Two Large WIPs

OK. I'm going to show off my current WIPs in hopes it will motivate me to work harder on them. I absolutely love the greenwork Country Cottage. It will go in my living room behind the couch. I hope to work one of the other homes in the same book to have a pair of them. (It's a large wall.)

I love doing blackwork because when there is only a backstitch or half stitch the row is finished the first time and I don't have to cross back over to complete the cross stitch. This pattern took some getting used to because it has the backstitch with one thread, a half cross stitch with one thread, full cross stitch with one thread and full cross stitch with two threads. It is a bit complicated but it really makes a great difference in the shading while still just using one color.

The next piece is my Promise Piece, Mirabilia Winter. I chose winter because I knew it would closer to that season before I finished it. Yes, winter of THIS year. I have high hopes and great expectations!

I enjoy working on this one because there are large areas of the same color. I do not enjoy patterns that call for many color changes every inch or so. This one moves along pretty quickly as well for that reason. I have the other three seasons that go with it and I'm still trying to decide which wall to hang it on. I would frame all four the same way and just change them as the seasons change. Appropriate, huh?

Finished Blackwork

I worked on the SAS project at Becky's house and that's about it. At Merchandise Night I purchased a few patterns along with two grab bags full of goodies. I love to do blackwork so on Sunday I started the blackwork pin cushion and finished it about two days later. I love those quick projects. It's done in blackwork with some yellow/gold for accent. If I make this pattern again I think I'll leave it in blackwork because it looked fine like that before I added the yellow/gold. I love the way it finishes into a box shape. I will use this idea in the future. To make it fold into the box I had to stitch blanket stitches back to back. That makes a crease for the bottom layer to fit into. It's a very clever idea.

I went to Cross My Heart today to get some thread for a couple of the patterns I bought at SAS. They had several but had to order a few. I'm in no hurry. It's not like I don't already have a few to work on. I still need to finish my Promise Piece and the Greenwork Cottage so I can put those in the show. I finished Feed Bag Buddies and took it yesterday to have it framed but the gentleman informed me that the frames would be 1/2 price next week. That's not too long to wait for a great deal. I've been doing the Monthly Manias but haven't even started the one for July. I have the fabric and thread so it's just a matter of sitting down and starting it. I like them because they don't take long to do. I have until Monday to finish them for show and tell. OOOHHH I don't like the pressure!!!

Retreat Power Stitching

I was a mega-stitching, power-stitching, needle moving mama this weekend! I learned how to create a very pretty fabric-folded project. I'm not sure what I will use them for yet but I have several ideas in mind. With a bead added to the center I could make a dressy pin to wear on my blouse. One lady placed hers on a totebag and did embellishments to make it look like the bloom on a flower. A small one could be the end of a bookmark with a tassel on the other end. The possibilities are endless.

While I didn't get any project "finished" I made a lot of progress towards my goals. I worked on the Feed Bag Buddies and used the weekend to fill in all the spaces where there were only two or three stitches in one area, end and cut the thread and off to the next area where there is only one or two stitches, end and cut, etc. Each area that was filled in made me so anxious to get to the next that it is nearly finished. There is a small section of the seeds that need to be finished and then I'll add his whiskers, finish his head, finish the bird and do the background. The end is in sight!

When I took a break from the big room and headed off to the quiet of my own room, I worked on some small items. This is the front of a 3 inch ruler that I will finish into a thread bobbin or scissor fob. I had started a blackwork design for the back the night before but on the second night, after drinking a wine cooler, I found that I had made a mistake. I had also worked on two squares I had hoped to make into a biscornou only to find out that instead of squares I had rectangles. Maybe I should drink the wine cooler BEFORE I stitch? Who knows?

Well, I did get some new patterns at the retreat so I have more items to add to my TO DO list. Blackwork is my favorite type of patterns to stitch so after I finish a few of the current items on my list I will start on a blackwork three-story victorian house. I don't know what color I want to do it in, though. The design is in green but I may change that to match something in my house. I guess I should decide which room it will go into first.

The guys were happy to see me. I made spaghetti for dinner so they were actually VERY happy to have me home. Should I tell them that I've already made reservations for the fall retreat? No. Let's keep that between us. For now anyway.