Let's Talk About Stitching

There's been quite a bit of stitching going on lately!

Nancy A. picked up this little number to be her travel project for when we went to the beach. She didn't quite grasp the idea that a travel project was supposed to be small! I didn't want to discourage her since this pillow was so cute. It's her first Halloween piece.

She knew that she wanted it to be sparkly so she picked out lots of fun fibers. At the beach, I made up a stitch guide for her so she could try some new techniques. The background was supposed to be white, but I didn't like that for a Halloween pillow. I suggested she do it in black. I knew it would pose a problem when she got to the spider and black cat. For the spider, I suggested she try her hand at beading. She chose some black iridescent beads that worked perfectly. She took to beading right away and really enjoyed it. I think you either like beading or hate it. I happen to like it. As for the cat, my idea of letting the fuzzy fiber carry it---didn't quite work. I tried outlining it in white---didn't like that either---much too stark of a contrast. I ended up using a grey which set it off perfectly. She added green beads for the eyes.

We took the needlepoint to my favorite pillow finisher---Emily at Textile Fabrics. There we picked out the fabrics and trims. The needlepoint itself was about 18"x12" so we didn't need much fabric for the top. We thought this monster stitched mouth seemed like the perfect thing. It turned out great. She's keeping it out now until Halloween.

At the same time we took Nancy's needlepoint for finishing, I brought this piece that Sandy finished. I have a deal with my 3 daughters and now 4 granddaughters. I will pay for everything needlepoint related as long as they finish their project. They don't get a knew piece until the previous one is finished. I've already learned this lesson the hard way. Nothing that a few months of being laid up didn't solve last fall! Anyway, we loved the non-traditional aquas and reds in this pillow. 

The fabric on the back of the pillow is adorable and just made for this piece as it matches the little snowman on top. I would have preferred to use it as a ruffle, but it is a tiny pincord and wouldn't really work for ruffling. I would have preferred if the blue ruffle showed up on top a little better too, but when you have to go with pre-made trims, you have to "settle" a lot! One of my favorite things to do is to pick out the finishing materials. Luckily, my friends like me to help with that! I've learned my lesson the hard way--when I had a pillow finished at the discretion of the finisher. I was so disappointed. It cost me $125 for a plain velveteen pillow. As I explained to the gal that owns the shop---the finisher took an extraordinary piece of needlework and turned it in to an ordinary pillow. I had that pillow re-made and have never turned back. I will ALWAYS pick out my own materials!

Every year, or sometimes twice a year, Connie and I pick a project to do together. We have just finished our samplers. Stephanie and Mindy are doing it too. We all picked our own colors. This is Connie's above. She is making hers in to a picture.

I love the charm she attached. I'm going to do that on mine. I tried several different things and ended up tearing it all out. I do not like what I'd settled on, but wasn't going to re-do it one more time. Mine will be a pillow.

And then, there's this. I saw these at the needlepoint store last week and fell in love with them.

I bought 6 of them and have finished the first one. These are what I truly consider to be a travel projects---something small to tuck in your luggage. I had planned to take in on my---sigh---river cruise---sigh! It's about 4.5" tall by 4.5" wide. It's one of those illusions---looks taller than it is wide. This one only took me 3 days last week.

 I'm starting this one next. I spent an hour and a half this morning pulling out fibers for it.

 This is the finish work that sold me on these. They are the cutest little stand-up candy corns.

It sits on top of wooden beads. I will definitely have the shop do the finish work on these. 

So, since now I realize I'll whip through these pretty quickly, I fell for this:

Not as you see it here---although it is adorable. But, I do not need any more "sitting around" things at Christmas. This is a club that is 3 months long. Each month, you get a canvas, stitch guide and the fibers to complete it. I really wasn't going to do it---until I saw this:

I am absolutely loving pillows. Everyone can use them. In this variation, they have taken the 3 canvases and mounted them together to form the pillow. I like the finish work they did here, but most likely I will still want to choose my own trims and fabric. 

I have been lusting after this---but absolutely do NOT have any place to put it. The finished piece is probably 30"x 16". It would make much too large of a pillow. And I do not have any wall space for it. But it is spectacular. A friend of mine, Susie (who I play bridge with) stitched it for the shop example. 

And then, there's this. The last remaining piece from my stash. I'm going to go ahead and do the candy corns and then get on this. It's a large piece---about 20" x 16". And no, I don't really have a place to hang it. I guess I'll just put it next to the last room I did.

 So this will be me for the next couple of months! I'm tellin' ya'---it ain't all bad!