Sneaky Finish!

The office took off for a baseball game today, and I ended up home early. After I finished folding the laundry, I sat down and finished up Toy Gatherer! The stitching is done! This has only taken 11 years! (Not stitching regularly...)

Of course, I do have to do the beading still...

May Mayhem

1. Take all the boxes from the craft room, put them in the basement, and vacuum so my mother in law has a place to sleep tomorrow night!
What a lovely woman my MIL is, happily sleeping on an air mattress among my crafting crap.
2. Finish the damn bag.
Tonight. I've taken about half of the sewn on top off so that I can try to get it right...
3. Ten hours on Enchanted Alphabet
I probably did more. I love Needle Necessities. I should try to buy the whole set so I can substitute these more often...
4. Ten hours on Toy Gatherer
I have only one section of "brush" to do on the top of the arch. It's supposed to be evergreen boughs, but it's a right pain in the ass to stitch!
5. Complete Mill Hill Santa 5/19
6. Complete nephew's ornament 5/19
One down, two to go...
7. Start You Are My Sunshine for anniversary present.
I've ordered the fabric which is taking a while to arrive. I'm itching.

I don't think that's half bad!

Toy Gatherer Update

I've been working my Toy Gatherer rotation. I've completed the stitching on the bottom of the piece. I've decided not to put the various "Santa Claus" names in the corners. I just don't think the writing looks substantial enough for these areas. I'm currently doing the backstitching on the top. I just have to do the right side, and I'm ready to wash it in preparation for beading.

To do the beading, I'm going to need some extenders for my q-snaps. The piece is just slightly too large for the 17x11, and I don't want to put the stitching under the snaps. Lord knows how much longer this piece is going to take...I only started in 1995.

We're Popular. We're Really Popular.

Check it out! The Independent News, an alternative paper in Pensacola, FL that has an "audience that is more educated, affluent and active than the norm" puts cross stitch at #5 in their "Hot List."

5. 'SUBVERSIVE CROSS STITCH' Kate Hudson and her knitting needles are so last year. The next cool thing to come out of the uncool world of arts and crafts is cross stitching—only this time it's thanks to a book, not a celebrity endorser. But be warned: Julie Jackson's "Subversive Cross Stitch" ain't your grandmother's style.

In laptop bag news, I finished knitting the top and started to sew it on. When I started sewing on the second side, I realized the top was twisted. It is really hard to take back stitch out of knitting, especially since I can't tell the knitting from the sewing...

I. Cannot. Believe.

I picked up Sissy's laptop bag last night. I have 29 rows (ten stitches) left to stitch. Then I have to sew this last section onto the bag and I can wash it. I could finish this tonight. I can't believe it! After this, no more knitted gifts for family. This is too much stress.

I finished the "True Love Order" ornament on the bus yesterday. So I took out the sheep chair project and continued to fill in the background. How do those needlepointers who just fill in the background do it? This project might kill me.

Well, of course, I couldn't stick with it too much, so I went through my WIPs looking for something bus-worthy. I pulled out some Prairie Schooler ornaments (Two-By-Two II). I had initially sent this out as a round robin, but only got three back. I decided to work on these for a bit.

And that started me thinking that one person has had three of my round robins since last October when she was supposed to send them back. I sent her a SASE so she could return them and she said she never received it. (The US Postal service is not this bad people. And she has a PO Box.) I don't know, should I try again to get them back? I don't want to give up hope... Am I somehow related to Anne Frank?

SBQ: Specialties

What is your favorite specialty stitch? Which one is your least favorite? Why? I think I like the rice stitch best. I find them easy and soothing to make, and they make great texture for very little investment. I'm also a big fan of queen stitch.

I have a hard time making a decent dove's eye. In fact, a lot of those lacing/drawn thread work stitches elude me.

Stitcher's Meme: Backstitch

1. Do you enjoy backstitching? No, I'd have to say I don't. It looks good once it's on, but sitting down to do it isn't very enjoyable.
2. Do you do it as you go or at the very end? I try to do it as I go because otherwise it's too much at once.
3. Does the amount of backstitching in a project influence your decision to stitch a pattern? No. In fact, I started the Flower Thread ornament from JCS 2002 for my mother. It's almost all backstitching...with some buttonhole stitch for good measure. It's just perfect for her, so the fact that it is all done in backstitch simply wasn't a factor. Picture soon. Sorry for the wonky photo.

Down the Sidetrack

I got a little sidetracked from my goals this weekend. I picked up Anna's Bird. This was not on my list; I'm supposed to be working my ten hours on Toy Gatherer. But we had company this weekend--the dude's aunt foist herself upon us. I couldn't whip out a project that required as much attention as the last few stitches of Toy Gatherer would require, so I picked up something that called to me from the WIP pile.

Tonight, I'm really, really going to try to pick up Sissy's bag. I should try to get this completed. I only have a little tiny bit to do, and only a little tiny bit of May left in which to do it.

At least I didn't start anything new.

Greetings

Last night, Sissy and I went to our favorite Stampin' Up! reps house for some stampy-goodness. She designed four cards using one set of stamps-- Looks Like Spring from the Spring mini catalog. You can almost see that that baby card has brown over the blue diamonds to make argyle. We're really looking forward to doing more with that! I can see pink and green for my preppy aunt and green and brown for a nice masculine card.

Santa, Baby

I've nearly completed two Santa ornaments: my Mill Hill kit and the one for my nephew. I have a bit of beard work to do on both--you read right, beard. Frosty Santa (Mill Hill) needs his loopy beard added. The ornament for my nephew needs some sparkly silver star stitches in his beard. But very, very close to being done.

I'm also nearing completion on Room for Ewe. I have filled in about 2/3 of the chair and just need to make Cam's coils for the sheep. Wow. Finishing. What a concept.

I think I may be ready to put Enchanted Alphabet away for a while and put my ten hours in on Toy Gatherer.

Who is this new stitcher, and what has she done with that Bitch who usually writes on this blog?

Subversive News

I recently took a survey for The Subversive Stitch. In it, I suggested that she make just the patterns available, rather than offering only kits--I'm sure I'm not the only one. I do like to think I had a hand in the happy news: Subversive Stitch is now offering a pattern-only option! Woohoo.

Now you can stitch your truthiness on whatever fabric with whatever flosses you like.

Weekend Stitching

On Saturday, we decided to head out to Lancaster to make fun of the Amish to show my MIL, who still doesn't believe the Amish don't use electricity, how the other half lives. I nearly finished the Santa ornament for my nephew before I fell asleep in the back. We went to the Quilt Museum, which is really just a small section of a shop, and saw some beautiful contemporary quilts that made me wish I could sew. (Yes, that's ironic.) I dragged my hands over some beautiful fabric and contemplated buying some felted wool. Then we went in search of a quilt that we could hang in our living room with our other textiles. But we're too poor. Even when we got off the beaten path, we just liked the really quilty ones. And those cost. My husband decided he needs a hobby, and he was thinking about turning bowls. I tried to convince him to learn quilting, but I think he finally settled on jam making. My mother was a bit disappointed, since she was willing to give him free lessons... Saturday ended with us stuffing ourselves full of hearty Amish food, like we were about to lead a team of horses into the field.

On Sunday, we took both the mothers (yes, mine arrived Saturday afternoon) and one father for dim sum. Sissy, the dude, and I also picked up the tab for everyone, including my cousin. This is what happens when you give birth. Everyone came back to our house so dad could get the grand tour. Then my mother rearranged the furniture in the living room. As they departed, my father told the dude that he was going to call in twelve minutes, and he wanted to hear the sound of the lawnmower in the background. Since it takes about 12 minutes to mow the lawn, he missed it. Then the dude, MIL, and I set about to finish the desk we bought at IKEA two weeks ago. (We stopped about halfway through when we realized we had just spent hours making extra holes in the piece because we were too dense to follow pictograms--yeah, there were 5 advanced degrees in the room.) We still haven't finished but I think that may be on the agenda for today. We had to stop in order to make it out to Exton for Mother's Day dinner my cousin was cooking for everyone. I thought that place used to be full when we lived there, but on Sunday there were 8 adults, two kids, and three dogs (my parents brought their chocolate lab, Coco, with them).

Today sucks. Everyone else got to go to the Classic Diner for breakfast. I had to put on my duck boots and slosh to work.

New (To Me) Meme: Startitis

Ah, sweet relief. More questions to answer. Less thinking on my part.

Have a case of startitis? What projects are you dying to start? Which would you start today if you "allowed" yourself?
Well, the next project I have scheduled to start is the anniversary present, La D Da's My Sunshine. And, when I gave myself permission to start something new when I travelled to NH at the end of April (a treat for finishing the Souvenir Sampler) nothing I had kitted up appealed to me. Could I really just want to finish more pieces than I start? Ha! I have recently purchased the threads and fabric for Purple Passion in a Bag, so I guess I'm thinking about starting this. Subconsciously... or something.

SBQ: Extra, Extra

When you stitch from a kit and use the supplied floss do you have leftovers? If so, how much and what do you do with them? If not, do you usually have just enough or do you have to dig into your stash to finish? I usually have leftovers. If they are just regular floss, I thow it away. Floss is the cheapest part of this endeavor, so I don't worry about saving bits of floss. I do save any specialty threads; their value is obvious. With kits, I only keep the picture of the project and the pattern. You can't keep everything.

Here's a little update on the Enchanted Alphabet. The photo on the left/bottom shows a close-up on the area I'm currently working on.

You’ve Got Questions. I’ve Got Answers.

Coral wanted to know about the Better Homes and Gardens Santa Star (designed by Barbara Sestock). It's in Cross-Stitch Christmas: Handmade Heirlooms (copyright 2002). The book has about 40 patterns, including patterns for card inserts, wall hangings, pillows, stockings, and ornaments. I recognize several designs as duplicates from their other books and magazines. Some pretty good designers are included in addition to their "stock" designers. Patricia Anderle contributes one of her trademark hardanger overlay pieces and a 3D mug cozy that looks like a cottage; it's pretty cute, but I don't know anyone who needs a mug cozy. Mike Vickery offers a nice wall hanging of a nutcracker soldier. Linda Stoltz presents three mini pins in the gift section, two are floral and one is an ark with a rainbow. Lizzie*Kate is represented by a house pillow that is also shown as an ornament. I think I've seen this before, though, and I'm thinking it was in a calendar. Finally Cecilia Turner (Heart in Hand) contributes "A Right Jolly Old Elf" which is a Santa who is wearing a patchwork jacket. I'm positive that this one was in a magazine as well. These books are widely available on the internet. Lots of people get them because they are on automatic delivery, then don't send them back in time for a refund. That's how some of these places make money: we're too lazy! So, anyway, as the lazies make a bid to get some of their money back, you can get these "used" just about everywhere.

Kymm wanted to know where I found the Ewe & Eye & Friends pattern. I bought mine at Elegant Stitch, but they don’t seem to have it on their website anymore. I was able to find it at Homespun Samplar. I've never ordered from them, but they have a great sale page. And lots and lots of Ewe & Eye.

Finally, as a treat for reading, here's my progress on MLI's Enchanted Alphabet. I'm using the Needle Necessities conversion. I wrote in tedious detail about that here.

Sonambulent

I'm exhausted today. I don't know why, really. On Friday, we took my MIL to Winterthur. They make a big deal of pronouncing it Winter-ter. But if we're doing the Germanic thing, shouldn't it be Vinter-ter? I'm going to keep on saying Winter*th*ur until they explain themselves. Anyway, on the "Elegant Entertaining" tour of the house, the guide walked us into a room and asked what the first thing we noticed was. Someone said that the theme of the room was "Washington." Since the guide had been heavy on the themes of the rooms, I figured that was the right answer. But what I noticed were the mourning samplers. She did point those out, but how smart would I have looked if I actually said it first. Anyway, there is a whole conservation program there, and I was thinking maybe I have found what I want to do when I grow up: conserve and preserve textiles. Since, you know, I didn't really have any other plans for my future. The requirements would practically necessitate getting a whole new B.A. I'm not sure I can take 4 chemistry classes and work full time. And don't forget the last time I printed a black and white photograph was in 1989, and I probably couldn't pass a drawing class if my life depended on it. At least I have 8 units of art history! I should do some informational interviewing before I try to schedule organic chemistry.

On Saturday, we moved my sister to her new place. Um, note to self: avoid helping people move who have more than one staircase. Oh, I felt the burn.

On Sunday, the dude had to work on his library school paper so I took his mom to Wegman's for lunch. We bought some fancy stuff. Then it was on to Lowes for fertilizer and a spreader (boy howdy it was exciting). We got to Waterloo Gardens about an hour before they shut and picked out two tomato plants, some thyme, basil, rosemary, and oregano. Now I just have to find the sunny spot in the yard. It will just be a container garden on account of all the bunnies.

I did get some work in on Enchanted Alphabet. I'll try to remember to photograph it so I'm not talking in the abstract all the time.

Filling In

Pictures again! At last. I'm sorry I've been so lazy about taking photos of my progress. I'm guessing that you can tell that the one on the top/left is the Ewe and Eye and Friends sheep standing on a chair, as I've been calling it. "A Room for Ewe" is the official name. On the bottom/right is the ornament that I am stitching for my nephews from a Better Homes and Gardens Christmas book. I have three nephews and this particular design came in three colorways (one has the green and red reversed and the other is blue). Once I finish the swirls in the Santa, I should have no problems filling in his body, making both the perfect subway projects. Actually the sheep is the best because that is stitched using one strand of floss. Super easy!

Hot Offer

Today, on rather short notice, a coworker asked me to walk the 9 or so blocks to Sophie's Yarns. "Woohoo!" I shouted and strapped on my sneakers. I don't know what I was looking for. Especially since I have not finished the laptop bag.

But it found me! That super crappy picture they have on the website is actually a darling beaded bag, a free pattern no less. They're having a class so my coworker was interested, but I couldn't make it(stamping class scheduled for the same day). I convinced her that we could figure it out together. I know that knitting with beads isn't that hard; I watched an episode about it on that knitting show on DIY. I think it will be good for me to work on this with someone else--I actually might finish. I'm not convinced of that since the knitting is on #3 dpns. I've never knit on anything smaller than a #7.

I bought Classic Elite Yarns Bam Boo in color 4976 (praline, it's the third from the left in the picture above), and pinky-purple matte glass beads. Oooh. I can't wait to start.

Our Family Believes in the Party

I have been asked for a party report. It all came off without a hitch, even though I was burning the CD party favors up until the taxi came to take us to the airport. On Saturday night, we took my parents to Lindbergh's Crossing in Portsmouth as a decoy. We kept telling them we couldn't afford a party since we just bought a house last December and my sister closed on hers on the 26th. They bought it. We had a lovely dinner. We sampled the escargot and the cheese course. We had haddock, boulliabase, duck, and tenderloin. We finished with a medium rare chocolate cake and a coconut cheesecake. Oh, and it's my new favorite restaurant because I got carded.

On Saturday afternoon, my mother called her grand-nieces to talk to them and beans were spilt. Alexa told her that Baby Kate had a new dress and she had light up shoes for the party. We told my mother she must have just meant the brunch we were planning to have with my aunt and grandmother, and the story was bought. About 40 people showed up and boy were my parents surprised. Two groomsmen came--one of them I tracked down via the internet--and my parents were floored. They haven't seen them since 1983. It was a nice combination of family and friends. T-Bones, not my first choice but it ended up being scrumptious and affordable, did a really nice job. My cousin's sister-in-law did the flowers and they were lovely. My cousin made a beautiful cake with royal icing daisies that stood on the top of the cake. My mother cried when she saw the cd cover--a picture of her and my father at their wedding next to a photo of them dancing at mine. She was even more pleased with the songs we had chosen. She told anyone who would listen the significance of each song we chose. My father asked, "Where's the AC/DC?" I told my sister we needed one of their songs, but she claims she was just thinking of the older relatives. I don't know how my cousin did it, but she managed to put these tiny daisies we bought onto the sacks of Jordan almonds. My sister and I couldn't make them look good. I don't know where we would have been with out my cousin; she booked the restaurant, acted as the contact, baked the cake, got the flowers, stuck the daisies on the tulle, and set up. Really, she deserved the acknowledgment I gave her before the toast. (The one I wrote at 6:00 am on Sunday.)

And the Souvenir Sampler was very well received. My mother hugged it. Pictures as soon as she remembers.

Round Up/May Goals

Well last month I said that I would work on something different every day of the month, upon completion of my sister's laptop bag. Yeah, well, there was no completion of the lap top bag, though I did go great guns for a little while...up until the time I realized I had no idea how long I was supposed to make the second strap. I emailed my friend amy! and she tried to interpret the pattern as I had written it out (well, I copied the section for the straps word-for-word). She ended up buying the book, not before she marvelled at how poorly the pattern was written. So it's not just me! I now have to rip out about 100 rows of one side of the strap. Grrr. Then I just have to make the closure. Seam it. Felt. Sew in a zipper. Attach the handle. Done. I.am.so.close...

What I did work on last month instead, you know in addition to house stuff and the party, was the Ewe and Eye and Friends pattern of a sheep on a chair. I almost finished that too. I am just filling in the chair. Bo-ring. I also started a Mill Hill Santa ornament and a perforated paper ornament for my nephew. I've been alternating those projects on my commute. I pulled out the MLI Enchanted Alphabet for the trip up to NH this weekend. I've almost finished the "W" but I had to take out the "H" someone else stitched. She had either stitched a cross over three or over one thread and she screwed up that section.

May Goals
1. Take all the boxes from the craft room, put them in the basement, and vacuum so my mother in law has a place to sleep tomorrow night!
2. Finish the damn bag.
3. Ten hours on Enchanted Alphabet
4. Ten hours on Toy Gatherer
5. Complete Mill Hill Santa
6. Complete nephew's ornament
7. Start You Are My Sunshine for anniversary present.