Take a Stitch Tuesday 2013 - Stitch 62, and a mitten

Tuesday's stitch was the Raised Cross Stitch Flower (AKA Whipped Cross Stitch) and here is my sampler, using three different threads (from left to right, DMC six-stranded floss, DMC #5 Perle, and a boucle baby-weight knitting yarn):

The "Flip" mitten, the last in the "Mittens & Mini-Socks" class series, stitched using DMC Perle #5 variegated(4250) and DMC variegated cotton floss ($220) for the bargello, DMC Perle #5 (211) for the dividing line and Stranded By the Sea 134 (Sea Sponge) for the cuff (a completely different look from the sock):

2013 - Reconnect to My Stitchery, Week Eleven and IHSW for March...

A productive week --- lots of smalls finished and progress made on some long-term WIPs.

The completions already posted to this blog, were my March Crazy Quilt Journal Project Block, a mug rug for quilt guild, the Mt. Fuji sock for the "Mittens & Mini-Socks" online class, and the TAST stitch #58. An additional completion on March 17 was the matching mitten for Mt. Fuji:

Progress made, an posted earlier, was the finish-finish of my Color Palette/Craay Quilt Journal, Bead Journal challenge project for 2102... four rows of three blocks each were sashed and stitched together. Only three more strips of sashing and it will be a top ready for quilting!

I also stitched more on my "Encrusted Crazy Quilting" class block:

I added a little more stitching, some buttons and beads and think it might be done... It feels done... but I'll wait and see what the instructor says before I declare it a completion.

Thanks to the incentive (I was going to say pressure, but that's not totally true) by a quilt guild challenge, National Quilt Day, and International Hermit and Stitch Weekend, I did get a lot done this week. But I'm still behind: there's "Sumptious Surface Embroidery" where I haven't started stitching yet, the March Bead Journal Project butterfly which I have finally kitted up, and a new blackwork piece which needs kitting up and starting in my project bag. And while that doesn't sound like much when I write it down, it feels like a lot when I look at that overflowing bag!

Take a Stitch Tuesday and a mini-sock; National Quilt Day and International Hermit and Stitch Weekend

Getting ready for National (and International Quilt Day), I was trying to clear the decks of several pieces in progress as well as pack for a guild work day. I managed two completions on Friday, the 15tth!

The first was a very small sample of the TAST Stitch #58, woven detached Chain:

Not at all difficult and, given time, I would have played around a bit more with it.

Second was the eleventh mini-sock from Janet Perry's Mittens and Mini-socks class. It's called Mt. Fuji:

I used DMC 827 for the sky, DMC B5200 (satin) for the snow on the mountain top, a dark brown for the mountain itself (I can't find the color band - it's probably in the washing machine with my bedsheets as I type!) and two shades of white (blanc and B5200) an d one light grey (415) for the clouds.

I spent the rest of the day packing a to-go bag for National Quilt Day work day, and hunting for my mini-iron (which never showed up... but I did find a nifty little mini-wood iron which worked like a charm! Didn't even know I HAD that gadget!)

On Saturday, March 16, I was at the community center at 8:30, and helped set up the classroom for the guild's work day starting at 9AM. Got all my gear set up (that Bernette I had in Saudi Arabia which hadn't been used since 2001, worked like a charm but while I set it up and turned it on, I never used it!). I worked from 9 through almost 3 on finish-finishing my Color Palette/Crazy Quilt Journal/Bead Journal project blocks from 2012. Because I had beaded too close to the seam allowance, I had to hand-stitch the sashing strips so it was slow going but I managed to get four rows of three blocks each done by the end of work day:

I think the black sets the blocks off nicely and also disguises the fact that there was no rhyme or reason behind the arrangement (other than chronological) which meant the blocks simply did not "go" together... Only three more sashing strips required but they will also have to be hand-stitched (I've learned my lesson on beading crazy quilt blocks: plan ahead and leave PLENTY of room for the seam allowance!).

After returning home, I worked a little on the matching mitten for Mt. Fuji... and crashed. Who knew that hand stitching was that tiring?

I didn't unpack until this morning --- and guess what I found when putting away my notions and tools? That "missing" mini-iron *and* a roll of "Steam-a-seam" that I was so desperately searching for when I did my mug rug binding last weekend! I think I need to clean out and reorganize my quilting cupboards!

Since this is International Hermit and Stitch Weekend for March, 2013, I will attempt to get in a lot more stitching today and hope to have some more progress to report tomorrow in my weekly wrap-up.

2013 - Reconnect to My Stitchery, Week Ten

It's been a busy, if disorganized, week for me but I did complete a few pieces and made some progress on some WIPS...

The completions were: "Red Thai Mandala", "Vintage Kitchen" from "Color Through the Ages", and stitches 56 and 57  (Sailor Stitch and Sailor Edging) from Take a Stitch Tuesday:

Progress was made on my Crazy Quilt Journal block for March --- only beading to go, I think:

I completed Lesson Three in the "Encrusted Crazy Quilting Class" (I am now officially behind a week in that class):

And I stitched on the latest "Mittens & Mini-Socks" lesson (Mt. Fuji):

Other in-progress pieces without photos are lesson one for "Sumptious Surface Embroidery" (I have a possible post-card-sized design sketched out), a mug rug for quilt guild (needs binding but I actually did some needle turn applique  - first time since Saudi Arabia  - *and* machine quilting - first time EVER!) and trimmed the blocks for finish-finishing of my 2102 Color Palette/CQJP/BFP challenge wall hanging!

Somehow, with all of this, it doesn't feel like I got a lot accomplished --- it was too scattered, no focus. And this week is going to be a busy one so I fear I won't get much done on the stitching front. We shall see...

The mini-sock called "Quince"

This is the latest in Janet Perry's Mittens & Mini-Socks class: "Quince"!

The threads used were DMC cotton floss: 335, 677, 420, 677 and variegated 4050.

Mitten to follow...

Some January Completions - a Wrap-up

First completion this month was the sock from Janet Perry's "Mittens & Mini-Socks". It's called "Jewel" and is posted here

Second was the companion mitten for "Jewel", completed January 21, 2013:

Also completed on January 21 was the January piece for Bead Journal Proejct 2013 - a beaded butterfly on snowflake fabric which I call "Snow & Ice":

Completed on January 23 was the January block for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2013 - a monochromatic yellow piece:

And also completed on January 23 was the Take a Stitch Tuesday #49, "Knotted Feather Stitch" which I did in variegated #5 perle on white DMC linen:

It's been a busy week and I have at least one more small piece I want to complete before January winds down. But I thought I should play catch-up with posting today!

2013 - Reconnect to My Stitchery, Week Three (and IH&S Weekend)

This International Hermit & stitch Weekend coincided with the Cross Stitch Crazy week-long Stitchathon ... AND weekend house guests. Still, I managed to squeeze in 2295 stitches over the week, 752 of which were on the weekend and resulted in the completion of the latests Janet Perry "Mini-Sock", Jewel, on Friday:

The "jewel" is Kreinik silver braid ((#16 braid, color 001) while the purple background is DMC 208. 209 and 2011. The instructions called for four coordinating colors for the background but I didn't have another purple that quite matched the three (purple is a hard color to match, IMO).

There is still the mitten to do --- I only have a few of the silver stitches in at present.

 In addition, I put more beads into my January Bead Journal Project butterfly ('m calling it "Snow & Ice" because of the ridiculously cold weather we are having right now, even if it hasn't snowed much to speak of year  this January...); 

All that remains to be done is the antenna (a few stem stitches in silver and a couple of larger beads...) and it will be finished as well!

At the beginning of the week, I also stitched on "Red Thai Mandala" and got a bit more of the border stitched:

I have neglected my Crazy Quilt Journal Project piece which I really have to get moving on as the month is almost over! Also, I need to start my BJP "finish-finish" this week and Take a Stitch Tuesday will be starting up again tomorrow as well. 

Hmmm, doesn't sound like I lightened my stitching commitments at all, does it?

Mittens & Mini-Socks --- Sea and Sky!

A study in how thread choice and thread color can change the look of a simple wave bargello pattern...

and 

I used DMC 4230 for the "sky" and DMC 909, 930 and 3756 for the "sea"...

Some Bargello Completions

Two finishes for the Janet Perry Mittens & Mini-Socks bargello class... Autumn Trees, completed October 10, 2012, using all variegated threads (except for the tree trunk): Threads used - DMC 3031 for trunks; DMC 4126 for cuff;  for tree leaves, DMC 51, 61, and 4075 4130; WDW Kudzu (2200), Cornbread (2222), Marigold (2225), Carrot (2226),  and Fiesta (4131); San Man Threads Autumn Leaves (049) and Hot Stuff (058); and GAST Bittersweet, Forest Glade, Fudge Ripple, and Pumpkin Patch (4402). Variegated threads are hard to predict when in teh skein which colors will end up where so there are a few trees that sort of merge together... And the mitten for the same assignment, completed October 11, 2012: Threads used - DMC 3031 for trunks; DMC 4126 for cuff; and for tree leaves: DMC 51, 61, and 4075 4130; WDW   Kudzu (2200), Marigold (2225), and   Autumn Leaves (2234); San Man Threads Autumn Leaves (049); and GAST Bittersweet, Forest Glade, and Fudge Ripple. Because of the shape and overall size of the mitten, it used fewer colors. This pattern reminds me strongly of the one I did last back in November, 2011, in the 2011 Bargello Club:  White for the "stems make it looks like a lot of pastel lollipops! And the lollipops are oval instead of round... and in rayon threads instead of cottons!

I stitched a lot yesterday...

And have a few completions to show for it!

First, the Take a Stitch Tuesday for week 37, which was the "pistil" or long tack knot stitch. I'm sure there are uses for it besides being the pistils of flowers but I wasn't thinking very imaginatively yesterday so here are my pistil stitch in a stem-stitched flower with couched stem and leaves:

Having spent the morning kitting up the Janet Perry Stash Buster and Mittens & Mini-Socks for September, I decided to work on one of them as well... I chose Mittens & Mini-socks - "San Francisco Fog" and got both sock and mitten done:

I used DMC921 for the bridge (as close as I could come, in my stash, to the memory of the rustoleum color they actually paint the bridge); DMC 3072 alternated with four strands of 3072 blended with 2 strands of GAST "Pebble" for the fog (the blend wasn't very successful as the GAST was way too close in color to the DMC, I think), and GAST Barn Grey for the cuff. 

Finally, I stitched together the basic block for the color palette/crazy quilt journal/bead journal project challenge:

Now to do seam treatments and beading...

Two completions yesterday

In the Janet Perry Mittens & Mini-Socks bargello "club", I finished the "Japanese Maple" set for August. 

On 18 ct canvas, I used DMC Variegate 106 for the "Japanese Maple" strip and DMC987 for the background. DMC 500 is the cuff.

As is my wont, I misread the directions and, thinking the background Ms. Perry stitched on her model was in a variegated, I searched my stash in vain for a green variegated or overdyed in a particular shade of gray green and failed miserably. It wasn't until I was stitching the cuff that I realized she used two shades of green in the background. Oops!

So maybe mine isn't a Japanese maple but the sugar maple in our backyard that invariably has one branch go bright orange red in the fall weeks before the rest of the tree changes color...