Block Two Finally Finished!

'Ray!!!! Finally!! I am so, so, soooooo happy that this block is finally finished. I set myself a goal that I was not allowed to work on Block Three any more (which I snuck in!), nor was I allowed to start any new projects, or even pick up anything from the Bin O' Shame and work on that until Block Two was finished. I am glad I stuck to my guns and saw it through. I think I am going to finish up Block three and then go on to the Bin O' Shame. I haven't decided yet, so I will see what tomorrow brings :). I knew that if I didn't put the spurs to myself, it would never get done. And I invested way too many nickels and dimes to just let this one sit!

I had a few issues with this block as the The Thread Gatherer's Silk n' Colors #035 Mint Frost at times would not 'seat' correctly in the fabric. I've had this happen with white and off white cottons and silks, where it refuses to 'sit' in the block and it looks a bit wonky. I picked out a lot of them and redid them to the best of my ability, however, there are places where the silk simply would not cooperate. At that point, I just threw my hands up and let it be. It's not like this piece is ever going to be shown at Woodlawn, so it's all good. :)


At any rate, enough of my blathering! Here are the before and after pics:

Design: Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow

Designer: Carriage House Samplings

Fabric: 40 count Picture This Plus Cashel linen in Legacy

Fibers Used: Needlepoint, Inc. silk flosses in 123, 124, 127, 128, 155A, 158, 159, 184A, 186, 204, 206, 241, 242, 244, 251, 293, 303, 313, 316, 331, 345, 401, 422, 473, 475, 512, 523, 524A, 526, 527, 548, 556, 587, 623, 636, 671, 692, 693, 694, 695, 722, 724, 725, 765, 767, 856, 867, 871, 902, 912, 928, 951, 957, 963, 972, 976, 982, 987, 991BB, and 993. The Thread Gatherer's Silk n' Colors #035 Mint Frost. 


Stitcher's Notes: Stitched a tiny 'W' for the gate. I let DH choose which house would be 'ours' in this piece and he really liked the house in block two over the one in block four. Letter taken from the book 

ABC Miniatures au point de croix by Françoise Prax for Marabout. 

Progress as of Friday, January 17, 2014 (without the 'W'): 

Progress as of today, Wednesday, January 29, 2013. (Finished block with the 'W' stitched on the gate):

Block Three progress as of Wednesday, January 29, 2013:

All three blocks:

Welp, I best be off. Have a rare extra night off of work tonight. DH will be out of work soon, and dinner will have to be taken care of. 

Hope everyone is having a fantastic week! :)

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Another Block Two Update

Haven't picked up Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow since last April, so I am pretty excited to see some progress on this piece. Block Two is taking FOR-EEEEEEEVVVVVVEEEEEERRRRRRRR. 42 rows of stitching 'snow' has me about half up a tree. I've decided to make a deal with myself that with every thread stitched on Block Three, I stitch two thread lengths of the Mint Frost in Block Two. That way, I am not bored to tears, and it gets taken care of. 


Here are the 'deets' as they say: 

Design: Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow

Designer: Carriage House Samplings

Fabric: 40 count Picture This Plus Cashel linen in Legacy

Fibers Used: Needlepoint, Inc. silk flosses in 123, 124, 127, 128, 155A, 158, 159, 184A, 186, 204, 206, 241, 242, 244, 251, 293, 303, 313, 316, 331, 345, 401, 422, 473, 475, 512, 523, 524A, 526, 527, 548, 556, 587, 623, 636, 671, 692, 693, 694, 695, 722, 724, 725, 765, 767, 856, 867, 871, 902, 912, 928, 951, 957, 963, 972, 976, 982, 987, 991BB, and 993. The Thread Gatherer's Silk n' Colors #035 Mint Frost. 

Well, here is my progress as of my last post, on April 16, 2013:

And here is my progress as of today, Friday, January 17, 2014: 

And a quick snap of both Blocks One and Two together: 

Well, I best be off. Got stuff to do before dinner and what all. Hope everyone has a great weekend! 

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Another Block Two Update And New Goodies!

It's cold and snowing off and on here (this despite the calendar date!), so I picked Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow back up. I discovered much to my dismay that the roof on the East Wing of the house was one row off and had to be completely frogged. So, I bit the bullet and frogged that section out and went on to other places in the piece that needed attending to. I haven't yet restitched the roof of the East Wing, simply because at the bottom of this block, it is ALLLLLLLLLLLL fill in with Thread Gatherer's Silk n' Colors Mint Frost.  As in 23 ROWS of it. And that's not including the fill in of the windows of the house with Needlepoint, Inc. 871, which is an off white. Needless to say, I am stitching the Mint Frost  right now while the mood is upon me. Proper pacing procedures are being followed, however, I do anticipate a time where I get disgusted with stitching with so much white and off white. 



At any rate, here is my progress so far:

Design: Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow

Designer: Carriage House Samplings

Fabric: 40 count Picture This Plus Cashel linen in Legacy

Fibers Used: Needlepoint, Inc. silk floss as charted

And now for the goodies that came in the mail yesterday. First up is a Maia cross stitch kit entitled My Fair Lady. It is based upon the artwork of Karen Dupré. The original piece was titled My Fair Lady IV. 

This second one needs no introduction. I have been looking for this one for forever now and every time it comes up on eBay, it's in the $100.00 range and above. I managed to snag this at a VERY reasonable price and was overjoyed when it came in the mail yesterday. It's by Midsummer Night Designs, and it's the much heralded Memorial Sampler: 

I am probably going to stitch both pieces on my beloved Legacy linen by Picture This Plus. I think both pieces would really 'pop' on that fabric. I am also seriously thinking of converting the Gentle Art Sampler Threads to silks, probably to either Belle Soie or Au Ver a Soie's Soie d'Alger. Or, I may stitch this on my 48 count Dower linen I recently snapped up and stitch it with Gloriana's Luminescence or Tudor Silk threads. Lots of decisions to make. Which, I think will probably boil down to availability and pricing (!) of materials. 

Well, I best be off. The Hubmeister will be here with lunch soon and I need to get my desk cleaned off of all this stitchy goodness. Hope everyone is having a fantastic week! :)

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Stitcher, Interrupted

Stitcherus Interuptus: A condition affecting the Stitcher in which life happens when they're busy making other plans. 


I really truly wanted to be further along than what I am with Block Two of my Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow, but I have been just socked with work and have very little to show for my efforts. But, I suppose that's the way love goes, yea? No job, no silks. Get the silks, have no time to stitch. Ah, well. Next month's block doesn't look as intense as this one is, so I am hoping to be caught up by next month. 



Here is what I have so far:

Design: Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow

Designer: Carriage House Samplings

Fabric: 40 count Picture This Plus Cashel linen in Legacy

Fibers Used: Needlepoint, Inc. silk floss as charted

Well, I best be off. Got tons to to today. Hope everyone has a great weekend! :)

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Block Two Update

Howdy, sports fans! Hope everyone is having a great weekend and is recovering from the Super Bowl and the Great Blizzard of 2013. It was supposed to snow buckets here as well, but we saw nary a flake. 


In the mean time I have been diligently stitching my Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow.  I am hoping to get the block finished before the end of the month, but I've gotten called into work a LOT this month and there is a metric ton stitches that are filled in. Well, if I finish I finish in time, if not, ah well. These things happen. :)





At any rate, here is my progress so far:

Design: Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow

Designer: Carriage House Samplings

Fabric: 40 count Picture This Plus Cashel linen in Legacy

Fibers Used: Needlepoint, Inc. silk floss as charted

Well, I best be off. I have chores to do before work. Hope everyone stays safe and warm!

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Super (Puppy) Bowl Block Two Progress

Good Morning, sports fans! Hope everyone out there is having a great day today. It's Super Bowl Sunday here in the US. I have to work, but that's ok, as  it should be fairly quiet (knock on wood!). I'm a huge fan of the Puppy Bowl. I am a bit sad that I am going to miss it this year as I'm working nights, but if I can get the chance to take off early, that won;t be so bad. The contestants of the Puppy Bowl are picking the 49er's to win. But you know how that goes! :)

At any rate, I picked my Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow back up and I am loving it again. I am waiting on more floss to come in, as Block Two does not contain a lot of the threads I used in Block One. No worries. I have plenty to do in the mean time, in between time! :)

Design: Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow

Designer: Carriage House Samplings

Fabric: 40 count Picture This Plus Cashel linen in Legacy

Fibers Used: Needlepoint, Inc. silk floss as charted

I purchased a new Q-Snap cover to better fit my 11 x 11 frame. I was using one that was for an 8 x 8. Yikes! I purchased the one pictured from Barbara at TrulyN2Stitching Designs. She is wonderful to work with and I highly recommend her. This particular cover is in shades of turquoise blue and has kitty paw prints all over it. I love it! :)

Well, I best be off. I have stuff to do before I have to go into work. Hope everyone has a great day! :)

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Respectfully submitted,

C.