SB Stocking Progress

I have made fabulous progress on William's stocking.   I have to finish  the row of garland, add a row of snow flakes and them add his name!  Not stitched or sewed anything else!

And as I was rooted about in the drawer I keep buttons in for some small buttons to attach.....lo and behold, I had bought the embellishment pack.   Wahoo!  

Now I need to carve out some time at lunch to go to JoAnn's for lining and backing.    I just may get this done by Christmas!

We had unseasonably warm weather (60's) yesterday and I managed to get all the Christmas decorations out of the garage attic, the outside decorated and some of the inside done.   Wow, so very far ahead on this note but not so with the shopping side of the coin.

Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching!

Mothers and Daughters

Ahhh.......had a mother/daughters couple of days and enjoyed it.   I think I really needed the girl time to decompress from WORK!  Anyway, middle daughter was in the Philly area for work.  I picked her up after her conference and headed to my eldest daughter's.......laughter ensued.    Giggles, fun, food, wine and it is over too quickly.   We dropped middle daughter at the airport for an 8:00 a.m. flight (Really Amy!  An 8:00 flight!) We got to see the sun rise at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).  We were back at my eldest's daughter's to craft all day and then back to PHL at 5:00 pm to pick up my S-in-L who was flying in from Albuquerque.....so I saw sunrise and sunset at the airport.

Silly me, I didn’t take photos before I left Heather's, but she made three of the cutest things.   A play mat for William for Christmas, a collapsible scrap catcher and a compartmented wallet.....

and I finished up a soft sculpture 12 Dogs of Christmas Book for William.

....I made progress on William’s stocking....

There are parts of the pattern that have no symbol so I did not stitch there.   However, when looking at the color version on the leaflet, I see I need to go back and filling in these areas.   Having never stitched a Shepherd's Bush stocking I am not sure if this is how they do all their charts.   No matter......no counting needed will make filling these areas in good lunchtime stitching at work.

....and I started making project bags!   This all started as an idea a few months back when a friend was purging her stash.  She had a bunch of little motifs that she stitched and didn't know what to do with so she was going to toss them.   The wheels were turning and I said I think I could find a use for them.     I then went through my own basket of finishing.    Things I enjoyed stitched but had no intention of framing.  You know the kind.....class pieces or little tiny finishes you stitched to try a new technique....and what are you going to do with them?   I set off to shop my stash and find compatible fat quarters to match each piece.  And we know what kind of rabbit hole that can lead one down. 

I had some trials and errors with my work but I got seven done!    I have some designs for 8 more bags!  And what I am going to do with all the project bags?........hmmmm, got another idea.  Wish me luck that I can get the rest sewn up in the next couple of weeks!

What was fun was finding a bold inside fabric.

And I have 8 more queued up to stitch.   There were definitely some trials and errors.  By the time I was done,  I managed to get a complete bag stitched from start to finish in one hour.

Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching.

And the stocking may be hung....

Work on my Christmas Stocking for William is coming along quick considering minimal stitching time in the last week.

I don't know what I was so intimated all these years to tackle a Shepherds Bush stocking.   EZ-PZ, large count/no cheaters, perle cotton coverage.  Busy weeks ahead, no pressure to complete but this is easier than anticipated.  Geez!  I hope everyone doesn't want one after seeing William's!

Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching!

And there's more....

Just in from a great retreat in Cape May NJ.    Stitch by Stitch in Cape May held a great retreat weekend with Cathy Haberman of Hands on Design.   Not only was Cathy there but her friends Beth Seal of Summer House Stitch Workes and Janis Note from Noteworthy Stitches joined her.   The amount of giveaways from both her and the Sharon at Stitch by Stitch were awesome.   The class was great, the food was awesome, fun games, stitching time with fiends and strolling in beautiful Cape May ...there are not enough superlatives.

Beautiful sunrise over the ocean.









So check out the stuff!  Of course, after emptying the suitcase, the first thing you do is dump out all your stash!   Some bought, some giveaways.

Stuff I got......Still on a Halloween kick.   Really like the blue/turquoise fabric.   I am cheating a bit by choosing it and not having to stitch the blue background.

 More goodies I got but didn't need.

I want to make this my NEXT start!  OMGosh from Beth at Summer House Stitch Works.   She was challenged by a guild in Nebraska to design a sampler.   Their theme was Reality Shows.   What a challenge but she delivered.   Check this sampler out closely.   The motifs for 19 reality shows hidden in the design.    Let's see what can be recognized......the two roses. obviously The Bachelor.  The beehive, Honey-BooBoo.   The two "D's" and ducks across the top,  Ducky Dynasty.   And there are 16 others.

The ornament exchange piece I received.

The finished ornament I made.   There were actually ohs and ahs so I was pleased!

And now, my class piece.  A winter themed Alpine Lodge pin cushion.   I may need to call in a roofer to help with my goofy shingles!

The verse......"When there's snow on the ground......"  Cathy told us how she came up with the design and quote and challenged us to finish the sentence how we like.    Mine might be...."When there's snow on the ground, I like to have a big pot of soup on the stove,  some bread baking in the oven and snuggle up on the couch with a good book".....or replace book with stitching!

Cathy and Sharon, of Stitch by Stitch, gifted us with the pattern and complete supplies for the matching scissors fob.

Of course, if you know Cathy, she was not about to leave us hanging without a chalk piece.   She created a tag and Sharon included the supplies.   The tag is to personalize the adorable basket.  This basket that was made just for us!  So cute to site on your end table next to your stitching.

There were 50! yes 50, in the class but everything rolled fine.   So fine in fact, that 42 of the 50 have already signed up for next year.   Beth Seal of Summer House Stitche Workes will be the teacher and Cathy will return with her.     Guess my work is cut out for me to get some Hands on Design pieces done before next fall!

Believe it of not, I did get some other stitching done.

I finished the tomato pin cushion from Hands on Design.  I am not sure if I want to stuff this with wool roving or to cut layers of warm and natural batting.  Maybe by next year, I can have the whole set done.   And not to let the needle cool off, I started the Shepherd's Bush stocking for grandbaby William.  I have no plans to complete it by this year but working on this 18 count is EZ PZ.  It will be a good piece for stitching night or for lunchtime work.

Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching!