A Few More

'Tahitian Sunset'
'Pat Austin'
'Phyllis Bide'

Sunshine

Today is very foggy. I could not see anything but white out the windows this morning. So I thought I would share some pictures of my warm, apricot roses. They are 'Abraham Darby', 'Pat Austin', and 'Tahitian Sunset'. Now, off to church!

Michele

Little House Day

I finished the 'Goodwill' thread pack this morning and then started on the 'Home is Where Your Flowers Grow' design also by Little House Needleworks. I may try to work on 'Against every Sin' this evening. I find it uncomfortable switching between 2 strands on 28 count and then to 1 strand over 35 count. I much prefer the latter. My husband took the girls to the park today, and when they came home my 6-year old drew me this lovely picture. I wish I could post pictures to show you how beautiful my girls are, but - you know how things are in this day and age - have to be careful!
I hope everyone got a lot of stitching done today!

Michele

Crazy Question

When you see a random number somewhere - digital clock, HWY number, etc. - do DMC thread colors flash before your eyes? This happens to me all the time. I just saw that it was 5:22 and immediately the silver-green of DMC 522 flashed before my eyes. Is this normal for a stitcher or does it mean I need to put down the sewing for a minute or two?

Michele

Sunlit Sky

My mom and I bought several of the LittleHouse Needleworks thread packs - several each! The are hard to resist. I started 'He who seeks good finds goodwill.' I am not thrilled with the 'Barrel Cactus,' but I love 'Camoflauge.' This is for my purple and green bathroom. The pictures do not do justice to the beauty of the 'Beneath the Sunlit Sky' pattern or the sumptuous 'Sea Fog' linen. I cannot wait to start on that. The last picture is the Britty Kitty design. I have been trying to take a good picture of our black cat, Merlin. Merlin is apparently not interested in blogging. He is a little out of sorts right now anyway. Apparently, he jumped in the bed with my mom three times Tuesday night and was pushed out twice. She suffered him to stay on the third try, but still his dignity was injured.

Michele

Christmas in July

Yesterday, my mom and I went to a Christmas in July party at the Dogwood Patch which is the local-est needlework shop around. My mom spent Tuesday night with us and then we loaded up in her car and headed north to Hiawasee. My husband drove us and then took the girls to a beach area at the lake. We had a wonderful lunch at Michaelee's and then came home to check out our stash. The first picture is a hollyhock in my front garden. The second picture is the view of Lake Chatuge and the mountains from the Dogwood Patch's front door. The third picture is the gift I got in the gift swap - 40 count silk mesh! The last picture is a Brittercup ornament I did last year. I bought an autumn Britty Kitty design at the shop. My mom has not been 'in' to cross stitch for a while. I think she was a bit overwhelmed by the bounty at the Dogwood Patch!

Neighborhood or Village

I really, really love looking at the neighborhood and village round robins. I would really, really love to be involved in one - or more! If any are starting up, please keep me in mind! Until then, I will continue enjoying all the ongoing ones. What creative stitchers are out there!

Michele

Special Stitches

I tend to get a bit wimpy when the chart calls for non-cross stitches. I can handle satin, eyelet, French knots and rice stitch, but the others intimidate me. This lovely Moss Creek design calls for many specialty stitches. That is why it has remained unfinished for a year. And I have finished most of them. But I just could not finish the rest. The second picture is the 'Against EverySin' that I started last Saturday. I am stuck on the fly stitched door. I like to just zip through cross stitches, but I know the special stitches are worth it in the end. I may need to host a 'finish it now' challenge. Hmmm.

Michele

Yo-Yos

A couple of years ago, my grandmother and I went yo-yo crazy. My 'Mimi' is very competitive, and she would actually call me late in the evenings to tell me how many yo-yos she had just finished and check on my progress. We never finished them into anything until a few months ago. Mimi, who has always been into crochet, began making doilies with the yo-yos. I really like them. She likes to mix all the colors together, so I sorted the combinations I liked into plastic baggies for her!

Michele

Sheepish Progress

Good Morning! This is my progress on Sheephish Design's 'Against Every Sin.' It is a pleasure to stitch! The colors are beautiful, and I love stitching with one thread. The next picture is 'Baby Bug Ball' by Shepherd's Bush. I had it ironed and ready to go to the framers when I noticed I was missing a rose button. I never manage to take my things to the framers so this was quite a blow. I was actually in the car with it when I noticed it. This one will go in my younger daughter's room where there are lilac walls.

Michele

Freebies

Here are some freebies that I have stitched recently. 1. La Chatelaine, 2. Catherine's blog, and 3. La-D-Da.
The first two I found on the Web by reading all of your cross stitch blogs!
Michele

Sheepish Designs

This weekend, I started 'Against Every Sin' by Sheephish Designs. The pictures I took inside look orange, but the colors are incredibly delicate and beautiful. I posted some pictures of other SD designs I have cross stitched: 'High on a Hill,' An ornament form Just Cross Stitch (maybe the eighties), and 'Forget-Me-Not Sampler.'

Michele

New Amsterdam

I finished New Amsterdam by The Sampler Girl this afternoon. I used red and brown instead of the gold listed on the chart. It does feel good to finish something!

Michele

Naming Names

Sorry! I meant to tell you the names of the patterns I just listed!

Dutch Sampler by Sandy Orton in Treasures in Needlework Magazine Fall 1992
This Delightful Garden by Julia Lucas in Sampler & Antique Needlework Winter 2003
Glad Tidings Sampler by Kandace Thomas in S&AN Winter 2003

Michele

Drooling

Last night, when I was too tired to stitch, I embarked on my next favorite hobby which is drooling over cross stitch patterns. I love to go through patterns. Over the years, I have pilfered quite a few from my mom (you knew that, right, Mom?) I particulary like to look through the magazines from the 1980s, and note which are too dated and which should be included on my to-do-list. By the way, you realize of course that the works-in-progress list on this blog is just a sampler to show you what sort of things I like. In reality, I have an indecent number of WIP, and am often surprised when I see what I have at the bottom of my sewing basket (what am I saying? Baskets!) Well, these three patterns were the top three that I was drooling over last night. I do not in fact drool, but the pages are soft and worn with much page turning. I hope you enjoy looking at them too!

Michele

Spacing Advice Needed

I have finished the first Santa, except for the dark gold flagpole and bugle, and I am ready to start the next. How much spacing should there be between Santas? I left 1/2 inch, but that does not seem enough. Would and inch be too much or not enough? Mom, (and everyone else) what do you think?

Michele