Missing in Action

    I know it's been a while since my last update.  I didn't mean to be away for so long. Each time I post, I make a little promise to myself that I will post more frequently in the future.  And then, life seems to get in the way and I can't get back to the computer.  And you know what they say about good intentions!!
   I did manage to make it to Winston-Salem for the needlework exhibit, although one of my friends didn't, and it was wonderful!!  We did the tourist thing, bought tickets that covered everything, even though this was where my friend was born and raised and I'm sure she's seen it a hundred and one times!  I don't think she minded though since she hadn't been there for a while.
   We took the MESDA tour first and were treated to some of the most beautiful furniture I have ever seen as well as paintings and other decor.  We were very excited by the sight of actual samplers on the walls and our enthusiasm garnered us a private viewing back in the textiles area that was not open to the public during this particular tour.  We were in hog heaven!!!
   The actual exhibit didn't disappoint either.  So much needlework goodness all in one place was fabulous, the only downside being that we weren't allowed to take photos in the museum buildings.  I would have loved to have some pics of  a few of the samplers we saw if for no other reason than to share them here!  I did remember to take a few pics of the outside while we were roaming about though.

After the tour, we had a lovely late lunch/early dinner (affectionately called Dunch) at a wonderful restaurant recommended by the lady at the bookstore at the visitors center. I understand the Fried Green Tomato Sandwich was to die for!!)   A trip well worth another visit and I think I may have my husband interested in making the drive with me next time.
  A niggling medical issue cut my trip short and I wasn't able to get down to Atlanta this time.  I spent the next week visiting doctors and experiencing frequent bloodletting (10 vials drawn at last count!) and I'm now back on the road to recovery.  Being generally healthy and an admitted 'bad patient', this has been trying for me (and I'm sure my husband as well).  I didn't get a lot of stitching done during my ordeal (insert dramatic eyeroll) but I do have a little to show.
  I got another 10 rows stitched on my Randje's per Week piece.  I'm still about 50 rows behind but progress is being made!!

Finally, we have introduced the other color!!  This has been such a fun stitch and it goes so quickly you really get that sense of accomplishment!!
   Then,  I did some more work on Summer at Hollyberry Farm.  I continued the right side border, put in the flag, which took WAY longer than I thought, and added the two other motifs on that side.  Many colors were changed but I think you just have to expect that from me by now!!

  I am still working diligently on One Nation and have 2 more stripes almost finished.  I have held off showing it this time since it is just words and is pretty boring to look at.  Then, I took Dorothy Walpole out today so she could get a little love.  She has been hidden away in my stitching bag for quite a few months now and she is on the list to finish this year after all.  I'll post my progress on her next time.

So that's all I have for this time.  Hope you are all enjoying your stitching as much as I am!!  Laura

IH&S Weekend July Report

    I always have grand delusions of the amount of stitching I will get done while my husband is away.  I forget that with him gone, I have to do not only my chores but his as well.  And since he has taken over the kitchen duties, when he is gone I have to cook for myself.  That is a huge time drain!!  Add to that, I didn't have much in the house since we were planning to be away so I had to make a grocery run as well.  Subtract pretty much a whole day of stitching there!!
   Just my normal stitching time on Friday but Saturday was a double header so I got in maximum baseball stitching on that day.  Sunday is my regular cleaning day and since DH was coming home that day, I really couldn't skip it.  So, once again, just regular stitching time on Sunday.  So basically, IH&SW winds up being just my normal stitching weekend!  Oh well, I had fun and I actually got to stitch, which I wouldn't have been able to do had I gone to the wedding.  I wasn't even going to take my stitching  bag on that trip!
  Even though I didn't get in any EXTRA stitching time, I did manage to get some things accomplished.  I got 2 entire, as in all the way across the sampler, stripes in on One Nation!!

Only 4 more stripes to go and this baby will be finished!!  I am hoping for the beginning of September and if I can stay on track, I should be able to do it!
     Then, I got back to work on the Blackbird SAL.  Since it was over the half way mark I thought I would push through and finish it.  And since I had already taken such liberties with it that it was no longer a reproduction, I went more and more off the track the closer it got to the end.  Now it can only be called an adaptation.  But one I really like!!

It got to be a lot of fun once I went my own way and I especially like the nod to the bargello (that I love) at the end!  Definitely not on the original but totally mine!!
     So that was the IH&SW for me.  I am now going to work on the Ranje's for a couple of day I think.  I still have quite a few bands to stitch to catch up with the group and those bands go so fast and are so much fun to stitch!!
   I am off to Winston-Salem to meet my girls for a weekend of fun and sampler exhibit viewing.  I am planning to tack on a quick trip to Atlanta too if all works out well so I will be off the air waves for a bit.  I should have some good stitching to show when I get back!

Thank you all so much for the fabulous comments you have left for me lately.  I apologize for not sending out replies this last round but I just couldn't manage it with other things going on right now.  Just know I appreciate them so much!!

Hope you're all enjoying your stitching as much as I am,  Laura

Well, that's a week of my life I'll never get back!

   I spent the last week running around like a crazy lunatic trying to get all the things done that needed to be done before we left for the big wedding in Ohio.  At the last minute, the cat sitter fell through and left us with no one  to tend the fur babies.  Since it is my husband's family and you know who they would rather see, I volunteered to stay and he had to make the long drive alone.
   I know that it was all due to unforeseen circumstances and I shouldn't feel badly about any of it.  But I must say I do feel a little guilty that I get to stay home and stitch all weekend, in the comfort of my own home, while he has to attend all the  family stuff associated with a wedding all by himself.  Oh well, such is life!!
   Since I was spending so much time doing other things, my stitching time was greatly curtailed.  People who know me will be shocked by this but there were several evenings since my last post that I didn't stitch at all!!  Oh the horrors!!!  I did manage to get some time in on a few things though.
    Sunday we had Sandra Sullivan come to teach at our sampler guild.  If you remember from my last post, there was some pre-stitching that had to be done since it was a finishing class.  This is the stitched piece.

And this is what it looked like after the finishing magic was worked on it. So Cute!!

The little spools are supposed to be wrapped with floss in the same colors as the stitching.  Needless to say, I haven't done that yet and 10 years from now you will probably still find them unwrapped!!

At this point, I must confess that this had nothing to do with me.  As you are all well aware, I am finishing challenged and left to my own devices it would probably look like a one-handed monkey did it!!  My good friend Tricia took pity on me, working mine and hers at the same time, and I am now graced with this lovely pincushion!! First class I've ever left with a finished product.  Thanks so much Tricia!
    Also during this past week, I managed to get the large alphabet finished on the Blackbird SAL.

I am going to try to finish this one up during my 'retreat' this weekend.  It is such a small piece and should not still be hanging out in my  'In' basket!!
    I spend most of my stitching time working on One Nation.  I got the stripe in per my rotation assignment and then just kept going.  I thought about working it until its finished but on second thought, I think I will just try to stay on top of it so it will be finished on schedule.

Even on 40 ct this is a HUGE sampler!  I can't wait to get it finished and framed.  I think it will be impressive looking hanging with 272 Words although it might require a wall reshuffle!!
   So that's all that's going on for now.  It is IH&SW this weekend ( how fortuitous is that??) and I have some lost stitching time to make up for. I took care of the rest of my errands today so I should be able to spend the rest of the weekend blissfully stitching in my little corner and catching up some viewing on my DVR! Heaven!! I should have lots to show next week!

Hope you are all enjoying your stitching as much as I am,  Laura

Stitching Over the 4th

   Hope you all had a wonderful 4th!  Ours had some excitement for a while since all eyes were on Arthur and where he might be going. But we only had some thunderstorms and heavy rain overnight and frankly, it didn't even wake me up.  If The Hubs hadn't told me it had stormed, I probably wouldn't have known!!
    Son #1 was home for the weekend and although we didn't see too much of him while he was here, I think he had a good, relaxing time.  I don't know how me manages to live in a semi for 6 weeks at a time.  I would be stir crazy and seriously, the bathroom or lack there of, would be a real issue for me!!  He went back out yesterday and he says he isn't going to stay out for so long this next time but he said that last time so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
   I did manage to get some good stitching time in while hurricane watching, etc.  I put in my weekly stripe on One Nation.

Technically, I haven't done the one for this week yet so I think I will pick this one back up after I finish this post.
   Most of my time was spent with Summer at Hollyberry Farm.  I have really enjoyed working this piece but that house is huge!!  I changed some more of the colors (Surprise! Surprise!) but I did  manage to get the upper floor in and more of the border down the left side. Love that Lancaster red!!

  I have been admiring the Randje per Week group on Facebook for quite a while now.  It started in January and is half way done now so if I was going to join in I really needed to get a move on!!  I ordered the banding a couple of weeks ago and it had come in so I started working borders after I finished the work above.

I'm working it on 32 ct banding with Needlepoint silk and I got all of this done in a couple of evenings.  I wasn't sure about the coverage in the beginning so the first few bands are done in Smyrna cross.  I may work some of the later rows in different stitches too, just to keep things interesting.  Another color comes in a little further down the design as well. This is the first ten rows and I think this week row 52 was released.  So, if I can put 5 or more rows in each week, I should be caught up in no time!!
  Once I had my fill of stitching borders, I got out the piece I needed to pre-stitch for a class my sampler guild is having.  We had someone sign up late so I gave my kit to her and just pulled supplies out of my stash. So, mine will not look like everyone else's.  Add to that, I changed some of the colors... and moved some of the colors around to other places, more of some, less of others.

Please excuse the shadow. I think it's my hand!!

The linen in the kit was cream, which I did not have a scrap of in 32 ct so this is either natural or flax, I'm not sure which.  It is for a Sandra Sullivan finishing class and although smalls are not usually my thing, probably since finishing is my nemesis, I signed up anyway to help out the guild.  And if it turns out terrible, I am going to see the Finishing Fairie at the end of the month and she will fix it for me!!!!
  To wrap up this report, I pulled the Blackbird SAL piece back out.  I had been thinking about it for a while so I knew I wasn't totally done with it. Plus, I am really trying not to make any more UFOs and it is a sweet piece, someone will be happy to get it as a gift down the road. So I tried the darker color for the large (supposed to be eyelet but I'm doing Smyrna) alphabet and I think I like it. I know I like it better than before!!

  So, there you have it.  I have managed to stave off the summer stitching slump so far.  I feel like I am really making some progress on my current rotation.  I have a gazillion more to finish and probably 10 times as many to start but I figure if I don't get hit by a bus tomorrow, I'll at least have a chance of making a dent in my ginormous stash!!  I have seen a lot of people selling off their stash lately, I don't think I am ready for that yet.  I'm still adding to mine (OMG!!) and get excited when new charts come out. Just ordered 2 new ones from With Thy Needle and Thread this morning!!!

Hope you're enjoying your stitching as much as I am,  Laura

What Happened to IH&SW this Month??

    I'm not sure if I am losing track of time or what exactly is going on lately.  I thought it was IH&SW last weekend but there was no mention of it on the blogs.  So I thought maybe I didn't have the date right and it was really this weekend.  But once again, no mention of it anywhere on the blogs.  So basically, I had 2 IH&SW's this month all by my self and have been carrying on like a crazy fool!!

   First, I finished out the alphabets and adjoining borders on Summer at Hollyberry Farm.

Then I added my stripe for the week to One Nation.

 Then I totally lost my mind and decided I really needed to start that piece that I borrowed from my friend so I could get it stitched and return her chart.  Lovely Scottish reproduction I've wanted to stitch for a while.

36 ct Lakeside linen w/ Au ver a soie silks
Looks huge compared to what I usually stitch on!!

Agnes Scott by With My Needle

It should look very similar to this once I get it finished.  Hopefully not too long from now!!  But she's a big girl and we'll have to see if I can keep her in the current rotation.
  Then, since I had totally lost my mind, I decided I needed to start something else off my bucket list.  Not an actual list down on paper yet but I know them when I see them, or when they keep popping up in my head!
This is Giovanni's Alphabet by Tempting Tangles.  Just a small start so far but more than I would have gotten done if I was stitching it on the recommended 28 ct over one!

I am stitching this one on 45 ct Lakeside Meadow Rue (I think), over 2, with the called for threads.  I have had it kitted for an age and figured now was just as good a time as any to start.  Love the colors!!!  It is an interesting combination of overdyed cotton and silk.

   So, I got 2 new pieces started and what did I do???  Why I went back to the one I REALLY want to be working on, of course!  This is where I am on SaHBF.  I am loving this stitch and may just work it until its done!!

      Maybe yes, maybe no.  We'll have to see what's in store for the week.  I have really been free wheeling it to keep my stitching mojo going.  I usually have a big summer stitching slump. Not sure exactly why but it happens just about every year.  I'm hoping to keep thing moving by only working on pieces I am excited about at the time and seeing where that takes me.  Should be interesting if nothing else!!!

Hope you're having as much fun with your stitching as I am,  Laura

It Could Have Wound Up in the Fireplace

   I am happy to say I can call myself fully recovered and once again stitching like a crazy fiend!  I haven't worked back into my rotation yet, choosing instead to work on whatever I feel like at the moment. My main focus has been the patriotic pieces and I have made some real progress since my last post.
  I am still loving Summer at Hollyberry Farm. I managed to get all the alphabets in last week!  My SAL pal isn't happy with the pale blue and plans to change it to something else but I like it and think I will leave it as it is.

    After getting to this point, I got the Blackbird SAL back out.  I decided the color I had chosen for the border was too bright so I ripped it out and picked another color.  I am much happier with the border now. It's not what they called for but is much closer and not nearly as garish as the Mustard Seed I had used before.  It is now Apple Cider, a nice golden-brown.

    But I am not crazy about the piece in general.  Not sure exactly what the issue is. The color of the large alphabet seems to be out of character with the rest of the piece. All the rest is bold and bright while this is dull and really adds nothing.  I looked at the picture of the original posted to the site and the linen seems much darker then what is called for. So, do I change the color of the one alphabet?? Do I start it again on a darker linen??  Do I just chuck it and move on to something else?? Since I'm not getting any younger and see no point in putting time into something just to get it done, I am going to set it aside.  I may revisit it later but I may also just abandon it forever.   Lucky it's too hot to have a fire going or this might have wound up in the fireplace!!
   So, I picked One Nation back up and put another stripe on it.  I am trying to put in a stripe a week to get it done as quickly as possible.  This will become more of a challenge once we get past the star field because the stripes will become twice as long!!

      I am also fighting really hard against a case of starteritis!  I have several patriotic pieces kitted and ready to go and I kitted another couple of Tempting Tangles pieces last night.  Then this morning, I put together a Scottish piece I borrowed from a friend a while back that I really need to get stitched so I can give her the chart back.  (Any excuse to start a new piece!!)  So far I have resisted but I don't know how long I can hold out!!
    I also wanted to thank all of you who take the time to read my blog and/or leave a comment.  I don't always get a chance to reply, it depends on how crazy life is at the time, but I read every one.  In turn, I hope you enjoy your visit here and are inspired or just plain mystified by the madness I have been up to with my needle!!
  Hope you're enjoying your stitching as much as I am,  Laura

In a Patriotic Mood

  Since my last post, I've been struggling to get back to good health.  I am pretty much back to normal with the exception of the terrible hacking cough that still lingers and a lack of energy that prevents me from doing all the things I should be doing.  So instead, I am only doing the things I absolutely have to get done and the rest of the time I am resting and of course, stitching!
   I worked for a little bit on the Blackbird SAL.  It is very cute but it was feeling sort of tedious so this is where I left off. (I didn't realize my quilt was showing through the fabric. It really isn't mottled like that!)

     I decided what I needed to be working on was something patriotic.  Since I have a patriotic piece in the WIP pile that I want to finish for my husband for Christmas this year, I dug that out and went back to work.

One Nation by Bygone Stitches
40 ct Lakeside Linen/woodsmoke
with GAST

I had the field of stars finished when I put it away last time.  When I worked on it this time, I added the 3 bands to the right.

I couldn't believe how long it took me to get these few bands in!!  It will go into the regular rotation now until I get it done.  Don't see how I will have it finished in time for Christmas if I don't.  This thing is huge!!
   Then, my friend in Atlanta sent me a picture of what she had spent the weekend working on.  When she called to chat later in the week, we decided it would be fun to have our own personal SAL.  So I have been working on this.

Stacy Nash Summer at Hollyberry Farm
40 ct Lakeside meadow rue
mostly listed threads

I absolutely adore these colors!!!  I did swap out the red she used for Weeks Lancaster Red.  It is one of my favorite reds and I thought went well with the other colors.  Also, the leaves in the vine are supposed to be stitched with Apple Cider, which is the color of the first ABC letters.  I prefer green for my leaves so I changed the border leaves to Endive.
    Then, as if that weren't enough red, white and blue, I kitted this Rosewood Manor chart I have had in the stash for a long while.  I love this piece and I don't know if it will make it to the rotation before I lose interest in patriotic stitching but I sure hope so!!

   And finally, this piece that I first saw on someone's blog last summer as a class, is now out for the rest of us to enjoy and I snagged it right away!!  Another winner, in my humble opinion, and this looks like so much fun I don't know how long I will be able to resist this start!!!

       It has been a crazy few weeks since the beach. I had back to back board meetings this week and it looks like we will be playing musical chairs in my needlework guilds again.  I am currently the treasurer in both guilds but may be moving on to newsletter in one and programs chair in the other.  Lets keep our fingers crossed that the nominating committee manages to fill all the seats without me.  I have been on both boards for 8 years now and I think its time for some new blood!!


Hope you're enjoying your stitching as much as I am,  Laura

PS- I gussied up the blog a bit, hope you like it!!