Friday, February 21, 2014

It's Hermit time again! Yahoo!

Here I was sulking earlier over a really Class-A CRUMMY week, 
when to my glee I happened to check out the blogosphere
and Bonnie so kindly reminded me... it's time for IHSW again!


Oh boy, do I need a nice weekend to crawl into my shell and just 
STITCH STITCH STITCH! 
For info on how YOU TOO can join in, check out Joysze's blog

I'm going to get started PRONTO!
Here's my very modest beginnings of The Prairie Schooler Alphabet series
I'm hoping to finish this first block during my hermitage!


"A is for Anchor"
The Prairie Schooler
DMC on Fabric Flair 36 ct Ivory
one ply over two

HAPPY STITCHING!





Sunday, February 9, 2014

A wonderful idea from Shakespeare's Peddler!

I just finished reading a post by Shakespeare's Peddler designer, Theresa.  She has developed a place for all our UFO's to find an adopting stitcher to continue working on those pieces that might otherwise sit stuck in a dark closet or drawer for eternity.  I just think this is wonderful - and her rules for the program really have taken everything into consideration that one could think of.  Great going, Theresa!   I hope she won't mind, but I'm going to paste some of the information from her blog here so any interested stitchers can learn how they can join in.

Here is a portion of her original post, but PLEASE  stop by the link to Theresa's blog to read all of THE RULES of the program before you commit.  And maybe drop Theresa a quick comment.  I think she deserves kudos for arranging this Adoption Program for our stitching community.

http://shakespearespeddler.blogspot.com/2014/02/needlework-ufo-adoptions.html

"[Theresa] started a new group on Facebook to help these wayward orphans find homes.  I am including here the same rules I have posted on Facebook.  I may edit these rules as issues pop up.  I do not accept responsibility for any transactions (except my own) on the page, but am the administrator in that I will keep an eye on the goings-on.  I hope that you have fun participating in or just watching the group.  You can visit and join the page by going to this link:  www.facebook.com/needleworkUFOs.  Encourage your friends to like and follow the page.  The more people we have, the more fun it will be." (From Shakespeare's Peddler blog)


Friday, February 7, 2014

And we have a winner!

Woke up bright and early this morning, and completely forgot that today was the day I was supposed to pick a giveaway winner!  Debated about extending it through the weekend, but I ended up deciding to review your comments, jot down your names, and cut them into strips.  I put them all in my Shaker box and had Shirlee's snowman sled oversee the proceedings.  (Thank you, Shirlee!!)
 


Seamus came over to see what all the fuss was about, but he couldn't be bothered choosing a winner.

"Nah, I'd rather have some chicken."

And the winner is .....

Congrats, Lisa V!  
Please email me your mailing address and I'll get your 
"I Sigh Not For Beauty" sampler and supplies in the mail. 

Thanks to everyone for your entries and comments - I really enjoyed reading what
  everyone will be working on this year!  Some exciting projects planned! 

Have a great weekend - and happy stitching!!

















Tuesday, February 4, 2014

A GIVEAWAY, a Small SAL finish, and stitching By the Bay

Well here it is February, and I'm already slacking off on my promise to keep this blog updated more often.

First up, I've reached 200 followers, and I believe I promised A GIVEAWAY when I had ANOTHER HUNDRED PEOPLE join up as followers!   Since I've somewhat named 2014 as "The Year of the Sampler" I thought it would be appropriate to give away a beautiful sampler chart (plus a hand dyed linen and the flosses needed).


THE GIVEAWAY! WINNER ANNOUNCED FRIDAY, FEB 7th

This is C Street Samplerworks "I Sigh Not For Beauty" which was designed by Ruth Ann Russell and "inspired by late 18th Century samplers from the Boston, Massachusetts area."  It has all the things I love in a sampler design - a grand house, trees, floral border, and several birds perched here and there -- I think I even spy two butterflies.   (I apologize for this lousy photo.)

WHAT YOU'LL WIN:  the complete, brand-spanking-new chart; a 1/4 yard cut of 32 count Apple Brown Bindy hand dyed linen by R&R Reproductions; and the DMC flosses needed to stitch this.  I must confess (before I have a disgruntled giveaway winner on my hands) I didn't have three of the colors of DMC used in the model, BUT I dug my way through the boxes of STASH and was able to find some pretty close matches and all are full, unused skeins.  Yippee!  All you'll need to supply are a needle and scissors, and some lucky soul will be on their way to happy sampler stitchin' ! 

HOW TO ENTER - leave a response to this blog post BEFORE 1:00 AM Friday morning, (EST). 
Tell me YOUR plans for your 2014 stitching. You don't need to list specific goals, but tell me about a project(s) you hope to finish or start this year, or maybe a new technique you'd like to learn, or maybe a retreat you plan to attend - anything goes, really, AS LONG AS IT'S RELATED TO STITCHING. 
 I'll give each valid entry/response a number and pick one at random from a Shaker Box, and announce the winner on FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7th. 

As for me and my stitching, I did finish a "small" for the "2014 Small SAL" I signed up for (tap logo on left side for link.) I'm posting the pic several days late, but I did actually get the stitching on this finished before January ended. This is "A Colonial Candle Pouch" - the first project sent to those stitchers participating in the Colonial Gatherings Club via Dyeing to Stitch, the R&R Reproductions' blog. It was designed by Plum Street Samplers.  I haven't done the "finishing" on it yet -- I don't own a sewing machine - but I'll figure out something.  (Those Colonial stitchers didn't have sewing machines anyway, right?)

 Col. Gatherings "Candle Pouch" by Plum Street Samplers

Keeping true to my Sampler of the Year theme, I've been working on Cornelia Vanderveer by Scarlet Letter as well as Snooty Parrots by Barbara Ana.  (I'll post pics of them next time.)  I'm having a little By the Bay SAL with my friend Kathy, which we started a couple of weeks ago.  This is where I left off on By the Bay's "Tidal River."  It's a fun project filled with the blues and greens I love plus lots of little details to bring the bayside scene to life.  The fabric is 32 count Blue Dynasty and DMC threads. 
 I'm working on this between other projects, cuz that's just the way I roll! Ha ha ha.   Until next time - good luck on the giveaway, and happy stitching! 


DON'T you wish you were HERE - hanging in a hammock, and sipping a Margarita?