At long last some stitching.

I do get some stitching in. Not a lot mind you but some. (Oh notice the photo above. One reason I get fewer stitches in each day. Someone keeps stealing my seat. Notice my stitching sitting on the arm waiting for my return.) And since it has been ages and ages since I have updated any stitching, finishes or wips, I have a bunch of things to show you. The above was stitched for my nieces for her Christmas gift. She had stopped to visit one day and was looking at a pile of patterns and fell in love with this one. It is always fun to stitch up something that you know someone really wants isn't it? The pattern is called Make-up by the Sunflower Seed. Stitched on hand dyed aida using my choice of colors in Dmc, Weeks Dye and Kreinik.

Next up are two pieces I did for my sister and my nephew. (Excuse the photos I forgot to take one and my nephew took them with his cell.)














Holly and Berries by LHN. And Irish Blessing, a freebie from The Sampler Girl.
For my friend and neighbor and Rory's "Aunt" I stitched up the newest Lizzie Kate design, Pawprints. On hand-dyed aida (I have a bunch of it!) using the DMC. I finished it as a flat fold. With the back of it as a kind of frame for a photo of Rory and my neighbor's pup playing together. I think it turned out cute and she loves it.





The week before Christmas I was finishing gifts in a marathon finishing session. As you can see I had a little help to get everything finished in time. But in the course of packaging everything to get into the mail on time I forgot to take photos.


That day I finished off 4 ornaments, framed 4 stitched pieces (see three above) and the flatfold. I'm missing photos of 3 ornaments and one framed piece. Sigh.

Oh here is a photo of one of the ornaments. This one is a Lizzie Kate design and I attached it to a large stuffed Christmas Moose that I had. My sister took a photo of the ornament for me. You get the idea.








On Christmas Eve I started stitching on the first of the LHN monthly ornaments that my dear friend Debra H had sent to me. I actually finished stitching it on New Years Eve but didn't have to beads. I picked those up when I took another stitching friend, Mare, with me to my LNS's New Years Day sale. I know Mare enjoyed shopping and I managed to pick up a bunch of fabric remnants, all 25 percent off and in various counts of linen. I really don't have a decent stock home and this will help. I think the smallest piece was 9 by 12.

Mare's visit was a pleasant break for me as well as for her. We stitched, ate, stitched, played with the furry children, drank some wine, ate, stitched and shopped. What more could you ask for in a relaxing few days to start off the New Year?

New Years night as soon as I put the beads in Fa La La, I started the first of my new starts for the New Year. First up is Little House Needleworks The Library. Stitched with the called for fibers on the called for fabric. It is a SAL on the LHN/CCN group on Yahoo. I'm not that far in two weeks but I'll get there.








Next up is my newest start. The Primitive Needle's Simply Live. I love this one and am part of a traveling pattern group on this one. And now it's my turn. I received it from Mylene back in November but didn't have a chance to start it with all my Christmas gift stitching. I also wanted to try silks for this one. I have tried silks in the past (poor Just Nan's Queen of the Needle sits in my wip basket still) but had such a hard time with them. You see I have the roughest driest skin and I have tried so many different hand creams and lotions without success. So I thought I would try a different brand of silk. I had heard a lot about Victoria Claytons silks (and they aren't that expensive either!) and asked Vikki to do up a conversion for me. She did and the silks arrived Saturday. I couldn't wait to start it. I love her silks and they don't stick to my poor rough dried out hands. Well, a little but not enough to be annoying. They just glide through the fabric and are so pretty. Here is a photo of the silks and my early progress. This one should stitch up quick and will be off to the next in the list. For years now I have been trying to get a decent photo of this piece. I only bring it out at Christmas but it is very special to me. This is my very first cross stitch. I have no idea who the designer is. It was a little kit that I picked up at a small department store in Pennsylvania when my Mom and I had gone to visit with my sister and her new baby. (And Sandy is now 20!) I had done traditional embroidery before this but never cross stitch. And this is the one that started it all. Cute huh? Of course when I look closely I can see so many errors but I will always love this one for starting my obsession, er, hobby of stitching.

So do you remember or still have your first finish of cross stitch.

Oh and here is one more reason my stitching has slowed done. It is hard to keep going when your floss goes missing. And to think I had been blaming poor old Rosie for my floss turning up in odd areas a bit damp for wear.Caught in the act!

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

Love and stitches

Kathy

and licks from Rory too.

PS. I totally forgot to mention that I won Angela's Make a Wish Rak and am tickle to pieces. I was shocked when I saw the email from her telling me I won. I can't wait to see what she stitches and sends me. But knowing me I will forget and be completely surprised when it does arrive. Thank you Angela.