A Special Friend Award

A couple of days ago not one but two dear friends choose me for this award.

Carolyn was the first to give this award to me. A sweet charming woman who is also an extremely talented stitcher. Click here to see what she stitched for me last year when she was partner in a secret stitcher exchange. Thank you Carolyn.

The I saw that Rene la Frog also chose me for the same award. Rene is another exceptional stitcher and I have been fortunate also have Rene as a secret stitcher. She is a generous woman who also helps moderate a group of stitchers on Yahoo. Not an easy task but Rene does an excellent job.

I am proud to count both of these ladies among my online friends.

I truly appreciate each of you who have been there as moral support for me over the past few years. Your emails, cards and phone calls have helped me more than I can ever tell you. I only hope you all know that you can count on me if you need that too. That goes for the two beautiful women above and the ones I'm passing this award on to below.

Copied from Carolyn:
Here's a description of this special friends award:These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon's of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these kind writers. When you pass the award along please include these guidelines. Choose eight friends to share this with.

Deborah, Mare, Debra, Viv, Nancy, Cynthia, Donna, Alice

Okay, that's eight. Not easy to pick only eight. Why? Everyone who reads this deserves this award.

Now you may have already received this award but I hope you'll accept it from me as well.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend filled with stitching and with luck a finish. :)

Until next time .............
Love and stitches
Kathy

WIPs Galore

And I even have a small finish to show. The needlebook cover from LHN's Traveling Stitcher. I actually surprised myself since this is on linen and I started it Thursday evening at my LNS's sit and stitch and finished it Saturday. Stitched on 32 ct mocha linen. I can't believe how easy it was. I think I'm getting the hang of stitching on linen! Whoooooooppeeeeee. A gold star for me. :)

Speaking of the Traveling Stitcher, below is the small progress I made on Saturday afternoon while watching Gone With the Wind. I hadn't watched that movie in years and even though I remembered much of it, including the dialogue, it was the perfect movie for an afternoon of stitching.

Sunday morning I had a nasty migraine. I take meds for the migraines and they work but sometimes there's some breakthrough. There was in the afternoon. Just enough to make me feel a bit yucky. I tried stitching on my LK Tinsel for my February ornament but, as you can see, I didn't get very far. For some reason the small count fabric (this one is on 22 count over 1) was just made my eyes and head ache.

So I spent a little while adding to another work in progress, Breathing Lessons from the Sunflower Seed. Since it is 14 count aida I hoped it would be easier on the eyes. But as you can see I didn't get very far. :(

In my last post about kitting up projects in advance Debra asked "...was wondering how many projects are you stitching on? Do you just stitch one at a time? DLS "

To Debra and anyone else who is curious: I use a modified rotation. Well, I guess you could call it that. Besides the projects that you see in the photos above I have a couple more that I'm working on. So as you can see I am definitely not stitching them one at a time. :) Not much chance of getting bored. :) But this is also one of the reasons I don't seem to have that many finishes. :)

This one is in my bag that I carry to work. I'll stitch on this one while I'm on the train on my way home. And sometimes at lunch. It's been a wip for the last month so as you can see the progress on this one is slow. :)

The there's the LHN's Coming to America that I've been stitching on for the last few weeks. I did work on this one 3 nights last week. Sorry about all the wrinkles.

While I love to finish a project I also love to start them. :) Probably one reason my WIP basket is overflowing. LOL

I want to thank you all for the comments both here on my blog and in my groups. It's been fun seeing so many different ways that people prepare for a new project. Now me, I have to be sure I have plenty of projects large and small all lined up. I am glad I'm not alone in having so many waiting in the wings. Errr, baskets. :)

Until next time............

Love and stitches

Kathy

How many do you have?

A fellow blogger, Jean of Night Stitcher, asked me a question:

"I've had a question on my blog and no one seems to have an answer but you touched on it. You said you kitted up some pieces. When you kit, do you just put a whole skein of floss in it or do you measure some out? If you measure out a certain number of strands - how do you estimate how much floss you need?? "

I thought this would make a good posting. So Jean here is my answer.

When I kit up any pattern I normally include a full skein of the floss I am going to use. Occasionally if it looks like I won't need a full skein it will only be part of skein that's left over from another finished project. Then I pick out and include the fabric and needle. Each one is in a plastic baggie already for me to grab it and go. The only thing missing in each baggie is the scissors. Though I'm sure if I had enough scissors they would be in the baggie too.

So today I looked around for most of my kitted patterns. Please note I said most. LOL

The first photo above is a large basket filled with the ones I want to do first. That basket sits in a corner of my living room. The photo below shows a storage bin in my back room of patterns that I've kitted up to do over the last couple of years. I will do them one day it's just that so many other new pattern have come out that HAVE to be stitched first. Makes sense right? LOL

Then there's the basket of Christmas ornament patterns and partially kitted projects in another corner.

And finally a small pile of patterns that are awaiting their overdyed floss and/or fabric before the go in the large basket.

Oh, and that doesn't include any new patterns that may come my way that say "Stitch me NOW!" Like the one I just HAD to start when I went to the sit and stitch at my LNS. :)

But that post is for tomorrow.

So ladies and gents, do you kit new patterns up when you get them?

How many do YOU have? :)

Until next time.........

Love and stitches

Kathy

Long Lazy Weekend Update

This is a fob that I did for a friend and since she got it last week I can finally show off my finish. I love what it says. Kind of the theme for this post. LOL Heck I should probably stitch one for my front door!

Here is the back:

This is an older freebie from 4 My Boys. I looked for it so I could link to it but it doesn't seem to be available. Sorry.

I used Carries Creations floss, DMC on 22 ct over one. I love making these fobs. They are actually pretty simple to put together.

I hope everyone had a good weekend and enjoyed the extra day off. I know I did.

To start the weekend I made a quick trip out to my LNS for her Nashville market show. Of course I picked up a few things. Can't make that trip and leave empty handed now can I? :) I was good and picked up the new Little House pattern and one by Simple Stitches.

Then it was off to Joanns to take advantage of the sale on DMC and I needed a ribbon for another fob. I also found a bunch of fabric on sale! Small packages for 97 cents and the tubes for 1.97. What a bargain! And with the extra coupon I got an additional 10 percent off! Great Sale.

Not counting the floss this is some of what I came out with:

After a few more errands I decided to try some more dyeing of the fabric I had gotten. I did some 28 ct monaco and a bunch of 18 ct. The photo below shows some of the results.

Now to decide what to stitch on these?

Which brings me to the rest of my weekend.








I did get a lot of stitching done this weekend. But NO finishes. I seemed to have the hardest time concentrating on one design. I kitted up about 8 different patterns and started 3. I probably would have started even more but it was late. I was tired and I knew I had to go to work today.

So here are my current works in progress.







1. This is a pattern by Sunflower Seed called Breathing Lessons. I'm stitching this on a 14 ct aida with gold flecks. I'm using a mix of Weeks Dye and DMC. The 14 ct is restful after all the small count pieces I've been doing. :)









2. Lizzie Kate's snippet, Don't get your tinsel in a Tangle. I'm using one of my hand dyed piece of fabric. A 22 ct. I'm hoping that will allow this piece to be small enough for an ornament. I'm also using DMC and a silver krenik braid for the word tinsel. After all tinsel should be silver. Right? I like the way it looks.

This is a quickie and I will probably be finished with it tonight. After taking this photo, downloading it, etc, I continued stitching and only have the last word and border left to do. I think I will make this into a fob for myself. What do you think?

This one isn't one of the starts from this weekend but one I have been working on for the last two weeks. SO it is a truer WIP.

I'm still not 100 percent comfortable stitching on linen, especially the over two so my progress on this one is much slower. I am hoping this is the year that I become more proficient on linen and evenweave. So far I can honestly say I have mastered the over one. It may cause some eye strain on the smaller counts but I do like the look.

As for the over two? Well, I guess that just takes more practice. Slowly but surely I'll get there.

Nancy, Carolyn and Cynthia, thank you so very much for your prayers and concerns about my brother. Bill's surgery went well and he says he feels better than he expected to. Especially since he had similar surgery last spring. :( He is now awaiting the biopsy results before the doctor decides what the next step will be.

Well, back to work. :)

Until next time...........

Love and stitches

Kathy

The winner is

Carolyn!!!

Congratulations Carolyn. As soon as I get your address I will get the pattern in the mail to you.

All I ask is that you pass it on to someone else after you stitch it.

Now back to watching my emails for word on my brother who went in for surgery this morning for a tumor on his adrenal gland. :( This makes his second surgery for cancerous tumors. Please keep him in your prayers.

I'm stitching away and will update with photos over the weekend.

Until then............
Love and stitches
Kathy

Mends the Soul drawing tomorrow

It has been a busy week filled with ups and downs.

Last Friday, the 6th, was a bad day for me. I just got so down I couldn't think and kept tearing up. It was the two month anniversary of my Mom's passing. I am better now but oh my goodness last Thursday, Friday and the weekend. I could barely make myself do my laundry. Almost like an emotional overload. I guess these days are normal and will occur less as time goes on. But until then please forgive me if I "disappear" for a few days.

I knew I had to do something to help bring myself out of this so I made plans to attend the AKC Westminster dog show. I went yesterday and made a day of it. Admission is pretty steep but, oh, I was in doggie heaven. :) I saw so many gorgeous dogs. If I had the money AND if anyone was selling I probably would have brought a few home with me. LOL No. Not really.

I did see the winner of this years Westminster. What an adorable handsome dog. Not my breed of choice but a wonderful example of his breeds standard.

My main reason in attending the show is that I am hoping to get another dog soon. I do miss my Maggie, my late Irish Setter. Am I getting another Irish Setter? Probably. :) I just love that breed. But I also like a few others so I went and watched the dogs, talked to owners and breeders and, well, just gloried in the surroundings.

I am feeling in such a better mood today. Guess a few puppy kisses can heal a lot. :)

I am going to draw a winner of my Waxing Moon pattern, Stitching Mends the Soul, tomorrow so if you didn't add your name to the post below and would like to be included please do so. Also, please leave your email add if it's not linked to your name so I can let you know if you won.

Until then...................
Love and stitches
Kathy

Stitching Mends the Soul

At least it does mine. Does your stitching do the same for you??

I started this piece sometime last year when my Mom was hospitalized and it got put away before I actually finished it. Since I have way too many WIPs I decided I should finish a few up this year. This is number one. It is a Waxing Moon design called, what else, Stitching Mends the Soul. I used a combo of DMC and Weeks Dye works and stitched it on blue marbled DMC 14 aida. It's finished size fits an 8X10 frame or mat.

Now I have a question for all of you who read my blog and anyone else who may stumble upon it. Would you like to stitch this up for yourself? Do a little soul mending of your own? If you would like to then please leave me a comment to this posting with your blog link and/OR your email address and on February 12th I will draw a name and pass this chart on to you. All I ask is that you pass it on to someone else when you are finished. There are days when we all need a little soul mending.

And here is the piece framed and ready to hang on my wall. Another thing I am going to try and do is actually Finish my stitched pieces instead of adding them to the under-the-bed storage bin. :) One day I'll count what's in there. I just know that there are too many.

Until next time.........

Love and stitches

Kathy

2009 Christmas Challenge

A while back I joined the 2009 Christmas Challenge blog to stitch an ornament a month. I would like to do more but I would settle for one a month. :) My Christmas "to do" stitching basket is over flowing so I have plenty to choose from. My original thought was to try and do one for each of my nieces and nephews. Since there are sixteen of them I am not sure how many I will actually get to do. :)

Hey, I can try!

I just posted my first two ornaments for January. I know I'm two days late but I did finish one on Friday night and one on Saturday. I had started these both last November but with all that went on at the end of last year they got put aside. As I was organizing and trying to locate all my WIPs I found both of them. I'll probably wait until I have a few more before I actually finish them into actual ornaments. But for now the stitching is done.

Mistletoad from Lizzie Kate's Tiny Tidings X
Stitched on 18 ct hand dyed fabric
Using DMC, Needle Necessities and Fuzzy Stuff

I think this one turned out so cute. :)

Designer: Prairie Schooler
From the JCS 2008 Ornament issue
On 18 ct using DMC threads

I am hoping to get at least two more finished in February. Notice I said hoping. :)

Until next time..............

Love and stitches

Kathy

Books, books and more books

I love to read. Especially mysteries. I belong to a Yahoo mystery group and at the end of each month members list the books they have read that month. Since I had changed my blog title to Stitching and Other Comments this post comes under the heading of Other. :) I thought there might be others out here in blogland who like to read and might enjoy seeing what I manage to finish each month. So here are my reads for January 2009.

1. FADE AWAY by Harlan Coben A
A Myron Bolitar Novel. Coben is a fairly new to me author. Since reading Hold Tight last year I am on the lookout for his backlist. This is one of the earlier Myron Bolitar books. Myron is an ex basketball player turned sports agent who dabbles in detective work in his free time. Along with an entertaining cast of characters I found this story entertaining with enough suspense to keep me turning the pages.

2. THE CAT WHO HAD 60 WHISKERS by Lilian Jackson Braun C-
Catching up with Qwill, the cats and Moose County, 400 miles north of everywhere.

3. ONCE WERE COPS by Ken Bruen A++
What can I say except I LOVED it. O’Shea, a member of the Guards in Ireland, is sent to New York City as part of an exchange program. For O’Shea, a true psychopath, it’s dream come true. No one can write a nightmare like this quite like Ken Bruen.

4. SANTA CLAWED by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown. B
A visit with old friends. Mrs. Murphy, Tucker and Pewter help Harry figure out who is trying to ruin Christmas for the folks of Crozet, VI. A fun read, light and cozy. The perfect change of pace after a Bruen book. J

5. THE CHARLEMAGNE PURSUIT by Steve Berry A+
I love Berry’s thrillers. A mix of science, history, archeology and technology. As well as some interesting characters. This one takes us to Washington, DC, across Europe to Antarctica. A fascinating story of secret nuclear submarines and exploratory missions, Charlemagne and his legacies and an ancient civilization. I highly recommend Berry’s tales to anyone who enjoys archaeological thrillers.

6. CLUBBED TO DEATH by Elaine Viets B+
The latest Dead-End Job Mystery. Helen has been trying to hide from her ex-husband and has worked a number of different jobs. All of which pay off the books and leave no trail of her employment. She is now working at a ritzy Country Club and things get really interesting when her ex turns up. And then is reported missing.

7. BONES OF BETRAYAL by Jefferson Bass B+
A Body Farm Novel. The latest by the team of Dr. Bill Bass, the founder of the original body farm at the University of Tennessee, and Jon Jefferson. The story revolves around the small town of Oakridge, TN. Also known as Atomic City, the home of one of the key sites for the Manhattan Project during WW II. A murder today of one of the older scientists and a murder from the 1940s are tied together. I really enjoyed the forensics and the stories this series. This one was a little slower than the previous entries. The story and history were interesting but occasionally got in the way of the story.

8. DEATH IN THE FAMILY TREE by Linda Berry C
A small Southern town, a family reunion and murder. This was my first by the author and it was the title that appealed. As a genealogist any mystery that includes genealogy and a family tree usually does capture my interest. I was a little disappointed in this one. The characters just didn’t come alive for me. And the story was a little too predictable.

I hope you find something you might enjoy too.

Until next time............
Love and stitches
Kathy