Monday, June 08, 2009

Sunflower Inn Happy Dance


My newest finish is Sunflower Inn by Little House Needleworks. This piece seemed to take me forever, and I wasn't even distracted by my dh being home. It was an enjoyable stitch. I didn't use all of the recommended threads. Substituted Crescent Colour cottons for the three DMC listed and used a different fabric, Heritage Cashel. I really like how it came out.


I will admit to having a small problem with framing this piece. I got it all together, and was ready to put the paper on the back, and realized that I had missed two stitches--the ecru color between the house and the roof. I was so upset. Set about to fix the problem, with my son laughing hysterically in the background. Yes, I added those two stitches without taking the piece out of the frame. Can you spot my addition?

I seem to be on a roll with LHN designs, but there is a reason. For 18 years, the most prominant picture over our four poster bed has been an Alma Lynne bunny, dressed to look like a little girl. Okay, so that isn't the most masculine picture for a bedroom shared by two people. LOL. Dh said he didn't much mind what was hanging there, but I think he likes these LHN pieces better. So far, I've hung Sea to Shining Sea, Prairie Sampler, Holly and Berries (?) and now Sunflower Inn. I have Two White Houses in the works also. (only have most of one house done so far.) I know LHN has another chart with a house that's similar to Prairie Sampler, so I need to find out which one that is, and get that one going. I think that would fit into the collage.

A moment for a rant here. I did Sunflower Inn with two threads over two threads--and what is it about using two ply, strands, whatever, that really sucks? Somehow, I always ended up with one thread shorter than the other. I kept a close eye on my stitches, so I didn't have any uneven ones, but still. Does this happen to anyone else? Is there any way to keep it from happening? Between us, I prefer to stitch with one thread but it just doesn't cover well enough on 28 count, and it's barely sufficient for 32 count. (silk is a different matter, covers just fine on 32 count.) Oh, well, grin and bear it, right?

Here is the piece that I showed last time, all framed up. Acorn Hill. What do you think of the frame color? Too "out there"? Too bright? I tried dulling it down with a wash of green paint, but it doesn't show much.

On the home front, things are getting marginally better. He's running the miles and getting paid, but we have so much to pay back and it's taking a lot longer getting bills paid off than I had thought. I'm on a stash diet--well, not even diet as one eats on a diet. I'm in stash withdrawal, and will change that the second that I can. So many lovely charts out there, so many threads I'm running out of. I'm actually doing Two White Houses with the recommended DMC floss colors.
Life goes on, summer is approaching and with it, the dreaded heat. I've already spent a lot of time indoors with the air conditioning. Did spend one Sunday afternoon washing and waxing my car but it was a cool day, about 65 degrees. That's the kind of temps I enjoy. We have survived a severe storm with only a few downed tree limbs and short power outages. (Poor Boo, the thunder scared her so she stuck close to me.) And this stash withdrawal is causing me to dip into stored stash, and I'm finding things I didn't even remember I had--how cool is that?
Stitch on, dear friends, and thank you for all the comments you leave me. Your encouragement brings a smile to my lips and happy thoughts to my head. And a special thank you to all of you who keep your blogs updated on a regular basis, for I have interesting things to read. Until next time. . . .

9 comments:

Sharon said...

congratulations on finishing Sunflower Hill. I have to stitch this design, its so pretty. Now I want to all the more. I love your framed Acorn Hill too. Beautiful!

Patricia Lessell said...

I love both things you have stitched and finished. Do you think you could please email me your full name and home address please? My email is on my blog somewhere or other. Lots of Love Patti xxx

Siobhán said...

The one thread shorter than the other happens to me, too. I don't know how because I am very careful with my stitching, but it's usually just a smidgen off.

Beautiful LHN finishes!

Unknown said...

Loving your latest finished Debs, and I had wondered where you were.
The thread thing happens to me too, I have no idea as to why either. May be it is just the way the thread goes and I always start off with the same length with both pieces of thread.

I know about stash withdrawls too. It sucks.

You would love it here right now, we have COLD, -4 the other morning, shame it was a work morning is all I can say!

Leigh said...

I love Sunflower Hill! Sunflowers make me smile!

Sorry about the stash diet. Hope you can end it soon!!

I have trouble with the thread thing too. Wish I knew why.

Brigitte said...

You finished two reat LHN piees. And I love how you framed them.
I nearly always stitch with two threads over two, and one thread is always shorter than the other when I get to the end of the length. So, I got used to it and it doesn't bother me any longer, lol. But it remains a mystery how this happens.

Shannon said...

These are both beautiful. I thought the one thread shorter thing was something that just happened to me. I'm glad to know I'm not crazy!

Deb said...

Wow, I love your finish on Sunflower Hill. Congratulations. I think that we, at one time or another, have left out a stitch here or there. I just finished a piece and realized that I left off two small things! Yikes. Luckily, I hadn't taken it for framing like I did one other piece (forgot the birds legs - LOL). Anyway, love your finish

Susan @ Real Girl Designs said...

Sunflower Hill looks lovely, Debs. I love the frame. I think the frame on Acorn Hill looks fine!

I'v missed stitches before, but have never fixed them once they're in the frame LOL