Stitching Update

While I love staying in touch with my stitching friends from all over the world, the past week I've been doing my best to stay away from the computer in the evening and weekend....stitching, stitching, and stitching (while glued to the TV watching the Olympics).  I just love watching all the amazing athletes doing things I couldn't dream of doing!   GO USA!!!!!

So, here's my updates for this week.

TUSAL

Yep, it's time to post the TUSAL (Totally Useless SAL) photo for February.  I admit I'm sure I chose far too small of a container for this undertaking!  Yikes!

BRIDE'S TREE SAL

I'm happy to say that I finished my February heart ornament tonight!!  My 5th finish for 2010!

"Love" by Barbara Smith Cooley

Free Chart from Plum Pudding NeedleArt

Stitched on Silkweaver 28 ct Jobelan Solo (marble lavender)

DMC Thread

Backed with purple fabric from my stash

CHATELAINE ROSE GARDEN MANDALA SAL

I spent some time during the weekend working on this one.  I'm finding it fun, but a low stitch (probably the stitcher, not the design!)

LHN MONTHLY ORNAMENT SAL

Still working on the January ornament, but I hope to finish it up by the end of the month.  I stitched the girl yesterday.  Ok, so I'm a couple months behind.  I received the charts and fabric really late, plus I have waaaaaay too many SALS on the go!  Yikes!

HAED DRAGON LUCK SK SAL

HUGE mistake to be doing this 2 over 1 on 25 ct!  I will NEVER do this again!  If I stitch another HAED, it will be 1 over 1, and perhaps on a smaller count fabric.  This one is making me nuts; of course, the fact that I started in the top left, where it is all very dark colors, doesn't help a bit.  Right now, it just looks like a very tight, thick, dark blob!

OAKHAVEN MONTHS 2010 SAL

I got this one caught up and finished February over the weekend. 

LAST UP, BENT CREEK SNAPPERS

My traveling UFO turned WIP is coming along a bit, thanks to some recent trips to Denver.  I'll be going to Denver tomorrow for a meeting and since I'm not driving, may get a few more stitches in, we'll see.

DH and I did make a trip to Diversions, a needlepoint store in Denver on Saturday (thanks much to the stitcher who told me about them!).  They had the Needlework System 4 stand.  More about that later...

Until then, Happy Stitching!

Vicki in CO

 

One More Finish and SAL Updates

I wanted to post an update tonight because once again, my computer must go into the shop.  Late last week, the DVD/CD drive stopped working.  The light on it goes on, DVD/CD spins, but won't do anything.  The computer says the drive 'cannot start - Error 10' or some such nonsense.  Tried updating the driver; it tells me that the driver is up-to-date.  I'm at a loss on how to fix whatever it's malfunction is.  Grrr!  So, this will be my last post for at least a few days.

A NEW FINISH IS FRAMED

I finished LHN Heart & Home Sampler last week, but was waiting on the beads for the berries to arrive.  I got those sewn on yesterday and got it framed in a little Mill Hill frame.  Not sure of the final destination of this one yet. 

Also, this LHN project is my January finish for the Bride's Tree SAL. 

SAL UPDATES

HAED Storykeep Dragon Luck SAL

I got started on this one on Friday, January 22.  Boy, stitching 2 over 1 on 25 ct is a bit of a challenge for me.  Now that I'm started, wish I had tried using just one strand of floss instead of two.  This is antique white fabric (must be the fault of the cummy photographer - me!)

25 ct Antique White Lugana, DMC floss 2 over 1

Victorian Christmas Stocking SAL - Stitcher's Studio

I finally got a bit of a start on this one; worked on it last evening and also a while today.  This one has been a fun stitch so far!  I started at the very top left corner of the stocking (that seems to be my current favorite starting point in a chart).

 

25 ct Mushroom Lugana - DMC Floss

Here's what it will look like when it's finished someday.

Totally Useless SAL

As I was browsing blogs today, I came across another SAL I just HAD to join.  This one requires you to find a see-through container.  You then collect all your 'stitching throw aways' - regular ORTS (thread ends), broken needles, stray beads, labels from floss skeins, etc.  Once a month on the date of the New Moon, you post a progress photo of your Totally Useless SAL on your blog.  Check it out for yourself; it's not too late to join.

Here's my barely-started collection of 'stiching throw aways' for this year's SAL:

This an old jar candle container; the black you see in the bottom is the little metal thing that held the end of the wick.  I've done everything I can think of to get that out, but not luck.  I think I'm going to come up with some sort of stitched topper for the jar at some point.

COLORADO QUILTING COUNCIL (CQC) MEETING

I didn't get as much stitching in this weekend as I would have liked.  Saturday was the monthly CQC meeting.  It was in the Denver area this year, so about an hour's drive from us.  We went with a friend from our local quilt guild.  The speaker was Annie Smith.  Her talk was "Help!  My Fabric Stash is Growing and I Can't Make It Stop!' 

This meeting was jammed with people--250 members and 30 guests in attendance!  A fellow quilter/cross stitcher from ILCS, Joan, is also a CQC member.  We had agreed to look for each other during the break.  No such luck.  There were just too many people!  So, next month we'll plan a specific spot to meet and hopefully we'll find each other and can have a chance to talk for at least a few minutes.

THE WEEK AHEAD

It will be a very busy week at work.  Tomorrow is a full day meeting with the insurance managing underwriter who is here from Texas to work on our renewal for the student health insurance I manage.  Tuesday, I'll be staffing a table for an event from 5:00-8:00 pm to talk to prospective students and their parents.  So, I plan to do my Tuesday UFO stitching on Monday this week (Everyone Needs Their Own Space). 

I'm really hoping to get my new glasses early this week.  I am so tired of constantly switching readers for the computer or for reading.  It is a pain!

Think that's it for now.  While I sure hope my computer is not out of commission for long, I will get more stitching done while it's away.  :)

Happy Stitching!

Vicki in CO