A Teeny Tiny Finish

For the past week, I've been doing finishing work on PIF projects so they could be mailed today. If you are waiting for something from me, it's in the mail. I also was able to fit in a small fob kit that I recently received, Eek! by Lizzie Kate. Since I can't show the pictures of the finished PIF's, I'll just show you a picture of my Eek! fob.

I have done some more work on SB's "Into the Night" but not enough to take a progress picture. I get a bit jealous of people like Nicole who seem to get so much done so fast. Actually, I spent most of my time on the computer, looking up directions and addresses for hubby, who had a 6 stop Menard's run, delivering bathtubs and shower enclosures, all over Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri. That was fun. (took 2 days to get it all off.) Now, it's Friday, and I don't know if I want to go back to work on Into the Night, or find something new and/or quick to work on for the weekend. I'm leaning towards the something new and quick, lol.

This Eek ! fob was fun and very simple to do--until it came to sewing on that dratted button for the spider's body. That button is tiny, almost infinitesimal. I mean smaller than a baby button. So, there I was, trying to get it in perfect position for the legs, holding it with my finger nails, and snap--I flicked it off into the nether world. It went sailing over my chair and took me 20 minutes to find. Good thing my kid was already in bed. I would have been so embarrassed with him seeing me frantically searching for that teensy tiny button. (I'm not trying that other word again, lol.) I was crawling around on the floor, moving things--my cat thought I was a nut. It was one of those times when everything I touched fell over. Eventually, I found that dratted button, got it sewn on and quickly put the project away to iron at a later time. ( I could just imagine what would have happened had I tried to iron it then.) Anyway, I waited until the next evening to get the finishing done on the fob. I did NOT attempt to ruch a ribbon around this fob like the picture on the kit showed. I want to be able to use this piece so just sewed on cording. Sorry for the dark picture, we've had rain all day.

Hope this finds all of you well and ready for Halloween tomorrow night. Stitch on, my friends and thank you for all the lovely comments you leave.

Winter Thread Keeper

Two finishes, Winter Thread Keeper and Winter fob. Winter Wonderland was what I was working on last post, and had lost the picture. When I got close to being done, I decided to postpone my blog post until I had the piece attached to the Winter Thread Keeper by Impie, Hattie and Bea. The fob was worked over one on a scrap of the same fabric, Raw Linen, I believe, and the design was from Winter Wonderland, by LHN. The front shows the snowman and the back, just one of the trees from the piece. Both pieces were worked as charted. I did "embellish" a bit by making a few of the single stitches Smyrna's, along with the little blue snowflakes. I backed the "pocket" on front with a grey blue dupioni silk that a friend sent me and hand sewed the piece to the front of the keeper. (I also lined the pocket with interfacing for stability.)

A word here. I usually hesitate to voice my opinion on anything, but a while ago, I voiced an opinion on the Impie, Hattie and Bea piece for LHN's Traveling Stitcher. I said that my piece was uneven and that I thought I could do it better. I still think I could have sewn the piece better, and probably could even sew 5 of them better. But, I recently found out that these pieces were all sewn by one person. I definitely could NOT have sewn 100 of them better, or 1000. (I get way too bored, find ways to cut corners, when I do more than one or two of the same items.) Long ago, I did sewing for a stitching store in Michigan, making pillow tops, finishing stitcher's pieces into wall hangings and other things. Almost all of these things were "one of a kind" and therefore didn't bore me. But, when you sew the 10th pillow top, or pin the 12th ruffle, etc, it does get somewhat boring. So, I deeply apologize for my "big mouth" on that post. In doing as many as she did, she did pretty awesome work. Now, with a red face, and a grimace, I will slink back to holding my opinion to myself.

The fob work was practice for all the PIF's I've been working on. I had an idea and wanted to see if it would work, so I practiced on my own piece. Now, on to finishing the other three pieces I've already shown you. I will post a picture when the three are completed. And in between finishes, I have been working on my Shepherd's Bush "Into the Night". I'm past the wording now so better than half done. After that, I'm thinking of doing LHN's "The Library". Just ordered the fabric today.

Autumn has come to northern Indiana, bringing more restful and cool nights. I hope all of you are enjoying the autumn colors which are rich and wonderful this year. Stitch on, dear friends, and thank you so much for your constant encouragement and comments. Until next time. . . . .

EDITED TO ADD: Terri asked for pictures of the inside of the thread keeper and the inside of the finished pocket, so I'm editing this post to add those pictures. Please keep in mind that it's rainy and very dark here in Indiana today, so I wasn't able to take these pictures outside. The dining room table had to suffice. Thanks for looking.

Finishes and framings

It's been nearly a month since I posted any finishes or framings. It's been a bit strange around here. Hubby got angry over a settlement that seemed short on earnings, so opened his mouth and quit his job before his sensible side took over. He's been at his new job three weeks now, and is liking the job but not where the job is sending him. For the first time in his career, he's spending time on the east coast, and not liking it one bit. As much as I love the east coast, I can see his point. Some of the roads over there don't seem wide enough for a horse and buggy let alone a 60 foot tractor trailer combo. And all the roads are toll roads--ok, not all of them but one week he paid nearly $200.00 in tolls. I thought the Chicago area was bad for toll roads.

I turn to my stitching whenever "life" is getting me down, and this time, I made a little dent in my stash. Four finishes, three framings, and a new start, all Little House Needleworks pieces.

First up, Lavender Hill. This is the first chart I bought of LHN's. I picked it up at Cecelia's Samplers in Branson, MO, while vacationing with my parents. I got it to make for my hubby. When he was growing up in Illinois, his mother ran an herb nursery and called it Lavender Hill. Their property in Kingston still wears the name. Shawn wanted me to give this to his mother so I framed it fast, so he could take it with him on Sunday. He's planning on being with his parents this weekend. Whoa! A free weekend for me--that just hit me. (his mother has been ill and just recently got home from hospital. She's doing much better now.) The piece was framed in a pine colored stained frame that I made.

Next is Psalms 145 by LHN. I changed this one a bit--I don't much like red houses so made mine blue but the rest of the piece was completed according to the chart. Those leaves were a pain. 52 of them. I didn't think I'd ever get finished with them. I also decided to leave off the stitchers initials and instead, I stitched our last name, and the date we were married over one thread. I put it in a rosewood stained frame and added that little carving to the top for interest.

I had my last PIF to stitch, so I chose Small Sampler House, again by LHN. It's a freebie that I've had for ages. I thought it would make a lovely, over one thread piece. It turned out so pretty that I stitched it over again but this time I did it over two threads. Framed it in a colonial pine colored frame. (I really like the color of wood and the grain that shows. Bet you figured that out!)

Banshee seems to have mastered the "going outside to potty" so we don't have to watch her so closely anymore. That thrills me no end. She's quite the bundle of energy and luckily, she's found a friend in Shadow the cat.

I started a new project and did take a picture of it, but somehow I managed to delete the photo I took. I'm working on Winter Wonderland by LHN to sew to the Winter Thread Keep. I'd say I'm about half finished with it. After it's completed, I'm going back to Shepherd's Bush, Into the Night. With Halloween in about two weeks, I'd really like to have it finished.

Thank you all for the loving comments you leave. Those comments keep me going, encouraging me to keep on. Autumn came quickly to this part of Indiana, and it has been so much easier to sleep with the colder nights. Thanks for stopping by.