Bringing Evertyhing Up to Date

As I was searching for proof of last year's Xmas stockings for the grandkids, I could not find the photos I took of Elliott and Grady's stocking. Elliott and Grady are Nikki's children and Nikki is Ellen's child. Ellen is my 1st cousin, 1 of 5, and daughter of my mother's brother, Uncle Bob. Suffice it to say, I used Grady and Elliott as an excuse to make the Brittercup Xmas stockings. Well, that and I wanted them to have Xmas stockings too since I was on a roll. I just found the photos.

I do love the simplicity and color of Brittercup's designs and I wish they would make more and different patterns. I have been stitching, but not posting. I know. Bad Jackie. I did post the photos of finished work elsewhere, just not here. It seemed a bit too much fuss for the results, which is posting in yet another blog. I won't tell you how many of those I have. I also link to a bunch of different search engines and websites so I get the news out (in case anyone care or is paying attention) to as many of the sites where people might actually visit. At least there is an app for that and I use it all the time. Saves me having to juggle HTML and all the other blog features to get it right. I will show a few of the latest projects in the current state. Celtic Summer by Lavender & Lace took me the most time because of the hundreds of beads that had to be applied. Still, it did turn out to be lovely.

I am quite naturally proud of the work - and that I finished the whole thing. A close up is in order.

And now for a closeup of the bottom. I don't know which part (top or bottom) has the most beads. They are everywhere.

Of course, now I will have to do the other four pieces in the set: Autumn, Spring, Winter, and Christmas. I have all the patterns now and most of the beads and fabric, but I still need to get some thread to go with the Rainbow petite braid I bought a few months ago. This one is my favorite current projects, The Japanese Maiden. It is proving to be much bigger than I first thought when I saw it online and in the picture on the package, but still lovely.

I need to get out the camera and show how much more I've finished. I have the bottom quarter done and am working on the top left quarter as of yesterday. I took some time off from Celtic Summer to work on a quick project for a very good friend, a birthday present. Getting the stitching done was a breeze, although I need to work on the heart. It's a new technique for me and I think the right side is a little off. What made the gift late for her birthday was getting the frame; that took much longer. It did turn out lovely, but I didn't get a picture. I have to do better with that in the future -- taking pictures, I mean.

I did a couple more projects from the Adventure Box I bought from The Stitchery. You don't get a choice of what goes into the package and the theme is strictly up to the company. I got a lot of cats. These kittens were just adorable and not too difficult to get right -- once I bought some erasable highlighters and used them on the chart. The highlighter made everything so much easier.

In keeping with the cat theme, the cougar was a bit more challenging. I got off (before I bought the highlighter) and was afraid I'd have to rip out a huge section, so I moved on to another part of the pattern and worked from there. I found out I wasn't so far off and only had to remove and redo a few stitches. I think it turned out quite lovely, although I didn't take a picture of the completed project. This photo is when it was nearly done. Since I still have it, I'll photograph it and add it later, maybe even after I have it framed and ready to send to its new owner. I do think cross stitch makes lovely gifts and you couldn't buy them already made because of the hours of time that go into a good sized project. The cost would be prohibitive. No matter how beautiful the stocking, I doubt many people could afford - or would - pay $250 per stocking, and that is still getting off on the cheap side.

I decided last year that my now 14-year-old grandson Jordan was too mature for a stocking. I was wrong. He wants a Xmas stocking too, and so I am finishing his stocking. I'm much farther along (again, no photos yet) than this picture shows. It's a beautiful piece, but there is a lot of work involved and it is much more complex than the average once a month stitcher -- or even an every day or week stitcher -- usually works on. The highlighters came in handy on this one as well. There are half stitches, blended stitches, fold filament that is pretty stiff, and beads to attach when all the stitching is done. It will be beautiful but it did give me some difficult moments, which is why I've worked on other projects in between. I've found that is the best way to keep from throwing everything in the bin and turning the air blue with cursing.

Here is a picture of the whole stocking. No, I do not use stretcher bars or embroidery hoops. I've found I can keep things in shape by simply rolling the fabric up -- or with Aida, folding the fabric -- from the side and getting my hands in there. No, that has nothing to do with the complexity of the pattern. My finished pieces aren't stretched out or misshapen, but I doubt it's something that every stitcher should consider. It works for me.

Well, that brings almost everything up to date, except for one last little piece, another quickie, that I still need to outline. I think I'll put this one in the lid of a Sudberry House keepsake box. It would look lovely that way. I only wish there was one with shells around the box to go with the sea theme.

Well, that brings me up to date -- mostly. I hope you have enjoyed the show. That is all. Disperse.

And happy stitching.