Monday, November 30, 2009

Snow - A Finish




Design "Snow"
Designer - Val's Stitchin Stuff
Chart - "Wish Upon a Star"
Fabric - 28 count Stormy Grey Lugana
Started - 22 November 2009
Completed - 26 November 2009

This was a fun piece to stitch!  Quick and easy, the color of the linen and the colors of the floss really sang! 

Sunday, November 29, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives - Autumn Basket




Design - "Autumn Basket" (Snippet)
Designer - Lizzie Kate
Chart - "Autumn Basket"
Fabric - 28 coiunt Ivory Cashel
Started - 27 June 2004
Completed - 4 July 2004

Saturday, November 28, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives - Frost on the Pumpkin


I thought this a fitting post as we had a hard frost last night. 
The world is glittering and gleaming this morning.



Design - "The Frost is on the Pumpkin"
Chart - "Frost" #173
Designer - The Cricket Collection
Fabric - 10 count R & R Alpine Green Tula
Started - 7 September 1998
Completed - 11 October 1998

Friday, November 27, 2009

On the First Day of Christmas - A Start




















I spent a couple of evenings going through my old issues of "Just Cross Stitch" magazine; specifically the annual Christmas ornament issues.  In the 2005 issue I fell in love with the Sisters and Best Friends design "On the First Day of Christmas".  Their use of color is extraordinary! 

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Turkey Day! Be Ye Grateful



Design - "Tall Turkey" (kit)
Designer - Heart in Hand
Fabric - 32 count Tobacco linen
Started - 22 November 2001
Completed - 25 November 2001

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives - Autumn


Design - Autumn Leaf
Designer - Ewe and Eye and Friends
Fabric - 40 count Sandstone linen
Started - 20 November 1998
Completed - 1 December 1998

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives - Autumn


Happy Thanksgiving Week!




Design - "Autumn"
Chart - "Autumn Samplers" #66
Designer - The Prairie Schooler
Fabric - 32 count Wichelt Lambswool linen
Started - 10 November 1997
Completed - 25 December 1997

Monday, November 23, 2009

Valdani Fibers





Valdini fibers are hard to find - thank goodness for Google and the internet!  I have a Stone and Threads chart that uses these and I look forward to working with them.  

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Snow - Kitted Up




Kitted up "Snow" a design by Val's Stitchin' Stuff.
I am using Stormy Grey Jobelan - really a lovely color - it mirrors the colors of a "snow sky" perfectly.    

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Snowman - A Finish



Design - "Snowman" 
Designer - Twisted Threads
Chart - "Winter Trio"
Fibers - WDS and GAST as charted 
Fabric - 32 Count Dirty linen - one thread of floss over two threads of linen
Started - 16 November 2009
Finished - 21 November 2009

Friday, November 20, 2009

New Fabrics - Adding to My Stash





I have plans, plans and more plans...thus the mondo fabric purchase which wended its way to my doorstep yesterday.  I've spent the past week or so flipping through past issues of  the "Just Cross Stitch" ornament issues.  To say I was inspired...crazed...in over my head would be an understatment!  
There is no way that I will get everything done before Christmas, but even so I can admire all the colors:
Hog Wild Blue, Fitzgerald Red, Sheep's Straw, Stormy Grey, Ice Blue, Cafe Kona, Moss Green, Espresso, Summer Khaki, Iced Cappuccino, Rue Green, Lambswool, 18th Century Brown, and Carol's Buttercrunch.
There is poetry in the names!  

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Snowman - Progress




Here's what I've managed to stitch so far...I think it might get tiresome stitching row after row after row of the snow guy!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Brown Paper Packages




Look what arrived in the mail today!  Sometimes the prettiest things do come in "Brown Paper Packages". This line of fibers is new to me - colors are lush and skeins are generous!  I have a "Ewe and Eye and Friends" chart which will use these lovelies!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Snowman - A Start



Kitted up "Snowman" from "Winter Trio" by Twisted Threads.
I am stitching on 32 count Dirty Belfast - one strand of floss over two linen threads.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Ho-Ho-Ho - A Finish



Designer - Ewe and Eye and Friends
Design - Ho-Ho-Ho from 2006 calendar
Fabric - 36 count white linen
Fibers - DMC - changed 613 to 612 for better contrast in beard
Began - 10 November 2009
Completed - 16 November 2009


Just a few specialty stitches and some black back-stitching and this pattern really pops!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Homespun Elegance - Squirrel




Designer - Homespun Elegance
Chart - Simple Pleasures - Autumn Teenies I
Design - Squirrel
Fabric - 28 count Summer Khaki Cashel
Fibers - WDW as charted
Began - 15 November 2009
Completed - 15 November 2009

A quick little piece - perhaps a pincushion as the finish.
Took less than an hour to stitch. 

Saturday, November 14, 2009

The Last Outdoor Farmers' Market of 2009


...and so the 2009 outdoor Eugene Farmers' Market ended today.
It was a lovely clear, cold and sunny morning.
I celebrated the day with a wonderful chicken sandwich at "Field to Table".
They source all their ingredients from the Market if possible.  The sandwich was SO good! 


Paperwhites



Carrots


Persimmons


Delicata Squash


Radishes

Friday, November 13, 2009

Additions to My Stash



Recent purchases include:
A couple of new Blue Ribbon Design charts,
Plum Street Sampler charts, a Workbasket chart,
and several older Homespun Elegance charts.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Ho-Ho-Ho - Progress

This is coming along nicely!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

New Floss and Fibers



I think that even if I did not stitch, I might just buy floss and fibers as the colors are so lovely!
These are Olde Willow, Needlepoint Silks, Crescent Colors, and Gentle Arts Simply Shaker.


Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Ho-Ho-Ho


Began a new pattern this afternoon.
"Ho-Ho-Ho"
By Ewe and Eye and Friends

Monday, November 9, 2009

Sweetie Peetie Pumpkin





Finished!
Chart - Sweetie Peetie Pumpkin
Designer - Twisted Threads
Fabric - 8" x 8" 32 count Tumbleweed linen
Stitched - one strand of floss over two threads
Started - 5 November 2009
Completed - 8 November 2009  

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Winter Walk - Kitted Up


The fabric is lovely, the colors of floss are extraordinary!
I cannot wait to begin!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Sweetie Peetie Pumpkin - Progress


Very simple pattern - lovely lush autumnal colors.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Sweetie Peetie Pumpkin - A Start




Will use Anchor floss as charted
and 32 cnt Wichelt Tumbleweed linen.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Storm Moving In


Today is dark, and grey, and cool, and windy. There is a storm moving in! 
As you can see below Father Quail is perched on a blackberry cane.  He is on high alert as there is a hawk in a tree nearby. 



I said earlier that November was mostly brown.  There are exceptions.  The cottonwood trees are glowing against evergreens and the gloomy sky.



Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Early November - Late Afternoon


A lovely sunny, crisp November afternoon.  As a storm is supposed to move into the area late tonight, thought I'd take a walk and survey what delights there might be found.  November is mostly a study in browns.  

Teasel

Mushrooms

Oaks Leaves and Galls

Ferns and Moss 

Symbiotic relationship

Cows' Parsnip

Oaks Leaves and Gall

Oak Leaves and Acorns

Cleo in the Sunshine

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Winston the Snowman - A Finish



A great little piece.
I love the idea of a snowman in a heavy overcoat!
Stitched using 32 count Natural Belfast linen and fibers as charted.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Wild Turkeys Make an Appearance



On Sunday we had a rare (to us) sighting of wild turkeys.  We used to have the birds around constantly and continually, but the last couple of years they have stayed away.  Yesterday a Mama and her eight babies came by to check out our bird feeders. 


Sunday, November 1, 2009

This is the Day - A Finish





I finished up "This is the Day" Saturday morning.  I love it, I love it, I love it.  It uses only seven total colors, and three of those are just accent colors, yet it seems lush and vibrant.  I enjoyed working with Needlepoint Silks.
October was a strange month for me personally, so the sentiment of this sampler has become very dear to me.  


Close up of flower


Close up of face, etc