Finishes, framing and frustrations

Well Christmas preparations certainly put paid to any stitching from me.  I have been put to shame after seeing so many beautiful stitched gifts and ornaments.  There is so much talent out there in blogland.  It never fails to amaze me how much work some of you get through and the pleasure you give others by sharing on your blogs.

I did finish off the SB St Nicholas needleroll a few weeks back.  I was in such a hurry to get it stuffed and finished that I forgot to go back and stitch the white beads on the santas hats as I said I would, but I wasn't about to undo it.  This has turned out to be a rather plump little needleroll - I must have cut the linen too wide - but it looks just fine. 

I collected my framing last week and usually this is very exciting, but I have to say that I am somewhat disappointed this time.

For BBD Tis the Season, the framer and I choose a slightly 'shabby chic' stark white frame which I felt picked up the white snowflakes well.  The framer said that when the framing arrived they had changed the colour but she thought it looked ok.  I don't agree - I think it makes the whole piece look rather dingy and uninteresting, so that is really upsetting me.  I will wait and see what my stitching friends think - maybe I could paint it, but not happy.

As you can see my photography has not improved and probably never will - either it is too bright and sunny or I forget and then have to take it indoors with the light on.  I have fiddled with the photos in Gimp this time trying to crop them but now I have large white borders - not sure which is the best.

So, moving on to Blessings sampler - I just cannot make up my mind about this one - I can't seem to get enthusiastic about it at all.  The framing is fine and as we chose, but I kept looking at it and knew something was wrong.  It suddenly dawned on me that it isn't centred perfectly - it's only a quarter of an inch out so I am probably just being picky.  I have been using the same framer for years and although she is expensive I have always been very happy with her work until now.

The last piece I picked up was DT Teaching Band Sampler which I stitched years ago.  It was hanging at my Daughter's house and the frame got broken during renovations - unfortunately it had to have a whole new frame but at least it will not sit in the cupboard now.

I must say that this one has not been one of my favourites, but I think it could be because it has been hanging with two SB samplers and it didn't really belong with them, so hopefully we will put it somewhere else when the house is finished.

I am off to update my card blog and then it will be time for some serious stitching. 

Cheers

Mary

Buzz buzz buzz ...

.. what a fantastic buzz.  It's such a great feeling when I finally finish something and last week turned into a really great week when I finished 3 pieces THREE PIECES!!! 

The first piece finished is SB Queen Bee Sampler which I actually started way back in January this year, but it got put aside when I started the SAL on the Blessings sampler.   This one was a kit from SB so it uses AVAS - not my favourite silk, because it is not very forgiving and you need perfectly smooth hands - which mine aren't! 

I sat for ages trying to work out where all the beads in the kit went but in actual fact there were far too many, unlike the Medieval Mulberry silk for the writing and one of the greens, of which there was not enough, but luckily I had more of them in my stash.

I waited for a sunny day to take the photographs and now it's far too bright.  In my usual manner, I managed to cut the bee's head off so here is another shot of the top part and quite accidentally I have managed to get a bit of an arty shot.  I should go for this angle more often.

So, like I said, I was tickled pink to have a finish and I immediately picked up CHS Diminutive Dutch and finished it off over the next few days.

Such a tiny piece - not sure what it will become.  I really like it, so I am tempted to get it framed and sit it on the buffet, but that is probably an expensive option.  I did enjoy doing this despite all the backstitch on those letters.  This is my first attempt at 40 count and I am pleased to say it was much easier than I had expected.  This is stitched on 40ct R & R Abecedarian blend with the recommended NPI silks.  Just love the NPI silks.

A close up of it to show the colours better.  I know it is out of focus, but I am trying!

By now I was on a roll so I decided to sort out the pile of works in progress and lo and behold I found this next little project.  I started this needleroll last year as a gift for one of my Grandson's teachers - got the schoolhouse one finished (for about the third time) but the end of the school year happened before this one was done.  All it needed was the beads, hem stitching and finishing.  I do need to buy some ribbon for it but I am calling it done now.  Technically, it was a 2009 finish, but I am claiming it as 2010.

I have enlarged the photo but you still can't see the beads.  I think I will go back and put a white bead on the top of their hats - it doesn't look right without a pom pom on the top.

And yes, that would be my boof head in the photo!

So, now, what to do next ??  there are only two started pieces on the go now: 

A Secret Garden:

which I am afraid could be in the bottom of the box for quite a while yet - it has been at the "putting it together stage" for a couple of years now, so a bit longer won't matter, and

Elizabeth:

which I love dearly, and have not stitched on since October, but am itching to get back to it.  She is more than half way finished and all the pattern alterations are worked out, so it is all downhill now.

I have many projects all kitted up and ready to go, but feel guilty that I have not done any stitching for friends for Christmas and it's almost too late to start any now ... or is it ?  maybe if I just got off this computer ........

I'm going ...

Mary