Busy As a Little Bee

I was under the mistaken impression that things would calm down after the holidays were over. WRONG! I feel like I'm spinning head over heels in the dryer.  We're almost two weeks into the new year and it's already flying by.  The good new is I've been a stitchin' fool.

I finished the Starlight Sampler by Little House Needlework for my friend, Nancy, who is moving away in less than two weeks. Boohoo. Our stitching group will just not be the same without her.

The piece is pinned and ready to go in the frame on Monday.  Next Wednesday will be our last stitch group with her, but you can be sure we'll be calling her and keeping track of all her fabulous stitching.

I also subscribed to the Ornament of the Month from Stitching The Night Away.  January's chart is a snowflake.  The fabric and floss are the stitcher's choice. I stitched mine with Treasure Braid PB10 from Rainbow Gallery on 36 count Phantom linen from Picture this Plus.  I had a nice little piece left over from when I stitched Cotillion from Papillon Creations.

Then, in an optimistic effort to finish Margret Gatis by Scarlet Letter, I joined Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year.  If you search my blog you will find that the last time I posted a picture of MG was a year ago. That's pitiful.  The over three stitching is driving me nuts, but I will persevere. I'm too stubborn not to.  So I picked it up last night and suffered through some more satin stitch in some really annoying shapes.

Now you may ask why I'm posting about all this when I just told you that I was going to stitch Virtue Outshines the Stars. Well, I must admit that the only reason I picked up MG is because I'm waiting on fabric for VOtS.  Believe me, I'd be on it like ants at a picnic if that fabric was in my bag!  So who knows what I'll post next! Stay tuned.

But right now I must go work on a custom order scissor fob!  I love doing custom work.

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I'll do better, I promise

Somehow, I just don't seem to get any of my regular tasks done when I have houseguests (family). It's not like I have to entertain them, but I'm out of my routine. So hopefully, you won't abandon me. I promise I'll post pics of Margaret Gatis (which is back in the to-do box) and my latest start, "Band Sampler 1" by Pat Taff. Catchy title, huh? But I love this piece and I have a reason to stitch it right now. I just started last night, but with a late supper and change in routine, I only got one dividing band and one letter done. So the picture would be unimpressive now anyway. (Rationalizing...)

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Big Weekend Plans!

Did my title get you all excited to figure out what I'll be doing this weekend? Well, chill. Those of you who really know me have already figured out that I'm going on a stitching binge. No parties, no big dinner out, no Jumbo Marguerita. Just me, the TV, and Margaret Gatis. Now that I'm done with the satin stitch flower and Holbien band (on 40 count, over 3-don't forget), I'm actually enjoying working on it again. But don't quote me. By Monday I may be pulling my hair out again.

I hope I get a lot done this weekend because my sis and nephew are coming for the week for their summer's last hurrah before school starts. And I'm expecting a big beading order on Monday. So I'll have a lot of work to do. I already have some ideas bouncing around in my head for new scissor fob designs. And since my local yarn shopowner practically cleaned out my inventory of stitch markers (not complaining) this week, I need to conjure up some more of those.

Hopefully, you'll see lots of progress in my next MG update next week.

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Now I remember...

Now I remember why this piece is a UFO. Don't get me wrong. I love "Margaret Gatis" sampler from Scarlet Letter. But so many of the bands are stitched over three (3) threads. Ych. I love stitching over two threads because your needle just falls into the right hole when you use the sewing motion. (I never stab anymore. It's too hard and too slow.) But stitching over three threads requires that you count almost every thread to get the stitch right. It's very tedious and hurts my brain.

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