More on my UFOs

Ok, here I am again :-) I have been looking around to see how many projects I have waiting to be completed..... For me, it is not too bad, although I have a massive list of new projects which are calling me in a very alluring way! LOL

My list of WIPs is as follows (in no particular order):

My Son by Indigo Rose
In the Forest by La D Da
Nantucket Sampler by Drawn Thread
A Heart Sampler by Shepherds Bush - can't remember the name, but I know which one I mean, LOL
Toy Gatherer by Shepherds Bush
Game Board Sampler by Drawn Thread - not a single stitch in this for a year or so :-(
Beekeepers Cottage by Shepherds Bush

Hmm, looking at this list, I think this needs a rotation - any suggestions anybody? ;-)

I also received a lovely parcel of stash from Drema at Needlcarft Corner this week, which includes one large piece of fabric (30ct Irish Cream) and the threads to stitch the new Loose Threads mystery sampler. I just love it!

Carol and I also have plans to stitch the BBD Sarah Tobias needlecase just as soon as we finish DT Nantucket..... oh dear, temptation is so strong - there are just not enough stitching hours in one lifetime are there?

I am off to try and get a little stitching done on MY Son now...... wish me luck!

Thanks for visiting.........

Jackie xx

My long term UFOs

Recently, much to my delight, I seem to have been making some inroads into my many and varied long-term WIP/UFOs......... With very few exceptions these WIPS do not become UFOs because I no longer love them, rather that I get distracted by a new project. I would rather like to become more disciplined so that this doesn't happen so often..... wish me luck! :-)

So, to start we have 'In the Forest' by La D Da. When I pulled this piece out of the drawer a couple of days ago I realised that I had not put one stitch in this in around a year!! Such a shame because I love it; I love the design and the thread (NPI silk), although I must admit that, because we had to swap the linen out, I am not as keen on my version (colourwise) as the original. Still, what can you do? I don't *hate* the colours but they don't pop quite as well on the fabric I am using but I do really like the colour of linen - a sort of dark grey green . It's just that I might have subbed a few of the NPI if I had any way of seeing them in real life......... Anyway, I hope that you agree that she is one *gorgeous* little rabbit and I hope to have her handsome friend stitched up before too long too!

The first photo is how she looked the day before yesterday and the second photo was taken this morning.

Then we come to SB Toy Gatherer. Goodness, I just love this piece and just need to get the backstitch (ugh) on the vine done and then I could just skip along with it. My favourite part of this piece is the moon and the rooftops, they just look so magical.......

Last photo, but by no means least, is of My Son by Indigo Rose. This is another piece that has not been picked up in well over a year. Part of the problem with this is that I have skipped around all over the place with it - the top backstitch is not finished and this continues all the way down the sampler. When I looked at it this morning I was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of work left to do...... However, I really do love it and want to finish it. I am going to take my inspiration from Terri at http://zoomcity.wordpress.com/ who has recently finished IR Desiderata by stitching on it every Monday for around a year. She gave me the most fabulous pep talk recently which made me think that I really could finish some of these big projects and that I could even start and finish Desiderata myself one day. Her work is superb, go and have a look at her Desiderata. She has posted lovely close up photos of each band as she completed them. Tell her that I sent you!! LOL

So, if anybody else out there is stitching My Son or you just feel that you could offer me some encouragement to get going (and keep going) on it, I would love to hear from you!!

A few small finishes

AYs necessities - this got buried in my sewing room and is finally finished - hurrah - now I just have to decide how to finish it!

This is a little BBD pincushion, from an old Loose Feathers pattern - isn't it sweet? More finishing to do on this one...... oh dear, I hate finishing!! LOL

This is a Lizzie Kate pattern which I stitched using some of the threads left over from my recent SB etui finish. I got this idea after seeing the version that Su had stitched a while back at Contemplating my Needle and Thread - I hope she doesn't mind! I like these colours, although it was still a little brighter than I thought it would be.

A long-standing UFO is finished!

Hurrah, I have finished Garland Fair this morning! This project has been a WIP for far too long, I'm afraid. I absolutlely love it now that it is done and have mostly enjoyed working on it - I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't miscounted quite so often and if the thread had behaved better - I seemed to spend far too much time unknotting the thread........ grrr! The weather here today is dull and rainy and, consequently, the colours have not come out as well as I would have liked, but it is stitched on the recommended linen (a lovely green) with WDW Maple Syrup (also recommended). I hope you like it!

Jackie x

Why does Claire deserve this cup of tea so much?

Well, read on to find out........ ;-)

She is largely responsible for the Magical transformation from this.......

.........to this.......

......resulting in this.......

2008 was the summer that I had planned to try and get on top of the end border in the garden but, due to me having an operation, it seemed as though it might not happen...... until our oldest daughter, Claire, stepped up to the plate :-)

Claire is a very keen gardener and wanted to transform my garden almost as much as I did and what a magnificent job she has done. With some one-handed help from me, the garden now looks just as I had hoped...what a star!! :-) Thankyou Claire!!

Here, at long last, are the little pieces in their finished state! I am pleased with them -I hope you like them! This week I have been stitching on a small Lizzie Kate piece, called 'Bless Our Home'. I'll take a photograph and post it later.........

Thanks for visiting!

Hugs,

Jackie x