Margaret Harris

I've been working very slowly on Margaret Harris. Here is where she stands right now. It is not the best picture, it looks better in person. I've run out of the dark green, so I'll need to order more. She is quite wrinkled, as I work in hand. It certainly doesn't help when it comes to the final ironing. Now, I am still having ideas about her. I will finish up the stitching that I won't change, then add my original touches. Hopefully by the time it is finished, I won't be able to call her Margaret Harris. She will need a new name.
Happy Stitching,
Hillery

A Break From the Heat

I woke this morning to a temperater of 60 F. The house felt so good. A cool breeze was wafting through all the open windows, ahh what a relief. I went out early and sat on the deck with my coffee and listened to the birds. The kids were sleeping....

Now, Autumn is my favorite time of year (not that I am wanting the summer to be over), but last night as I was stitching, my mind kept wandering to pumpkins and hay bales and gourds and frosty mornings. In my minds eye, my Margaret Harris started to transform. I would love to alter this piece a bit, make it my own, and add some harvest motifs. I can see the little birds changed to crows, a little landscape with pumpkins near the house, little blades of wheat....my mind was turning a bit.

My questions to you, dear stitchers....

Would this be a NO NO? Would this be an insult to the original designer? Would you alter a design to make it your own?

Thanks for stopping by,

Hillery

Deb's Giveaway

Deb is having an awesome Flower Frog Giveaway!!! Go check her out.

A Finish and a New Start

Here is Red House in Winter, finished. I wanted to love this ornament so much. I broke down and bought the over dyed threads for it, (I used Spinach for the trees, a color that was supposed to be used in He's a Flake, but I hadn't purchased it for that one.) I will probably keep using Spinach for other greens in the series. I was concerned with the red not covering as well as I wanted it, but it seems to be okay. I also didn't have the right color gold, so I substituted, and I don't really like it. It is too yellow. I am going to ignore all my feelings about it and learn to love it.

I also started a project from the booklet I won from Jolene. Blackbird Designs, Margaret Harris. I substituted Vikki Clayton silks. They are not as variegated, but they are lovely. This is my first time using silk and they feel so wonderful. I think I might be hooked.
Well, I'm off to a the doctors office for Baby Sisters 2 month check up. Think I might do take out tonight and get a head start on some more stitching,....hopefully.

Happy Stitching,

Hillery

Cindy's Giveaway

Another blogaversary giveaway is being held over at Cindy's, go and check this one out.

I'm Up...and It's Hot

IT'S HOT!!! AND HUMID!!!

Baby Sister woke me up early and she went back to bed. Well, that's what babies do. Now I am still up in front of the computer endlessly searching, finding freebies, perusing blogs and navigating the Hand Dyed Fibers website. I could do this all day, if the kids let me....

Did I mention It's Hot... It's only 70 F outside, but it is 86 in this house...UGH. No air conditioning. There's not much need for that up here in Northern Maine, we'll only get a couple of weeks a year of unbearably hot weather. We've got a couple of fans going in the house, but they are constantly pointed at the kids, and they are only just blowing around the hot air.

I'll get Big Sister out in the pool today, hopefully we'll have a nice breeze today. My Mother is a school teacher so she has been spending her summer off most days helping me with the kids. God Bless her. Let me tell you, I need the help. Maybe we'll go shopping today, just to get into the air conditioning.

Going to try to get a little more stitching done on my ornament. I have to frog the tops of the trees, because silly me... I was not looking at the chart (probably the TV) and kept going with the repeat until the tops. Then I noticed as I was about to add the snow. I'll update that later.

Have a great day,
Hillery

Help With a Question

Now I have been stitching for almost 20 years now, but now that I have entered blogland and have met and seen such wonderful stitchers, I would not consider myself an experience stitcher. I have been stitching the same way since I was 15, and I am just learning now, new techniques and about finishing's. I am experimenting now with different fabrics and fibers and I feel like a novice.

My question is..... if you are stitching on a 28 count linen or cotton evenweave fabric, would you use 2 plys of floss or 3 plys? I have always used 2 plys, but I sometimes don't like the coverage. I'm worried that 3 plys would make it a little harder to get nice even stitches (although, mine aren't always that even). Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Right now I am working on Little House Needleworks Ornament of the Month, "Red House in Winter" and with all the dark colors and the light linen, I am not happy with the coverage of my 2 plys of floss. I have way to much finished to frog it out, so I am continuing and hoping I will like the finished product. Pictures later.
Happy Stitching,
Hillery

Thank You Jolene

Look what I received today in the mail!!!! I won one of Jolene's prizes in her giveaway a couple of weeks ago. There was an opportunity to win one of four different prizes and this is what I won.
First of all, I have never stitched a Blackbird Designs, I've never owned a Blackbird Designs, and now I am the proud owner of a leaflet full of beautiful treasures. Don't know which one I will start first.
Thank you Jolene, I love it!!!!

Happy Stitching,
Hillery

A Couple of Cool Pics...

from our nature walk during our vacation last week. We have a family camp down state Maine that we visit one week a year. It's our little piece of Heaven.

This is Mr. Fox, the dog from up the camp road....DOG???



And here is my little Ghost Baby. Don't know how this one came out, but I think it's cool.

No stitching done lately. During our vacation, my oldest daughter had fun on the beach, in the water, walking in the woods with her Auntie and cousins, while I spent most of the time inside with my youngest who just so happens was going through her 6 week growth spurt. Oh, well... I have another vacation coming up in August. We will be going to Prince Edward Island, we have a little camp up there. I'm sure I'll get some sun then.

Hoping to get a little stitching done tonight.

Happy Stitching,

Hillery