January Stitching

Can’t believe that tomorrow is the start of February. Where did January go? Here’s a recap of my January stitching.

These first two pieces were essentially done in December, but I had some solid stitching to fill in at the bottom of both and I saved this for my January Zoom calls.

Anna Grater by The Scarlett House.

Autumn Leaves by Prairie Schooler. (Ignore the stitched line at the bottom; it was a counting mistake!)

I also nearly finished this piece, but I still need to chart and stitch the personalization. The Strawberry Patch by Homespun Samplar.

Hardanger Bunad pieces - collar, cuffs, and front placket for blouse. These aren’t finished yet. I need more thread and it’s coming from Norway.

Lastly, Kindred Spirits of the Thread by La D Da.

There were a few other projects I worked on, but they didn’t hold my attention for very long. Looking forward to seeing what February brings!

Kindred Spirits of the Thread

I have a finish! This design from La D Da was a kit offered through the Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild, and a limited number were also available through Kitten Stitcher. This will be finished into a drum (when I get around to finishing it!)

More later - I’m spending my afternoon at an online retreat offered by Acorns & Threads.

Heartstring Samplery Designs

I really enjoy stitching Heartstring Samplery designs. Lately though, I really enjoy her mugs with sampler designs. I’ve been drinking a lot of hot tea and hot cider!

Just a little bit of stitching tonight. I’ll finish the La D Da piece tomorrow night!

Recent Stitching

Thanks to those who continue to visit my blog; I appreciate your kind comments.

I’ve been kind of fickle lately with my stitching. I haven’t really settled in with a project. I was working on the Barbara Ana sampler which I will share with you below and then decided I should hit that box of smaller projects I have been collecting. Looking for some quick wins I guess.

So here is Barbara Ana’s Portuguese Bird Sampler. I love Barbara Ana designs. I started this one about two years ago and made a meager start. When I stitched on it last week, I added the alphabet. The linen is darker than what the pattern calls for. It’s Picture This Plus Oaken.

This weekend I pulled this kit from La D Da out of my box of small projects. I should be able to finish this in a couple of nights.

Here we are at Monday again. Hope you have a good week!

Quaker Sewing Roll

This is an oldie but goodie - Quaker Sewing Roll from Catherine Theron. I stitched it in 2014. This is another piece that I personalized by including initials of some of my aunts who inspired me to create at a young age. My Auntie Theresa crocheted. Auntie Betty was really an accomplished needlewoman - she did embroidery, cutwork, hand quilted and she crocheted beautiful doilies and tablecloths using fine thread. My Auntie Florence was an accomplished knitter - from mittens and slippers to sweaters and afghans. My mother crocheted, but we know her best as the Mad Tatter because she tats like a boss. So this piece was stitched as a tribute to them!

Have to share this picture of my little friend and constant companion. She’s 24 weeks old now!

See you tomorrow.

Wild Roses

Happy Tuesday! Hope your week is off to a great start.

Thank you for all of your kind comments regarding yesterday’s post. I had two pieces framed last fall and would like to share the second one with you now.

Several years ago I stitched Wild Roses from Carriage House Samplings for a dear friend. At the time, I knew that I would want to stitch it again for myself. I think that I stitched this in 2019 and it took me a year to commit to framing it.

I don’t recall the name of the linen that I used; I just know that I had seen a model of this design on display at Lynn’s of Madison and the yellowish/gold linen was stunning. They fixed me up with something similar. The piece is stitched with DMC floss.

This piece is a tribute to my mother’s family. Her parents were married in 1908 (date at the top). Their initials are at the top on either side, T for Theresa and M for Martin. They had ten children. There are five sets of initials down the left side and five sets of initials down the right side. The Mad Tatter’s initials “MM” are on the bottom right. I am really proud of this piece and very happy with how it turned out.

I’ve got some other projects in mind that I hope to stitch and personalize in the near future. Do you ever personalize your pieces like this?

I will share a few more pieces that are personalized like this over the next few days. Have a good night!

My Heart Can Rest

One of my new year resolutions was to try to resurrect this blog by posting more often. Unfortunately, I started the new year with a bad case of bronchitis and I had all I could do to focus on recovering and did very little stitching much less blog posting. But I am on the mend now and am ready to turn this poor neglected blog around. Most of you follow me either on Facebook or Instagram and see these posts there, but I have several other followers who are not on social media who want to see updates here. The most important of those followers is the Mad Tatter and you all know we need to keep her happy!

Today’s post is going to be a piece I finished stitching last year. I had it framed late last year and never shared a post of it after I received it back from the framer.

My Heart Can Rest is a design from Blackbird Designs. This was one of the projects/kits we received at the Attic in November of 2019 (my last in person class with teachers before COVID.) I stitched it with the charted linen and floss. I decided to personalize it honoring my paternal grandmother.

This piece was framed by Total Framing. I wanted to try them out after hearing so many good things on Flosstube. They did not disappoint. The frame couldn’t be any more perfect.

I’ve got another framed finish to share tomorrow. Y’all come back now!

The Strawberry Patch

Stunned and appalled at the events of the day. Grateful for my stitching which allows me to reflect and contemplate.

I had planned to start a new project on January 1, but my WIP pile was calling my name. I started this small sampler last year (three times - you know me and my ongoing journey to find the “right” piece of linen). Now, it’s almost finished. I just need to add personalization. Will wait until the weekend to chart it out. I’ll be able to celebrate a finish soon.

It’s a pretty little sampler, don’t you think? It’s called The Strawberry Patch from Homespun Samplar. I think that the final linen selected was 40ct Legacy from Picture This Plus and it is stitched using GAST fibers. Sorry for the wrinkles.

I think another WIP is calling my name...