Works in Progress

Wow, another post so soon! I got my car project (Jenny Bean's Christmas Sampler) out of the car today so I could take a picture of my progress...

40 ct. Maple Sugar, recommended GAST (1 over 2).

I work on this when I'm waiting for my kids to get out school. It's a great car project. Hopefully it won't take me too much longer to finish. :)

I also got a start on CaHRH Block 5 yesterday. I'm loving this block so far!

I just love this peacock!

To steal Glenna's line again... I decided to "sample another sampler." This one is The Drawn Thread's "Toccata Number Five." It's a pattern darning sampler. I got a few motifs stitched. It's a little time consuming, so I've been stitching a little on CaHRH and then I do motif and then stitch a little more on CaHRH. It's a lot of fun, even if it does seem to take me forever!

32 ct. Coffee-Dyed Cream Belfast Linen, NPI silks.

Well, that's all my progress I have to share for today. Tomorrow I'm going to Amy's to go shopping at a couple quilt stores, have lunch and possibly get some stitching in before I head home. I'm so looking forward to it. I need a day out! Write soon!

CaHRH Block Three Finished!

I got block three finished up last night.  I can't believe I only have four more blocks to go!

40 ct. Vintage Examplar, NPI silks (1 over 2).

I'm going to get started on block five today.  I ordered the frame from Shakespeare's Peddler yesterday, so I have no excuse not to get this framed when it's done.  It won't be going in the Rubbermaid bin!!  :)

A Gift and Progress

I received a surprise in the mail the other day.  I had loaned a chart to Berit and she included this adorable fob when she sent it back to me.

She made a small cube with different motifs from the chart I loaned her and our initials.  I just love it!!  Thank you again Berit!

I have been working on CaHRH quite a bit since my last post.  I decided to to go up to block three.

I also started Ann Grimshaw today for my first Quaker Friday.

I hate to say it, but I'm not quite happy with the silk.  It seems to be a little too thick for the linen.  I may just end up going with DMC, or maybe I'll try a different silk??  I don't know - I hate it when I get wishy-washy!  :)

Edited to add: I decided to go with Vikki Clayton Basic Black silk.  I think it's going to be perfect! :)

Sorry I've been MIA!

I've been working on another model for The Primitive Needle.  I've been stitching as fast as I can because Lisa would like to release it at the Nashville Market in February.

Before I started stitching the model, I finished block 6 of CaHRH.

Well, almost finished.  I realized I forgot to fill in one of the stars in the sky.  Oops!

I have also decided I really want to stitch The Scarlet Letter's "Ann Grimshaw" (because I don't have enough big projects going at the moment).  I'm going stitch it on 40 ct. Lt. Examplar using black Soie d'Alger silk.  A group of us have decided to SAL on all different Quakers on Friday, so we're calling it "Quaker Friday." :)

Well, I'd better get back to stitching!  Write soon! :)

Sale at Down Sunshine Lane!

Amy is having some great sales at her online shop!  First there is a huge list of charts 50% off!  and Second there are several items on sale from scissors, to kits, to charts for 20% and 30% off.  She is also giving an extra 10% off to anyone who mentions the sale on their blog.  Check out all the details on her blog here. 

Write soon! :)

Stash and Progress

I got my order from Joann's yesterday!  I love all my new goodies.  My Ott-Lite is coming separately, hopefully today.  I'm hoping it's a good light.  I will let you all know when I get it.  I'm hoping it will be a good light to take on vacation with me.

My favorite thing that came are these Pewter Gingher Scissors.

I have a little progress pic on CaHRH block 6 to share...

Not a huge difference from yesterday, but this picture is better.  I have found that taking a picture in my light box (I use my Daylight stitching light for the light source over the box) is better than taking one outside.  I get more accurate color doing it that way.  Anyway, I hope to get finished with the house and get started on the sky today and hopefully I'll be finished with this block by this weekend.  I plan to move up to block 3 and then go over to block 5, then 2, etc.  Since I stitch in hand I figure there will be less handling of the actual sampler if I do it this way.  Another thing I've decided to go back to with my silks is Floss-A-Way bags.

I found that they were getting really tangled on the Thread Drops and thus wearing them down.  I will still use the Thread Drops for my cottons, but I think putting the silks in the bags will cut down on wear and tear.

Well, thank you all for your very kind comments yesterday!  Write soon!

I have been working on CaHRH quite a bit this week. Here is my progress on block 6.

40 ct. Vintage Examplar, NPI (1 over 2)

I have also been working on Jenny Bean's Christmas Sampler in the car while waiting for my sons to get out of school.

40 ct. Maple Sugar, GAST (1 over 2)

I love Glenna's latest post about "Sampling Samplers." That's such a good phrase for what I do often! I have many things I have started just to "sample" them. In fact I decided to sample a sampler that I had once started a long time ago. I started this sampler when Matthew was a baby. I decided I just couldn't stitch it, that is was too big and the 40 ct. was just too hard for me at the time. I put it away and then I ended up cutting the linen and selling the pattern. Well, it's been a few years, Matthew is older, I've grown used to 40 ct. and large samplers, so I decided to tackle this big project again. I'm talking about "And They Sinned" by Examplars From the Heart.

40 ct. Elegant Bean from Elegant Stitch, GAST (1 over 2)

Ack! As I was typing this my ds just spilled my coffee on the sampler and some of the threads. I quickly rinsed it in cold water and it seems to fine. Thankfully the threads didn't run. And I guess it's pretty good I got Elegant Bean fabric, which is dyed using coffee, so a little more coffee on it isn't going to hurt it. What a mess. Thankfully, it turned out ok! Well, I'd better try to dry it now. Write soon! :)

CaHRH Progress and a New Start

I ended up starting block 6 of CaHRH the other day.  Here is my progress on it...

You'll have to excuse the wrinkles.  I think my silk was fuzzing up from ironing it so much, so I have decided not to iron it again until I'm finished. 

My new start for the New Year is Plum Street Samplers "A Sweeter Love."  I tried to talk myself out of it because I have so many wips, but it didn't work!! :)

I have just a small start on it because I spent most of the day trying to decide which linen to use.  I finally went with 40 ct. Examplar.  I'm using NPI silks 1 over 2. 

Thank you all for your very kind comments on my 2009 finishes.  Again, I hope you all have a very Happy New Year! :)