The Best Laid Stitching Plans

After all that debate with myself about what would be my big new start this yar, and all that planning how I would choose which chart, in my stash, it would be....

I got RAK'd this:

Which nicely and firmly decided my next project.
White Dragon. Art work by Kayomi Harai and available as a chart at Heaven and Earth Designs. Here is the link.

This one will be stitched on 25 ct. Lugana, 2 over 1, except the black which will be 3 over one. This a a chart I love, but wouldnt' buy for myself because I was intimidated by it, by the colors etc. I'm so glad Nikki sent it to me though, because the second I got it I knew I was going to stitch it.

In other stitchy stuff I actually finished the 3rd row of my haed sal and a bit more, but then had to frog the bit more. Notice last time, when I'd started adding the second page:

And now, with the second page included and the third row finished:

Then there is this. I followed a tutorial I'd seen a link to on facebook and made this little lap frame. I used my q-snap clips for the sides:

The top photo is a little blurry but you get the idea of a lap stand. The second pic shows it in use, and some of the tiny bit of progress that was made on Mini Cheshire Cat.
These are the directions I used for making it.

It was fun and quick and pretty cheap. As long as you have something on hand to cut the pipe with you can make this for less than 10 dollars!

Thus inspired I bought 4 more of the corner pieces and used the other pipe to make exactly the right sized frame for my coming project.

Total cost less than 3 dollars, but I will be buying a set of clamps soon for it, to go with the ones I have which will make it about 6 to 6 and a half dollars. Totally awesome. I am in love with everything but the corners, which if you look closely do bump out. I've found I can live with that with the savings I get from making them myself. Disclaimer, husband did the cutting part, as I wasn't quite strong enough to make the ratcheting clamp cutter work without hurting my hands.

So, enough. Feeling awefully crafty for someone who is getting so little done lately!

Happy stitching everyone, hope you have a fun Holiday Weekend if you are in the US.

It's All About That Stitch, 'Bout That Stitch (No Frogging)

Long time no blog!
With everything that has been going on, physical therapy, weeks without internet(and more than 20 hours with various AT&T guys at my house!), and a missing in action camera I've been avoiding a blog post for a couple of weeks. Throw a dash of pure lazy and a few doctor's appointments in there for the past two weeks.

I spent a little over two weeks without picking up a needle. The only time that ever happens is when I physically can't stitch, so I felt weird and a little guilty, like I was shirking my responsibility or something. I think my slow pace, and limited time sent my stitching mojo on a short vacation. Apparently it was much needed if I was feeling guilty! This is supposed to be fun!

That said, I have been stitching again at my pokey pace, and kept thinking I would find my camera, which I finally did. These are not the greatest pics, they were taken in a bit of a hurry and it is cloudy and sort of dark, but hopefully these will get the idea across.

First up, a finish! A little kit I liked and picked up on a whim. Live, Love, Laugh. This seems to be a popular one, and I can see why. It is a cheerful little stitch.

Okay, so it needs washing and ironing, but I'm tickled to have it done, slightly modified to cover the fact that a color went missing half way through when Dean chewed up the paper card the colors were on.

My HAED BB SAL has suffered the most through this. The second page came in and I decided to start work on it. I'd done a little of the first page since the last pic so you can see there is a teensy bit of progress. This was just before my stitching mojo went on vacation.

I love this chart and the way it is working up. I have a nose! Well, part of one.









Finally, progress on The Lord's prayer.

Excuse the wrinkles, and the bit of sewing pattern to the side. I'm half way through a dress and hustled this piece from it's storage place to the sewing table to take a quick pick. It is being worked in hand, so yeah, the wrinkles will get worse before they get better, though a quick press should take care of that later. I think not being able to give it a bath when it is finished will drive me crazy. Something to think about before deciding if I want to continue using hand-dyed fabrics. It is like kool-aid dying we did as a kid (and smells like it when it first arrives). And I always hated that you couldn't wash it even back then.


And last of all, test stitching, 2 over 1 on 28ct. Monaco.

So not satisfied with the coverage of the black, but liking it otherwise. I've sought advice about the black problem and now that I'm stitching again I will probably do more test stitching. I'll let you know how that turns out.

As usual, clicking on a picture will give you a better view.


Here is hoping the mojo hangs out for a while. I've pulled out Mini Cheshire cat and will hopefully have a nice update on that one soon.

Until next time, Happy stitching everyone!

Hi Stitchers, a quick post to prove I'm still in the Land of the Living!

With so much snow and ice these past two weeks I know lots of stitchers who have gotten extra stitchy time. I haven't myself since I work from home anyway, but it has been fun seeing what everyone is doing and admiring all of the progress being made.

On the stitchy front, still slowed to a crawl with my shoulder, but there is light on the horizon. I started physical therapy for Frozen Shoulder and have high hopes for later this year.

As is, I've had little progress so not much to show in that area.

However:

I had put this on my wish list at HAED when later that day someone in my stitchy group on Facebook did a contest and I won! It was fun and silly, we had to guess what time she would get home from her commute during this nasty weather and who ever guessed closest won a free chart! This was a lot of fun. I've fallen quite in love with this artist and the charts available. This is available here.It is Kayomi Harai, this chart being Four Heavenly Beasts. There are some stunning dragons too, they are on my wish list as well. Why not? I've already got more projects than I will ever finish!

In truth I have picked some of my very favorite charts and numbered them. I was going to run them through a random number generator to pick my new start for this year. Since that won't be until the end of September I have a little time! Meanwhile, it was pointed out to me that I shouldn't choose too soon since I may buy or receive something I want to add to the list! I like her thinking! So the random generator will be done soon, so that I have lots of time to kit up, but not too soon!

I will update with pics next time, of whatever progress I will be/have made.
Until then, Happy Stitching!

The Lord's Prayer from My Big Toe Designs

So, with my stitching going so slowly I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the color changes in my usual projects. The haed BB sal didn't have as many as some of my charts but I was most definitely putting pressure on myself. I decided that after I finished the first row I would start something less challenging, color change wise. Since The Lord's prayer has been on my 'I want to work it' list for at least two years, well now seemed like the time.
Here are a few pictures.

 The second wip picture gives a more accurate view of the colors.
The brown is DMC and the overdyed is Sullivans. I am loving how these look together, though at first I was hesitant and asked for opinions from my stitchy group. So glad to have found the Sullivan's and thought to try it.
By the way, I got this from 123Stitch.com along with Dog Lesson's for people. It was a toss up which I would start, but I decided to go with the fewest color changes!

In other stitching news, two new charts! Yes, I know. But once again an artist is being retired and for the first time in a good while I had fun money, so:

 Run with the Big Dogs, by Sandy Brooks.

And Moya, also by Brooks.

Yes, more black and whites! Both are available from Heaven and Earth Designs through 01/26/2015, but the artist is retiring so if you are interested you may need hurry. Luckily there is a half price sale on, and who could resist that?

Still, I've been amazingly blessed with stash this past year and my plan for 2015 isn't to add to it, but to pass along some of the many kindnesses I've been the recipient of. I've already started and that feels nice for me, and I hope for the people I am giving to. I've been able to forward a few of my old magazines to those looking for a particular chart, and even gift a chart or two. I'm hoping to continue in that vein throughout the year.
I plan to keep on with my turtle pace stitching and will update you when I have something to show.
Just realized I forgot to take a picture of Live, Love, Laugh again.
Next time.

Happy stitching everyone.
Karen

New Year's Bumps and (a very little) Stitching

We are two weeks into the new year and things are a bit up in the air, when are they not? My right shoulder went completely out on New Year's day. I wasn't doing anything special and it has been giving me problems for months, but pooh, just at the beginning of the Heaven and Earth Designs Bulletin Board stitch-a-long. And after having to not make the ornaments and things I'd wanted to do for Christmas gifts, because I was letting the shoulder rest up.
After a doctor's visit, a shot, and a steroid dose pack I have much of the movement back but our hope that it was just inflammation is dashed since the underlying problem is still there, and still extremely painful if I move the 'wrong' way.
My husband had a dental emergency and is still recovering from that. Another thing we'd thought was settled but is having complications.
But...I did get some stitching in! The first page of the SAL arrived late on new year's eve, since the organizer sending it out is in the Australian time zone. I got in the first hundred stitches and was all excited to have the next day off for stitching. Then the shoulder.
So the first 100 stitches:

And the rest of the row, plus a little, stitched left handed:

 And yes, completely frustrating since this is working up so nicely. It took two weeks to finish that row and work one block and a little of the next. I'm more proud of it than I would like to admit, given what went into stitching it. Stitching two hand and then just one, when it is your off hand, is hard work!
I'll update Live, Love, Laugh soon, since I did get some stitches in on it.

And that is it!

I have decided to start My Big Toe's The Lord's Prayer. It is only two colors and that will save me a lot of discomfort in not switching out colors every few stitches. It is a long time favorite of mine and I'm going to start it on the lovely green hand-dyed fabric my secret santa sent me for Christmas, probably within the next week or so. Still waffling over the colors. I can't possibly justify 60 dollars on the recommended silks so I will probably go with DMC. Though I've thought about using the Sullivans, which is really quite lovely to work with. I've done a few ornaments and smalls with it over the past 3 years or so and I really like it.

I've also got some sewing projects in the works. I've always avoided knits and I have the impetus from 2 sources to give them a try. One, with a gift card from work, was buying Gertie sews Vintage Casual. The sizes come up quite higher than expected, being closer to ready to wear sizes than expected. The other motivator is another gift card that I spent on something I've long wanted to do, which was ordering fabric from Fabricmart. I used the gift card to do a test run and I'm very happy with my order. I included some knit fabrics to play with, and I must say they are much nicer than the ones I looked at locally. At least the pieces I received are. I'll let you know how that comes along.

Until next time, Happy Stitching
Karen

Happy, Merry, Jolly Time of Year! A quick update.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Holidays. Christmas and New Year are such fun, exciting, stressful times. I'm hoping you have all had a moment to simply enjoy them.

Stitching, as always, whenever I can.
I took part in the HAED BB sal again this week with Mini Crossing Spirits:

As you can see I changed my mind about working a page at a time and started working across the first row of ten blocks. This was a quick picture I took as I was changing the qsnap, scooting the piece over. I'm probably not going to be working on this for a week or two.
Also, that fake animal print in the background is part of a blanket I made my husband for Christmas. After seeing the one I'd been gifted by my secret santa, he wanted one of his own.
Here is a pic of me all wrapped up in it. And look, I took a pic with my eyes open! Sort of.

Does anyone remember this kit?

 I was having such fun with it back on Halloween of 2013.
While I was posting an update picture here on the blog Dean, who was still a puppy, was busily tearing up the floss card to it. The floss was okay, the card a bunch of little pieces. I'd like to say that he has grown out of this sort of thing, but his paper addiction is still strong.
I shoved it all into a sack to sort out later. Well, it is later. I had a non-stitchy day or two and pulled this out, cleaned up the floss, organized the colors again and made a new card. The light purple is missing but everything else is intact, so I plan to give it some time today and just work on it until the 2015 HAED BB sal starts on Jan. 1. I can't wait to get started on that. Who doesn't love a sal?

What is everyone else working on? Are you preparing for the New Year? New Starts? New Finishes?

Until next time,
Happy stitching everyone.
Karen

Christmas in.....December?

While I can't believe the year is nearly done, it has, as usual, got me thinking about next year. Traditionally for me December is the month I break rotation and work on whatever I like. Since I haven't had a rotation going that is sort of out, but I'm all about the do what I like part.
I've continued on with Mini Crossing Spirits, slowly working my way across the first row of blocks. Still all the same shades of gray so I didn't take an update pic yet.

Yesterday I also made a small start on  my the stocking my husband chose. I know I said in 2015 but it just seemed right so I went with it. I don't have all the floss yet either, but most. unfortunately the pic came out looking gray when it is actually only 2 lines of a pretty blue. Night and the flash I suppose. Instead I'll post a pic of the magazine it came from. 1990!

This one has a couple of charts I'd always meant to start, namely the collector's plates, but those will have to wait awhile. The stocking on the cover is similar to the one I'll be working for Jason.

Now the really fun stuff. I have opened my secret Santa gifts. The sender gave me permission  (I promise I didn't ask!) and after that there was no resisting it.
I was just blown away. Thank you secret Santa, you went way over the top with this. I've never had so much nice stitching stuff!! The little owl needleminder in the pic above was one of my pressies. I have the pictures I took for my Facebook group for now, but may put up some others later on.

Needle threader, needle minder

One side of the blanket

The other side of the blanket and all my lush presents!

Trying to get a better pic of the beautiful needle minder

I confess I've longed for one of the unique needle minder's from HAED but I never thought I would have one. I wish I could take a photo that would show you the depth and richness of that beautiful handmade needle minder.  It is seeing heavy use. If I remember I will show a pic of the ones I was using. The little cheapie red ones that come three in a pack.
BTW, the blanket color in the bottom pics is much more accurate!
The tea had the whole house smelling lovely but I couldn't drink it, I had a sinus allergy attack from it. Bright side is my husband loved it with a capitol L and so he got a bit of a present out of it too!
The hand dyed fabrics are two large pieces of 18 count aida and a piece of 28 ct. Jobelan. These are my first ever hand-dyed fabrics and I love them. They are almost too pretty to stitch on and I will try to get a pic of them up next time.
I've done some test stitching on the 28 ct. and it looks wonderful one over one, with excellent coverage, but I confess I didn't enjoy stitching that count very much. I will be giving it another go later, and also trying it over 2.
I've never felt so spoiled and special as when I opened those packages. I feel so elegant and ladylike at my stand now, stitching away surrounded by all the loveliness.

I hope you are all enjoying a bit of Christmas stitching adventure.
Happy Stitching!
Karen