Paint It Black

Hello and welcome to my new followers! 

Since finishing a page on Sanctuary, I have been trucking right along on the next page.  I had already done about 1/4 of this page earlier and it has a lot of solid color stitching.  Namely, the column of DMC 310.  Lots and lots of 310.  But that's all done now and when this page is done, I believe I will have the wing tips of the first little fairy showing up.  So exciting, lol.

Sanctuary of Knowledge
R Spangler
HAED

I haven't worked on much of anything else except a sock and I will hopefully have that done soon.

On the stitching stand front, I'm very sorry to say that the gentleman who makes the StitchMate Stands passed away last week.  So my search continues for the right stand for me.  I'm now looking at the Needlework System 4 stand.  Any reviews on it?

Happy Stitching!
Tamara

Sanctuary Happy Dance #14

WooHoo!!  Another page down on Sanctuary of Knowledge.  This makes 14/77 pages complete.

HAED Sancturay of Knowledge
Spangler
14/77 pages complete

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Happy Stitching.
Tamara

Getting Closer...

To a page finish on Sanctuary.  Only about 600 more stitches to go. 




Sanctuary of Knowledge
HAED


And a tiny bit of progress on the Lamplighter Knot Garden.

Thank you for your comments regarding floor stands.  I've pretty much settled on the StitchMate, if I can get one.  Apparently, the gentleman who makes these had some health issues earlier this year and this has slowed production.  So, it might be some time yet before I get to have mine. 

And many thanks to Sara and Milly for awarding me with the Liebster Blog Award again.  I haven't had the time this week to find new blogs to pass this along to, but I will try get to it soon.

Welcome to my new followers!  I'm off to sign up for IHSW over at Random Ramblings. 

Happy Stitching!
Tamara

Floor Stand Users...

This has come completely from left field, but I am contemplating purchasing a StitchMate Floor Stand.  I am a die-hard hoop girl, but the last year or two, I do notice more strain on my left hand that holds my hoop.  And I think sometimes it would be nice to have both hands free for certain speciality stitches rather than trying to balance the hoop on my knees to do them.  I tried scroll rods many years ago and hated them, mainly because I could not get enough tension on my fabric and they, like Q-Snaps, are just too unwieldly for me.  I would also like to have better posture when I'm stitching. 

My concern is that I will spend all this money and it will sit gathering dust because I am not one to easily change my ways (and I am not planning on giving up stitching with my hoop, this will just enhance my abilities).  So I would like to hear from the floor stand users on your likes/dislikes of stitching on a stand.  I do know that I flip my work around a lot ("a lot" is actually a huge understatement) to end off threads with all the confetti in these HAED projects.  That is one thing that has always discouraged me from using a floor stand as none seemed to allow you quick, easy access to the back of your work.  The newer stands seem to have resolved this issue from what I have been reading.  And it looks like the scroll rods on the StitchMate give good fabric tension without much fuss (no basting, etc). 

Too bad you can't test drive one before buying, lol.  And I did think about buying a cheaper one to see how much I might actually use it, but any of the others have to slide in front of you and that is not an option (I sit on the couch and there is a coffee table in front of me, so no room in front of me).  Decisions, decisions.

Well, I'm off to see if I can finish off a sock.  I look forward to hearing any of your thoughts on stitching with a floor stand (any stand, not just the StitchMate). 

Happy Stitching!

New Start Pics and Sanctuary Update

Happy Easter to all!  I'm enjoying a rare Sunday off work and being lazy today.  I'm also trying to get a little stitching done.  Let's see if I can upload the new start picture today...



Pollyanna's Summertime Lamplighter Knot Garden
Liz Turner Diehl



close up of the sparkles

Yay!  It worked today.  Computers can be so annoying at times (ie, the times when they don't do what you want them to, lol).  I believe this is the first time I have worked with the Rainbow Gallery Glisson Gloss and let me tell you, this stuff has some serious sparkle. 

Today I am working on Sanctuary.  I'm getting so close the the end of this page.

Happy Stitching!

2 Finishes* and A New Start

Doing a little happy dance over here with two finishes this week. 

Crystal Roses is finally finished*. 

*Finished with all except adding the last 5 pink crystals.  I have to give it a bath first.

And the Feather and Fan Scarf started way back in August is finally finished.

Feather and Fan Scarf
Queensland Collection
Sugar Rush Jacquards
Color 106

The new start is the Liz Turner Diehl Pollyanna's Summertime Lamplighter Knot Garden. 

(I would love to show you a picture of my new start, but blogger is not uploading those pictures for some reason.) 

Sanctuary did not have picture worthy progress this week.  I'm thinking of pulling out Nature's Little Helper for stitch night tonight.  Hmmmm.  I was trying to get some progress done on Rock Garden, but it often feels a little tortuous working on it for some reason. 

Happy Stitching,
Tamara  (off to see if I can get those pictures to upload on a separate post)