July in Review

1. 10 hours on Anna's Bird I hope to have pictures soon on this one.
2. 10 hours on Enchanted Alphabet See progress here.
3. 10 hours on Tulips See progress here.
4. Take Hardanger napkin rings as travel project I finished everything up to the cutting point on one of the pair.
5. Prepare sheep RR No, I haven't lost my mind or forgotten about my missing robins. I am doing this one with friends. I've finished stitching and must complete the basting (yes, I do everything backwards) for our Aug 1 mail date.
6. After 1-5 are complete, start something new! Well, I didn't wait. My cousin's kid turned one and I still hadn't stitched his birth sampler--and his sister has one on the way. Have to churn these suckers out! Again, I've been reunited with my camera and hope to have something to show you soon.




I also started a Theresa Layman design--the mermaid. I worked on it briefly in my mother's beach house. She thinks it would be perfect for her, and she wants it. Well, I think it's perfect for me, and I want it! Maybe I can figure out how to do it again with punchneedle. Or maybe by the end of the project I will want to stitch 2000 more French knots!

Home Again, Home Again

Did I forget to tell you I was away at a conference? I was off learning how to do my job better. I got so many ideas, I don't know how I'll implement even some of them (well, you know, if anyone lets me...)

I stayed in the dorms, and they suggested we bring a light, so I packed up my well-traveled OTT light. I managed to stitch on the plane and the first night, but then my free time was taken up with honky tonks and country music.

Which I might even learn to appreciate... At least, you gotta love this song. Warning, it contains some of them, how you say, bad words. (But my daddy raised me on a steady diet of David Allen Coe, yes in NH, so I don't mind so much.)

Anyway, pictures Monday.

Buried

Sorry I haven't updated lately; I am just snowed under at work. And stitching has been overtaken by reading--I started a book at the beach and have been reading instead of stitching on my commute. I managed Janet Evanovich's Twelve Sharp, Sarah Paretsky's Fire Sale, and Sue Grafton's S is for Silence since Saturday.

When I went back to the project I was working on, pictured, I realized I had screwed up and I spent my morning taking out some of the wing.

By the Sea, By the Sea...

I had such a wonderfully relaxing time in Maine. I spent my days with my toes in the ocean listening to the waves and gulls. I did get some stitching in too. After at least three sessions where I had to pull out way too many stitches, I did finish the bulk of the stitching on one hardanger napkin ring. I just have to weave a few bars and whip up a few dove's eyes. Unfortunately, I left my camera in NH where I took pictures of some of the projects I had stitched for my mother over the years. She found it and is sending it to me, but I'm afraid it will be a few more days until you can witness the fruits of my labors.

I also did a few stitches on Enchanted Alphabet, and started a project for my cousin's baby. I'm going to bring that with me next week when I travel to Nashville for a conference.

I should start on the second napkin ring too...

Enchanted Alphabet Progress

Before:


Currently:


Close up of my current work:


Sorry--loads to get done before I take off. Enjoy the weekend! (I may not get online--try battling with 3 adults for the computer...)

#5 Prepare Sheep RR

I have figured out that I need a piece of 28 ct linen 19"x19" for my upcoming round robin. My plan is to stitch a fence (from a Moss Creek chart) to divide up my fabric into four squares. Into my square I will stitch Drawn Thread's Two Friends.

So last night I went through my fabric. I have no system for storing my fabric. In fact, I'm so desperate I sent the question to the SBQ. It's "on the list." I just don't know how to keep it so I can find what I am looking for. If you take it out of the package, you'll have to count every time to find out what hpi you're dealing with. But if you leave it in the package, the poor linen can't breathe! And what about those scraps and odd shapes? I am at a complete loss. Anyway, I didn't have any large enough pieces of 28 count fabric. I tend to go for the higher counts. So, I'm over on ebay seeing what I can pick up for a song. Don't bid against me!

I didn't get any work in on Enchanted Alphabet. I'm hoping to do an update before we leave for our highly anticipated trip to Maine. Just for a few days. Nothing big, but away from work and this stifling city. I swear I might melt today. Melt.

#4 Take Hardanger Napkin Rings as Travel Project

Today I brought my Hardanger Napkin Rings on the commute. I will try to get a picture of them, but there are these nasty little rust colored splotches everywhere on these. Not caused by a needle--I would have had to have left about 20 needles in this thing. And it's also on the unworked piece of evenweave. It's a mystery. I thought briefly about throwing the project out. I mean, I took this class in Valley Forge in 1997--how frickin' long have I lived without them? But that was the year I went and stitched with my broken finger. And I paid good money for the class.

But, as my cousin the-only-woman-in-the-world-who-thinks-dressing-kids-in-white-is-a-good-idea always says, "It's white; you can bleach it." I have the fear of bleaching needlework. The project is white on white, and I'm sure nothing untoward will happen if I bleach it just-this-once. But who am I kidding? They're napkin rings, they'll need to be bleached again. I've got to suck it up. If they're worth stitching, it's worth using them. And if I use them, I will inevitably bleach them. And if this means my great nieces can't use them, screw 'em. What have they ever done for me?

What I Did This Weekend

In between getting a new battery for the car, installing new smoke detectors, mowing and raking the lawn, and watching the world cup (Why, Zidane, why?), I worked on Enchanted Alphabet. Ten hours might not finish it, but it won't be far short, so I might just continue on until I'm done. I finished all the letters, 2 of 3 flower bunches, and the dove. I started work on the bunny and continued to work on the skirt (tedious). I only have two colors left on the skirt. Unfortunately, it is the white and 822 (very light cream) which are the predominant colors and pretty boring to stitch. I've included a photo for reference, but mine doesn't really look like this.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I keep wondering why I am finishing this project. I started it for my niece, who, as I mentioned, is now 6 and not likely to like this one. I don't really have anyone to give it to. It isn't something I'm going to frame until it's done. Maybe the right circumstances will present themselves...

SBQ: Whoops!

What is the biggest mishap you have had with your stitching material? If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know I have a penchant for leaving things on airplanes: Exhibit A and Exhibit B. And I've blogged before about washing something I made with overdyed floss. That's about enough for one post, isn't it?

Last night I took up Enchanted Alphabet after the dude and I proved what lousy homeowners we made by dealing with a mouse-in-the-house rather ineptly. (My house is clean, dammit!) This weekend we're taking back our casa, filling in cracks in the mortar and stuffing steel wool in holes. Anyway, only three more letters on EA (A, Y, Z) then it's back to the little girl and her attendant animals. Ten hours might finish this one!

Before and After

Treasured Tulips (Nutmeg Needle) before the great ripping:



















I finished last night. I'm putting this one aside until next time.

Tulips

I was working on the tulips when I discovered tragic mistakes. I've had to take out the whole left side of the design. I restarted and have hit the halfway point. I think with the holiday tomorrow, I may finish this side. (I have a picture to post of where I started with this, so you can see the devestation. Unfortunately, the guy we steal our internet access from seems to have turned off his computer.)

Unfortunately, that will be the end of my ten hours. I thought I might have finished this one in ten hours. :(

July

My goals for July: revel in selfish stitching!

1. 10 hours on Anna's Bird
2. 10 hours on Enchanted Alphabet
3. 10 hours on Tulips
4. Take Hardanger napkin rings as travel project
5. Prepare sheep RR (this is one I am doing with friends)
6. After 1-5 are complete, start something new!