Holly’s Stitching & Stuff

October 28, 2008

SBEBB Fall House Exchange Arrival!

Filed under: Uncategorized — by indystitch @ 7:03 pm

Yesterday I had a package from Australia at my door and was thrilled to find that Karen had sent me a package for the SBEBB Fall House Exchange.  Here is Acorn Hill, from Little House Needleworks, finished as a pinkeep:

PA270067

Karen also sent along some wonderful goodies to go along with her beautiful stitched piece – I especially love the pretty flower glass buttons:

PA270066

Thank you Karen, for a wonderful exchange!

October 26, 2008

I will never be a seamstress…..

Filed under: Uncategorized — by indystitch @ 5:25 pm

(*(*&(*$%%^&*( !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I suck at sewing.  I am trying to attach lining fabric to my Where Stitchers Gather and I hate the way its looking so far.  The directions say to use a slip stitch, but what I’m basically doing is a running stitch between the folded over pieces of fabric.. the stitches are invisible, just like they should be, but I’m having a terrible time keeping the fold of the lining fabric parallel to the fold of the stitched fabric. 

So.. I’m about to pull out the stitches and try again… oh yeah and I suck at mitering corners too.

I’m really good with glue….

This was supposed to be a gift but i have the feeling it’ll end up hidden in shame deep within my stash where I’ll only come across it every 10 years or so.

October 24, 2008

Where Stitchers Gather Progress Update

Filed under: Works In Progress — by indystitch @ 5:55 pm

Here is the latest – today i’m just showing my progress since the last picture (see two posts below…)

wsg1024

Funny how he spokes on the spider roses are showing in the picture – you can’t see them IRL…

Anyhow, I’ve got to add some beads and some other little details and this will be finished and ready for finishing.  For me, finishing this as a pocket is going to be a challenge!  My primary concern is attaching the lining fabric, but the directions in the leaflet are pretty good.  Hopefully ‘ll find some time this weekend to work on that.  I’ll post again when its fully finished.

Next up on my project list is a biscornu kit from the Sweetheart Tree and starting the class project from Celebration of Needlework.

October 17, 2008

Finished Project of the Week – VS Heirloom Anniversary Sampler

Filed under: Finished Project of the Week, Victoria Sampler — by indystitch @ 9:38 am

This is a continuing series of posts dedicated to stitching projects that were finished prior to my starting a blog in April.

This is Victoria Sampler’s Heirloom Anniversary Sampler, stitched in 2002, for my parents’ 35th anniversary.  I really love the colors in this one and the framing recommendations were from my most favorite framer ever in Coeur d’Alene, ID, Rockebys.

Victoria Sampler's Heirloom Anniversary Sampler
Victoria Sampler Heirloom Anniversary Sampler

Even though this is a relatively long sampler, its only maybe 3-4″ wide, so it went pretty quickly.  I think I finished it in a month.  It has lots of sparkle in real life, and I love that little oblong bead at the very bottom of the hardanger.  There are also four mother of pearl hearts in the satin stitched border.

Thanks for all of your comments – I love reading all of them!

October 16, 2008

Celebration Stash Enhancement

Filed under: Celebration of Needlework, Stash — by indystitch @ 7:16 pm

Before I talk more about Celebration, I’d like to send out a big Thank You to Gill, who so kindly sent me the Margaret Sherry “Crafty Cat” chart that I’ve been looking for!

Crafty Cat!
Margaret Sherry’s Crafty Cat

Thank you Gill!  Stitchers are truly a bunch of very nice people.

I love all of the stash I picked up at Celebration of Needlework last weekend. I picked up these goodies in the market:

Market Stash

I caved to temptation and got the souvenier bag, but I have to say that I love it and its twice as big as my current stitching bag.  I can fit sooo much stuff in there.  I also got two biscornu kits from Sweetheart Tree, the Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue, a wooden thread holder, and some pretty scissors from the Silver Needle booth.  The fob on the scissors is from a Make-It-Take-It class that I did Saturday afternoon.

Friday Night Gifts

These are the gifts I received at the Friday Night Charity Event – a kit and hardware, a cute bag, a sampler of Zweigart cuts, and a piece of linen that has been hemstitched.  Fun Stuff!

Bingo Prizes

Part of the Friday Night Event included bingo where everyone won something.  These are my three prizes – I’m happy with all of them.

Class Chartpack

Class Supplies

Here is the chartpack and the class supplies I received with the class I took Saturday afternoon with Jackie du Plessis.

I had such a wonderful time.  In fact, earlier in the week I was thinking about how much I loved The Celebration of Needlework and spending time with my internet stitching friends.  I realized that due to schedule constraints, I only spent approximately 24 hours celebrating!

Soooo, I’ve decided to go to the next Celebration in Nashua at the end of April!  :D   I can plan ahead and spend more time!  So barring any unforseen financial or schedule issues, I’ll be there!  Any one else attending?

October 12, 2008

Celebration of Needlework – Where Stitchers Gather

Filed under: Celebration of Needlework, Works In Progress — by indystitch @ 11:57 am

First off, I have a new progress picture of Victoria Sampler’s Where Stitchers Gather:

 Where Stitchers Gather

I stitched most of that bottom floral band in the stitchers’ lounge at the Celebration of Needlework in Louisville, KY.  Susan and  drove down Friday morning, and drove back home Saturday night.  I had a fabulous time visiting the mall, completing a “make it and take it,” taking a class with the fabulous Jackie du Plessis, but I had the most fun hanging around with some of my online friends who were also in attendance:

I did a moderate amount of shopping and came home with some things that I can’t wait to stitch and a new appreciation for some designers who’s work was on display in the booths.  Sometimes you just can’t tell how pretty something is until you see it in person!  Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my camera, so I have no pictures to show, but some of the people above did bring cameras and will hopefully post some pics of the fun in their blogs.

This was the first time I’d attended a needlework convention, but I had so much fun that I doubt it will be the last!

October 9, 2008

Finished Project of the Week – The Cherubs

Filed under: Finished Project of the Week — by indystitch @ 11:34 pm

This series of posts called “Finished Project of the Week” is meant to highlight stitching I’ve finished prior to creating a blog.  I also like to have plenty of stitching for my readers to look at while I’m making progress on my current projects.

I just love stitching these….  they are a nice break from blended thread and confetti, and they are beautiful when finished.  Here are the Mirabilia Freebie Cherubs I’ve stitched so far:

Mirabilia's 2001 Guardian Cherub

2001 Cherub

Mirabilia's 1997 Cherub

1997 Cherub

100_0295

2000 Cherub

Mirabilia 2004 Cherub

2004 Cherub

My LNS, House of Stitches has all of these finished and hanging as shop models and I’m inspired every time I visit to print off another pattern and get started on a new Cherub.  I’m sure that I’ll stitch all of them some day. 

I do have an update on Victoria Sampler’s Where Stitchers Gather, but I’ll probably post that after I get back from The Celebration of Needlework in Louisville!

October 4, 2008

Yay! SBEBB Exchange Received

Filed under: Exchanges, Finished Cross Stitch — by indystitch @ 4:37 pm

Simone contacted me this morning to let me know that she received the exchange I sent to her.

SeasonPlentyBox2

SeasonPlentyBox

I stitched Little House Needlworks Season of Plenty and fitted it to the box lid.  The raw edges of the fabric are covered with pumpkin patterned ribbon.  The circles below the ribbon were part of the pattern printed on the box, which didn’t have an autumn theme.  I thought leaving the circles exposed looked nice, plus, it helped me line up the ribbon so that it was straight… :D  

The bottom of the box is fully covered and lined with the green leaf fabric.  The inside bottom of the box is padded with the same fabric.   My picture of the inside of the box didn’t really turn out so well, but Simone has a nice pic of it, as well as the goodies included, on her blog.

Athough initially, I was quite stressed about my stitching and finishing being good enough to exchange, I had so much fun with this that I’ll probably sign up for another exchange some time soon.  The inspiration to finish as a fabric covered box struck me at the last minute and my tolerant DBF even went to Hobby Lobby with me to pick out the materials I needed.  :D

Special thanks to all of you who leave such wonderful comments on my blog.  I love reading them!

October 3, 2008

Mini Stitching Slump

Filed under: Pets, Uncategorized — by indystitch @ 8:43 pm

I finished my SBEBB Autumn House exchange last weekend and got it off in the mail on Tuesday.  It’s going a long long way, and I’m hoping it arrives shortly!  It’s hard for me to be happy with a finish and not be able to post it!

Anyway, I haven’t picked up any stitching since.  My evenings after work have been all about sleep and not about stitching.  I’ve been cuddling up with the pink afghan my mom made for me when I was little and taking naps on the couch just about every evening.  I just know, though, that when I pull out Where Stitchers Gather again, I’ll be hooked… that is so fun to stitch!  I should go and get it out right away…

I’ve also been looking for a couple of OOP charts.  I’m seriously searching for Margaret Sherry’s “Crafty Cat” from the June 2003 edition of Cross Stitcher (UK).  I saw this on Sharon’s blog and it looks so much like my Mia kitty that I really want to stitch it!  (Scroll down on her page and check out her very organized stitching area!)  In my search, I also came across another Margaret Sherry design called “Cuddly Cats” on a blog that came up in my google search called Cross Stitch Crazy….  totally looks like my two kitties, but you’d rarely see them in this pose…  I’ve searched google and ebay with no luck….  Of course, its not like I’m lacking things to stitch right now, but those charts are just so cute! 

Anyway, I hope to be back soon with pics of my received Autumn House exchange and some decent progress on Where Stitchers Gather….

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