Just Jane

After stitching a bit on IAMEK, my original choice for Nicola's Scarlet Letter challenge, I decided to switch to a different SL design. While I like the design of IAMEK, I'd rather wait til I have more time to play around with the thread colors some. Once my fabric and threads for Jenny Bean arrive, I'll start stitching it instead.

In the meantime, I've worked on just Jane Pattison. I really am in love with this sampler. I love its simple elegance as well as the beautiful threads and charming motifs. The little birds on the planter look as if Jane did a quick line sketch of them in pen and ink. I am using the Attic Needlework's conversion to silks, but changed the color of the inner block border to a more gold thread after seeing it a similar change here.  I used AVAS 100/3 #303. I like the way it looks!

Jane Pattison, Shakespeare's Peddler

Light Examplar, 40 count, Lakeside Linen

Conversion to silks by Attic Needlework

Everything else is pretty quiet here. Spring is here, but barely. Macon's Cherry Blossom Festival is underway, but the cherry blossoms haven't really bloomed yet. My tree has just a handful of blossoms.

That it's for now, and I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Switching blog readers

Since Google Reader will soon be no  more, I am now using BlogLovin. You can follow my blog and here is the link: Follow my blog with Bloglovin.

I will have a stitching update soon (I hope!).

First post of 2013

I did start two samplers on New Year's Day. One was the sampler I chose for the Scarlet Letter challenge, IAMEK Dated 1801, and the other was Jane Pattison. They are in a weekly rotation for for now. I'm still working on the borders of both, so this post isn't too exciting! 

IAMEK Dated 1801, Scarlet Letter

Unidentified linen, 40 count

Recommended AVAS threads

 Jane Pattison, Shakespeare's Peddler

Vintage Light Examplar, 40 count, Lakeside Linen

Silk conversion by Attic Needlework

Have a great week!!

Last Update of 2012

Just a quick update to end 2012. I've blogged so little this year, but hopefully 2013 will be different in so many ways.

I have two New Year's Day starts for 2013. The first is Jane Pattison, and I am very excited to start this one. I love the border of boughs and little motifs scattered outside of the border. 

Jane Pattison, 1806, Shakespeare's Peddler
Vintage Light Examplar, 40 Count, Lakeside Linen
Conversion to silks by  Attic Needlework 

My second start will be IAMEK dated 1801. This sampler feels very joyful to me even though the motifs depict serious topics.  It looks like Adam and Even are waving hello instead of getting ready to pull apples off the tree.  I am stitching this as part of Nicola's Scarlet Letter Challenge. 

IAMEK Dated 1801, Scarlet Letter

Vintage Sand Dune, 40 count, Lakeside Linens

Recommended AVAS threads

I've also been working on Sara Elizabeth Brooke by The Scarlett House, and am about done with the top third of the brick house. I should have a picture of that progress in my next blog post. 

I wish each of you a very happy and blessed New Year!

Catching up

December again and time to reflect and plan in between all of the holiday activities! This year found me in a round of stitching and blogging slumps that I hope to leave behind me as I look forward to 2013. I have so many wonderful samplers and small pieces in line to stitch that I need to leave those slumps in 2012.

Although I planned not to commit to any stitching deadlines or commitments, when I heard about Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year challenge, I decided to join.  I love the spirit of the challenge and that there are no regularly scheduled requirements to meet.  It sounded like just the thing for 2013. What a great way for Nicola to celebrate turning 50!

Here is a sweet little Christmas ornament I stitched. It is the first design of three in the collection, which I hope to finish in 2013.

Christmas is Coming, Plum Street Samplers

Vintage Light Examplar, 40 count LL

NPI conversion

Just a little bit left to finish on this Halloween/fall design.

Crows in the Pumpkin Patch, With Thy Needle and Thread

Almond Creme,  40 count Tree of Life Samplings

Recommended threads with some substitutions

Here is my progress on Mary Gibson. I love this sampler even though I've frogged too much of it! It's also my first A&E.

Mary Gibson's 1824 Sampler, Haslemere Educational Museum

Vintage Pecan Butter,  40 count, LL

NPI conversion with one color change

When I need a break from Mary Gibson, I pick up Sarah Elizabeth. The colors and whimsy of this sampler always make me smile when I pull it out of the WIP basket.  What an imagination Sara E. must have had.  I love the little lady with her hands on her hips, although I'm not quite sure what is going on with her hair and mouth!  You can't tell, but I did iron this piece - very stubborn wrinkles! The colors are much prettier in real life, too. 

  Sarah Elizabeth Brooke, The Scarlett House

Vintage Light Examplar, 40 count LL

Recommended Crescent threads

That is pretty much everything for now.  I hope you have a great weekend!

A New Year, New Starts and WIPocalypse

Hopefully everyone had a safe and fun holiday season. I think it went by breathlessly fast, but I am excited the new year is here and underway. I look forward to the opportunities, blessings and challenges I know are on their way.

New Year's Day was thankfully a quiet one here. Friends from New Mexico visited. We enjoyed watching movies, eating our traditional black-eyed pea soup, collards and cornbread, and, of course, stitching! I had two New Year's Day starts this year, Sarah Elizabeth Brooke and Mary Gibson.

I love the colors in Miss Brooke's sampler! I think it will be beautiful hanging in my dining room. This picture really doesn't do it justice.

 Sarah Elizabeth Brooke, The Scarlett House

40 count Vintage Light Examplar, Lakeside Linen

Recommended Crescent Colours

Next is a beautiful sampler from the Haslemere Museum in England.  The colors are so pretty and lively! I did a conversion to Needlepoint Silks, so my colors are a little different than as charted. Of course you can't tell that yet as I'm still on the black border.

Mary Gibson's 1824 Sampler, Haslemere Educational Museum

40 count Vintage Pecan Butter, Lakeside Linen

Conversion to Needlepoint Silks

Here is my progress on Isabella Johnstone. Really, this is fun to stitch and I love the colors with this fabric.

 Isabella Johnstone, Summer 2010 SANQ

40 count Almond Creme, Tree of Life Samplings

 DMC

I apologize for picture quality. I would blame it on the lack of sunlight, but I think it really has something to do with the photographer's skills ...

I signed up for the 2012 WIPocalypse. I liked the flexibility of the challenge and think (hope!) it will help me finish more projects this year.  There are a lot of projects I would love to finish this year, as well as several new ones I would like to add. I'm sure this list will be revised more than once! My list is here.

I look forward to seeing your stitching and reading your blogs this year!

Thank you for stopping by!

All Is Calm

Surprisingly, it is calm even though I am in a flurry of shopping, wrapping, decorating and baking! I love this time of year and it is going by too, too fast.

My first completed ornament of the year is this sweet design from Little by Little.  I've always liked it and it was a fun stitch.

All Is Calm, Little by Little

Lakeside Linen Vintage Light Examplar, 40 count

conversion to GAST, WDW and Thread Gather SNC

My other Christmas project is started and probably won't be finished this year. I love the color of this thread. It feels Christmas-y to me and is nice to work with on chilly nights.

Quaker Christmas Sampler, Carriage House Samplings

Lakeside Linen, Vintage Light Examplar, 40 count

Gloriana silk, Schoolhouse Red

Little Miss Miriam is finished and ready to be framed. I was a little sad to finish stitching her because I loved the spirit of the sampler and enjoyed working with these colors.

 Miriam Chilvers 1833, Samplers Remembered

Lakeside Linen, Vintage Maritime White, 40 count

AVAS silks 

My newest start is (finally!) Isabella Johnstone from the Summer 2010 issue of SANQ.  I absolutely love the linen I am using. It's a gorgeous color and the picture just doesn't do it justice at all. It's dyed by Jan of  Tree of Life Samplings and is called Almond Creme. 

1854 Isabella Johnstone Sampler, SANQ Summer 2010

Tree of Life Samplings, Almond Creme, 40 count

DMC threads

Although the leaves are now almost gone from our trees, I wanted to share this picture I took at the end of November. This is the view from my study window and if I'm at my desk working I can look down our driveway. I love this view because it changes often and I can just see a few of the pink rosebushes and our crepe myrtle we planted earlier this year. 

Miss Kitty loves the front porch, too. She keeps watch for anything that moves from her command post. 

 

When she's had enough of the view from the front porch, she will often grace me with her presence in my study and take a little nap on the loveseat.

Thank you for visiting today. I hope you all  have a great weekend!