I Have Been Stitching Away

October 12, 2018 My Time Stitching27 Comments

Hello blogging friends. It’s been a bit since I last posted. A little over 2 months. It was summer, and now it’s fall. The last 2 days here have felt a bit like the start of winter though. We were at 80 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday and today it’s 46. Wow! I do hope that we get a Fall season though. I love Fall. The beautiful colored leaves, just a nip of cold in the air, great stitchy weather and a time for change and new beginnings. This year has been a difficult year for me. Filled with many changes. Some good and some not so good. This week was a hard week for me. Today, I have decided to forget about the negative things, and move on for me. Wish me luck. So on to stitching. What would I do without my stitching. It is my friend, my therapy, my salvation.

Last night I finished the Funny Rainbow shawl I have been working on since May. It was mostly my car traveling stitch, but this week I decided to work on it more and give it a finish.

I really enjoyed stitching this and it is so soft and bouncy and the pattern was garter stitch, so easy to take in the car. It needs no blocking, so I am hoping to wear it soon. The yarn is Funny Rainbow by Katia and the pattern is Funny Rainbow Shawl by Katia. I have it on my list of things to purchase more of this yarn.

Two nights ago, I finished the Sea Grass Shawl by Janina Kallio. It also turned out beautifully, but needs blocking. So this morning I soaked it in cold water, squeezed out the water after about 20 minutes and started putting it on my set of 9 blocking blocks which I had purchased recently. You see, this is my first time ever blocking anything! But my shawl was too big, so I had to run to the local yarn shop and get another package of blocks. So here it is all blocked out.

Not much to look at right now, but in a day or two, when it is all dry, it will be beautiful! I hope I have blocked it right. The Blue sparkly yarn is Tardis by Mint Rain Hand Dyed Yarns and the variegated yarn is Surf’s Up from AJHC Wools. Both were nice yarns to work with.

This week I also finished the October section of the Mystery Sampler from Linen and Threads. First let me apologize in advance if I offend anyone with this one.

Ever since the beginning of this one, I was hoping for mermaids. And the designer did not disappoint. I absolutely LOVE this section and it is my favorite. I know the mermaids are naked, but they are old world mermaids and so perfect on this SAL. I am stitching this on a 16ct Aida One of a kind fabric from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics. It is more of a peach color with gray throughout. The threads are DMC 53 and DMC 310. I am looking forward to seeing what the November section brings.

Since I last posted, I also finished the August and September mermaids on the Treasures of the Deep SAL.

These mermaids are so adorable. In a couple of days the October mermaid will be released and I can’t wait to see her. I may even start adding some of the millions of beads this piece has.

So that is all I have for now. I did finish the Heirloom baby blanket I was working on, but it also needs to be blocked. So hopefully I can get that done soon and have a picture posted here next time. For now I am back to cross stitching on a piece that I am not too happy with. But I will keep going with it, at least until the new mermaid comes out 😉 So I hope things are well with you. I am doing my best to get caught up on all of my blogging. What are you stitching on these days?

cross stitch · knitted cowl · Knitted Shawl · Knitting · Mermaids · Mirabilia · Sampler · Shannon Christine designs

Lot’s of Stitching Going On

August 1, 2018August 2, 2018 My Time Stitching16 Comments

Hello my friends! Can you believe that today is the first day of August? Where did June and July go? Oh yeah, I was recovering from knee surgery. Still am, but it is getting better. Today it is 10 weeks since my surgery. Doc says full recovery in 3 months. So in just a few more weeks, we will see where I am. In the meantime, I have been stitching…alot. So grab your favorite beverage, this may be a long one.

First up is the Linen and Threads Mystery Sampler. I finished the June/July section in June and I must say that I am pretty pleased with it.

My fabric is more peach than the photo shows. Just can’t seem to get the color to show. Anyway, the August section came out yesterday and I started it last night. I will update when I get it finished. Next up is the mermaid SAL.

I have finished the June mermaid and the July mermaid as well as all the gold outlines for the future mermaids. This is the Treasures of the Deep SAL by Shannon Christine and can be purchased through Fiberlicious. All of the mermaids and all of the gold sections are minus the beads, which will make them so beautiful and sparkly. I will add them all when I am finished the stitching, probably in January after the last mermaid-my birthday mermaid 😉

Next up is lots of yummy knitting! First we have the Funny Rainbow Cowl that I have been working on since April. It is my car travel project since it is straight knitting with an increase at the end and beginning on the one side.

This cowl is so beautiful and the yarn is so soft. I hope to do more with this yarn in the future. The ball is getting smaller, so hopefully soon I will have a finish. I started this with 3 stitches (I think) and am now over 215. I definitely recommend this yarn if you haven’t tried it. Beware, it does split, but worth the work 😉

Next up is a beautiful shawl-my first. My local yarn shop decided to do a Make A Long and meet once a week through the summer. I have only attended the first week, but am hoping to make it tonight.

The pattern is Sea Grass Shawl by Woolenberry. I am just past the first section of lace pattern, so I can breathe a bit while I do some straight knitting with a some increases. I am enjoying this one and can see more Woolenberry patterns in my future 😉

And the last knitting project is an heirloom baby blanket:

I am taking a class at my local yarn shop for this one that started last week. Not that I need a class, but that was the only way to get the pattern that was created by the teacher. It is beautiful! The yarn I chose is nice to work with, but a bit pricey. This will be an expensive blanket. I will tuck it away for a future granddaughter??? Or keep it as a lapghan for myself 🙂 After all, it is pink and matches my craft room 😉

I have one more project to show…I started another cross stitch. Come on, did you really think I could resist starting another project? Well, I couldn’t, LOL

Sorry about the crooked picture, but I was trying to capture the sparkle of the silver DMC E168 thread. So pretty. She is Mirabilia’s 25th anniversary piece and I just couldn’t resist starting her as soon as I received her. I am stitching her on 16ct Aida Custom piece from Hand Dyed by Stephanie. I received this fabric a few years ago and Stephanie called it Banshee Brown. I thought it perfect for Lady Mirabilia.

That is all of my stitching for now. Last weekend hubby and I took a trip to Indiana to the Ft. Wayne Museum of Art to see my favorite photographer’s work. We took a trip to Wisconsin last year to see her show and when I found out it was even closer, I just had to go back.

The photographer is Kirsty Mitchell and her Wonderland series is amazing. If you get the chance to see her work, do it. She also has 5 of her amazing photos on display in Italy. Too far for me to go, but I am so geeked to have gotten to see her show again in Indiana.

So, that is what I have been up to. What are you up to these days? I will leave you with a beautiful sunset hubby and I saw at the beach this last weekend.

cross stitch · Fabric · Hand Dyed Fabrics · knitted cowl · Mermaids · Mirabilia · Shannon Christine designs · Uncategorized

What Have I Been Up To?

June 22, 2018 My Time Stitching30 Comments

Hello my Blogging friends. It’s been a little while since I last posted. In my last post in April, I had noted that I tore the meniscus in my knee. I had surgery on May 23, and have been going to physical therapy since. It was a more difficult recovery than I was led to believe. And Monday I found out that my knee cap is not moving, so that is hindering my progress as far as going down the steps normally and going from standing to sitting and sitting to standing. So yesterday my therapist taped my knee and I am hoping this will help with the pain in trying to put more weight on it when bending the knee. The stairs are the worst and I live in a quad level house. Ugh. But I am getting around better and have ditched the cane. Woo Hoo! Tonight I am going to try to walk the zoo at hubby’s company family night. We’ll see how much I can do.

But I have been crafting and am now able to sit at my desk to make cards and scrapbook for longer lengths of time now. And I have been stitching. Let’s see… where to begin…

This has ben my travel project and go to project when I have a few minutes here and there. It is a going to be a cowl. The pattern is from Katia and the yarn is Katia’s Funny Rainbow. When I purchased this back in April on a weekend trip, I wasn’t sure how it would knit up. But I am so glad I decided to get it. The yarn is so, so soft! I am loving this. It is straight garter stitch, increasing a stitch each row on one end. I love how the striping colors are coming out, too.

Next up is the Mermaid SAL designed by Shannon Christine. The June mermaid is out, but I haven’t gotten to it yet. Mainly because I have been working on this:

The Mystery Sampler from Linen and Threads. I am working on the June/July section and just loving every stitch of it. I am stitching this on 16ct Aida, OOAK from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics. It is more of a peach color than shown here. I apologize for my photos. I took them with my Surface and they didn’t come out very well. Anyway, I am using DMC 53 and DMC 310.

Last weekend I picked up this beauty from the cross stitch shop:

She is Mirabilia’s Ella, the Frog Princess. I finished her in 2017, but recently put her in for framing. And she turned out lovely. I even picked her up on Mirabilia’s 25th anniversary, so I thought that was so perfect. Happy 25th Miss Nora!! I can’t believe that I have been stitching Nora’s designs for nearly 25 years!! I stitched her on 16ct Aida Pandora from Fabrics by Stephanie.

As if I don’t have enough to do… this happened:

Yep, I started a new project. I am stitching Enchanted Mermaid again. I gave my other one to a dear friend, so I am stitching her again. This time I am using a hand dyed fabric, 16ct Aida OOAK from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics. I can’t wait to get back to her. She is so blingy!

And yesterday I received this beautiful piece of fabric in the mail.

It is a OOAK 16ct Aida from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics. It is so gorgeous in person. Now to find the perfect pattern for it.

Well, that is about all I have to update you on for now. I have signed up for a knitted shawl MAL at a new local yarn shop I found in May. The first session meets next week, so I will fill you in on that soon. So what are you crafting 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?

cross stitch · knitted cowl · Knitting · Passione Ricamo · Passione Ricamo SAL · Sampler

A Little Fairy

February 16, 2018 My Time Stitching31 Comments

Hello blogging friends! It is mid February already and I feel like my ambition in January is stuck in January. But I am making progress on things 🙂 First up, I have a little Fairy!

Boy did she drive me crazy! Not sure if it was because the designer made the large fairy a lot smaller to fit into this space or what. But the backstitching was so crazy, that I ended up doing it my own way. Too many zig zags within a stitch or 2 that were just not possible on the Aida, so I did my own thing and I think it came out pretty good. I am not that happy with her face. Her green eyes are not that visible, but I will leave it for now. I am just happy to have her finished. Not sure if I will continue with this piece or put it away for now. We’ll see how I feel tonight. This is the 20th Anniversary SAL from Passione Ricamo that was put out in 2014. Yeah, I slacked on this one, but I am hoping for a finish this year…maybe…Anyway, I am stitching her on 16ct Aida Nantucket Sky from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie.

I also have a framed finish! Yep, I picked up from the cross stitch store on Feb. 3. I still don’t have a place to hang it, but it’s home and I love it!

Sorry about the crooked photo. I was trying not to get the glare from the window and maybe my head was tilted, too. What a truly remarkable piece! I loved every stitch of this one and am so proud of myself for keeping up with it and finishing it in the month of December when the last section was released. I love my color choices and where I placed the colors. I would not change a thing about my choices on this one. So, for all the info on this one: 2017 Mystery Sampler from Linen and Threads. Stitched on 16ct Aida Castleview from Silkweaver. Threads are Sullivan’s variegated London Fog and DMC 3888. I am hoping that my color choices for the 2018 Sampler make me as happy as this one. I haven’t started it yet, as I am waiting on a bigger piece of fabric and some threads. I will be sure to share once I get it started. If you are interested in the 2017 or the 2018 Mystery Samplers, you can find the info about them on the Linen and Threads website. They are both FREE patterns, so that is even more amazing!

When hubby took me Birthday shopping in January, one of the things he bought me was this:

A cute Cowl pattern and a very soft, squishy skein of yarn. So I started it 🙂

Oh my gosh! Those colors are so gorgeous!! Very nice pattern, too. I do have to pay attention, at least until I get the hang of the pattern. I am in love! And I can’t wait to see more of the color variations. The pattern is Aspen Cowl by Javori Designs. The yarn is Ella Rae Seasons Yarn color #52. One ball will make the cowl using drop and eyelet stitches. the yarn is 76% acrylic, 14% Wool, 10% Nylon and has 219 yards. The yarn almost looks like a crocheted chain. Gives it that nice squishy texture. According to the pattern there are 280 rows and I have 32 completed rows. Long way to go to a finish, but it is going to be gorgeous when finished.

It is another cold day outside today, but the last 2 days were warmer so our snow is melting. I will leave you with a picture of a sparkly icicle with the sun shining through. So pretty, but glad they are all melted now 🙂

What are you up to?

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?

cross stitch · knitted scarves · Knitting · Mermaids · Passione Ricamo · storage bags

New Storage and Stitchy Progress

August 7, 2016 My Time Stitching25 Comments

So I have been looking for someone to make me some bags and grime guards for my WIP’s and I finally found a gal that does an amazing job! Her name is Deanna and you can find her Facebook page at Deanna’s Frame Covers and Storage. Here is what I received in the mail from her yesterday:

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The coffee bag contains my 36″ scroll frame, with matching grime guards. It was wonderful to see the Passions Ricamo SAL #3 again. Can’t wait to get back to it :). The bag in front holds a 24″ scroll frame with matching grime guards. I just love the colors in this bag and if you look closely, there are little pink owls in some of the squares. Sweet! These bags are so wonderfully made. Lined with a matching fabric and zipper closure. I am so happy that my projects are out of pillow cases and into some very beautiful, sealed bags. I also asked her to make me a custom bag to hold all of my scroll frame parts when they are not in use.

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It is beautiful and quilted and perfect for storing all of my scroll frame parts :). Yes, I do have some scroll frames not in use, LOL. So if you are looking for some bags for your Q-snaps or scroll frames or grime guards for them and hoop frames, check out her Facebook page. She is so sweet and she does an awesome job at creating these bags. And she has a pretty quick turn around, too. So check her page out and get some beautiful bags for your projects 🙂

Since finishing Aphrodite, I have been working on another mermaid, Passione Ricamo’s SAL #2. It is good to be working on her again. Here is where I left her last night:

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I love all the metallic threads in this one. So pretty and sparkly. I am nearing the bottom of this one and will have to go back up and add her face and hair and then hundreds of beads!

I am also working on trying to use up my scarf yarn stash. I made a list of all the yarn projects I have and I have 2 pages worth! The last scarf I made was for a friend and it is the prettiest one I have done yet. I forgot to take a picture of it before sending it to her, but I did have a little of the yarn left and I made this swatch:

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Such pretty colors and so sparkly. These are my favorite colors for winter.

Yesterday I got a new phone, so I will be spending some time today getting to know it :). What are you working on this weekend?

Books I am reading · cross stitch · Fabric · Hand Dyed Fabrics · Knitted Shawl · Knitting · Mermaids · Mirabilia · Passione Ricamo SAL

What I am Stitching, Reading, and a Finish

August 3, 2016 My Time Stitching20 Comments

So the days have been quite warm, with high humidity. So staying in and getting things done is what I have been up to. Over the weekend, I finished Mirabilia’s Aphrodite.

Isn’t she a beauty! I will say that I did not like the beading on this one. I love to bead, but these beads were just too far apart and sometimes carrying my threads was not an option. So finishing the end threads was a real pain, and the back of my work is a mess! I just hope that I didn’t stretch some threads too far as to interfere with the framing. I am so glad to have this one done. I just love her hair! So different than anything Nora has done before. She is stitched on 16ct Aida Kaleidoscope from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie. I could not have chosen a more perfect fabric for her. Here are some more shots of her:

Since my trip to Mary Maxim, I have been wanting to get some knitting done. I did finish a project, but forgot to take a picture of it before I gifted it. And remember this shawl I started sometime ago?

Well, I had to rip it out and start over again, as I was doing the yoke with the larger needles and was supposed to be using a smaller needle. I didn’t want to run out of yarn, so thought it best to start it over. Here is where I left it last night:

I have 310 stitches on there and every other row is a different pattern. I did have an extra row in there, but realized I skipped a row, so had to knit back a row and that is where I stopped. When I pick it back up, I will change to the larger needles and hope and pray every row, that I have the correct amount of stitches. Fingers crossed for me 😉

And remember this shawl I started a while back also?

Well, after trying to go on with it, I just wasn’t ending up with the pattern as I was supposed to at this same point. I had started this shawl about 10 times. So this time was the breaking point and I have since ripped it all out and ditched the pattern. I did, however, find another pattern to use this yarn with and can’t wait to start that one after I finish the other shawl. And the new pattern has beads! I will be stringing them on before I knit and knitting them in as I go. I have not done that in years! Can’t wait!!

I am also trying to find time to keep reading this book that my hubby suggested for me:

It is a huge book, with very small print. It is actually 3 books in one. Not my normal style of reading, but since hubby suggested it, I thought I would give it a try. I think I have been reading it since February! I only read if I take time for lunch and then I only get a couple of pages in since the print is so small. This is where I am in the book:

I am more than half way through, so it should be downhill from here, right? It is not the greatest book I have read, but I am anxious to find out what happens to Paksenarrion, the main character. She is a soldier and has fought in many battles. She has left the military, and is on the road to becoming a paladin. So I am very curious to find out how it ends. I can’t wait to be done with it, as I have the first of a Mermaid series arriving in my mailbox today, and I am quite excited to start it.

And, I promised an update on my last few fabrics I have received from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics:

Such beauties!!! I just can’t help myself. I have been trying to cut myself off, but I am totally addicted! I just love all of her fabrics and have a pixie planned for everyone of these. Since finishing Aphrodite, I have pulled the Passione Ricamo SAL #2 out and have put a few stitches in, but I think this weekend I just may start Iris Pixie on the fabric on the far right. The fabric is so perfect for her, it is amazing!

So what new project have you started or what new products have you added to your stash?

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