It's Sunday...

I wanted to post some pictures of my recent work. I've stitched sporadically in the last couple of weeks but I did want to document some of my progress.

This is a Prairie Schooler pattern called Autumn Wind. I started it way, way back in the beginning of time as a SAL with Patti and Cathy who finished their pieces probably 2 years ago. OK, I AM SLOW. I am stitching it on 28 count Lugana over one (it's my first attempt at over one stitching and I have to say I am quite pleased with the results.)

Anyway, I want to finish this piece for this Autumn so I am going to participate in an SAL with the gals on the Prairie Schooler BB. The SAL is for the month of August. The plan is to stitch on a Prairie Schooler design on Tuesday and Thursday and post progress pictures on Sunday during the month of August. Since I am over 1/2 way finished, maybe just maybe, I'll have a Happy Dance by September. Let's see if I can maintain focus for 8 days out of the month.

Next is Beatrix Potter. She has my attention right now.

I wasn't really sure about the fiber, it's AVAS 4212 and it's a lovely burnt orange color. It looks really pumpkin-y in this picture. It took quite a while for me to get used to the color but it's growing on me as the sampler grows too. I have the companion piece to this sampler but I am leaning toward a more subtler brown color when I begin that piece. Honestly between us girls, if I had not spent $42 on the hank of silk, I would have chosen a different color. And as I worked on the sampler I thought of switching out the color many times. Now it's a bit too late for switching silks so I'll just finish it up with the burnt orange.

Lastly is my progress on Where My Heart Blooms.

I believe this sampler has it out for me. I literally frogged most of what I stitched on this piece because of counting errors. I think if I did not have a bad case of the frogs, this piece would be finished by now. I think I am over the worst of the frogs now as I am working on the house. I can't say that I love the fabric I am stitching this piece on, it's the recommended R&R fabric. It's very stiff and hard to manage and it has a very open weave. The GAST and Weeks aren't much better, the thread kinks and knots easily. I've found if I dampen the thread it behaves a bit better so that's what I've been doing.

On Friday, I bought the supplies to begin my Hungarian Sampler. I know, I know, I said no new stash until I finish one of the Wips. But it's calling my name!!! I bought red and green silk to stitch the sampler but I may switch out the green for black silk instead. Black and red are traditional Hungarian colors. I wanted to stitch the sampler in the colors of the flag and Ili (THANK YOU!!) helped me out with the colors. Now that I've bought the silks, I am having second thoughts because I am afraid the sampler will look like Christmas. I don't know, maybe I'll just go ahead with what I purchased. I bought an off white linen but maybe I'll switch it out to a creme so that the colors don't jump off the fabric. I'll have to test it out.

The DH and the Cadet are off to motorcycle school this morning so I have some time to stitch. That's what I am going to do when I get off the computer. I am not sure what I want to work on right now, I guess whatever calls the loudest. So the needle is calling and I will say good-bye for now.

Please drop by again and I hope you have a great day!

Progress Pictures

After much cajoling, begging, swearing and threatening my little digital that's gasping for air, I got these pictures of what I've been working on since the beginning of the year (click on the pictures and they'll enlarge). Please forgive the wrinkled fabric and the dog hair on the carpet in the backround. Ahem.

Sarah Tatum:
I took up Sarah Tatum as my New Year's Day re-start. I know that many of you start something new on New Year's Day but I hadn't touched Sarah since New Year's Day '07 so it was like a new start for me. I couldn't believe that I hadn't worked on this sampler for an entire year. In fact, the last progress photo I took was a year ago today...geez...

Progress on Sarah exactly a year ago today:


This is my progress on Sarah since Friday night. I am working on the motif to the right of the green one on the top and a 1/2 urn motif next to the letter K. The silk is really light and the motifs almost blend into the fabric. If I were smart and not so anal about colors (see previous post) I would have substituted the Buff and Straw silk for a silk a titch darker in color so the motifs would show up better on the Lt Exemplar linen. Oh well, too late now!

Time and Seasons:

I've been rotating T&S with Sarah since the beginning of the year.
I last worked on this sampler mid-week and I've worked mainly the borders and the zig-zag vine near the top. The borders are boring so I've started some of the motifs in the center of the sampler, see the evergreen in the center? I am obsessing over the fact that I may not have enough silk to complete the borders. Say a prayer cause I really like this sampler a lot and don't want to have to use it as a dishrag.

The Stitcher's Wallet:
I worked on this piece yesterday and it was quite happy about it since it's been whimpering in it's baggie for the longest time. I just got TIRED of brown and I had to frog some of the 2nd panel and the quality of the pattern isn't the best so it made it hard to know what color went where. Yeah, yeah, full of excuses. The real reason I stopped working on it was because of the endless brown and Sarah captured my interest again.

But yesterday, I needed some mindless stitching and what's more mindless than ABC's? I am happy with this piece and I'll probably work on it during the Superbowl in between stuffing my face with quesadillas and chips and salsa.
Better watch for stains...




So there you have it. Hope you like what you see and yes, comments are greatly welcome.

I am going to let the camera rest up a bit and then try again for more pictures. Seems like 5 pictures is all it's going to take at a time for me.

Next up exchange photos and maybe some other wips...Who knows?!!!!