Month: June 2013

Mermaids · Passione Ricamo SAL

Keeping up with the SAL

My Time Stitching9 Comments

I finished block 1 of the Passione Ricamo Mystery Stitch A Long.

block 1 of SAL

One and a half fish and some hair.  Section 2 is due out on July 1, so I am very happy that I am finished section 1.  I’ve seen a sneak peek of section 2 and there is about as much stitching as section 1, so I should be able to keep up with no problem.

I also started Mirabilia’s Siren and the Shipwreck.

Start on Siren and the Shipwreck

She is being stitched on Sunny Dyes Under the Sea in 16ct Aida.  I will have to  take a photo of the  full piece of fabric.   Or you can see it at Sunny Dyes website. The bottom is hand painted.  Love it!  When I saw it I knew it was for Siren.  This scroll frame has my lovely covers that Karen made for me.  Isn’t she a sweetie?  Here is a closer shot of my progress and what she will look like in the end:

close up of Siren start

That is what I have been up to.  Thank you for visiting.

Fairies · Joan Elliott Round Robin · Knitting · New stash! · Storage

A Finish, A Start and some this and that

My Time Stitching22 Comments

I finished Lavender Fairy on Karen’s RR last night and I think she turned out very pretty.

Lavender on Karens RRKarens full RRKaren’s RR is going to be so gorgeous when it gets finished.  She did an awesome job on her layout.  And just look at the sparkles in that fabric!  I still have to add my name,and then she will be ready to mail on in July.  I’m not sure I like Joan Elliott patterns.  Lots of fractionals.  But hubby does like this fairy and he did buy me a special purple hand dyed fabric to stitch her on.  So I suppose I will have to stitch her in full some day.

I also put my Passione Ricamo Mystery SAL on the LARGE scroll frame.  The masking tape hubby bought was really tacky and messy leaving a residue all over the roll when I pulled tape up and on my hands.  So I didn’t really want to put that on my fabric.  So I ended up hand basting it to the piece of fabric on the rods.  It was a chore, but I’m glad it’s done.

SAL on the scroll frameMy fabric didn’t seem to get tight, so I added the rubber bands and binder clips.  Do you see that tiny little spot where the yellow is on the left?  That is my start on this SAL. I hope to add some more this weekend.  I’ve already had a sneak peek at block #2 to be released on July 1, so I want to make sure I get block 1 done and keep up.  For those that were asking about the scroll frame,  it’s a K’s Creations.  You can click on the link to find out more.  Like I said in my last post, I haven’t used this frame in a really long time and not sure I will like it but I am going to give it another try.

Over the weekend, hubby was near a yarn shop and he stopped in.  This is what he picked up for me:

New knitting stuffA cute little case for my circular needles and some fun festy yarn.  There is enough to make 2 scarves.  The shop was out of the pattern, so I called to see how to use this yarn.  Cast on however many sts I want on to size 15 needles and knit in garter stitch for however long I want.  It’s double stranded and it will be interesting to see how this yarn knits up.  It’s called Fantasty Fest by The Sassy Skein and the color is Lobster.  The shop owner told me the yarn strands were put together by kids that were no longer in the Foster Care system.  I thought that was neat. So thank you Skeins On Main for helping hubby pick out some really nice things for me since I couldn’t be there.  I hope to get a scarf knitted up before fall rolls around.  And when I get to organizing my circular needles, I will post a pic of the inside of that cute little case.  That’s it for today.  Thanks for stopping by to see what I have been up to.

Joan Elliott Round Robin · New stash! · Uncategorized · WIP

Trip to my LNS

My Time Stitching14 Comments

Hello stitchy friends.  It’s been a couple of weeks since I last posted and thought I would share what I have been up to.  The awesome designers out there keep coming up with awesome new patterns, so I have so many projects floating around in my head.  But let me show you what I have been working on:

LavenderYou get just a peek as I am not finished her yet.  She is Joan Elliott’s Lavender and I am stitching her on Karen’s Round Robin. I am currently doing the backstitching (hate it) and then on to the beautiful beads that will really complete it.  I will post a full pic when I finish-hopefully in the next couple of days.

Last night I finally started Passione Ricamo’s Mystery Stitch A Long.  The first block was released on Friday, but I didn’t get my email until late Sunday.  So I sat down last night and measured and counted on my fabric for just the right placement for the start.  Here is what I stitched:

Start of SAL

I know it’s not a lot, but I wanted to get it started.  I always start all of my stitchings in the center.  With the SAL, the first block is in the upper left of the fabric.  So it drove me crazy trying to decide if I wanted 3″ all the way around for framing or 4″.  Or did I want to start in the center and count stitches over to the left side…NO!  So I measured 4″  from the top, and counted stitches from the top center to the left.  I hope I placed the start of my fish in the right spot.  I needed to get some stitches on here so that I can put it on my scroll frame.  My fabric is 26″ wide and I don’t  have a split dowel scroll frame big enough to put it on.  So out to the garage I went to dig out this:

Table Top scroll frameMy table top scroll frame.  I haven’t used this frame in 19 years! And it’s huge!  To give you an idea of how big it is, each of those white tiles are about 8″. The dowels on this frame have a piece of fabric attached that I am supposed to baste my cross stitch fabric to.  That sounds too time consuming, so I am going to tape my fabric to the rods.  I got the idea from Tracy’s blog.      I hope to get it on the frame today and work on it this weekend.  There is not much in the first block of the SAL, so it shouldn’t take me too long.  I hear it’s a mermaid 🙂

And last but not least, I went to my local needlework shop and this is what I picked up:

shopping trip

Yep, all kinds of fun stitchy stuff!  the Rainbow gallery threads and beads for my SAL, Just Nan’s Sirens of the Sea sampler, some threads for the Santa Village piece, a new Halloween project from Lizzie Kate that looks pretty cool.  My friend that went with me wants me to stitch up the Wine piece on the Mushroom 14ct Aida and lastly, the latest issue of Just Cross Stitch magazine.  See that tea pot in the corner?

close up of magazineMy BSF (Best Stitchy Friend) stitched that for the magazine.  She did a great job and I’m so happy she got the cover.  You can see more of her beautiful stitchings and read more about this piece at Elegant Stitches.    That tea pot is on my to do list.  It’s a tea pot (love them) and it’s patriotic.  Oh and you can also see my mermaid scissor fob.  This is my first scissor fob and guess what?  It doesn’t fit on my scissors 😦  I guess I will have to dig up another pair of scissors.  Or better yet, LouAnn at Stitches N Things   showed me a pair of Dovo scissors and OMG they feel like they will cut like buttta!  I’ll have to save up for a pair of those.  I guess they are way better than ginghers.

Wisher, over at Pretty Little Things in a Box, has nominated me for a couple of blog awards that I haven’t gotten around to passing along.  She nominated me for the (online) next door neighbor award.  Isn’t that sweet!  You’ll have to pay her a visit and see what neat stuff she is up to.  So,  I nominate Wisher and everyone else who has visited my blog,  with  the  on-line  next door neighbor award.  Bloggy friends are so wonderful!

wordpressfamilyaward

Well, that’s what I have been up.  Hubby bought me some stitchy stuff of  a different kind this past weekend and I will post those next time as well as an update on my cross stitch progress.  Happy stitching!

Fabric · Knitting · New stash!

What I am working on…

My Time Stitching8 Comments

I feel like I am going in so many directions right now.  First, some knitting:

pidge with bamboo

I started on my next pidge for Sue.  I’m using Bamboo needles for the first time and I am liking them with this yarn.  Usually I love the way the yarn glides on my quicksilver needles, but with the Bamboo yarn, the needles hold my knitting in place.  The Bamboo yarn is so soft and silky that the project would have probably slipped off of my quicksilvers  several times by now.  And since I am constantly moving the yarn back and forth to form the ribbing, the Bamboo needles are working great to hold my knitting on the needles.  I really like working with the Bamboo yarn and I like how it is knitting up.  Except for my right edge..on the prior row, the last stitched is slipped.  So when I start the next row, there isn’t anything to pull or tighten, so my right edge looks really sloppy and loose.

I’m also stitching on Karen’s beautiful Round Robin.  She wants any Joan Elliott pattern that has purple.  Of course, Lavender came to mind right away, so that is what I am stitching.  I will share a photo when I get her done.

I also went shopping at my LNS and this is what I picked up:

More stitchy stuff

My next Santa’s cottage.  I need to start that piece this summer.  Nora Corbett’s Spring Fairie.  I am hoping to start her companion piece, Winter Fairie sometime this year.  And Stitches N Things (my LNS) was having a Birthday sale and would kit up any pattern purchased for 21% off.  They kitted up Nora’s Siren’s Song mermaid.  I was quite surprised at how small she is.  The piece of Water Lilly 16ct Aida fabric is only 12 x 18 and that is including 3″ all the way around for framing.  I probably won’t use that fabric for her, but the “kitted up part” included DMC floss, beads, kreinik, and fabric.    I will probably use a hand dyed fabric from my stash to stitch her on.  I will decide that when it’s time to work on her.

In my last post I told you I signed up for Passione Ricamo’s Mystery SAL.  I received my fabric and purchased all of my flosses for this one.  Here it is:

Pixie Dust for mystery SALEveryone is saying it’s going to be a mermaid.  This is what  I envisioned her on. Silkweaver’s Pixie Dust in 28 ct Lugana. LOVE this fabric!   This SAL starts next week and I can’t wait!  Most of my Rainbow Gallery Petite braids are on backorder.  Everyone is having a time getting them.  Some beads are also on backorder.  So I will be patient (who knew?) and will stitch around the PB if they are needed right away. If you want to get in on this one, there is still time.  You have until June 14 to join up.  Click on my Passione link above to get the details.  This SAL will start on June 15 and will go until November or December.  It’s going to be fun!

Well, that’s all of my stitchy news for now.  Oh, I have also kitted up Mirabilia’s Siren and the Shipwreck so I will be starting that one once I finish the block on the Round Robin.  I will be working on 2 mermaids at once!  Well, not at the same exact time.  I’m not that talented, hehe.  I will post my starts on both of these projects once I get going on them.  For now, happy stitching!