New Beginning -

This is the border for a Americana Ornament. I am working with a Prairie Schooler chart. It has several different designs that come from early America. I didn't follow the chart instructions to use DMC floss. Instead I used Sampler threads which with the overdyed colors gives this a new look.

Happy Halloween is done!!

Here is the last of the stitching for the Halloween bell pull. I plan to back this with some stiff interfacing and then sewing it into a bell pull with some Halloween fabric. I am thinking of coming up with a fancy stick or something Halloween-y to hang it on.

It is so hard to get a full photo of this. It was fun to stitch and I am glad to have it done now. I am ready for fall already!!!!!

Monster and Ghost!!!

It is taking me about a day for each of this little charts. I am trying to keep up with the border. I did not do the checker board black and white - - they are algerian eye stitches and I think it looks great and it stitches up much faster.

Halloween Fright and Brew

While I wait for more instructions, I can work on the Halloween bell pull. I have all the charts now so I can push a head with this one.

Week 1 Assignment Done

The ladies have their tea table. The grass is done. The vine is back stitched and then covered with a chain stitch. There are some small flowers and a few leaves completed. The lace at the bottom is also done. The first week's instructions called for much less of the cross stitch to be done but I am happy to have that done and now I can concentrate on the crewel flowers and such as the assignments arrive.

Ah - the ladies are here

This does represent the bulk of the cross stitching that needs to be done. That house took a lot of stitches! I also feel better now that the ladies have their heads.

The Tea Party Begins

Here are my supplies for the new cyber class with Victoria Sampler. It is called Tea Party. They made the piece into a tea pot cozy. I plan to make mine into a cover for my finishing supplies in the craft room. It has many pretty crewel flowers and a whole lot of cross stitch. The main piece is stitched on an overdyed fabric. The tea cup pin cushion will be in a tea cup.
Here is my start. The class is over the next four weeks. I have a sign on and can go to the class site and download very detailed instructions for each section. The first instruction was for the bargello grass across the bottom. I am doing the ladies, fencing and house to made extra sure I am stitching in the correct places.

Pumpkin - Boo Club

The last of the Halloween Boo Club charts by Lizzie Kate are available. I continue to do the border as I go. This will be nice filler while I start and process the cyber class I am signed up for. Tomorrow I will introduce that project.

What happened to my 'one at a time' rule? Sometimes I wonder where that went. I still, generally, do one project at a time. The Boo Club was delayed because the charts had not been released yet. The cyber class will require that I stay with the class and not stitch a head. I am also more likely to have multiple projects when I had a real challenging piece. It is nice to have just cross stitch to do to relax. I suppose this is my statement that the 'one at a time' is no longer being followed.

Traveling Stitcher II

This is the second part of that project. I was supposed to put the year and my initials on it but I decided that I didn't want to 'date' it or 'make it mine'. So many of these type things end up being gifts for other stitchers and I feel funny having my initials on those gifts.
Once again this is by Little House Needleworks. It was a quick and easy project after that huge thing.

Traveling Stitcher

Hi All - - When I finished the large (BAP) Winter Scrapbook Sampler, I was looking for something easier and quicker. I settled on Little House Needleworks - Traveling Stitcher. I did the cover for the needle book first. I don't think the photo does justice to the colors. This and the purse cover will adorn the wonderful purse and needle book created by a friend, Sandy. She did a marvelous job at making the parts for this chart.

More Goodies

I love doing Prairie Schooler charts with a conversion to Crescent Colours floss. They just look so good. These are my Americana contributions.
More PS charts and floss. I need to spend some time working on these. So much stitching and so little time. Ah well. Some day.

Some Stashing

I didn't fall off the face of the earth.... and I didn't stop stitching. I did take a bit of a break from posting but I will get back to it. While I was steering that freight train called Winter Sampler, I did some shopping. Here I see a few from Little House Needleworks and floss tags from M'Lady.
I am in love, love with this project. Cat's Whiskers - I believe it is called Fruits of the Harvest. It is more needlework fussy stuff. It will have a scissor case, pin cushion, etc. I am not sure when I will get to this but the silk ribbon looks wonderful.

It's Done!! It's Done!!!

Happy Dancing is going on!!! I took 8 weeks to finish this one. Now when I see this I think, "it is so busy". But then so are it's friends. This is the last one in the four season series. I already of the other three framed and hanging on the wall. The frame should be ready soon and then I will add this one to the mix. I am Very pleased with this project.

Back Stitching Nightmare

I knew this time would come - - back stitching is all that is left. I made a good start. Santa still neds some work and the poetry in the book is missing. I am getting close to being done!!!!!! Do you hear the freight train? I do.

Candy Cane done

I filled in all the jingle bells, placed the candy cane, and started working on the book. I even did the little tuft of flowers at the bottom of the page in the book. Of course, I will be kicking myself when it comes to doing the back stitching.

Jingle Bells

The bells are coming into view. I still need to finish the candy cane above the snow globe. The lower part of it is seen to the right of the snow globe.

Snow Globe comes into the picture

I stitched like a crazy person to get this done. I finished up the bottom row and then moved into the leather strap of jingle bells on the left edge. The red thing in the middle is a book mark that will mark your place in the book of poetry.

Candy, Gingerbread house and all the good stuff

I have now stitched all along the bottom edge. The start of the gingerbread house is interesting and will become a snow globe when it grows up.

Gingham Ribbon?

The ribbon is interesting. It has a checker board design, which is never my favorite. At least it is almost done.

Hard Candy

The bottom banner is a lot of solid stitching. I like the little pieces of candy. They look really neat. The back stitching is still screaming but I continue on with the main cross stitching.

Gingerbread Man arrives

I finished up the corner which included the gingerbread man and then the solid green banner on the bottom. It is a corner. Now, I know, I should be back stitching but I really can't stop now. Don't you hear it? There is a freight train plowing through. I just want to cross stitch - - back stitching will have to wait.

Popcorn and Berries

I can hear your voices. Yes, I should be doing back stitching on Santa. I have been distracted by more cross stitch. I worked on the popcorn and berries along the right side. Then I started on Mr. Gingerbread man.

I notice that this is my 200 post since I changed blog sites. Wow - - where did the time go?

Greenery - - why is it so hard

I finished up Santa and moved on to the green stuff on the one side. I am not sure what it is supposed to be. I often wonder why green leaves can be so difficult. Flowers and leaves always have so much what they call confetti stitch. Lots of colors scattered about with no apparent reason. The gold part is the start of a ginger bread man. Santa needs back stitching.

Santa Claus - filled in.

Bit by little bit I work on this project. It is getting tough to stay focused. Here is Santa Claus - almost done. I am sure he will look better with back stitching.

Dollies, teddy bears, and toys

I continue to work on Santa. He is carrying a Christmas tree. He has his pack on his back. Now we need the toys, all of them. You better not pout - -

Here Comes Santa Claus

Now you can tell he is there. He also has a teddy bear on his back - - the bear is just not stitched yet.