And They Sinned

Snakes on a Plane!

April 19, 2010 by Michelle 24 Comments

It’s Monday again and time for another update. Since the weekends are pretty much the only stitching time I have, it seems to make sense to provide a little weekly update on Mondays. And really, anything to make Mondays better is a good thing. So…look what I did yesterday. Snakes! With spots! Of course it looks like those putti are about to conk them on their little heads with their batons, but still…they are pretty cool. I think I will name them Fred and George (the snakes, that is). And I thought I’d show you a little perspective on how small this is on 40ct by putting my brand spanking new scissors in the photo. Yay for snakes. Next time I will either do a little more on my border or get started on the infamous UFO-inducing cloud. I figure if I can get past that cloud, I will be home-free so to speak. Love this piece. It’s so bright and colorful. I’m stitching with the recommended GAST. Oh, and someone asked on a previous post about how many skeins to buy – in the chart it does tell you which colors you need multiple skeins of and how many. So, when I ordered my thread, I made sure to order the recommended amount of each color (I think there’s only a couple of threads that require multiple skeins). Since I’m stitching on 40ct rather than the recommended 35, I probably won’t need everything I bought, but I wanted to be on the safe side just in case!!

So, what else did I do this weekend? Well, on Friday night I flailed around trying to pick up something I wanted to work on and nothing was really calling to me. I finally decided I would stitch on WMHB again, in an attempt to do some mindless fill-in of the side of the house. I didn’t get very far and finally just gave up and did nothing.

On Saturday, something happened. Suddenly, I was in the mood to stitch and suddenly the book I’m reading for my book club got interesting. It was like the sun came out (which ironically it didn’t, as it started raining Saturday morning). But, for some reason on Saturday it seemed like everything came together for me. So, Saturday night I stitched on my Mystery Sampler a bit more. I finished the M and went to work on the next motif. Eric and I went out Saturday night, so that was all I could get accomplished in the few hours I was home. Love this piece so much.

And Saturday during the day, what was I doing then, you might ask? Well, my guild had a tea to celebrate our tenth anniversary. I’ve posted about the tea over here. Last weekend, I may have mentioned, I was helping to put together the goody bags for the tea. Well, of course, I was pleased as punch to bring home my very own goody bag on Saturday after seeing all the, well, goodies. Each person got a kit for an anniversary tin designed by our own Gloria of Milady’s Needle. We also received a handmade bookmark and the item below in the blue paper tied with a ribbon held tea. Another person made felt Tudor Rose scissor fobs and needlebooks and also included a little bag of Jelly Bellies. There were also some freebie charts that designers had donated.

You may be asking yourself about the chart and the scissors in that photo. Well, designers from all over and local needlework shops donated items for our guild to use as door prizes. I ended up coming home with the Adam & Eve chart and the gorgeous matte black Dovo scissors (which are also in my ATS photo at the top of this post). So generous!

The tea was wonderful and I had a great time. Another full weekend! So, until next time…thanks for stopping by!

I am grateful for my needlework guild and all the members who make it wonderful.

New Beginnings

April 5, 2010 by Michelle 24 Comments

This past weekend we had a lovely spring weekend here. I do love this time of year, and of course with our anniversary coming up this week and Easter this past Sunday I always think of being in Rome. Maybe one day we’ll go back. But aside from some family time and an amazing pre-anniversary dinner this weekend, I did manage to squeeze in some stitching time too.

Where My Heart Blooms is moving along, slowly but surely. I mindlessly worked on the side of my house. I have been watching that show on Friday nights called “Who Do You Think You Are?”. I am finding it so fascinating. Of course, Eric and my father are both knee-deep in genealogy, and I’ve done some research on my own family too (prior to my dad taking it over). So, it really is interesting to see these shows. Plus, with it being Census time, and having done research by looking into the Census Records, I’m very excited to fill ours out and be counted. If you haven’t filled yours out yet, please do it! Anyway, I’d finally convinced Eric to watch the show with me, but our DVR thinks it is smarter than we are and didn’t record the new episode on Friday. I was so disappointed, because I really wanted to see Brooke Shields, since she goes to Rome to research her family history. Well, Eric to the rescue, he was able to find the show online and we watched it through our tv last night – how cool is that??? It was a good show, and not only did I get to see a bit of Rome, but also Villa Torlonia, which Eric and I had actually been to while we were there! It’s all making me want to get out my Tesori d’Italia again and work on it asap! But, for now…here’s WMHB…

I also worked on bit on ATS on Saturday. I knew I probably wouldn’t have time for it on Sunday, so I got my weekly stitching in a day early. This is a horrible photo because I didn’t take it off the scroll frame to photograph it. Just use your imagination that it’s a better photo. I finally got both of those pikes done, which was a good stopping point. The tops of them remind me of the Tin Man’s funnel hat. But, I digress… Next week – SNAKES!

So, that’s it for me. I hope to have an anniversary post up on the other blog later this week, if you’re interested. Enjoy your week!

I am grateful for a romantic dinner and memories of Italy.

A Snowy Weekend

March 22, 2010 by Michelle 23 Comments

I’m still stitching along on my BBD Where My Heart Blooms. I’m much happier with the silks than I originally was. I think the Sister Scarlet and I have come to terms. You can see I’ve filled in my windows and have completed the darker color of the house fill in. The rest of the house fill in is done in a lighter color. I’ll be glad when I can get to the green on this piece. I think it will give it a lot of life.

After getting to a good stopping point on WMHB on Friday, I decided to pick up ATS and work on that the rest of the weekend. ATS was good to me this time. On Saturday evening, Eric and I watched the Opening Ceremony from the Olympics (yes I know…) and I stitched on my cherubim. Cute, aren’t they? I love their little red drapes. I finished them up and then decided I should probably go back and outline my angel’s wings before I forgot about it. I got it about half done and decided I hated it. Eric assured me that it really needed the outline, so I went ahead and finished it. Once I stepped back from it, I could see what Eric meant. So, the outline stays…

On Sunday, while recovering from the fact that it SNOWED on Saturday night (in March, in Texas), Eric and I sat down to watch the Closing Ceremony that evening. And ATS came out again. I figured I was having good luck with it, so I might as well carry on.

I worked on the two stars above the angel. I was able to finish the left one, but still have the center pattern to fill in on the right one. There are gaps at the bottom of the stars where the pikes overlap them. I’m stitching this on 40ct Elegant Bean and I am just in love with this fabric. It’s really beautiful! One of these days, I should probably get back to working on my border. But, it’s too much fun to stitch on the motifs right now. I’m really looking forward to getting to stitch on this some more next weekend.

I am grateful for a relaxing weekend and domino tattoos.

Surprise Quilts

March 15, 2010 by Michelle 28 Comments

In honor of the Dallas Quilt Show this weekend (that I did not attend), I wanted to share a little something that arrived on my doorstep last week. When I attended my great aunt’s funeral with my parents, we went by her home afterwards. My mom’s cousins showed us around the property. One of the best things there were the glass doorknobs on the doors. Apparently after years and years of being exposed to sunlight, they turn purple. Who knew? But, it shows I come by my love of the glass doorknob honestly. Anyway, while walking through the rooms, we stumbled upon a paper grocery sack full of fabric and what appeared to be quilt blocks. Later, I mentioned to my mom that if her cousin doesn’t quilt and had no attachment to the blocks, I would love to have them. My mom relayed the message and that was the end of that. Or so I thought. At Christmas, my mom’s cousin (Eric tells me she would be a cousin to me too, but that seems weird), sent us a Christmas card and asked in the card if I was still interested in the quilt pieces. I of course jumped on this opportunity, and replied “YES!”. So, last week a box showed up addressed to me. In the box I found the rail fence quilt blocks you see in the above photo. Coincidence that I just completed a rail fence quilt, no? You can see there’s a good stack of these. And underneath the rail fence blocks are some solid blocks of the beige and white print fabric. Now, while the fabrics on these might not be my first choice, they are all hand-pieced. The pattern for this quilt, the template she used to cut out her pieces, and extra fabric were all in the box.

There was also a hand drawn pattern for a checkerboard quilt that intersperses solid blocks with blocks that have appliqued hearts. And the cardboard template for the hearts is in there too. I haven’t deduced if that quilt was started or if it was just in the planning stages, but I don’t appear to have any pieces for it other than the pattern and template.

Also in the box (excuse the wrinkles but this is straight from the box) is a completed quilt top. Again, all hand-pieced. And it’s huge. I couldn’t even get the whole thing in the photo.

Not perfect, some of the seams don’t match up…but to do a piece this size by hand?!?! I am amazed.

And look at the little cornerstones she included in the border.

I think I’m going to have this quilted for sure. It will be pretty with my red and white quilts. And of course, I think it deserves to be taken care of. I will probably see about finishing the rail fence quilt too. It appears I have everything I need for it – even the spool of thread she was using.

Even though there was no quilt show in the plan for me this weekend, I did settle in with my stitching a bit. Friday night after book club and Saturday, I worked on Where My Heart Blooms a bit more. I think I’m making good progress on the house. The thread really doesn’t look this sparse in person. “Blooms” is over one. I think I’ll come back to the rest of the over one words.

I’m using Belle Soie on 36ct Meadow Rue. The fabric is actually much warmer than this in person.

On Sunday, I picked up And They Sinned again to put a few stitches in. A very few. This photo is from back in January, the last time I worked on it. It pretty much looks exactly the same now…except the little cupid on the right has his entire body, and the cupid on the left has about half a body.

Love love love this piece, but OMG with the ripping out. And I know that my partner in crime on this piece is probably sending me hate mail for making her work on a piece that apparently has an ancient curse on it that once you open the chart you are bound to take out every single stitch you put in – at least once, sometimes twice. I really really wanted to stitch on the snakes last night, but I decided I would probably end up stitching them in the wrong place and have to rip them back out as punishment for not stitching cupid’s bodies like I’m supposed to be doing. So no snakes. But, stay tuned. They are coming!

And no tea-dying on Ten (the Amy Mitten piece), or any work on it really. My brain just couldn’t seem to function correctly this weekend. I needed a bit of rest and not thinking this weekend. Honestly, I could use another weekend of the same. And more Starbuck’s Dark Cherry Mochas. I could definitely use more of those.

I am grateful for Eric’s Monday.

Unstitching

January 25, 2010 by Michelle 29 Comments

This past weekend, I played another game of Stitching Roulette. Since I can’t seem to settle on anything, I’m apparently stitching on everything. As I may have mentioned previously, I’m currently stitching on my Secret Stitcher gift, which of course I can’t show you. It’s taken precendence over Mele K. for the time being. I had hoped to get Mele K. finished up in January, but well…I still have a week right? So, nothing new to show there.

So, on Friday night I debated what I wanted to work on. I had book club on Friday night, so I didn’t have all evening to stitch. I finally decided on a new start that has been calling my name. I’ve mentioned previously that I decided to cut a piece of fabric off of my failed Halloween RR and use that fabric (36ct. Meadow Rue – love love love it) and a Belle Soie conversion to stitch up BBD’s Where My Heart Blooms. You can see how pretty the silks are with my fabric in the photo above. So, I started this on Friday night. (I’ll explain why there is no photo of my start shortly).

On Saturday, I went with a friend to see The Lovely Bones at the theatre. It was good, I love Peter Jackson’s films, so I expected as much. And having read the book, I still enjoyed the movie. I’d recommend it. (Did I mention I also saw Nine the weekend before? Really good – loved it!). Anyway…Saturday night Eric and I went out and didn’t get home until the wee hours of the morning, so no stitching on Saturday (other than on the Secret Stitcher piece). So, finally on Sunday, I decided to get out ATS. I’d been kind of avoiding it since I knew I had a mistake that needed to be fixed.

I know it doesn’t really look different than the last time I showed it to you. I finished up those two orangey motifs on the right hand side. Then I went about the business of ripping out and restitching the right side crown and face that I’d stitched in the wrong place. So, I did that. Then I realized I’d miscounted while stitching the little arm on that guy. So, out that came. When I got to the part where I thought the mistake was, I realized it wasn’t a mistake. I’d counted correctly. Imagine the expletives that ocurred at this point. So, I put ATS away and decided to get out Where My Heart Blooms. I thought that would be fun and relaxing and I could get my roof finished. Here’s the thing…my skein of Sister Scarlet is not red like one would expect (it’s actually the far right-hand thread in that pic at the top of the post). It’s really more pink. It kind of goes from a brick red to a pinky mauve. And.I.Hate.It. And even knowing that I was hating it, I tried to continue with my Jenny Bean Zenlike State and go with it. I finished the roof last night and promptly starting ripping it out. I can’t have a pink freaking roof. No way. Not when it is also going to be the color of those little strawberry things in the border. I need RED. So, I’ve pulled out my skein of Tulip that I used for this piece. Hopefully I can get the color I want. Because pink is not doing it for me.

So, in the span of three days, I think I effectively stitched twenty stitches. Maybe I should’ve worked on Shores. I was afraid though, after the ATS debacle that I would have problems with Shores. Little did I know it would be the new start that I would be foiled by!

Anyway, I do have a book review to share with you about my latest read for book club, but I think it’ll have to wait for next time.

I am grateful for dates with Eric.

King Me!

January 15, 2010 by Michelle 22 Comments

photo credit to Michael Fletcher on Flickr

Admit it. That is THE CUTEST checkers set you have ever seen. I found this photo on Flickr and now I think I need a checkers set made up of little red and yellow apples. So sweet! Anyway, I was looking for photos of checkers because when I was little my dad and I used to play checkers a lot. I’d been thinking about that because my neice is now into Chinese checkers. But, when my dad and I used to play, I would get the biggest thrill out of making it to the other side and yelling “King Me!”. What fun.

And it appears my love of being royalty has not lessened. Like Paulette, I also have a thing for crowns. Apparently, my Secret Stitcher figured this out. Look what I got…a Kelmscott Needleminder…with a crown!!

It goes well with the three crowns on my ATS. (Oh, and if you scroll back down a post to look at Dorothy’s Garden, there are two crowns there too!) I had a migraine a good portion of last weekend, so I didn’t get as much done on ATS as I would have liked. But, you can see I finished the angel’s dress, stitched her wings (no backstitching yet), and then started to move on to that little guy on the right. Well, darn it, my crown is in the wrong place. So, I’ll be frogging him and his crown out this weekend. Rather than start that process Sunday night, I just worked on putting in some motifs. I am sooooo glad I have a list of things to watch out for, no idea where it came from, but those symbols for some of the colors are almost identical. I would have really messed that up. So, thanks to whoever writes down these cautions!

I really do love stitching on ATS, and I can’t wait to get back to it. Of course, during the week I try to put a few stitches in on my smaller pieces. So, I whipped out Mele Kalikimaka again…yes, more sky to fill in.

I love this piece, but like I said in my last post, I can only do so much over one at a time. So, it’s slowly getting a little bit filled in at a time. Here’s a scan of the finished item, in case you’re curious what it’s supposed to look like. It’s itty bitty, even though it looks big in this scan. It’s only about 3 inches square maybe.

So, that’s what I’ve been up to. I’m hoping for lots of stitching this weekend!!

I’m grateful for my new crown.

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