Flexing my stitching muscles

Since my Bunny's Bloom post, I've been thinking about trying out a smaller count fabric. Working something small and fairly uncomplicated gave me the courage to try. It was nice knowing that I wasn't tied down to some horribly huge piece that was going to take months to finish. Today, while obtaining my ubiquitous Wednesday stitching fix at Stitcher's Paradise, I picked up a tiny monochrome design by Kelmscott Designs, a Miniature Monogram Hornbook-Margin Marker. I decided to stitch it on a 36 count to see how it went. I had to take frequent breaks and I now have a mild headache, however, I managed to get it completed in one sitting:


Design: Miniature Monogram Hornbook-Margin Marker


Designer: Kelmscott Designs


Fabric: 36 count Edinburgh linen by Stitches and Spice in Wintered Marble Opalescent


Fiber: Access Commodities Soie d'Alger #5116 Antique Violet Very Dark


Stitcher's Notes: Stitched one strand of floss over two linen threads. Hornbook and trim included in kit.

Well, I best be off. I have some things to do before work tomorrow. Hope everyone is having a great week! :)


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Respectfully submitted,


C.

Thrice I know my ABC's...

Got to go today to my Wednesday stitching at Stitcher's Paradise and managed to finish up Now I Know My ABC's by Blackbird Designs. This is the third time I've stitched it, and it never gets old. I am thinking about doing it four more times, once for each season and hanging them up during the appropriate season. I need to find some good charms to put in two of the spots on the sampler, but the stitching is finished. As for now, it get put away so that I may stitch on some UFO's, as I am sadly lacking in stitching up any of them, as I had planned to do in my 2010 Year In Review post. Since it is nice and warm out today, I think I am going to get out JBW's Cherries and finish it up first.


At any rate, here is the latest finish:


Design: Now I Know My ABC's

Designer: Barb Adams for Blackbird Designs

Fabric: 32 count linen in cream. Manufacturer unknown.

Fiber: Gloriana Threads in 079- Monet's Pond

While at Stitcher's Paradise today, I purchased one of the Kelmscott Designs thread winders in a butterfly shape. I also snagged the Evergreen Lane chart by Blackbird Designs . It's the 11th chart in the Anniversaries of the Heart series. The next one should be out soon, and then I will have them all. Yipee!!






Well, I best be off. Dinner is on the stove! Hope everyone is having a great week! :)


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Respectfully submitted,


C.

The third time is a charm?

I started Blackbird Designs freebie Now I Know My ABC's for the third time this past Sunday and while I am enjoying this easy stitch, the floss has me swearing like a sailor on a three day pass in Hong Kong.

This isn't a very good picture, but you can see what I'm talking about:

See that big kink? That's where the floss was knotted to keep it on the card. I mean *really*?! That is a LOT of floss to just snip off willy nilly. And the kinking up! OH. MY. GAWD.


This is what it looks like when you purchase it on the skein, prior to you carefully unpicking that knot to be able to use ALL of the floss that you just laid out almost 10 bucks for.


Yea, it looks nice, however, when you go to cut off a length to stitch with it, it literally folds back up on itself. I have tried to keep the lengths short, to minimize this, but it's the equivalent to shouting at the gale. Does one no good at all. The only way I know how to make it behave is to wet it down. When I go tomorrow to Stitcher's Paradise, I am going to have to pony up for one of those fancy Kelmscott Designs thread winders to try and help keep the floss straightened out. I mean, as my UK stitching sisters say, in for a penny, in for a pound, yea?


At any rate, here's what I have so far:

Design: Now I Know My ABC's

Designer: Barb Adams for Blackbird Designs


Fabric: 32 count linen in cream. Manufacturer unknown.


Fiber: Gloriana Threads in 079- Monet's Pond

Well, I best get my old cranky lady self going. Have to take DH to the doctor this morning about his leg and then I get to come home and nap and stitch for the next five days. Woohoo! I managed to get all of my chores completed, including the stash organization project I had created for myself. I'll blog about that next post! :)


Hope everyone has a Happy Tuesday! :)


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Respectfully submitted,


C.