Feathered Friends

A finish on the stitching front from Heart In Hand. These seasonal birds from the Wee Ones series are just too cute. I'm not loving the bee charm in the summer square, but I guess it's ok.

Please excuse the crooked scan. :-)

It's really not rocket science!

I did it. I finished my first sock. Here it is, in YarnHarlot (my link button is not working - grrrr. http://www.yarnharlot.ca/) fashion, in the snow.
The whole sock:
Close-up of the heel:

Why do I compare knitting a sock to rocket science? I didn't really know what I was doing, so at the beginning it seemed to be really difficult. I knew how to knit and purl - that's it. I did not (still don't really) know how to read a knitting pattern. I have never finished a knitting project. I have a few scarves of various lengths in bags around the house, but I don't know how to cast off or bind off, so I can't finish them. I'm sure I could find directions on the Internet, but I'm really not interested in scarves - I'm interested in socks.

Two years ago (yes, I'm admitting that) I found directions online for knitting socks. Directions - not a pattern. (They can be found here http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/, if anyone is interested.) So two years ago, I cast on this sock, ripped it out, cast on, ripped it out, cast on....you get the idea. I couldn't get the hang of stitching with 4 DPNs. Finally I got it and completed about an inch of ribbing. It wasn't fun, so I put it away.

A few weeks ago, my mom and I visited a yarn shop. A real yarn shop. And I fell in love with the possibilities and all the sock yarn. But, I hadn't completed a sock yet, so I told myself I would not buy sock yarn until I was sure I could knit a sock. I finished this sock in 3 days. Technically 2 years and 3 days, but who's counting?

I'm very proud of this sock. It's not perfect and sadly it doesn't fit anyone's foot at my house, but it's a sock. This is my first attempt and I was aiming for something that was sock-like. My results are better than sock-like - this really is a sock that could be worn by a small person. I've amazed myself.

Yes, this sock will stay singular, because of the size issue. I'm thinking of hanging it on my wall though, as a reminder to take chances and expect the best.

I Won!

This is old news in a way, but I won a SuperBowl pool at work. $400! I've saved it, thinking hard about what to spend it on. Of course there are bills, savings, something for Cheese (he wants an X Box), but everyone keeps telling me to spend it on myself. Well, I've decided to take my to-be-framed pile to the framer and finally be able to display my work the way I would like to.

I have a plate rail that goes along 2 walls in my dining room. Since plates really aren't my thing, I want to fill the rail with framed cross stitch pieces. I'll be sure to take pictures after I have a few things displayed. I'm so excited!

Love These Birds

It's a blustery day here in Western NY, so I've been stitching and trying to stay warm. I'm working on Heart In Hand's Wee Ones - the seasonal series - and I'm stitching them all on one piece of fabric. I love these little guys so much! I'm hoping to finish at least one if not both of the others during the Stitchathon this week at Cross Stitch Crazy.

Gosh...!

I haven't been here in a while have I? Sorry about that.





I've been stitching a little lately and wanted to share. First is an ornament I stitched for an exchange on the Cross Stitch Crazy board. I hope my pal likes it!

Next is LHN's Snow Bunnies from the 2007 JCS Ornament Edition. I will probably keep this for myself and finish it as a flat ornament.

I guess my New Year's Resolution should be to visit my own blog more often. :-)

For the Birds

Not really, I'm keeping this one for myself. This is a freebie from SanManOriginals stitched on a Silkweaver solo using DMC floss. I'm not sure how I will finish these cute little guys, but I will find a way!

Catching Up

Stitching

I can safely post a scan of the SIF that I stitched, since Kristina has received it. Called Crowned Heart by Blue Ribbon Designs, it is stitched on 32 count Angel Blush Jobelan over 2 using an assortment of fibers.

The Marjolein Bastin Spring WIP is coming along, slowly. It's been a while since I stitched something with so many color changes.

I stitched part of a border and basted squares for a LHN RR and sent that on, but didn't get a scan of it before it left. I'm currently working on a little freebie by San Man Originals.

Cheese

The little guy is still loving every minute of baseball. Below are a few shots from last week's game (he's the catcher in the first pic).

And tonight, I came in from mowing the lawn and found this:

Look at that smile. Maybe I am doing something right. :-)

An Update...Really!

It's been too long since I've been here!
I've completed and sent my SIF piece, but I won't post a pic until it's received, since I stitched her initials on it and I'm too lazy to edit the pic. :-) I think it's lovely and it was hard to part with it.

The crazy baseball season has started and we're juggling baseball, karate and Cub Scouts. Cheese (my 9 year old son wants to be called Cheese) loves all the activity and secretly I do too, but it does make life a little hectic. He has a game tonight but I have to attend an Educator of the Year Banquet so I'll have to miss it. I hope this is the only one I miss.

Last night, Cheese wanted to know if he could start taking a shower in the morning and using my conditioner so he can "shake his hair". Whatever that means. This morning he asked me to stop buying him kids' toothpaste - he would just use mine. Seems some growing up is going on and I'm not quite ready. I guess I'll have to take his lead though and adapt accordingly.

However, last night we played Hangman on his whiteboard. His first phrase for me to guess - "I love you Mom". He's still my little boy!

Biscornu Exchange

It's been awhile since I was here - technical problems at home. When you fix computers for a living, the last one you want to fix is your own!

I've been stitching on my biscornu exchange piece. I chose Wildflower Hearts, a freebie by Catherine Strickler, as the design. I used Caron Waterlilies African Sunset for the floss. I only used part of the chart because I didn't want it to be too big. I hope my pal likes it. (The scanner sort of smushed the shape, but you get the idea!)

New WIP

Started a new project on the 1st and I've made pretty good progress. The colors are not what I'm used to stitching, but it will look nice in the end.





Marjolein Bastin's Seasonal Bouquet: Spring.

Easter Stitching

Finished the second Peter Plaidtail today. He's stitched over 2 on 28 count Star Sapphire Jobelan using DMC Floss (3838,3839,3840,563, 564). I think I'll make him into one of those no sew cubes and give him away, since I already have another one framed.

Here's a pic of the other one I stitched and had framed. The mat for this frame is a purple suede and I just love it. Of course, the cost was a bit extravagant for a seasonal design, but you have to surround yourself with things you love, right?

Mystery Garden Finish!

Finally finished my Mystery Garden! I think this was published as a freebie in 2004. It's stitched over 2 on 28 count Mushroom Lugana, using all DMC floss. Just for record keeping, the floss #s used were: 3726, 315, 3326, 745, 367, 368, 319, 3865.

This was a fun stitch; which is a strange thing to say since it took me so long to finish. I started it and chose these colors because my brother and his wife had just redecorated their bedroom and it would match perfectly. This piece was released in parts and the first 4 sections were the gardens in the center. Funny thing is, had I stuck with the chart, the house would have ended up being pink, the same as my brother's. The marriage broke up though, so I put the project away. When I pulled it out a few months ago to look at it, I thought I would change the house to a soft yellow to match my current house. I do have green trim (with purple too - not my choice!) but not green windows!

Anyway, now that it's done, I like it! I'm going to get it framed - someday - and display it on the rail in the dining room. Darn, that to-be-framed pile is growing!

Next up - I really don't know. I'm considering stitching another Peter Plaidtail designed by my friend Leah. I've stitched it once using the suggested colors, but might try it this time in blues and yellows. Or I could always start another LHN...

New Blog, Small Finish

Yep, I've decided to blog. I needed a place to keep things that are important so I can go back to them if I need to. The content will be prominently stitching, but may also include knitting, if that becomes a hobby. And of course, some family stuff will be interesting enough to blog about occasionally as well as new things in education.

Since we had a snow day, I finished this small stitch on Valentine's Day. It's stitched over 1 on 28 count Honeysuckle Pink Jobelan, using the suggested DMC threads.