Can We Talk?

 Well here it is friday again and I'm jumping for joy because hubby had off from work today and we got all the yard work finished.  Hooray!!!   Do you know what that means????  I will have plenty of stitching time this weekend with no interruptions.  I received the next part of Carol's SAL and I'm working on that now.  I'll post of picture after Carol does her magic to the pic so it can't be enlarged.  I just love how it's turning out and I'm starting to look around for the finishing fabric.  I want something floral but not overwhelming.  I'm not sure but I think that gives me a good reason to go to the Sewing Studio again.  LOL  As if I needed one.

 The above is a shawl I saw on Ravelry this morning and when I went to download the pattern, I found out it was in a book that I could purchase for my Kindle from Amazon.  Apparently, they are doing alot more of your knitting and crocheting books for the Kindle and I love it.  No more having to print off the pattern....just pull it up on the Kindle and use it right from there.  This book won't be available until October 11 so I do have some time to work on other things.

 The above is something I want to make for myself.  It's done out of fingering weight wool and I have a beautiful plum and burgundy that will look stunning in this design.  Where they have the contrast, I'm going to use a kid mohair I have that matches the plum in the yarn beautifully. 

 The above little sweater is made from 100% cotton and it's going to be for Peyton.  Pink is definitely not her color so I bought it in a stunning dark teal color which is one of her best colors to wear.  I don't think this will take too long to make....there are no seams that I can find and it's done all in one piece.  This will be a Christmas present so I can't wait too long to start it.

I'm a hopeless bag nut!!!  I have so many tote bags that I don't think I could count them all and here I am going to make another one.  I love the orange color that they used but I had to settle for a dark tan.  I haven't decided what color I'm going to use for the lining but just about anything will go with tan.  Maybe something with a print to it....autumn colors come to mind.  

Well that's all for right now.  I will post a picture of things once I get them started and my next giveaway will start on October 1st so check back.  It's going to have a little bit of Halloween....which seems to be very popular this year for stitchers for some reason.....and a smidgeon of autumn.  Everyone have a great stitchey weekend!!!
UPDATE:  The little sweater I had planned for Peyton....well the cotton yarn I purchased which is what the pattern called for is absolutely HORRIBLE!!!  It is so stiff I can hardly crochet with it.  I'm thinking it would be just as horrible to wear so that one is being put on the back burner.  Then I started the cape for myself....let's just say that pattern is the worst pattern I have ever tried and I've been crocheting since I was about 8 years old.  I believe that pattern will be put to the back of the drawer never to see daylight again.  I will use that great wool yarn I bought for it for something else.  Off to try something different.....again.  LOL

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Two finishes and a new SAL

Anyone who knows me knows I love Just Nan designs and this one is just too too cute.  It was a quick and easy stitch with a quick finish but it looks like you took alot of time.  I'm not quite sure how I'm going to display him so if you have any suggestions, I'm open to them.  I just don't want him to get buried in the pile of others smalls I have.

The above design is from Sam Sarah but I changed it quite alot.  They had several of these stitched on one piece of linen but I decided to stitch just one and make him into an ornie.  "G is for Ghost" is the title of it and I think it's so sweet how the included a tile with the letter G on it.  The finishing is different than what I usually do but I think it turned out rather cute.  Behind the stitched piece I placed a piece of wool felt that is an orange and black herringbone and then behind that is a colorful Halloween cotton print.  I pinked around both pieces and tied a bow out of the same cotton print in the front.  

I belong to a Yahoo group called "The Stitch Specialists" and this time the SAL is a darling little owl.  Below you can see the finished product and above my colors that I've chosen.  The fabric is WDW Bed Creek Brown 30ct. and all my fibers are either Gloriana silk or HDF silk.  This does seem to be the year for owls and I can't wait to get into this one.  This yahoo group concentrates on specialty stitches and everything associated with them.  If you are interested in joining such a group, you can find it here.  I will post the parts as I finish them so you can see how this progresses.

I hope everyone has had a great weekend doing what we all love to do.....stitch!!!  I'm sitting here waiting for my Nascar race to start which has been in rain delay for the past 5 hours.  Hopefully they will get it started sometime tonite if not, I get to watch a race tomorrow.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Some new finishes.............

First off, I've finished part 4 of Carol's SAL.  I am really enjoying stitching this sampler and I can't wait to see it finished.  I've decided that I'm going to make it into a stitcher's case for myself and so I'm hoping there's a place for me to stitch my initials.   I also purchased myself a new pair of scissors.  These are fantastic!!!  They are Italian and have the sharpest points and blades of any scissor I've ever used.  They are ringlocks by Forbici Ricamo and I highly recommend them.  They are reasonably priced at $28.00 and I bought them from my LNS Needle Orts.  You can find her website by clicking on the name over to the right under places I love to visit.

 Next is the biscornu pattern I offered for free last week.  I stitched this with a thread that I usually don't use at all and that's Wildflowers.  I wanted it to have a "flat" look about it....not glossy at all and I was able to do that with this thread.  I used 3 different ones....Charcoal for the cats and the words Boo, Black Hills for the decorative stitches and Tumeric for the pumpkins.  The edging is where I really went weird.  I used 1/8" black ribbon and sewd this into loops along the edge.  I think it gives it a quirky finish don't you?  LOL

And last but not least is this very cute design by Cynthia Zittel of Drawn Thread.  You might recognize it but I stitched it in Halloween colors....black, purple and neon green.  I then stitched a black beaded border all the way around it.  You'll find both of these in my store if you are interested.

Well that's all for today.  I'm starting a new Halloween design by Sam Sarah and it shouldn't take too long to stitch it....famous last words.  LOL  I hope everyone gets to do some stitching this weekend and for those in the northeast, I'm jealous of the cooler weather you are starting to have.  Please don't forget that I'd love to receive some pics of autumn in the northeast or wherever you are.  I've been really homesick lately and I'm hoping these pictures will help.  Thank you.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Some Halloween goodies and more

Who doesn't love stitching Halloween designs?  Not Me!!  I love the ugly colors...the wacky fabric and designs.  I really do think I went a little overboard though but how could I resist.  JCS came out with the beautiful Halloween ornament issue that has all the great designs from past years.  Everyone knows how popular owls are right now and Just Nan has some really cuties this year.  I even got my orange fabric for some ornies I hope to stitch....notice I said "hope".  

Not sure if you have ever heard of Piecework magazine, but I think it's a keeper.  It always has some fantastic articles about historical pieces  and it covers a large range of needlework.....from needlepoint to crochet to lacework.  I also had to get the two new JBW Christmas designs. 

Then from The Fat Quarter Shop today I received in the mail this new charm pack and two yards of coordinating fabrics.  I love this chocolate brown and it should make up some great fall patterns.

The purple thingy is a crocheted cover for my tape measure.  I found the pattern on Ravelry and it calls for 3 colors of wool sock weight yarn and I just happen to have two shades of purple and a green for the leaf. I loved doing it and it worked up really fast.  I added a sparkly button to the center of the tea rose just for fun.

I hope everyone has a safe holiday weekend and you get to do lots and lots of stitching.  I plan on doing just that while watching my racing.  

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Favorite halloween movie????

I love halloween and especially the above movie. In case you don't recoginize the pic, it's from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. I'm not one who goes into blood and guts movies and I hate to be scared. Now our daughter Jenn is just the opposite. She loves all those frightening movies and so does her 4 boys.

What kind of movies do you and your family like to watch at Halloween?

as always, Barbara

Now this is being creative...

I have a neighbor who goes all out at Halloween and today I remembered to go take some pics to share with you ladies. I had to go to the post office this morning and I saw another house that just has to be photographed at night so I'll try to remember to do that after dark this evening.

I love how the lady who lives here does this every year for the children of the neighborhood. She has none of her own but loves seeing the kids faces each year.

This one just cracks me up.

If you have any special houses or maybe your own who decorates in a big way for Halloween, send me some pics and I'll post them here for everyone to enjoy.

As always, Barbara

Favorite Color?

We all have are favorite colors that we stitch with but I'm thinking if you only had one color, which would it be. I would have to pick blue. It's a calming color to me and it comes in such lovely shades from light teals to stunning dark navy.

Then it occurred to me that if you only had one designer to stitch, who would it be? Mine would have to be The Drawn Thread or Just Nan. I really can't make up my mind between the two. The Drawn Thread for her lovely work using specialty stitches and Just Nan for her use of colors. I know my daughter, Jenn, would pick Mirabilia but to me, they are just too much work for my brain at this age. I use to stitch some large designs but now I'm into instant gratification. LOL I love doing smalls and the finishing work. Strange right? I've always enjoyed making something out of nothing and the thought that goes into it. I also love using unusual supplies in my finishing. I've posted a picture of a Halloween biscornu I designed and finished. Strange right? The little temari pumpkin was made by my daughter Jenn so I can't take credit for that.