A lot of pictures
Topic: Cross Stitch
It?s been a long time since I have updated my weblog but I hope that these pictures make up for it. This is my birthday gift from Theresa, a buddy who belongs to a group in which we stitch a gift for one of the buddies? birthday. Theresa stitched me the most amazing threadkeeper with an adorable needlebook. The threadkeeper has a pouch on one side and on the other three rings on which I can put my threads. She also included a pair of Gingher scissors. The scissor fob has my initial on one side and a flower on the other, all stitched over one. The needlecushion has Happy Birthday on one side and a quaker motif on the other. On the side band she stitched our initials and the year 2005. The needlebook is seperate and equally wonderful. Her finishing skills are incredible. It?s a shame that pictures never do a piece justice.

I don?t know how I feel about sharing my Saturday evening project after this wonderful stitching, but anyway. Here?s one of the two bibs I wanted to stitch for two co-workers who are pregnant. I loved the fact that I could finish it in one evening. I started with the second one today, but it?s not done yet and tonight is Mouline Rouge night.

I have been working on a JBW design project that?s almost done except for some beading, which will take a while. Then my freebie exchange project is also nearing its completion. Just needs some final touches. My head is swimming with possibilities of new projects, I think one of the next ones will either be Halloween or Christmas.

Apart from the JBW Design, the bib and the freebie exchange gift, I've also finished my Scary Wabbit. The stitching that is LOL. I love how he turned out and will certainly do another Wabbit. I have ordered the silk ribbons for the finishing and hopefully can do that during my September vacation.

Sunday evening I managed to get some more work done on Mouline Rouge. This project is so addictive, I stayed up longer than I had anticipated. I hope that next Suncday I can stitch a little longer on my MR and will post a picture of my progress once another 4-5 hours are done.

Back to my stitching, I hope to get the beading done on the JBW Design so that I can post a picture.

Short update, received exchange gfit
Topic: Cross Stitch
Yesterday after work,I raced to the Post Office to pick up my package from Danielle. She had stitched my exchange gift and I couldn't wait to see it. It was delivered to my house on Friday but since I wasn't there, I could pick it up on Saturday. Turned out the PO didn't open till 9:30am and by then I had to be in the shop. Bumemr. So I was really anxious to get my package on Monday.

Daniellestitched me a wonderful pillow, it's Summer Zipper by Bent Creek but she stitched it on 35 count linen instead of the 18 count it calls for. I think it looks sooooo cute.

On the back is a cute beeskep button, so in style. And her tassels are perfect. I can easily understand why she wants to stitch something similar for herself.

These exchanges are so much fun and I am always amazed at how creative people are. I will be doing a redwork exchange that needs to be mailed out in November, a freebie exchange for mid September, a Halloween exchange for mid October and an ornament exchange for December. I think the fun part about these exchanges is that usually the projects are not that big and they're great lunch projects.

I will go hunting for a freebie to stitch tonight. I have a stack of them but it is always difficult to decide which one you want to stitch. I will go over the ones I got in Nashville and Columbus last year first to see if there is something. I have a good idea of what I'll stitch for the Halloween exchange. The redwork is probably what has me completely undecided. I have seen several things I could do, but haven't narrowed it down yet. I do know which red thread I'll be using though :). The ornament exchange is too far away to start thinking about. I will probably wait for the new JCS Christmas issue and pick one of the new ornaments.

I haven't been able to stitch much yesterday, had diner with a friend who will be moving to Amsterdam soon. We had a great time. I got back home quite late and went straight to bed. With the cold and grey weather we're having it feels like it is autumn instead of summer.

More stitching on Scary Wabbit
Topic: Cross Stitch
I am almost done with my Scary Wabbit. He's so much fun to stitch. I love the black fabric. In the picture it's not very clear, but it is a kind of dark grey/black. It is not as hard as I thought it might be and I will definitely use this again for a black background.

Now I need to add the spider web, the spider and some beads. I think I have almost everything I need and the ribbons for the finishing are on order. I need to find a good fabric for the back.

Yesterday evening I also put in some more stitches on Mouline Rouge. Every time I work on it, I just love it more. I only have a little bit done, but it is a gorgeous design.

I hope to get a bit more work done on MR this week. I would like to get another medaillon done as well as another letter. The letters go really fast, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Progress on Scary Wabbit
Topic: Cross Stitch
Here's my progress on Scary Wabbit. I really like this little guy. It's stitching up pretty fast, I worked on it yesterday during lunch and today for about 1 hour. I hope to get a little more done this evening.

We celebrated my dad's 70th birthday today and had a wonderful time. We had a brunch in a local restaurant and it was great. It was also nice to see all the family again. It's been quite a while since we've seen them and since them a couple of them had health problems. I am really thankful that both my parents are healthy.

Tomorrow the shop is open and I'm really looking forward to that. We already know that a customer who lives in Greece is going to visit. She's staying with her sister in the very south of the Netherlands and is taking the train up to my parents.

I have picked up some fabric today from the shop for two JBW Designs that I want to do for our little trunk show in September. I think I'll take them to work with me, to stitch on during my lunch break. Then there are also a few exchange projects I need to start working on. I already know how I want to finish one of them, might have to ask my mom for some sewing advice.

Back to my stitching, I hope to get the little Wabbit stitched tonight.

Boxes
Topic: Cross Stitch
These two boxes are ones that my mother stitched. The first is going to be a workshop in October and it has over one stitching and a multiple darning spot in it. Multiple darning means to me that you have both horizontal and vertical threads woven on top of your fabric. The design fits in a box that we got at a local shop. It's not as big as it may seem, I'd say about 14 x 20cm. You don't have a lot of room to put motifs in, but that's part of the challenge.

The second box is one we stitched for friends who celebrated their 50th birthdays in July. We had a lot of fun putting this together and it's not as complicated as the first one.

In the meantime The Bookshelf and The Quils Sampler from Little House Needleworks are at the framers. I think we picked the perfect frame for both. It's a small frame, but has the right colors in it. Hopefully we can pick them up next week.

Yesterday evening I finished my second exchange gift and I thought I could start something new. I have been wanting to stitch Scary Wabbit for so long, that I sorted out the fabric and threads and got started.

I selected Black Forest 32 count from Lakeside Linens and like how it's turning out. It's probably a quick stitch, but I am going to try to finish it as in the picture. I have Scarecrow Wabbit done that way (not by myself though) and it's adorable.

I plan on stitching one of the pumpkins as a little scissor fob. It's a pity she didn't include a little scissor fob design with the pattern. The one she did for Scarecrow Wabbit is adorable. I will have to make a picture of the back of how that one is finished, it has a little pouch in which you can put your scissors.

This weekend I will also start one of my JBW Designs, that I need to have done before our open days in September. They're not big though and look like they're pretty easy to stitch.

July finishes and August goals
Topic: Quilting
It seems almost impossible that another month has passed. I thought I could do so much in July and it turned out that that wasn't the case.

Of my July goals, I only finished the Barnyard from BC's Snapperville. I did some work on Strawberry Season, but it isn't done yet. Haven't touched the other projects. I finished one of my exchange gifts and am this close to finishing the second one. I did design a new pattern, but it will be a while before that one is going to be released.

The good news is that I finished miniblock 1-3 from my quilting project. I really like how it is turning out. I need to do the stitchery on these blocks, but I figured I can do that while watching TV. My goal is to finish the other 2 miniblocks this week.

I also received a book from Leanne's House and the quilt that's in there is probably the one I'm going to make for the bedroom. It requires 220 strips of fabric, so there's a lot of cutting involved but I really like how it turns out. My fabrics have arrived from the US so tomorrow I can pick them up at the PO. Can't wait to see them in real life.

Back to my stitching
Mood:  energetic
Topic: Cross Stitch
Apparently my stitching slump is over. Yesterday evening I started my Mouline Rouge again, this time next to a vertical thread. I don't know if that made the difference, but it went rather fast. I stitched for about 2 hours and got this much done. I just love how the 100/3 silk shows up and how it stitches. It has a tendency to kringle a little, but it's easy to untangle. I hope that tonight I can stitch the letter G and maybe a little more on the motif.

My two exchange projects are coming along. One just needs sewing, the other a little more stitching. I took it with me to work today and used my lunch time to get a bit more done. Once I got started, it was hard to put it aside. I need to work on this one tonight as well so that I keep on schedule. Finishing this one is not so bad as part of the stitching is the finishing. Rather cryptic I know but I can't share pictures until the project is received.

I got my quilting blocks sorted out yesterday and really like how it looks. I will make this into a small quilt for Miss Murphy as I don't think it looks interesting for a pillow cover. As Miss Murphy decided to sit on it yesterday for quite a while I think she agrees with me. I have Friday afternoon off and hope to get some sewing done.

I got everything sorted out for the Buttercream and Figs fabrics and the seller notified me that the packages are leaving today! I really can't wait to see them. I have all kinds of ideas to use up the scraps. Now if I only have enough time to declutter my bedroom :). I think I will leave this project till my vacation time in September. I may start cutting some of the fabrics, but the sewing will have to wait.

And in between all this stitching and sewing I will have to write the Newsletter for the shop as well. If a day only had more hours.....

Quilting bug
Topic: Quilting
It?s been a while since I updated my weblog, life was just too hectic and I didn?t get to sit down and write. Now that things seem to have slowed down a little, it?s time to share my latest “bug” with you. I have been bitten hard by the quilter?s bug. For years I have admired quilts and love the craftmanship that goes into it. Since I already was heaviliy into stitching, I firmly told myself I couldn?t have another hobby and that I?d just have to keep on admiring. Well, the good news is that lasted for about 7 years, the bad news is, I gave in this past week. Truthfully, I don?t consider it bad news at all, I?ll just have to make sure that my house doesn?t outgrow my hobbies.

It all started with a picture of a quilt in one of those Home magazines. I have been searching for new bedlinens for quite a while and couldn?t find anything that I liked. When I saw the quilt in that magazine it dawned on me that I could make a quilt out of fabrics that I liked and then add neutral colored bedlinens in a matching color. After some help from my Internet buddies, I found what I think is the perfect mix of fabrics, it?s called Buttercream and Figs by Moda Fabrics. Below you see a picture of the colors I will use in my bed cover.

Then I went to my local quilt shop to get some information on basic quilting techniques. The ladies there explained several things and I picked up four new fabrics for my first try quilt. It?s going to be a small one, only 60 x 60cm, and I have yet to decide if this will be a small quilt for Miss Murphy?s basket or if I will turn it into a pillow for the couch. It will be a simply quilt, with just straight lines that I can sew on the machine. While being there, I browsed through some magazines and low and behold, they had a picture of an antique quilt in one of the magazines that was exactly like what I had pictured mine to be. I knew I needed something that was not too complicated, so I opted for straight lines that I could sew on the machine. Here?s what the antique quilt looks like and combined with the picture of the fabrics you?ll get an idea of what the final result should be.
(I will add the picture later)

I also signed up for this quilt project (I know I overestimated my free time but it is sooooooo lovely that I don?t care when it?s going to be finished). I saw how Catherine had done two blocks and really, really like it. This might become a second bed cover as I would love to have it on the bed. It?s 132 x 132 cm now, but I might make it larger by adding a border or two.

So I will have to set aside one day a week for my quilting projects and see how they come along. It?s a good thing I have two weeks of vacation coming up in September so that I can get a head start on the bed cover. Hopefully, my little quilt is done by then and I still like doing it.

Another needlepoint canvas
This is going to be my biggest needlepoint challenge in more than one way. It's a limited edition design by Pat Thode from Heartstrings, my favorite santa designer. It is by far the largest needlepoint canvas I have ever tried to finish and I am sooooooo looking forward to starting this. I told myself firmly LOL that I would have to finish my gingerbread boy and my halloween cat canvas before I put a stitch in. Good thing I haven't received all the threads yet or the temptation would be even bigger.

I already know that I want to finish this canvas as a wallhanging. I will just have to on a hunt for the perfect matching quilt fabrics to put around it.

As for today, I have more or less figured out what I want to stitch for my second exchange project, have a good idea of how to assemble it and now have to narrow it down to a design and fabric and threads.

Bombings in London and other news.
It seems weird to even consider there is other news than the bombings in London. I was so shocked to hear what happened. I didn?t find out till 4pm as I was in meetings all the time and apparently nobody else knew. It?s kind of strange as the same thing happened on 9/11. I visited London several times and every time had a hotel near the Edgeware Road station. My thoughts go out to the families in London who lost loved ones or have family members in the hospital. I hope they and all Londoners can find the courage and strength to go on.

On a happier note, I did some stitching this evening. Worked some more on my Daisy Lane Cottage, but not enough is done to make a new picture.

I also ordered 6 CD?s with graphics to be used on this weblog, the shop?s website or for my scrapbooking. Yes, I do scrapbooking too, just never seem to get to it these days. I took a course a while ago and loved working with the papers. Since then I?ve accumulated quite a stash, but have yet to get back to it.

Anyway, here?s one example of my new graphics:

I?m off to bed now, it?s been quite a week at work, lots of ups and downs. Seems that I learnt a lot, but it?s time for the weekend and some less stressful weeks.