HOLIDAY STITCHING

Now is the time to really get down to finishing up the handmade Christmas gifts.  I have collected all the materials, so no more excuses.  I love these little wool felt bags and beads and have thought of several techniques I would love to find time to try out on them.  This is the one that seemed the quickest so I thought to start with it.  These ditty bags were designed as changed purses but for stitchers and crafters they can hold all kinds of "stuff" besides change.  I used wool hand-dyed threads for the stitching and only two stitches - lazy daisy and French knots.  Then, I threaded the yarn through the bead and knotted it to make a mini tassel and fringed the ends.  It was a quick little project and fun to do! 

This week I have been stitching "stitches" for next year's column.  Next week. is definitely time for my new "big project". 

It was really great to take a "stitching break" from stitching today.  Recently I read another blog and got inspired to begin keeping a visual record of all these little projects I do throughout the year.  I'm sorry I have forgotten the name of the  writer but she said before blogging she would look back on her year and feel she had little to show for it (or not as much as she wanted).  Now when she looks back over the last few years and can see her accomplishments she feels much better.  I loved the idea....and I feel better already.

WILD ROSES

While we had a great time on Thanksgiving, I'm glad to get back to a "normal" routine for a few weeks before the Christmas rush begins! I still haven't started stitching my next new design for proposals, but did finally finish the Wild Roses Oval Box I have been struggling with for a few months now.  The canvas sat in its spot on the mantle for the last week or so just waiting for me to take it down and finish stitching the top. The sides went smoothly, but the top, that's another story.  It stared at me several times a day.....and I stared back.  Finally something clicked and I knew how to proceed.  I had the top completed in two evenings!!

Recently this approach has worked for me.  Just a suggestion for anyone to try if this happens with a project of yours. 

Today we are attempting to bring my new website online.  I've done most of the work myself to construct the site, but all this Domain Mapping, etc. is beyond me.   I'm so glad to have a great hubby to work through this maze for me!  Hopefully all will be up and running by this next Wednesday AM.  I'm really excited for everyone to be able to view it.

Tomorrow I'm off to see Marlene (my finisher) to deliver the canvas....in hopes of getting it back by early January.  May be by the end of this week I'll have some progress to show on the development of the new design. 

FLOWER DIAMONDS

Well, after spending much of the last 10 days setting up an entirely new website and beginning this journal I am finally able to get back to my next design in the works, Flower Diamonds (working title)!  It will be part of the proposals package I will submit to the national seminar committees in late January.  No pressure. 

I have already done sketches and stitch research.  I have been collecting and pulling threads for months.  Now I have finally narrowed it done to what you see above.  This beginning group will be re-evaluated several times and reduced somewhat.  Usually the palette ends up around 20 to 25 threads, beads, ribbons, etc.  Designs evolve and colors change when they come together.  I have a picture in my head of what I want the final project to look like but it takes actually stitching.....melding the threads, beads, and ribbons together.....to see if the materials all work together as I envision. 

My hope is to begin stitching in a week or so.  I will post more photos as I progress with the design. In the meantime there is the current project to finish and the "In Stitches" column to begin.  Thanksgiving at our house needs to fit in there somewhere.  So, there will probably not be an update until next weekend.  Happy Thanksgiving!