First of March and WINNERS!

Don't think I have any pictures to share, and haven't finished anything lately.  Well, that's not exactly true - I did deliver that Civil War reproduction quilt, but am still working on those pictures.  I'm still stitching on my Scarlet Letter sampler as part of Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year.  Making changes all over the place on that one.

But, I did take the time to sit down and draw the winners for the Blogaversary Giveaway!!!

The lucky folks - and what they won are - dah dah dah dah ! -

Peg C - won the April Prairie Schooler chart
Evelyne - won the Long Dog Sampler chart
April - won the needles
Kathy H. - won the mini-sampler kit
and Deb (The Threadgather) - won the Cherished Stitches chart.

Whoo Hoo!  Congratulations to all.  Turns out, I do have something to share.  At my last DAR meeting, we were entertained by Tom Dawson, a local fiddler.  He specializes in historical performances and he talked to us about the evolution of fiddle music in the US from our earliest days as a colony forward.  Hope you enjoyed.  All the winners - I'll be in touch with you by email; if you don't hear from me, it's because I can't contact you, so you'll need to contact me. 

Celebrating 100th Follower and Catching Up!

Hiya!  Wow, I finally got to 100 followers.  Thanks to Ruth, my latest!  Seems like I should do something special.

When last we talked, I said I was doing a lot of stuff and not sharing.  So, here's the updates -

The cathedral windows table runner is done.  For the binding, I used all my leftover window squares, sewed them all together in a long strip.  I also cut a plain piece of white cotton folded in half and attached it, along with the binding.  The white strip became a flange on top and the binding, of course, goes all the way 'round to the back.  The back is just one large scrap piece of the 1930's reprints. 

Here's a closer view of the corner, flange and binding.  I'm super happy with the way it turned out.  This is also the longest I've ever let a project go between starting a finishing - I swear, I've been working on this for more than 15 years.  Usually I will decide that I'm never going to finish something, or have lost interest in it, so I'll toss it and all it's parts into the Goodwill bag and let it be someone else's treasure (problem?)  But, this one I hung onto.  I'm glad I did.

Next up - the needlepoint blue jay.  The canvas was designed by Labors of Love.  I picked out the fibers to use.   The canvas came with the feathers and the springy feet.  So, last weekend I sat down to finish it.  And boy, when I got done at the sewing machine and turning it right side out, I thought "oh, crap!  I've ruined it".  So I spent 12 hours thinking about it and decided that as hard as it is, I was going to have to hand stitch the seam in places and then cover it up with cording.  I made the cording out of gold DMC Light Effects (a metallic) and then VERY carefully hot glued it on.  No burnt fingers this time.  Then I stuffed those feathers into the hole I'd left at the end and hot glued in the springy feet.  VIOLA!

As you can see, he will be beautiful on a Christmas tree!

Next up, my experimental stitching.  Last year, Prairie Schooler came out with Ukrainian Easter eggs and a Christmas design on black fabric.  Many of you know how tough stitching on black fabric is.  Yeah, I know, we can use a light box.  But, those can get awful warm on your lap.  Remember I just finished up the American Sampler?  And on the sides and top I had to do the Alternating Half Cross Stitch to "recolor" the background fabric to the dark green?  Well, as I sat there stitching all those infernal half crosses, I was wondering, will this work for the problem of black fabric?

I took a piece of red linen I had.  I chose red because when they do gilding, often they will paint the object to be gilded red before they apply the gold gilt.  Somehow it makes it look richer.  The fabric was 28 count.  I cannot say that I am 100% happy with how things turned out, but I really think I'm onto something here.  Maybe I just need to use a smaller count, like 32.  Anyway, here's one of the PS Easter eggs that was featured several years ago in Gift of Stitching Magazine.

Top pic shows the work in progress; bottom shows the finished stitching.  Now to make it into an ornament.  So, whadaya think?  Beats stitching on black fabric.

A few months back I showed you a pre-printed schoolhouse stitchery I'd picked up at an antique mall.  I got a start on it with my variagated threads:

Also, a few months ago I picked up pre-printed embroidery quilt squares.  I got a start on them too, but have since exhaused my supply of those colors of floss; will pick up more next week; this is destined for my guest bedroom.

Also got a start of Little House Needleworks Liberty Belles.  However, I am changing the color pallete.  Doing it on 32 count scrap linen.

I probably showed this to you a year or so ago.  It's a table runner I made.  I designed the foundation leaf and used scraps to make it up.  I originally wanted to do a whole quilt that looked like this, but after doing a few blocks - and there are some set-in seams - I decided that there was no way.  So I made the table runner out of the "few blocks".  I like to do that now, find blocks that I sort of want to experiment with - just to say I did - and then make up a table runner.  I guess that's what the whole bed-runner craze now is all about.  Although I think a bed runner is pretty useless.  I mean, why make your bed, you're just going to sleep in it again.  JUST KIDDING!!!  But I still don't see the point in a bed runner.

 

So, anyway, for you intrepid experimental quilters, here's the foundation pattern.  This is my present to you for my achievement of 100 followers!  Thanks again to all who follow.

Finally, I am working on charting out my granddaughter's Christmas stocking.  Sadly, no pictures yet.  Hope you enjoyed!

Christmas Rules Give Away Winner, &tc.

Pulled the name just a few minutes ago for the collection of Lizzie Kate Christmas Rules charts.  Without further ado, the winner is Jonette.  If I'm recalling correctly, she is in the medical profession and we've been corresponding lately over our shared trauma joy of stitching those detailed stockings for our family members.  So, Jonette, I've sent you an email to get your mailing address.

Speaking of stockings, I put the final touches on the one for my DIL.  Here is how it looks overall:

Bookcase Detail

Tree Decorations Detail

The cranberries on the bookcase were kind of a flop in my opinion, but I'm not unstitching all those beads!!!!  Shudder to think!  I was, however, particularly happy with the candy canes on my tree that peeks out behind the chair in the toe.  In fact, if I didn't tell  you there was a tree there, most people would probably miss it, right?  Anyway, the candy canes are stitched  with Kreinik braid #4 in white and some dazzling hot pink/red using the Whipped Backstitch that I learned in the Encyclopedia of Needlework by Donna Kooler.  Funny that it should be that writer on this project as these stockings (at least most of them) came out of the Donna Kooler Design Studio.

I'm pretty sure most of the stockings were designed by Sandy Orton.  I think that's funny, because she also designed the American Sampler and that's the project I've picked up to work on since I finished the stocking.  Here's one of the little sheep from the front yard . . . .

 And I do mean little.  This sucker is only about 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch.  I'm sure I told you this already, but my family is used to my repeating myself - ya'll might as well get used to it too.  I am not going to go out of my way to stitch over one on this bad boy.  If it can be stitched over two, I'm going to.  This sheap is an example of that.  It was supposed to be all over one, but I think the combi-stitches give it a fluffy, sheep-like appearance.  What do you think?  And, if you don't agree, you can say that too.

Here's how far I've gotten:

I have made a huge mistake that is also going to stay in.  See all the green grass?  Well, the chart called for 732 (DMC - that's what I'm using to stitch this with - on Lakeside Navy Bean 32 ct.).  So I had my little bobbin of 732 and was stitching away.  And I thought, wow, this is pretty dark, the other things aren't showing up too well on this.  I checked my bobbin - rechecked the chart, several times - to make sure I was using the right color.  And it was the right color.  And then, I ran out.  I reached into my stash of DMC to pull out another 732.  And I didn't have one.  I had 730, 731, 733 but no 732.  Then I noticed that 731 (or was it 733?) anyway, I noticed that whatever number that was looked an awful lot like the one I'd been using to stitch the grass.  And so I pulled some off and threaded my needle and started stitching and it WAS a perfect match.  GASP!  I had been stitching with the wrong color.  I had the wrong color on my bobbin!  Sacre bleu!   (fill in horror show music here).  I sat there starring, because you see, I'd already stitched 3/4's of the grass.  Oh, screw it!  I said and finished it off in the wrong color.  Then I back stitched in a darker brown the tree trunks and decided that everything else contrasted well enough.  And it's fine.  Right?

Working on the tree trunks now and figured out - after I thought I'd made another mistake - that the two tree trunks, while very similar, are both actually different.  Whew!  So, that's what I'm doing now. 

The new granchild is due any day and then I'll have to finish stitching up his birth announcement.  I also have to get his quilt quilted and finished.  Granddaughter's skirt is on the way to her as is the changing table pad cover that I made.  Remember that I told you they have a pirate theme going?  Well, here's the cover I made for the pad:

And yes, for the English majors out there - I do know that I left out the apostrophe.  That's it, that's all I've got.  Jonette, don't forget to email me - and I hope ya'll enjoyed.

Real Quick -

Many thanks to those of you who have wondered why I was MIA.  You know how we women are - can't learn to say "No" well enough.  I've just had a lot of stuff going on that I've said "Yes" to and it's been keeping me from doing the things I really enjoy doing.  I've also had a bit of a health scare, but I'm OK; not to worry.

What I am putting this post up about is my Blogaversary.  Blogger tells me that I made my first post three years ago.  Wow, I can't believe it's been that long!

To celebrate, I'm having a giveaway.  Two weeks from now - or so - on the 14th of March - I'll draw the winner.  What's the prize?  Well, it's all my gently used Lizzie Kate charts for Christmas Rules.

It includes all the charts, the freebie header in case you want to do it all as one like I did, and the bonus chart "Jingle All the Way".  Most people didn't put the bonus on their piece, but I did.  What is NOT included is all the little buttons and things.  Leave a comment on this post or put on your blog for a second chance to win. 

Granddaughter's birthday is coming fast, and this was a Make-It request.  More on that in another post.

I am totally stoked about the trim I designed for this pillow that I'm delivering to a customer today:

Hope you all have a wonderful Leap Day tomorrow! 

1st Giveaway Winner and AotH Update

I set aside the birth sampler so I could work on the December block for AotH.  I can't believe that it's been nearly a year and I'm almost finished with the blocks.

Those who have worked the blocks ahead of me will note some significant changes.  This being a December block, I thought that a little Decemberishness should be displayed.  So, I changed the lower border into holly instead of flowers.  I used WDW "Holly" and GA "Cherry Wine".  Then I changed the birds into Cardinals - the lower one using GA "Apple Cider" plus the house color and the upper one repeating the "Cherry Wine".  Decided not to pretend that my ancestor had made this "sampler" and just put in REMEMBER instead of REMEMBER ME and threw in some extra snowflakes.  I alternated the snowflakes between "Antique Lace" (I used the GA version) and GA "Oatmeal".  Oh, I also was not going to do a green star on the tree with "Mustard Seed".  At least, my mustard seed was green, not gold or yellow.  So, I used "Apple Cider on that too.

The highlighted ancestress is Christina Trapp who was born on December 31, 1783.  She was born in Bullskin Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania.  Back then, it was the frontier.  The Revolution was only just over.  The Whiskey Rebellion yet to begin.  I've been reading up on early county history and from what I read, families were really self-sufficient.  They had to be their own blacksmiths, tanners, farriers, etc.  Christina's father, Andrew, was born in Salt Like Township in 1760 according to researchers.  I think that's just a little too early.  In 1760 they were still fighting the French & Indian War.  Things were bad with the natives in southwestern PA, so I'm not sure that her father would have been born there.  Andrew was the first Justice of the Peace in Fayette County (which was formed the same year Christina was born).  He also operated a mill.

Christina's mother was Catherine.  She died between 1783 and 1789.  In 1789 Andrew remarried and this second wife bore him 10 children.  As an older sister to all those babies, Christina learned how to care for children, and I guess love them - lots of them!  She was married to a neighbor, Michael Senff, on February 12, 1804.  She and Michael migrated on to Ross County, Ohio where they would eventually settle in Green Township.  Christina was the mother of 13 children.  She would lose 7 of those children either at birth, in infancy or childhood.  Can you imagine, having half of your children die?

I am sure that Christina was a needleworker.  She may not have done much for pleasure, but as much as they were pioneers in Pennsylvania and later, in Ohio, there was probably much utilitarian sewing that she had to do.  Christina died on November 17, 1839 and is buried at the White Churches Cemetery in Colerain Township, Ross County, Ohio. I only just found this tombstone picture posted on Find-A-Grave and am disappointed to see that her name was Christi -ANA - Not Christi-na.  I'm pretty sure that her husband knew the proper spelling of her name.  The info I have on her was mostly from my mother's research 30 years ago, so I'm not surprised that new information has now come to light.  I don't think I can change the name on the sampler - not enough room!  Boo Hoo!

I had a lovely lunch with my friend last week and she brought this needlepoint that she'd picked up at an auction.  She was asking me what colors I would use to fill it in.  I suggested a very light green for the bottom and a pale-ish blue for the top.  Then I told her how much I liked it and if she ever saw one like it at the auctions again, pick it up for me.

And then she hands it to me, just like that.  She said it was actually supposed to be one of my Christmas presents.  So, if anyone is out there who does needlepoint, I'm looking to get my hands on some Paternayan needlepoint wool.  Let me know if you have any resources - I know the supply is dwindling like crazy, but . . . It would be just wonderful if that company could pick itself up by its hindquarters and figure out how to do business again!  But, I LOVE this piece and can't wait to see it on the leather sofa I have imagined I'm buying soon. 

Finally, the winner of the giveaway is Theresa S. (aka KiddLady) of Kent, WA.  She's been notified by Email.  Sorry I was late posting the winner - I seem to have come down with the creeping crud after the busy weekend, so I was really under the weather and the covers yesterday.  The second giveaway of the Holiday season is this:

What we have here are two gently used charts - One is Polly the Witch from Brooke's Books and a little Christmasy piece called Sweet Nothings.  Charts only on these.  PLUS some nice little petite needles.  My fingers are too big and fumbly for petites, so it's your lucky day!  This time, you'll need to post a comment here and post about the giveaway on your blogs (for an extra chance).

 Oh, and I have lots of pictures of the Civil War extravaganza, but they're on my other camera that I (DUH!) left in a friend's car.  I hope to get it back tomorrow so I'll fiddle with the pics and get something posted later in the week.  Hope you enjoyed!

First Giveaway of the Holiday Season

I worked a bit more on the birth sampler; am very happy with the results. I have set the sampler aside so I can work on the December block for AotH. I can't believe how close I am to finishing both samplers.

Each week I plan to do a giveaway. Rules are simple. Comment on this post and be a follower and you'll get a chance.

Here's the first giveaway - it's an Ellen Chester design (With My Needle) called Alphabet Samplings Book.  I really love it, but I have had to come to the conclusion that I will never do it.  There's just not enough time.  Chart is brand new, never been used.  Be sure to tell others about this giveaway.  Remember - the more the merrier!  Drawing the name on Monday, December 12.

Funny pictures - I was coming out of the farm market, saw these pigs.  Decided to have a look.  When I stepped out of the car I cautiously walked up to the pen because I wasn't too sure what mama was going to do and I understand pigs can be really, really mean.  So there I was standing next to the pen and this little piglet came running up to me -

 I suddenly felt like I was in the movie Babe.  Then the piglet realized that all its brothers and sisters were eating and it squealed and ran back to its mother.

But then it couldn't get in.  This piglet squealed and squealed.  I laughed and laughed.  It was a great stress reliever.  I should spend more time at the farm market. 

 

Hope you enjoyed!

Winner of the Give Away - and TripWitch

TripWitch

And the Winner is . . . drum roll please . . . Natasha (from California)!!!  YAY!!!  I've already sent her an email congratulating her. 

Also, as previously promised, here's a picture of what I like to call TripWitch.  They are by Brookes Books.  I've been looking at these for ever so long and finally decided to get them.  A bit of advice - I didn't buy the Kreinik braid that was called for when I ordered the charts.  I thought that they were only going to be used for hi-lites at the end.  Well, they're actually used pretty extensively for the cross stitch.  So I'd recommend that if you get these, track down the Kreinik too so you can make progress right away.  I'm in the situation now where I have to stop and wait; consequently, these won't be done for Halloween THIS year. 

Anyway, I wanted to say that I got a pretty good deal on these, ordering them directly from Brooke.  The three of them, WITH THE PERF PAPER, come together for $29.99 and that INCLUDES SHIPPING.  That's a good deal when they sell from shops for $10 and I'm not sure that includes the paper and know it doesn't include the shipping.

And, she's got some new designs coming out soon that are really cute for Christmas. 

Off to meet up with an old friend today and bum around a bit and have lunch.  We're meeting at the Crate & Barrel outlet so who knows what kind of trouble I'll get into while I'm gone!

Thank you all so much for being interested in my giveaway, for reading my blog and complimenting it SO much and for following - I look forward to visiting each and every one of YOUR blogs and getting to know you better.  Talk soon!

P-s-s-s-s-t Have You Heard About my First Give Away?

I'm doing a Give Away.  That's right, I finally got myself together enough to actually proceed with my very first Give Away.

Here's what you'll get -

Since we've been painting and I've actually had to clean my house instead of ignore it, I realized I have more stash than I know what to do with.  My DIL isn't into "country" or "primitive" style, so can't send this to her.  I had purchased two charts - this one and the other one that says "America, America".  I ended up stitching "America, America" (twice! - gave the other one to my BFF) and putting this one away.  Have decided that I won't use this one.  So, this is an unused chart EXCEPT I wrote the size of the piece of linen I'd need on it.  Then there is a piece of R&R linen "St. Valentine's Blend" that is 13-3/4 x 17, MORE than big enough to stitch this piece.  And finally, two unopened packages of petite needles - I find that they're too small for my fumbly fingers. 

My loss is your gain!  Here's what you do -

Tell everyone on God's Green Earth about this Giveaway.  If you post a comment on this blog entry, I'll give you a chance.  If you post it on your website and tell me that you have, I'll give you a chance.  If you become a NEW follower, I'll give you a chance.  Chances-a-Plenty!
I will draw the winner next Sunday - September 26, 2010.  Best of Luck and Thank you!