Merry Skater Finished

She's done...all but the beads, as most of the other ornaments are. I loved this ornament too. She worked up so quickly and I thought the fabric was perfect. I used my Spinach and Bing Cherry Crescent Colors, from the previous ornaments, again in this chart. I'll keep using them for this series as long as I don't run out. I have started on Prairie Birds, Prairie Schooler Ornaments, too. I just can't help it. I love to start new projects.

Well, off to cook supper and to do a little homework. I hope everyone had a lovely Sunday.

Happy stitching,
Hillery

Merry Skater

Here is my start on Little House Needleworks Merry Skater. I am using an opalescent Lugana that I never thought I would use and I think it's perfect for this. She is coming along quickly, and I might get her done this weekend, if I'm not studying, which is what I really should be doing. This ornament will be going to my Niece, who is an extraordinary figure skater. I saw the companion piece in the JCS Ornament issue, I might just do him too for my other niece. Maybe I'll turn him into a girl...

I have also been working on Margaret Harris, but it's slow going. I will get a pic of that soon. I am also eyeing Prairie Birds Ornaments from Prairie Schooler. I might just have to start something else.

Off to give the kids a bath. I can't wait till they can bathe together, just to eliminate a step.

Have a great night,

Hillery

Organizing and a Finish

My fifth Little House Needleworks ornament "Snowy Pines" is stitched!!! I really liked this one. I think is was how quick it stitched up for me. I also found one packet of beads that I own that work in these ornaments, the crystal ones. I know I have more beads, I just don't know where I put them....Aghh!!! I made the house a little darker blue to better match the color of my MIL's house, and used the lighter blue for the border.

My next project is to organize all this floss that has just been sitting here in this tote. I need to put them all on floss cards and fill another box with them. I have 4 boxes and will add one more. They are all DMC with just a couple of specialty flosses. I do have many duplicates. If I'd have been organized in the first place, I wouldn't have purchased so many doubles.

Off to twirl some thread....

Happy Stitching,

Hillery

Freebie Finish and a New LHN Start

First off is my finished Freebie. It is designed by Jennifer of Feathers in the Nest. Love Makes You Real. It is a quote from the Velveteen Rabbit. My little Velveteen seems to like it. It will probably become a little pillow. I did make a couple changes to make it my own. I just love it. She did a great job. She has just started designing a few little samplers. Go check out her blog.

I also started the 4th in the series of Little House Needleworks Ornament of the Month. Snowy Pines. This one is going along very fast. I am using a darker blue for the house and am using up more of my Spinach from Crescent Colors for the green. I hope to be done with this by the end of the weekend. We'll see if I can make that deadline.

Happy Stitching,

Hillery

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

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

Bad Doggy!

I've read about this happening to a couple of other bloggers, but I didn't think it could ever happen to me. In a tired stupor last night, I just left my stitching on the couch and went to bed. When I woke this morning, I found my dog curled up on the couch sleeping, with a bit of linen sticking out from underneath her. Shooing her off the couch, I found Mary with a million tiny wrinkles, and some hair, UGH!! It just so happens that I took my iron over to my Mom's the other day to iron out some fabric for table cloths, so I don't have it, to try to fix this. I will pick it up at Mom's later and start ironing.

Here is a small update on my Needlemania 2, part 5. It's been a while since I worked on this one and I'm about half way through, so I can't give up now.

Lastly, is another small update on my Little House Needleworks Ornament of the Month 3, He's a Flake. I gave up on this one a week ago and need to pick it up and just finish it. It is so small, it shouldn't take long.

TUSAL and a New Start

I've started the third ornament in the Little House Needleworks Ornament of the Month series. This one is going to stitch up so quickly. The pic is quite dark, but the fabric is a smokey blue and I've used DMC 520 in place of the recommended green. I think it still looks nice though. I hope to have this one stitched up in a couple of days. Update later.

Here is my first posting for the TUSAL, located in my sidebar. Pic is kind of blurry. My camera is not doing what I want it to tonight. I signed up for this SAL a couple of months ago, so these are my orts so far. The glass is an 8 oz. wine glass, not too big.

Well, I'm off to give my little one a bath and perhaps a little more stitching tonight.

Happy Stitching,

Hillery

He's a Flake

It's been sooo long since I've been to Bloggerland. I have been MIA for over 2 months. Hopefully I can get back into the swing of things. I'm about to pick up the third ornament of Little House Needlworks Ornament of the month, but I'm having a dilemma, hopefully you can help. I have two pieces of fabric to choose from. A light blue gray, and an dyed piece of linen called Thyme. It is a gray green color. Which do you think I should use? Also, I don't have the required threads for the tree, "Spinach", I would like to use a DMC thread, does anyone have any suggestions as to which green I could use?
Thanks for your help, and Happy Stitching,
Hillery

Another Finish and a WIP

Latte 28 Count Linen

DMC Threads, White, 822, 304, 3323, 613

Here is part 4 of Needlemania 2. I've been stitching this one on my lunch breaks at work, it has taken a lot longer than the first 3, but I've gotten some other stitching done. It has been working out great. Before I used to just stitch on one item forever and I would get so sick of it, now I think working on about 4 WIP's is perfect for me.

Permin Lambswool 32 Count Linen

DMC Threads

This is my third finish of the year. Pear Tree ornament from LHN. I still have beads that need to be put on and the finishing of the ornament will be done with the others sometime later in the year. I've ordered the next ornament in the series, and it should be here at the beginning of next week. I can't wait to get started.

Thanks for visiting,

Hillery

Second Finish for 2010

Permin Lambswool 32 Count Linen

DMC Threads

Here is my first Ornament for Little House Needleworks, Ornament of the Month, SAL, TOO. That was a mouthful. I won't be finishing this into an ornament until I have a few more, then I can do them all together. I have started on the second one in the series, Pear Tree. I hope to have that one finished within a week. I just can't believe how much stitching I've been doing. I haven't stitched so regularly in years. I really did miss it. Thanks for all of your lovely comments. They have kept me motivated.

Hope to post again soon,

Hillery