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Thursday, December 5, 2013

Unplugged

I'll be unplugging for a little bit.
I need it.

Perhaps I'll have something new
to "show and tell" when I return. Who knows, maybe I even get to
post updates on a few of my current
WIP projects!

Until next time!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Cookies


This cute puppy was so much fun
and quick to stitch!
It is from my collection of Aunt Martha's embroidery transfers-no.4015.

(Tidy, roomier basket for my embroidery transfers, patterns and samplers.)
I want to have a "theme" on some of
my kitchen floursack towels so
I decided to add another puppy
to the towel where I embroidered my previous Beans Puppy.
The official theme for this towel
will be Pups ;-).

I've been under the weather (two colds back to back, this 2nd one being the worst) plus I was experiencing insomnia so to cheer myself up a bit I wanted to start stitching that same night. I chose and ironed my Cookies Pup onto the towel, was all set and ready to begin... it didn't happened.

My baby was having trouble with
staying asleep that particular
night so, of course, loving motherly duties took first place and my
Cookies Pup had to wait but
not for long.

The next morning after breakfast the stitching commenced! There were
a few pauses and interruptions but by lunch time I was half-way done :-).

After lunch and after putting baby down for a nap, the stitching continued.

However I paused the embroidery
marathon to care for more important
things. By bedtime, knowing that there were just a few stitches left, I couldn't go to sleep until I was done.
It's been a while since I was able to start and finish a project on the same day. It felt great! Now to decide which puppy will be the next.
PS: I must admit that there is a different kind of project about to get my full attention in the near future.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Just A Couple

As promised, here are my daughter's
wip's. She only have two!

The 1st one is from the same Aunt Martha's transfer that I used
a couple of months ago,
here and here.
She is stitching on a floursack towel (aka: dish / kitchen / tea towel) from the same company. She is stitching this one as a thank you gift for family friends that we went
to visit few weeks ago.

Her second work-in-progress
embroidery project is the
Barney Park printed stitch sampler
from Charlotte Lyons.
We are kind of stitching along
on this one :-).

Here is a picture of her
finished Fridge Magnet alphabet after washing off the Sticky Fabri Solvy
and ironing it a bit.
This one is a Sublime Stitching pattern. We were kind of stitching
along on this one too but she
beat me on it, lol.
She wants to make her baby sister
a doll quilt with it!

Next time it will be my turn to
do a bit of show and tell ;-)!

Friday, November 22, 2013

Dd's Embroidered Alphabet and Stash

I've been a bit under the weather so today it's all about showing and telling
about my daughter.

My little one completed her alphabet back in September! I'm so proud of her! Now I'm the one that needs to find the time to finish mine.
She wants to complete her other wip's: a towel and the Barney Park sampler. Then she says she'll like to go through her stash and stitch from
patterns / transfers she already have before adding new ones.
(Obviously she didn't get that from me,... perhaps I should get a hint from her and do the same... perhaps.)

Ok, so back to my little one's stash, She inherited ;-) the basket
I was previously using for my
stash of embroidery transfer patterns.
Mine are now in a larger basket :-).
She wanted me to take pictures of her stash before putting it in her
basket. She also have some other printed samplers that are not on the picture.

Here they are all tidy!
**Note to self: Must respect what she wishes to do and resist the temptation
to fill her basket out. sigh**

She now keeps them in her room instead of the playroom. Now she'll be able to work on her projects whenever she pleases, previously that wasn't possible do to the safety concern of her curious baby sister getting too close to her supplies
(needles and scissors). Now she doesn't need to wait for the baby to be napping in order to embroider.
On my next post I'll show you my
daughter's current projects and will upload another picture of her finished
alphabet without the Sticky Fabri-Solvy. Until next time!

Monday, November 18, 2013

Aunt Martha's Transfers and My Dear Mom

If you like stitching / hand embroidery and you like Aunt Martha's 
Hot Iron Transfers then ...

Hancock Fabrics had a 30% sale on the transfer patterns ( including some of the transfer pattern books ) and a 25% to 30% on hand embroidery supplies. Then with an 10% extra savings coupon
I was all set and went home happy with some cute patterns at a great deal! 

Some Walmart stores still carry these transfers for .97 cents.
At www.colonialpatterns.com you get discounts on orders of 10 or more.
I believe is 10 or more patterns at 1.35 and 20 or more at 1.15.
Also www.123Stitch.com have them at regular price and their shipping
costs are reasonable.
Lastly, sometimes you find good deals on ebay or etsy.
I wonder... where do you like shopping for your patterns?
I don't get the happiness of finding them in thrift shops, antique stores or have relatives
that will pass them down to me so I like to find where to get them
at reasonable cost.

My Dear Mom

The other day I was rearranging my collection of embroidery transfer patterns into
a bigger home / basket and guess who inherit the smaller one ;-)...

...yes, my 2nd grader! She is already starting her own collection.
In fact she wanted me to take pictures of it and share them with you, which I
gladly did and will share with you next time ;-).

You can tell I'm on an Aunt Martha's Hot Iron Transfers kick ... lol.
They have always remind me of my mom, lately even more so.
 She did hand embroidery for awhile... I must have
been 4 years old. If I'm not mistaken, mom's hand embroidery
years lasted probably until I was 10 y. old, more or less.
 I have fond memories of her stitching and me sitting by her
trying to learn. I grew up and didn't pursue it until shortly before 
becoming a mom.
 My mom use to buy only Aunt Martha's because I only
remember the yellow envelopes. 
She also used to draw her own small simple patterns.
I have some plans brewing for a large but 
simple quilt with no specific deadline.
Maybe I'll share more on my next post.

**Not affiliated with any of the above mentioned stores/companies/shops/websites.
Just thought that some of you fellow stitchers may like to know! ;-)

Friday, November 8, 2013

Dusting Un-Finished Projects

This project was started on October 2010.
It was the project of a two part class I took at a quilt shop that is no longer open for business.
I remember all the excitement and fun while selecting
the fabrics and the threads.
 On my old blog I did a post about this project and requested opinions
on which of these threads to use.
Then the stitching started, that is always my favorite part!
However like most of the times, I did get distracted here and there in this case
it was with the book pictured below.
My stitcheries were finally done and I needed to cut the excess fabric off. Six stitcheries
that will function as apron pockets.
Lovely autumnal light on that afternoon!
I was almost done with one of the two basket's aprons. 
This is my favorite stitchery! Want a closer look?
Ok, here you go ;-).
Then I decided not to machine stitch the pockets but to sew them by hand.
So I got a few more supplies for the task.
I started to blanket stitch the first pocket...
and that was as far as I got.
Just recently took it out of the ziplock bag I'm keeping this project in and was actually
able to finish sewing in place that 1st pocket.
I even started sewing the 2nd but then I had to stop and give attention
to the more important things in my life.
The picture below was one I took on my way to the class on that October of 2010. 
It was a lovely drive. Specially the scenery while driving over the lake.
It will be nice if I get a chance to finish it before next year.
Then I'll be able to say that it took me 3 years to finish instead of 4... (shame on me)!
Untile next time!

Monday, October 21, 2013

Beans Puppy


A very enjoyable easy project!
(Aunt Martha's Fruit 'N
Veggie Pup #3994)

Stitching is such a great therapy!

Even late at night, thanks to my handy little light.

Such a great way to cheer yourself up
a bit when not feeling well.
Now what to stitch next?!?!

Saturday, October 12, 2013

What's Next?


Despite the few embroidery projects
I already have going and on which
I should try to keep making
progress, there are other
lovely projects that are calling
on me :-).

Like this Nature Walk Banner!
I think it lends itself to some
fun mommy & kids nature walks
through out autumn,
collecting nature little treasures
as we walk. Then when winter
arrives with its very cold
temperatures and our time
is mostly spend inside,
we could take out our collected treasures and gradually
make the banner.
I sure think the kids will
enjoy that, especially my oldest!
I will too if there are no
dead bugs involved.

So,... what will be next?
Hmmm, perhaps lots of tea drinking, cookie/muffin baking (along with
some treadmill-ing), and making
progress on current embroidery
projects, while we gather
our nature treasures,...
IF I'm able to ignore the
other cute stitchery designs
calling my name.
Isn't this Crewel Family Tree
project gorgeous? ;-)

Note: Projects pictured are
from Aimee Ray's latest book;
"Doodle Stitching Embroidery & Beyond".

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Lesson Learned


We decided to take a mini vacation sooner than originally planned. Weather is getting cooler and is already taking a toll on how I feel.

Couldn't do much physically and thought that I rather take it easy and try to relax. 
Just doing enough so, with my husband's help, my little ones could have fun.
Even leaving all my stitching behind..., silly me!


Two days before going back home I couldn't resist any longer the urge to stitch. 
It really is like therapy for me.
Thankfully nearby was a Walmart with a small, but well stocked, hand embroidery section.


Only spending as little as possible (since I have enough already on my stash back home) 
without compromising supplies quality. I was able to get: an iron on transfer pattern, a pack of 2 floursack towels, a few skeins of embroidery thread, a pack of needles, and a manicure set with 2 sizes of nail clippers to snip the floss.


While at the store my oldest daughter said she wanted to embroider with me. 
Once back at the hotel she immersed herself into some serious coloring while I was ironing her chosen design and mine onto the towels.


My heart didn't let me interrupt her, so I let her enjoy her coloring. After all, who could resist cute coloring books? Plus my youngest was also having a blast "coloring" too. 
So mommy let them have fun.

I made some progress on my chosen pattern, which by the way is the Beans from Aunt Martha's #3994 Fruit N' Veggie Pup. It was a bit challenging stitching onto such a huge towel without an embroidery hoop. A hoop does help with 
neat and precise stitching.
Well, now I only need to finish the bean pods and the leaves which won't happen soon since vacation is over and there are some pretty busy days ahead.


I will confess that I learned my lesson,... never leave without something to stitch ;-).

It was nice! We really needed that mini getaway.
Now back to the busy daily routine.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Oak Leaves and Acorns


Was able to finish with this
mini embroidery project!

Truly enjoyed every bit of it. Choosing the design, tracing, selecting colors,...

...embroidering it, and documenting with pictures.

What a delight to work on this oak leaves and acorns stitchery...
loved stitching with
Presencia perlé cotton size 12!
(Excellent customer service at Presencia America.)

(Notes: pattern from a Japanese embroidery book.)