Snowmageddon 2015

I feel like a cry baby when it comes to nasty weather since I see folks who have it so much worse on the evening news every night, but... today makes Day 5 that hubby and I have been snowed in.  Thank goodness I bought extra supplies at the grocery before it hit.  I normally think the warnings are excessive and consequently tend not to stock up like it's the end of the world.  Glad I did this time.  Thankfully, we have several more days worth of real food before I have to make shoelace soup.

With record low temps and snow deeper than the top of my boots, I'm staying put for yet another day...

And, even though I thought I had updated everything yesterday, I found a few things I forgot to share:

Fresh finish from last night.. seasonal freebie (so hard to resist, aren't they?) 

My new favorite scissors sheath, on the right:

The tin topper and scissors fob were completed by me eleven years ago (much to my dismay).  It is hard to believe it has been that long.  I always thought they needed a third piece to complete the set.  Two things hardly constitute a set, right?  But, the chart was only for the tin topper and fob.  So, a few weeks ago while browsing at the Stitch Niche in Lexington, I saw the ultrasuede scissors sheath (with plain white 18 ct. monocanvas insert).  The color of the suede immediately reminded me of my little bargello set.  I adapted the pattern to fit the sheath, and I'm totally pleased with the outcome.   Now it looks like a "set", yes? 

Speaking of sets... once upon a time, I bought this Fern Ridge "shear hospitality" felt pineapple kit.  Nearing the end of the blanket stitching around the fronds, I ran out of thread.  So with a good amount of mumbling, it was tucked away, out of sight... for years... Truthfully, I'm making an effort to finish a few UFOs from "way back", and this little guy was so close to being finished, it was one of my first UFO finishes of the year.

File this under "Just for Fun":

Pumpkin pinkeep

tiny felt ball mounted on oversized wooden button

And lastly, I'm just remembering to share the final finished pics of the Blackwork Band 
Sampler class I facilitated for my EGA chapter last fall.  Because I love color so much, it is hard for me to stick to black thread only for blackwork.  The design itself inspired the colors I selected.   Because I'm running out of wall space, I finished mine as a combination teabag/marking pin wallet.  This band sampler is part of the Petite Projects series from the Embroiderers' Guild of America which provides members with free small educational projects in varied techniques.  The cutwork nametag I shared yesterday is also an EGA Petite Project.  If memory serves me, I've completed four of the petite projects and am always glad I did.  You can learn a lot about a new-to-you technique in even a small project.

Blackwork Band Sampler

by Julie Fera

for The Embroiderers' Guild of America

And that's a wrap for this frigid Thursday friends.  Until next time, Stitch Happy!

Prelude to Autumn

With all the 'below normal' temps this week, I'd swear it's autumn already!  But, we haven't had the Dog Days or Indian Summer yet so I know Mother Nature is just fooling around.  Fooling around or not, the cool mornings have triggered my Fall Spirit!  Since I'm leading a little blackwork workshop in a couple of months, I decided the time was right to whip up this little tissue cover (and continue ignoring my wedding sampler WIP). 

 

Liz Skinner leaf and acorn design

Marion Scoular tissue cover instructions

Here's hoping you all are having a great week!  Stitch happy,

Seminar Summary 2013

***

This year, the EGA national seminar slogan was "Winner by a Stitch" and boy-o-boy did I feel like a winner by the end of the week!

For starters, let me back up and say that earlier this year, I purchased a few opportunity tickets for a quilt drawing.  And....since my sister has all the luck o' the Irish, I put her name on my tickets (I know, I know, shame on me...).  She (aka "I") won.  The quilt is phenomenal in design, piecing and quilting.  I am extremely fortunate to have it and will treasure it forever more.

Fast forward one month and I see this spectacular quilt at the EGA seminar:

It was not for sale or auction; you could only purchase chances for it.  I thought, "What the heck"... even though I knew there was absolutely NO WAY I'd win another quilt this year, it couldn't hurt to try.  Right?  Right!!  And, would you believe they pulled my name out of the hat?  Talk about stunned!  I didn't even hi-jack my sister's identity to win it.  Just to gild the lily, it came with a big-ol'-bag of taffy from a 50 year old candy shoppe in Oregon.  YUM YUM YUM!

With all the quilt-flaunting I had to do, I'm glad the drawing was held on the final evening of the convention.  Even though I only took one class, Catherine Jordan's River Bottom box, I took full advantage of having some down time:

Believe it or not, I finished (or nearly finished) all of the above during my time in Louisville.  I can't remember the last time I had five finishes in a single month!

 

I even had time to start this adorable Lizzie Kate fall/halloween biscornu which I just finished today:

 

 

 

And just for good measure, I finished another Christmas ornament this past week while on vacation in Washington D.C.
 

So with jsut about five weeks left until Christmas, I hope you all are finding time to finish a few gifts and maybe even a few keepers... :o)

Have a great week, friends!

Greetings

More greeting cards for chapter fundraiser to share.  Just in case you are wondering how I am turning out these cards so quickly, it is NOT because I'm stitching that fast.  I'm using bits and pieces of old stitched things to make these cards.

It really is a wonderful feeling to turn those odds and ends snippets I have lying around into something with a purpose!  I'm very hopeful that all of the cards our chapter creates will be well received and the fundraiser will be a success!

Assisi birds border in Florimell variegated silk

Blackwork pineapple in WDW "Honeysuckle"

Thanks for dropping by!  Your comments always brighten my day.

WIP Update

Helloooooo Stitch fans!  Even though I don't have much to show, I thought it was high time I posted a stitching update.

The section at the bottom is in it's 4th lifecycle.  First time around, I thought floche would be perfect.  Sadly, the more I stitched, the less perfect it became.  A little hairy, in fact.  Insert frogs.

 

Next, I was SURE silk would be just the ticket.  Single strand?  Nope, too thin.  Frogtown here I come, again. 

Two strands?  Nope, too thick.  Super-Frog. 

What about just plain ol' DMC?  Could it be too simple to be right?  Yep.  Not the look I was going for.   Whole lottafroggin' goin' on.

Geesh I tell ya.  Nobody can belabor a thread choice like I can.  Imagine if I was trying to pick a color!

Lucky Bamboo to the rescue:

You really can't see the difference here, but the straight row up the right is in Mandarin floss and I LOVE IT!  Really!  Now, just one more exhilarating round of 'rippit' and I'll be on my way.

Also on the stitchy front, I've selected my Christmas exchange project and have put the first stitches in it.  No pics until after the Christmas party though!

Lastly, at our last chapter meeting, the program was on Hmong textile art.  Being a huge fan of folk art, I was totally into it and can't wait to get the little needle book stitched up.   

This message has been brought to you by the finest beans on Earth:

Starbuck's calls this their Anniversary Blend.  I call it sublime.  It's also my last bag.  You see, they only sell this blend in the fall.  Before they run out, I buy as much as I can carry and it usually lasts me most of the year.  Now, it's all but gone.  :o(

I'll be counting the days until we can be together again.

The Retreat Report (pictures added)

Nothing like a little three day stitching retreat to reset your compass. 

Amazingly enough, I was the first to arrive on Friday around noon.  After quickly unpacking and setting up my stitching area, I anxiously awaited my friends arrival.  It was not long before everyone began to stream in.  It is so much fun greeting each one as they come through the doors.  You'd think we only see each other twice a year!  Each and every one is happy, really happy, to be there and happy that you are there too!  It's a wonderful feeling to hug and be hugged, with such love behind each hug.  We are all drunk on joy juice just to be there.

After a quick trip to the antique shop and grocery store for supplies, I stitched all afternoon and evening on my Christmas slipper set.  Turned in early, around 1:00ish.  Sleep like a log.

Antique finds:  Fenton hobnail glassware and tatted edge Irish linen napkin

Saturday - up and at it fairly early, eager to get back on my slipper set.  It was a gorgeous morning followed by a perfect-weather day so I had to take a couple of healthy walks around the conference center lake with the camera or I might have gotten a little more stitching accomplished. 

Finished Part 3 of 5 and decided it was a good time to start my black and white Promise Piece.  Much to my dismay, when I opened the tube of black fabric and unrolled it, SOMEBODY had already been into it and I didn't have enough fabric to begin my piece.  Don't cry for me Argentina.  I was only slightly disappointed since I was in the mood to move on to Part 4 of my set.  I did manage to stitch a sample Ironwork motif on the remnant just to see how the white floche floss would get along with the Monoco black.  I like!

A stroke of luck hit my "Not-a-Box" when the extraordinary Miss Anna pulled out a piece of green marblized fabric that might even be more perfect than the multi-colored marblized fabric I bought for it. 

We traded half my multi-colored piece for half her green piece.  Now, we have options people!  Danger Danger.

We stitched into the wee hours and I nearly finished Part 4. 

Parts 1-4

A late night thunderstorm made for fabulous sleeping conditions.  Lights out around 2:45.  Again, I slept like a rock.

Sunday - enjoyed a lazy morning.  Cleaned up, checked out, ate lunch and said our goodbyes while slipping in those last few stitches.  We parted company around 3 pm, already looking forward to October.

We've decided that the only thing we were missing was a 'cabana boy' to fetch our drinks and snacks from the kitchen, massage our hands and necks, do our ironing, adjust the theromstat, and do the back stitching.  Maybe next year.

I feel relaxed, recharged and ready for the work week more stitching. 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, hubby kept busy all weekend on a "little" tile repair in our shower. 

Yikes!

Hope you all had an equally rewarding weekend!

Define "Retreat"

• To withdraw or remove oneself from the ordinary surroundings
• To sleep or not to sleep, whenever and as late as necessary
• To stitch, non-stop or not at all
• To relax
• To breathe
• To be

Since I'm not off vacationing in far flung places as I had originally planned to be this month (don't ask),

I've cleared my schedule and am heading North just a couple of hours to a guild sponsored three day weekend retreat.  It is not a class oriented retreat, like so many I've drooled over online.  It is however precisely what I need right now - an honest to goodness R.E.T.R.E.A.T, with emphasis on the 'treat'.  Just a bunch of us girls, doing what we do best when we gather together.  Need I say more?  (click on Retreat in the left sidebar to read more about this wonderful weekend with my stitching friends)

So, since I've given myself such short notice, I need to make my stitching selections quick.

I won't take any of the Christmas favors I've been working on since I don't want to spoil any surprises. 

I do think I will take my promise piece to start.  It's a very pretty blackwork (kind-of) piece called "Ironwork of New Orleans 1". 

Instead of stitching black on white though, I think I will try white on black fabric and see how that strikes me.  Last time I stitched on black I had to check into the Betty Ford clinic for the Stitching Insane for a month!  We'll see how long I'm able to hang with this one before I switch it to black on white.

I MUST work on my GPA Christmas Stitching set a bit because I really really want to finish this by Christmas this year.  Plus, it's been at the top of my WIP list for a looooonnnnnng time.  It's down right depressing to never see any movement on my WIPs in Progress list. 

It's just the most darling little slipper when it's all said and done.  When I just pulled it out to have a look at where I left off, I imaged I had much more done than I actually have done.  If only dream stitching could be translated into real life!

It's my custom to work on a peacock at retreat on Saturday but I'm going to have to break with tradition this year.  These two pieces alone will give me hours of stitching pleasure and if I'm a good girl, I could actually bring the Christmas set home ready to be assembled!  Wouldn't that be exciting!

I think I'll take 'The Box That Is Not A Box' and my sunroom pillows to-be, just so I can talk about them. Maybe one of the ladies will have an idea or two for me. 

Until next time friends, here's hoping you are loving your current project and planning your next.

Blackwork Basics class

Attention all locals:  if you are interested in dabbling in blackwork or would just like to snaz-up a pillar candle with this pineapple candle wrapper, why not check out my Blackwork Basics class at the Village Sampler this Spring. 

Check with Pat for scheduling.

back from framer

I couldn't be happier with how Autumn came back from the framer:

"Autumn"

by Indigo Rose

silk on linen

corner detail

on the wall

I'm aware that it's January, but I must confess this baby is going on the wall and not coming down until I get tired of looking at it, which might be a long long time.

Thanks again PJ!  You've done it again.  I 'triple love' it!

As good as done!

Awoke this morning to a coat of freshly fallen snow.  It was quiet beautiful.  But, like most Saturdays in December, I was rushing around and did not get to enjoy it for long.

Still sneaking in a stitch or two on my Autumn square whenever I can. I feel certain that I'll be putting the finishing stitches in this baby in the next 24 hours.  I CAN'T WAIT to get it to the framer!!!  She has some very interesting options already picked out for me to consider.

please click on pic for better view

"Autumn"

Indigo Rose

with Splendor and Thread Gatherer silks on 32 ct. linen

And I'll leave you with a little Christmas cheer...

Hope you all are enjoying all the gifts of the season!

Slower than molasses in January

Both my Autumn square and the man-tastic workshop are inching closer to completion:

phone picture (again), better quality later...

As you can see, the offending yellow leaf has been frogged.  But, I swan, every time I go off the reservation and attempt to modify color schemes, projects take me twice as long as they normally should, which is forever and a day at my best rate!  Why must I fritz with perfectly good patterns?  Why?  Is it just me?  Do they make pills for this? 

Minor stiff neck has put an early end to my stitching tonight.  Bummer. 

Took two tablets and hoping for the best!  :o)

Autumn progress

I was fretting over the 'something's missing' element in this Most Excellent Autumn/Blackwork piece.  Then out of the blue, it came to me.  I realized while it had almost ALL of my favorite elements (fall colours, blackwork, silks, acorns, Rhodes, rice and queen stitches),  it had no hand-dyed (or overdyed) threads.   I KNOW!!!  What took me so long to figure that out?!?  Well, I hopped over to the LNS quicker than you could say 'coffee break' and picked up some Thread Gatherer "Autumn Honey" silk.  Can you see where I worked it in?

"Autumn"

by Indigo Rose

various Splendor silks and Thread Gatherer "Autumn Honey"

If I double up on the caramel brulee triple lattes, I just might be doing the happy dance before the week is out!

Giving Thanks for Saturdays

Tis the season to be thankful and I am sooooo thankful for the gift that was today.  Hubby and I slept in then went out for brunch, and enjoyed the warm, sunny, breezy beautiful day.  I didn't step foot inside of a grocery store or a Wal-Mart.  I actually stitched a little this afternoon while I caught up some laundry.  

See.   Progress:

As you can see, I still haven't decided what to do about the yellow leaf in the middle of it's band.  What I think I'm going to do is stitch the rest of the rows in the colours I'm sure of, then go back and fill in with whatever colours make sense.  I do love this piece and can't wait to see that big leafy/acorn blackwork section all the way finished.  After that part is done, the rest will be a cinch. 

I also recently took the time to dress up one of the threadboards I brought back from EGA National:

It was "naked" when I bought it, so I added a little felt to one end, a little tomato pin cushion to the other, button-holed a 'strap' for the pointy end of the tiniest scissors you've ever seen, and whaaaa-laaaaa!  Now we're cooking with gas.

Speaking of cooking with gas, the contractors have made excellent use of the good weather lately. 

I think they should be right on track for a Thanksgiving ribbon cutting ceremony.

Until next time, here's hoping you're having a wonderful weekend. 

Give Thanks!

What did you do with your extra hour?

Autumn is my favorite season and blackwork is one of my favorite needlework styles, so needless to say, I am totally loving this piece.  Stitching with a single strand of silk is such treat.  However, I'm pretty sure the yellow leaf in the middle of it's row is going to have to be frogged.  It's just a bit too, mmmm, yellow.  I've photoshopped two additional leaves (#1 and #7) to illustrate what the row will (sort of) look like finished.  I've only just begun the largest section, in the left hand corner.  It's going to be a lot of blackwork, which means FUN. FOR. ME! 

Stay tuned.  More to come....

Happy November friends!

a mild case of startitis

Fall always does it to me.  I get "in the mood" to start stuff.   Do you think at 38 years old I can still blame the school year for this phenomenon?   At any rate, I've started two small-ish projects to work on between now and Christmas.

The first is this terrific little sewing set from GPA:

Giulia sent this pattern to me as a gift when I had ordered some other things and I've been dying to get my needle in it ever since.  The stitching will go fast;  the finishing, well, not so sure...  We'll see.   This is the first time I've stitched on Weeks linen, 35 ct in "Parchment", and let me tell you, it is super nice.  I'll be using this color and count more often.  Instead of cotton overdyed thread, I picked out two Belle Soies for this project, "Collard Greens" and "Cranberry".  You can't tell much about the thread in this photo, but trust me, it is gorgeous. 

Secondly, a seasonly square from Indigo Rose:

Again, I'm going with Splendor silks for this piece.  I love all the blackwork in it.  This piece finished out to be fairly small (5 5/8" square), so I think it will look nice framed and on an easle on my desk at work.  The richness of the color palette hooked me the minute I saw it. 

And I'll leave you with the first published photo of our family friend, Fred: 

I was beginning to get worried about him because it has been a good while since we've run into him.  I think he was on his way to check out the man-cave construction this morning.

Have a great weekend folks!