Needlepoint: Zee Count Haz Eyez...

My local ANG chapter, The Cahaba Lily Needlepointers, is stitching Janet Zieglar Casey's Count of Needlemania from the September Needlepointers.  I love her pieces because they are tons of fun and usually finish up pretty quick.  Even better that the design is part of the Needlepointers magazine so the investment is threads and canvas.

Began the piece by putting in his eyes.  Spooky!

Christa, Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.blogspot.com and www.lilystitch.com

Needlepoint Work in Progress: Teinte

Another week and progress is slow... but there is progress.  When I last posted on this project, the picture below was where I was, just having added the yellow (don't they look like wings? ):

I forgot my camera manners and failed snap a proper picture of the green:

This is a better image of the green area and you can see where I'm adding in some blue:

I'm not sure I really like the stitch I used with the medium and darker blues so that may change in the next week.  The lighter blue stitch seems to do well.  The final plan for the design is slated to use the lightest blue in the very center of the piece (in these pictures it will be in the top left corner) - that will be the last area I stitch so stay tuned.

She certainly is getting very colorful.

This work has been named, I think... Tiente is French for color so I believe that will be her name.  Of course, you are only seeing a quarter of the design so you will have to trust me that she is has lots of "pop".

Also, I have added a scrolling picture roll on the LilyStitch blog page that shows the progression from most recent to oldest.  Enjoy!

Christa, Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.blogspot.com and www.lilystitch.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

Above is Janet Zicklar Casey's Tom-Tom Turkey.  If you ever have a chance to take a class from Janet - DO!  Her things are so much fun and she is a bubble of energy.  Generally, you finish every project as they stitch up quickly.  When Janet showed me Mr. Tom, I knew that I had to do him.

When we roasted Tom up and put him on the mantle for our family gathering last year, we decided that we prefer a MUCH bigger tail.  The green canvas you see behind Mr. Tom is the beginning of the construction of the tail.  So, out came the can of dark green spray paint.  Then I drew off some the tail using a white quilters pencil.  Next the stitching will follow.  Will update as time permits!

Be Thankful, Be Happy, Enjoy your season.

Christa, Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.blogspot.com and www.lilystitch.com

Quick Garden Update

Christa, Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.blogspot.com and www.lilystitch.com

Garden: As Ye Sow Update

Hope you are having a wonderful week.  I have barely touched a needle in some time although I have managed just a bit more work on "As Ye Sow" Sampler.  Enjoy the pictures! 

Christa, Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.blogspot.com and www.lilystitch.com

Growing my Garden with Jane

(Picture Source)

Saturday afternoon I hit a really BIG wall.  I could do no more, go on no further.  So I did what any self respecting person does, I plopped into my arm chair and turned on the TV.

Lo and behold, Keira Knightly and that really hunky Matthew Macfayden lit up my screen with their wonderful version of Pride and Prejudice. (BTW, have you seen the first two episodes of The Pillars of the Earth w/ Mr Macfayden? Do! The book is fabulous, too).    

I took it as a sign.  A sign that I should enjoy a little bit of move-free, work-free, hassle-free time and pick up some needlework.  I poured a restorative glass of ice tea (no sugar, I am sweet enough, jk!).  What else would I pick up while watching Jane Austin?  Linen and silk fibers of course!  Out came my Garden sampler for a couple of wonderful hours.  OH, it was so good!  Here is where I left it:

Update: The LilyPad is moving locations to a temporary spot right across from the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on August 21st.  Until then I will post periodic updates.  I look forward to picking back up the Compass I Tutorial no later than Friday, September 3rd if not sooner.  

Christa, Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.blogspot.com and www.lilystitch.com

Watch my Garden Grow

Major activity and surprises around the LilyPad.  You may remember that I wrote about late listing our house for sale last week. Well! Over the weekend we saw tons of activity with folks looking.  Then yesterday we agreed to terms of a contract for purchase.  We are signing documents this morning.  Whew!  Who knew?

With all this hub-bub, LilyCompass has been set aside until I can refocus on her.  Life sure does get in the way while you are busy making plans!  The good news is that there is an end in sight -- we are to be out by August 15th so I expect to be in a new LilyPad and back to my normal routine the following week.

During this time I've been doing a bit of work on "Garden" from my WIP pile.  Here are pictures I've taken along the way:

New WIP Piece:  Raymond Crawford "Jingle Bell" with Stitch Chart by Needleworks

I know, I know.  ANOTHER WIP??  But what is a girl to do?  So many wonderful canvases out there, so little time?

Funny story.  I signed up for this class several months ago before I knew about our little "a-d-v-e-n-t-u-r-e".  When we listed the house last week I thought, GREAT!  I'll make the class because things will calm down now that the house is finally on the market.  WRONG!

So class started.  I had not been in my seat 15 minutes when the Realtor called for us to open the house for showings that afternoon.  SOOOOoooooo.... I packed up and headed home.  This is all I was able to do:

Christa, Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.blogspot.com and www.lilystitch.com

Floral Needlework Glove (WIP Update #2)

Thistle Threads is offering several really great classes via the internet and I've signed up for two - the Floral Glove and the Goldwork Master Class.  Just couldn't resist them...  Last fall when I decided to take the classes I knew they would be a huge part of my 2010 stitching budget so I HAD to follow through and complete them.

So far this has been a complete JOY to work.  Those of you who have been visiting with me on LilyStitch may have read that I'm right in the middle of a kitchen renovation, new job, lots of little personal "fire-sale" situations, plus more.  Same with everyone right? Perhaps now is not the best time to take on yet another couple of projects but this is one that I just couldn't pass up and am very glad that I did not.  Below is a picture of the original kit.

Thistle Threads has done a wonderful job with the threads and materials in this kit.  Soie de Paris has been wonderful to work with.  It just glides through the fabric.  The instructions have been really clear and easy to read.  I've found that after a busy day of staring at a computer screen or sanding cabinets this is a great little project to work on.  And this is a SMALL project.  To give you perspective, here is a picture that I've included two needles, the one of the right is 1" so these little flowers are less than 1" in diameter.  No complaints here - it's great to have a fun and quick piece to stitch.

The instructions arrive monthly via an emailed link to their website where one can print them if you choose.  I've chose as I try to escape my computer in the evenings.

I'm excited to move onto the Goldwork next however I think that this evening I may work on my test fabric to figure out how to stitch the petals in the breeze on URU.  HMMMmmmm.... tough choice as I so LOVE the GW.  I've never shared my WIP Tanja Berlin goldwork sampler but perhaps I'll pull it off the wall and take a pick to add it to my rotation (btw, the link takes you to her free instruction booklet which is FABULOUS!).  Boy, wouldn't a class from her be great?  I digress...

Anyway.  Although this piece is designed to be a "glove" that is actually a needlecase which I am thinking that the end result will not be a glove.  Do I re-engineer everything?  Isn't it fun to embellish what you are given?  Not sure yet what I will make this gorgeous little gem into but will worry about it down the road.  Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Christa
Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.blogspot.com and www.lilystitch.com

WIP Updates: URU, Glove, Twisted, and Petite Fleur

Holy wow!  Spring has brought lots of personal and professional changes.  Won't bore you with the details but I do want to post some updates on the current work in progress rotation that I am working on.  First up is "Uguisu reflects on Ume".  Mr. Uguisu is complete, well almost... need to stitch in the legs but his body has emerged.  I'm concentrating on the last of the Ume for the time being as it has become almost mindless to stitch in the long and short stitches.  I'll get the legs in next because they have to be done before I can put in the limb upon which he is perched.    Three more ume to go plus some petals swirling in the breeze.

Petite Fleur is almost complete, missing just a few beads plus the finishing.  I'm going to make her into a hanging ornament so that it may displayed year round.   This is also going to be a class piece for folks who want to experience working on silk gauze.  Deadline looms with an early April local ANG class.

Twisted - My version of "Twister" is getting a sliver here and sliver there put in.  Right now the golds:

Finally, Glove.  This is my go to piece when I'm tired after a day of work.  I'm loving the Soie silk that we're working these in.  I am finding the linen a bit of a challenge to get my stitches in where exactly where I want them to be.  Perhaps this is because I'm tired when working or it is a looser ground fabric than I'm used to or it is just a looser linen...  There has been some discussion on using a backing fabric but our instructor has written us to say that the linen is strong enough to support the stitching.  Anyway, this picture is a week old so more has been worked.  Updated pictures to come.  Can't wait for the Goldwork to begin!

Have a great week!

Christa
Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.blogspot.com and www.lilystitch.com

The WIP Rotation

Late winter is especially a busy time for me, professionally and personally.  LilyStitch is going great guns and my idea book is filling up.  I'm looking forward to warm weather and lots of creative time designing as well as stitching.

For today's post I thought I'd share a bit of what is in my stitch rotation.  No worries - URU is still being worked on daily when I'm in town. I have several blog posts coming in the next few weeks but until then here is my WIP rotation.  There will also be many updates on Lily's charts and designs.

Let me explain a little about my rotation - I think there is really a couple of tiers: a) what I'm really jazzed about b) things I occasionally pick up c) ones that I've begun and are awaiting the day I rediscover them, and d) the retirement or someday stash.  All my friends have heard me say on more times than I'd like to admit that I'm investing in my retirement when I buy a "must have" design but have no aspirations to actually work on it any time or year soon.  Can you relate?

Up first -- "Twisted".  This is my interpretation of Twister.  Its a great design, lots of fun, and has great stitches involved.  I have chosen to do mine in some great reds and golds (silks of course).  Chose to change up the design a element and this is what you have.  BTW, this piece broke my heart a couple of years ago.  I had stitched the wrong colors in a couple of the "paths" for the umpteenth time and really was upset.  So angry that I took it off the stretcher and threw it in the back of a closet swearing I would never stitch on it again.  Well, it reemerged not too long ago after I saw so many beautiful renditions of it on the cyber-sphere. This is becoming my low-brain-power evening stitch project.  Picture before I did a thorough job of frogging (rip it, rip it).

Next up is a beautiful glove learning piece/cyber class by Thistle Threads.  This came to me about a week ago and I've just loved looking at the fibers.  Hope to begin this weekend, time permitting.

Lastly is a Sampler that I began last holiday and pick up when the need for great linen work is required.  On 40 ct using mostly Splendor silk.  This will be a slow project but I'm loving it.  BTW, this is one of three that are in the stash but really the only one that is in the a) category.

There is more, more, and more.  Over time I plan to post updates of these mainly but I'll sneak in others as well.


Christa
Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.blogspot.com and www.lilystitch.com