Finishes

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Recent finishes and framed pieces

I've been so busy on the computer at work that the last thing I want to do on the weekends is be on the computer. I took the time today to do the last two posts and this one. I'm playing catch-up today. :)

Here are two Shepherd's Bush pieces (or is it really 5??). I finished Easter Parade from a kit. I stitched the four Easter egg kits and got them framed as one. The inner mats complement each egg and one mat on top to tie it all together. If I ever find the first set of eggs I stitched, I'll make them into ornaments for a future Easter tree.

SB Easter Parade  April 2011">

SB Eggs framed Jun 2011">

A friend bought me this chart book of Blackbird's Down by the Sea. I loved this so I started it immediately. I switched the threads to a nice Caron Wildflowers I had on hand.

"Blackbird Down to the Sea Feb 2011">

Every year I try to do a piece celebrating the 4th of July on the 4th of July. This year, while watching the Coney Island hot dog eating contest on TV, I stitched Pine Mountain's Liberty. The kit came with a little red frame.

Pine Mountain Liberty Jul 4 2011">


I've had several cats over the years, but by far my favorite was a male tuxedo I named Shannon. He was a rescue (as they all have been), liked to fetch a fuzzy pink catnip ball, knead me, and slept with his head on my elbow. He only lived 4 years, but they were a great 4 years. Time passes. I'm in a craft store looking at the cross stitch kits and there, to my surprise, is a picture of Shannon! The design was on white fabric with half stitched black. There were six or seven cats in the picture, but in the black was Shannon. I always meant to stitch the whole thing, but one day this spring it occurred to me that if I only liked the tuxedo, then stitch only the tuxedo! So here he is:

Janlyn kit cats Shannon 2011">

In Just CrossStitch October 2010 issue was a design I liked by Lisa Roswell of Primitive Sampler. It's called Halloween Revelry. Due to a boo boo of mine, I stitched it with the wrong side as the top. That didn't leave enough room to do the entire design. I punted and really like with what I did.

Primitive Needle Halloween Revelry May 2011">

In an issue of SANQ this year was a reproduction sampler by Lucie Beharel in France. I stitched this because I like the color orange and there's a repro category in the fair.

"Lucie Beharel repro sampler Jun 2011">
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A WIP: Fraktur Alphabet Sampler

I just adore this piece and the colors are fantastic! I had hoped to get this framed in time to be entered in the fairs, but, as you can see, it's no where near ready! The fairs start in 10 days!

Lila's Studio Fraktur Alphabet Jul 17 2011">

Part 1 of Halloween Mantle

I saw this and had to have it! I'm almost done with part one. I just have to do the rest of the mantle and the beginning of the swag.



Bent Creek House of Jacks Jul 17 2011">

Friday, July 15, 2011

I'm knitting Easter eggs

Why? Don't ask me! :) I saw them the other day in a Spring knitting magazine and I became transfixed. I was headed for Joann Fabric anyway so I picked up some sock yarn (self-striping) and size one dp needles. Yes, that was size ONE double pointed needles. Ick! I think size 8s are tiny! LOL

You cast on 8 stitches, join, then K2,M1 all around to give you 12. I must've ripped out and started over six times before I put pen to paper and drew it out. In my experience K2,M1 means knit two stitches and increase in the next stitch. Apparently they want K2,M1 to mean knit two and in the second stitch increase. Too confusing. I rewrote the pattern for my way of understanding and finished an egg. Too cute and it striped nicely, including a little diagonal striping! The next egg looked a bit skimpy. As I neared the end I counted my stitches and sure enough, I'd missed a major increase row. Since I'm aiming to make a dozen, when I'm done I'll see how I feel about re-doing this one. (Egg from a smaller hen? Could I sell that thought??)