Over due Pictures of WIPs and new "hobby"

Greetings all, finally got my phone to work and upload some very over-due pictures. With no further ado...

My poor little screwed up Acron Needle Book. I started this last year and ran into major issues, as you can see. It was even more wonkier than this and then I ruined it with too much spray glue..yes, yes, I know...

 So this is the acorn cap. Stitched in "knit stitch" and tres adorable.

Outside and In. I have sewed it shut, leaving the ribbon closure out, purely by accident, so am thinking about a snap closure. And I am making another scissor pocket but I put it on so you can see what might look like. I might fiddle with it somemore...I figure I can't ruin it, can I???

Above is my latest knit creation, a cowl. I should have started learning with this but of course, I chose to learn with something more advanced.

To the right is my first knit "lace" pattern. Was this awful to stitch but I did it.

Below is a crochet mini-shawl...the yellow is just  a space holder until I can find my hank of the brown which is somewhere ...

This is a nother knitted shawl or wrap. You can see where my tension changed in the middle. This is what happens when I knit too long.

I am also spinning a bit every day. Below is pic of my yarn. I am still learning how to draft and spin and which hand does what.  Not sure what to do with this...my teacher says to roll it up and keep it on a display as a fond remembrance of my first yarn.

 You might recall that I started work on Elegant Pumpkins a while back...maybe earlier this year, I don't recall, but I have fished it out for more work this year. Below is pic from magazine and my current progress....have a long way to go!!

 A few Mill Hill kits  started last Christmas and to be finished before this one...well, that is my hope! I made a mistake on the snow man so I put this down but now must find a way of working around the error or frogging...decisions, decisions...

Below is progress on my tea towl. Probably won't work on finishing this until next year. I am in Autumn and Christmas mode right now.

And below is a Shephard's Bush sampler. I stopped because I was changing the font on it and then I got distracted with something else...but this is on my to do list...again, probably next year. I added buttons to the hill because the threads didn't come labeled and the greens were very similar that I mixed them up and you can't see the flowers on the hill too good. I also unleashed the lamb and gave the figure a curve on the back.  The figure is holding a posey which is done in French knots. I also did something with the hair, gave her a bun and a neck and thinned out her ankles..whew! Much nicer, in my opinion.

I started this on a whim a few weeks ago and I regret it...I hate AIDA! Will keep my eye out for a suitable piece of linen or evenweave. Its not white Aida, but a very pale aqua blue.

Well, that's it for the pictures for now. I should have a finish on "En Juin" by Grille de Maryse, very soon...yep, any minute now...

Hope everyone is enjoying the seasonal changes which may mean more cozy dark nights for plenty of stitching... Depending on which hemisphere you live in that is.

Christina In Sunny and Rainy Miami

Victorian Motto Sampler is having another give away...

Hi all, Nancy is having another give away! Here is the link: http://victorianmottosamplershoppe.blogspot.com/2015/08/favorite-things-give-away-enter-now_27.html?showComment=1440776342007#c1004131810200535640

Be sure to check out her eBay shop, too!

Good luck.

We are preparing for the worst here in Miami as storm Erika is heading our way.

Stay safe and dry my fellow Floridians out there.

Hugs, Christina

SFS-2015B Update

Hello stitchy friends...I am going to start with a SFS challenge update. I haven't been cross stitching too muchbut did go on vacation so I did have a Stash Enhancing eXperience! I stopped by Dixie Darlin' in Pigeon Forge and treated myself to a magnet scissor holder to put on my shirt and a piece of fabric. Yeah, I needed that piece of fabric like I need a hole in the head!

August purchases - R&R Reproductions  Kona Blend fabric - $8.00
                                Magnetic scissor keep - $12.00 Total spent $20.

Here is a pic of what I am stitching on sometimes in the evenings, it's a pattern from Les Grilles de Maryse entitle "En juin, delices du jardin." I will be done with this in a few nights!

The design calls for a light green fabric but I've put mine on a blue and white mottled fabric from my stash, so it looks very bright and cheery and also substituted the colors to work better with the fabric.

Hope everyone has managed to stick to their limits this month! And for those with kids that started school or will soon, good luck and happy learning!

Hugs, Christina in hot and muggy Miami. 

July SFS-2015 part B

Hi all,

Haven't done any stitchng this month. I am focusing on learning to knit  with real knitting needles - as opposed to a loom. I must admit that knitting on needles is easier than using a loom.  

Anyway, here is my break down for JULY SFS.

July - $ 0.97 spent.  I am working on stitching up some of my prefinished items and I found an old cotton towel in my stash so I purchased an embroiderie stamped pattern for it. Pics when I start it. I am still thinking about colors and what stitch to use for the outline.  I don't embroider so this is a new one for me. I guess this is the summer of learning new skills! 

Question: I don't use a hoop for cross stitching however, should I use one for embroidering on this towel? The fabric is very soft and drapey.


PRIZE WINNER! Below is a pic of the prize I won for May's SFS 2015-A challenge. The potential for this design is great. I love bands for decorating all sorts of things and am sure I will put these designs to good use.

This is "Ye Olde Sampler Bag" by Rosewood Manor. One of my favourite designers.

Thank you Mel and those lovely ladies that offer the prizes. This challenge wouldn't be any fun without the prizes! 

Thank you for visiting and hope everyone is having a good summer and staying cool. We are having airconditioning issues = (  You know what that means, cranky people in the house acting like they are the only ones with sweaty underwear!!

June Update of SFS 2015 - A

Hi all, not too much to report. I did do a little spending but still well within budget.

In June I spent $34.50 on fabric and few things from a de-stash that someone was having.  

May - $1.00 on floss.
April - spent $5 on a huck towel that was on sale at Michael's craft store.
March - spent 0
Feb - spent $19.99
Jan - spent 0

I will try for pics over the weekend.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far!

Hugs,

Christina

SFA-2015 May update

Just a quick update on this challenge...the first half will be over soon and I have been able to post every month and have saved tons of money!

In May I spent $1.00 on three skeins of floss that I needed - they were on sale at the Joann's.

Here's a break down of the last few months:

May - $1.00 on floss.
April - spent $5 on a huck towel that was on sale at Michael's craft store.
March - spent 0
Feb - spent $19.99
Jan - spent 0

I am also still working on the tea towel and hope to finish that sometime in June.

Hope everyone is safe this spring from tornadoes and floods = (.

Christina

Stitchy UPdate!

Hi folks, lot's of pics this time.

So to start, here's most recent finish. This was a little interlude, as I call them...you know, when something distracts you from a current commitment and you just have to dally a bit. The finishing idea was from Deb, a very creative and handy lady at one of the Yahoo groups of which I am a member.

Pine Mountain - a Smidgen called Spring

Below is pic of the heart I made for the  "Heart of Village" competition at The Stichers' Village. There is always stuff going on there so check it out HERE. And here is a LINK to another post with specific information on the heart, inspiration, materials, etc

Inspired by Threadworks Primitives - Cinnamon Hearts 

Here are pics of my prizes that came in Monday as a result of winning first prize for that heart. My Heart came back to me too, for which I am very grateful!

The prizes are all wonderful and as you can tell, I've already started on the little pillow...another interlude! This is my first win of anything like this.

Hope everyone is finding time to stitch and staying safe this spring...prayers go out to all in the tornado belt and those in flooding risk areas.

Hugs,
Christina In Swelteringly Hot South Florida