Tuesday's Hardanger Class

This past week was crazy busy, so I'm going to break up the events into their own little posts.  I hope you don't mind.

Tuesday started things off with Hardanger Class.  I had a good time this week.  We started out learning the hem stitch, the nun stitch and then the button hole/blanket stitch.  I misread the direction for the hem stitch and ended up cutting away the wrong side of the stitching. Oops.  Good think I was just working on a sample/practice piece.

We then did some faggoting (?) and I started to work some kloster blocks to do some wheels and woven spkes.  I didn't quite get finished because we ran out of time.  Our instructor gave us some homework to do over the Thanksgiving holiday.  We are to design and execute something on the bit of fabic she gave us with the provided pearl cotton.

I'm not all that interested in the whole tone-on-tone thing, so I'm thinking of doing something with a little a lot more color.  And I already know that JoAnn's doesn't carry much on the way for color in pearl cotton in the 8 and 12 sizes.  Look like a trip to a stitchy shop is in order.

I have been thinking of figuring out and doing a scalloped border on my homework 'masterpiece' using the button hole stitch. I'm pretty sure it can be done and might even turn out looking awesome.  But actually doing the math and figuring it all out will take time away from Flower Power.  That doesn't make me happy... This whole homework thing doesn't make me happy for the time I won't be stitching on Flower Power.

One last note about hardanger class.  My instructor is an anti-hoop Nazi.  You are to never, ever, ever, never to use a hoop with linen!  Ever!  Oi vey do I ever get the evil eye when I hoop up my practice linen.  But my stitches have much better tension and are way move uniform and even when using a hoop than when stitching in hand.  We just don't see eye to this... or the whole tone-on-tone thing either.

Hugs and Stitches
Kay

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This week I had to fight the battle with my bank and visa card.  I've had payments set up from the bank to the visa for years, but for some reason this past month something went horribly wrong.  The payment went out on the date assigned, a full week before the due date, but visa didn't receive a payment.  Arrrgh!!!  So I had to call the bank and find out what happened there.  Then call the visa folks and tell them what happened, and arrange for an immediate payment, grovel to have the late fee removed and so on and so forth.  The bank is going to pay the late fee and the interest accrued since I always pay off the visa in full each month.  But still annoying and frustrating.

On the happy side of thing, Hardanger class was this week.  We focused on kloster blocks and doves eyes in class.  I had a nice time chatting with my BFF and the other ladies who were at class.  Here is my sample fabric.  The beige and blue stuff to the left is what I did in class.  The pink and purple is stuff I did for practice at home.

I need to spend some more time working on my Doves eye stitches.  I discovered earlier that I was doing them wrong.  But I've re-read the instuctions and I think I've got the idea of them now.  I should do some blanket stitching too... but I'd much rather work on Flower Power instead.

Speaking of Flower Power, I didn't get to work on it this week as much as last week.  And Hardanger class and practice ate up two nights that I normally stitch on it.  I did finish up the back stitching on my humming bird.  The wing back stitching was a whole lot of fudging it since I missed three stitches in the middle some where.  I then started in on the white Shasta Daisies.

I love love love my Stitchmate.  It has made stitching on this large project so easy and convienient.  I'm starting to get the hang of two handed stitching.  I may never be super speedy at it, but we're coming along quite nicely.

Here is about three weeks of work on Something Wicked.  I missed taking a progress picture of it last week when I was sick and left it at work.  Just a little more boot and a few words to go and it will be all done.  I have no idea what I'm going to do with it once it's done as my margins to the left and right are very very narrow.

And it looks like I missed posting progress on the Heirloom Nativity last week.  I didn't take it with me today, so no progress from today.  But last week it gained a sheep and some foreground stuff.

That pretty much sums up that.  You all have a good week.
Hug 'n Stitches
Kay

What happens when struck down by a cold...

I was hale and hearty this week until Thursday.  Before being stuck down, I worked a wee bit on my Christmas ABC's by L*K on Monday night.  I just got the line from the crown and (including) the candle done.  It was Halloween, after all, and that door bell kept ringing.  Imagine!  Taking me away from stitching time.

Tuesday night was to have been the first night of the Hardanger classes that my BFF and I signed up for.  I got to the shop a few minutes early browsed around, and then tried to figure out where the class was.  Well... they decided to postpone the start of the class for a week to allow more time and people to sign up for it.  I sure wish they had called me to let me know it had been postponed.  I called my BFF to let her know, and she was glad I did.  They are having major freeway construction by her house and getting from her place to the needlework shop is getting to be a serious undertaking.  By calling her, I stopped her from having to fight that drive.  As a consolidation for having to wait another week for class to start, I went to JoAnn's Fabric and bought a couple of packets of needles.

Wednesday night I took Crabby All Year up to my framer to have it framed up for my Mom for Christmas.  I also took along Bless Our Home, and a Christmas piece I completed before I started blogging.  I found a good simple frame for Crabby All Year no problem, and then chose a molding for Bless Our House that turned out to be expensive.  Like $25 a foot expensive!  So we searched all the samples and sample books for something that would work just as well, and be more cost effective.  My framer was going to check out a few of the molding places in town to see if they had something similar for less and get back to me.  And lastly, the Christmas piece will be framed in a simple, tarnished gold frame.  They should be ready to go next week, or so.  Plenty early for the holidays.

Thursday I went to work feeling a little bit dull.  I ached and my throat was sore.  I just chalked the achy-ness up to going to the gym the previous night and putting in a serious workout, and sore throat to sleeping with my mouth open.  But as the day progressed, I felt worse and worse, and my boss sent me home around 1:30.  I came home and went right to bed for a few hours.  Then got up and sat in front of Flower Power.  Here's where I started on Thursday afternoon:

Here is Thursday evening/Friday morning:

Here is Friday evening/Saturday morning:

And Saturday evening:

And how about we look at it turned the right way 'round.

I am missing a couple of flosses to finish up the back stitching on the humming bird, but otherwise he's done.  I've even put on the blending filament on his head and back.  He's a sparkling little guy.  I messed up the counting somewhere on his wing.  I think it's the 3/4 stitches that I got lost and missed a row completely.  So it'll be some creative work back stitching the wing to get it to look good and not missing a row.  But from this far away, you can't really tell I missed that row of stitches.  I'm going to start in on the Shasta Daisys that are below these Day Lilies next.  If only I could be sick all the time and stay home from work!  I'd get lots of stitching done for sure.

Today is Sunday and I took the Heirloom Nativity with me.  I added some green foreground stuff, a sheepie, an animal of some kind (squirrel? dog?) and a tree trunk.  Maybe next week I'll start to add one of the shepherds in.

That sums up the week.  I think instead of going back and looking at what I'm stitching, I'm going to roam the blogs and check out what you're stitching.

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

My stitching week in review...

Well, Monday came and went, and I gave stitching on Christmas ABC's a skip.  I did do some stitching, but it was to put the hem back into my Renaissance Costume.  I accidentally caught it on something when I went to the local Rein. Faire a year or so ago.  The ward Halloween social was coming up and I wanted to dress up a little bit, so I figured it was about time to sit down with a sharp needle and re-hem my dress.  So that's what took my time on Monday night.

Something happened on Tuesday, so I didn't get any stitching in either... But I can't remember what it was!  I guess it wasn't that important.  The ward Halloween social was on Wednesday, so that was another day without stitching.  But Thursday!  That's when I was able to get back to stitching.

Here is the progress on my at work project, Something Wicked by La-Di-Da.  More boot.  And there is alot more boot left to stitch.  I'm really enjoying the purple I'm using for it.  I'm even trying to figure out what else I can use it for...  I'm sure I'll come up with something wonderful!  I'm sorry the picture is so dark.  I'm not sure how that came to be as all the lights were on in my room when I took the picture...

Flower Power saw some good time at the end of the week.  Here is where I was Saturday evening:

I am trucking right along on that second flower.  I thought the above would be my progress picture for the week, but I actually sat down this afternoon and watched some episodes of The Muppet Show that I have on DVD and worked at it some more.

The empty spot on the petals to the lower left is where a humming bird wing is going to go.  I was trying to decide if I wanted to pause in the middle of the flower and do the humming bird or not.  I thought I might have to roll the scrolls a little bit to finish up the last bit of the flower.  I decided to stitch the white reflection of the last petal up and find out.  As it turns out, I can finish up this flower without rolling the scrolls.  So I'll finish this flower and then do the hummer, and then roll and move on to the next bit of the pattern.  (So far no counting errors on this flower! *knocks on wooden desk*)

And here is the Heirloom Nativity progress from earlier today.  More snow and a pine tree.  I think next week it'll be a sheep and maybe a start on a shepherd.  I still think those shepherds a bit silly being out in the snow and all...

Heirloom Nativity has a section of hardanger at the bottom of the pattern.  I've been a little... not qutie worried really... slightly concerned?...  something like that... about doing the hardanger when I get to that point.  (It hasn't been occupying a lot of brain time since it is so far away.)  Anyway, on Friday I received a newsletter for the local knit/needlework shop, and they are offering hardanger classes in November.  I called up my bff LMS and she was going to call me to see if I wanted to take the class with her.  Well we are all signed up and will be taking the class together on Tuesday evenings.  Woo-hoo! I'm very excited.

Satuday evening, I decided to wander over to Hobby Lobby to see if I could find something Halloweeny to put on the end of my Halloween scissor fob I made a few weeks ago.  I didn't figure there would be much selection in the first place, but thought that there would be less stuff if I wanted until after the holdiay.  Mom decided she would come along for the ride.  This is what I found to finish off the fob:

A retro spooky purple cat with a 'diamond' collar.  It's purrrrrrfect!  Mom also found some pretty cotton thread to tat some bookmarks for her friends in the quilt group she goes to.  I told her I wanted to learn how to tat a little bit.  Nothing fancy, really, just some bookmarks is mostly what I had in mind.  So after hardanger classes are over, I think I'll give learning how to tat a go.  Mom has quite the collection of shuttles and what-not, so I won't have to buy any equipment.

Have a happy and save Halloween, and a good week of stitching!
Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

TUSAL - October 26th, 2011

Is it that time already?  It just seems like the days go screaming by!

All my projects saw some good time this month.  Here is the big jar with the collections from the little jars I carry around with me.

From top to bottom are the flosses from: Heirloom Nativity Sampler, Something Wicked, Christmas ABC's (and some Crabby All Year mixed in), and Flower Power.  And here's the jar with all the flosses added to the top.  I squished them down a bit, so it doesn't show much being added.

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

Some weekend stitching

Well, I don't think I'm going to get back to my L*K Halloween Rules anytime soon.  I'm having too much fun with Flower Power to switch out the scroll rods that my StitchMate is holding.  Now, swapping out what is being held is super easy, but Halloween Rules just isn't speaking to me right now.  It might have to become the L*K Monday night project after I get Christmas ABC's done.

And now that I've rambled on a bit, let's get down to what I did stitch on.  I finished up the white lacy band on the Heirloom Nativity Sampler today at church and moved up to a band that will be of the shepherds.  Still stitching with white because those silly shepherds are out in the snow.  I predict a lot of upside down stitching in my future as I'm working my way up from the middle right now.

On Saturday, I put in some good work on Flower Power.  I've finished up the stitching and am working on the backstitch on this flower.  I'm not too keen on the way the one petal to the lower left turned out.  I had a counting error on it and didn't want to frog because by the time I'd figured out I had a problem, it was a little too late.  So I fudged it.  I might not be happy with it, but I am not frogging!!!

I am trying to decide if I want to put in the couching bits before I move onto the next flower or not.  I think I could do it here as there's not another flower close by that these things would run into.  I've never couched anything before, so I'm a little apprehensive about doing it. But... There's a first time for everything, and I'm sure it won't be that bad or hard to do.

I had hoped to get the rest of the backstitching done today, but it was one of those busy Sunday's where I was out visiting people, or they were over visiting me.  Perhaps I'll get to move onto the next flower this week.  It's taken me about three weeks to get this flower done.  At that rate, I think I'll be working on Flower Power for the next couple of years.  I'd better not think about it and just do it.

This past Wednesday was crafty-stitchy night and we met over at LB's house.  As always we had a good time working on our projects and just chatting away.  We're thinking of doing a weekend retreat sometime next March, but are having a bit of a time trying to come up with a place to stay.  No kids (for a change of pace), and no cats/dogs (allergies) are our rules so you'd think that'd open up a world of possibilities.  Add that we're all mostly broke, and the possibilities narrow right back down.  Oh well, I'm sure we'll come up with something between now and then.

While there, LB introduced me to something evil.  Now, I have a weak spot for anything collectable. And I try hard to not get into collecting things because it's usually on the expensive side.  (Take a look at this here hobby I blog about.)  And I love Lego.  Well curse those Lego people because they've made collectable Lego people.  And added a hint of gambling to it. (Think collectable baseball cards.) You buy a package, you have no idea what's in it, and you are getting 1 of 16 mini figures.  I had no idea they existed, and now I do.  I had to pick up a few packages at Target when I was there the other day.  Here are the figures I ended up with:

Aren't the fun?  I now needed a place to keep these little people, so I dug out a tin from one of my boxes of packed stuff and threw them in.  Collecting.  It's a sickness, I tell you!  I know I'll have to pick up another mystery package or two now on my weekly trips to Target.  Grrrr... another collection.  Just like I need another hole in my head.

I hope your week is stitchy and productive!
Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

A report on my Monday ... And Sunday stitching

After giving the Monday L*K SAL a skip last week, I was right back into it this week.  I added all the white in the A, D, and G blocks, added the dove and moved the hoops down to start in on the K block.  Hurray for K! My favorite letter.

I'm trying to decide which way to stitch this now... Down and over or over and down...  Not that it matters, you've got to do it all to get it done.

And here is the little bit of progress I made on my Heirloom Nativity Sampler on Sunday.  Most of my time was stitching in the little white x's, and now I'm filling in with #8 and #12 pearl cotton as the pattern calls for.  After this, there will be a section of shepherds to do.  I expect that will take me through the end of the year considering I only give this an hour to two hours of work a week.

Tonight, I am going to roll the scrolls and work some more on Flower Power.  I just bought the 4th season of The Big Bang Theory so I'll pop that into the DVD player and giggle along with the math geeks.

I hope your stitching is going well!
Hugs and Stitches,
Kay