Floral Finesse Progress

 Hey Everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving to those in the US!

I just finished a page on Floral Finesse!  

This was chart “G” in the pattern.  

Next up?  Not quite sure if I’m going to rotate right now or if I’m going to work on a quilt that’s on my longarm.  The reason I might not rotate to another cross stitch project is because I signed up for the 2025 HAED SAL.  The SAL starts Jan. 1 and I don’t want to stop working mid-project to switch to the SAL.  For anyone considering joining this SAL (or if you’re just curious), I’m going to be doing Jellyworld.  I have my floss pulled and my fabric prepped already.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Ooh, another page finish!

 “ Fiddlesticks, boy! Feed the birds and what have you got? Fat birds!” — from Mary Poppins

This quote was going through my mind while I was working on this page of Birds on a Wire [retired] from HAED:

Goldfinches are one of my favorite birds; they are also my state’s (WA) state bird.

Next up, I’ll be working on Floral Finesse from The Heart’s Content.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Oops, delayed update

 Hey!

After I finished my page on Rapunzel, I said my next project was going to be a new start called PTP Hummingbirds.  Well, that's what it's called but the birds in it aren't actual hummingbirds, at least not ones I'm familiar with.  Here's what it will look like...eventually:

Here is my progress (page 1 finished):

This is 1x1 half stitch on 40ct. linen.  I'm old enough that I have to use a magnifying (5x) lamp to see it well enough.  ;-)

Next up in my rotation, I'm back working on Birds on a Wire [retired].

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Rapunzel Update

 Hey Everyone!

I have an update on Rapunzel from Heaven and Earth Designs!  Apparently, the last time I worked on this one was back in 2021!  Wow!

The photo is not the best as I used my iPad camera, plus the poor girl could use a bath…but not until I’ve finished.

Next up will be a new start—PTP Hummingbirds also from HAED.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Fair Results!

 Hey Everyone!

I picked up my entries from my local fair this past Sunday.  I ended up with 8 blues and 2 rosettes (Best of Show).

Hubby took a picture of me with my items and ribbons:

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

A Christmas finish!

 Hey Everyone!

I had a finish last night that would qualify as Christmas in July.  This is Nutcracker Sampler from The Nutmeg Needle.

Now I'm off to see how my stuff did at the fair.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

The Joys of Owning Cats

Hey!

UPDATE:  Yes, I was able to salvage all of the yarn minus a piece about 2ft long.  Not a bad result overall.

So Sunday morning, hubby woke me up with the words,”I didn’t do it”.  He then said to start in the living room.

(This is actually the dining room, the living room photo was blurry.)

…into the kitchen

…heading into my sewing room/office

…beside my cutting table.

They got it out of the askew bin on the left.

Hopefully, they’ll grow out of such mischief.  They just turned 1 on July 3rd.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Framed! 4&5 of 5

 Hey!

Last night, I framed the 4th and 5th pieces I plan to show in our county fair.  They are Night Train and Night Train II by Elizabeth Spurlock.  I believe they are both out of print (check Etsy or Ebay if you’re interested in either).  I know I finished Night Train in 2008, so it only took 16 years for me to complete the set.  Yes, I can be a bit of a procrastinator.  ;-)

I’ll let you know how they do in the fair (July 31-Aug 3).

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Framed! 3 of 5

 Hey!

I got the 3rd one framed today.  I’m a Christmas fanatic, so I had to stitch this one.  I almost always have something Christmas-related in my rotation.

This one is so simple, but poignant and I love it!  Projects 4 & 5 are a pair, so I’ll be posting them together when I get them framed.  Oh, all the frames were purchased from arttoframes.com (no affiliation, just a customer).

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Framed! 2 of 5

 Hello, My Peeps!

I got another one of my projects framed tonight.  The remaining 3 have been washed and ironed and are hanging overnight to ensure that they are bone-dry before I frame them.

Tonight’s project was Mini Wings of Repose [retired] from HAED; original artwork by Nene Thomas.

That’s all for tonight.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Framed! 1 of 5

 Hey Everyone!

I’ve got 5 items I need to frame before the 27th of July ‘cause I want to enter them in my county fair.  I also have one item that’s inset into the top of a box.  I’ve already gotten that one mounted on the foam core and set into the box, I’m just waiting for the glue (archival) to dry before I put some braid around the edge to finish it off.

I did get the first of the 5 framed this evening.  This is Little Bee-Eater from HAED.  The frame was purchased through ArttoFrame.com (I’m not affiliated with them, strictly a customer).

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Thinking Outside the Box (storage solutions)!

 While I am sharing shopping tips in this post, I am not earning anything from this.

Hey!

This post could have the alternate title of “Thinking Inside the Box” as well.  I was looking for a better way to store my myriad Kreinik spools and I ended up at…Cabela’s!  Definitely outside the normal place for shopping for needlework anything!

I had both sizes of spools with me (blending filaments & larger braids).  The smaller spools fit perfectly in boxes meant for 20 gauge shotgun shells:

The larger spools will fit in 12 gauge shells boxes, but it’s a tight fit, as in I had to push them in:

Thankfully, I don’t have many of the larger (new style) spools.  The older spools fit fine.  Here’s the labels from the boxes if you want to find them:

The bottom one is the one for the smaller spools.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Another small finish

 Good evening!

I just had another small finish.  This one is called Chelsea and is from the May/June 2010 issue of Just Cross Stitch.  This measures about 4.5” square and I’ll be mounting it in the top of a wooden box.

This is quite blingy (it’s not a word, but I’m using it anyway…it fits!).  There are metallic braids, 3 colors of regular Mill Hill beads, and big Mill Hill beads.  It was so much fun to stitch!

Next up, I’ll be working on another new start—Nutcracker Sampler.  The next project that I’ll be putting on the scroll frame that I just took this finish off of, is going to be Hearts and Roses from a back issue of Cross Stitch & Needlework magazine.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Quick finish

 Hey!

I had a very quick finish!  I completed this sampler, Secret Garden, from Lesa Steele Designs last night.  I did change the style of the Hardanger wraps as I didn’t care for the way it was in the pattern.

That freed up my 14” scroll frame and my randomizer app chose PTP Hummingbirds from HAED as the next project for that frame.  I’ve pulled the threads, printed the color key and first page, and verified that I have the fabric I’ll need for it…eventually.

The randomizer chose the next project that I’ll work on as one called Chelsea from an old issue of Just Cross Stitch magazine.  I got started on it today.  It’s another small/quick project.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

God Speed update

 Hey!

I just finished page 15 (partial page) on God Speed from Heaven and Earth Designs!

My next project is going to be a new one:  Secret Garden from Lesa Steele Designs.  It’s a band sampler in purples.  I’ve got a couple more new projects that will be getting added to my rotation as I have two more scroll frames that are empty.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Sistine Chapel update

 Hey Everyone!

I just finished pages 9 & 10 (10 was a partial page) on my Sistine Chapel from Heaven and Earth Designs!  Next time I get near the end of a row on this one, I’ll do the partial page by itself.  Doing more than one full page at a time made it feel never ending!

I haven’t figured out what cross stitch I’ll be doing next, but I will be working on the quilt that’s currently on my longarm a bit.  Right now though, I’m going to go clean a few dishes before I do any more craft stuff.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Quilt finish!

 I just finished binding my pink/purple quilt!  I hate doing the binding, well the blind hand-stitching part at  least.

This quilt was an internet project of sorts.  I sent the center squares (6 each) to various people and asked them to put simple borders on each square and they sent back 5.  I was doing the same thing with the squares I was receiving from the same people.  I wanted to mix mine up a bit, so the blocks that I got back, I cut in half on the diagonal before assembling the quilt.

Since I now have a longarm that I’m still getting used to, I used this quilt as a practice piece.  My middle sister had never used a longarm before so when she was here for Christmas, I showed her what to do (paper pantograph tracing with laser) and let her go for it.  We lovingly refer to this as “drunk quilting” ‘cause both of our efforts look like we were plastered in spite of being stone-cold sober.  We had a lot of fun!

Here’s the finished quilt:

The finished quilt is 67” square.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

New small finish

 Hey Everyone!

I had switched to a quick project while waiting for a magnifying lamp to arrive.  My eyes aren’t what they used to be, though most of the time I’m fine with “cheaters” from the dollar store.  That being said, full crosses on 34ct is apparently not something I can see well enough.  I had a hard time seeing the single missed stitches especially.  So this is what I finished during my little break:

It’s from an old issue of Just Cross Stitch magazine.  I did correct the grammar and changed “fresh” to “freshly”.  It would’ve driven me crazy if I’d left it alone.

I did also do some tidying in my craft room.  I’ll probably post some before and after photos once I’ve finished.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Wedding Sampler framed!

 Hey Everyone!

Just a couple of minutes ago I finished framing my Wedding Sampler!

Now I just have to wait for August so I can enter it in our county fair.

That’s all I have for now.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Framed Finish and Wedding Sampler update

 Woo hoo!  I finally got my PTP Floral Arrangement from HAED framed!

I got the frame and mat from a local frame shop.  It was hard finding a place that would do the oval mat.  I washed the piece yesterday and ironed it dry.  I left it hanging overnight to make sure it was bone dry before framing it today.

This is stitched 1x1 on 40ct. linen in true half stitches (not “tent” which usually is a needlepoint stitch).

I got the beads to finish the TW Wedding Sampler last Wednesday and finished it the same day.

I received the frame for the wedding sampler today.  I’ll wash that tomorrow while hubby is playing bingo with his sister and I’ll frame it on Friday evening while he’s working at our local auction.  Thank goodness he gets out of the house every once in awhile!

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Wedding Sampler…nearly finished

 Hey Everyone!

I have the Wedding Sampler finished…nearly.  I ran out of beads!  ugh!  I’ve ordered them already so I can finish it once they get here. It needs about 20 more beads in the bottom border.

As you can see, I’ve already “signed” the piece.  It will not be showing once I frame it.  It will be straight as well when framed.  The beads are causing some slight, temporary warping while it’s still on the scroll frame.

I have also worked on rearranging my craft room while I was working on this, and I will be making a separate post about that…later.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Wedding Sampler…more progress

 Well, I’ve made a little more progress on my wedding sampler—enough that I have to roll my scroll frame!

I had to rip out my name from the previous photo, ‘cause I somehow was off-center with it.  If you’ve ever had to frog over 1 stitching on 32ct., you can understand how painful that was.  I even managed to cut one of the fabric threads as I was ripping out stitches.  I fixed it, and unless I use a magnifying glass, I can’t see it.  For anyone who wants to try to spot it, it’s in the middle of the “a” in “Marie”.

As you can tell, I could have stitched a little more before rolling the scroll frame, but on the columns I stopped where I will repeat the stitching to extend the pattern downwards.

Happy Stitching!  

Stacy

Wedding Sampler progress

 I’ve been making good progress on the TW Wedding Sampler that I’m stitching for mine & hubby’s anniversary.  It will be 30 years in August which is the pearl anniversary.  I think it’s appropriate that this has a bunch if cream colored beads on it.  Based on how far along I am, I should be able to finish it, including framing, before our anniversary.  Ideally, I want to enter it in our county fair in early August and have that be the first time he sees it.  He takes great pride in all my craft endeavors and loves to see the ribbons I earn.  Here’s the photo of my progress:

I did have to modify it from the original as both of our names were too long to fit without putting the surnames on a second line.  That means I have to extend all the borders.  Thankfully, I was able to spot that there is a repeat in the greenery/ribbon border so it’s not as difficult as I expected.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Farewell to Anger progress

Hey Everybody!

I just finished the 4th page on Farewell to Anger SSMC from HAED.

That’s 30,000+ stitches done…so many more to go!

Next up, I’m going to do some tidying in my craft room.  I’ve been watching Get Organized with The Home Edit on Netflix and it’s given me a few ideas I want to implement.

I’ve also started a new project, with a deadline, so I’ll be working on Teresa Wentzler’s The Wedding Sampler.  This one is for hubby and me as an anniversary present.  I’m only 30 years late!  I’m going to try to have it done before our county fair in early August so that the first time he sees it will be there (our anniversary is August 27).  Keeping it hidden from him is going to be a little bit of a challenge, not a big one though.  Wish me luck!

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

First Finish of 2024!

Woohoo!  I have my first finish of the year!  I present to you Wings of Repose [retired chart] by Nene Thomas, charted by HAED.

I stitched it on 32ct., 1x1, half cross stitches.

My next project will take me back to Farewell to Anger also from HAED.  I’ll do a page on it and then see what comes next.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy