Weekend's Work

I was goofing around on Friday with some left over fabric and thread and came up with the little pouch shown here. It was a teensy project to see how a new finishing technique might work.

After I worked on that I switched over to the birds for a little bit Friday evening and then for a good bit Saturday and Sunday. I didn't get quite as much as I wanted done because I was working on drywall in the basement. But I was able to finish the back stitching in the yellow feathers and make good progress on the last of the top 1/2 of the piece.

Sunday night I didn't feel like sitting on the couch, so I grabbed my "travel project" the Letter L from the Art Deco alphabet and got a lot more done on that. Still, it's going to take me forever to do all 26 letters. I think I'm at one finish every 3-4 months. 26 letters + 4 medallions = Jenn likely giving up at some point. But they do make excellent travel projects!

Canvaswork Finish

I completed the Flower Basket canvaswork project this morning before work. I'm pleased with how it came out. I think I'll be donating this piece as a raffle prize for a scholarship foundation, so I'll have to figure out how I'd like to finish it soon.

I'm planning to get back to work on the birds project again this weekend. I don't have too many plans so I should be able to get a lot done.

More Stash Stuff and a WIP

Last night when I got home I wandered into the house, let the dogs out, fed the cats and the fish and started looking at patterns for a new project I have scheduled. DH wandered in an asked if I had seen the package from Nordic Needle when I had come home. Um, no; I would have gotten it! *rolls eyes*

I couldn't wait to get it opened. It was a number of Gentle Art and Weeks threads for a couple of samplers I have planned. Also, the remaining parts for a canvas work project that is turning out to be very difficult to get the kit together for - I'm down to one missing part (finally). I got a new laying tool because I'm a dork and dropped my last (first) one on the floor and snapped it. There was also some hardanger and mono canvas (not pictured because they're boring). Oh and the last two colors for my stocking - woohoo.

So instead of working on the birds last night and this morning I started on yet another project. It's a traditional quilt pattern adaptation to canvas work that I found in a magazine from a couple years ago. It uses mostly the same colors as the Christmas stockings so I figured I might as well get the last couple of colors and go to town. It's working up quite fast. I'm expecting I'll be able to finish it tonight while I watch the speed skating races on TV (yeah that's right - first short track races televised since the last Olympics!).

Maybe I'll work on the birds tomorrow ;-).

Back to the Birds

I was feeling awful last night, but was able to get onto the couch. Proximity is all I need for stitching ;-).

I started working on the Paradise Macaws again. I was able to finish the yellow feathers, the head/beak and a bit more of the leaf at the top of the picture. I'm not sure what I'll do tonight. I'd like to get the back stitching done in the yellow region/head and maybe do a bit more of the leaves. But I do need to get on my bike for a while.

I think the bottom of this piece is going to be a bit quicker since all of the confetti stitches were in the feathers. I will be fun to work on the flowers at the bottom. I'm getting antsy to start the next bird :-).

Lots of Progress

one.
Despite not posting much, I did stitch a bit over the past week. I started Bill's stocking for next year. It's a Shepherd's Bush stocking. They are gorgeous!

The project is stitched on 18 ct natural linen using #5 pearl cottons from DMC. It works up fast. I'm actually a bit further along on this than what's in the photo. I finished all of the red and white stripe body and started the arm at the top. I'm waiting to get some more work done of the birds before I do more on this because I need the frame for this one. The little one just isn't cutting it.

On valentine's day I was a jerk and still hadn't gotten anything for Bill. One of the people in the Live Journal cross stitch community posted a freebie from Dragon Dreams. I was able to work it up in a couple of hours and make a bookmark. I did this in the recommended DMC colors and on a remnant of Silkweaver's Superstition. I think it's 32 count.

I also started the next letter in the Black and White Alphabet from Dessins DHC. I'm on the Letter L. That I'm stitching on Silkweaver's Winter Sky with Week's Squash. I'm hoping to get that one done soon.

Meanwhile I did a bit more on the birds. I was able to finish back stitching all of the green feathers. I'm just about done with the yellow feathers and am hoping to get those and the leaves at the top of the piece done this week.

Also, I received a bunch more stuff for my stash. There was a sale at my LNS. That's where I picked up all the fabbys on the right. I got the two colors on the bottom from my fabric of the month club. The wools and velours at the top left are all for a project I'm hoping to start next month. I'm wating for the rest of the items to come in from Nordic Needle.

For the Birds

This morning I started working on the birds again. It was a small amount of progress, but I was happy to do it. I've been working on a stocking for Bill for a few days (I'll post the WIP photo soon), but really don't want to do much more on it until I free up the frame I'm using with the birds. The 8" frame is just a little too small to be working wit the stiff 18 count natural linen.

The materials for the log cabin pillow pattern I found in an old magazine are starting to come in. One of the fibers, the velour, has been discontinued so it was tough to find the bits I needed. I'm hoping I'll be able to start that one by the end of the month. It's a canvas work project and should go quickly. I have high hopes for it!

I'm thrilled with the progress I'm making and am getting ever more excited about the stitching retreat at the end of March!

Screaming With Joy

This morning I woke up and, unlike usual, got on the computer to follow up with a number of people via email. I noticed that the Silkweaver 2007 Showcase winners had been announced....

I was running around the house screaming - I got 2nd place in the Medium category! I couldn't believe it!!

Joy!

Shenandoah Done!

One more finish for the weekend. I should probably spend a little time working on the birds WIP. Although there's a lovely little project based on the flower basket quilt pattern that looks like it would be quick ;-).

February Square is Done, Another Project Closing In

I finally got around to starting the February installment of the Quaker Squares project. This piece went much faster than the January one. I was able to finish in just a few days of morning stitching. I'm really pleased with this color combination.

I also have made good progress on the canvas-work piece. I think I'll be able to wrap it up this morning. It's been a really great learniShenandoahng piece since there are so many different stitches. I'm enjoying this color of thread.

During the week my Fabric of the Month package came from Silkweaver. I received a fantastic green special dyeing and cut of opalescent 'Autumn'. So many projects to work on, but here I am trying to figure out what I can use those for!

Crankin' Out the Little Ones and LNS Sale

This weekend I was bad. There was a sale at my LNS and as a result I was inspired to start another little guy.

There are a few projects that I've been meaning to get supplies for, so the sale was welcome. I went in with the list of fibers needed for some Christmas stockings I'd like to do for this year. I also got charms for the year long Quaker Squares project. And of course I couldn't stop there. I picked up a bunch of pre-cut fabrics (20% off). The colors were to hard to resist.

When I got home I was so excited about stitching that I raided the stash and decided to work on my Celtic Knot pattern from one of the magazine I have. The model was done in blue and gold, but the orange thread was speaking to me. It was a quick finish. The border was done during the Super Bowl. The beige was done during my Monday night stitching group and the orange was done before I went to dr appts on Tuesday.

Last night and this morning I worked on Shenandoah. This is another project out of my stitching magazines. There isn't too much left on this one. I'm hoping to complete it by the end of the week so I can work on the birds over the weekend. Oh and on the Quaker Square for this month :-).