Northwest Red Head

Ok so no, not really, I don't love 1 thread over 1 thread but this piece is actually going rather fast considering. Only a few more of these leaves(?) to go and that part will be over, atleast until I get the lid and the emery outline stitched. I hadn't intended to stitch on this over the weekend, I really wanted to pull Winter Queen back out and get some work done on her, but this is a guild project and its been decided that at our meetings in March and April we will be learning assembly so I need to have this done before then. I also finally made the decision to knit the "bottle" I wanted to make on double pointed needles instead of dragging myself out to buy yet another set of circular needles that I won't use again. I have tons of bit of wool yarn laying around and I was again at my sewing machine this weekend reattaching some buttons and wishing for that thing to toss my scissor in as I have no drawers in the sewing table, and this just seems like an excel

Here's the update on the Shaker Sewing Box. After deciding that the linen thread called for just isn't going to cut it to hold the box together I picked a silk out and have restitched the border with it over the linen thread, I just couldn't bring myself to tear it all out and stitch it again and you can't really see it anyway. I like how this color shows up much better but now I'm noticing how close in color it is to the leaves? that I'm doing over one in between the lines. I don't mind the lack of different color but now I think I'm going to have to rethink the color I'm using for the eyelet that goes in the center of the leaves. Its a bright peach/pink color and with all the subtle blues and greens here that might be just a bit much. I will have to look next time I am out for something a bit more subdued to use for the center so it won't stand out quite so bright against everything. Not sure about that though, perhaps I will put one in just

Not a whole lot of progress made stitching wise today. I did some work on my Shaker Sewing Box which I will try to post a shot of tomorrow. It was an incredibly long day that left me feeling drained so I had planned to just relax in the evening after everything was done but my itchy stitching fingers got the better of me. I started digging around more for the strawberry charm that I knew I had, and along the way I found this long lost scissor fob that goes with my Hillside Samplings Sewing basket. A little more digging for my invisible thread as I have no idea what color pearl cotton this is anymore and tada, a new scissor fob is done :) I also did finally find one of the strawberries I was thinking of for my name tag. Its a mill hill treasure that is a simple red strawberry. I have it sitting on the tag right now deciding if I'm going to attach it while I fret over the assembly of the whole thing. I have it laced to the plastic canvas as you see in the post below and now I have

I think I've got this pin cushion about the best I'm going to get it. I may still mess with the stuffing a bit to try to fill out a couple of small spots but otherwise its done!  I changed the cording that was called for a bit because I didn't think it was enough the way the directions were calling for it to be done, I added a pearl braid into the twist. It doesn't show so much in the picture here but it does add just a bit of sparkle to the cord which goes nice with the small amount of blending filament that's in with the purple over-dye.

Almost there and the mistake is there glaring at me, I'm so mad :( The directions actually call for first and last name starting at the left margin and I didn't like it so I changed it to only have my first name and centered it, or so I thought. I didn't realize until I was putting in the "L" that I was off by a few threads. That means a trip to Hobby Lobby to see if I can find a small charm or buttom to stick there before my name so it will look like I did it on purpose :) Now I just have the backstitch border to finish so I can assemble it. I have a knitting pattern I was wanting to start as well. A while back I got a pattern for felted bowls and as I as sitting at my sewing table I thought of them and all the leftovers of wool I have from my various bags that I could use on it. So I dug out the pattern and yarn and went to get needles only to find, ARGHH! That I don't have the size circular needles I need. I actually don't have the proper size doub

Can you tell I'm having fun finishing all these little projects? I finished this one on Sunday and got it added to the needle roll basket, I can't wait to have it filled with needle rolls. I also have my new name tag almost completed, I ran into a slight problem. It appeared like I failed to count properly. My name is done with 1 thread over 1 linen thread and I made the I too short which then made the M too short and I got to the B and realized this so I have to go back and tear it out, sigh. 

Got my start on this one last night. This is another Indigo Rose piece. I had intended to move on to another designer after having done 2 in a row, Brittany's Quilt and Fine China, but this one has been calling my name and as I had all the fabric and threads it won out. I was intending to start one of the 4 Duets I have from Valerie Pfeiffer as I have all that fabric and thread ready to go as well, ahh well. I'll get to them, eventually :)

And some progress to report... This is my start on my new name tag for my EGA chapter. I did this last evening while watching a movie and it went amazingly quick. The second piece, which is the front will be the same, less a row or two for my name, depending on whether or not I put my last name on it. I'm currently of the mind to leave it off. Summer Needle Roll is coming along as well. Not as much happening here as the name tag but it will get there. Not sure that I'll be going to sit and stitch this evening. I was hoping to be able to pick up some small pieces of fabric for some of the other small projects that are waiting in the wings but that is going to depend entirely on the weather. The forecast is ranging from rain all day to rain/ice/snow. If we get the latter I don't care how much salt the snow plows drop, the highway to the store we stitch at is not so nice and not someplace I want to be when its icy. Hope everyone else is staying safe with the odd wea

Thanks everyone for your comments.  I haven't been getting around and commenting as much as I'd like, alot has been going on here so I haven't had as much time as I normally do. I worked on some of my finishing last night and am having an awful time with the Lorri Birmingham pincushion. She says to run gathering stitches, stuff it, and put it in the silver basket but mine just ends up all puckered and I hate it so I'm going to have to mess with it a bit and see what I can do. If you have any suggestions or know where I can find some better instruction please let me know in my comments. There are a couple of things that I may try if I can't get the stuffing to fill it out as I'd like but I'd prefer to do it the proper way so I don't ruin my stitching. Got my last 2 projects that I knew were coming. I really have made the decision that any new projects must really be spectacular as I certainly don't need anything more which means I'll buy 6 mo

Got a few new things going now that I've removed a few things from the WIP list. I was actually trying to not have it so out of control but the projects were calling to me. I got a start on this one, the Summer Needle Roll from Lorri Birmingham. I figure this should be a quick stitch and I will have another roll to add to the pile. I somehow wound up with 2 darning baskets from Longaberger so after seeing someone else with the same idea I've decided to fill one of them with needle rolls that I've stitched.

Got my Still Stitching Pocket done this weekend! I'm done working on black until I decided its a necessary evil again or hell freezes over, whichever comes last. Now I have to read up on the finishing so I can get it all put together this week. The pattern is altered a bit from the design. I started the words that are supposed to go at the fold atleast 5 times and was never happy with them so I've opted to skip them all together.

Almost there with this one. I am extremely pleased with how the color contrast looks despite my dislike for working black on black. I think the finished piece will be well worth the aggravation. I have just the red left, both the black borders are in now, just some red to get finished here.

Here is my progress so far on the Shaker Sewing Box. Heck I can't even see it and I have it here infront of me. The outline is done with DMC Linen thread so there is no sheen to make it stand out against the fabric as well. I have to say I am a bit nervous about using this thread to hold the box together. Despite it being "linen" thread it doesn't seem very strong. They took a piece of it at the LNS store last night to have a look at it as they hadn't ordered any yet and it actually broke quite easily. I will just be hoping that its enough to hold this together since that is the thread that is called for in the design. Not much else in stitching to report. I have been busy with alot of things so my evenings haven't been spent in my comfy chair stitching as I'd like. Hopefully we'll get back to that so I can get some of my bigger projects moving along.

I started this on Friday, I was bored with working on the Peace Tree that I've been taking to work on at lunch. I finished it up this evening during the Superbowl this evening. Its still a bit damp in this shot as I managed to get something on it but all is well now and its drying so I can press it. When its all set to go its going to be made into a small pillow.

No I haven't been stash shopping again,  Ok so maybe just a little bit. My Inspirations Magazine came in at one LNS so we went to pick it up last night and they were having a store wide 20% Superbowl Sale, and there was a shiny thing that distracted me. Next thing I knew I had a chart paid for and it was too late. I did manage to limit myself to 2 new charts in addition to the magazine I was picking up so they were all covered by the gift certificate I got for Christmas from my boss. I'd been saving it to get Maidens of the Season II from Mirabilia and there is just enough left when it comes in. Earlier last night mom was going through her stash in the attic to find a chart she wanted and I was perusing her stash while she was hunting. I got all of these out of there that she's decided she may never get to making. Because I completely needed more in my stash eh? I went to put them away and was rearranging again and found 4 other projects I had forgotten about.

I've come to the conclusion that I really need to stay away from sit and stitch gatherings that involve me being in a needlework store. Last night I was at one and I had to get a few threads for the Shaker Spool Holder from Sampler & Antique Needlework and the 50% off box was calling my name from across the store. The Scare crow Wabbit from Sheeping Designs is something I've been eyeing for a while and there it was I just couldn't pass it up ;) Then just as I thought I was making a break for the register I spotted the New Charts... Ooooh new Drawn Thread :) I've seen this Red Lace needlecase a few times and always thought it was cool and I could... not... resist LOL! Like I really need anymore charts. Last night at sit and stitch I brought my stitching pocket along. I think several of the ladies wanted to check to see if I had a fever for working black on black. I really wonder what I was smoking when I thought this would be a good idea as it is going to make