Moves Like Jagger

I have been trying to become someone who stitches and finishes rather than someone who just stitches, so that means taking those few finished projects that have been languishing in a drawer or a bag and getting them framed (at In Stitches, of course, where they know how to treat a piece of needlework). "Gone Fishing" by Sheepish Designs, mostly as charted (in DMC) on mystery Lakeside 32 count.


Here's a closeup that shows the colors in the wood frame.


I have been toiling (although it's an enjoyable toil) on Sarah Hatton McPhail. Here's the before picture as last shown (June-ish?)


And here's where she stands now.


I crammed as much stitching as I could into this weekend, so that I wouldn't feel bad when the new girl arrives, since I ordered the new design from The Essamplaire. Have you seen her? After having gone to Newport in August to see the Rhode Island sampler exhibition, how could I not stitch her? I'm thinking it might be a nice challenge to stich all the Rhode Island samplers I can get my hands on (and remembering I've started both Elizabeth Sheffield (Scarlet Letter) and Wisdom (Vermillion) and I own Sheepish Designs' Mary Tillinghast. There are others out there too, which I'm thinking of acquiring. This photo is from The Essamplaire's website.


Speaking of which, here's "Wisdom" as I left it.


Elvis says he moves like Jagger. Pink: "He moves like Jagger but he looks like Richards."




Happy week ahead!

Every Day I'm Shufflin'

I spend too much time in the car, listening to the radio, and the song linked to my title has been running through my head.

I've made some progress this week on Elizabeth Easdon. Here's a closeup of the section I worked on. It's more fun to do the various motifs (although even they're getting old, frankly), so I decided to knock out some of the alphabet. Fortunately the border is minimal. I'm driving ahead on it because I really want to finish before the framing deadline in January for the Woodlawn show. I'm not good about sticking to stitching stuff, but so far, so good.


And here it is in its entirety so far. The photos aren't quite true to the colors, as the weather is cloudy and gray.


To give myself a break from the greens, I'm working on Tanya's Sarah Elizabeth Brooke 1842: I don't normally do the border ahead of time, but I wanted to make sure I had a large enough piece of fabric. Clearly, I do. (Yes, I measured and counted--twice--but normally I work on a half yard and cut off whatever I haven't used when I'm done. That way, I never run out of room, even if I've miscounted.)


Outdoor Bunny: "Shufflin' Shufflin'."


Happy week ahead!

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

Greetings, all! I spent a lot of time with Elizabeth Easdon this week (and also with Sarah Elizabeth Brooke--pictures of her progress next week). This isn't all of what I accomplished; I worked on the alphabet at the top as well. I'll do a full picture soon when I get more of that done.


Here's a close-up of the peacock on the house (a hovering peacock, since I've not stitched his legs). I've also started the critters on the lawn. These two are over-two; there are quite a few over-one critters to come.


You may have heard about our epic rains and flooding last week. During the first hour of my four-hour commute home from work on Thursday night I amused myself with my camera. The traffic moved at under 10 mph all the way around the Beltway--note that I've allowed myself a little extra room so as not to rear-end anyone while I was shooting.


Heavy traffic in bunnyland.


Happy week ahead!

Labor Day Stitching

Greetings, all! Other than working at In Stitches yesterday, it's been a weekend full of stitching and house cleaning chores for me. I have to agree with Barbara's statement that fall bring out the housekeeping bug in me--not spring. In the spring I want to garden and get outside. Of course, it won't really be fall for me until the leaves begin to change and we can open the windows to the breeze--somewhere around mid-October--since it's still in the 80s and 90s here.

In spite of my resolution to finish a large project, I took out a smaller one to work on and bought two new ones. So here is Miriam Chilvers, which I started a while back. I like the calming colors. I forget what color Lakeside I'm using--probably Navy Bean. and I'm using the charted AVAS fibers.


Here's a photograph of her chart (Samplers Remembered).


Yesterday I worked at In stitches from 12:30-4:30 and bought up everything in sight, it seems. I brought a small finish to be framed that has been in a drawer for 3-4 years. Ellen, who has impeccable taste and an eye for color, helpd me choose the frame; I'll show you when it's done. Purchase number one is "Sarah Elizabeth Brooke 1842" by The Scarlett House. She is charted for 40 count Lakeside Vintage Meadow Rue, but I selected 40 count Strawflower instead. I'm using the Belle Soie silks, which I haven't used much in the past. They are so smooth and rich--I'm hooked.


I also picked up "Halloween Party" by Just Nan. I'm stitching it (see the little witch's hat with a spider on it?) using the recommended GAST and DMC fibers and some 34 count Legacy Puritan Gray from my stash. The beads come with the chart.


I picked up the newest Debbie Bliss magazine, which shows this sweater. Believe it or not, this sweater has 6 different colors of yarn in it. I am glad that I took a fair isle knitting class last year. I can tell you that fair isle knitting is a lot easier than it looks. For one thing, there are never more than 2 colors in one line of the pattern, so it's easier to keep track of the changes. Plus the patterns are laid out like a counted cross stitch pattern, the only difference being that you read row one from right to left, and row two from left to right.


Of course I also picked up the yellow bunny needlepoint that I had saved. What with the framing and the needlepoint, knitting and counted cross stitch, I kept myself busy selling to myself yesterday. (I am an excellent customer, and I hope I come back soon!) It's going to be a busy fall and winter on the stitching and knitting front!

"We don't have any hobbies, except for eating, dooting, sleeping and chewing the woodwork."


Happy week ahead!