It's Coming Back

As I sat pondering the other cross stitch projects in my fabric bucket (the kind that makes neat all the junk one has collected) I decided to go back to something I started last year before I moved up here from Colorado Springs. It wasn't hard to find. I dug through the bin and pulled out the bag that holds my winter white tree skirt. I had intended to use it last year, but the move and pawing through bins and boxes wasn't high on my list, and there were so many other projects to start -- and finish.

There is a rhythm to cross stitching and I had been out of the rhythm for almost a year. It took some doing -- and some untangling of floss -- and now I'm getting back into the rhythm. I will finish my tree skirt this year.

As it looked last year.  I had done more work on it since this was taken last March. It is a very big project, bigger than the swan.

At any rate, I should have been done by now since there is about a half section to stitch yet. Aside from a leaf on the lower edge, not much has changed. I just got started.

It looks a bit fuzzy to me, but then everything looks fuzzy to me these days. As you can see there have been changes. Quite a few changes. But it is moving along. The leaf I stitched last night, or at least began to stitch, is below the needle. Hopefully, I will finish this in the next month, maybe within the next couple of weeks, and then the real chore begins - cutting, binding, stuffing, sewing, and getting it ready to put under the tree this year. I am determined that this will happen THIS YEAR. Cross your fingers. I can't stitch with my fingers crossed.


That is all. Disperse.

Tireless Tree Skirt

I've been recuperating from my nasty fall and have only recently been able to work on the tree skirt. I have managed some progress.

It continues to amaze me just how big this thing actually is. Working on each section hasn't given me any real idea of its size, but I'm sure how big it is now since I unrolled it and tried to take a picture. I think next time I'll hang it on the wall to get the fullest view. For now, here is where I am. 

This is the lower part of the tree skirt with the addition.

Here is what I've managed so far. From about the last quarter of the bow in the center to the right is all new. I'm almost done with the latest section.

This is more than a yard of fabric (45 x 45) and the finished piece will be 40" x 40", so it is a considerably large tree skirt that will require at least a 6-foot tree. Better start saving now so I can afford it, although finding a place to put it will be yet another challenge. Maybe I can get rid of the furniture and place it in the center of the living room. Too early to say.

Happy stitching.

February Update

This has been a bad couple of weeks for me, so I'm making myself feel better by sharing what I'd accomplished before all the disaster hit my house -- and me.

I finished the last section on the left side of the tree skirt and began work on the right half. I didn't get very far, but it's a beginning. I also finished one smaller piece from Sweetheart Tree and go down to the crunch without the beads on another Sweetheart Tree piece. I'd say Sweetheart Tree is my favorite designer of smaller pieces -- so far.

Now for the tree skirt unveiling. Click on the pictures to make them bigger and see the slide show.

This is everything up to now, without the back stitching and beads. It is beginning to look like something at last. Stitched on 14-count white Aida with provided thread, silver braid, iridescent blue blending filament, and blue, white, and lavender beads.

Close-up of last part of left half of design. The tips of the ribbon got cut off when I cut the section, but they are there. I guarantee that . . . and they're also visible in the above photo.

The little bit I managed before the disaster. Like I said before, it's a beginning and that is where everything starts.

I have a thing for dragonflies so I decided on Dragonfly Dreams by Sweetheart Tree. I have trouble with the Algerian stitch that goes on the inside border. I couldn't seem to get it even or make it look quite right, so I'd been practicing just a line of Algerians on a scrap of cloth, working on them until they look good enough to put into the actual piece. There are beads, beads, beads to add, but I'll get to them eventually.

Stitched on 28 count Platinum Belfast Linen using #SV-CP375 Lavender Cats-Eye Luminescent Bead (included), DMC floss and Mill Hill Antique Seed Beads. Stitch count 56wx56h.

The last one from Sweetheart Tree is Spring Fantasy. I love the delicate colors and the hint of spring that this evokes. It too should have a line of Algerian stitches around the inside border, but (as you can see by the holes that will disappear with washing and ironing) I couldn't get them to look right so I finished the beading and back stitching. I imagine that once I get the stitch down, I will revisit this and add the Algerians. Otherwise, this is as finished as it gets before framing. Can't decide on a card or a box for treasures for this one. That remains to be seen.

Stitched on 28 Ct. Confederate Gray linen with DMC floss, Mill Hill beads, 2.5mm White pearls and a pink cat's eye heart treasure. 47H x 47W

Oh, the disaster. Well, I took a nasty fall that left me with a fractured ankle, 2 broken toes (still black and beginning to look reddish-purple in a couple spots, but mostly black), and a badly sprained wrist. It has taken me quite a while to get this all down since I can only type one-handed with the slow assist of a couple fingers on the right hand. Yes, you read that right. My right hand is in a brace and I'm off work and can't stitch and can't find my Kindle. I know it's around here somewhere, and I will find it, but until I do, there are still lots of books to prop up on a pillow on my lap and read. Good thing I use my left hand for turning pages.

Happy stitching.

Making Progress

I had not intended to update so soon, but here I am. I made some progress on the Winter White tree skirt and took pictures on Saturday after some stitching and again this morning to show how much more I got done. It is coming along very nicely and I'm almost finished with part C. Everything starts with part D and proceeds from there.

This was where I was on Saturday. I decided to go back and do all the silver braid and work it in along with the rest of the stitching. I still don't think doubling the braid works because it is too bulky and not at all attractive -- at least not to me. Working with shorter lengths makes the stitching easier, but it also means wasting more of the braid since it gets pulled and separated while stitching. Good thing there is a lot of braid included.

Close-up of the braided section. I'm considering doing some of the back stitching as well, but haven't quite made up my mind yet. The braid does make a lovely addition.

Today's stitching and a whole new section is nearly finished. I pulled out the A chart to use up the tweeded floss for the pine tree. I don't like wasting it and it just makes more sense to use it now instead of letting it get tangled up in the waste pile.

This is part of the new section with the ornaments and silver braid stitched in. Lots of pine boughs to go, but I'm getting there.

This ornament has a little cap at the top. That's where there are no stitches yet. The pattern calls for a silvery grey, but I've decided to drag out the Japan silver and do the cap with that. It looks like bugle beads in silver and will look more like what it is supposed to be. There are lots of beads to add, but I'll get to those later. I'm glad it is moving along so quickly.

I'll update again to share my progress, trials, and failures. Yes, there will be -- and have been -- failures. In the meantime,

Happy Stitching.

Not Even Halfway Finished

I don't think I realized how big this tree skirt actually will be until I unrolled it last night to check on my current progress. Wow! It is much bigger than I thought and I am not even halfway finished. I do love the way it looks thought and that's even without all the silver braid for the ornaments and ribbon and blending filament for the snowflakes that goes with it.

A friend of mine said the tree skirt is  ambitious. She may be right. As I told her, I hope, as Gram always said, my eyes aren't too big for my stomach.

It is pretty though and I'm determined to get it done this year. Now I wonder if I'll get anything else done since I'm stitching this. Time will tell.

It's good to stretch a bit outside your comfort zone to reach a little bit more skill, experience, and ambition. Other large tasks will be less daunting.

Happy stitching.

Celebrations

Since I am sending a picture of my brand new composite birthday card to a friend for advice, I thought I'd share it here.

I made one cross stitch card for my closest friend for her birthday, but I decided the card I made for my sister needed something more. That's when I stumbled into scrapbooking and card making and all the embellishments and doodads available. Not wanting to take too deep a plunge, I chose three simple elements and just finished adding them. What do you think?

My sister hates pink, but it goes with the roses. Maybe the banner at the top is too much -- or at least too many. I'll do better next time.

As for the other element of celebration, what would Xmas be without a tree -- or a tree skirt. I've put in some more time stitching and have made some progress.

Not too shabby, especially since I've added more since this picture was taken a couple of days ago. The stitching moves forward. It's a beginning.

What projects are keeping you busy these days? Share them.

And Happy Stitching.

Returning to the Past

I was so busy working on other projects, I only managed a couple of days on the Needle Treasures Winter White Tree Skirt, which I've had for a couple of years. Last night I took it out of the package and worked on it as I have off and on for a week in January. I'm pleased with the results since I am done with one full section, minus the silver braid which I won't add until all the other stitching is done. Makes the fabric too stiff to work with. I had the same problem with the Winter White Xmas stockings I did for my granddaughters. Live and learn.

This is the finished tree skirt. Looks lovely. A quilted deep blue background with gold stars would be appropriate, if I can find one. Alternatively, I'll buy the right fabric and quilt it myself when I finish the skirt.

The work in the middle section is one sheet of the pattern. There are a couple of stitches missing, but I'll fill in those as I work on section C of the pattern. It's even pretty with just this much done, and the magnolias have not even been back stitched.

Not too shabby for so little time. I might even finish it this year. Pick up a project you've put aside for a while and work on that this year. I've no more stockings to make for grandchildren, so I have lots of time to work on this. There is still the Japanese Maiden to finish, but I need a break from all the back stitching, of which there is still a ton to do.

I also made two birthday cards, or rather stitched the inserts for 2 birthday cards. When the rest of the elements get here, I'll put the last flourishes on the last card and send it off in time for the birthday celebration. One thing I didn't realize is how far I've tripped over into card making, which is an offshoot of scrapbooking. My goodness, but what a lot of equipment and dies and templates and flourishes and embellishments and, well, cost, involved. It took me over 20 years to amass my cross stitch stash. Scrapbooking would be too much for my meager budget. As Little Orphan Annie would say, "Gloriosky!"

In the meantime, happy stitching.