Showing posts with label Patchwork Santa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Patchwork Santa. Show all posts

Sunday, January 6, 2013

January and New Years "resolutions"

Well. here we are, once again in a new year. Did everyone make resolutions? I didn't, or at least I say I didn't, but in my mind I have things that I am going to do. The main thing is that I joined a Stashbuster challenge. Finish your UFO's while using up your stash. For me this means finishing up what I have on the go here in the RV and then returning to the RV and getting more. As I don't have any way to know what I have in the storage unit, I haven't listed them on the group site, but believe me, there are quite a few.

So for now, tomorrow (we finally are in a place where I can get out the sewing machine) out it all comes and I will start to finish what I have already started. My question is, does the UFO list also include the Patchwork Santa and lap quilt as I have finished the cross-stitch but done nothing with the quilting part?  And I cut out one piece of a wall hanger for DSD but nothing else - does this count as an UFO? I am going to count them as: #1 they are started", #2 they are what I am going to be working on first regardless, and lastly, #3 they will be using up stash, bought not only in 2012 but also 2010, and 2011.

I am going to extend the challenge on my own into my needlework as well. Tonight I started on Miss Cleo's backside, having completed Miss Cleo before Christmas.  She isn't very happy with me I believe, as I haven't done much else to complete her as well as obtain her "jewels". Oh she does like her adornments. But I have attached the canvas onto the stretcher bars and I have started to stitch the smyrna cross outline. This canvas is ecru with gold flecks and the colors for her backside are going to be Christmas reds and greens with gold. [photo]

hmmm so what else would qualify?

I have received the first installment of mom's crackers and have translated the canvas into a pattern for her. Hopefully she will feel comfortable after a couple of them to do the stitching straight from the canvas rather than an additional paper pattern. I still need to do the stitch guide "how to's" for each of the stitches. According to the canvas and the pulled threads, they should be beautiful, and definitely bright and colorful. [photo]

Are there more things out there that would qualify as a "NewYear's Resolution?" I am sure that there are, but darned if I can think of them. Rather than sitting here, wracking my brains, I should just get back to work on them ... so ...

Happy New's Years everyone.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Miss Cleo, et al






Somewhere on the road, slipping and sliding through the snow, Miss Cleo really developed an attitude. Her eyes flashed whenever eye contact was made - she was definitely not a happy camper. "It is well below freezing and you leave me in the car?!!!" Well once we slid into Edmonton, and my parents place she came out once again. She wouldn't speak to me, she wouldn't make eye contact but she followed me around. I picked her up and again started to stitch. I only had 5 partitions and her ears left to stitch. These quickly came together and I finished her. Then I sat her up in the midst of the excitement of the visit in a place of honor. She was oohed and ached over - she was slowly won over. But everyone who saw her agreed, she definitely has an attitude.  Then I placed her back in the car on the back seat, facing the seat and supported by the very bag she should have been traveling in. 

As I traveled the passenger side of the car I stitched on the Patchwork Santa. Somewhere between Butte, Montana and Las Vegas, Nevada he was finished. he is wonderful!  Ready to be made into a pillow when I get home and inspire a lap quilt to lay beside him.

Throughout the travels, the conversation often turned to the very needlework that I was doing. I tried to convince my DH that he needs to learn how to do one of them at least. He emphatically replied each and every time - No thanks. not interested! He thought that if he would do anything it would be knitting: this after we made a stop at a yarn shop for me to pick up some sock yarn.

Christmas came early this year - I received a new smartphone and as soon as I:
a. learn how to work it
b. learn how to download photos
I will upload photos of the above projects. I had my camera stolen in Mexico and I believe I am receiving a replacement for Christmas. But for now, it is the big DSLR or my NEW smartphone.

On to something else ... does anyone out there have Christmas crackers as part of their Christmas traditions? As a family when I was growing up we always had a cracker on our plates for Christmas dinner. You "cracked" them before the meal started, after grace, and then had your little "prize" which would sit above your plate and a paper hat which would be worn during dinner. Corney? Well maybe, but what fun we had with it. In one of the Needlepoint Now magazines I had seen an advertisement for a series of Christmas (and Halloween) crackers by Melissa Shirley. Talked with mom, who is always looking for new projects that can be used for Christmas gifts (for their heirloom quality), about them. She is going to make a set for each of us kids (we are 6) and I am going to giver her the series for her Christmas present, with all the supplies that she needs to do them.    (I chose the gold ones to coordinate with my dishes)
(she chose the traditional ones)

But I will have to make sure that she has copies of all the how tops for the stitches used in each one which means I will get them first, tai the patterns and then copy all the pertinent stitches out of my favorite needlework stitch book "The Needlepoint Book" by Jo Ippolito Christensen
Oh my, I see that it now has an updated version and it is on Kindle as well. Oh boy! Shopping! Aaah another project to do before next Christmas!