April WIPocalypse!

First, as promised in my earlier post, here is my quilty-thing.  (This is "sideways" - the top is the left-hand side of the picture.)

It already doesn't quite fit on my little basement table...and I'm planning to add a row to the top and bottom to make it longer.  Right now you can (hopefully) make out the three rows I have started so far - look for the red strips!  The one on the top left, with the skulls and crossbones, should be lined up off the top left corner of the tan map fabric.  So it was decent size to begin with, but the addition of more rows should make it close to twin-sized.  My daughter is just tickled with the fabrics, and I rather like them myself!

Here is the "Wise Old Owl" kit - note the broken threads from where I removed my first attempt at assembly.

Given that neither DH or I got the jobs for which we interviewed on the trip where I bought this, perhaps it is appropriate that I can't get it together properly.  I think the next time I try, I'll 1) use upholstery thread and 2) turn it from the top (instead of the bottom as the instructions indicated).  While this isn't finish-finished, it does fall under my WIPocalypse goal of doing more smalls, so there's that...

And here's a bit of progress on "Family Treasure III."

I wouldn't say I've been ignoring it, but I HAVE been working like mad on that darned owl...plus Just Nan's "Wings" lives by my chair upstairs, and I'd like to get that finished before I go to Celebration of Needlework at the end of the month.

Finally, Measi's question of the month:

Which specialty stitches do you love doing on projects? Which do you dread?

I love Algerian eyelets and Smyrna crosses.  I especially love the Smyrnas when they are done over enough threads and with the right amount of floss so as to look delicate and different - for example, I've done some that called for the stitch to be done over 2 threads with 2 strands of floss, and I felt that they just looked like big lumps of floss when they were finished.  I could barely tell them from a regular cross stitch!

In terms of dread....satin stitches.  I think I pull them too hard, because they always look "lumpy" to me, with thin spots and too-big holes.  I've been told in the past to try a laying tool, which helped somewhat, but they still aren't my favorite.  That could explain why "Wings" is still languishing - all the fairies have satin-stitched skirts!

She's home!!!

And isn't she gorgeous?!?!?!?

My picture-taking skills simply do not do this justice. I turned off the flash, but still got some reflection from the room... Anyway. The simple brown mat works really well with all the brown/sepia tones in the background, and makes the maiden "pop" (IMHO). It also keeps the pink tones in the fabric from being too overpowering. And the gold frame is my favorite part - perfect for the style of the piece!!

Wait, there's more....here's my start on Mermaids of the Deep Blue. The fabric is another Silkweaver solo, this time a 32-ct. lugana. I was worried it might be too light, but I think it is working out ok. I'll tell you, though, I don't think I like the way Nora leaves all the partial stitch squares empty, so I have to choose how to split them myself....that is too much thinking! I stitch to relax, not think! Oh well, I guess it just further guarantees that every one who stitches a Mira might have a slightly different finished piece.


More weekend stitching....I worked some more on the gateway poem for my sister. The white fence is done, and I've started filling in the green and pink flowers. I even put it on the scroll rods, which as my husband says, is the "death knell" for unfinished projects. Once something is on the scrolls, I WILL finish it!! I will have to sit down soon and graph a new border for this soon -- I don't like the very dated and countrified one that it has.

Finally, on Friday night I got out the sewing machine and finished my little "St. George and the Dragon" square into a pillow ornament. Very simple - just a denim blue back and a silver ribbon hanger. It will be a gift for my friend at the renaissance faire. I photographed it with another ornie I finished last year, Dragon Dreams' Christmyth giant - I'm thinking about giving him to another faire acquaintance, a fellow who has the biggest heart I know and really is a "giant among men." I think he'd be rather touched, especially if I included that as a little note....
(Ugh. Stupid Blogger. The pics were going fine until now....*sigh* Thank goodness for Flickr.)

You'll never believe it....

...and just to tease you all, I'll show you this first. hehehe

Can you guess?? Yep, after almost 2 YEARS of stitching, she's done!!!!


"Once Upon a Time" by Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum/Butternut Road

stitched on a 28-ct. lugana Silkweaver solo

started November 23, 2004 - finished July 5, 2006

(she's been posted in a couple places already, so my apologies if you've already seen it....but I'm so giddy, I just have to shareshareshare!!! This is my biggest finish EVER!)

How can I NOT have white buttons...*sigh*

Over the weekend I got a lot of stitching in! I actually started AND FINISHED the Britty Kitty Christmas ornament from the 2005 JCS ornament issue. I stitched it over-one (ack), I had a pre-made tuck pillow to put it in, so it is completely finished...except for adding a hanger of some kind. I decided to use some ribbon and buttons -- until I pawed through my button box and discovered that I didn't have 2 matching white buttons. Geez. Guess this means a Wal-Mart trip in the near future, since I just wanted 2 plain white buttons......

I DID take pictures this time around...so here you go.

"Once Upon a Time."
I'm working toward the bottom, so I can scroll up a bit knowing that the bottom is DONE. I almost finished the skirt "puddle" on the right -- I'm not thrilled with the metallic/DMC blend that is used for parts of the skirt trim. I know it is supposed to look like shading, but it just refuses to lay nicely. Grrr. Oh well, once it is finished I'll probably be the only one who really knows.

The baby birth announcement. The little hat is taking shape nicely, and I started on the flower just because I wanted to switch colors for a bit! Soon I'll have to get around to charting the baby's name.....