Endings and Beginnings

I have finally finished a project that I started long ago: Abécédaires by Gazette94. I stitched this on a piece of 32 ct. Purely Primitive by Silkweavers. I used HDF Indigo Ocean and Deep Ocean. I love, love, love Indigo Ocean - the blues and greens are just beautiful. I stitched this during my son's horn lessons - at 45 minutes a week, this project took a looooong time! Finishing it is rather bittersweet - I will miss it! But, it is going to the top of the framing pile that I will tackle after I win the lottery!!! LOL!




And to take its place in my "travel bag" is Quaker Star, a new piece with the German Marquoir group. I am using HDF Velvet Masquerade on a piece of 32 ct. Lentil by Lakeside linens.

We take my son to band camp later today - it is a week long residential camp. He has gone for three years, and he really enjoys it. They will put on a concert next Saturday - the concerts are always very good.

Very hot and dry here - very tempting to do absolutely nothing!!!!

Until next time, happy stitching! Margaret

June ornament, GGM 13 and Quakerchen 4

Here is the lovely GGM sampler. Only one part left to stitch now. I plan to get this framed as soon as I finish it - I love its elegant simplicity.



Here is the latest view of Quakerchen that I am stitching with the Marquior stitching group. This is a fun little piece - I think there are three more parts, so it will be a tiny piece when done.


This is my June ornament. It is Joyful Blessings by Blue Ribbon Designs published in the August 08 JCS magazine. I used the charted fibers and a piece of scrap white linen - by the time I recognized it was 28 ct. and would result in a huge ornament, I had already stitched most of the over one alphabet - so I just finished with the big fabric.

I know that I have not yet finished by May ornament - it calls for embellishments that I had trouble locating. It is a JBW design. Finally I wrote to Judy Whitman, the designer, for advice. She has the needed embellishments and I ordered them from here. She seems like a very nice person - I'd love to meet her in person. So, I hope to finish that ornie soon, and will post a pic.

Well, my yard work has come to a screeching halt. A hot sultry summer has seized Maryland. It is just too hot to go out and work. Late in the day I go out and try to water my plant "stash" and hope to keep it alive until relief arrives.

I have spent this weekend at a soccer tournament in the Maryland soccer plex. DS is playing as a guest player on a team - they put DS in as goalie - which causes great anxiety in the parental ranks. The team is learning to play together - today they won their game 1 - 0. YEA!!!!

Well, all for now. Happy stitching, everyone!

No time to stitch!

I have had very little time to stitch - too much that I need to do in the yard! Not to mention carting around a fifteen year old with a busy schedule - soccer, French horn performances, and socials....We spent the weekend at a soccer tournament in Gettysburg, PA - lovely area; and I was lucky enough to get to see one of my dearest friends from South Carolina that I hadn't seen in years - she happened to be nearby; and came and rescued us from the soccer fields for a wonderful lunch and shopping. High school is now out for the summer - we have one orchestra audition; one recital, and one more spring soccer game - and then a long, lazy summer to enjoy.

Nevertheless, I have been stitching a little on the German Group Mystery - only three more parts to go now. I love this piece and will miss it when I complete it.

The other photo is a little piece called Quakerchen with the Marquior group. It is small enough that I might actually finish it someday. I will look up the details - designer, threads used, etc. for the next time I post.

I was doing very well on my Christmas Ornament challenge; but now I have hit a stone wall. I stitched one of the old JBW Sweet Nothings Sampler Trees - but it calls for pailettes (sequins). I need 4 mm gold ones - I can find places to buy them online, but I have to buy several hundred and the shipping is outrageous!!! I haven't decided what to do about this yet - but because of this dilemna, my May ornament will be late - Grrrrrrr!

Warning - here is my soapbox statement: Quit worrying about whose fault it is and who's going to pay for the Gulf cleanup! Just focus on stopping the leak and cleaning up! Then focus on what went wrong and how to prevent it from ever happening again! Make sure it can't happen to the other wells that are operating in the region. There is plenty of time for blame; and I'm sure the cost is going to be high enough that the well owner/operator and the taxpayers will get to shell out plenty of money to clean this up. Then if we are all not completely exhausted, we can start blaming each other in earnest. OK, this is supposed to be my stitching blog; with a little gardening and the boy wonder thrown in; so I will get off my soapbox now.

Well, summer hit Maryland this weekend - we can bid spring an abrupt adieu. We are having thunderstorms today, and it is hot as blue blazes out there. Nice day for stitching!

All for now, Margaret