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