On the Gallop again. Carousel Horse TW

Well after one or two (or maybe more) drastic days I seem to have got back on course. One poor leaf was done three times at least you know the system -right place wrong colour, right colour wrong place finally right place right colour. Next disaster was the realisation that I'd run out of a thread. Now to contact Janlynn. Thread on the way-Yippee-. Anyhow it's not as thought there isn't much else to do so I've battled on regardless. Huge amounts of backstitching done and also the border is growing . Any way my mind is now definitely drifting towards framing and also finding out my next UFO (perhaps this is wishful thinking for a while yet but HOPE springs ETERNAL. Happy stitching to you all and keep the good work with your own UFOs

Secret Garden or Mystery 10.

I finished this some time ago but thought you might like to see it framed. It certainly sparkles as I pass it in the hall. The designs are lovely but just so big. The shadow in the middle at the bottom is the photographer's head!

Henry VIII and all that.

It is some time since I posted because I have had visitors and been on holiday in Germany. This has meant I have not been able to use my workstand. The UFO has gained because I am using a hoop which I was able to take with me. The design is growing on me a little,although I still do not like the skintones. Anyone who does not like to backstitch can see the difference it makes to the Tudor roses. The sharp eyed will have noticed that Catherine is still missing her C. This is because I know all the Catherines do not begin with a C as shown in the chart. In fact the other two begin with a K. I hope to stitch in the C tonight along with more backstitching.

The gaps are still for beads. I changed Henry's dagger as you will see and this just needs a jewel in the handle or should it be hilt?

Best of luck to all you other UFOers out there and enjoy a happy frog free stitching weekend.

CQ continued

Happy first day of autumn everyone!
Over the weekend I spent some time on my Christmas CQ. This first picture is before I did anything to it.

This next pic shows the entire piece with the stitching changes I made.

And this last one is a close up of the changes I made. I never liked the long stretch of red here so I added the green/gold section to cut it up. The two seam treatments are incomplete now. I'm not sure I like them but will just live with them for awhile and see what hits me. I plan on putting a pretty button or something at the tip of the addition to decorate it. Maybe I'll add another of the red mints. Something to think about.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Marcy

Seaside Sweethearts . . .

are happily walking arm and arm

along the beach!

I framed it today.

You can't see by the picture but the top mat

is a beige with texture in it.

The second mat is a dusty blue

and the bottom mat is a dusty grey.

My girlfriend took this picture with her phone

so it is rather small.

I will take a picture of it this weekend

with my camera.

So . . . it should be more visible a little bigger.

I am going to enjoy looking at it. It makes me feel

like I am once again at the beach.

Thanks for the encouragement along

the way with this piece.

It does make stitching so much fun.

And the UFO's become finished works of art

to cherish for years to come.

God Bless ~

Lenna

St. George and Dragon Update

I was missing one thread which, of course, was needed for three different blends, so I pretty much was at a dead stop for a bit there. But the thread has arrived and I'm moving right along now.

BEFORE August 25, 2009



AFTER September 15, 2009

St. George & the Dragon (started July 1996 - UFO)
Donna Vermillion Giampa
28 ct beige unknown evenweave, suggested fibers

I really love this piece and I'm so glad to be back working it again. Thanks for looking.






One stitch at a time,



My blog Dragon My Needle, home of the Totally Useless SAL, come on over and join the fun.

My photo albums



.

Starting Small

Hello all.
I'm returning to stitching after having a bit of a break. I've been cross stitching since I was a small child & up until last year I had my own successful Needlework Shop. I sold my shop when I found out I was expecting twins. The twins were born in May 2008 & apart from the picture below I haven't stitched a thing.

I thought i'd get back into it with a small design. I picked out two little birth samplers to do after the twins were born & I started on my daughters first. I managed to stitch for probably about a month before it became impossible to get anything done, let alone stitching.

The design called Baby Love & is one of the Kittens range by Cinnamon Cat. It's been a UFO now for about 14 months & I plan to stitch at least one evening a week & hopefully get some lunch time stitching in too.
I love reading everyones progress on here. Happy stitching.

Lisa xx

Lisa's Stitching Life

Plodding along -slowly Carousel Horse(TW)

Hi there. Well here's how I'm doing. Very slowly at the moment I'm afraid. I went along and did quite a lot of the purple/blue border and then discovered I had counted it one thread out. So enter the frogs. I was really disheartened at this point. Anyway I've taken it out and re-done a section of it. I've also started on the blending filament on the corner fans again. After me first attempt at them getting in a mess I was unsure whether to bother putting it on but I've had another go and this time I've used shorter threads and have not got in such a muddle. Must admit the weather has been rather good just lately and have been enjoying myself watching the European Volley Ball competition being held on the sea front and also the finish of a stage of the Tour of Britain Cycle Race- makes me feel super fit!!! Please note only FEEL fit. Still now it'll be back to the Land of Stitch and hope I can make better headway with my horse. All you out there with your posts are really doing well you should all be proud. Happy stitching to you all.

Crazy beginnings .....

Hello everyone! I stumbled across this blog while surfing. What a good idea! And I have the perfect UFO in mind to begin.

About a year and a half ago (maybe longer?) I started a Christmas crazy quilt wall hanging / pillow / whatever. I worked on it for maybe a couple months, got tired of the color scheme, put it down and haven't touched it since -- except to move it around occassionally when it gets in the way. I really would like to finish it and with this goal in mind, I will stitch one motiff or seam a month. At this rate it will take awhile but it could get done -- yippee!

This is the entire piece:

The following star motiff and seam treatments aren't in the above pic because I don't have a current photo of the entire piece to date.

Even though it's the middle of the month, I'm going to get something done (though it may not be much) on it before month's end and will post an up to date pic of the entire piece.

Please excuse the messy layout -- I'm new to blogging and haven't figured out how to make things look nice yet -- any suggestions would be appreciated.

Marcy

Curly Q Ewe . . .

is a sheep that I am working

terribly hard to get done in record time.

I dearly love Little House Needleworks

and Country Cottage Needleworks.

I discovered them two years ago at the retreat

I attend every year at Summer's Mill

outside of Belton, Texas.

This is the fabric I am using.

It is a 28 ct. green with a hint of beige,

over dyed one from my LNS.

I have all of the border stitched, the two leaves

with the flower

at the top, and the little girl

down past her waist.

She is quite enchanting, of course.

Pictures tomorrow!!!

I will pull out my others

that are started and take their

photos, as well.

I was off today and it was a good day

to stitch, since it

rained all day.

God Bless ~

Lenna

UFOs...sometimes you get the frogs, sometimes the frogs get you!

I've had NO LUCK with the UFOs I have chosed to try and complete this year! First I got out the New Zealand map, only to discover kitty claws had been at it.....that one is an obligation piece and will have to be a future re-start. Then I thought I'd try and finish a tote bag design I started last year for a gift, only to find at least 3 counting errors that would force the frogs to invade. My enthusiasm for the design has waned, and if I have to frog most of it, I might as well frog it all and pick a different design to stitch on the tote, right? That will be another new start someday. So far I have failed to finish a UFO, but at least I did reduce the number in the box!

My dilemma now is to decide which of the UFOs left should get my attention....I have 5 left, not counting Flower Power (which I have discovered is also miscounted (too low on the fabric), so that one goes in the re-start category (thankfully I had only stitched a few leaves, and I do want to stitch it still!)

The 5 UFOs are:
17th Century Italian Garden by Liz Turner Diehl (aprox. 50% done)
Evening in the Park, Chatelaine Designs (just past the halfway mark)
Dragon Feather Afghan, Fanta Cat Designs (again aprox. 50% done)
Companions by Teresa Wentzler (maybe 25% done?)
Breaking Dawn, Kustom Krafts (only about 5% done, if that...)

All of them are either large, or detailed, or both! I'm already working on another Chatelaine piece (Holland) as well as the Papillon SAL Castles in the Air, each on a monthly rotation, or close to it. I need another large, detailed piece like I need a hole in the head! I'm leaning toward the Italian Garden, or maybe the Dragon Feather afghan, but I'm not sure! If you wanted to finish one of these THIS year, which would you choose?

Returning to Oz

It's been two months since I last posted. My--there sure has been a lot of fantastic stitching and wonderful, wonderful finishes! Congratulations to you all!

My major project this year is the large Serenity Prayer sampler by My Big Toe which I've been stitching for my cousin's 20th year of sobriety anniversary. I was about half way done when I discovered a major mistake that couldn't be worked around. I had to rip out about a third of everything I had done. (Did you hear my primal scream?) It took me three weeks to rip and I didn't want to work on my WIP until I had corrected all my stitching.

Now, finally, I'm back with a little progress to show and it's very good to be here. Thanks for looking:

Meow . . .

Boo! I have my first Halloween piece done.

Yea!!!

I have this one in my basket by my chair

and every time I get in my basket, looking for something ~

I say ~ I am going to stitch that soon.

Well, now I have ~ and I have the frame ordered.

Next week I am going to try, and the operative

word is try, to put four together.

Wish me luck!

I have Seaside Sweethearts, Put on your big girl panties, Fall Ya All, Funny Flakes and ABC Halloween oops that is five. I really have 7 done but who is counting?

So I got some work to do.

Thanks for looking, stay turned

I will post them framed,

after all that is what I do for a living.

God Bless ~

Lenna

He is a most fierce dragon. . .

And it's a wrap!

He does have one white eye, not blue. His

flame is golden colored not green. The fabric

is a beautiful red with no blue in it at all.

I picked out a green frame to surround the dragon

and the pretty red fabric.

I only hope Linda likes it. I would like to stitch

her something Shakespeare

but is there such a pattern?

I have been thinking of the Shakespeare fairies

they are so bright and colorful.

She is such a Shakespeare buff.

She loves all

things Shakespeare and helps out at the University

every year.

Housing my son for that year was a great help

and a very generous, loving thing to do.

What do you all think?

After I finished him I started another project. Will post

a picture and stitchery.

I will post the framed piece next Thursday. Just in

time for my Guild meeting.

Thanks for coming by!

Appreciate the kind words and comments.

Take care and God Bless ~

Lenna

Judgement Dragons - Page 3 complete!

Yes I know... it's only page 3 of 20. Gasp!
But it still feels like an accomplishment to me.
So here it is... my UFO/WIP page 3.

Welsh Red Dragon . . .

Hi ~ I am back without a picture but I finished

The Welsh Dragon ~ YEA!!!

I signed my name, added the date and stitched

"Welsh Dragon" in my favorite alphabet,

at the bottom and

Voila ~ He is finished!

I will post a photo tomorrow and take

him to the shop Tuesday

to be framed.

As always thanks for stopping by for a peek.

I do appreciate it!

Take care and God Bless ~

Lenna

Welsh Red Dragon . . .

is back again!

I have an update of my stitching.

Eye: done, flames: done, sparkles in body: done,

tail: done, legs: done,

and wings started.

Have to put in "Welsh Dragon", sign and date it ~~~

All Done!

The original ornament that Linda has

is a stitched square in red, green and gold.

I am thinking of doing the words in Green over dyed.

Thanks for dropping by and commenting. As always

I appreciate it.

God Bless ~

Lenna

Welsh Red Dragon . . .

This is a true color of the fabric.

Photo of Welsh Dragon chart in booklet from Enchanting Lair.

Here is a photo of the red Welsh dragon on the fabric.

It is an Enchanting Lair pattern Welsh Dragon 113

and the fabric is from Enchanting Lair, also.

I don't think it will be a UFO very long cause I want to get it done.

I am using Sampler threads for the dragon,

School House Red.

Buckeye Scarlet,

with (1) strand Petite Treasure Braid

by Rainbow Gallery (PB07)

for the high lights in the body and wings.

Highlights by RG (H613) for the wings.

The flames are Simply Shaker Butternut Squash

and the eye is Oatmeal.

Here is the photo with the wings started and his sparkles added.

It is sorta hard to see them. Oops this one is out of order,

but you get the idea. Someday I will get this backwards

stuff figured out but don't hold your breath.

When Tris stayed with the lady in D. C. I found

out when I visited that she was Welsh.

I wanted to stitch her a "Thank You"

for letting Tris live with her for the 11 months

while he went to school.

I got on the internet and started looking for a pattern.

I put in Welsh Dragon

and the exact ornament she had hanging

on Tris' doorknob

was just like this pattern.

This is what it looked like yesterday.

I have stitched on it for about 6 hours today

and it has all his legs, all the spaces are filled in

with sparkly stitches.

I also have half of his wings done,

the eye done

and the flames coming out of his mouth ~ done.

Oh, I forgot his tail!

I am going to stitch in

"Welsh Dragon"

from my favorite alphabet book,

at the bottom

and then I will post a picture.

My friend Dee Dee

has taken all the pictures of him

and she has done a great job.

Thanks Dee Dee!

Thank you for stopping by

as usual,

I appreciate your comments so much.

Henry VIII and all that

I have been unable to use my stand for some time so decided I could stitch Henry using a hand frame so I have made more progress than normal. I took out some of what looked like a leg bone and reduced it in size. I looked up the Holbein portrait on the net and I think he is holding a pair of gloves. I have still to sort out the dagger but I am planning on using some metallics. Spaces are for beads. There is some beading on the design but I am adding more of my own. I did not like the beads which came with the kit. I am not keen on the shading of the skin either but that is helped when the features are backstitched. I am so much more critical of designs now after completing other designs which are more subdued in tones. I will finish this come what may but when I don't know. Happy stitching everyone.

Travel Sampler

Stitching on the Travel Sampler has been slow lately, but I have extended the borders some, so at least it's progress.... :)

Hello all

UFOs. Boy do I have plenty. I think it's more that I have start-itis. I just keep wanting to start things. Somehow finishing rarely seems to come in to the equation. I'm sure no one here knows the feeling.

Anyway, I'd like to introduce you to my two UFOs of choice for now. First my Vierlanden Sampler by Martina Dey.

I'll get a better picture for you. It's about 3 feet square and I'm maybe 10 inches down from the top on it. I'm working it in 2 Carrie's Creations threads and 1 Needle Necessities. I probably started it in 2006 or maybe 2005. It was originally a mystery sampler where we got 1 page a week for a year. My problem, I think, is that the very large motifs are disheartening. If I could finish one in a couple days I'd be happily working away one it, but at my pace it takes steady for for more than a week to do one motif. That's just depressing.

I'm also bringing along a needlepoint UFO:

It's a powwow shawl dancer that I started in 2005 I think. It's really simple stitching, but the problem is I am doing it mostly in Kreinik and I really, really hate working in Kreinik.

I'm hoping for an hour a week on both pieces, but my history indicates that might be a bit too adventurous a promise.