Thursday, April 25, 2013

Ann Hill Sampler



This is my start of one of my two new projects I am working on.  It is the Ann Hill sampler from Just Crosstitch reproduced by Cathy Livingston.  I am using 36 ct.. Dirty Linen Edinborough by Zweigart.  Also using DMC floss.  I haven't worked on it much, as I have been painting the basement, which seems like it is taking for ever.  All the ceilings, all the walls, doors, moulding.  Back to the sampler, if I had looked more carefully at the directions, instead of being drawn in by the picture and the colors, I might have waited a bit before starting this.  It's full of Algerian stitches. Just like the Cochrane sampler.  Ugg!  Plus between the two blue borders is free hand embroidery of flowers and vines.  I have put off tackling those, but know sooner or later I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and start those too.  On a bright note, I received the Time and Season kit from Moira Blackburn, which is the sampler I'm going to donate to the charity auction next year.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Take along project -Mt. Vernon

Whenever I go on some sort of vacation, I always try to pick up a souvenir cross stitch.  I have several from Ocean City, Md, one from last year of the outer banks, and one from Williamsburg, Va. Several years ago when my family was visiting, I took them to Mt. Vernon.  They have a lovely gift shop and I picked up a small kit.  When going through my stash recently, I found it and started to work on it as my "take along" project.

My daughter was in a cheer competition in Richmond today, while we were waiting for the team to arrive, waiting for their turn to perform, and waiting for the competition results, I was stitching away. I love watching my kids do anything, I just hate the waiting part.  Now at least I don't mind so much, because at least I'm not thinking "I could be home cross stitching!"  When we had to go to the DMV to replace my son's lost drivers license, I took it with me then too.  Waiting just doesn't seem so long or so bad, when I'm stitching away,

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

1795 Cochrane Sampler


I am happy to announce that I put in the final stitch today, to complete this sampler.  I shared this photo on my Facebook page, and received many compliments.  My reply was" thank you for the compliments, this was one of the most boring samplers I have ever had the privilege to work on.
 
 
With that in mind, I have already selected my next two projects I will be working on.  One will be the Ann Hill Sampler - which is from a Just Cross Stitch pamphlet reproduced by Cathy Livingston.  I will be sewing on 36 ct., Edinburgh Dirty Linen, using DMC.  Plus, American Flag Quilt Sampler by Rosewood Manor - using Zweigart Cashel 28ct. Lt. Mocha, also using DMC.
 
Needed to give my arm a rest for at least a day, so I spent the evening, zig-zagged the linen edges on my sewing machine, putting the Velcro strips on the linen so that I can attach them to my stretcher bars, and pulling DMC thread colors for each project. 


Framed - Grateful Heart Band Sampler and Quaker Addict

A.C. Moore called yesterday to let me know that my two cross stitch projects and two pictures I had taken in, were ready for pick-up.  I was at the store by 9:15 a.m., to pick up my pieces.  I had never used A. C. Moore for framing before, but they were having a sale, so I took in two of my smaller pieces to see how they would do.  Since framing is so expensive, I check out all the ads on a regular basis to see which store is running the best sale.  It's not like I don't have stuff that always needs framing.  So.....here they are!

Monday, April 15, 2013

Auction 2014

I spent quite a bit of time deliberating which sampler I might complete for the charity silent auction.  So many of my favorite designers to choose from.  Scarlet Letter, Rosewood manor, Moira Blackburn.  I finally settled on Moira Blackburn's Time and Season sampler.  I ordered the kit directly from the Moira Blackburn website. I also wrote to Ms. Blackburn and let her know how much I enjoy her designs, which she promptly responded.  Gotta love that!

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Charity Auction

Tonite my husband and I attended an event in Alexandria, Va. for a local charity.  Most of their funds are from private donations, as well as from the silent auction they hold once a year.  They help people in the community, with rent, utilities and getting them out of shelters and back into a place of their own.  They also pay for kids to attend camp during the summer, which  they would not be able to have that opportunity.  I sometimes don't think about how fortunate I am. And how blessed I am that we aren't having to sruggle like many are having to do these days.  After the event ended this evening, I approached the chairwoman and asked if I might be able to donate a framed sampler that they could auction off next year.  She was thrilled with the idea.  Now I just need to decide what to do, and know that I have until next Jan. to get it finished and framed.  Hmmmm.

Found Money

This week I was cleaning out my purse, wallet and card holder book.  In doing so, I found a MasterCard gift card that my oldest had given me for Christmas.  I had completely forgotten that I had it.  I checked the balance and it still had $52.00 on it.  I promptly went on line to the Scarlet Letter website and ordered the AW 1662 band sampler chart and also the Margaret Gatis chart.    Gotta say I love found money!

Friday, April 12, 2013

1795 Cochrane Sampler

Just when you think you are making great progress on a piece, you realize that you made a big ole fat booboo! This is the sampler that I am winging the middle portion, because the designer neglected to designate colors for the capital letters.  The only direction is that they are to be completed with Algerian Stitch.  So I decided I would alternate colors very much like the daughter's sampler was done.  I get to the third row and realize the each row of letters on the left side all start with the same color.  Back to my magnifying glass and the blurry  picture on the pattern of the original sampler.  UGG! While it appears the colors alternate across the row, each new line is started with the opposite color.  GREAT.  I pull out my handy dandy crane  looking scissors, sturdy straight pin, and painters tape to pick up all the threads I'm going to have to cut out, pull out, and defuzz from the piece.  Disgusted with myself!  But at least it's only one row.  I am now in the process of resewing the second row.  Better yet, I have finally gotten far enough along that I can at least stitch some of the motifs on the bottom.  Progress!!!!!

Sunday, April 7, 2013

1795 Cochrane Sampler

Plugging away! Kudos to all cross stitches who tackle projects that have only one color, or a few colors. The only thing that motivated to finish this piece is that I had it half way finished. Plus, I had already completed the daughter's sampler a few years ago.  As I work across the rows, worked in two colors, I am thinking to myself  "the next project better not have any Algerian stitches in it!"  Not that they aren't cool looking, but when the lines between the rows and all the big letters of the alphabet are done with that stitch, it's just plain boring! What keeps me plugging away is I know I will be happy with the project once it's complete!  On letter "M" only 19 letters to go!

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

1795 Cochrane Sampler

Back to working on this sampler.  Never heard from the designer so I am going to finish using the best guestimate of what I think the colors should be.