Good morning, all! I have so much to show you today! It’s been kind of a rough week though, so stitching has kept me sane. I am having allergy testing done today. It’s been seven years since I had it done initially, so it’s time to redo and see what’s changed in that time. In order to have the testing done, I had to be off my allergy medication for seven days prior. So, it’s been . . . interesting. Not actually as bad as I anticipated, but I am glad it will be over this afternoon! So, that’s what’s on the agenda for today (other than work, of course). So . . . what have I been up to? Well, above you can see my progress on At Home with Jane Austen. I am loving this piece. That pink line is the halfway mark, so you can see how much I have left approximately. I do have one issue though. I am stitching this from the design printed in The Gift of Stitching, and while I was aware of one error in the chart there (a symbol that was wrong), I was unaware of one of the motifs being off by two stitches. I’ve since looked at their corrections page and found that. So, I will be ripping out and restitching that top berry vine two stitches to the left. Since there is an echoing berry vine at the bottom of the design, I figured I’d rip out and restitch when I get down to that one. Totally my fault for not checking for corrections. The only reason I discovered there might be a problem was when I stitched that pink line and realized my top vine was a little too far to the right. But, I love love love this piece. I am trying to decide how I want to finish it. I am drawn toward finishing with a hem-stitched edge, as suggested. I do want to stitch the companion piece to this one, so I’ll want to finish both the same probably. The colors are just luscious for this piece too.
I’ve also been stitching a little bit on my travel piece. You may remember I started this one early last year. It is Mele Kalikimaka by Monsterbubbles from the 2004 JCS Ornament issue. This is over one with Silk N Colors on 32ct. (What is it with me and the over one lately?) I hope to have a finish on this sooner rather than later as well. I’ve made a good amount of progress on it lately. When I picked it back up again I stitched the sun, the little string of lights (sans string), and started on the presents. The sand and sky will totally be stitched as well, so please ignore the thread you can see from behind.
Also this weekend, I decided that I would pull out my little Valentine’s Day tabletopper quilt and work on it. I started quilting this some time ago, but decided that I wasn’t happy with the quilting, so I am pulling it out. It’s slow going because my old sewing machine had so many tension issues that sometimes the stitches are a reasonable length and distance apart, but sometimes they are teeny tiny and stacked almost on top of one another. I’m about halfway finished with the ripping out portion. I would love to get this requilted and finished in time for Valentine’s Day. Wouldn’t that be nice?
And, finally, yesterday was Mermaid SAL day with Anna. I feel like I made real progress on my girl this week. I have finished her hair minus the bling (Kreinik, beads and treasures), and moved on to her skin. I’m not sold on how that arm looks with the distinct definition between colors, but I hope once I get more done it will look ok. Here’s a question though. I’ve never stitched a Miribilia before, so for those that have…I notice that sometimes when there are colors butting up against each other, there are blank spaces. Do you just leave them, and they look ok, or do you fill in with half or quarter stitches, or what? Inquiring minds want to know.
Here she was as of last week…
And here she is after this Sunday’s stitching….
Big difference, huh? I like the bits of blue in her hair. I think I’m going to have to order my bling soon, so that I can at least do the Kreinik bits.
I’ll probably be back to Jane Austen tonight, if I’m feeling up to stitching. Oh, and I totally forgot…I did pull out Tesori d’Italia yesterday briefly and put a few stitches in it too. I hope to occasionally make some progress on it too, but I have to stitch it in secret, you know. Ok, so that’s it for me today. Have a great week!
I am grateful for feeling focused and enjoying my stitching – no pressure!
My mermaid was totally jealous of your mermaid’s hair, so I worked on that yesterday. Photos soon!
My mermaid was totally jealous of your mermaid’s hair, so I worked on that yesterday. Photos soon!
You’re making great progress on everything! 🙂
The Jane Austen sampler would work well as a bellpull, if you didn’t want to frame it and the companion. Or maybe even a tall pinkeep?
You’re making great progress on everything! 🙂
The Jane Austen sampler would work well as a bellpull, if you didn’t want to frame it and the companion. Or maybe even a tall pinkeep?
You are making great progress all the way around! Love the mermaid….drool…
You are making great progress all the way around! Love the mermaid….drool…
I love that Monsterbubbles ornie. It’s on my some day list.
I really like the colors in the Valentine topper, like a great big box of chocolates.
I love that Monsterbubbles ornie. It’s on my some day list.
I really like the colors in the Valentine topper, like a great big box of chocolates.
You have been stitching away there girl. I love the colors in your Jane Austen sampler too.
Your Mira and mine are looking pretty much the same. I have this brown blob that really doesn’t tell much. Oh well, one day.
Love your Valentines’ quilt. I am sure you will fix it so it looks fine.
You have been stitching away there girl. I love the colors in your Jane Austen sampler too.
Your Mira and mine are looking pretty much the same. I have this brown blob that really doesn’t tell much. Oh well, one day.
Love your Valentines’ quilt. I am sure you will fix it so it looks fine.
Oh my, you’ve done an awful lot of stitching… and you’re planning on way-hay too much ripping. Now, if that were my Jane Austen sampler, that berry vine would stay exactly where it was, so I really admire your patience and perseverance :o)
I don’t know if you can fit finishing your NRR into your busy stitching schedule…?
Oh my, you’ve done an awful lot of stitching… and you’re planning on way-hay too much ripping. Now, if that were my Jane Austen sampler, that berry vine would stay exactly where it was, so I really admire your patience and perseverance :o)
I don’t know if you can fit finishing your NRR into your busy stitching schedule…?
I’m stuck in an over one rut too- I hope the allergy testing goes well!
I’m stuck in an over one rut too- I hope the allergy testing goes well!
You know, you have to kind of stitch on the fly with a Mira–some of those charts are not so clear about how it should be done! I also have a buddy that stitches them, so if I’m in a quandry, I take a close up pic and send it to her. Then she emails me back and says “Nope, you have to rip it out and do it THIS WAY!” LOL! Your mermaid is looking great.
You know, you have to kind of stitch on the fly with a Mira–some of those charts are not so clear about how it should be done! I also have a buddy that stitches them, so if I’m in a quandry, I take a close up pic and send it to her. Then she emails me back and says “Nope, you have to rip it out and do it THIS WAY!” LOL! Your mermaid is looking great.
Really wonderful stitchy progress!!!
Really wonderful stitchy progress!!!
I like your Jane Austen piece a lot! I think I might have to stitch that one myself because I truly find that being at home is what recharges my batteries.
I like your Jane Austen piece a lot! I think I might have to stitch that one myself because I truly find that being at home is what recharges my batteries.
Michelle, you are one crazy crafter!!! Your Jane Austen piece is so yummy! I’ll have to pull this one out and start stitching. When did you start this bc you are making excellent progress?
That monsterbubbles is going to be so cute when you’re done! I can’t wait to see your quilt, and I’ve never worked a Mira before so I can’t help you there. She’s looking great though!
WOW! You’ve done so much stitching and quilting that I hope you’re eating. LOL (j/k)
Michelle, you are one crazy crafter!!! Your Jane Austen piece is so yummy! I’ll have to pull this one out and start stitching. When did you start this bc you are making excellent progress?
That monsterbubbles is going to be so cute when you’re done! I can’t wait to see your quilt, and I’ve never worked a Mira before so I can’t help you there. She’s looking great though!
WOW! You’ve done so much stitching and quilting that I hope you’re eating. LOL (j/k)
You got a lot done on Jane 🙂 I love this one too…*some*day I’ll stitch it up 🙂
Your Mermaid – now that’s what I call progress! You go girl 🙂
You got a lot done on Jane 🙂 I love this one too…*some*day I’ll stitch it up 🙂
Your Mermaid – now that’s what I call progress! You go girl 🙂
Your pieces are looking fantastic! Is the Jane Austin piece from Sampler Girl?
Your pieces are looking fantastic! Is the Jane Austin piece from Sampler Girl?
Nice stitching! I love that JA piece 🙂 I have tension troubles on my machine, too… I generally am too lazy to rip and redo LOL
Nice stitching! I love that JA piece 🙂 I have tension troubles on my machine, too… I generally am too lazy to rip and redo LOL
All of your progress is looking amazing! I hope that everything with your allergy testing goes well and you feel better!
All of your progress is looking amazing! I hope that everything with your allergy testing goes well and you feel better!
Just had to laugh at your “OK, that’s it for me today” closing. Are you kidding?? I’m exhausted just reading about everything you’ve accomplished.
Great projects, great progress!!
Just had to laugh at your “OK, that’s it for me today” closing. Are you kidding?? I’m exhausted just reading about everything you’ve accomplished.
Great projects, great progress!!
Wow, loads of progress there!! Doing great in ’09! 🙂 Love your Jane Austen sampler, and the Mirabilia! Thanks for the heads up on the corrections for the Austen piece, I would never thought to have checked that myself… and I think I’d probably be inclined to keep the mistake in, too!!
Wow, loads of progress there!! Doing great in ’09! 🙂 Love your Jane Austen sampler, and the Mirabilia! Thanks for the heads up on the corrections for the Austen piece, I would never thought to have checked that myself… and I think I’d probably be inclined to keep the mistake in, too!!
Everything looks great! I love that Jane Austen design.. maybe when I get my tax money I can buy some of Tanya’s wonderful Jane Austen patterns. 🙂
Everything looks great! I love that Jane Austen design.. maybe when I get my tax money I can buy some of Tanya’s wonderful Jane Austen patterns. 🙂
The Jane Austen Piece is beautiful. The top vine looks fine as it is to me, I’m not sure I’d rip it out. Maybe you could add one stitch to the left hand end of the vine and one to the right hand end of the pink line, and that would even it up a bit?
The Jane Austen Piece is beautiful. The top vine looks fine as it is to me, I’m not sure I’d rip it out. Maybe you could add one stitch to the left hand end of the vine and one to the right hand end of the pink line, and that would even it up a bit?