A finish......but not really

I always get a little nervous when I go to finish a stitched project.  At least 5 years ago I stitched a small piece that required cement glue in the finishing process.  CEMENT GLUE - doesn't that sound a little too permanent???? What if I mess up?  The finished stitching was going to be glued into a metal coin purse frame.  I bought G-S Hypo Cement but procrastinated in finishing.....what if I mess up?????? Did I mention I was using cement glue???? 

Fast forward a few years. A few weeks ago I decided that I must overcome this finishing phobia.  Today was going to be the day!  

Even though the G-S Cement had never been opened, it was dried up when I went to use it.  Here is the photo to prove that no matter how much I was squeezing the tube, not one drop of liquid cement was gonna come out!  

So, this project is on hold until I get to Hobby Lobby for more liquid cement.  I did stick the stitched piece in the coin purse frame to see how it would look.  What do you think?   I'll post again once it has been cemented in the frame so you can see the "permanent" finish.

Design: Thimble Purse Home Sweet Home a stitchers necklace by Brenda Gervais.

Pineberry Lane Wool & Flax

Earlier this year I signed up for the Quaint Country Ladies club that Dyeing To Stitch offers.  As a member of this club, I get a cross-stitch kit mailed to me every 3 months.  The first kit that I received was a pattern designed by Wendy Stys-Van Eimeren of Pineberry Lane.  The name of the pattern was Wool and Flax.  Sometimes I'm a slow stitcher; however, I was able to get this piece stitched in just over a month. (Note:  I'm sure there are stitchers out there who think, "A month????? It took you that long?")  I assure you that most of my projects, even simple ones, usually take me longer than a month to complete.  But anyhoo, back to the subject at hand.  

Here is a photo I took a couple of months ago after I had finished stitching the design.  Stitching was done on 36 count R&R Reproductions' Liberty Gathering Gray linen using Weeks Dye Works floss.

Doesn't this shepherdess look just like a "quaint country lady"?  The instructions called for finishing this piece into a cute little bag.  I always get a little antsy when it comes to finishing.  I have a fear of messing up something that has taken me hours to cross-stitch.  So, stitched projects always get laid aside until I can muster up enough nerve to follow through with the finishing.  I finished stitching the design in early June.  Today I finally decided to tackle the finishing.

Since this was to be finished into a little bag, some sewing was involved.  Sewing machines intimidate me so I do all sewing by hand......which takes time.....another reason why I procrastinate!  This project came with very detailed finishing instructions.  There were 15 steps to complete and I slowly made my way through all 15.  I am very pleased with how the finishing turned out.  Are you ready to take a look?

Pretty cute, isn't it?   The finished size is 7" x 4 1/2".  

I've got lots more projects piled up in that "need to do finishing" stack.  How about you?  

Happy 4th!

I thought the 4th would be a good time to revive this blog by showing off some July-themed cross-stitch.  Here is a not-so-great photo of a little vignette in my foyer.  Keep reading for better photos and details of the stitched pieces.

This little piece is an old Lizzy Kate Flip-It that I stitched over 10 years ago.  I stitched all 12 months and had a craftier-than-me (she can sew, I can't!) friend finish them with coordinating fabric hangers.  This hangs in my living room on an antique wash stand.

Now for a close up of those pieces displayed in the foyer.......

A patriotic mini stocking designed by Beth Twist of Heartstring Samplery.  I stitched and did the finishing in 2017.  

A cute design by Notforgotten Farms which I stitched for a 2017 Fancy Works Stitch Retreat.  The finishing work was done by me in a retreat class taught by The Queen of Finishing, Vonna Pfeiffer. Vonna has some great finishing tutorials on her website, https://thetwistedstitcher.blogspot.com if you feel inspired to tackle that stack of stitched-but-not-yet-finished projects!

Fourth of July Bird by Heart In Hand stitched many moons ago!

I attended another Fancy Works stitch retreat earlier this year.  I didn't take any classes but I did participate in a patriotic pin cushion exchange.  This is the pin cushion that I received in the exchange.  The lady who stitched this adorable pin cushion told me the name of the designer but I failed to make note of it and now I can't remember what she told me.  If anyone knows the designer, please leave a comment below.

And speaking of the pin cushion exchange, this is the piece that I stitched for the exchange.  The design is by Clytie Anna Designs and was published in the Summer 2017 issue of PNPS Magazine.

Finally, here is a better photo of the other patriotic decor shown in the first photo.  The book is Mary Emmerling's American Country Flags.

One more patriotic piece.....a cute 5" coaster from Mary Hadley Pottery in Louisville, KY.  

Hope you and yours have a fun (and safe) 4th!

My Stitching Project List for 2018

A fellow blogger, Pat @ Southpaw Stitcher, recently posted her stitching goals for 2018.  Hmmmmm, I thought, that sounds like something I should do.  So, without further ado, here are the projects that I will be working on during 2018.  Some were started earlier this year, some were started in 2017, and some were started so long ago that I can not even give you an approximate date.  

First up is a project that I just started last week.  I came across the pattern while I was looking thru my pattern stash.  I knew that it would be a quick and easy stitch.  I did deviate from the called-for linen color and thread.  I am stitching this piece on 35 count Weeks Dye Works Blue Jeans linen using Curry over-dyed sampler thread.  I am almost halfway done already!  

Next up is a cute little pattern that was given to me by a sweet friend.  A pumpkin-shaped wood frame and 2 wood button embellishments were part of the kit.  I started this last fall but it got put aside while I finished up Christmas ornaments (that is another blog post).  I resumed stitching just this past weekend and it is also going very quickly.  This pattern is being stitched on 36-count linen using most of the called for DMC.  I did substitute Dried Thyme sampler thread for DMC on the flower stems/leaves.

That same sweet friend also gave me this Mill Hill "Cat in the Box" kit.  This will be stitched on perforated paper and uses both DMC threads and Mill Hill beads.  I have not started stitching this yet but it is on my 2018 stitching goal list!

This "Me & You" sampler pattern by La-D-Da was started last spring.  I am stitching it on 55 count Kingston ivory linen using DMC.  Due to the size of the linen, I need bright, natural light while I'm stitching this.  I worked on it quite a bit last spring/summer while sitting on the front porch swing; however, with current temps at 20-40 degrees, this project is pretty much on hold until I can sit outside and stitch.  

This project here, Acorn House Pin Drum by Heartstring Samplery, has been getting the most attention over the past few weeks.  I started it right before Christmas and I am 80% finished.  There is some stitching left to be done at the far left and far right (you can see where I have just started stitching at the far right).  Once I finish stitching, I will be making it into a pin drum as shown on the front of the pattern.  This will be my second pin drum.  This kit was one that I received as a member of Dyeing to Stitch's 2017 Ladies Prim Society.  

I have also been working on another project designed by Beth Twist of Heartstring Samplery (she also designed the Acorn House Pin Drum shown above).  I started stitching this in August 2015!  It kinda got pushed to the back of the WIP stack and stayed there until last month when I decided to start working on it again.  I'm stitching on 40 count linen (the pattern called for 32 count) using the called-for Sampler threads.....aren't the vivid colors of the threads absolutely gorgeous?  I still have a long way to go on this project.

 

I think I started this candle mat project in December 2016......thinking that I could get it stitched as a quick Christmas gift.  Well, let's see.  It is now January 2018 and it is only about 20% finished!  This design is by Prairie Grove Peddler.  I have several of these candle mat patterns; however, this is the first of them that I have started stitching.  They would make cute little gifts.  I'm stitching on 28 count linen using both DMC and sampler threads.

And finally.....I have been working on this (or maybe I should say NOT working on this) since circa 2004.  I attended a stitch retreat many moons ago and Maureen Appleton was one of the teachers.  She does beautiful work.  She had several of her designs on display along with the patterns for sale.  This design is the 4th in her Coverlet Series.  The pattern calls for the coverlet to be stitched using dark green DMC.  I am stitching mine with a dark red DMC (815) on 32 count natural Glenshee Scottish Linen.  The stitching is done using 1 strand of DMC over 1 linen thread.  It is difficult to show in the photo how tiny this piece will be when completed.  While it will be approximately 13 1/2" long, it will only be 1 3/4" high.  I had not worked on this project in years; however, I found it in my WIP stash several months ago and have started stitching on it again.  It is tedious work so I can only stitch on it a little at a time.  We'll see how much I can complete during 2018.  

That concludes my list of 2018 stitching goals.  I have left off a few projects that I have in mind as they will be gifts and I do not want to spoil any surprises.  I am sure that I will start new projects as I finish those shown above.  I'm not much of a consistent blogger but I will try to post updates (maybe quarterly?) to show any progress made on my 2018 stitching goals.