FigureStitcher

Winter Rose - Progress

2012-02-11T17:17:00.002-05:00

Wanted to complete this section over the weekend. Done and done. Now I get to work on something else tonight and tomorrow.

Winter Rose
Lavender & Lace

Mermaid Sampler - Finished!

2012-02-09T22:37:00.004-05:00

Cutie! Love those three little fishies on the bottom!

Mermaid Sampler
Shepherd's Bush

Mermaid Sampler - Progress

2012-02-08T08:15:00.003-05:00

This thing is teeny weeny. Two flower motifs in the upper corners and it will be 2/3 complete. There are some specialty stitches on the bottom section. I haven't done them before. This challenge has been great exposing me to new things!

The color of the fabric is really washed out in this photo. It's a lovely hand-dyed blue.

Mermaid Sampler
Shepherd's Bush

Gaze - Finished!

2012-02-05T22:00:00.003-05:00

Fiddly bits conquered! First of the 31 to be completed!

Gaze
The Primitive Needle

Gaze Progress

2012-02-04T23:22:00.001-05:00

I've been stitching up a storm since Friday afternoon and here's the result. Lots more little fiddly bits to go. Maybe this will be finished tomorrow!

Gaze
The Primitive Needle

Day 31 of 31

2012-01-31T23:49:00.002-05:00

I did it! 31 projects started in January; one every day!

The sprint to begin is complete, now starts the marathon to finish all this stuff by the end of the year!

Ice Skates
Mill Hill

Day 30 of 31

2012-01-30T23:59:00.002-05:00

I just noticed that the model photo doesn't have the little curl on the G like mine does! I promise I followed the chart!

Gaze
The Primitive Needle

Day 29 of 31

2012-01-29T21:45:00.002-05:00

Lots of stitches today, as promised. You can even tell what it looks like!

First Mate Santa
Mill Hill

Day 28 of 31

2012-01-28T22:48:00.003-05:00

10 measly stitches today. I'll do better tomorrow.
Now, please excuse me. There's a cupcake with my name on it.

Independence Day Blackwork
My Mark Designs

Day 27 of 31

2012-01-27T18:36:00.001-05:00

Heading to a concert tonight, so got the stitching in early!

Merry New Year

The Stitcherhood

Day 26 of 31

2012-01-26T23:05:00.001-05:00

Doesn't look like much, but this is teeny! Over one on 25 ct fabric.

The Neighborhood
Funk & Weber Designs

Day 25 of 31

2012-01-26T00:28:00.001-05:00

Wednesday is Panera stitching night!

Letter E
Nora Corbett

Day 24 of 31

2012-01-24T23:13:00.001-05:00

Egg yolk!

Bed & Breakfast
Amy Bruecken Designs

Day 23 of 31

2012-01-23T23:48:00.002-05:00

Another Downton Abbey night!

Boatswain Santa
Mill Hill

Day 22 of 31

2012-01-22T12:40:00.002-05:00

This is the first Lavender & Lace pattern I've stitched. Appropriately, it's the first L&L design released. Lots of tweeding* going on in there.

Winter Rose
Lavender & Lace

*Tweeding - using more than one floss color in the needle at one time, creating a shading effect.

Day 21 of 31

2012-01-21T09:22:00.002-05:00

It's a fencepost and a lighthouse! And the mermaid will have little booby buttons!

Nautical Fence
Raise the Roof

Day 20 of 31

2012-01-20T23:51:00.001-05:00

Two Tiny Heads!

The Nutcracker
Country Cottage Needleworks

Day 19 of 31

2012-01-20T00:02:00.001-05:00

Got home at 11:35pm and managed to get 25 stitches in before midnight. Wasn't quite able to get the photo taken and posted before the clock struck twelve.

Green Flips
Lizzie Kate

Day 18 of 31

2012-01-18T23:30:00.001-05:00

Got all caught up on Downton Abbey tonight! Lots of stitching time!

Slainte
A. Fox Original

Day 17 of 31

2012-01-17T22:36:00.002-05:00

My purple floss looks much darker than the model in the picture!

Fleur d'Orleans
Ink Circles

Day 16 of 31

2012-01-16T23:25:00.000-05:00

Shine
Bent Creek

Day 15 of 31

2012-01-15T13:16:00.000-05:00

Captain Santa
Mill Hill

Day 14 of 31

2012-01-14T22:20:00.001-05:00

Bone Cheeks
Prairie Moon

Day 13 of 31

2012-01-13T21:23:00.001-05:00

Here Comes Treble
Ink Circles

Day 12 of 31

2012-01-12T23:06:00.003-05:00

It's so teeny and cute! There are a few specialty stitches on this pattern, so I'll have a bit of a challenge even on this little thing.

Mermaid Sampler
Shepherd's Bush Printworks

Day 11 of 31

2012-01-11T23:03:00.002-05:00

Well, it's Wednesday again, so that means stitching night at Panera!

2009 Santa
The Prairie Schooler

Day 10 of 31

2012-01-10T23:39:00.002-05:00

Why yes, that is a giraffe butt! This is a reproduction of a Spanish sampler that was created to commemorate the arrival of a giraffe from Egypt to France in 1826. I was drawn to this as soon as I saw it because of the unusual subject matter.

1834 Gyrafa Sampler
Sampler & Antique Needlework Quarterly

Here's a photo of the original sampler. The colors on my finished product will be brighter/deeper.

Day 9 of 31

2012-01-09T22:47:00.003-05:00

16 stitches!

The Book Store
Country Cottage Needleworks

Day 8 of 31

2012-01-08T22:31:00.003-05:00

Well, when you wakes up at 5am on a SUNDAY, you gets lots of stitching done. Argh. Hope that doesn't happen again.

Daydream
My Mark Designs

Day 7 of 31

2012-01-07T21:12:00.003-05:00

Pretty good progress today! Sorry for the crummy picture.

Summer Biscornu
Barbara Ana Designs

Day 6 of 31

2012-01-07T08:17:00.002-05:00

I forgot to post last night! I love Little House Needleworks designs. Have tons, have stitched few. This is one of the biggies.

The Library
Little House Needleworks

Day 5 of 31

2012-01-05T21:54:00.003-05:00

This is the bottom claw and body of the lobster in the upper right. I'm using 10 ct fabric for this project. The plan is to finish it as a table runner/throw.

Lobsters in the Round
The Sampler Girl

Day 4 of 31

2012-01-04T23:06:00.003-05:00

Spent a lovely couple of hours today with the stitching group from my LNS! We've been getting together at Panera Bread on Wednesday since the fall.

I love the delicate nature of this designer's work. Extra bonus is that a little time gets a huge result!

Fleur de Lis
JBW Designs

Day 3 of 31

2012-01-03T21:03:00.002-05:00

Just a smidge today. I started in the lower left corner on this one, rather than the middle as usual.

Ocean Curiosity
!? Who Knew ?!

Day 2 of 31

2012-01-02T11:23:00.004-05:00

Another new fiber for me! I am still indecisive about the needle to use. The fiber is a bit too thick for a 26 needle, but I was having trouble getting a 24 through the backs to tie off the ends.

OutsideBox
monsterbubbles

Day 1 of 31

2012-01-01T18:07:00.003-05:00

I joined a stitching group at my LNS, Covered Bridge Needlearts, in the middle of last year. The owner suggested a challenge to the group, so I joined right up! We'll be starting a new project every day during the month of January. Here's my progress from day one.

Helen Bell's Multiplication Table
Carriage House Samplings

Thy Needle WIP

2011-03-15T10:26:00.002-04:00

This is being stitched in memory of the designer. Lisa Roswell was killed suddenly several weeks ago, when her car was swept off the road by floodwater in Ohio.

Raise the Roof WIP

2011-03-08T19:18:00.002-05:00

A little late on posting this WIP photo. It's from 2/22.

This is part one of Needlework Accessories For Dummies by Raise the Roof Designs. I'll be attending a class with Raise the Roof in July and I can't wait!!

A few more 2011 projects

2011-02-15T21:48:00.003-05:00

So, I finished the Schoolgirl Lessons project about 1 day after the last progress photo. Followed up my first silk project with my first over-one! The Sampler Girl's By The Sea.

I made these bookmarks as a Valentine's Day gift for my husband. We traditionally don't celebrate V-Day, but I couldn't resist these. Collaboration between Subversive Cross Stitch and Beefranck.

One from 2010

2011-02-15T21:43:00.002-05:00

I missed posting this project from last year.

One of Lizzie Kate's Giggle Boxers - Cinderella Is Proof...

Something new for 2011!

2011-01-18T10:01:00.002-05:00

From the first Mill Hill kit, I was inspired to try another new thing. Here is my progress (as of the afternoon on 1/16) on Little House Needleworks' Schoolgirl Lessons. This is the first time I've used silk floss. It is Belle Soie in Fern Frond. I started the project on the afternoon of 1/14 and can't believe how quickly this came together! I'm planning to hang it in my bedroom once I get a little chair to create a seating/reading area.

More 2011 finishes

2011-01-18T09:54:00.003-05:00

I got the left side snowman finished and all the snow beads added to complete Bent Creek's Photobooth Snowmen.

One of the local shops advertised a Mill Hill Bead kit night to help stitchers get over bead-fear. I have had this kit since last year and decided to give it a shot. It stitched up surprisingly fast considering the quantity of beads on this little thing! There's no beading on the legs, but it seems like every other stitch on the top half is beaded.

Here's a closeup.

Final 2010 finishes

2011-01-18T09:43:00.004-05:00

I've got a few finishes from 2010 to share. They were all Christmas gifts (two of which were not given to the receivers yet... argh!).

First we've got Nickademus by Raise the Roof Designs from the 2010 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue. I followed Vonna's finishing tutorial to put it together.

Next, I stitched Herb Garden by Little House Needleworks. The colors aren't great in this photo. The fabric is lavender. I love the little bees and their swirly trail.

Finally, I have JBW Designs' French Country Cat. I changed the floss color to GAST Harvest Moon. My friend has a huge white and orange cat and I wanted it to resemble her cat.

First finish of 2011!

2011-01-06T23:03:00.003-05:00

So, here's my first finish of 2011! It's from Bent Creek; Catch the Day - ROWboat. The little fish in the corner has some beads on its tail for a little sparkle.

Also, here's the project that I worked on over the week of Christmas. My plan was to finish it over the weekend, like I did with the Thanksgiving photobooth, but I was so busy and ran short on time. I was also short on thread! I didn't have the color for the snowman on the left, which is why he looks like a ghost. I'm working on him and hopefully this'll be the second finish of 2011.

I've got a couple other projects that were finished between these, but they need to be framed and gifted before the photos can be shared. And they will be shared! I promise...

I'm Back!

2010-12-14T19:00:00.003-05:00

I've just gotten back into the swing of things as far as stitching is concerned. I've been working on a few projects recently, but most are Christmas gifts, so I can't show 'em yet.

In case you are wondering, none of the gifts mentioned in the 2008 posts were ever finishfinished, framed or otherwise given to their intended recipients. That's gotta be a new resolution for 2011.

Here's the Bent Creek Pilgrim Pals kit that I completed over Thanksgiving weekend.

Passing Saturn Completed!

2008-08-06T23:38:00.008-04:00

Wooooohooooo!!! 4 months ahead of my deadline!

Mystery Stitch Update

2008-08-02T20:57:00.003-04:00

Almost done!

I can't believe how quickly this stitched up. I intend this to be a Christmas present, and hoped to have it done by December. At this rate, it will be done before the end of August!

Mystery Stitch Update

2008-07-27T19:25:00.005-04:00

Woohoo!! My missing thread came in to the LNS and I picked it up yesterday. I finished all the spots that used it (all in the rings).

Now all I need to do a little bit of backstitching on the shuttle and the bottom half of the pattern will be done!

You can see the comet at the top of the picture... it's the highest point on the pattern, too. Unfortunately, I had to scroll the fabric back down to finish the rings, so you can't see the whole thing.

Mystery Stitch Update

2008-07-16T00:12:00.003-04:00

I've mostly finished the bottom half of my pattern! Just missing one type of thread for the planet and rings.

Mystery Stitch Update

2008-07-06T01:14:00.005-04:00

I've been working hard at the project this weekend.

I wanted to get a solid area done at the bottom of the pattern so I can scroll up. I even did backstitching (which I haaaaate!) so that it won't be waiting for me at the end.

Thank goodness for the Swimming and Track and Field trials that have been on... A replacement for hockey.

I'm still missing that one color for the planet, but I'm moving on for now!

One last note... I fixed the direction of the flag here. For whatever reason, the pattern had the blue stitch in the upper right corner, rather than the upper left (where it belongs).

Mystery Stitch Update

2008-06-29T23:11:00.004-04:00

It's not much of a mystery what this design pictures at this point, but I'll reveal the name of the pattern once I'm done.

The star at the bottom of the planet is sparkly, yellow blending filament and there will be another one below the shuttle.

I'm missing one color to complete the rings on the planet (which is why you notice black lines in there if you look closely) and my LNS owner is working on getting it for me. I hope it arrives soon!

Housework Never Killed ...

2008-06-29T23:04:00.004-04:00

I guess the problem with this attitude is that you can't always find what you're looking for when you need it...

Hmmm.... A crisis!

Anyway, I finished this a few weeks back but never posted a photo. This is definitely for me and not a gift.

Mystery Stitch Update

2008-06-02T19:04:00.005-04:00

Update on my big project!

I haven't been working on it everyday... mostly during hockey games. What will I do during the summer!?

Pine Glen Entry #3

2008-06-01T00:01:00.003-04:00

The final entry... hot off the fingers!

Finished as a little pillow, but messed up the criss-crossing back panels... the unturned edge ended up on the outside by accident. Whoops!!

This was a pleasure to stitch. Cross your fingers for me.

Pine Glen Entry #2

2008-05-25T17:59:00.002-04:00

This is my second finish for the Pine Glen Designs contest.

The pattern is Mini Quilts - Kaleidoscope #1.

This is my first attempt at a biscornu and I'm happy with the finished product. I stitched over 4 on 28 ct evenweave, so it turned out to be a pretty good size.

See my other entry here.

Tea with Jane

2008-05-14T21:36:00.002-04:00

Super sweet little stitchup... Freebie from The Sampler Girl.

I stitched half of this on Saturday at Detroit International Airport and the other half on Sunday while visiting my Mom for Mother's Day.

The chart just gave color suggestions of light blue, dark blue and brown, so I chose GAST Slate and Blue Jay and WDW Chestnut. I'm very happy with the way the colors go together!

Mystery Stitch

2008-05-05T22:44:00.005-04:00

Here's the first look at the largest project that I've worked on in years!

I'm curious to watch it take shape, so I'm not going to give hints or show a photo of the finish now.

This is approximately 4 evenings of work... again, mostly during Penguins games.

I started with the brown (yes, dark brown on black... fun!) and was anticipating problems, but it's been moving along smoothly, so far.

There's lots of tweeding (blended thread colors) going on in the pattern, some of which you can already see, and I know blending filament will be involved, too.

I think I'll definitely be switching between this and other smaller projects, otherwise I'm sure I'll go insane.

This will be a gift when complete, so hopefully 7 months is a reasonable timeframe. We'll have to see!

Official Tea Lover

2008-04-30T21:17:00.003-04:00

Here's my most recent Penguins finish. I've been stitching during the hockey games, and I'm proud to announce that the Pens are up 3-0 in the series against the Rangers!

This is from the Tea Crazy by Lizzie Kate.

See if you can spot the two differences between my finish and the pattern/model. One was intentional and one was not... eek!

Contest Entry #1

2008-04-21T23:38:00.004-04:00

Here's my first entry in the Pine Glen Designs contest from the Online Needlework Show.

The pattern is titled Jacob's Ladder.

Future Posts

2008-04-13T09:40:00.002-04:00

I'm intending to showcase new stitches, new finishes, and add to the gallery of Old Stitches, if I can get pictures from the people I've given stuff to.

Hope to hear from other stitchers around!

Coffee House

2008-04-13T09:37:00.003-04:00

And finally my most recent finish. I crossed the last X on this yesterday afternoon.

This is planned to be a Christmas present for a coffee loving friend. I need to get it framed up ASAP, or it'll end up where a lot of the other projects have!

Peace Love and a Cure

2008-04-13T09:32:00.004-04:00

I have the Stitch-a-Gift hanger thing that is shown in the picture of the finished model. I'm planning to hang this up on my wall at work.

Big Girl Panties

2008-04-13T09:29:00.003-04:00

I need to wash this so I can add the little yellow buttons on the pink shorts.

I deviated from the pattern slightly. The stitched model had a yellow stripe on the green undies, and the pattern had it purple. I liked the yellow better.

I heart boobies

2008-04-13T09:27:00.003-04:00

Put this design together from elements in the Subversive Cross Stitch book.

This gift WAS delivered!

#@%&!!

2008-04-13T09:23:00.002-04:00

This is sitting on the shelf above my desk at work.

Feminista

2008-04-13T09:19:00.003-04:00

Found this freebie at fuldesign

Gave me a chance to try out the DMC variegated floss.

Lizzie Kate stockings

2008-04-13T09:12:00.003-04:00

I flipped the direction of both of these patterns, because I prefer my Christmas stockings to point to the right.

(Yes, I am crazy.)

Look toward Heaven

2008-04-13T09:10:00.001-04:00

This is from a Gold Collection kit. I really like the color change in the blues and also the yellow-gold tones in the border.

Eeyore

2008-04-13T09:08:00.003-04:00

This was a going away present for a co-worker who loved Eeyore. I think she's since moved back.

Take Your Partners Please

2008-04-13T09:05:00.001-04:00

This was intended to be given to my long-time dance teacher.

Tinker Bell

2008-04-13T09:01:00.003-04:00

I love Tinker Bell!

This was a challenging project being fairly large and almost entirely backstitch.

I think she turned out beautifully.

Kitty Oasis

2008-04-13T08:59:00.003-04:00

I have two cats and they drink out of the sink faucet.

I'm going to have to hang this in the downstairs bathroom after we repaint it.

Lesley Teare ladies

2008-04-13T08:50:00.006-04:00

I finished the spring lady first and actually finished her! She hung in my cubicle at work for about a year.

There's something Anne of Green Gablesy about the autumn lady.

It's difficult to see in this photo, but there are snowflakes all around the winter lady in white rayon floss. It's really shiny and is very striking.

Bibs

2008-04-13T08:45:00.006-04:00

The bibs were made for the same twin girls. They were never put in the mail, and the girls are around 3 now, so I think it's too late.

Baby Blankets

2008-04-13T08:41:00.004-04:00

This set of two baby blankets was made for my cousin's twin girls back in 2005. Each of them have the "stitched with love" saying on the opposite corner from the picture.

These did get to their destination.

Luck Be a Ladybug

2008-04-13T08:39:00.003-04:00

I just was at a dinner party and the hostess had ladybug stuff all over the place, so I believe I've found a home for this little cutie.

Angel and Pirate

2008-04-13T08:33:00.007-04:00

This little angel is the reason I met Harmien! I'd posted her on Cyber Stitchers (way back when) and Harmien wanted to know where to find the pattern.

She's from an issue of Britain's Cross-Stitcher magazine.

She was joined by the pirate pattern, which I made for my Big Sister's new son, Graham. Unfortunately, he never got it.

Wedding icon

2008-04-13T08:31:00.002-04:00

This was to be set into a wedding gift card.

Crazy Cow and Dragon

2008-04-13T08:27:00.005-04:00

That cow looks completely insane. I think I was planning to make that into something for Bill.

Nothing specific compelled the dragon.

Dolphin

2008-04-13T08:25:00.003-04:00

Yet another tiny icon. I think this is one of the "Challenge Lucie" designs that Lucie Heaton does in Cross Stitch Crazy.

Initials

2008-04-13T08:23:00.001-04:00

I'm sure my plan here was to make coasters for three of my aunts (Marie, Kathy and Carole) and one for myself. This might actually happen, because I do have the plastic coaster thingys.

Random little stitches

2008-04-13T08:22:00.001-04:00

I was probably planning to make a "good luck" card for someone moving to a new job, but that never happened. I just think the hippo and alien (especially the alien) are cute.

Britney as a bear

2008-04-13T08:19:00.002-04:00

I find this hilarious... Hit Me Baby One More Time era Britney Spears as a bear... What more can I say?

Love Was Born

2008-04-13T00:37:00.002-04:00

First use of seed beads on a project!

Sparkly!

2008-04-13T00:31:00.004-04:00

This was my first time using blending filament. I remember stitching this outside on lunch-breaks and it was so shimmery in the sunlight.

Joy

2008-04-13T00:28:00.003-04:00

This looks like it might be from Little House Needleworks. I need to find the magazine to find out.

Shalom

2008-04-13T00:25:00.001-04:00

Didn't want to leave out my Jewish friend (so I left out everyone!).

Snowman and bird

2008-04-13T00:19:00.003-04:00

Again, a Christmas ornament.

I loved working on this one.

Santa

2008-04-13T00:17:00.000-04:00

Santa for the Christmas ornament project.

Wreath

2008-04-13T00:15:00.003-04:00

Another Christmas ornament.

Alma Lynn Snowmen

2008-04-13T00:02:00.004-04:00

My plan, back in 2004, was to make a bunch of Christmas ornaments. So I stitched this up as part of that plan. They never got made up though....

French-knot-a-palooza

2008-04-12T23:50:00.003-04:00

The entire center of the sunflower contains approximately eighteen gazillion french knots. This has such a great texture because of all the knots.

Scissorkeep-to-be

2008-04-12T23:45:00.003-04:00

I'm not certain that I'll use this as a scissorkeep when I assemble it. I'd be terrified of chopping right through the cord.

(When I assemble it... who am I kidding??)

Too Much Housework

2008-04-12T23:42:00.004-04:00

And the first linen project was very quickly followed by the second; Too Much Housework by Lizzie Kate.

First linen project

2008-04-12T23:39:00.006-04:00

Lizzie Kate's Love is the Greatest Gift was my first project on linen. I believe this was in an issue of Just Cross Stitch.

Christmas present-to-be

2008-04-12T23:30:00.003-04:00

Stitched as a Christmas gift for one of my mom's friends. I think I finished this while I was still living with my mom (at least 4 years ago), and yet it's still in my possession.

Yet another old project

2008-04-12T23:27:00.005-04:00

This is dated 2003, but I think there was a 5-10 year gap between the time that all the stitching was completed, and the day that I finally finished the back-stitching!

Egyptian Pair

2008-04-12T23:22:00.004-04:00

I started the Queen on a trip to Disney World with my mom and my friend Carole, her husband and her husband Paul. We stayed at the Disney Institute (current home of Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort).

Disney

2008-04-12T23:20:00.006-04:00

Two fun stitch-ups. I love the energy in the Jitterbug compared to the sleepy heads on the cloud.

Another UFO

2008-04-12T23:17:00.003-04:00

Cute little freebie from a British magazine. I need to dig out the correct issue to finish up the little guy.