Good Bye 2024, Happy 2025!

January 1, 2025 My Time Stitching5 Comments

Hello my blogging friends! How have you been? I have missed you so much! It’s been a while and 2024 is over! I can’t say that it was all bad, but I am happy to welcome in 2025. My biggest highs of 2024 came near the end. In October my husband and I celebrated our 40th anniversary. We chose to spend it at the zoo with our kids. It was there that our youngest son and his wife told us that they were expecting their first child. We are going to be first time Grandparents in June 2025. We are over the moon. We had a wonderful day, being all together at the zoo. And about a week before Christmas, we found out the baby is a girl! We can’t wait to meet our Granddaughter this summer ❤ And just a fair warning, there will be even more pink things to come 😉

So how were your holidays? What have you been crafting on? Did you finish all of the projects that you wanted to in 2024? I am happy with what I finished in 2024 except for 1 project. I will talk about that in the knitting part of my post. Even though I haven’t been posting, I have been crafting and I plan on sharing the things I have worked on in future posts.

I do have a new word for 2025 and that is PATIENCE. I definitely need to have more patience in my life with what I am crafting on, what I need to get to, with healing, learning new things, and with myself. Something I am definitely going to work on this year.

So let’s get to what you are really here for…My Stitching. What am I stitching on?

I have pulled out the Black Water Sirens SAL from Bella Filipina Designs. This SAL started on October 31, right in the middle of the fabric with a Treasure Chest.

I am stitching this on 16ct Aida Epically Evil Fairy Godmother from Those Missing Stitches. It only took me a few days to get this Treasure Chest stitched up, minus the beads which I will add at the end of the SAL. After finishing this first part, I stitched on other projects and couldn’t wait to get back to this one. On Christmas day I pulled it out again to get stitching on part 2. And this is where it is as of last night.

Part 4 came out on December 30, so I have some catching up to do. But I am so happy to be stitching on this one again. It is going to be amazing. My fabric is actually green and not yellow like in the photo above.

Yesterday I picked up a couple of pieces that I had put in for framing. This one I put in for framing in early December. When I brought it home, it began puckering more and more.

The frame I originally chose was not deep enough for the spacers and the beads and the ribbon on the headband were pressed up against the glass. I took it back and had to pick a different frame. Picking a frame takes me so long. And this time was even more difficult because I thought I had already chosen the perfect frame.

The first frame I chose is a frame that I often go right to. I love this frame and didn’t know if I could find another one that I really loved. But I did find one that I thought would be a good fit and when I picked her up yesterday, I knew it was the right one.

I love how it looks; like a shadow box with the deeper frame space and the extra spacers. I love it! The pattern is The Frog Princess from Brooke’s Books Publishing. The fabric is 16ct Aida Friendship Greene from Fabrics by Steph. Eventually I want to stitch all of the Princess dresses from Brooke’s Books Publishing and maybe this frame will be perfect for all of them.

The second piece I had put in for framing is Winter Snowfall.

I finished stitching this piece back in February of 2022 and was so happy to finally put it in for framing. I did have a difficult choice though. Picking the perfect frame is so hard! But I did make a decision and this is what I chose.

It is really is so beautiful. The frame really picks up the gold beads in person. So immediately after taking this photo, the Christmas picture was pulled down from the wall and this one put up in my dining room. It is the space that I am always changing out my framed pieces. Right now my dining room is decorated in a pink and white winter theme, so this piece is perfect!

Again, the pattern is Winter Snowfall by Shannon Christine Designs. It is stitched on 16ct Aida Valyrian Steel from Fabrics by Steph. There is a companion piece to this that I would love to stitch some day.

The last stitch I have to show you today is a knitted piece.

This is the Lothian Scarf I finished for my husband. I had hoped to get it finished before Christmas, but that didn’t happen. I finished it a few days after. It still needs blocking and I will take a better picture of the pattern in it then. The pattern is a free pattern on Ravelry by Home of Cords. I couldn’t get the edge stitches to be tight so I changed them to garter stitch. The pattern is charted on a graph and was very easy to follow. It was a really relaxing knit. The yarn is from Passions Yarns. It is their Baby Weight Fingering in the color Go Your Own Way. It is 70% Bably Alpaca and 30% Silk so it is really soft and was easy to knit with. Hubby picked this yarn out when we went to a Fiber Fest in October.

So that is all I have to share with you today. I hope that your holidays were wonderful and that your 2025 will be filled with Love, good health, happiness and of course, lots of stitching. Tell me in the comments what you have been crafting on. I want to hear all about it.

Happy Stitching!

Ginny

cross stitch · Hand Dyed Fabrics · knitted scarves · Knitting · Mirabilia · yarn

The Year Is Half Over!

July 11, 2024 My Time Stitching11 Comments

Hello Blogging friends! It has been a minute since my last post. The last couple of months have not been the best. In fact, this year has been not so great. Let’s just say that I am hoping that the second half of 2024 is much, much better than the first half. I’m still having trouble balancing everything and trying to fit all I want into a day, and I don’t like that my Blog has suffered. So, I am making time today to get in a post. Enough of that, let’s get on to what I have been up to.

Since it has been a while since my last post and the post before that, it’s hard to remember everything I have been working on. So, let’s start with what I have been currently working on and a couple of finishes.

This is where I am with the 2024 Fox & Rabbit MSAL as of last night. I am working on the June section and should have it finished tonight and then I will have the July section to catch up on before the August section comes out August 1. The fabric is 18ct White that I picked up at Michaels.

Another project I am working on is The Deadly Aquarium from Lola Crow Cross Stitch.

The Frame portion of this SAL came out in April, and we were given 6 weeks to complete it before the first exhibit.

I loved stitching the frame. The Sea Gulls are so cute. The fabric is 16ct Beanstalk (the called for fabric) from Fabric On A Whim and is actually more blue than the photo is showing.

The first exhibit arrived in my email box on May 24 and then weekly. I was working on another project when the exhibits started.

This is exhibit 1 and part of exhibit 2. Just look at that scary eel peeking out of that treasure chest!

Here I am all caught up with exhibits up to 5. That Killer Coral on the left was very tedious but looks so cool.

Last Friday exhibit 6 came out and I finished it in a couple of days.

I am enjoying this SAL and can’t wait to see what will be added to the Aquarium tomorrow.

I also have had a few finishes. I will show my latest cross stitch finish.

I finished Blossom by Mirabilia. She is so beautiful! I love everything about this piece. The fabric is 16ct Aida Busy Izzy from Fabrics By Stephanie. I used all of the called for floss and beads. Frame was picked out by my husband. I tend to gravitate to silver or gold or white frames and didn’t even see this frame until he picked it out. I decided to go with his choice and I am very happy I did. It’s perfect. Another WIP off of my list 🙂

I also have a knitting finish.

My Lace & Fade Boxy pullover from Joji Locatelli is finished. I still need to block it, but it is finished, and all of the ends are woven in. I love how it turned out. I made it one size smaller so it wouldn’t be so boxy, and I added 4 stripes to the bottom to make it longer. The sleeves are a little snug, but I think I can stretch them a little when blocking. I can’t wait to wear it this fall/winter. The yarns used are from Adelaide Fiber Co., The Wicked Knittah, Fiberspates, and Life in The Long Grass (LITLG).

The only project left on my knitting needles is the Alexander Airplane Scarf.

This is my travel project, but since I haven’t been doing much traveling and it has been on the needles for a long time, I have decided that I want to finish it by the end of August. The yarn is Aerial Color from Berroco Yarns. It is a lace weight yarn and I love knitting with it. Fingers crossed I can get it finished this summer. There are so many knitting projects I want to start but I am holding out for now.

Well, that is just a little of what I have been up to since we last chatted. I will share more in my next post. What have you been up to lately? Tell me your favorite project you are working on in the comments. I would love to hear about it.

Happy Stitching!

ginny

knitted scarves · Knitting · yarn

My Travel Knitting Project

November 10, 2022November 9, 2022 My Time Stitching9 Comments

Hello Blogging friends! I always like to have a knitting project ready for traveling. Something that is nice and easy and relaxing. Usually something that doesn’t need a pattern or one that the pattern is easily remembered. A few months ago @clevergirldesignsco posted a picture of a beautiful scarf she had knit. Of course I had to run off to my local Knit shop to see it in person. It was quite beautiful, in red and with a mohair yarn. After finding out all of the details I decided I just had to make one.

The pattern is The Alexander Airplane scarf by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas. The yarn that I am using is Aerial Color from Berroco. This is a very fine mohair yarn knitted on size 8 circular needle. It is knit in the round and when finished the tube is laid flat and the edges are pressed or steamed so that the scarf ends up being 2 layers. Because the yarn is so thin, it isn’t bulky but will be warm and cuddly.

As you can see in the photos, this yarn is a striping yarn. The color is 34101, Pisarro. I didn’t want a striping yarn when I decided to do this project and didn’t even know that this yarn would stripe. But I rather like the colors and how they are knitting up. This is straight knitting, so it is the perfect travel project. Whenever I leave the house, I just grab my knitting bag and will be all set to knit if I have to do any waiting or want to knit in the car. It’s easy to pick up and put down, so it makes for the perfect on the go project.

I have only been knitting on this when I travel. Mostly to take my mind off of being in a car on the highway. But sometimes I don’t even pick it up, as I get too involved in what is going on around me on the road. But I have knitted on it when waiting for Mom at her doctor appointments. It is always good to have it with me for when I do decide to pick it up. Maybe I will finish it this winter…or maybe for next winter. Either way, it is the perfect travel project.

It is getting longer, so that makes me happy. Yeah, you can definitely see where my join in the round is. I definitely have to work on that, LOL Do you like to have a travel project? What kinds of things do you work on when traveling?

Happy Stitching,

Ginny

knitted scarves · yarn

What I Have Been Knitting

November 9, 2022 My Time Stitching7 Comments

Hello blogging friends! You know, I blinked and it was November! Well, I didn’t really blink because I did enjoy all of the glorious colored leaves that Mother Nature gave this year. The colors were so bright and vivid this year. As I look out my craft room window, most of the trees are now bare and looking very winter like. The sun is shining and it is a wonderful 63 degrees out, so I am not even thinking about winter being just around the corner.

So, what has been on my needles, you ask? Well, back in September when my Mother-in-law was visiting, we took a trip to a yarn shop and found some beautiful Noro yarns. Now I have never knit with Noro before, and I can honestly say that several years ago when seeing some of the Noro dinosaur eggs, I couldn’t figure out what all the hype was about them. The yarn seemed to look rough

and didn’t feel the softest to the touch. I didn’t want to knit with it. I have since learned that the yarns do soften up as you knit with them and the colors are quite beautiful. So, I decided to take the leap and try my first Noro yarn.

The yarn is Noro’s Tsubame. This is a 200 gram skein, ball, or egg, whatever you want to call it. There are 656 yards, so a lot of yarn here. The pattern I decided to use is the Eyelet Scarf which was featured in a Noro magazine, but is also available on Ravelry.

A very easy pattern that is easily remembered after a few pattern repeats.

The color changes are quite beautiful and really flow nicely into the next. The yarn does soften up as I knit with it. This yarn is 50% silk, 25% wool and 25% nylon. So the silk really does make this knit up really nice.

I knitted this scarf according to the pattern, creating 38 repeats and then adding the seed stitch to the bottom and then bound off the stitches.

The finished length was supposed to be 67″, but when I finished, it was only 42″ and I didn’t think I would get the correct length when blocking, without distorting the eyelets. I undid the bind off and ripped back to the eyelet pattern and continued with the pattern until I was close to finishing the skein, doing 52 repeats and then adding the seed stitch section and then binding off.

I was able to block it out to 73″ which is a much better length. This way I can fold the scarf in half and push the ends through the loop and have a good amount of the ends hang down. If I were to make this scarf again, I would definitely only cast on 37 stitches instead of 57. It is quite wide at 13″. I would prefer a narrow scarf. But it turned out nice and is nice and soft and hangs nicely.

So that is one of the knit projects that I have finished lately. What have you been creating?

Happy Stitching!

Ginny

Autumn Lane Stitchery · cross stitch · Cross Stitch Patterns · Fabric · Hand Dyed Fabrics · knitted scarves · Knitted Shawl · Knitting · Mermaids · Mirabilia · Queen · Sunny Dyes Fabrics · yarn

Time To Catch Up

March 6, 2021 My Time Stitching11 Comments

Hello my blogging friends! It has been a long time. Not sure why, other than while crafting, time just got away from me. I can’t believe that just about 4 months have gone by since my last post. But I am doing well and still crafting away.

So, where to begin…How about I share with what projects I am currently working on? A couple of weeks ago I started stitching on Mermaid Perfume by Mirabilia.

I couldn’t wait to get everything I needed to get started on her. I am stitching her on 16ct Aida Hidden Cove, a hand painted fabric from Sunny Dyes Fabrics. I can’t wait to see how she emerges on this fabric.

I found this fabric on the Design and Fabric Viewer. This is a site where you can see what fabrics would look good with a particular design. If you have never been, you should go and check it out. You will have to create an account (just an email and password) and then you can play with the designs there along with many fabric dyers’ fabrics. And if you haven’t visited this site in a while, I urge you to check it out. It is all new, with a subscription level to allow you to save more than 3 picks. The first 3 are on the FREE viewing. And with a subscription, you can upload your own fabrics so that you can see how your favorite designs there will look on your exact fabric. It really is a great tool for cross stitchers and I encourage you to check it out. You will have so much fun matching fabrics to designs.

The other cross stitch project I have worked on is the Dark Queen of the Seas MSAL (Mystery Stitch A Long)

This MSAL is by Autumn Lane Stitchery. It started in September 2020 and each section is released on the 1st of the month until August 2021. I am stitching her on 16ct Aida Iris from Fabrics By Stephanie. This photo was taken after I finished section 6 a few weeks ago. Section 7 just came out on March 1, but I am not a fan of the added pieces, so for now I will leave them off. I may add them later when I see more of the design, but for now, I am leaving them off. I hear that next month we will start working on the lower portion of the design. I can’t wait! She is such a beauty! Just look at her face!

The designer has done a great job designing her. That face is so awesome. And those eyes! The shading is fabulous, too.

Last month I started knitting on Fairies In The Snow Shawl MKAL (Mystery Knit A Long) I have really been enjoying this knit.

This MKAL is by Softyarn Designs and is on Ravelry if you want to join. The last part, clue#4 just came out on Thursday, March 4, but there a lot of people in the group that are on different parts of the pattern. There is a chat group on Ravelry, too. The yarn I am using is from Speckled Finch Studios in colors Kismet 4 Magic Stone (the darker color) and Champagne Wishes. I love how these 2 yarns look together and the yarn is so soft. I should finish the last clue this week, and then decide if I want to add another section to use up yarn, or leave as is.

Last month I finished a scarf that I started in January. It turned out gorgeous and I have to say it is now my favorite scarf and have worn it several times already.

I call it my rainbow scarf, but the actual name of the pattern is The Adventurer Scarf and Wrap by Ambah O’Brien. I knitted the scarf version in Basic Sock Mini’s from AJHC Wools. I love everything about this scarf; the yarn, the colors, the weight, the knitting, the pattern.

I have many, many more knitting projects and cross stitch projects I want to work on, as well as stamping and scrapbooking that needs tending to. For now, I am enjoying whatever it is I am working on. I have missed all of you and I hope that my blogging mojo is back. I look forward to hearing from you and catching up on all of the blogs I have missed in the last few moths.

So, what have you been up to? What are you working on today?

cross stitch · knitted cowl · knitted scarves · Sampler

Forced Finishes

April 27, 2018April 27, 2018 My Time Stitching39 Comments

Hello Friends! 11 days ago I tore the meniscus in my knee, so I have not been able to do much. I see a orthopedic surgeon on May 1, so fingers crossed he can fix it. So, while sitting, I have been able to do a few finishes. First, I finished my Diamond Painting.

Sorry about the fuzzy photo. I was trying to stand on my one leg and capture the sparkly of the tiles. This was a wonderful, thoughtful gift from a dear friend. It is a photo I took right outside my front door a few years ago. It is a favorite of mine. I love how it sparkles and can’t wait to frame it. I have recently started a Diamond Dotz, which is the same concept, but the dots are circles rather than the square tiles in the Diamond Painting. I definitely think that the Painting gives a better coverage than the Dotz, but both are beautiful and sparkly. I am addicted 🙂

Next up is a scarf I knitted on the way to and from a mini vacation hubby and I took before I hurt my knee.

I love knitting this type of scarf in the car. It’s a no brainer. One more to add to my stash for gift giving 🙂 And one more skein of yarn out of my stash.

I also finished knitting this cowl:

I LOVE this one! The pattern was a bit tricky to follow as far as what rows to do, so I had to be careful where I was. In fact, in the beginning, I do think I left out a full 4 rows of a pattern, but it is not really noticeable. And when I wear it doubled up around my neck, no one will no for sure. It is knit with one ball of Ella Rae Season. Very soft and squishy and very easy to knit.

And lastly, I finally started the 2018 Mystery Sampler from Linen and Threads.

My fabric is a OOAK from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics and is more of a peach color with hints of gray. I am stitching with DMC 53 and Black and I absolutely love how the stitching looks on this fabric. It is weird how the lighter rows appear to be lines. I am not too sure about the black border yet, but that design really didn’t look well with the variegated thread. I tried it several different ways, but it just didn’t look right, so I decided to go with black. I probably should have went with a dark gray, but I am not ripping out now. I will add more black sections and hope to balance it out.

I have a couple of other projects I had worked on, but it is too difficult to get to them right now for photographing. So they will have to wait until they come back out. So, what are you stitching on today?

AAN Chandelier · Crochet · cross stitch · Hand Dyed Fabrics · knitted scarves · Sampler · vacation

Getting Caught Up

October 30, 2017 My Time Stitching20 Comments

Hello friends! It’s been a little bit. So much has happened in the last 2 months. I can’t even seem to recall it all at this minute, so I will write about my stitchy stuff 🙂 First, I am now caught up with the Chandelier SAL from AA Needleworks.

I am stitching this one 16ct Aida Winter Solstice from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie. While the holographic thread doesn’t show up well on the fabric, I decided to go ahead and stitch with it, hoping that it will give some added shimmer to the beads. I believe that the last section is to be released on November 1, 2017, but not much has been posted in the group. I am also supposed to be receiving a bead pack from the designer, but haven’t received that either. I guess there are only 7 people that signed up for this one, but it really hasn’t been covered or updated well in the facebook group. I LOVE chandeliers, so I knew I just had to do this one.

Next up is the Mystery Sampler from Linen and Threads. I finished the October section yesterday.

I am stitching this one 16ct Aida Castleview from Silkweaver. I am using Sullivan threads “London Fog” and DMC 3888. This is an amazing sampler. I have loved every stitch of this one. You can still get in on this one, for FREE! All 11 sections (November was released a couple of days ago) are on the Linen and Threads website. And I hear the designer is working on one for 2018!!! And it will also be FREE! How generous and awesome is that?

Remember the Temperature blanket I was working on? Well, I have abandoned that project. It seems I still don’t have the hang of ending and beginning my rows without a pattern. So rather than tear it all out, I ended it and will figure out something to do with it. I really didn’t like the colors anyway, so no sweat on ditching that one. I have started “The Spicier Life Blanket” from Sandra at Cherry Heart Blog. I have the first section done.

I’m not sure I like the bottom colors, but hoping it will look better as a whole. Sections 2, 3 and 4 have been released, but I haven’t been confident enough to pick it back up as of yet. I hear there are some difficult rows in those sections and I don’t want to get frustrated right now.

I have also worked on the cowl I started with the Lion Brand “Shawl in a Ball. It is getting quite long.

This project has been deemed my “travel project”. So I pretty much have only worked on it in the car. I am nearing the end of the skein, so I may pick it up a bit more to get it finished. It has knitted up soft and I just love the colors. I can’t wait to finish it so I can wear it this winter, which is coming soon I hear. But, fall is still here and I will leave you with a couple of photos I took last week while hubby and I visited Northern Michigan to see the beautiful colors. The first day we were there was beautiful and sunny. After we had driven through the tunnel of trees for about 1/2 hour, it started raining. I didn’t get as many nice pictures as I had wanted. Instead, I chose to breathe in the beauty not behind the camera. And it was hard to get good pictures through the windshield of the car anyway.

This was the view from our hotel room. I wish it had been a sunny day, as the view of the bay was beautiful the day before. But here you can see the beautiful colors of the changing trees.

So what have you been up to lately?

cross stitch · knitted scarves · Sampler · vacation · yarn

Stitchy Updates

September 5, 2017 My Time Stitching22 Comments

Wow! It’s September 5 and I don’t even know where Summer went. It’s been exactly 2 months since I last posted and I am sorry about that. Obviously life took over, LOL. But I have been stitching and doing I don’t even know what else. I took a little vacation, but other than that, I can’t remember everything else I did the last couple of months. Good thing I have a planner 😉 So, what have I been up to? Well, grab your favorite beverage and pull up a chair. I have a feeling this will be a long post.

I have been stitching mostly on the Mystery Sampler by Linen and Threads. I have been trying my best to get caught up and last night I started the second row of the August section. I am quite pleased with myself for actually having started the August section in the month of August. I am still loving this piece so much. Here is a picture of my entire piece so far:

For those of you seeing this for the first time, it is a FREE SAL from Linen and Threads. They release a section the first of each month. It started in January 2017 and runs through December 2017. If you are interested in doing this sampler, you can go to their website and print off the sections, pick your own fabric and threads and get started. They also have a facebook page you can join and see all the different ways people are stitching this one. I am stitching mine on 16ct Aida Castleview from Silkweaver. I am using Sullivan thread London Fog and DMC 3888. I am hoping to be caught up with this piece sometime this month.

I also took a little vacation with my husband, to Wisconsin. He took me there so I could visit the Paine Art Center and Gardens. A couple of years ago, I fell in love with photos from a wonderful photographer, Kirsty Mitchell. She is from the UK and created a wonderful series of photos for her Wonderland series that are just amazing. When I found out that she was having a showing in Wisconsin, I knew that I had to go. So I mentioned it to my husband and he set the plan in motion. But first, he surprised me with a wonderful gift in July. Her beautiful Wonderland book.

He bought me flowers and gave me the invoice showing he ordered the book for me. I balled my eyes out! I couldn’t believe he ordered the book for me. A week later, it arrived in the mail and it is as amazing as I knew it would be.

One of my favorite photos. And seeing the photos, life-sized, at the Paine Art Center, did not disappoint either.

I was so, so happy to be there, at the Paine, standing in front of this amazing banner that I had only seen on facebook up to this point. We arrived before the Center opened, so we were able to walk around the mansion a little before the doors opened. The Art Center is actually a Mansion that was built by Mr. & Mrs. Paine in 1927. The history about the mansion is interesting and the mansion itself is gorgeous. The different gardens are so lovely, too. I am so glad we visited in the summer while most of the flowers were still in bloom. When we walked into the first room where Kirsty’s exhibit is, it literally took my breath away. It was so emotional. The photos, the video, the music, the lighting, everything was so perfect! Yes, I cried. Her photos do that to me. If you love photography, and Kirsty’s work, you have to see her show. It will be at the Paine until October 15, 2017. I am Not sure where it will go next, but I could not risk it being too far away to drive, and Wisconsin was a day drive for us and one that I would do again in a heartbeat. So we visited the 2 rooms where Kirsty’s photos were on display. We sat and watched the video’s and then we walked around and looked at the entire mansion. I then went back to see Kirsty’s photos. I couldn’t resist a second look. And then we visited the gardens. It was a wonderful day. One that I will remember always. I can’t wait to scrapbook my photos. Here is a layout I did when I received my beautiful book.

We also visited some lighthouses on this trip. Here is the St. Joseph Lighthouse.

And, we visited the Hackley and Hume houses in Muskegon.

I first heard about these houses when I saw cross stitch patterns of them. When I found out that they were real houses in Muskegon, Michigan, I decided if I ever got near Muskegon, I would have to stop and visit them. And so we did and they were amazing. And now of course I want to cross stitch them 😉

Since the drive was a long one, I decided to do some knitting while in the car. On the trip to Wisconsin, I knitted this scarf:

One more ball of scarf yarn out of my stash 🙂 Love the beautiful fall colors. For the trip home, I visited a craft store and purchased a ball of Lion Brand Shawl in a Ball and started this pretty:

At 1/2 off, I couldn’t resist. I even used the hotel computer center to print off a pattern from Lion Brand. I thought it was a shawl pattern, but when it actually came up and I printed it, it is a cowl. It is straight stockinette stitch, so it was perfect for the car ride. I didn’t have much done when we arrived back home. I have been adding a few rows here and there. My needles are 10″ long so I maybe have about 20″ done now. I am looking forward to seeing all the color changes in this yarn. I have a couple of skeins of this yarn in my stash that I hope to knit a shawl with someday. So far I like knitting with it. The yarn is an uneven yarn and has some white fibers throughout. I like the look of it and hopefully I can get it done so that I can wear it this winter.

So, that is what I have been up to. I told you it was going to be a long post. If you are still here, I thank you for reading all about my vacation and what I have been up to. I have also collected more things to cross stitch in the last couple of months and I have to admit that I am anxious to start something new, but I have been a good girl…so far, sticking mainly with the sampler 😉 So, what are you stitching at the moment and because it is September, do you feel like starting a new project?

cross stitch · Cross Stitch Patterns · Hand Dyed Fabrics · Hand Stamped Cards · knitted scarves · Knitting · Mermaids · Mirabilia · Nora Corbett · Passione Ricamo · Pixie · Queen · Uncategorized

Show and Tell Time

October 24, 2016 My Time Stitching35 Comments

Wow! Where did October go? I can’t believe it’s been a month since I last posted. Time is flying! So I have things to share. First, hubby went to the framer over the weekend and picked up this:

Mirabilia’s Raven Queen. Isn’t she a beauty? I had the frame picked out for months and it is even more perfect for her than I imagined! I LOVE this piece immensely! She is stitched on 16ct Aida Twixt N Tween from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie.

A closer picture of her and the awesome frame:

And remember the piece I was stitching for a friend, so I couldn’t show it? Well hubby also picked it up from the framer and here it is:

Yeah, my friend is a Trekkie and I finally got this stitched up for her. It is actually stitched on a blue 14ct opal fabric. Here is a better picture of the fabric:

My friend was actually at my house on Saturday for a card class when hubby came home with it, so I was able to give it to her right away. She loves it and was planning on taking it to work today to show all of her Trekkie friends and then I am sure she will find the perfect place to hang it at her house.

I also finished this, but haven’t put it in for framing yet.

Nora Corbett’s Iris Pixie on 16ct Aida OOAK from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics. I just love her on this fabric! So cool how it turned out.

She is a cutie. I can’t wait to get her framed. So now I am working on the Passione Ricamo’s A Journey Into the Deep. I would love to finish this one before starting a new Pixie. Here is how I left the mermaid last night:

I know you can’t tell from this picture, but this is a pretty big piece. I am almost finished the tail, and then I have another fish to do to the right of the tail and another further up then I can move up to her sweet face and all that hair. And she does have a million beads, too, so she will be nice and sparkly! I am stitching her on 28ct Lugana Pixie Dust from Silkweaver.

I also did something new. I knitted an infinity scarf on size 50 needles. Size 50!! Boy was that a little awkward.

The yarn is Red Heart Boutique Twilight in color Metallic. It is soft and will be nice and warm on the very cold days that they are predicting we will have this winter.

I have also been making Christmas cards. One for every day in October. Here is today’s card:

If you want to see the prior 23 cards, you can view them on my business facebook page at Ginny’s Place, Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator. Leave a comment so I know you visited and let me know what you think of the cards.

Well, now I am all up to date with what has been happening with me the last month. What have you been working on?

cross stitch · Hand Dyed Fabrics · knitted scarves · Knitting · Nora Corbett · Pixie · scrapbooking · storage bags · Uncategorized · WIP · yarn

My September Happenings

September 27, 2016 My Time Stitching24 Comments

Hello my Bloggy friends! It is officially fall where I am and the leaves are starting to change and there was a nip in the air this morning. The sun is shining brightly today, so it is a happy day. I have been stitching and stamping and scrapbooking and shopping 🙂 So let me begin with my Iris project:

If this is your first time seeing her, she is Iris Pixie by Nora Corbett. I am stitching her on a One of a Kind fabric from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics in 16ct Aida. Johanna creates the most beautiful, one of a kind fabrics! The best way to purchase them is in her Etsy shop; Fantasy Dyed Fabrics Etsy It is so quick and easy that way. What you see is what you get and very quickly, too. I am finished with the bottom of the dress, except for outling and beading which will come later. I have started on the wing, and not sure I am liking the colors. The picture shows them a little more purply, but mine appear to be more gray. But the Kreinik thread (the three darker dashes in the wing) are a Pewter color, so maybe they are supposed to be that way. I will continue as the chart says, when I pick her back up, and see if I like it more. For now she has been put aside so that I can work on another project. I can’t show much, as it is a gift but I will give you a peek:

I know, not much of a peek. But did you notice that I am using Q-snaps on this project? Wow! I want to say that I am using them because they are awesome and great and all that, but in all actuality I am using them because 1. all of my scroll frames are in use and 2. The 14ct aida I am using is a stiff opal and I didn’t want to use a hoop. And 3. Almost all of the design fits in the square. I have been using it for almost a week and while it is not the comfortable feel of my scroll frame, it’s not too bad. I can’t rest it on my knee and stitch 2-handed like I am used to, so progress is slow. But that’s ok. It’s a nice change and I do plan on using this same Q-snap frame for a HAED design that have barely started a couple of years ago. Someday 🙂

This week I received some very happy mail.

Five new lovely bags and grime guards for my last 5 WIP’s. I can’t say enough about these bags! They are by Deanna and you can find her Facebook page at Deanna’s Frame Covers and Storage. She does such a wonderful job creating these bags and covers for all of us crazy stitchers with way too many projects on our hands! Her attention to detail is phenomenal, matching each fabric with the perfect lining and zipper. She also makes covers for Q-snaps (I have 2 sets on the way!) and grime guards for hoops also. Go and check her page out. She even has ready made sets available for purchase. And let her know you heard about her here on my blog 🙂

This week I finished another scarf 🙂

I am totally in LOVE with this scarf! Do I say that about every scarf I make? Probably. But I really love this one. These are usually not my colors, but I love the vintage, shabby chic look of it. Now I want clothes to match it 😉 The browns, tans and creams and just a hint of pink here and there make it perfect for fall. I’m not sure you can see in the photo, but there are sequins on the yarn that give it a little sparkle. The yarn is Patons Pirouette and the color is called Sienna Sparkle. So pretty.

Speaking of yarn, I went to Fiber Festival with a friend last weekend and found a sweet little yarn shop there. They also raise Alpaca’s there and so I am assuming they dye and spin their own yarn to sell in the little shop there. I couldn’t resist purchasing a couple of hanks of the softest yarn I could find in there.

The sweet lady there was so nice to wind them into yarn cakes for me. There is just something about a yarn cake that is so heavenly. The yarn on the left is 100% Alpaca wool while the one on the right is 80% Alpaca and 20% Merino wool. They are both so soft and I will have to find a scarf pattern for both. I think the one on the right will be perfect for a infinity scarf. I could have bought a lot more, but there is this huge stash of yarn at my house that has been growing that I really need to start using. Someday, right?

I have also been scrapbooking and getting into the latest craze of Memory Planners. I am totally sucked into Heidi Swapp’s world of Memory Planning. I had purchased a planner kit many months ago and decided that it wasn’t big enough for me to add photos and journal like I want. It was of a slimmer design. So I decided to turn it into a little scrapbook for my husband who had to go out of town to visit his Father whose health was failing. While he was gone, I created a little memory album of his trip with all of the pictures he texted me. It was all finished for him the day he returned home and he was thrilled with it.

Basically I took out the calendar pages and used some of the overlay pages and added stickers and papers and pocket pages. I even learned how to use a new phone app called PicFrame that is great for making photo collages. I was able to get all of the photos he texted me into the album and it is a nice keepsake of his trip to visit his family.

So that is what I have been up to lately. I also have some new cross stitch fabrics and patterns and threads that I have added to my stash, but they seem to be all over the place right now. I even have some plans for some new projects! Imagine that! I am also getting the knitting bug now that the weather is starting to cool off. So come back and visit to see what I am up to next 😉 What kinds of projects do you have in the works or what fun new projects are you planning?

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