A couple small finishes.........

Well so far I got 2 of  my January goals done.   Where is the month going so fast?  I still need to finish up Lizzie-Kate's "Dog Lessons" before the end of the month.  Maybe I should go back to pulling "all-nighters" like I was famous for back in college LOL.

This is my Quaker Hornbook which I purchased about 4 years ago with a group on the Legacy bulletin board.  This pattern is only available when you have a group order of 10 or more so that's why we did it that way and we purchased the wooden hornbooks as well.   I have no excuse for why it sat in my stash this long but finally here it is!   I'm going to get some of my smalls done this year no matter what, somehow, someway.

"Quaker Hornbook" by With My Needle Designs

stitched 1-over-1 on 32-ct linen with silk threads

 

I also finished my first ornament of the year this week as part of my goal to stitch one per month at least.  There are so many ornaments I want to stitch!  I did a few Prairie Schoolers and some from magazines back in the late 80's/early 90's but then I wasn't too interested in them for a long time.  Over the past couple years I've fallen in love with so many of your wonderful ornaments posted on your blogs that I now have a long list to do!  I joined the LHN ornament blog and will try to slip in one of those maybe every other ornament. 

This is "Winter Joy" from Little by Little Designs. It was in the 2006 JCS ornament issue.   I'm going back through my issues and pulling favorites out.

Not too much else going on here in Willowtree Land.....I signed up for a quilting retreat the end of February and am already looking forward to it. I plan to spend half of my time quilting and the other half stitching.   We can work on whatever we want at the retreats  - there are no classes or planned projects - so it will be a good mix.     Yesterday hubby and I  booked a trip to Hawaii in April  - it's been a long time since we took a 'big' vacation - it sure will be wonderful to get away and see the ocean (you get a little water-crazed here in the desert).   Does anyone else get frustrated trying to read through those reviews on TripAdvisor??  You don't know what to think  - one person writes a glowing review then the next person trashes the place.   I'm having information overload!

Thanks to all the kind readers for their comments on my projects and especially the American Sampler.  I am going to give it my undivided attention for a bit the beginning of February and see I can make some more progress.   I am continually amazed at how some of you crank out huge projects so quickly!  Do you have the Keebler Elves helping you while you're sleeping?

January WIPocolypse progress

Well I brushed off the cobwebs from my American Sampler and worked on it this week a bit.  Sadly, it hasn't been out of its project bag in a few years! It's overwhelming me a bit to see how much there is to do but I will keep plugging away at it.   I got most of the lavender flower on the right border done and started the tree in the middle.  Those border flowers take forever - this one is not even done yet but it has well over 100 queen stitches in it so far - I worked on the tree in the center of the sampler just to get a break from queen stitching - they get a little tiresome especially when stitching at night.  

I only picked 6 of my projects to be part of the WIPocolypse project - old UFO's that have been years in the works.  Only worked on the one this month so far but hope to maybe get another out later in January.   Other projects I worked on this month below are recent starts but I made some progress on them too.   Hoping to get most of them done this month so I can do some more new starts in February!

This is Blackbird Designs' Home of the Brave.  I'm not enjoying this one very much....like the pattern but having a tough time for some reason with the 40-ct stitching even though it's over-2 threads.  I'll be glad to put this one behind me but I'm only about halfway.

I bought the supplies for a lovely hornbook years ago and finally got working on it this month - this is Quaker Hornbook by With My Needle. It's a shame I let this sit in my stash so long!  I have a row of numbers to do under the alphabet and then can work on the little Quaker motifs which will be more fun.  This is being stitched over-1 on 32-ct linen and it's giving me less trouble than Home of the Brave for some reason  - go figure!

Lastly I'm still working on Lizzie Kate's Dog Rules for People that I started the end of December. This is a gift for our nephew so I'd like to get it to the framer by February.  It's a quick stitch for the most part, just juggling it while I work on all the other projects. 

I joined up to the 2012 Year of Smalls blog that Laura is running and looking forward to starting the February project as soon as they announce it and I get it ordered.    I picked out an ornament to get started on too as I want to do one per month this year. 

Being back at work after the holidays is such a drag!  All I want to do is sit home and stitch!   I'm loving seeing all the new starts and what everyone is working on.  I did some January organizing in my sewing room this past weekend, I always seem to be needing more room so was shifting things around and sorting out a few things for a craft yard sale later this year.  

Good-bye 2011.......

Yes I'm ready to say good-bye to 2011....it was a year of hardship or sadness for many of my friends and family it seems and I'm not too sad to say "so long".  Here's hoping 2012 brings good things to everyone!

I hope you all got some crafty goodness for Christmas.   I put some items on a wish list at 123 Stitch and DH went and bought ALL of it!  I got "Joyeux Noel" from Blackbird Designs which has been on my list for a long time, and lots of those Mill Hill kits.  I now have more than a dozen of these from the village and winter series.  I don't plan on stitching them on the perforated paper, I will use linen instead but need to get a plan together.  I would like to do a Christmas "neighborhood" with some of them at least. 

Christmas Stash

I was too lazy to find all of my photos to do a year in review of all my finished projects, but I'm happy with what I accomplished.  I have worked hard over the past 2-3 years to get my quilting projects under control.  At one time I had over 25 projects going (!)  and I'm happy to say I'm down to just 2 now which are quite old.  I'm not starting any new ones until those are done!    I got a fair amount of stitching done this year too although not as much as I'd like of course.  Since I've had some vacation time over the holidays I squeezed in 3 more finishes for this year.

I got Tanya's "Jingle" pillow stitched and finished the week before Christmas - this was fun to do. Since I used a red thread instead of the rusty shade called for I painted my bell to match.  I'm glad I got it done to display for Christmas!

"Jingle All the Way" by The Scarlett House

stitched on WDW Scuppernong linen

Next up is a little Just Nan kit has been lying around a few years and I finally got it done to sit in my sewing room.   It took longer than I thought it would to stitch because it's sort of 'confetti' stitching with lots of different colors.    I have no idea what I'll do with this but I'm enjoying having it done just the same!

Just Nan "Sizzle" tin

stitched on Morning Mist Cashel linen with DMC

I had so many expectations of getting a lot of ornaments done this year but sadly it didn't happen.  As part of my plan to do better in 2012 I got this one done in the last 2 days.  It was a freebie pattern from Midsummer Night Designs a couple of years ago.  I still struggle with sewing on cording to pillow-style ornaments - maybe I'll get better if I do more ornies this year!

What's up for 2012........

I've joined Measi's 2012 WIPocolypse and will be keeping track of my progress on a separate blog tab I've set up for that.  I have 6 or 7 big WIPs I'd like to make some progress on and maybe get one or two finishes!  I'm not making any special list of projects to stitch this year...I'm going to do whatever I feel like doing and try not to stress about how much others are getting done!  (I tend to do that to myself).  I have enough stress with my job and other aspects of my life and don't need to make goals I realistically can't keep for myself.

I do have 3 or 4 samplers I kitted up last year I'll probably start at some point - Jenny Bean Humble Servant Sampler, Jenny Bean Halloween Sampler, The Garden Glade by Carriage House Samplings, and Halloween Rules by Lizzie-Kate.    I did some organizing in one of my stash cabinets a bit this past week.    Most of my patterns I keep in hanging folders in a file cabinet but I have a couple plastic bins filled with kits and other "miscellany".  I really want to focus on getting some of these done!  Some things have been waiting years and years to get stitched - pincushion kits, tins (LOTS of tins!), hornbooks, fob kits,  etc.    It's so overwhelming!

I also am going to try to limit my stash buying this year and focus on working from what I have plus forging ahead with more framing.  I am down to about 6 or 7 pieces still waiting to be framed.   I don't know about the rest of you but I have a big pile of stitched & framed pieces in one of my closets - things that aren't on display all the time such as Christmas or Easter pieces. I want to make some padded bags to store them in - I figure it will be a good way to use up some of the fabric in my quilting stash!

Like so many others, both the husband and I have been ill this week. We had to cancel out on a birthday party Friday and cancel New Year's Eve plans tonite with friends.   Luckily our doctor's office had urgent care hours this morning so we both went and are now armed with antibiotics and assorted other prescriptions.  Our dogs alternate between visiting me in our bedroom and the husband who's camped out in the guest room.    Hoping the meds kick in soon as we both need to be ready to go back to work next week.  This is the second time for me this month and I am sick of being sick!

I wish all of you a great 2012 with good health, good fortune, and time to work on lots of great projects!   

Let the merriness begin!

Ahhhh....I'm officially on vacation until January 2nd - woohoo!!  I've been counting the days that's for sure....although when you work in Information Technology it's hard to be really 'off work' since I have a Blackberry and get contacted for urgent issues - plus I have to take a few days of  'on call' duty but it's still better than being at work!  I'm relaxing this morning and enjoying some lovely hot chocolate....

I did get back my Christmas Rules from the framer and have it hanging in my foyer - the last thing framed in 2011.   I wanted a red frame but couldn't find anything that matched so I ended up with a lime green shade.  So happy to have it hanging for Christmas - now I'm all set to start "Halloween Rules" in January!

I'm so glad i did all my decorating Thanksgiving weekend as I got sick with bronchitis the following week.  I ended up at the doctor and been on antibiotics and inhalers but thankfully I'm doing better now. I just have only a couple of Christmas presents left to pick up this week and I"m getting ready to host a small dinner party on Friday night with friends.

We put up 2 medium-sized trees in our house - I got rid of my giant artificial tree a few years ago as it was just too much work and since it wasn't pre-lit it took so much time putting the 1200 lights on every year!   These trees are pre-lit and go up so quick and easy.   Here's some photos of my decorating....I've got way too much Christmas stuff!  I can't even put it all out - I've got several Christmas quilts and a lot of cross-stitch pieces all over the house...little holiday vignettes every place I can fit them in. I swapped out a few things from my little 'sampler wall' and replaced other pieces on my walls with Christmas items. I  don't like to make a lot of new nail holes just for Christmas  :).  I also pulled out 2 boxes of old Christmas items and took them over to Goodwill - you can't keep adding more every year without weeding out a few old items now and then.

I started working on "Jingle All the Way" this weekend by The Scarlett House.  It's a quick stitch and I hope to have it finished and displayed in a couple of days.   I didn't have the mahogany threads called for nor could I find the called-for color or rick-rack so I'm doing mine with red lettering.  I just love this linen color - it's Weeks Dye Works "scuppernong". 

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season!!  I'll leave you today with our Christmas card photo - Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

No, I haven't abandoned my blog.......

I'm still here....just haven't had any time for blogging lately.  I've snuck around to read some of your posts but haven't been able to comment as much as I'd like to.  So what have I been up to?

Well here are some finishes...

It's been less than a month but doesn't Halloween seem like a dim memory already?  I had intentions to blog this but just didn't get it done. I stitched up 3 Halloween ornaments to start a little Halloween tree.  I hope next year to add some more.  I threw a little tree skirt together using some Halloween fabric from my stash - saw the absolute cutest woolfelt one on sale at Etsy but decided that I shouldn't really spend $60 for it. I'm still longing for it though!

From Prairie Schooler - Leaflet #160 "Boo to You"

My Halloween tree

Last week I got another quilt back from the longarm quilter - oh happy day!  I started this quilt back in the late 90's - yes it's a little embarassing but true!  A local quilt store taught a class on the main block in the quilt so I took the class with some friends.  All the applique is done by hand using the needle-turn method.  That took me a few years off and on I think.  Then for some reason I never got around to sewing the border on the quilt - it sat for a few years until I did that back around 2009 ....then it waited in line a few MORE years to go to a professional longarm quilter.  I knew I'd never get it quilted by hand and I wanted a really nice quilting job on it since I'd put so much work into it.  It took me 4 months to get it back from the quilter (she's very popular and busy).  Then I had to sew the binding on it and put a hanging sleeve on the back.  At last here it is - "Christmas Memories" - from a 4-part pattern series by Blackbird Designs, along with some closeups of some of the blocks.  DH helped me hang it up this past weekend on the red wall in our family room - finally displayed for its first Christmas!     I still get happy every time I walk past it.

Since I last blogged I've visited relatives in Colorado, went to Las Vegas for a few days with DH, had visitors from the midwest, and gone to a quilting retreat.  I made this Chrismas table  runner/wallhanging at the retreat.  I'm calling these little reindeer Alvin, Simon & Theodore.  Okay...they've not chipmunks but they're cute!  (and if you don't know who Alvin, Simon  & Theodore are....well all I can say is you are a youngster LOL).  I'm loving all the bright red and lime green Christmas themed items that have started to get popular in the past couple of years.

I also pieced another quilt top at camp...my machine was humming along as there's little time for sleep when you get a whole weekend to sew!  It has soft colors that should go nicely in my sewing room and be a nice 'snuggle' quilt for me on a cold Sunday afternoon.  This isn't the greatest photo and it still needs to be quilted but I like it.

And some recent framing.......

I finished up Lizzie-Kate's Christmas Rules the end of September and it's been at the LNS waiting to be framed.  I didn't take more photos of it finished because it didn't look too different from the last ones I posted.  They tell me it should be done by Dec 10th so I'm anxiously waiting for it and will be posting photos when it comes home.  In the meantime, I picked up this cutie over the weekend.   I actually stitched and got it framed in the same calendar year - it's a miracle!  I absolutely adore the white frame  - I think it makes it look so 'wintery' and I can leave it hanging through January. 

Blue Ribbon Designs "It's Cold Outside"

I'm working on some Christmas tree cones this weekend and will be sharing those soon. I've been quilting more than stitching in recent weeks but have started on Lizzie Kate's "Dog Lessons for People" - it was supposed to be a Christmas gift for someone but it will have to be given in January as there's no way I can get it done and framed in time.

For U.S. readers, have a great Thanksgiving weekend!!

May we always remember........

In Flanders Fields - by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

A few small finishes.........

Hi folks......I keep waiting for autumn but it’s still not really here quite yet unfortunately. I have been in such a bad mood this week but not sure exactly why – everything seems to be annoying me and I feel depressed. I’m sure others get the same way sometimes.....I’ve got new responsibilities at work that are stressing me....can’t seem to keep up with household chores....people are aggravating me.....I’m constantly worrying about family issues, the poor economy, and the state of the world. Once I get in a funk it seems like I just keep rolling downhill and can’t think of anything positive. I think sometimes it’s "information overload" especially when it comes to the news. I don’t need to tell you what goes on in this world, you all see it, but it seems like a never-ending stream of bad news sometimes. If it’s not violent and mind-boggling crimes, it’s economic disaster, wars, natural disasters, and everything else. I try to tune it out and be thankful for all the good things in my life but I’m not always successful. In reading some blogs this week I see a stitching exchange went bad for a group and a few bloggers here and there contemplating closing their blogs.  We've all got our share of anxiety I guess.  Somedays I wish I could go back in time about 20 years LOL. It seems I was a lot more optimistic then and life was a lot more positive in general. I’m sure that’s just me being nostalgic... and maybe this is an age thing for me but I sure wish I could get out of this funk.

Excuse my rambling on a bit but at least I’ve been stitching as much as I can recently and I still get lots of enjoyment from it. I don’t think many days go by when I don’t see something absolutely fabulous on someone’s blog and want to make it! In reality I’ll never even get what is already in my stash done, but part of this hobby (okay it’s an obsession really) is enjoying buying the stash, owning the stash, and dreaming of COMPLETING all the stash. When I sometimes contemplate stopping blogging, I know I really can’t. I would feel very alone as I don’t have a stitching group to belong to and it’s just my husband and I in our household and he’s not very interested in my needlework. When you put a lot of yourself into making something, you just have the need to share it with others in some way.


I recently got 2 small things stitched and finished since my last post and I’m starting to get in the holiday mood at least. This is the famous Peppermint Twist from LHN that everyone was stitching last year, I’m a little behind the curve but loved doing this one. I finished it as a little pillow – I’ve got hopes of getting a basket of smalls together for Christmas decorating.

LHN "Peppermint Twist"

recommended threads mostly

I also made this one this week - it stitched up really fast and I finished it according to the pattern directions with some black wool I had. Isn’t it cute? I just love it and will be putting out some of my autumn and Halloween decorations this week. (I’ll be adding this pattern to a stash sale page I hope to update this weekend.)  As you can see I didn't spend any time staging a nice photo - just stuck it up next to the sewing machine for a non-glamorous snap........

"Enchanted Crow" by Threadwork Primitives

Then I did a little stash-diving to find what little patterns I had for fall and Halloween.....found lots of good linen colors and several things to choose from. I had a very old piece of Cashel linen that I got probably 10 yrs ago – it was the recommended fabric for some Prairie Schooler pumpkins that never got made LOL. Well the color was more rust than orange so I decided to try and lighten it up – I soaked a sample piece in a weak bleach solution and then laid it out in the sun for an hour. Look at the new versus old – it’s now a perfect orange color for Halloween - yippee – I love it when I can use up some old stash.

Yesterday the mailman brought me the latest Gingher collectible embroidery scissors – these are the ones that aren’t available at JoAnn’s but only at specialty shops.  They’re called ‘Tessa’ and I must say they are probably my least favorite Ginghers so far. They look like some dated 1960’s fabric – or maybe the Arizona state flag?? Oh well...they’re just going in the box with all the others anyway!  I really do need to do something to get all these scissors displayed somehow.....

Until next time, may you find some happy moments stitching or crafting!

Come on Autumn!

We've gotten a bit cooler here in the desert - and we're all hoping the trend continues as we are so sick of the summer heat.  It's hard to believe it's fall already, the year seems to be flying by at record speed! I had all these plans to stitch several Christmas ornaments this year - darn!  Somehow I've got to find more hours in my days that's for sure. 

I want to thank all of you for your wonderful comments on my Quakers & Quilts finish - it really warmed my heart and is much appreciated!
I've been making good progress on Christmas Rules - still enjoying stitching this one. I am down to the last 4 'rules' and should be able to finish it this month. I want to be able to get it to my framer before the holiday rush so I can have it ready to  hang for Christmas. I have a long narrow sampler already hanging in my foyer and it will be a perfect place to swap in this piece come December.  (and my husband will be glad I don't have to put another nail in the walls LOL)

I've been so good about working on my WIPs lately but I'm getting a case of start-itis. The 10-year anniversary of the 9-11 tragedy reminded me that I had bought this BBD pattern way back in 2002. (where the heck did those years go??)  Attic Needlework gave out a complimentary addition to the chart -  some words and the date to commemorate 9-11-01 at the bottom.  It's sad that it's a whole 9 years later and I still haven't gotten it stitched! I decided I would get going  finally stitch it this month.  Here's my start so far. 

The chart specifies using 30-ct fabric but I used some scrap 40-ct linen I had and some Gloriana red silk. Unfortunately I didn't realize the added words at the bottom were charted as over-one - well that just isn't going to happen - over-one on 40-ct linen is too hard for me so I will rechart the words as over-two instead. It's weird but sometimes I can stitch easily on 40-ct and other times I am really struggling - I use my lighted magnifier all the time so can't quite figure it out. This project is rather hard for me to stitch on... I wonder if any of you notice a difference between 40-ct linen from different manufacturers? Are some 'tighter' than others??

I've been doing more sewing than stitching over the past 2 weeks. I finally finished a king-sized quilt top I started about 2 years ago - I am SO-O-O-O happy!   I've already ironed it all and have it hanging ready to take to a long-arm quilter in a few months (I try to space out my custom quilting and framing...$$$....you know how that is).  I  don't have a big photo of it to show you. It's a subtle quilt - an antique reproduction so it's doesn't have a lot of 'wow' factor.  The beauty of it I think will really come out once it's custom-quilted.   Back when I purchased everything for this quilt I got a whole bolt of one fabric because I needed almost 10 yards just for the back of the quilt.  A bolt has 15 yards on it and I got a good discount which made it worth buying.   I think this may be the last king-sized quilt I make - it's tough working with something that big and also a real pain trying to iron it once it's all together!    If I count up all the materials, plus what it's going to cost me to get it quilted, this quilt is costing me close to $500.  Quilting isn't a cheap hobby that's for sure - not with the cost of most fabric being $9-10 per yard these days.  That doesn't even count 2 years of my time.  Believe me, it was a thrill putting  a big line through this entry on my WIP list!  I'll be back with some photos around Feb or March of next year when I get it back from the quilter.

Lately I haven't been tempted too much to bring home more stash - as Martha Stewart says, "it's a good thing" LOL.   I have so much already that I want to stitch...however I did recently pick up these from Threadwork Primitives...it's all Faye's fault as I fell in love with her "Pride & Glory" finish.  I want to get started on this cute autumn-themed one with the witch's hat.  I'm so glad that new designers keep coming to our world since some of our favorites have quit the business during the last few years.  I guess part of it is the economy and so many crafters doing other things like knitting, scrapbooking, etc.  I know that some of the designers have also cited issues with copyright abuse which makes me very sad.  It's great that we sell or trade our used charts  or stash we no longer want,  but I continue to support the hard work of the needlework designers.   I'm relieved to know there's no danger we'll run out of things to stitch!