Finished Green Bike in Red

Finally finished and framed Green Bike in Red by Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks. Sewn on silvermist opal in Kreinik red. It takes four spools of Kreinik for each bike. It is all ready for my oldest sister for Christmas. That makes two sisters and my parents down; one sister and my mother in law to go.

I have started on Summer Butterfly by Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks for the remaining sister. Hopes are high that this one wont take long. The fabric for my mother in laws has shipped. I calculated if I started on July 1 and stitched 450 stitches a day I could have it finished to be framed October 31. Shipping usually takes a good 10 days coming from overseas so each day adds more stitches to that and I want to start as soon as the fabric gets in.

Oak tree was casting a shadow on the fabric. Babbling Brook by Wichelt

My other two WIPs are becoming UFO. I just don't have time to dedicate to them with trying to get these finished and framed for Christmas. Spent last week volunteering at VBS. The week before that we (me and the two youngest) drove to Colorado to help out little sister with her new baby. So, I have not stitched on them in at least two weeks.

Queen Mariposa by Mirabilia on Quiescence by Chromatic Alchemy

The Heir by Terrence Nolan on Jaded

Coral Charms by Nora Corbett

Last night I finished Coral Charms. I was so delighted to finish my third cross stitching this year. My goal was five this year; may have to revisit and increase my goal. The conversion on this one was simple and manageable. I added simple eye lines and lips to give her more of a face. Coral Charms is stitched on Monet 16 count Aida by Picture this Plus fabric. The conversion can be found on the Conversions Tab at the top of the page or click here.

I finally received my fabric from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie. I am not fond of writing bad reviews. So, I will start with the good. Stephanie is very quick to respond to questions. I sent an email after three weeks of no update to ask when my fabric would be ready, and received a response with in a few hours. Here is the pictures of what I ordered from her website.

Jaded                                                       Silvermist

Both of these look to be pictured on some sort of linen fabric. The Silvermist is on opalescents.

The fabric was ordered in Adia on March 15; shipping notice was received on April 12. It took a month to get the fabric. When the fabric arrived the envelope was in pretty bad shape. The corner was ripped up and I was concerned that the fabric was damaged. (If I was shipping I would have put it in the padded envelope which is the same shipping cost.) Open the package and nothing was damaged. Thank goodness. I had been waiting a month and needed to get started on the Silvermist fabric for Christmas gifts this year, and did not want to wait another month. All of the fabric was in one bag. My personal preference is separate bags for storage with their project. That is neither here nor their. Just cost a little extra for me to get big ziplock bags for each. The fabric is very stiff. At first I thought maybe it is just the Silvermist because it is opalescents, but the Jaded was stiff as well. Not as ridged as the Silvermist but stiffer than my other hand dyed fabrics I have received recently. Finally here is what my fabric looks like:

What are your thoughts of how what I received compares to the online pictures?

Start Coral Charm by Nora Corbett

Our eleven year old son is a boy scout. From time to time we will schedule a merit badge he wants to take at the museum. While the class is fairly inexpensive, it does take an hour to get down there. The classes are four hours long. Being that we have done several scout classes including tours, what am I to do for four hours while sitting waiting for him. That's right cross stitch. While it wasn't a start I did get quite a bit done with what turned out to be three and a half hours of no interruptions.

Today I took a break from cross stitching and from almost everything else, and made a baby quilt for one of my husbands employees whos wife had a baby girl last month. I know I am so behind, I should of had this done and to them before the baby was born. First, husband didn't tell me one of his employees was expecting a bundle of joy until the week of. Second, his employee has been off and then allowed to work remotely from home to enjoy his baby girl for the first few weeks. Makes me feel not so bad, but still not a good excuse. Need to get a couple of girl and boy ones made up so when someone says oh John or Jane is expecting I can just pull it out. Maybe one day. Here is the one I whipped together today. I did a 'rag' quilt so I didn't have to wait for it to come back from the quilters.

Put a nice boarder around it for a finishing touch.

While I had the sewing machine out I also put binding on one of two quilts that have been waiting for two months now. In need of getting one completed as a gift for a dear friend we will see at the end of May, and the other is for our daughter.

Not just Diamonds and Gold

Whoever said that all that shines is diamonds and gold never saw the Mediterranean Mermaid in person. I have completed most of the Kreinik metallic thread. I ran out of the lighter green and need to run by the LNS to get more. So far she is only stitched in Kreinik I have not put any DMC or beads in to her tail. She is stitching fairly fast now so hopefully I will be finished soon and can start something on the new fabrics I received. Now I have fabric for four designs.

Speaking of new fabrics I got my package from Chromatic Alchemy. It felt like for ever to get in, even though it was only two weeks. Definitely will be ordering more fabric from them. Worth the wait to come from Europe. Now I really can't decide which one to do next. Might have to toss a coin or let one of the kids pick.

Frost (aida)

Mermaids of the Deep Blue by Mirabilia

Going to change mermaid colors

Antares (aida)

Peacock by Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks

Quiescence (aida)

Queen Mariposa by Mirabilia

Finished Mirabilia 'Siren and the Shipwreck'

Just before Christmas I finished Mirabilia's 'Siren and the Shipwreck'. Here she is:

The fabric is 16 count Zweigart Aida Frenzy. This is my first time using hand dyed fabric. When I went to wash and iron it the fabric started discoloring the water. Thank goodness it did not discolor any of the thread. Here is a closer look at the beading on her.

The pattern called for Mill Hill bead 02098 (dark green from dorsal fin) on the bottom of her tail. Personally, I thought it made her tail look like it had green algae growing on it. Instead I used Mill Hill bead 00020 (navy blue that is used in her lower body).  Now she is in line waiting to go to the frame shop, and I have started my first cross stitching of 2016.

 

Mirabilia Shimmering Mermaid

What a great year 2015 has been. I have finished three cross stitching projects and been able to get two framed. Just before Christmas my wonderful husband took me to have Shimmering Mermaid by Mirabilia framed.

This project was started in 2011 when I became pregnant with our youngest son. I did not finish her until 2013.This was the last project I did before discovering hand dyed fabric. Here are some closer images of her.

Received eight new patterns that I have been wanting for Christmas. Setting a goal to finish five cross stitchings in 2016.

Titania Queen of the Fairies

This is the first large cross stitching I have completed since I graduated high school. All my other cross stitching's were sold at auction. I never had one to keep for myself. This one I finished six years ago, but never had her framed. Now she is framed and ready to be placed on the wall.

This is also the first cross stitching I ever used beads or specialty threads in. I remember the sewing the wings and saying bad words about the thread. It was so fine and kept breaking every few stitches.