Week 10: Waiting for Spring

I'm so ready for Spring. The weather has been a tease the last few weeks, we had temps in the 80s for a few days only to drop back down to the 30'splum s each morning. I'm ready for the dreary gloom of Winter to go away.

To lift my spirits, I worked on a freebie from Plum Street Designs. And wonder of wonders I have finish. I left off the words at the bottom to make it a general seasonal piece. Hare's Easter is stitched on a piece fabric from the stash pile. I changed out most of the called for colors, starting with the color of the hares. The called for color was too close to the fabric and didn't stand out enough. Then I brightened up the colors for the clothes as well

Hares' Easter

Plum Street Samplers

 The other stitching that I managed last week was on The Needlework Shop. I've added the upper portion of the shop and the awning.

                                     

The Needlework Shop

Little House Needleworks

Thanks for stopping by,

Week 8: The Beginnings of a Building

My Needlework Shop has some snow on the roof and the beginnings of a building. Reading and knitting took up most to my spare time. I'v working on a scarf that I started in January. While I'm anxious to welcome Spring, I really would like to finish this scarf and so I've been spending a lot of time with it. Time to get it off the needles and concentrate on something lighter

Meanwhile here is my progress so far on the Needlework Shop.

Hometown Holiday

Little House Needleworks

Needlework Shop

My only finish was an altered Altoid Tin for a friend. 

Motifs from:

Summer House

Little House Needleworks

Thanks for stopping by

Gwen

Week 3 Is A Wrap

My stitching over the weekend was focused on the Sweet Shop. My next sit down with this piece and I should be able to finish the snow.

Little House Needleworks

Hometown Holiday

Sweet Shop

My other stitching was on Swan. Not finished but my swan now has a head and the top swag is almost done.

Hands On Design

12 Days

Swan

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Week 2, 2018 Un-Snapped

I removed Sweet Shop from the Q-Snaps in order to stitch the tree. There's about a 1-1.5 inches on the left side. Whether an ornament or a cube, this still gives me options for finishing.  In addition to the tree I stitched the wreath and started the door. One more session on this piece and I should be able to finish the stitching and move on to the next one in the series.

Little House Needleworks

Hometown Holiday Series, Sweet Shop

Swans is also getting close to a finish. It would be nice to have that one stitched up this week as well.

Hands On Designs

12 Days. Swans

As part of my Project Organization 2018, I spent a good portion of last week sorting through floss. My extra floss had out grown its boxes and it was hard to determine what colors I had. They are now sorted and bagged, just need to update inventory list, and then my tackle charts and kits. This is going to be a sloooooooooooooooow process! 😉🤞

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Week One 2018

Day eight of 2018. One week as passed already, have to get the stitching elves back on the job. Thus far I've started the last six of my Hands on Designs 12 Days ornaments, a 2018 Mystery SAL;  worked on my LHN Hometown Series and, had a finish.

I decided to have a go at Linen and Thread's 2018 Mystery Stitch a Long (MSAL). I will be stitching it on a piece of 36ct Vintage Light Examplar. For this project I took a trip to the store and picked up some grays, DMC 318,413,414,3799, a  color I seldom stitch with. We will see how this develops. I don't have enough to stitched to warrant a picture but hopefully soon.

Vintage Light Examplar

DMC floss

My first Fully Finished Object (FFO) was Peace on Earth by Little House Needlework. It's one less in my Box of Shame (BOS). Hope to make a dent in the BOS by taking part in Fully Finished  Friday led by Vonna. Most of my finishing will most likely take place on Saturdays, but I'll be making an attempt each week to finish something (fingers crossed)

Peace on Earth 

Little House Needleworks

This weekend was the first of WIP-It Weekend. I'm working on the LHN Hometown Series. First up is the Sweet Shop. I'm stitching on 40ct. with the intent of finishing them as cubes/boxes and making a mini village. I'm not sure Ive left enough of a margin on the left side, so I may have to switch the tree with the sign. Once I'm finish with the shop I'll count it out and decide.

Little House Needleworks

Hometown Series 

Sweet Shop

Head on over to Blogger of the Week to read about Sally. She is Jo's first featured Blogger of 2018.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Crafty March part 2

This is my progress for the past two weeks.  I managed to complete two ornaments, that were in my TBA basket, and my first project from my guild's year long  program. I decided to use the ecru for the twisted cord so that my pins would show up better. Using  nail polish to color my pin heads I was able to get a very close match to the blue. Though there was no stitching on this one I am pretty happy with the results.

Swan Sampler Guild 2002 ornament

Ornament JCS magazine

My sewing case is assembled and waiting for the addition of some ribbon, to make the closure. The scissor sheath is next and then I  plan to tackle the needle book. Working my way up to the bullion stitches on the pin cushion.

Seven Pines LHN

This past week I used the finishing ideas and tutorials by Vonna and completed my Seven Pines Ornament.

Some Firsts for 2013

This year the Callaway Gardens School of Needle Arts was sponsored by Dogwood Chapter EGA, On Saturday I traveled up to Pine Mountain to see the annual Needle Arts Exhibit. Although there weren't as many entries as in past years it was well worth the trip. The ladies that exhibited were very prolific and the projects inspirational. Thanks to all the exhibitors for sharing your work and congratulations Roberta and all the other ribbon winners. Job well done.  Of course while I was there I visited the bookstore and the boutique. Need I say more .................Got a few more books to add to my library and of course a canvas and some supplies from Leigh at the Needle Bug.

This being a long weekend, I actually got some stitching done. First off I finished a pinkeep from my friend Mary. There was no stitching involved on this project, the images were printed on fabric. I just had to lace them onto mat board and lace together, then add the ribbons and beaded pins.  It just feels good to have something in a completed form, so I am claiming this as my first finish of the year. One side has a picture of the Saratoga Race Course and the other Grand Union Hotel in Saratoga Springs.

Saratoga Race Course
Opened August 3, 1863






Grand Union Hotel
Boarding House/Hotel 1802-1953




Then I finished stitching Little House Needleworks 6th ornament from 2012.   








My progress on Christmas at Hollyberry Farm.








 Gwen

Month Number 8

I am in the dull drums of late summer. August is almost over, that kids are back in school, but it is still pretty hot here. A nice rain would be welcome to bring the temps down a little.

I finished Pine Tree Hill and a cute tiny sewing case, that I have not taken a picture of yet. Maybe next time. I seriously need to get some finishing done if any of these stitched ornaments are going to be displayed this year. Time is running thorough the hour glass very quickly.

Right now I am working on and exchange piece that I have to mail out next week. The patten calls for just 2 colors, here are the materials I am using. The theme is a Fall Pyn Keepe.




Some of the seeds and plants that I planted have survived the summer heat. Just when I thought all was lost I spotted these visitors.

It's a little hard to see but there is a hummingbird getting some nectar from the flower on the right. I hope he will be back so that I can get a better picture.

Back to the stitching channel.

Until next time,

Gwen

Well I am still ornament stitching. I have not stitching them in any particular order, my last start is, Pine Tree Hill, ornament # 6 for 2011 by Little House Needlework.
I have restitched the trees at least 2 times and still done have them in the right place, but this is my final version.

Pine Tree Hill
Little House Needleworks
Ornament Series 2011





I am not sure which one will be next but Ornament #7 arrived today. Yeah!

I stitched this initial pendant this week and did the finishing over weekend. It's a kit from an Italian designer that I got from The Attic when I was there earlier this year. Everything to complete the pendant was included in the kit except a backing.

design by Rovaris
(kit from The Attic)





Thanks for stopping by,
Gwen

3 Finishes

Silent Night is stitched.

Silent Night
Little House Needleworks

2011 ornament series



Over the weekend I finished the stitching on my ornament, one more for  the to-be-completed stack.

I also have 2 finishes that I promised to share eariler.

The Prairie Schooler
Autumn Leaves

The Prairie Schooler
Christmas Day






The pincushion was for the Seasonal Prairie Schooler Exchange and the ornament for the Perpetual Christmas Exchange on HoE.

The Promise of Spring

I was without internet service for a week and then had to travel out of town so my postings have been slower that usual. I do have a few things to share as I get back to a routine. While I was away I continued to work on my ornaments. I have several Little House Needleworks 2010 ornaments that I am working on. My first finish was He's a Flake.

 

 He's A Flake - LHN

The next one I tackled was All is Calm. Like a number of other stitchers I changed the colors of the houses. They look more like Christmas to me now, everything else was as charted. 

All is Calm - LHN

While Autumn is one of my favorite seasons, and I am enjoying AHRH, on the first day of Spring I was seduced into starting another project. I tried to resist but failed, the colors of new blooms and the sounds of birds singing  were calling to me. My new start is Beyond My Heart by Blackbird Designs.  

Beyond My Heart - Blackbird Designs

 I got a restless working on the mortar for the house in Block 1 and started Block 4, so I am still not done with Block 1 yet, but here is my progress so far on AHRH.

Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow - Carriage House Samplings

Hope that you are enjoying your stitching and the weather in your part of the world.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Ornament Post-It.

Just a quick post to show my latest ornament.

"Red House in Winter" from Little House Needleworks series "All Dolled Up". Used recommended fabric and fibers except subbed 3865 for 712.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Three more finishes

I have been away from blogging for a few weeks. For now, I will just share some projects that I have finished stitching.

First up is the Traveling Stitcher, LHN.



Second is BBD's, Sampler Stocking. It is the first ornament I have stitched in a couple of months, so I was very happy to get it done. Hopefully I can get back to stitching one ornament per month.


I see from her blog that Annette has received the bookmark I stitched for her. This was a part of HoE Bookmark Exchange.


I have had a couple of family emergencies in the past couple of weeks and now some issues with appliances at my home. I hope that things will settle down and get back to normal soon, need to get my stitching rhythm back.

Happy Stitching, Thanks for stopping by.

Gwen

Traveling to a Finish

My Traveling Stitcher, LHN is almost finished. I have decided to change the color to the stitcher's dress (I am really not a pink kind of girl). The pink for the blossoms is very pale and doesn't show up very well on my fabric do I think I will change this to blue as well. I hope I will be able to finish it this weekend.


I have been working on Blackbird Designs, Where My Heart Blooms for the last few weeks and I finally have a finish.

Gwen

Snowy Progress

I thought I would use this opportunity to check out Blogger's video upload. This was shot on Sunday using my digital camera. Most of the snow was melted and things were back to normal by Monday midday.


It took awhile to upload but, it was a very user friendly process.

Now for some some stitching news. I did make much progress on Quaker Garden. I am working with 2 shades of green right now. When I get some color on the piece I will post a picture. This is my progress thus far on Traveling Stitcher, LHN.

Thanks for stopping by,
Gwen

Some Finishes to report

I was able to complete some projects last week. I am very excited about that.

First off my ornament for Ellen as arrived so I can show you the picture now. This was part of an exchange on HoE.

Christmas Peace

Heart in Hand

Fabric: from stash

Fibers: DMC, GAST

These 2 ornaments have been languishing in the to-be-finished basket for so long I cannot remember the source of the patterns. I finally did a nun stitch around them and attached them to some felt with a ribbon hanger.

Felt backed ornaments.

My Quaker Inspired SAL for this month was to stitch a Quaker ornament. I picked this design from The Workbasket that was published in the JCS 2002 Ornament issue.

Quaker Christmas Tree

The Workbasket
Fabric: from stash

Fibers:GAST-Pine and DMC 500

At at last I have finished Brave Hearts by Little House Needleworks. This was stitched on the recommended fabric (I think!) with the recommended Crescent Cotton floss.

Brave Hearts

Little House Needleworks

Fabric: 28ct

Fibers: Crescent cotton floss

Thanks for stopping by,
Gwen

Odds and Ends

I have spent some time the last couple to weeks playing with my lucet. This is a beaded chain that I made. I just need to add a closure.
Fiber: Silk Perlee
Size 8 seed beads.

Last week I worked some more on Brave Heart-LHN and started my exchange piece. On Saturday I worked with some friends on the finishing of Friendship Notes - Caroline Morrison. Mine is not complete yet so no picture, but I know what I need to do to get the finising done.

Gwen

Happy Monday!

I had a very good weekend and was able to get quite a bit done. For starters I have made progress on Brave Heart, LHN. I had hope to have the top section done by the weekend, but I am still happy with it so far.

My second ornament from Old Town Needlework arrived on Saturday. I fell in love with it and sat down and stitched one version of it that will probably go to the cath lab at one of the local hospitals that my American Needlepoint Guild (ANG) chapter supports. I stitched this with DMC 700 floss, Kreinik Braid 002 and 031 on white 18ct canvas. I will be using Petite Frosty Rays PY218, PY062 and some Frye Werks Soft Sheen FT15 on cream 18ct canvas for my personal ornament.

Don't have pictures now, but I also started the finishing on an online project I did with Jackie du Plessis of It's Fine-ally Finished. I am two steps shy of finishing the first lesson. Goal get it done by the end of the month.

I also received the class information on the fall ASG on Hilton Head. Not a bad stitching weekend at all!

Gwen