Never Enough Stash Postings

Miss Vallie is here to let you know that Lynn and Rebecca have posted some wonderful charts on our Never Enough Stash blog that you really should take a look at.

Caroline listed quite a few charts the other day ...... I'm wondering if she has any left because she listed alot.

I listed my high count linen that I have for sale.  It's mostly 35 and 36 count from various manufacturers.

So if you haven't checked out the blog for sales, now's a good time to do it.....there's alot over there.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A sad realization and some ponderings

Well I started the Strawberry Hill Sampler and came to the sad realization that I can no longer stitch on 36ct or anything smaller.  What this means is that the design that Brenda had designed for the box top, I will have to change in ways to make it fit on my Whitman's box.  This shouldn't mean anything to the huswife or the pincushion.  I think I'm going to stitch these either on cream 32ct or maybe a natural 32ct with the same Sampler Threads the design called for.  I'm sure it will turn out just as beautiful but my boxtop will be different.  I will share photos once I come up with an idea.  As for all the 36ct and 40ct. fabric I have, it will be posted on Never Enough Stash sometime this weekend.

As to my ponderings.....

I was talking on the phone today with my best bud Thellie and before I called her, I was a little down in the dumps but by the end of the call, I was laughing so hard the tears were falling.  Do you have a friend like that?  One that knows you so well that she can change your whole day by just a phone call.  I consider myself very lucky to have such a friend at this time in my life and I don't take this for granted.  So in recognition to my best bud Thellie.......Thank You!

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A new SAL

Have you noticed that Blogger works great when it's working??  But have some trouble and you're on your own.  Anyways.....

Here's the new French SAL I was talking about in the post that I ended up deleting.  You can find all the information about it here.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Two finishes and two starts

First off, I'd like to thank Patricia, Lisa, Christina, Emma and Jennifer for posting on our blog "Never Enough Stash".  If you haven't already been over there to check it out, you might want to because there are some wonderful things for sale and a few of us are looking for patterns.  This will work if it's supported by us stitchers.

Now I'm sure you're sick and tired of hearing about the Better Not Pout design.....so here it is finished.  I was going to put cord binding around the outside but I really didn't care for how it looked.  The pillow is too small I think. 

 The pattern called for it to be stitched with Sampler Threads but I decided to go with HDF silks and I stitched it on 32ct. cream Belfast.  

 The finishing is pretty much the way the designer showed it.  Why mess with perfection!!

The next finish is my Noro silk shawl.  I haven't blocked it yet and I will show you better pictures once it is.  I crocheted a border along the bottom edge out of a wonderful wool/silk lace weight black yarn that I would love to make a sweater out of.....but I have to be realistic here....no way could I finish a sweater out of lace weight yarn.  

This next design is by Brenda Gervais ofWith My Needle and Thread and that's my next project.  I have to paint the Whitman Chocolate Sampler box and stain the newspaper fabric to make it look primitive and then I'm all set.  I've started the stitching on 36ct. Days Gone By linen and I'm using Sampler Threads which the designer calls for.  I want to stitch this entire set so it's going to take me awhile.

The box is in the top left, then there's a huswife (top right), pincushion (bottom left) and last but not least, a scissor and pinkeep out of wool felt.  This will make a stunning set to sit on my living room coffee table.

Yes I am a Nascar buff and my guy Dale Earnhardt Jr won last week at Michigan.  This week they are at Sonoma which is a road course and he's just not the greatest at those.  I think Mouse must of heard me screaming way across the pond last week when he crossed the finished line.  LOL  

Well duh.....I forgot to tell you about my second start.  It's a shrug made out of a bulky weight yarn and I'm crocheting it.  I'll have updated photos and I get more into it.

Well I'm off to do some stitching on the Strawberry Hill Sampler and I hope each and every one of you has a fantastic weekend ahead.  We did some grass mowing this morning before the rain starts up again.    This is the rainy season down here and this year it's earning it's name.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Invites and updates

I have received quite a few requests from ladies wanting to post some sales and trades on our blog Never Enough Stash.  I also want to point out that I've sent out quite a few invites to people who desired one and I still have 7 open ones.  Check your email to see if I sent you one and if you are interested, please accept the invite.  Thanks!  I want to point out that there are quite a few patterns over there for sale so you might want to check it out and see if there's something you can't live without.

I'm slowly but surely working on Better Not Pout and it's slow going.  I've caught the knitting bug lately and all I want to do is work with yarn.  Am I the only one that has this affliction?  I've finished my shawl I was knitting out of Noro and will post a picture soon.  I've started a sweater for myself and it's in a fantastic shade of teal.....yummy!!!  A funny thing happened to me today at Michael's.  I was there purchasing some yarn and the cashier was a young lady in her late teens...early 20's.  She asked me what I was going to make and I told her of which she replied "I wish I could do that".  I told her I'd be more than happy to teach her.  She was so excited that I'd be willing to teach her knitting and crocheting and not charge her anything for passing on this knowledge.  I'm truly under the belief that alot of our needlework is becoming a lost art and we should do everything possible to make sure it doesn't.  She has decided to learn crochet first which I think is good.  I made mention that with all the great looking yarns out there, she'll have a brand new crocheted scarf for fall.  I gave her my phone number so now we'll see if she's really serious about it.  

Well that's all that's going on in my little world.  I hope all of you are having a fantastic week and that you'll getting alot of stitchie time in.  It's like therapy and I think we can all use that....I know I can.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

ATTENTION SELLERS ON "NEVER ENOUGH STASH"

It dawned on my when I as posting some items this afternoon, that sellers are going to have to list their email address under the items they want to sell.  Why?  Because if you don't, all those comments of people wanting to purchase something are going to go to my inbox on my email account.  I really don't want that to happen.  LOL  So please, place your email address under the items and that way the buyers can contact the correct seller.

Thanks!!!!!!

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A thank you and a start

I want to thank everyone who gave such a positive response to my suggestion of having a blog for stash.  I have started it and there's already two postings so you really should check it out.  The name is Never Enough Stash (appropriate right?) and you can find it here.  Become a follower and that way you'll always know when new things are added.  

The other day I posted about a Noro yarn I purchased and I thought I'd show you how it looked knitted. I've started the shawl and it's one you do from the neck down.  I'm going to try something a little different with this one.....I'm going to add crocheted lace that I will do out of a black lace weight yarn around the bottom edge.  What do you think?  I think black will be a good contrast to all the beautiful bright colors that are in the yarn.   I'm just starting the second ball and since I have 5 of them, it should turn out a nice size after it's blocked.

I hope your Monday has started your week out fine.  I had a doctors appointment this morning and then came home and did some knitting and stitching.   Tomorrow is laundry day....ho hum boring!!!

Hope the rest of your week goes great.......

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Question for all needlework bloggers.....

Something just came to me and I would like to find out what others think.  We all know of the blogs where you can post finished projects that you've done....Smalls, LaDDa, etc. and what I was wondering if having a blog where others could post about their stash.  We could even make it like a store where you could sell things that you didn't want anymore.  Trade?  Find out if someone has something that you are looking to trade for.  It wouldn't be a forum, just a blog where you could post a picture and what you are going to use it for.  I think up to 100 people are allowed to post on one blog so it would be a nice start.  I would love to hear your suggestions or comments about this.....the pros and cons.  I've never done anything like this so any help would be appreciated.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Some new goodies to share

I have been a really bad girl lately and I thought I'd share it with you.  LOL  Although I'm sure that most of you would say I'm just being "normal".  I like that!!!!  

First off, the new issue of JCS came out and it's the one with the preview of the ornament issue.  If this is any indication of that issue, it should be a good one!  I'm in love with 3 of the designs and have purchased the threads to stitch them with.  I will share them with you at a later time.  I was also up at the Sewing Studio and I was looking for fabric with newspaper print on it.  Would you believe they actually had it!!  It's for an upcoming pattern from With Needle and Thread that involves a Whitman chocolate sampler box.  When I get the pattern I will show you what I mean.  It promises to be a lot of fun.

 Next up.....I received the Better Not Pout pattern today so I'll be starting that this weekend.  I have everything for it which is a miracle.  The other pattern is one I came across at Sewing Studio.  I love making bags and this one caught my eye because of the name...."Jennifer's Bag".  It has tons of pockets outside and inside and I'm going to see what fabric I have on hand before I go shopping.  I know....I know....miracles do happen.

 Next is the knitting project I've been working on this week.  Jennifer loves teal and I came across this yarn at my local shop and I knew she'd love it.  It's a wool/acrylic blend and it's soooo soft.  I'm knitting her a cowl which should be large enough to cover her head and hopefully wrap around her neck to help keep her warm out there in Colorado.  This should be finished tonite or tomorrow.

 Next is a small needlepoint canvas I purchased the other day at Needle Orts.  It's of a small witch and she's so cute I just had to have her.  As you can see I'm doing most of the stitching with DMC floss but the background will be a soft lavender Sparkle Rays.  

I might of told you that I discovered a new knitting store here in Orlando and I am in love!!  The name is The Knitting Patch  and it's the most fantastic knitting store I have ever been in.  Needless to say, my budget really took a beating there but it was worth it.  Here is what I bought:

 Above first off is Noro which is silk/mohair/lamb's wool blend that is to die for.  That will end up as a shawl for myself and that's my next knitting project.  The blue is Wunderklecks by Schoppel Wolle and is a fingering weight wool blend from Germany.  The brown ball is lace weight by Schoppel Wolle also and is a wool blend.  I don't have projects picked out for these two yet.

Above is what I purchased for Jennifer.  She loves doing lace work so I bought her a skein of Madelinetosh which is 100% silk and is 1,000 yards....plenty for a nice shawl or whatever she chooses.  The other is a silk also by Tilli Tomas in a stunning burgundy color.  I think she'll be happy with both of these.

So that's what I've been doing this past week.....shopping.  Maybe it's all the rain we've had....buying beautiful yarns and patterns always brightens my day.

I hope your week has been as productive as mine has been.  I did some stitching on Fallen Roses and I'm still thinking I should have this finished by my October deadline.  I'm almost finished with Jenn's cowl and then I can block it and mail it to her.  I should have over a skein leftover and I'm sending that to her and she's going to make herself some fingerless gloves to match it.  I will be starting Better Not Pout tomorrow and that shouldn't take too long to stitch.  

Here's hoping that all of you get to do some stitching this weekend and not have to "frog" one stitch....pesty frog, who wants him anyways!

Blessings as always,

Barbara

And old finish

First off I want to thank everyone who entered my last giveaway and was sweet enough to leave comments about what stitching has meant to you.  I loved all of your answers and wasn't surprised to find out that they mirrored mine.  For years it was like I was a closet stitcher because no one else in my family stitched and none of my friends did either.  I felt very alone but not discouraged.  Now it seems that the needlework world has opened up and all of us closet stitchers no longer have to stitch alone.  We can go to our LNS or open up our computer and there is always someone there just waiting to talk with you about what you're working on.  For myself, it has given me the chance to try new things that I would of never seen or done otherwise.  Who knew there was such a thing as a Quaker sampler that you could stitch in one color....or all the different types and colors of threads.....or that there was such a thing as hand dyed linen that has more than one color in it.  I am still amazed about how our world has grown when it comes to needlework.

I'm working on Fallen Roses but I thought I would share something with you that I stitched more than 20 years ago.  It is a Carol Costello design called Shalimar and it is stitched on moss green 18ct. needlepoint canvas using a multitude of different fibers.  For example, I used DMC pearl cotton in all the fancy stitches in cream but the center square has silk, wool and cotton.  I have all of Carol's books and I'm not sure if they are still in print but if you ever get a chance to try one of her designs, you will love it.  

 Below is a close up of the center square and some of the specialty stitches used in the design.

Now I've said that sweet Vallie was going to a different groomer.....well today was the day.  She's a little put out with me as you can tell from the photos but she sure looks better.

I think in the above picture, she shows that she's really not back to feeling 100% better.  It's been raining here for days and we haven't been able to take as many walks as she would like so maybe that's got her a little depressed.  

I will post pictures of Fallen Roses soon and show you what I have gotten done.  I'm also working on a cowl for my daughter, Jenn which is just beautiful.  I love the yarn I'm using.  Also, yesterday I discovered a new yarn shop here in Orlando and I went nuts.  I will post pictures of the beautiful silks and wools I purchased.  

So many projects.....not enough time......

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A small finish...

I came across this little freebie at a blog that is quite new to me.  You can find this and many more patterns here.  I decided to stitch my little owl on natural glenshee linen using two colors of Gloriana silks.....Fallen leaves for the owl and Pecan for everything else.  It was a fun stitch and owls are so popular right now and I didn't have any in my collection.

I'm waiting on two patterns that I've sent for to come in the mail and I'm debating on whether or not to start something else till they get here.  

This is the first one from Widgets and Wools Primitives and is called Better Not Pout and the second one is

from Jardin Prive and is called Trop Chouette.

Maybe I should just stitch on my tribute piece, Fallen Roses until they get here.  I would really hate to start something and then have them arrive.  I'm really wanting to start some Christmas stitching and the Better Not Pout one I just love.

Well that's all for now.  For those who didn't know, Vallie had been very sick and is feeling much better now.  I took her to her doctor and she said she thought it was an parasite that had gotten into her intestines.  Yuk!!!!  Two different medicines and $300 worth of tests later, she's feeling much better and is back to her old self.  She has an appointment with a new groomer on wednesday so I'll be sure to post a new picture of her new doo.

I hope everyone has a great week with lots of time to put in some stitches.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

And the winner is.............

Sunny

The random number generator came up with the number 35.  I have emailed Sunny to let her know of her win.  I want to thank everyone who participated in this giveaway and if you haven't taken notice, my followers is rapidly nearing 500.....it's gonna be a great giveaway as soon as that number is reached so check back often.

Blessings as always,

Barbara