Wip-ocalypse Challenge

I've been making good on my promise to myself that I work out what I have already in the Bin O' Shame. I started this one back some time ago, and I don't think I ever posted any pictures of it. I restarted it twice, as I was not digging on the fabric choices AT. ALL. I finally settled on one that I had in stash and I am liking it so far. I am hoping to get some serious stitching time in, now that the madness of the holidays are over.


Well, at any rate, here is what I have so far:

Design: Forget Me Not Sampler 

Designer: Brenda Gervais for With Thy Needle and Thread 

Fabric: Lakeside Linens 40 count in Navy Bean

Fibers: Weeks Dye Works  embroidery floss in Cadet, Confederate Grey, Fawn, Olive, Peach, Sage, Schneckley and Straw. 

Stitcher's Notes: Needle Nanny by Puffin and Company in Bee. Q-Snap frame. Q-Snap cover by Barbara at TrulyN2Stitching. Petite 28 gold needle by John James. 

Well, I best be off. Stuff to do before work and all. Hope everyone is having a great weekend! :)

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Winter Solstice Post

Happy Winter Solstice to everyone! For those of you out there in Blogland who can't stand winter, the days from here on out will be slowly, but surely!, getting longer. Which also means my beloved Peeps aren't that far behind. Yay!!


At any rate, I managed to pick something back up that I had sort of started. I wasn't digging on the original fabric, so I changed it to my favorite Picture This Plus Cashel linen in Legacy.  I am loving the project so far, but twice the frog has visited, so I hope he's gone for now!


Here is what I have so far:

Design: Holly and Hearts Mystery Sampler (Part One)

Designer: Linda Ebright for Lizzie Kate

Fabric: 28 count Picture This Plus Cashel linen in Legacy

Fibers: Weeks Dye Works  embroidery floss in Artichoke, Baked Apple, Charlotte's Pink, Chestnut, Collards, Dirt Road, Oscar, Parchment, Pebble and Straw. 

Stitcher's Notes: Stitched one floss thread over one fabric thread. Frame by Q-Snap.  Needle by John James, gold plated in size 28.

I am seriously considering changing the saying in the middle part, but to what I am not sure of yet. I may just do the stitching around the saying and decide later. 

Well, I best be off. Today marks the start of my week and I have to be at work soon. Hope everyone has a great weekend! :)

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Joyeux noel! C'est fini!

I should have just waited to post, however, I did not honestly think I was going to get back to this. However, the fates conspired this evening and I managed to get Christmas In Paris done in time this evening. I had to fudge in a few places, because for whatever reason, somethings lined up, however, others didn't. Ah, well. It makes the piece truly special. :)

At any rate, here she is! 

Design: Christmas In Paris

Designer: A Mon Ami Pierre

Fabric: Zweigart 40 count New Castle Linen in Dirty

Fibers Used: Access Commodities Soie d'Alger in F17, Noir, 215, 542, 942, 3426, 3596, 4625, and 4916. Crescent Colours Belle Soie silk in Carnation, Old Crow and Slate. 

Stitcher's Notes: Stitched ornament in the colors of the French flag, Bleu, Blanc et Rouge. Changed skirt from lavender, cream and royal purple to black, cream and grey. I wasn't digging on the purples, but I think the black and grey and cream is très chic, non?



As of Tuesday, December 17, 2013, 5:37 PM PST:

Finished Stitching as of Tuesday, December 17, 2013; 11:15 PM:

Well, I best go. Time to clean up the stitchy area and get out another Christmas UFO. No rest for the wicked! :P

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

The Frog Post

There are some projects, and some sections of those projects, that would try the patience of all the angels and the saints in heaven. In my case, I am referring to the top portion of La Tour Eiffel, that is in my current UFO/WIP in the Q-Snaps. I would probably have finished this up, had it not been for that section. I had to frog and re-frog no less than FOUR, count 'em!, FOUR times. Four times, with my precious silks. And since the linen I am stitching on is VERY rough, I could not back out by 'unstitching' what had been stitched. I was thisclose to putting the project BACK into the UFO/WIP bin. Honestly, my DH was even getting close to requesting that I do just exactly that! 


But, for whatever reason, I stubbornly hung in there, determined to see it through. I *knew* that if I put it back up, it wouldn't see the light of day until at LEAST next Christmas, if ever. So, I kept at it, although, I was sooooo not happy about having to cut out all that silk time and again. Eventually, things got put to rights, and I've managed to put a sizable enough dent in it to where the project is almost finished. 

Design: Christmas In Paris

Designer: A Mon Ami Pierre

Fabric: Zweigart 40 count New Castle Linen in Dirty

Fibers Used: Access Commodities Soie d'Alger in F17, Noir, 215, 542, 942, 3426, 3596, 4625, and 4916. Crescent Colours Belle Soie silk in Carnation, Old Crow and Slate. 

Stitcher's Notes: Changed skirt from lavender, cream and royal purple to black, cream and grey. I wasn't digging on the purples, but I think the black and grey and cream is très chic, non?

As of Saturday, December 14, 2013:

As of Tuesday, December 17, 2013:

Well, I best be off. DH will be done with work soon, and then dinner needs to be arranged. Hope everyone is having a great week!

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Another WIP finished!

Woohoo! I'm on a roll here! Got to go today to my Wednesday stitching at Stitcher's Paradise and managed to finish up Let's Go To The Beach. I am so excited! I even got to work on the next project in my bag, Little House Needleworks' Season of Growth . I'm going to wait until I have a bit more done until I post up pictures, however, I did make a color change and I am stitching it on the same 28 count Graziano Milan linen in white from Norden Crafts .



At any rate, here's the JBW finish:


Design: Let's Go To The Beach


Designer: Designer: Judy Whitman for JBW Designs


Fabric: 28 count Graziano Milan linen in white from Norden Crafts


Fibers: DMC Embroidery Floss Art 117 in 150, 159, 160, 161, 336, 435, and 3855


Errata: Design featured in the July 2009 issue of Cross Stitch and Needlework magazine .

Well, I best be off. Dinner's not gonna cook itself, LOL! :) Hope everyone is having a good week! :)


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Respectfully submitted,


C.

Question of the Week

Pulled out Little House Needleworks 'Cappuccino' last night and started stitching that one again. This was a tiny kit by LHN and Crescent Colours and contained enough of the Crescent Colours Belle Soie silk floss to stitch it on a 32 count fabric. I instead, chose Sassy's Fabric 'Tan Marble' opalescent in a 14 count. Not an issue, however, I am out of one color and will probably need three more. Stitcher's Paradise sells them for 7.50 a pop, which adds up to 30 dollars for four skeins of floss. Ouchies! I am sure my FH won't really care, but in this economy, I am really hesitant to spend that much on four skeins of floss. Yes, I know they are wonderful, yes, I *know* they are 12 strand skeins, but 30 bucks is 30 bucks, ya know?

At any rate, here are some pics of my stitching box and some of my favorite tools that I use. Use as in, I can't stitch without them and go into a panic if I have mislaid them. ;)

My Q-Snaps, my John James platinum needles, and a needlebook that was stitched and given to me by Stitchertigger. The tin with my initial on it was 50 cents at Michael's and is used for ort storage. It gets dumped out when it gets full and/or I complete whatever I'm working on at the time.



My German DOVO scissors and a needlecase that I made myself. The scissors were 50 dollars and worth their weight in gold, however, they desperately need sharpening. The needle case's design came from an Art Deco alphabet from one of the UK mags. (Which one escapes me, at the moment, but if I remember or come across it, I will be sure to post info.).




Overview of the box's contents:




I would post a pic of my DMC stitch bag, however, it was wee-wee'd on by one of the Stitcheh Kittehz. I need to replace it, however, I just Frebreeze'd it and put it up. I am loathe to give it up, because it holds a lot of memories, even though it's starting to fall apart. I suppose I will get a new one at some point.


With all this being said; what are your stitching treasures? WIPs, UFOs, finishes, accouterments, what have you. Tell me what you can't live without or what's your favorite.


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Respectfully submitted,

C.