Thursday, October 27, 2011

A Fall Scarf and An Open Heart Update

Wow!  I can't believe I'm up to 11 followers!  That's fantastic!

There has been needlework of various sorts going on here.  Ironically, my finish this week was done on a very slow day at work.  I did up a quick scarf in eyelash yarn that I've had in my stash for several years now and I'm glad I have it finally for the fall/Halloween season.  Now, if it will only get cool enough to actually wear it.  It is just a garter stitch one ball scarf in Paton's Tango Cha Cha yarn (which I believe is now discontinued).



It does look slightly less hideous in real life, lol.  Very slightly.  But the colors are just perfect for this time of year, don't you think?

I promised an update of Crystal Roses.  I'm almost done with the base stitching, only 1/4 left to go, then I will get to do all the fun speciality stitches and add some color to this puppy.  This picture is a little washed out; there is some sage green in there, believe it or not.


Just Nan
Crystal Roses
10/27/2011

And I have gotten a bit further on An Open Heart, 1/4 of the way complete (not counting the borders).

The Drawn Thread
An Open Heart
10/27/2011

It's a very enjoyable stitch, although I dislike stitching words.  It doesn't matter if they are backstitched or cross stitched, I do not like doing words/letters/alphabets. 

Unfortunately, I did not get around to finishing the ornament this week.  It might be a couple of weeks before I have the time to sit down with it.  Not to mention the fact that my sewing table is buried halfway to the ceiling under my to-do pile.  *sigh*

Happy Stitching,
Tamara

Saturday, October 22, 2011

A Finish And A New Start

Welcome to my new followers! 

I have finished stitching the Happy Holidays ornament.  I am planning on finishing it this week.

LHN Happy Holidays


And I decided to get a start on The Drawn Thread's An Open Heart.  I have barely made a dent in it, but here it is anyway.

An Open Heart WIP
The Drawn Thread

I did get more done on the Crystal Roses, but forgot to take a picture and I'm too lazy to get up and do it now, lol.  I will put it on my to-do list for the next update.

Happy Stitching!
Tamara

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

A Finish!

Hello, all!  I've been seeing good progress for many after the IHSW.  I thought about joining, but my weekend ended up being a bit busy, so it's probably better that I didn't.  Maybe next month you will see me there. 

Not a great deal of stitching done this week, although I did finish the Autumn Garden Sampler.  It is now with the finisher to be made into a bell pull.  I'm very excited to get this one back!  It's been a long time since I have had a finish, it seems.  That is the drawback of the BAP's, progress is slow and finishes few and far between.  So this was a nice feeling of accomplishment!

VS Autumn Garden Sampler
Finished!


I also started a little ornament.  Little House Needleworks Happy Holidays from the JCS 2010 Christmas Ornament issue.  Hopefully, this will be done today, then I will try to get it finished into an ornament next week.

LHN Happy Holidays
JCS 2010

I have made a tiny bit of progress on Crystal Roses, but haven't taken a picture yet.  Still on the now boring white on that one.  I did a bit of stashing.  123 had a sale on Autumn themed charts and I got Mill Hill's Button and Beaded Kit Autumn Collage and the frame to go along with it.  I was a bit suprised at the size when I received it, lol;  it was a bit bigger than I expected.

Mill Hill Autumn Collage

I really, really want to get a start on The Drawn Thread's Open Heart.  It's sitting here all ready to go, I'm just trying to be good and get some finishes before I delve into it.  I thought I was going to try to get Crystal Roses finished before starting it, but I think that is not going to happen, lol. 

Happy Stitching!

Tamara

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Autumn Garden Sampler Update

Once again, welcome to my new follower!  It's still a bit thrilling to see a new face pop up there, lol.  I hope everyone is enjoying reading my updates.  I've tried to comment on a couple of blogs this week that then wouldn't post my comment, but I'll keep trying.

A finish is near, I think!  I'm on the second-to-last band on this sampler and I'm hoping to have it finished today, or tomorrow at the latest.  Provided I get myself from in front of this computer.  Then I will be able to take it to the finisher tomorrow.  Yay!  I'm now working on band 15:

VS Autumn Garden Sampler
10/12/2011


The only drawback with this (and other VS charts) is the overdyed/hand-dyed threads.  I'm a bit fanatical about washing my finished projects.  I did a little swatch with the Gloriana threads and washed it;  it seemed to come out fine.  Then I used the steam iron on it and it bled everywhere.  So I have to experiment some more to see if I should allow the piece to dry completely before using a dry iron.  I hope that will work because I would really like to use these threads more in larger projects, but I would have to be able to wash them.  I had a piece many, many years ago that discolored horribly several years after it was framed, so I am very paranoid.  I have never had any problems with the pieces which have been washed *knocks wood*, and that is why I feel compelled to wash my finishes.  And why I still use mainly DMC.  But it would be wonderful to be able to add some of those wonderful specialty fibers for fun, not to mention it's a pain in the katookis to have to convert them to DMC.  Which quite often is impossible as with the Glorianna threads in this piece. 

Unfortunately, I was not so good at resisting other new fibers (at least new to me) this week, either.  I browsed through a local yarn shop to kill a few minutes and ended up with a scarf project.  I've had an itch to knit lately and, hopefully, this will cure me, lol.  This yarn is 100% sugar cane viscose, Sugar Rush by Queensland Collection, and is absolutely wonderful.  It is sooooo soft.  I'm doing it in an easy feather and fan pattern.  I'm not a very experienced knitter and this pattern is easy enough to be doable, but challenging for my skill level.  I seriously doubt I will ever be a proficient knitter, as I tend to have two left hands, lol. 

Sugar Rush Feather and Fan Scarf
10/12/2011

It's a gloomy day here, maybe some rain showers coming.  Excellent day do sit and stitch!  So I'm off to see about getting that sampler done. 

Happy stitching!
Tamara

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

NLH page finish

I finally finished page 5 of Nature's Little Helper.  I also did a little bit of the page below to get the un-rainbow area filled in a bit.  I still think I am going to have to add some color to it before I will be satisfied.

HAED Nature's Little Helper (Warren)
10/05/2011


And I am LOVING working on this Autumn Garden Sampler!  I'm loving it so much, I think I will put the HAED's aside for a bit and work on the pile of Victoria Sampler, Drawn Thread, Indigo Rose, and Ink Circles charts.  It's nice to actually get something finished again.  I have 11 bands of 16 finished on this one. 

Victoria Sampler
Autumn Garden Sampler
10/05/2011


I just love those leaves and acorns!  Here's a close-up of them.

Autumn Garden Sampler
Close-up of Acorns and leaves


I am doing this piece on 28 count white monaco with mostly DMC conversions except for the Gloriana silks and the Au ver a soie.  I'll be getting it made into a bell pull when it's finished.  I can't wait!

Happy Stitching!
Tamara