Sam Sarah Halloween II

A special thank you to Blythe and Lilian for sending me information on the 'whipped backstitch'  It looks good!  I used it for the 'This Way Comes' lettering  It really does help it to stand out better and makes it look substantial.  I am not sure what to stitch next.  I will have to spend some time thinking about that.

Hey - - an idea - - a craft room at camp?  Could it be so? 

So Busy!

Hi All.  Things are just a humming here on the hill.  The Camp has an address and that makes me happy.  Today I learned we have a few extra feet to play with.  This will be a very small footprint and every inch will be counted.  (Sounds like my kind of craft.)

Meanwhile my heart was stolen yesterday by Master Bo.  He came to the north country, along with his wonderful Mom for a visit.  Oh - - the joy a little one can bring into your heart.

Oh, and behind me - the cardinal pillow.  I made that years ago - - blanket stitch.  Oh the horrors.

So over the last few days between the phones calls, visits and general business - - I stitched.

I chickened out and did the lettering in cross stitch rather than figure out quarter stitches over one.  I wish I had stitched some today but perhaps I will tomorrow.

The living room now has 3 Ott lights and magnifiers near by.  Just a crop of new Otts are growing in my living room.  Come on girls!  Where are you?  I am ready for a stitch in.

Something Wicked

Part Two arrived from Sam Sarah.  This section has some writing that I will need to research.  Before I even received the chart, I had a cross stitch replacement for the wording.  Now I see that over one is recommended for the wording and the cross stitch is if you don't like 'over one'.  I don't normally have a problem but I was looking and the chart shows quarter and half stitches on over one? How does one do that?  I will have to do some research to see how to handle that part.  Meanwhile I did one flower and the blue banner.  Again I question the chart and need to do some research.  On the banner is straight stitching wording that is called 'whipped' straight stitch.  I am scratching my head in wonder.  If anyone knows, please let me know.

Garden Trellis

Another part of this big project.  The Garden Trellis is now done.  Time to do something different.

The Border is done!

Finally!  Finally!  Finally!  The border is done.  I can move on to another section.  This is such a large piece and it is fun.  I am hoping it will move more quickly now.

On another note, I am was able to finalize the camp purchase!  We have had another design meeting.  We are proceeding along and I couldn't be happier.  Now, if old man winter will drag his feet getting here, perhaps, perhaps we can begin some work this year.  Updates to follow.

Busy Afternoon

My brother wanted a unique shirt and here it is!!!  Just a bit of designing and me learning that new sewing machine.  After some spits and starts, here it is.

DMC 610 is getting old

I am working on the border.  Brown, Brown, Brown. 

Busy Stitching Day

 This is Part One and it is done!  I had to go looking for something else to work on.

I decided to put together the Lindy Mouse Charming House.  Lots of fussy stitching but worth it now that it is done.

The mouse lives in the attic.  Four seasons on the four sides of the cube.  Very cute.

Mr Owl has arrived.

As usual I had big plans of finishing this today.  It didn't happen.  I might get it done tonight.  I have a few stars, two leaves and some back stitching to do.  Fall has arrived.  I was cold enough this morning to put on a fire.  Brrrr.  It was pretty to see but it wasn't fun trying to warm up from quite a chilly start to the day.

The Moon Is Full

Here it is!  I was able to finish most of the moon today.  Now tree, owl and parts.  The weather has turned so nice!  Fall temperatures and no humidity to be concerned with.  I welcome fall and I am watching the leaves begin to show signs of changing colors.  Don't Worry - I am always on the look out for pretty pictures to share with you.

Ahhh - Fall is Here!

After several hot and humid days, the fall weather seems to have arrived.  Cool and sunny and a great day to get some things done.  Today I was able to spend some time in my room.  (I have to remind myself that I do have a craft room and I should use it.) 

First I finished up the last of the pieces on a series by Nordic Needle.  I love it all.

Then I moved on to a Jeannette Douglas needle book.  Finding the buttons was a challenge.  I was most impressed with doing the loop for the buttons.  Buttonhole stitch around a loop.  Wow - so easy and so cool looking.

Rainbow of Silks

Look what was in the mail today!  The silks arrived from Australia.  I have both color choices and I really can't decide which one I like best.  The silks feel amazing.  This will be a fun project.  Now... what to stitch it on.  Black?  Are my old eyes up for that?  I don't know.

Taffy's Technique for overdyed floss was mentioned yesterday.  The technique does produce the moulted look on the moon I posted yesterday.  I do complete each stitch as I go which is what is normally called for with overdyed floss.  However, instead of doing one row at a time, I do two rows at a time.  So working from left to right, I would place the following stitches as shown:

 1   3   5   7    9
 2   4   6   8  10
19 17 15 13 11
20 18 16 14 12

So a block of five across and four rows down would be completed in just two passes.  This works to clump the stitches and colors together.  I started doing this because I really didn't care for the stripes produced when you do one row at a time.  This helps to mute that defined stripe effect.  I hope this explanation helps. 

Kisses and the Moon

This is a little "Kisses Pouch" that I am working on.  I need to put a bit more time on this one.  It is so cute.

This is a mystery.  LOL.  I have been working away on this moon.  I am using the Taffy Technique for the overdyed floss.  It is working out just fine.

To answer Jeanne's question (on a previous post), I have been looking at air line tickets on line.  It is all a bit confusing and I haven't figured it all out yet.