A bit more

Anyone watch the Oscars last night?  I watched the last 3 hours worth and I am always excited to see everyone all dressed up.  Who was your favorite?  We don't go and watch movies in the theaters so I didnt really know much about them. The actors up for the Oscars are always popular names and you secretly wish for a specific individual to win. I still think Marty should win and Leo.  I was glad to see Matthew win for best actor. And Cate Blanchett!  Beautiful as always.  I think Ellen did a great job hosting, pretty funny and that pizza stint was pretty good right?!  Talk about audience participation!!
Each night over the last week I was able to find some me time, whether it was a few hours or just 1, I stitched on SDW.  Can you believe it?!  I am committed to finishing this next and I am surprisingly really enjoying it too!

I was hoping to finish the motif on the right side but almost there!  Those little curly ques involved sure slow down my 'sewing' method of stitching.  But, they will be soon a thing of the past :)
I look forward to another busy week-- (on so many levels!) 
Sun is shining today, hopefully it is where you live, I know its been super cold-- great time to stitch under a nice warm quilt, along with a roaring fire!!!!!  Have a good one :)

Next up.....

This past weekend while stitching madly on Jane Tindall, I had the urge to do a little stash diving and see what I wanted to work on next.... what would call me the loudest.  So pulling some out of the basement, I had it all over the floor.  Would I start something new or continue on with another WIP? 
After seeing Krista's gorgeous finish of her SDW German Band Sampler on her blog last week, the thought of pulling mine out was quite tempting.  I haven't been in the stash bin in a while and looking at all these beautiful projects all waiting patiently to come out and play, I pulled out a few and layed them next to me on the couch.  When I completed Jane I knew I had to choose just 1 :))
So SDW did pull out on top!!! Yeah!!  With a few wonderfully encouraging emails from friends all over the world, I knew I was making the right decision!  I actually am excited to work on this... which is a very good thing.  Last year, I finished Dutch Beauty which was by far the largest project I have ever worked on; even more so when I didnt follow the symbols on the chart.  I chose to stitch her by the picture of the chart-- which is what drew me in to love DB.  This too was the case with the SDW sampler, (alot of the samplers I choose I do this too)-- I know its crazy, but in my mind I see it a specific way and when I see the colors chosen, I make adjustments.
With all of that said, I started working on the SDW with a few gals right after my DB days last year and I just couldn't get into it.  I felt so bad, simply because they were all sooo excited!  Choosing the colors charted for in the sampler were not the ones in my head, so I again would spend more time choosing the colors then stitching, which I just had gotten done with doing on DB.  I so didnt want to do that again!  ARRGHH!!!!
I am ready to do it again, just about a year later, I have pulled it out and layed the colors next to me.  I have pulled out the colors for the motifs I will work on and it seems to be going alot more smoothly.
This is where I left off last year on SDW-

I call this section 1 of 4 sections to be completed, and with just the lower left hand motif to go in this section, I was determined!  Enough already!!!  LOL.

This is where I stopped last night in the picture below, choosing to start the church in the 2nd section.  Since I am on a filling in a boat load roll, I thought I might get it out of the way.

I am stitching SDW on 45ct Vintage Fawn with my crazy conversion of NPI and AVS silks.   I know there is not a way to duplicate this, so don't even ask.  LOL. 
When I was putting Janes silks back into the storage file, the dyelots are soo different from same color number next to it in the bin.  AVS the most different, so beware, if you are using AVS, make sure to buy enough when working on 1 project, otherwise you might be disappointed.  I was lucky to have been told ahead of time that more then a few skeins were needed for the grass on Jane, so I bought a hank instead and didnt worry a bit.
I am looking forward to seeing what gets accomplished on this WIP this week, and I look forward to sharing more pics with all of you next week!!!
Thank you for all your kind words on Jane, it is so fun to hear them!!

Have a great week :)

The Sun is Shining on this Beautiful Day!

With the sounds of gun fire blazing inside and out last night, enough so that even Quentin Tarantino would blush.  With that happening, I was still able to power out Jane Tindall.  I have had a serious case of stitch-a** the last 3 nights, I was so determined that today was the day to finish this eternal stitching of grass.  A great gift right?!!
So, without further rambling, here she is!

Stitched on 40ct Birds of a Feather Sandpiper with the called for Silk colors--with a few minor color changes she is my first WIP finished and first finish of 2014!!
With the sun shining brightly today, it is a beautiful day to go out and enjoy it :)  I hope all of you have had a great weekend, and have a fantastic week!!

The end is near?

After a few solid nights of Olympics and stitching last week, I am much closer to the finish line with Jane.  I am trying to get all of the "non-grass items" stitched so that I can just really fill in the rest and not worry to much about the counting part.  My mind is starting to wander as to what I am hoping to stitch on after Jane is finished hopefully by the end of this month.  Can I do it?!!!!!  LOL.
Here she is so far!

I have to finish the bird and tree on the left, add a dog and the farmer.  Then the process of the eternal stitching begins again :)))))

Another Job Done!

I finished the binding on my niece's quilt this week and I am exited to share it with you.  She did such a great job choosing the 6 colors, selecting the borders and of course the backing and the binding.  I dont think the shop could have done a better job with the color selections!

What do you think?  Isnt it fabulous?!!!!  Now I am trying to work on slowly filling in the grass on Jane Tindall and wowza, it is an eternal project.  But, slow and steady wins the race!

Hope everyone is staying warm with all of this great white stuff!!!!  I think its great :))))))  The more the better!!

Enjoying life

It has sure been a while since my last post, but believe me, fun all around is being had.  Not too much in the craft department, I wanted to make 5 quilts this January...... I made only 3 plus helped my niece make one.  I still have time to start one, but dont think I am going to get around to 2 more :)  No worries though, I did get back the 2 quilts I had quilted.
The Christmas one, the binding is finished and I am very pleased.  My first standard size quilt complete.

I am now working on the binding of the flannel one.  I now know why there are a bunch of quilters with a boatload of quilt-tops waiting.  The quilting was very in-expensive for this quilt just a basic vine/swirl etc., and it is like a bargain compared to getting a cross stitch framed.  Now, I know the quilting can get quite expensive, but I find its worth it, just like a purchase of a frame for my stitching. 
I digress though, the binding is an easy task, just an eternal one.  I am looking forward to finishing it and getting my stitching back out.
My niece's quilt turned out great, and she did most of the sewing, I helped her with the pinning, just to move it along, and the cutting.  She doesnt have the strength just yet to hold it all still and get a straight line with the rotary cutter.   She did an excellent job and I know she is pleased.  She was excited sewing with my featherweight, she couldnt wait to tell her sewing teacher at school she made a quilt, on a machine older then her teacher :)  LOL.

Her quilt too is now back from the quilter and I will help her with the binding in a few weeks.  As she goes into high school next year, she is excited to transform her room into a new place.  Going with her to the quilt shop was such fun!  I talked with her about colors on the way over, and turns out, she likes the vintage feel too.  Seeing the expression on her face the minute we walked in the place, I knew she was going to have a great time choosing all the colors for her very first quilt.  She went to town, pulling bolts onto the bed and making selections.  I am very proud of her :))))

This next quilt, is my 3rd one I mentioned and this I have dubbed the camo quilt.  Why you ask?  It all started out with my choosing 2 digital camo patterns- one in green and the other in tan.  This is what happened :)  Sooooooo many little cuts and pieces, this by far is the most involved quilt I have made.  (Easy pattern for you experts!)  I am looking for the perfect backing, so I am not sure when I will have this one quilted, and I am thinking about something a little more involved on this top, so stay tuned!
On the stitching front, I have continued to work on Jane Tindall, and she is coming along wonderfully.

Slow and steady wins the race right?  In between the solid stitching on the bottom, and the binding on the quilt, I dont know what is slower...... But I am enjoying each and every bit of it so it doenst matter.
Last year you remember I had the biggest case of Stitch-A** stitching Dutch Beauty and this year we have been doing all kinds of activities.  Skiing, relaxing, etc., etc.  Just having a great time.  No complaints that is for sure :)))
So until next time....enjoy your week!