Monday, January 11, 2010

Stitching, Stashing and a drawing.....

GR&DF I do thank you for your kind words about last Friday's post. I am also pleased that you enjoyed the murals from last week. I know there are loads of them all over the city - as I run into others I will get snaps of the more interesting ones.

This past weekend started off with a nice cosy dinner over at Dale's house. It wasn't just for dinner as Dale wanted a "reading." A Tarot card reading that is and Rico was happy to oblige - after smudging his apartment they got to reading, I of course sat in the living room and promptly fell asleep - typical.

Saturday was laundry day - and after 5 loads I was beat but had that sense of accomplishment from getting it all done!! The rest of the day was spent stitching away on my Alphablocks.... here is a snap of where it stands at the moment -

Sorry about how wonky the piece is - but you can see that the vine met without mishap - I was so happy when that happened!! You might also notice that I have started the block fill. I figured that this will be the year of "stitching from the stash" and so that's what I did. I went to my extra over dyed floss' and found that I had quite a few OWS floss' I had gotten for an earlier project. There is plenty of floss there so I am doing the fill with the lovely softly coloured OWS floss. So far I am very pleased with the result and may have to pull other bits for the fill from that ring of lovelies.

Yesterday we made a pilgrimage to NIAH. Specifically to meet up with Susan, who had very generously offered to loan me the "Alpha" charts I was so desperately obsessing about. I had already gotten as a gift the first chart - Thank you so much dear Sherry!!!! So I was only going to have to borrow the other two charts..... When I got there I went on over to where the Sheepish charts where hanging and right there in the little pile of them was the third part - "Alpha Sheep" - damned if I didn't do a jig right there in the store!!!! I completely thought I would have no chance at finding this chart just out for sale. I know that many stitchers are looking for these three charts and they just do not appear that often on eBay or anywhere else for that matter. While looking around, we where there a good 2 hours, I saw lots of other charts that are either out of print or ones other stitchers have mentioned looking for - If you have a chart need or hard to find chart I would suggest emailing NIAH with any requests you might have and you might just luck out. Now with my having the first and third charts I only needed to borrow the middle chart from Susan - which of course dear Susan loaned me!!! I am totally stoked to get this going....

Here is a snap of the three charts and the Belle Soie conversion I made. The piece is charted for NPI, DMC and Anchor - but I wanted to do this in over dyed silks (You know how stubborn I can get about some things!!! ) - so my conversion is mostly BS but there is a Gloriana skein in there for the Olde Gold colour. I had most of silks and only need to get a couple from NIAH. I think it will work up quite nicely. I do not have a piece of linen yet - but I did pick up apiece of linen for my next piece......

The memorial sampler I wanted to get going last year - I just never had a piece of linen I liked or that was big enough - so I made my decision and got it yesterday - it is vintage navy bean (I think) and is nice an lightly splotched - I have had the floss kitted up for the longest time and now with the fabric it will certainly be the next piece after Alphablocks.

We had the drawing for the JCS yesterday....


and from the BOD a name was pulled - and after being checked out by The Peach....

It was Donna's name that was pulled and is the winner of this the First Drawing of the Year!! Congratulations, Donna - I have emailed you for your snail mail address.

There you go sports fans!! Another low key weekend - Thanks for stopping by and thank you again for your kind comments!! Such nice things to read on a cold a windy Monday morning!!!

Take care,
edgar

27 comments:

  1. Yea! I am so glad you were able to get the other two charts so you can begin when ready! I look forward to watching your progress on both pieces. I hope to work from my stash mostly this year also but I already know of several *coming soon* designs I will just have to get! And I always need to buy fabric!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great progress on the alphabets.

    So glad you were able to find the Sheepish charts you were looking for. I will be anxious to see them when you get started.

    Have a great day!
    BrendaS

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great progress on your CHS alphabet sampler, it's beautiful! I'm enjoying watching your progress on it. The colors you have chosen for your next pieces are just lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  4. CHS Alphabets is looking good!

    I, too, am trying to 'stitch from stash' this year and unless I make another trip to Paris this year, I hope to succeed. This, of course, does not include the purchase of scissors - a girl can never have too many pairs of scissors and I already have my eye on a pair on Yuko's Scissor Blog!

    Congrats of getting your Sheepish charts. I am sure they will be a fun stitch.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love the colors you are using to fill in the blocks! Looks great!

    How great that you were able to find the patterns you were looking for! I can't wait to see your starts and progress on all of these!

    Congrats to the winner!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the fill-in colour. I prefer Angel cards for shorter term readings. Comgrats to the winner and well done on tracking your charts down!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Alphablocks is looking wonderful! What fabulous new projects you have all lined up and I love the silk floss colors too :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Congrats to Donna - Great way to start the New Year! I'm loving your blocks fill - it's looking stunning!
    I'm so happy you were able to get your much-longed-for charts - don't you just love it when things come together the right way? :)
    I'm in love with that memorial sampler - would love to do one for my dear Godmother - - - -
    Have a happy Monday! (if there is such a thing! lolol)

    ReplyDelete
  9. all of your stitching is beautiful, and I think that the colors that you've "chosen" for the filling are great! congrats on finding such a sought after chart.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your CHS blocks are looking wonderful! Well done on finding completely by chance the middle Alpha chart. Enjoy stitching them!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your alphabet sampler is really looking pretty Edgar! I love the colors you are using in the word blocks.

    Can't wait to "watch" you stitch these Sheepish charts! Sounds like you're really anxious to get started.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Congrats to Donna! Love Peach's laser eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Darn!! I didn't win. But that is okay. I loved reading your blog today. Love your Alpha Sampler. You did the kind of shopping I love...for my therapy needs...needlework stuff, knitting stuff and whatever else I can buy for my hands and fingers to play with while my mind wanders away somewhere peaceful. I would love to be able to buy all the silk threads you bought..gee whiz...but I can't right now...but I am sure enjoying watching you shop on your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Just had to leave a note to say I think your colours for the fill-in are perfect! Are you choosing carefully - i.e. already planned out - or are you choosing at random?
    The new projects look exciting too. Can't wait to see them.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your AlphaBlocks is coming along beautifully! Isn't it so much fun when a plan comes together, unexpectedly? I've heard about NIAH before - must be one of your LNSs. Your selections for the Memorial are lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh, it is so nice when the chart you were looking for just pops into sight. Very glad that you can do them now.

    I love the fill colours your are using in your blocks. You are really moving on this piece. Love it.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Congratulations on getting all your Sheepish alphabet charts together. They will look wonderful stitched together. I look forward to seeing your progress!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm looking forward to seeing all of the samplers take shape. The alphabets piece is looking wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh how lucky you are to find the three charts you had searched for. The threads are absolutely lovely.
    I understand this must have urge. I have been on a hunt for Les Ciseaux by Anagram Diffusions and was able to find it today!!! Happy Dance for us both. We have the patterns we HAD to have

    ReplyDelete
  20. Edgar! You are my lucky star! I think this is the 3rd time that the bowl of destiny has smiled on me! Thank you so much!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Congrats on your stash enhancement. Your alphablocks are comign along great! Congrats the vine connected. I can totally understand your happy dance.

    Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Very cool colors for your three sheep. I did mine with the NPIs (didn't have enough balls to do my own thing back then) and all on one piece of linen. How are you going to do yours? Three or one? I can't wait to watch you work on yours, this was one of my all time favorite things to stitch.

    ReplyDelete
  23. You CHS Alphabet sampler looks so good with your fill in colors!
    And, way to go on finding the Sheepish Designs charts. Could you send me some of that good shopping Karma?

    ReplyDelete
  24. Glad you managed to round up the Sheepish Designs Alpha series. I don't blame you for wanting to do these in silks. I think they scream for silks, which is part of the reason I haven't stitched mine yet. I'd be interested in hearing how much thread you use (and how you're stitching--what linen count, how many strands, etc.).

    ReplyDelete
  25. OWS=? (sorry; don't know that one!) The fill colours are looking beautiful, though.

    I'm so thrilled that you got everything lined up for alpha series; I hadn't seen it before, but looking at it on your blog I thought it's "so you". Looking forward to seeing your conversion as it works up!

    That's so cool that Rico does Tarot readings! I love hearing about people's divers skills, hobbies, and talents. :D

    ReplyDelete
  26. Whoo Hoo!! I love those Sheepish Designs. You are right, they are hard to come by and it is just GREAT you have the set to stitch them. Love the Belle Soie idea, nothing like Belle Soie!! Cant wait to see your start on this!!

    Keep up the great job on your CHS Alphabet Sampler. I enjoyed stitching this one too, it was so much fun :)

    ReplyDelete

“In every end, there is also a beginning.”

 Gentle Friends, I finished the sampler last night and here's a snaperooo... Village Square Sampler from Samplers Remembered   1/8 - 3/2...