Sampler September

 For Sampler September 2023, I’ll be focusing on Mabel Tuke 1779 and Margery Dean. Possibly 2 weeks on each.

Week1:

I started here with Mabel Tuke.

Mabel Tuke 1779 

She is being stitched with the called for NPI silk.

This was my progress at the end of week 1.

 

On Saturday I had a finish!

As Life Wears Away, Carriage House Samplings.

Stitched on 40ct fabric with DMC floss.

Week 2:

This was my second week working on Mabel. 

I chose to change the Algerian Eyelet stitches to Smyrna Crosses. My eyelets are not the best and this fabric is bit loose. Not sure I could get my eyelets looking as good as I would like them too.

For the next two weeks I want to work on Margery Dean. This is were I left off the last time I worked on her.

Not sure why I stopped working on her but I hope to get a few motifs done in the next two weeks. 

Sampler  September 2023 is over. Here is my progress on my two focus pieces.

I managed to complete most of the top section of Mabel. Just a matter of finishing up the lower case alphabet and a small border; then the fun portion on the bottom.

I worked on Margery Dean the second part of the month.  The second tree on the bottom section is now complete and I worked on the left border. One more flower on that side and on to the bottom and right side flowers.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

January 25, 2022

I have another Valentine finish. I stitched a second heart by JBW. This one is the Scalloped Heart from French Country Hearts I.

                                                 

Scalloped Heart

JBW Designs

The first 24 hours of Cross Stitch Marathon for 2022 was this past weekend. I managed 22 hours and yes, I'm still Team Sleep, that's not going to change. My focus piece was Lady Justice. She is also number 2 on my WIPGO board, so she helped with both challenges. I started the sampler Olive Harrowgate 1737, from Punch Needle and Primitive Stitcher Magazine and Love You a HOD freebie. My start on Olive Harrowgate is very small but it's a start. She is not a very big sampler (160x72 stitches) and is stitched with only 4 colors so it shouldn't take to long to complete; if I get back to her soon. By the time I started the HOD chart the frogs came for a visit. I frogged at least 3-4 times before I gave up. It's a lovely piece and a quick stitch so I will finish stitching it this week and hopefully FFO it this weekend.

Olive Harrowgate

Punch Needle and Primitive Stitcher Magazine

2021 Spring Issue

Lady Justice- before

Mirabilia

Lady Justice- after

Love You

Hands on Designs

Thanks for stopping by, 

 Gwen

June: Night Rider FFO

Time for the Fully Finished Gallery Check In

The aim of  Rachael's SAL is to encourage cross stitchers to fully-finish (at least some of) their projects, whether they have been recently completed or long-since neglected.

I had several projects lined up to FFO for this month's update. I was only able to complete one, my April Halloween Ornament. Hope to make some progress on the pieces that and pinned and ready for lacing. 

Night Rider

Jemini Designs

JCS Halloween 2016

June's Halloween Ornamet is stitched.

 Mummy-corn

The Cricket Collection

 The Red Sampler is one of the current WIPs. This is my progress so far.

before

Reproduction Sampler (L. Moots)

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

My Leap Month Stitching

Well February has come and gone. I wish the posts I make in my head would magically appear here without me having to get our the laptop. I've had so many that never made it here.

Here is what what I worked on last month. I pulled out on old WIP/UFO Our Saviour and the Two Thieves by The Needle's Prayse. I started Holiday Hoopla Easter, by Brenda Gervais, and caved and started Angus Dei, by Modern Folk Embroidery.

I haven't worked on Our Saviour in a very long time. I'm not a fan of stitching words and this project is mostly works. So why oh why am I stitching this? It's an acrostic sampler. It's one of only 2 that I have seen patterns for.  Because this is an acrostic sampler, the spacing of the letters requires a lot of concentration and I'm a slow stitcher as my progress will bear evidence to. I want to work on this during Lent 2020 and see how far I get. I've forgotten the fabric name, but most likely the called for 36ct, using the called for NPI. There are only 4 colors used in the whole project.

Our Saviour and the Two Thieves

The Needle's Prayse

36ct with NPI

Angus Dei was started on Ash Wednesday. I want to work on this and Our Saviour during Lent. I'm working this on 32ct Millennium Blue with DMC 822. I'm struggling trying to find a stitching rhythm with this one.  Should I work the diamonds down then fill in or complete fill all the way down. We will see.

Angus Dei

Modern Folk Embroidery

32ct Millennium Blue

DMC 822

My seasonal stitch; Holiday Hoopla Easter. Hope to get this done soon.
                                            

Holiday Hoopla: Easter

With My Needle & Thread

called for colors 

                                         
I spent a few days working on Halloween at Hollyberry Farm and Prairie Schooler Christmas Alphabet but I haven't taken current pictures. When I pick up Halloween at Hollyberry Farm again I will be working on the bottom left side fence and border. The PS Christmas Alphabet has 9 finished blocks and 6 blocks framed and ready for filling. The Ornament for Halloween Ornie SAL for February was black cats. I stitched a cat from a Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue.

Almost Mid-month

My One-a-Day Challenge is going well. I've managed to stitch everyday this month so far. I've been moving around and stitching in a couple of different areas. The vine at the left side of the house is done. I'm working on the basement and steps of the house, as well as the top borders. The numbers are done and the letters should be done by the next update.

Halloween at Hollyberry Farm

Stacy Nash

Trying to get back to my semi-rotation of projects. November and December are the last two monthly Flips-Its on my to do list.

A Bit of November

Lizzy Kate

I have a finish!!! Yeah! 

I decided to leave off the bottom area.  I would love to find a small snowflake to replace the heart button.

Snow Love

Country Cottage Needleworks

Thanks for stopping by,

The Merry (Wet) Month of May

May 2018 is just hours away from being an entry in the history books. The last few days we have had an awful lot of rain. Hope this will help us as we approach summer to make up some of our deficit.

I think I'm slowly getting out of my stitching slum. This month I worked on two pieces from Praiseworthy Stitches', Halloween Frights Treat Box. The first is a candy corn that will be finished as Scissor fob and the other is the face of Frankie. Frankie will be finished as a needlebook.

Scissor Fob: Halloween Frights Treat Box

Praiseworthy Stitches

                                                 

Needlebook: Halloween Frights Treat Box

Praiseworthy Stitches

After neglecting my Cheer Angel for some months, I finally started working  on her again.

Cheer Angel

Painted Pony

I have just a small area of her face and blouse left to stitch. I also plan on adding some embellishment to the wings.

I had the great pleasure of taking a class with Jeannette Douglas this month. The class was co-sponsored by the Magnolia Sampler Guild and The Sampler Guild of Georgia. While Jeannette taught two classes I was only able to attend one. The class I took was Common Threads Two. In the tradition of Common Threads, this sampler has adapted to the area were it was being taught.  Our version includes some Georgia peaches, Cherokee Rose blossoms, a Spanish moss covered tree, and the gold domed State Capitol. Stitched in silks on your choice of  32ct or 36ct linen it is proving to be a fun stitch.

The class was very enjoyable and I hope I'll be able to take another class with Jeanette.

July 2016: Wipocalypse update

Two more motifs to stitch and then the border, and my Christmas at Hollyberry Farm will be finished. I stitched most of the tree awhile back, but it's in the wrong place. I need to see if I can  compensate or if I need to frog, I've already taken out some of the leaves, hoping to see a way to leave in the rest of my stitching. This is my current progress:

Christmas at Hollyberry Farm

Stacy Nash

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

My First Finish

Just a quick post to share my first finish of the year, Album Souvenir.

Though this is not a large project I am excited to get it  stitched and assembled. Album Souvenir was a companion project from Attic Treasures, designed and taught by Jackie of It's Fine-ally Finished. I was fortunate to take the class at The Attic Needlworks.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Day Five

Happy New Year!!!
Not much stitching to show in this post. I have decided to take part in the Smalls SAL hosted by Heather of Stitching Lotus. I cannot begin to count the number of smalls that I have to be stitched. Some are just charts free as well as purchased. Some kitted, some not and some already stitched and in need of an assembly session. Hopefully this will provide some motivation to get some smalls done this year. I decided to make French Lavender (It's Fine-ally Finished) my New Year's start and my first Small as part of this SAL. I am almost done stitching the scissor pocket.

I was enabled to take part in 2 SALs in a FB group. I spent Saturday coffee-dyeing fabric for both projects.
I will be stitching The Snooty Parrots (Barbara Ann Designs) on coffee-dyed 32ct Lambswool and Quaker Medallions (Sampler and Antique Needlework Magazine Winter 2000) on coffee-dyed 32ct oyster linen from MCG Textiles. Neither piece came out as dark as I wanted, next time I will go back to tea-dyeing. I think I get better results with the tea-dyeing.


Fabric and fibers for Quaker Medallion

Fabric and fibers for The Snooty Parrots






Until our next visit, thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

The Fourth and a First

On the Fourth, I decided to do some seasonal stitching. So out of  the stash came Acorn House's Patriotic Drum Box. This design came out a few years ago and is super cute. I managed to get the drum sides stitched and now need to complete the top and bottom as well as the scissor fob. Not a lot of stitching on this one.






 


After working on the drum box for awhile I gave in to Stitcher's Startitis
and started a new Scarlet Letter  reproduction. S.Wood is a miniature sampler that will measure about 4 x 3-1/4 inches when stitched.  The border is 3 rows deep. There is a verse, a cartouché and some small birds and strawberries motifs. Two rows of the border and the first row of the verse are done.

Margery Dean is my usual project for Sunday. This week I had to restitch the portion I worked on at least twice before I could get it right. Because of the frogging Margery is not making and appearance this week.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

2013: New Starts

So far I have started two of the new projects that I would like to work on this year. I was out of town on the First so there were no New Year's Day stitching for me. When I returned home and back to reality ( read WORK) I didn't get to my stitching until the 7th.

The first project I started was Stacy Nash's design Christmas at Hollyberry Farm. This was a present from my dear friend CarolB, I could hardly wait to get started. Here is my progress:












My second start is a reproduction, The Ann Bowers Sampler charted and kitted by Joanne Harvey of The Examplarery. Jean at The Attic Needlework is leading a SAL in her newsletter.












I plan to send some time in the next few weeks organizing some of my stitched pieces so that I can assemble them. The to-be-finished pile has been stagnant for too long.


Gwen

Christmas is almost here. I was able to finish and frame Mother's Garden last weekend. I used the recommended fabric and fibers. While I was still stitching on this piece, I was on the lookout for a suitable frame. On one of my visits to Hobby Lobby I spotted a frame that was in the discount section that I thought would work. I think that it worked out very well.

Blackbird Designs: Mother's Garden

This isn't the best picture, gets dark pretty early an it was raining the day I took the picture. So this the best i could do while avoiding the flash and reflections.

Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!
Gwen

Needlework Weekend

I traveled to Atlanta on Thursday for my class with Ellen. Friday was my class 'Long May She Wave', a small needlebook featuring the American flag as the cover. Each stripe is a different stitch and you have the option of working a 13 star or 50 star flag. Did you know that you can make a perfect 5-pointed star with 1 snip of the scissor? Check out this link 5-pointed star.

By evening my friends had all arrived. After dinner we gathered in one room to talk and have show and tell. Soo.. many projects, soo... little time. After breakfast on Saturday we attended the second class 'A Needleworker's Sampler Huswif'. This sampler gives you the option of finishing it as a sampler to be framed or a Huswif. The colors are wonderful. Ellen is a great teacher and kept us on task, informed and entertained during class.

I enjoyed both classes, seeing my friends again, and making new friends. The weekend was over way to soon.