Blog Archives - Carol Stitches

2012 - A Year of Challenges - Week Eight

2/26/2012

I can't believe it! I FINISHED "Sewing with Mama!" Cursing as I stitched but it's done. Have to say, I'm not a fan of the finished product --- the issues I had form the beginning with the colorways in the kit were magnified when the top stitching went on. A lot of it simply can't be seen. For example, can you find the eyeglasses in this photo? I can only because I know that that little sprinkle of white "confetti" near the sewing machine base is the silver filament used to stitch them --- no matter what light I used to photograph this beast, those glasses simply do NOT show up!

Oh well, it's done and now I can move on... to "Kimono - Revisited"! OMG

Oh, and FInishing Frenzy this week brought out a needlepoint piece I designed myself (!!!) back in 1974! It's now a pillow and I need to buy more polyfill because this little 12 x 12 pillow ate it all up!

nancysxstitch wrote on Feb 25 Carol - I love them both! I did find the glasses before I read where you said they were placed..but I wasn't positive I was right. Still, it's a beautiful piece and I know you're happy it's completed.

Now your pillow is right in style! With the retro craze going on it's perfect! Way to cute!

Congratulations on the finishes and happy stitching next week!

ksteyskal wrote on Feb 26 Both of them are wonderful! A big congrats on finishing the pillow! I don't have anything from that long ago. In the '70s I did a lot of knitting for my kids and sewed clothes for them, too. But I didn't do any cross stitch until about 1982. My first cross stitch piece was a small yellow rose. I gave it to my grandmother. When she passed I got it back and I still have it.

Take a Stitch Tuesday 2012 - Week Eight

2/21/2012

The Chain stitch --- I have as many back-of-fabric issues with this one as with the Lazy Daisy/detached chain. Don't know why. Anyway...

I added three new GAST colors to the mix: Cherry Bark, Buckeye Scarlet (even though it pains me!) And Raspberry Parfait (# 0380). And added beads to the two examples on the right...

And February's "page" looks like this right now:

festitch wrote on Feb 22 Chain, on the rare occasion I've done it, I don't have too many problems with it like those %^&$# daisies :) Though I did do a LOT of crewel back in the day, and the main stitch there, the split stitch???, is essentially a chain, so I learned my tension there. I like the colors you've got going so far - and being a Buckeye myself, the scarlet could be called whatever; Wright State - green & gold. I only root for the Buckeyes to irritate the local MI fans :) Because it would seem I know more Yankees down here in GA than I did in OH...

thatyankstitches wrote on Feb 22 Weird thing is, as soon as I swtiched to the darker colors, my tension issues went away! Now isn't that odd?

IHSW February 2012

2/20/2012

Again, I didn't exactly act like a hermit! In fact, I was SUPPOSED to be working on my taxes, but I kept finding excuses not to, so all I got done there was the category summary reports printed out for the year 2011.

I had forgotten about Finish Frenzy for the week so I worked on that over the weekend and got these seven ornaments sewn:

These dated from back to summer 2002 and are the first seven pieces in my photo album for that year.

I also stitched on "Sewing with Mama! You may not be able to make out much difference from where I was at the start of the weekend, but I did get all the backstitching done and a good portion of the straight stitches and Lazy Daisies:

Basically, I got the cream parts of the curtain drapes behind the sewing machine done (even though you can't see it in this picture as it really doesn't show up well), the outlines of the thread spools and the tea cup, the bottom of the pin cushion (again, not that obvious), the rest of the gold decoration of the machine itself, and I threaded the machine!

rifestitch wrote on Feb 20 Wow, great job on the ornaments! That's a cute group! And you'll have Sewing done before too much longer!

2012 - A Year of Challenges - Week Seven

2/18/2012

This week, I got the decks cleared! I completed week 7 of TAST (detached chain), the last Bargello Club entry (Medallion), and my February CQJC/BJP/color palette challenge. I forgot to do an Finish Frenzy, even though I have the pieces picked out... and the threads still aren't here for outlining my "Kimono - Revisited" (although I have an email saying that they've been sent!), meaning all I worked on since Wednesday was "Sewing with Mama!"

I SHOULD be celebrating but, having gotten halfway through the drape behind the sewing machine, I realized I was using the wrong color thread and that meant I spent a day ripping out! Kind of put me off my feed, so to speak, and I simply couldn't face picking it up again yesterday. So this is not as far as I should have gotten but I did get the lace in the drawer done before that frog moved in!

This is International Hermit and Stitch Weekend - February, but, what with taxes to do (my accountant's questionnaire arrived this week), I probably won't get a lot done on "Sewing With Mama!" or anything else, for that matter.

nancysxstitch wrote on Feb 19 I think it's looking wonderful Carol! It's intriguing how just the smallest of changes have such an impact on the overall look....like the lace in the drawer... how beautiful!

Take a Stitch Tuesday 2102 - Week Seven

2/15/2012

Detached Chain --- I tried to get "arty" with a tree and falling leaves but it was too small to come across. Oh well...

I threw in some beads to spice it up a little.

Guess I'm not a big fan of detached chain because it made me tense --- the back of the fabric is a mess as for some reason, I couldn't get the thread to tighten between stitches...

Crappy picture and for some reason, when click on, it gets all squashed up... Sorry!

Anyway, February's page looks like this so far - you can see the detached chains easier on this:

rifestitch wrote on Feb 16 Detached chain - Lazy Daisy. My nemesis - and of course, I have several to do in the current parts of Tuscany that I am working on... I think my only goal at this point is to make all 4 sections look the same, right or wrong :)

thatyankstitches wrote on Feb 16rifestitch saidDetached chain - Lazy Daisy. My nemesis - and of course, I have several to do in the current parts of Tuscany that I am working on... I think my only goal at this point is to make all 4 sections look the same, right or wrong :) So glad to hear I'm not the only one who dislikes this sttch! Up until now, I had always though French knots were my nemesis but I think I've mastered them now --- Lazy Daisies , not!

ksteyskal wrote on Feb 17, edited on Feb 17 I still have trouble with French knots! Lazy Daisies I learned when I was about 8, so they are easy for me. Carol, your new stitches look great!

Two Completions...

2/14/2012

"Medallion" from the Bargello Club for February 2012:

Backgorund stitched in Kreinik fine (#8) white braid (032); medallions stitched in GAST Maple Syrup and Bittersweet, DMC 30676 and Kreinik fine (#8) dark orange braid (027).

Crazy Quilt Journal Challenge/Bead Journal Project/ Color Palette Challenge block for February:

Lots of acknowledgements to announce! This piece was influenced by the color palette challenge issued byJudy Laquidara and Vicki Welsh. The Crazy Quilt Journal Challenge requires at least a 6 x 6 block and I used the grid from block 39 of Sharon B's" (of Pin Tangle) "I dropped the Button Box" project, modified to accommodate ten fabrics. In addition, three stitches from the Take a Stitch Tuesday challenge adorn the seams: Cretan, herringbone and chevron. The Bead Journal Project aspect of the piece was the beading throughout the seam treatments.

All fabric was from my stash of quilting cottons. Mill Hill beads, DMC floss and scraps of ribbon and lace from my stash completed the piece.

This means I can stitch on "Sewing with Mama!" while I wait for "Kimono - Revisited" threads to arrive!

Take a Stitch Tuesday 2012 - Week Six

2/13/2012

OK, almost to week 7 but I sneaked it in!

Chevron Stitch...

done in three shades of GAST (Berry Cobbler, Antique Rose - 7014, and CIdermill Brown) on 28ct hand-dyed fabric from Silkweaver called "Strawberry Milkshake".

All Caught Up with Stash Busting!

2/12/2012

Of course, saying that means there will be a email in my in-box announcing the next installment but, still...

Here is my version of "Scotch & Soda" --- variations on the Scotch Stitch. I stitched it on 18 ct canvas (4.5 square) using more than 15 shades of "brown" DMC floss that had been used in previous pieces. Background is ecru ten stitch and the border is Mosaic Stitches in DMC 4140 (which looked like a match to all those browns until I started actually stitching it!)

I also got Take a Stitch Tuesday - week 6 gridded up AND started outlining the motifs for the last Bargello Club piece.

2012 - A Year of Challenges - Week Six

2/11/2012

Somehow, I lost my focus this week and several things did NOT get done, primary of which is Take a Stitch Tuesday, week 6. I hope to get that done this weekend.

And I still am waiting for the outline threads I ordered to come in, so I'm already more than a week behind in "Kimono-Revisited." I sod have the stretcher frames, though so I hope to stretch the canvas after gridding it (not taking ANY chances on messing this one up, count-wise) this weekend...

Crazy Quilt Journal/Bead Journal Project/Color Palette has lain idle all week...

And not a single stitch was put into "Sewing with Mama"!

But the canvas arrived for the last Bargello CLub piece and it is kitted out...

Girls' NIght Out on Tuesday and quilt guild on Thursday took away two stitching days as well...

My Finishing Frenzy this week wasn't really a long unfinished project, but the Stash Buster Club "Beach Mat", which I've renamed "Aurora Borealis"! The photo is one my husband took of Hubbard Glacier on our Alaskan Cruise in 2008:

And I've picked out next week's Frenzy candidates: 7 ornaments I stitched way back in early 2002 (Photos 1 - 7 in my 2002 album).

As for this week's stitchery, I'm nearly finished with my version of the Stash Buster Club piece called "Scotch & Soda." My version is attenuated --- not only is the total area smaller, I gave up on Scotch stitches way earlier than the instructions asked for and am doing a background in ecru tent stitch. Even with over 15 different colors of brown, it was getting impossible to NOT put one color against another! What is more, the over-three stitches were so SMALL! Did I misread instructions again? Was the canvas a smaller count than my 18? Possibly... but now it is less Scotch & Soda and more pebbles on a sandy beach!

rifestitch wrote on Feb 13 The frame came out great!! And I like your S&S - will be curious to see how this ends up :)

WIPocaplypse 2012 - 2

2/6/2012

This month has been an attempt at clearing the decks...

There have been completions - A Stashbuster Pyramid Stocking and Nana's Afghan; a Finishing Frenzy for a Butterfly Pillow, a "Coeur de Letters" pillow, the linings for three zippered cases, and two sets of curtain tie-backs; four Take a Stitch Tuesday bands, and therefore an 8.5 x 11 "page" for January's TAST; and a Crazy Quilt Journal Challenge/Bead Journal Project/Color Palette Challenge block.

Meanwhile, I managed to get in a little stitching (all surface embellishment and not all that visible) on "Sewing With Mama!". Here's the start of the full moon:

and here's today:

And I started - completed - a third Stashbuster project just last night: (OK, not quite "finished" - it's meant to be a mat in a picture frame so it needs to be wrapped around a card and inserted in the frame - which I have - but I have to find the right weight card that can stand up to being wrapped with a relatively stiff needlepoint canvas...)

Also underway, but not finished is the February Crazy Quilt Journal/Bead Journal Project/Color Palette Challenge piece. The base block is pieced and some of the embellishment is attached. Beads, embroidery and more embellishment to come...

Unfortunately, I didn't quite clear the decks because another Stashbuster Club project and a Bargello Club Project arrived while I was stitching - both are kitted up although I am waiting for the canvas for Bargello Club - as did the threads and fabric for "Kimono-Revisited" (although I'm awaiting a special order for the outline thread and I discovered I don't have my stretcher frames any more so I need to go to Hobby Lobby today!)

And of course, Take-a-Stitch Tuesday and the Crazy Quilt Journal/Bead Journal Project/ Color Palette Challenge are ongoing...Therefore, my "decks" are as cluttered as when the moon started!

rifestitch wrote on Feb 6 Great work on all - the frame looks really neat!! Dontcha hate when all those projects gang up on you? LOL

nancysxstitch wrote on Feb 7 Wow! You have been one busy lady, Carol! I love the colors of floss... blues are my favs! ;)

thatyankstitches wrote on Feb 7 nancysxstitch saidWow! You have been one busy lady, Carol! I love the colors of floss... blues are my favs! ;)
I seem to be a blue person too! My quilting instructor once told me it was my "signature color"! Funny, since red-orange is my favorite color when viewed on it's own...

Funny, I feel busy but if you look at my completions so far this year, they are all "smalls" and I'm not usually a "small project" person... GOT to get back to some embroidery! It's screaming at me from all directions and yet all these small projects keep coming in...

jlblake wrote on Feb 9 Congrats on your finishes. I can't wait to see more.