Twilight Weekend with crocheting

My cousin/friend, Liz, and I usually spend one day a week together doing something.  Well since Thanksgiving, we have hardly seen each other.  So, this Friday and Saturday, we had a Twilight weekend.  We watched the first 2 movies on Friday then the last 3 on Saturday.  I brought my crochet to work on while we watched the movie.  I bought this Bucilla kit at Hobby Lobby over 15 years ago on the reduced for quick sale aisle.  I had started this kit back in December and had completed 10 of the blue and white squares.  I have to make 24 blue and white squares and 24 sunflower squares.  I didn't tuck the ends on the blue and white square.  So, I spent most of Friday on tucking the ends.  I finished the other 14 blue and white squares over the two days. 

Over the weekend, a tornado hit Hattiesburg and Petal (towns near where I live).  The power was out where I worked (in Hattiesburg).  So, on Monday, we didn't have classes.  I spent the day on my couch stitching and crocheting.  I did a different project every hour.  One hour I worked on my sunflower afghan.  The completed sunflower square you see in the picture below was completed in December.  I had also made all 24 brown circles for the sunflower. I tucked all the ends on the brown circles and put the yellow petals on the centers you see in the picture.  I decided to put all the petals on all the circles then crochet the green background.  I thought it would be easier than doing each square completely.

I'm going a little out of order but I keeping the theme together.  Well once a month on Sunday, my sisters, a few of our close friends, and I get together and stitch.  This year we decided to do exchanges.  If you look at my post last week you can see where I got the pattern for making my tool.  I sewed ort contains out of triangles.  Every time I sew, I think I can do this.  And EVERY TIME I get on the sewing machine, I act like a 2-years old throwing a temper tantrum.  My sewing machine pulls the fabric at one speed on one side and an slower speed on the other.  I start out with a 1/4-inch seam allowance and end with a 1/2-inch or 1/8-inch seam allowance.  Well, what should have taken me 1 hour to make took 2-1/2 hours.  They turned out really cute but I forgot to take a picture of all of them (I made 7).

I worked on the S&BF - A Friend's house and Trilogy's - Line Up Boy.  The Boy I am going to make into a Christmas Cracker ornament for my nephew Leif.  Each year my sisters, sisters-in-laws, and I get ornaments for a niece or nephew.  We have the same ones every year.  My two are Nicholas and Leif.  I always get Nicholas a superhero that is popular that year.  Leif's ornament changes depending on his interest each year.  I think this one will be cute. 

A Friend's House - S&BF

Line Up Boy - Trilogy

 Well, I'm off to a good start this year.  I hope to continue posting each week.  This weekend I plan on working on several different projects.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.  Have a great day.

Sharon

Round Robin ABRR

Well I have finished the last two round for my Round Robin. The first was a Lizzie Kate Christmas pattern for Merriwether. I had fun stitching it and had to outline the cup. The color of the cup was the same as the color of the fabric.


The last one, which I mailed today, was for Georgena. The patterns were the DMC hearts. I stitched on the Hearts of flowers pattern. It was an easy and quick stitch.

Now I am waiting for my RR to come home. I can't wait to see it. I think it will be beautiful.

Sharon

First Finish of the Year

Yeah, I finished one!!! This is Bent Creek's Thankful from the Red Thread Series. I started it before the new year but I had to get some thread from Bridget (the owner of this one) to finish it. As of the 1st of January I had stitched the box and the word thankful. On the 1st I finished the tablecloth and turkey plate. Last night, the 2nd, I finished stitching the turkey. Now all I have to do on my Red Thread is the border and the words. I will post a picture when I finish it (some time later).

Today I am going to work on the Rainbow Birds for my mother. I have been working on this one for about 3 years. I plan on finishing it next. My goal this year is to finish all started projects first. Then only work on 2 cross stitch projects and 1 needlepoint at a time.

Also, since my sister and my sister-in-law are pregnant and due at the beginning of February, I need to knit two baby blankets. I think I will go get the yarn today and start on them.

Well, thanks for stopping by

Sharon

Finishes in More Ways than One

Well, let's see, what has happened in the last month? Well..... We had Thanksgiving dinner at my Mom and Dad's. As usual, the food was totally edible, the company was comforting. Then the semester ended with a flurry of snow. We had finals from Tuesday through Friday but had to continue on Monday due to snow. On Thursday it snowed until noon and laid on the ground for two days (very unusual). My nephew Theron and I played in the snow and made a snowman, then went in to eat breakfast. When we came back out you could not tell that we had been in the snow. We had a great time.

During final exam week, I wanted to finish a project a day. Well, I did good for the first two days but the rest of the week I crocheted on an afghan but ran out of yarn. Mind you, it is yarn you can no longer buy in the store, Plum Heather by Red Heart. I need about two skeins to finish and make the fringe. Well, I will keep looking for it. As for the project they are:

The Wreath from Red Thread. I stitched it on Mari's fabric. She changed the colors to go with her fabric, of course. She is very good at choosing colors. Now I have to finish the Thanksgiving one on Bridget's. I plan on working on it tomorrow when I go to Jennifer's to stitch at 2:30. As for my Red Thread, the boxes are complete but I still have to stitch the border and words.



The second thing that I finished last week was the ABRR Group 10 Round 3. It was for Casey Carroll. Her round robin was Valerie Pfeiffer's Chorus Line. I stitched the last little birdie on the right side. It was so quick and so cute. I hope she likes it.





Today, Jennifer and I finished stockings. Actually, Jennifer finished both stockings. For my stocking she stitched the liner to the stocking at the top first. She then stitched the stocking and liners together leaving a hole at the toe in the liner section. She turned the stocking inside out and instead of hand stitching the liner toe shut, she stitched the toe shut. I really thought it was a good idea since no one would be looking at the toe of the liner. I really didn't want to hand stitch the toe shut. I am very happy with my stocking that has been in the stitching phase for at least 14 years. As soon as I got home, I hung my wonderful stocking. I am so happy.


Right now I have 3 round robins to work on, One is the Red Thread, the other is a horse and rider, and the last one is Woodland Babes. The last two are both for Rhonda. I hope to finish the horses soon. The Woodland Babes aren't due to be finished until January.

Well, I'm off to stitch. I hope to post a completed project soon. Thanks for stopping by.

Sharon

Group 10 Round Robin 2nd Mailing

I've finished stitching on Diane's Round Robin. It was pretty easy once I realized that it called for 3 threads instead of 2. So I had to frog my part and re-stitch it. I think it is really cute. I would have done the backstitching but did not have the color chart to do so. I will be mailing it on to Georgena tomorrow afternoon.

On a different note, I have an exchange that was suppose to go out on Monday. But, my nephew whose 5 has either hidden it or I have lost it. He said he put it in Maw Maw's basket but we can't find it. I have everything ready to go but the exchange piece. I hope to find it tomorrow or restitch it tomorrow. That will teach me to leave my stitching just laying around.

Well got to go. Thanks for stopping by.

Sharon

Group 10 Round Robin Round 1

I choose to do a Christmas pattern for this go around. I decided to do the Victorian Bear Stocking by Designs for the Needle. Since our group contains 6 people, I cut the pattern into six pieces. The person who does the upper left corner will probably stitch the most. I had to change the color of the border because the pattern called for 498 but there wasn't enough and way too much 221. So for the stocking all the stitch colors will remain the same but the border will be done in 221.

Right now I have two round robins I am working on, besides the one that I sent out with round 8, and am expecting another.

I joined a new exchange group. I decide to join the All Seasons Ornament Exchange for a little more fun. I am participating in the Harvest Ornament Exchange. I already have an idea of what I want to stitch. I can't wait to finish it.

Right now I am working on getting my dissertation proposal ready for submission. I am so tired of working on it, but I need to finish it.

Well got to go and fill out the attendance audit sheets for work and send chapter 1 of the proposal to Dr. G.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sharon

My First Round Robin

This is the first project that I stitched in a round robin. It was a 1994 kit from Carousel Crafts. The kit is called "All Season" by Patsy Moore. The group started out as a group of six but two people dropped out. So, I stitched two pieces of the pattern. The project was stitched on the blue Aida fabric that was provided in the kit using DMC floss. I chose not to stitch the words on the pattern. I plan on making it a cube otherwise I will frame it.

I appreciate all the work that the ladies did on this project.

Recent Finishes

First up, I am a member of a Round Robin that started out with 6 people and ended up with 4. My sister Jennifer is a member of this RR. She chose to do the LK Flip It Blocks on 32 ct Linen. Well, one of the remaining members of the group could not see to stitch the project. So only one person had stitched on it before me. Well, being the nice sister that I am, I stitched 3 blocks instead of 2. I stitched the January, May, and September blocks. I stitched the January because it was already started. I stitched the May block because that is the month I was born. And finally, I stitched the September block because I am a teacher. I think I did a good job.



Next, On July 10th, Jennifer and I finished the above two projects. I had finished Cherry Hill by Country Cottage earlier this year. I went out and bought the stuff to finish it the weekend after I finished stitching it. I finally made the box and put it on the shelf in my living room. The patriotic one is a pattern that I picked up at Stitch N Frame out of Lafayette, LA. I used to live in Lafayette before Katrina and shopped at Stitch N Frame often. I saw the pattern and bought it to stitch immediately. I've had it finished for years, but finally "finished" it this year. I think it turned out beautifully. Jennifer is the one who decided to group the pins they way they are.

Right now, I am working on my WIPs trying to get them finished. I want to start on two or three projects (Mirabilia's Rose of Sharon, Raise the Roof's Turkey Dressing, and Barbara Ana Design's My Wool). I also have a few other projects that are going but I'm not in a hurry to finish. They are Ink Circle's Celtic Mystery Sampler, EGA's Tiramisu, and Lizzie Kate's Flip It Block Series.

Also, I decided that each night I will read a chapter out of a book. I have not been reading for pleasure in a long time. Mainly, I feel guilty about reading for pleasure when I should be researching for my dissertation. But, I need to read for fun.

Well got to go. Thanks you for stopping by

Sharon

Stitching Retreat

This weekend I attended a stitching retreat here in Hattiesburg. The retreat started at about 1:30 on Friday and went to late on Sunday. Well first of all on Friday, Jennifer and I finished our pins and needles exchange items. I started earlier in the week looking for a freebie pattern that would be cute of a seahorse or mermaid. Well, I couldn't find a pattern of either and ended up doing the "Hello Spring" pattern from Lizzie Kate. I made a few changes to the pattern. I changed the word Spring to Sunshine. I hade to use three patterns to find the letters to complete the word Sunshine. I also added a butterfly bead. After I finished stitching the pattern, I completed it as a needlebook. While sewing it together I didn't catch the ribbon on the back, so I had to add a button to the back for a closure. It turned out cute (I almost didn't want to give it away.) In the exchange on Friday, Theresa got my needlebook. I received a pinkeep from Terri. I really like it. I don't know who the designer is but I like my first pinkeep.











We also had a gift exchange on Saturday afternoon. Each exchange was numbered, then each stitcher picked a number. We only got the package that matched our chosen number. I got an excellent gift. Polly put together an awesome gift. It contained threads, notebooks, beads, some fabric, stitcher supplies, candleholder, wind chimes, a Just Nan Whimzy pattern and frame and some Altoid mins. I was extremely happy with my gift.











A little later in the evening we got door prizes. I was 11th out of 15 to choose my door prize. I chose a package from Sisters and Best Friends which contained about 6 patterns with some bead packages. We also received several freebies as a group. See the picture to the left. Two of the stitching ladies Lisa and Polly gave everyone a gift as well (see right). Each gift included a skein of DMC floss and box of Mill Hill beads with candy. I really appreciated the thought. Lisa and Polly did a terrific job of creating a goodie bag. Thank you.












Now what did I stitch on at the retreat? I worked on the Something Special "Rainbow Birds" for my Mom, the Just Nan "Burgundy Flower Ornament" for myself, The Miriabilia "Christmas Fairy" for myself , and the Little House Needlework "Acorns and Pines" for HoE LHN exchange. . On the Rainbow birds, I had to pull out several stems and the bird because I used the wrong brown. I spent half a day getting back to where I was in the beginning. I made some progress but not much. As for the Christmas Fairy, I finish the bottom of the skirt and started her boots. On the Acorns and Pines, I did a little bit of work - the door, doorframe, and part of the house up to the top of the the door. Finally, I completed the most on the Burgundy Flower Ornament. I have two greens left to do in the leaves and the border. I plan on finishing it today. Also, I completed work on three of the Red threads from my Red Thread Round Robin. I had to put the pull trailer on Bridget's Road Trip, finish stitching on Lisha's Picnic (I forgot to cross back over about seven stitches), and I finished Ocean Voyage on Jennifer's. The Red Thread projects I completed on Friday night.

Oh yea, as part of the fee each stitch got a $75 gift certificate to the LNS. I got Heart in Hands "Monthly Markings Border" and the first 4 block patterns, The Cross-Eyed Crickets "Soft Boiled" and Little House Needlworks "Night and Day" and Praire Schoolers "Harvest Time".
I had a great time at the retreat and will do it again next year.

Thanks for stopping by.
Sharon "Clarkey"

A finish and A "I give up"

I finished this on 4/20/2008 but haven't had time to post it. I had to stitch it backwards because it wasn't mine. My friend, Lisha, crosses her x's backwards from me. I had to concentrate really hard to stitch in the correct direction for her. Next, the Ocean Voyage on my sister Jennifer's Round Robin.

I also attempted to complete the Meadowsweet Group Correspondence Course project from EGA. I was the group coordinator for Cyberstitchers. Only 4 people sent their project in to be evaluate. But, mine wasn't one of them. I have also signed up for "My Favorite Bracelet" which I have completed about half of it, "Tiramisu" which I know I will love because it is blacwork but haven't started, and "Florentine Ornaments" which I need to get my sister-in-law, Mari, to paint the canvas first.

I will post pictures this weekend of several things that I am working on. Also, I bought a laptop last weekend. At present, I am tied to one room until my brother, Pete, can activate the wireless. It is a Toshiba which I like so far. It is much faster than my older one (which took an hour to load a word document). Now all I have to do is get all my stitching stuff on it.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sharon

Cherry Hill Finished!!!

Yesterday, the girls got together for a scrapbooking day but ended up having a stitching day. I worked on the border for my Lizzie Kate Round Robin. I finished the box border. I also finished stitching the Cherry Hill pattern. It is so cute!!! I really love it. I hope to get my sister, Jennifer, to help me finish it as a stand-up cube. Tonight I hope to finish the Round Robin that I was suppose to finish yesterday. Once I finish the round robin then I have a biscornu to finish. My goal this week (spring break) is to finish a project a day. I have several that are near finishing.

Sweet Sister

My sister Bridget got all the ladies in our Red Thread Round Robin a little happy. It consisted of a tin, 2 fat quarters of fabric, a pack of Mary Arden needles, skeins of specialty floss and some Valentine's Candy. Each box contain fabric and floss that matched the personality of the receiver. I got Gentle Arts Blackboard, Ohio Lemon Pie, and Purple Iris. The needles are my favorites. I now only buy Mary Arden needles.

Bridget got us all a gift because she likes to do things like that. She said she did it because she was holding up the round robin but I think she would have done it anyway because it was valentines. So thank you to my sister. I love it.

Sharon

Semi-busy weekend

Well I finished the fob. My sister, Jennifer made the cording for the string to attach the fob to the scissors. For the back, I stitched the recipient's first initial. I used Weeks Dye Work "Calypso" to stitch it but for the cording I found matching DMC floss. I enjoyed working on this project. I will be mailing it out later today or tomorrow.




The second thing I finished was the "Maypole" for the Red Thread Round Robin that I am working on. I stitched on Mari's this month. She changed some of the colors but it turned out beautifully.







The third thing I finished (which was earlier in the week) was the backpack. It turned out cute. Now I have to do another one for Theron. I may even do one for me except bigger. Tucker loves it. But, I have to find some Velcro to match for the shoulder strap. His mom is suppose to look today, otherwise I will use white Velcro on the strap.

First Finish of the New Year

I finished the second installment for my group in America's Best Round Robin. I will be mailing it today. The project was Beaded Elegance Ornaments by Kathryn White for Dimensions. I stitched the heart, as you can see to the left. I didn't complete it because outside the box is suppose to be streams of leaves that are made with lazy daisies. I can't do the lazy daisy stitch. They end up looking like pine needles. I did do the French knots which turned out really nice, if I do say so myself.

Now I'm going to work on the border of my Red Thread Round Robin before I have to send it on to the next person.

Two Red Thread Blocks Finished

I finished the March pattern, Fly a Kite, on Jennifer's Round Robin. She is using the specialty threads on Purely Primitive Fabric from Silkweaver. She wasn't happy with me over the Thanksgiving holidays because I left the pattern and fabric at work in my desk. So you ask, why didn't you just go get it? The answer: it is a 1-hour drive (one way) to my work. So she'll have to wait until tomorrow to get her stuff (since I just finished hers).



Mine on the other hand was with Mari. So, I got to work on it over the holidays. Well really I only worked on it yesterday (Sunday) and today. At first, I didn't like the two pink colors that make up the main kite in Fly a Kite. Therefore, I changed it to a color that was contrasting enough not to clash. Besides, I lived in Louisiana long enough that the first thought to go with purple is yellow (gold). It didn't take long to change the color.



Next, I worked on the April pattern, Smell the Flowers. I would have been finished with it last night but I couldn't find the green to do the last leaf. Well genius me knocked it of the end table into the trash can. I found it tonight after having my Mom and sister Jennifer turn their living rooms upside down looking for the thread. I think it turned out cute. My French/colonial knots aren't so bad either.

Well, now I need to work on another Seasons Square, the round robin that is due out on the 3rd of December (which won't be finished) and an ornament that needs to be completed for Saturday. My former EGA group, Stitching Magnolias, is having its Christmas party on Saturday in Lafayette and I'm planning on going. I need the ornament for the ornament exchange. I'll post it when I finish it.

Thanks for stopping by.

Diane's Round Robin

I joined the America's Best Round Robin Yahoo Group. I started my pattern for the round robin then passed it on. I received Diane's round robin which is the coffee towels. I choose the Irish coffee. I liked the colors. Here it is and it turned out wonderfully. It is stitched with DMC floss on a Charles Craft towel. I hope that Diane likes it.

On the other hand, I'm working on my Snapperville but had to pull out some so I'm taking a break and playing Nintendo, Zelda - the Phantom Hourglass. I love it.

Busy Bees Never Stop

I have been working on a few projects since last I posted. I would have posted sooner but my battery died in the camera. Well guess what, I couldn't find the battery charger until last night. So I've charged the battery and have downloaded the pictures.

First is the ornament I did for the Halloween Ornament exchange. I made it into a pillow ornament. I think it turned out cute.

The penguin stocking is almost finished. I have to back stitch the last 3 penguins in the bottom row, then stitch the last two penguins that are in the toe of the stocking.

I have also been working on the Bent Creek Red Thread round robin. I finished the February block on Lisha's. I think it turned out beautifully.

This weekend (October 20), the girls and I got together to make the haunted house that was a freebie project at Michaels. We had a great time trying to glue pots together to make them look like a house. Then, painting tissue paper on the pots to give it a textured look. If you look really close at mine you can see the chalk outline of a body at the doorstep with a tombstone. In the middle of building our houses we had to make a run to Bops (a frozen treats place here in Hattiesburg).

Oh yea, on Friday the 19th, Jennifer talked me into going to Theresa's shop. Of course, I had to buy something (it's awful having an addiction). I bought the Bent Creek Snapperville series. Actually I had the pumpkin farm and Jennifer had the homestead, so I only had to buy 4 more patterns. Theresa gave me the border pattern for free. I've started on this and am almost through with the homestead. See the picture below.

I also started on the Group 7 Round Robin from my yahoo group. The lady I'm stitching for choose kitchen towels with coffee mugs to be stitched. I, of course, choose to do the irish coffee (there is something to being the first to choose). It is coming along very well. I should be finished in a couple of days.

I really want to get my WIPs under control (21 and counting). I would like to have about 4 or 5 only. But, I am participating in at least 4 Group Correspondence courses with EGA, which means I will have a lot on my plate.

Well got to go. Thanks for stopping by.

Sharon

Red Thread Round Robin

I finished the Snowman Snapper Block of the Red Thread Series being published by Bent Creek. It really is a quick stitch. I choose to use DMC thread for all the patterns and overdyed thread for the "red thread". I can't wait to hand it off to the next person and work on someone else's fabric next.

Just Checking In

I have my blog as my home page and everyday I feel bad because I haven't posted in a while. So today I am posting what has been going on since last I wrote. Well, I taught one class this summer at night. (Now that is a bad choice 4-hours of College Algebra one night a week; no wonder I only finished with 3 students). I have been helping my mother keep my nephews 12, 8, 3-3/4, and 2 this summer. For the month of July the two oldest stayed at Grandma's but spent several nights a week with me (I live a stones throw from my mom & dad's). I really wasn't in the mood to stitch, because I've been playing video games with the nephews.

I stitched a simple teapot piece to send to my August Exchange person Debbie for Crazyforcsexchange. I also, sent her two patterns, a teapot kit, two skeins of DMC specialty thread with a book of patterns to use that thread.

Then I received a wonderful package from Debbie. It contained two ornaments, a pair of scissors, a towel, and 4 skeins of DMC Jewel Effects Metallics, and a sheep tape measure. My 3-3/4 year old nephew loves it.


Early this week, my sister, Jennifer, and her boys (Patrick-12 and Nicholas-8) went to Branson, MO for a short vacation. Jen & I are off between semester but the boys missed school on Tuesday & Wednesday. While on the trip I finished my part of my Round Robin.

My stitching group (Jen, Bridget (sisters), Mari (SIL), & Lisha) are planning to do a round robin with the Red Thread Snappers by Bent Creek. I can't wait to start this round robin (check out the patterns at bentcreek.com).

I have so much to do and hopefully will be working full-time this semester. I can't wait.