Sunday, November 27, 2011

Stocking progress

It may not by my Oldest UFO but it is an old UFO that IS getting finished for Santa.  Sebastian (not his real name) is quite thrilled that I put his name on the stocking this week.  I have therefore cut his name out of this and any following pictures.  I made nice progress finishing up the angel's behind and all I have left on the bear arm is one color.  

Holly Angel's Friend stocking (Sunset/Dimensions)
 Progress 11/26/2011

11/13/2011 progress


And a treat for us -- Sebastian and I went out to see my father who has his RV only about 50 miles away right now!  We got to see deer, longhorn, and thsi beauty!  Can you see him?  He is quite fond of their campsite and has been hanging out right near it.  

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Count your blessings . . .

Count Your Blessings

It's exciting to finish even a simple project!  It's been quite a year here and for a lot of reasons, counting my blessings has been pertinent and in the past two days I have realized just how blessed I have been this past year.  I have an amazing family and phenomenal friends who have given me a world of support since my daughter has had serious neuro complications, my mother has been sick (including a stroke and a coma), and I left my husband.  I couldn't have made it through without any of them, and here I stand stronger and happier because of all of them when I "should" be battered, beaten, and broken.  

The above isn't a great picture.  For one, I apparently don't know how to take a decent picture of my stitching. Any tips?  I suspect my first error is the obvious one.  I am taking pictures at night in artificial light.  I am thinking daytime natural light?  I also had trouble evening out the design for the picture so it looks like I stitch like, well, not, like, good.  I am not going to be asked to stitch models anytime soon, but I am not THAT bad.  This is actually stitched on a flour sack dish towel, so evening it out for the picture just wasn't happening.

I love Lizzie Kate and this Count Your Blessings freebie seemed like a perfect Thanksgiving hostess gift for my dear SIL's mother who has invited my son and I over for Thanksgiving.  This would be my brother's wife's parents.  No obligation to me, and yet they are opening their arms wide.  I wanted it to look more autumnal then the original so I stitched it using a DMC variegated (4130) for count and blessings, Weeks Dye Works Brandy for the middle of the flowers, DMC 720 for the flowers, DMC 367 for the leaves of the flowers, and DMC 221 for the word your and the border.  Other than the DMC variegated, everything existed in my stash of threads.  I initially was not going to use a button, but that space definitely needed something.  If you plan on doing this pattern without the charm, plan for that.  As you can see below, the space needs filling, whether you use a button, charm, or I think you could even stitch another one or two of those simple flowers there.  I would definitely stitch this again as it turned out precious, and I think even better in these colors than in the original design colors.  

Lizzie Kate Count Your Blessings sans button

Several people are getting stitched flour sack towels for me this year for Christmas, so before December 25th (hopefully) there will be several more of them.  Monkey's stocking is definitely the priority right now though.  No worries people, as long as it is done for Santa the Monkey will be happy!


In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18


Wednesday, November 16, 2011

It's only 12 but . . .

It is my oldest UFO.

8576 Angelic Ornaments by Dimensions C9) 1998
Holly Babes

If you can see it satisfactorily, it is 8 Morehead Angels.  I have a few ideas why this ended up a UFO after 2006.  But what was I doing from 1999 to 2006?  Evidently just procrastinating   Well, and reproducing.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE these angels, as you might suspect from my selection of them for Sunshine's stocking and then again for Monkey's stocking.  I HATE HATE HATE that these particular ornaments are stitched on plastic canvas.  I find it quite fatiguing.  They (including on the stockings) also use a lot of blending -- 1 strand of this with 2 of that.  In 2006, little Monkey was diagnosed with autism and our life became a whirlwind of therapies and doctors for several years. During that time, these angels were just too "complicated" to carry around and stitch in waiting rooms.  The last few years Sunshine has been having health problems.  

So right now I am uber focused on my UFO below -- Monkey's stocking.  It must be done for this Christmas.  That particular piece was a UFO from 2004.  

Now, I have to tell you.  I was never ever going to stitch one of these angels again when I finish these projects, but yesterday I saw the cutest stocking with a Morehead angel and a little mouse. I adore Christmas mice.  I clicked away from the page, but . . .

That said, in a drawer not even started I do have a gingerbread mice stocking pattern for myself.

Hmmmmm . . .

In hopes of being urged along, I have joined a oldest UFO stitch-along being managed by EvalinaMaria.  What do you have in your drawer that's begging you to join?

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

A Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long

Daffycat has started sign ups for her 2012 Totally Useless Stitch-a-long. All you do is keep a jar of ORTs (old ratty threads) every new moon all year.

Sounds fun! Why not join?.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Sunshine's Christmas Stocking


That's the stocking that coordinates with the stocking that I am working on for Monkey.  This is Sunshine's stocking, made in a timely manner when she was just 2 years old.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Sebastian's Christmas Stocking

I have been stitching away this week and made some progress on Sebastian's stocking.  Of course, Sebastian is 8, so it is long overdue.This stocking actually coordinates with his sissy's stocking.  I am determined to have it done for him this year.  

This is what it looked like 9 days ago:


And tonight:


Sebastian and I spent the day doing "housework."  First we spread some mulch outside, which spruced it up a surprising bit, and then we worked on painting the hallway upstairs.  Painting with Sebastian is quite the undertaking, but he is so precious.  he is so eager to help and so ready for the praise he is given for a job "well done."  

P.S.  I have changed the name I usually call my son online, Monkey to Sebastian in the post because I am getting a lot of views from people who searched Google for a monkey Christmas stocking and I think that must be frustrating to them.  Sebastian is not his real name.  

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.