thinking that may be too much.  I may instead do almost all either red or white beads and intersperse the other colors here and there (no set pattern).  I want to do the  beads in the scallop shell pattern that I have mentioned (not laying flat against the pillow).  I suspect  that won't happen today.  I will hopefully be working on my birthday gift.  I got in very, very little stitching over my long weekend, which has been quite disappointing.  How does everyone else manage to squeeze in so much stitching time?

And for those here in the US - Happy Fourth of July.  Have a wonderful time whatever you plan on doing today!

Merry Cox SAL Update

I wish I could share a progress photo of my own Merry Cox project today, too, but I  can't seem to make any progress lately. Sandra C. has kindly allowed me to post a photo of one of her Merry Cox projects, however.  You can see more in her photo album!  Sandra actually emailed me a scan of her "Abide Thy Heart" project, which I had hoped to share, but when I try and download the photo for some reason my computer only allows me to save it as a bitmap, which Typepad will not recognize.  Of course any MC design is lovely, and since there are some stitchers working on "Her Needles Safely Kept" as well, perhaps this will provide some inspiration for the rest of us still stitching (which I think might be most of us SAL-ers)!

I have been wrapped up in my HoHRH WIP, and I am also slowly working on a birthday gift.  My "Shaker Spool Holder" is still right by my bedside still, however.  Over the weekend I cleared out this area and refiled all the straggling charts and such I had pulled out lately.  This is one of the few projects that I have left by my bed to work on.  I still hope to post an update each week (I have been neglecting this lately).  Of the stitchers who are also working on these designs (list on the right in the sidebar), Thomasina has finished stitching on hers (though she had started working on it before we started SAL-ing), Stef has finished the front of her needlekeeper but has been busy with other things and hopes (like me) to get back to it soon, and Laurie has been working on "Her Needles..." too, and will send an update photo for me to post later.  If you scroll down a bit on Natalie's blog you can see her lovely progress on the "Spool Holder", and while I didn't notice any update photos on Ana's blog, go take a peek anyway--she has the cutest little kitten photos!!  Maybe I will have time to pull it out tonight and add a few more backstitches...

Merry Cox - Tiny Progress

Considering that I instigated a Merry Cox SAL,  I have to admit, I am making very slow progress!  I did manage to put in a very few stitches this weekend.  I am trying to be very cautious and count and recount so I don't end up with sides that don't match!  I want to get in all the backstitching first and then add the flowers, but backstitching is not exactly the most exciting part of this design!  Hopefully I can work on it tonight.  Unfortunately this weekend was very busy with cleaning and organizing projects, so I got very little stitching time in.  I had also hoped to do a little "stash diving", but the weekend is not yet over with! Hopefully I will be back on track this week!  How did everyone else fare?  I hope you accomplished more stitching than I did!

Merry Cox Update

I am happy to share an updated photo of Cindy's "Shaker Spool Holder".  Cindy is trying to add a few flowers each day, has started the scissor sheath, as well as the tiny Emery covers!  Unforunately I don't have one to share of mine--as I have made no progress!!  I plan on working on it again this week, however, so maybe next Monday I can show some progress.  Aren't the flowers lovely?  Natalie has also been making progress--please go take a peek there as well!  Wonderful job ladies!  I will have to do the rounds and see how everyone else is progressing!

Merry Cox SAL Update

This lovely "Shaker Spool Holder" was not stitched by me, but by Cindy Carter, one of our SAL members.  As she does not have a blog, I thought it would be nice to share her progress here.  I was too busy working on a gift, so I didn't get in many stitches on mine this past week.  So far I only have part of the top (one of the long sides) stitched.  I finished one flower only to discover that I stitched it one thread off.  I am not sure whether I will frog it or just leave it and hope no one notices!  I am not the only SAL-er not to get as far as Cindy.  It seems like many of us have other commitments at the moment.  I wish I could work faster on mine, but as long as I stick with it, I will be happy!  Lovely work, Cindy!  I am looking forward to working on mine, too!   

Already Frogging!

I shouldn't really even share a photo yet as there is nothing much to see right now of my Merry Cox "Shaker Spool Holder".  I have started backstitching, which calls for linen floss.  And I began one of the flowers, which is stitched in silk with a tent stitch over one.  And yes, as the title implies, I have already had to frog!  This is the first time I have ever stitched a design from SANQ, and I need to really study the instructions more, I guess.  It would have been helpful if the instructions would have included:  the stitch count, and finished dimensions, how far into the linen to put in the first stitches, and that each square counts as one linen thread.  So, I have found this information out the hard way.  I started too far in and discovered that I would have stitched right off the linen.  Luckily I hadn't completed much, but I still hate frogging.  The tent stitch is new to me, but I am sure I will catch on quickly.  And linen floss is not the strongest floss and breaks easily.  Alas, these are the lessons I have learned right off the bat.  This should be a very interesting project, and I think I am going to learn a lot from stitching this!  I have added a list of SAL-ers and their links to my sidebar.  I am looking forward to seeing everyone's progress, and please post on your experiences!!  Nicki already has in her first stitches as well.  I hope I will have a better photo to post soon!  It looks like this is going to be a dainty little box--maybe only 5" across (I didn't actually sit down and calculate the dimensions yet).  It is officially started though!

I received the Just Nan newsletter, and she has posted photos of her new releases (later this month).  I pretty much want all of them--LOL.  I need to think hard about what I can afford.  I will definitely have to order "Summer in the Square", and we'll see about the rest!

This & That

 

I have officially (temporarily?) retired Mystery IX.  I did some shuffling of my WIPs--or at least on paper I did.  I hate to admit--but I have my list of WIPs and various projects all typed out to help me keep track of what is started, what is a UFO, when my exchanges are due--you get the idea.  My paper is much blanker now as I am just concentrating on my WIPs that I am actually stitching on.  I had also previously listed charts that I want to stitch, but I took them off as it was too much of a distraction.  Now that I have put aside MIX, I actually feel a relief.  Every time I would look at it sitting by my bed I would feel guilty!  I know that is silly, but no more guilt!  Instead I am going to concentrate on "Houses of Hawk Run Hollow" (I did manage to put in a few stitches yesterday).  I also have "Sarah Tatum" waiting, but my first priority will be HoHRH.  This is my "official" large project.  Otherwise I will rotate my smaller ones, which at the moment consist of my "Elegant Accessories", "Schoolgirls Wish Sampler", the Toile Bourse kit and my monthly Prarie Schooler ornaments from the "Prairie Year" chart (still working on April).  Perhaps this will make my smaller monthly goals more manageable as well!

Merry Cox SAL

Just a little note that a group of us will be beginning a Merry Cox SAL this weekend/May 1.  Hopefully we will be posting once a week or so with our progress, so you can see how we are coming along.  Most will be working on the "Shaker Spool Holder", but some have chosen to stitch "Her Needles Safely Kept".  SAL-ers are: Ana, Cindy, Joanie, Laurie, Natalie, Nicki, Stef, Thomasina, Tracy and me.  Please let me know if I left anyone out.  Also I emailed (hopefully) everyone, so if there are any problems or questions an email can be sent out to the group. I hope everyone has their materials and is looking forward to this as much as I am!

It's Here!

It's here!  Yay.  I was afraid it might not get here for our May 1st SAL start!  The materials are all gorgeous and the kit even came with a pair of scissors!!  I am very excited to start this!  Now to study the chart and finishing instructions. 

Merry Cox SAL Update

I am in the mood to organize a little bit.  I am still waiting for my "Shaker Spool Holder" materials, but I have been thinking about this project a lot lately.  I sent a check off earlier, but I am not sure if Merry needs to wait until it clears before she sends the kit.  So I am trying to be patient.  There are still more than two weeks before we start anyway.  We decided that we would each choose between the "Shaker Spool Holder" or "Her Needles Safely Kept".   The stitcher's who are SAL-ing and their chosen designs are:

1. Ana-Her Needles
2. Joanie-Spool Holder
3. Laurie-Spool Holder
4. Natalie-Spool Holder
5. Nicki-Spool Holder
6. Stef-Her Needles
7. Thomasina-Spool Holder (stitching already in progress!)
8. Tracy - Her Needles
9. and me-Spool Holder (but I want to stitch Her Needles later as well!)

I should have everyone's email, by the way, and I have organized a little mailing list, so please let me know if I didn't get your name.  I thought this would be a quick way we could chat if there were questions.  Of course if anyone else is interested you are more than welcome to join us.  I think these will be quick projects to stitch up and hopefully the finishing will go smoothly! 

Stitching will commence May 1st (and hopefully we will all have our materials).  I thought this could be quite informal, but should we try and stitch a particular night each week?  Or perhaps we can try and spend a few hours each week and choose one day to post and share photos of our progress?  I don't think everyone has a blog, but I would be quite happy to share photos here if you don't.   It is always nice to see everyone else's progress and I know I am very inspired to keep stitching!  I think this is more popular than I first thought as I have found other stitchers working on this: Kali's Creations (Kimberly has a progress photo if you scroll down a bit) is working on it.  Deb Hunter finished hers.  And Vero has also stitched "Her Needles Safely Kept".  Lots to look forward to!

SAL, Anyone - Part 2

It looks like there are a few stitchers interested in Merry Cox's designs!  Perhaps we could have a Merry Cox SAL?  Two designs were mentioned--a "Shaker Spool Holder" appeared in the Winter 2005 (#41) issue, and "Her Needles Safely Kept" from the Winter 2003 issue (#33).  I have never stitched any of  Merry's designs, but I am always drooling over other stitcher's MC finishes.  I would be happy to stitch either (I wonder if I could do them both?!).  The "Shaker Spool Holder" calls for 32 count Sandstone linen, Gloriana silk floss, NPI silk floss, and DMC linen embroidery floss. " Her Needles Safely Kept" calls for: 35 count Cafe Kona fabric, AVAS, Silk 'n Colors, and Gloriana silk.  The actual stitching really doesn't call for too many supplies, so I don't think this part will be terribly costly. 

I think we could each choose which design we want to stitch, and just work on our projects about the same time?  Perhaps we can start later on in April, so we can get other projects finished and order our materials?  I am open to any ideas or suggestions.  What does everyone think?  I am looking forward to this, it will be fun, and maybe it is just the impetus I need to actually stitch a Merry Cox design finally.  And of course anyone else who would like to join us is more than welcome to do so!  In case you need some Merry Cox inspiration, you can take a peek at Vero's Merry Cox album.  Lots of lovely designs...how can anyone resist?!