I didn't really die waiting !

You must have thought I had popped over to America to pick up my parcel.  I cannot believe how long it is since I posted, ..... and yes, my order did arrive shortly after that post and everything I had been wanting arrived.  I must say that Elizabeth looks a little daunting but not enough to change my mind.  I have spent ages fiddling around with threads and linen and finally have decided to bite the bullet and buy the Crescent Colours to do this one in.  I have also ordered some 35 count linen for her as well.

My favourite linen has always been 32 count Belfast, but my friend Chrissie and I did a stitch along on the Blessings Sampler and when I saw her version done on a 35 count linen it looked so much smaller and daintier than mine I knew that I had to try it.  I would not have thought that 3 or 4 threads per inch could make that much difference.  So .. stay tuned to hear if I can handle this finer linen.  Not sure what I have let myself into. 

Tis the Season has been waiting for some more Gloriana to finish it off - only the wording to do. I found that using two strands of the Gloriana I got the coverage it needed.

No photos today but hopefully soon.

So once again I am waiting on an order but it should be here any day now.

Bye for now

Could it be, yes it could, something's coming, something good ...

...if I can wait.  I don't know what it is but it had better be ... ELIZABETH.. 'cause that would be great!

Can you tell I am excited ? The good news is that my bank account has been hit (well yes, in this case, it is good news), but the bad news is that the amount is not enough to cover all that I ordered (hmm surely that should be good news ??), so the conundrum now is - what's missing?? I ordered Elizabeth and a few of the new BBD back on the 17th March but I guess they had to order the pattern in so it has been a while.  I added a couple of CHS charts to the order on 8th April along with one or two (dozen??) threads.  So the amount is too much for just the first order but not enough for both orders so I will have to sweat it out a bit longer, but let me tell you there will be major tantrums disappointment if the lovely one is not in the parcel.  The mail used to only take about a week to ten days from the US, but the last parcel took nearly three weeks, so I hope it won't be that long this time.

Anyway, I really need to move butt and finish "Tis" before that parcel arrives.   I have been trying lots of different white threads to get the coverage for the snowflakes and the writing, because it needs to be quite stark looking and one strand of the Gloriana was not giving that look.  The gloriana is the brightest white I have so I am trying it now with two strands and will see how that goes.  Sorry no pictures today of my unpicking.  I have a few cards I need to get finished and then it will be stitching time and hopefully a finish.

Thanks for listening

Mary

"Who's a pretty boy ?"

Here is my progress on "Tis".  I thought I would have finished it by now - I thought once the bird was done that was it, but as usual vines take much longer than you expect.  Thanks for your comments on that leaf, but I did change it tonight for a more autumn toned thread and I am pleased I did because it seems to pick up some of the red in the bird.  

 Still about five of the paler green leaves to go and the snowflakes and the wording. 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and once again I have charged off all 'gung ho' to start this one and the instructions for one thread over two were obviously meant for using the silk, which I am not, so the coverage is not as good as it should have been, especially with the white.  I have been using one strand of Gloriana silk for the white but I think I may go back and do the words with two strands and possibly even the snowflakes.  Also I am not sure now that it was Belfast because it seems quite a bit thinner in parts and I have found the threads splitting very easily - not at all like Belfast. 

All that said, I really love this one and it is a joy to stitch - I like the way they have done the leaves.  I only realised tonight that the year is on this one - over on the right - hadn't even noticed it before, because it sort of blends in.  I have been hurrying to finish this one in case Elizabeth arrives, but of course even when my card is debited it will still take about ten days to get here.  Oh well, I am sure I will find something else to fill in with, although I am also waiting on a few threads.

I checked out the Cardinal on the web and they are really beautiful little birds - not as large as I thought they would be. 

Oops, nearly Cinderella time again - where does the evening go to?

 

" 'Tis" - a new start

with grateful thanks to Karen "the temptress" and Sandra "the enabler" I have started stitching this lovely piece by Blackbird designs - " 'Tis the Season" and I am thoroughly enjoying it.  Not that I have had a lot of time to spend on it lately as I have been busy with work (pays for the stash).  Instead of the called for "32ct Pear by Lakeside Linens", I am using a piece of pale green linen from my stash - I think it is Belfast but not really sure but it seemed to be similar in colour.  I don't have any Belle Soie so I started with the dmc colours and then changed most of them to Sampler threads.  I am quite happy with it so far with the exception of that leaf at the top centre - it needs to be more of a contrast  from the bough so will check out the threads and find something a bit more autumnal.  I tried all my white threads and ended up using Gloriana silk although it is not showing up too well in the photo.  Not much done at this stage but it isn't very big so shouldn't take too long to finish. 

I am still checking every day to see if the lovely Elizabeth is on her way to me - I can't wait for her to arrive on my doorstep, but at least "Tis" is keeping me occupied until then.

After a busy day today at my Grandson's birthday party I intend to sit and stitch all day tomorrow - I may not even answer the phone or the doorbell!  lol !  So if that comes to pass I may be back tomorrow night with a finish !!

Mary

Second finish for 2010

Just look what I stitched at the weekend - my very first BBD piece - Summer Iris.  This little sweetie was a gift from my friend Marg recently so it was my first choice to stitch while I wait for Elizabeth. 

I stitched it on 32 Belfast in ivory with the DMC threads specified - and just look, I might even have the perfect piece of material to back it with.  I haven't thought of what I will do with it yet, but that alphabet material is a really good match.  Hmmmm maybe that M is a bit wonky - there wasn't much room for an M with a flourish - took me a few gos to get done but I will have to have another look at that.

So, there it is my 2nd finish for 2010.

I have two more small pieces kitted and ready to pick up and stitch but I will just go and check my visa account once?? more to see if Elizabeth has left Elegant Stitch yet.  I can't wait!

Elizabeth who ???  Elizabeth Savilles 1841 Sampler, that's who.

TA DAAAAAA

Well here is my Blessings - all finished.  My first finish for 2010. 

I have been looking at it for the last couple of days to make sure I hadn't missed out any more bits of it.  I stitched my initials and the year on it last night and finally removed it from the frame and got to see the whole of it for the first time, and I love it, and I am happy with the choices I made - glad I only did half the blackwork panel as well. 

It is large - the actual stitching measures 21" X 7.5" (53 X 18.5cm).  I don't have anywhere to hang this one but I would like to get it framed and maybe I will just lean it against the wall somewhere.

I started this on 19 November as a SAL with Chrissie but I got left behind in December when I had visitors staying with me, and I knew that if I got too far behind I would lose heart and it would never get finished, so I just concentrated on this to the exclusion of everything else (even my cards took a back seat).  This is the largest sampler I have ever stitched and I have done it in 4 months - that is a record for me - I would never have done it on my own, so Thank You Chrissie - I don't know how you have managed to do two SALs at the same time.

There are lots of firsts in this sampler - first SAL; first time I have altered nearly all the colours on a sampler; first time I have altered the pattern; first time using a frame, and of course the biggest first was starting this blog so I could record my progress, so all in all a real learning curve.

The blog itself has been great - 'meeting' other stitchers and seeing their beautiful work and of course, wanting to stitch so many of the pieces they have done - many of which I had never seen before as I had mostly stayed with my favourite designers, Shepherds Bush and Drawn Thread, and I certainly hadn't ventured into the world of antique samplers and such. 

I still have two SB WIPs (and maybe a few others tucked away) and although I have put in a few stitches on the needleroll I really need to START SOMETHING NEW.  I have a small one in mind for today.

I have ordered the beautiful Elizabeth Savilles and I can't wait to start that one.  I didn't order the Olde Willow threads specified for it because I have so many different ones already that I don't want to start another collection.  I looked at the colours on their site and I am hoping I can match them with the Gloriana ones I have.

Have also ordered some Blackbird patterns, but decided against the new Honeysuckle Manor and I am already regretting that decision but I can order it later I guess. 

My foray into large pieces has led me to believe that maybe I could manage to do Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow - I loved it when I first saw it but ruled it out as too big and also specifically Christmas, but now I am feeling a little more confident, and having read the pattern through I think I will aim for one block a month like a lot of the girls did, so it is in the line after Elizabeth.

If you are still here after this monologue - I thank you - I am sure you can tell I am well and truly doing the happy dance here.

Mary

I have an antique !

Perhaps that should read "I am an antique" since I have had this object since it was new!

I called in at Alma's blog and saw her post re the tomatoes she had found and they looked very familiar so I opened my sewing box and this is what was in there:

It has the same little green top as hers which you can't see for all the pins, and mine came attached to this little stand (some 47 years ago).  The sewing basket that came with it from a very dear friend has long ago gone to God (as has the friend) but after all these years it has made me stop and remember her.  I don't think anyone will want to buy mine as because as you can see it has been well abused used - I should  say 'well loved' because it is used whenever I sew anything and it still has lots of the old fashioned pins in it.  Who would ever have thought that this very ordinary pin cushion would become a collectors' item ??!! 

No gold medal for me

I had hoped to have finished Blessings by this weekend, but that hasn't happened.  I seem to have been stitching all week but with very little progress, and the reason is that I have been watching the Winter Olympics at the same time !!?? well, the idea was that I would just watch whenever the skating came on, but I found myself watching (and enjoying) quite a few other sports as well.  Because we are not on the same time zone, some of the footage  is shown here in the morning and then again after 9.30 at night, so I've had a few late nights.   However, I am on the downhill run with this now and here is my progress:

As you can see I have used yellow in this bottom section - I changed from the WDW Curry to Gloriana Sunflower and I think it looks OK.  There are two more sections of pink satin stitch flowers to do on the bottom left and right and there are meant to be beads in the centre of the four diamond shapes but I think I will replace the beads with stitches - probably more smyrnas.  The last band is another row of that gold cross stitch.

I left a couple of sections higher up because I couldn't decide what colour or stitch to do so will need to go back and finish them off.

I am so looking forward to stitching something different but have been good and have held off ordering some of the wonderful things I have seen lately until this one is done.  Sooooo, next post I should have a finish.

Cheers

Mary

PS.    Don't you just love that face ?  She was a gift from my friend Rosalie who bought her while on holiday in Queensland - her tag says; "Pincushion for sewers with Attitude"

Hallelujah

I finished the blackwork panel last Saturday whilst watching the Winter Olympics and that amazing song from K D Lang has been embedded on my brain ever since.  And oh boy, that rendition of the Olympic Anthem was something else as well.  I was so glad I watched it.  I must have been still on a high when I stitched Band 24 because I got right to the end before I realised I had started  one stitch too far over, so out it came and got stitched again. Band 25 was the last line of the little poem and  I breezed through that anxious to get onto the very last panel.  No dramas with band 26 yesterday so I moved on and started the next - I did look at the pattern and thought it was ok so stitched the first vine all the way across to find that it is not quite "ok",  It will be easy enough to correct the problem, but I don't understand why there are so many errors in this pattern.

Blessings Sampler by Wild-Heart Designs

I have been itching to start something new and fell in love with Siobhan's 'Wheeler', I think it was mainly because of the colour, but I have found myself looking at a lot of the old sampler reproductions since then.  Last week I saw Terri's 'Elizabeth Saville' and although I am not really a pink person I thought it was lovely, definitely a 'must have'.  I have been going back for a look every day, so I think I need to give in and get the pattern.   I don't know the Olde Willow Threads called for in the pattern, and I would prefer to use some of the many threads I already have, so will see if I can find a conversion somewhere. 

I know I have quite a few wips that need to be finished before I start another new one, but I guess that will depend on how quickly I can get hold of the pattern. 

I have caught up on my card making in the last few days, so that means more stitching coming up.

Well, that's all folks, I am off to bed - I'm overdue for an early night (or at least one before midnight for a change).

A lovely day ..

Today has been a very pleasant one.  I went with friends to a house in inner Melbourne to see "the Johnston Collection" http://www.johnstoncollection.org/ (yes, sadly I don't yet know how to do that "click here" to get link thing!!).  Their Christmas display entitled 'We Three Kings of Orient Are' was still on show and we saw some amazing stitching, lace work, patchwork, porcelain painting etc. all in the most beautiful of settings.  We followed that with a leisurely lunch before returning home for another cuppa. 

We were also blessed with some rain in the late afternoon and it was so nice to be able to open up the house after quite a hot spell, and when my friends left I sat down by the window and did some stitching.  All in all a very pleasant day. 

I have started on the dreaded blackword band and I am learning - I have started this one in the middle and adjusted it to fit evenly.

Once this blackwork row is done I will be on the home run and I would like to get it finished by the end of the month before I have a cataract removed - I may see too many mistakes I have missed.

I forgot to tell you in my previous post that those 'two minute smyrnas" actually only took about one minute - I mis-calculated the time I spent on them and had finished another band as well, so not quite as slow as I had thought.

Thanks for popping in.