Catch up

It's been awhile, I know.  I have been severely neglecting my blog and for the most part stitching in general.  Recently, I picked up a small little ornament that I was working on before Christmas and I enjoyed placing the simple Xs on this simple little design and it's all sort of snowballed since then.  I've finished this cute little Prairie Schooler design a couple of weeks ago.

 

Prairie Schooler

Snowy Nights

Just Cross Stitch Christmas Issue 2010

I wanted to start something else, but kitting things up just doesn't appeal to me right now, so, I've been looking for things that are simple to set up and that are all ready to go.  I've had this needlepoint for years now and had only one ornament left to stitch to finish off the kit.  It was sitting out on a table so, I just grabbed it and started working on it.  It is American Quilt Collection Holiday Ornaments Series 1.  As you can see, there are two corners not completed...  I ran out of gold ribbon.....

Below are all four of the ornaments.  They are so vibrant and cheerful.

American Quilt Collection - Holiday Ornaments Series 1

After this, the startitus began.  I decided I wanted to work on my Hardanger skills so, I started these blocks from the Janice Love  Basics and Beyond book.  I decided to stitch a bunch of blocks first and then I'll finish each one with a separate filling stitch from the book.

 

So, my interest in Hardanger faded while working on the buttonhole stitch (probably one of my least favourite stitches) on the first block as you can see above.  I started looking through my old finishes (I have a huge pile of things that need to be finish finished) and got the finishing bug.  

The Butterfly Lace Sampler is one of my favourite finishes and has been sitting in the finishing pile for years.  I always wanted to put it in a shadow box type of frame, but couldn't decide how to go about it.   At first, I thought maybe buttonhole stitching around it and pinning it to the shadow box would work, and I started stitching it, but it didn't add anything to the design.  Then it struck me to hemstitch it and pin it to the box.  

 

So, I prepared it for the hemstitching and now just have to do the actually hemstitching.  Below is the box I plan on putting it in with a little lace placed accross the top and bottom maybe.

 

Now you ask, why didn't I finish the hemstitching?  Well, at the time I didn't feel alert enough to work on it so I set it aside.  But having the itch to stitch I started looking through some things that I had kitted up already (I still didn't feel like pulling threads and fabric and figuring things out).  I came accross The Drawn Thread Easter Egg Sampler which I have wanted to do for a couple of years now.  Now, Easter has been over for a couple of weeks now, but I still decided to do it.  And below is as far as I got with it.

 

The leaves are actually buttonhole stitched lol.  I just can't seem to get away from that stitch.  Below is ia pic of what it will eventually look like.

So, that's where it's at.  I have a few BAP to work on, but don't feel like pulling them out right now.  I'm sticking to relatively small designs and I'm trying to keep myself interested.  It would be such a shame to stop stitching when I have so many beautifully things in my stash that need to be stitched! 

Since I've been gone for so long, I don't expect to see too many readers come by my blog, but to those of you that stop by, thanks for taking the time to read my blog!  :)

Karen