One Stitch At A Thyme

Now on to WIPocalypse; Seems I haven't been too diligent in my answering of the monthly questions.  It was probably due to seasonal depression and stitcher's burn-out.  Well I'm here now for this posting at least so let's get to it.

 

October 27 – Topic:  Are there any fibers or materials used in stitching that you’re nervous to try?

Nope, none that I can think of; however there is one technique that I still have to get up enough nerve to try and that's Hardanger.  I've got three booklets by Janice Love and she makes it look so simple...  Oh well maybe some day....

November 25 – Topic:  Which designer has inspired you to stitch the greatest number of designs and why do you think that is?

I've only had one designer in the last twenty years that has inspired me, and that's Teresa Wentzler.  I've always admired the intricacy and detail of her designs.  They seemed more like paintings than needlework.

December 25 – Theme: Recap your accomplishments for the year! (Your finishes, final before/after photos, etc).

No finishes this year.  I've been fighting stitcher's burn-out since October.  I tried to revive my stitching muse by starting a new project.  This was something I hadn't done since I was 9 years old.  Stamped cross stitch, or as the instructions say... crooked and uneven cross stitch to give a child-like appearance.  This kit has the most wild color combinations you can imagine.  It was originally printed in 1966 and I found the kit on eBay.  It's an old children's prayer, I'm almost half way done with it; just a few more animals and the lettering.

And now for the before and after snaps of Camelot Sampler; I really wanted to finish it this year but my stitching muse had other ideas and flatly refused to look at it any more.  So maybe in the spring when my depression has melted away along with the freezing cold and the snow I'll pull it out of my closet again.  That and frog-out the finish date for the second time.....

Before - January 2015

After - December 2015

I hope every one had a pleasant Christmas and here's looking forward to a Happy New Year!!!

September 28 – Topic:  Where do you buy most of your stitching supplies?  I don't really buy supplies anymore as I have acquired SABLE a long time ago.  I have all the fabric, thread, and notions I need for projects to last the rest of my life.

And now here are the before and after progress snaps for Camelot Sampler. [Click on snap for a bigger view]

 After:

Thanks for stopping by and visiting my blog!!!

Topic:  Pick one of the WIP pieces you’ve stitched on this month, and tell us about your stitching journey with the piece.

Well this will be an easy topic as I have been concentrating on only one piece.   I've had a love/hate relationship with Camelot Sampler for the last 14 years.  Well hate is a bit strong, let's just say I get stitcher's burn-out fairly quickly when all I work on for 99% of the time is one-over-one.  If you're interested in the history of this piece read on...

I originally started this project back in 1997.  I had worked the sword block and part of the Guinevere block before I got frustrated with working the one-over-one sections.  It was my first time encountering this type of cross stitch, plus the fact that this was the first time I had stitched on evenweave fabric.  So I put it away in the closet and forgot about it until 2 years later.  I didn't like the look of the over-one section on Guinevere so I tried to frogg it out and ended up ruining the 28 ct. fabric that came with the kit.  I ended up calling Leisure Arts to find out what the original model was stitched on.  I found out it was 25 ct. bone Lugana.  I had to drive around 100 miles away to Spokane, Wa.  to the closest brick n' mortar needlework shop to buy a new piece of 25 ct. evenweave.   They didn't have bone and ended up buying mushroom Lugana.

I started it again in March 2001.  By accident I centered the herringbone stitch row on either side of the sword block.  This caused me to move the Arthur and Guinevere blocks over by one row, thus having them butted up against the wrapped backstitch line.  I realized this had happened after I had finished the outline of both Arthur and Guinevere blocks.  It wasn't that noticeable so I left it be.   I put it away again until 2004, worked on it off and on for 2 more years.  When I backstitched the eyelids for both A & G, I only did the upper lids, for me it simply looked better that way.  I thought I was so sure I'd be finishing it by the end of 2005 that I put that as the finish date.  Well that was wishful thinking as I had added to my WIP list by 10 pieces and ended up leaving CS on the bottom of said pile.  I didn't start working on it again until 2014 when I joined Measi's WIPocalypse SAL.  Well I picked out the 2005 date and put in 2015.  When I finally got to the jousting scene I didn't like the way the faces of the king and queen were stitched, by splitting the face thread, so I left them blank.  I am confident I will get it finished this year thanks to Measi's SAL who keeps me motivated from month to month.  That and this year will be the 20th anniversary that the chart was first published, so it would be really nice to get it finished this time.  And there you have it my stitching journey so far with this piece.

Thank you!! To all the friends, followers, and lurkers who stopped by, and if you've managed to make it to the end of my novel.

I can see by my last posting date it's been awhile since I've been here.  Not much to report, still dealing with chronic fatigue and depression.  I did manage to finish part 2 of "My Tree of Life" today.  I've been working on it here and there for the last 3 months, just to keep my mind occupied.  I'll be switching over to "Camelot Sampler" as I want to give myself the rest of 2015 to get it finished.  It would be nice to finish the thing during its 20th anniversary of the year it was first published.

Tree of Life: Part 2

(Click for Larger Pictures)

Tree of Life: So Far

Another thing I'd better catch up on is my Wipocalypse questions.  I'll even be a week early for the last one.  Fancy That!!!   LOL

June 2 - Topic:  Do you find yourself more productive with stitching in summer or winter?

It's about the same production wise.  Since I don't sew gifts anymore I'm not on a strict timetable.  I sew when I like and for how long I like.

 July 1 - Topic:  Reality or Fantasy. Which do you prefer to stitch, Figures or Abstract?

If I had to choose, Fantasy would win just by a hair's breath.  I believe I'd choose Figures over Abstract.  As the only abstract piece I've ever worked on is "Book of Ink Circles" by Tracy Horner of Ink Circles.  I find I'm not that interested in it after I started working on it.

 July 31 – Topic: What makes you pick up a long-abandoned UFO rather than beginning a new piece?

For one thing, if I continually kept starting new projects I'd run out of space and scroll frames to put them on.  Secondly, I've been working on my projects off and on for the last 10 years and at some point I'd like to get them all finished so I can do a proper inventory of all my floss thread!

Thanks for stopping by.....

Between chronic depression, giving up looking for a job after 2 years with no luck, my boyfriend dumping me 3 months ago with no explanation, and my allergies making what's left of my life hell.   I've had no desire to stitch.  The little I have done on the skunk's tail was over the last month and a half.  As seen in the before and after snaps and my TUSAL orts.

I don't know if I'll do anymore stitching the rest of the year or not.  But if I do I will post something here.  Before I go I'll answer the last two WIPocalypse topic questions that I missed for April and May.

 April  4 - Topic:  Which specialty stitches do you love doing on projects?  Which do you dread? 

Well I've never met a specialty stitch I didn't like, and it's safe to say I haven't done many.   I can say that sometimes I dread French knots, I find it easer to replace them with glass beads to give a little sparkle to my project.

 May 3 - Topic:  I would like to know if you look for LNS’s when you travel. What is the favorite shop you’ve ever found?

I don't do any physical traveling so I can't look for shops on the road as it were.  But if I were to surf the net for Brick n' mortar shops, my favorite would have to be "Needle In A Haystack".

Thanks for dropping by......

Well fellow stitchers we have a full plate today - New Moon, Spring Equinox, Blood Moon Eclipse, depending on where you are in the world.

 

The WiP I decided to work on is Mother Skunk and Babies by Candi Martin / Candamar Designs, Inc. © 1983

I started the project back in 2001 and last worked on it in 2004.  Its plaintive cries died out to a ghostly whimper long ago.  So I thought I would give it some much needed loving.  When I started this I was using a hoop and the fabric now has a dirty hoop-ring hue.  I have managed to iron out the hoop-ring ghosts and have put it on my last available scroll frame.

Here are the before and after progress pictures.

 

This picture was taken outside when the sky was overcast - sorry for the dark look.

 

Thank You to all my friends, followers, and lurkers for stopping by my Blog.

 

 

 

And now for this months WIPocalypse topic question.

If money – and time – were not limiters, what projects would be on your stitching bucket list?

Ah... to be as rich as Midas and Immortal.  Well first I'd head over to Heaven and Earth Designs and buy every chart that took my fancy, along with all the things needed to kit them up.  Then I'd do the same over at  www.gvellostitch.com.  Then there's the few charts on my wish list page and of course the 20 + years of charts, leaflets, magazines, and kits I've purchased and squirreled away.

Thanks to all my followers, friends, and lurkers for stopping by.

Well here's my little ort beaker.  In it are all the leftovers from almost a months work on TW's Camelot Sampler.  I am feverishly working away on the border and will tease you by saying you'll have to wait until March 5th for my WIPocalypse update reveal.

Now let's get started with the first TUSAL post of 2015!!!

I'll be switching over to Camelot Sampler now as I promised my self I'd get'ter done this year.  So don't be surprised if all you see for the next few months is boring updates of this sampler.

 

My end of the year progress for 2014.

 

 

Thank you all, new followers and lurkers, for stopping by and reading my blog.