Showing posts with label 12 Days of Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 12 Days of Christmas. Show all posts

A Two For One Posting

Posted by Jan

 

Oops, looks like I'm a little late for my last Wipocalypse of the year.  So I thought I'd split the difference and post both my TUSAL and Wipocalypse together.  

But before I get started I'd like to say what a marvelous time I've had.  Not only was I motivated and encouraged by the monthly theme questions.  But also by the new on-line stitching friends I've made through-out the year.  I hope to see you all and your new wip progress in 2015.

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

Be sure to click on the pictures to get a bigger view.

First I'll start off with the only finish I had for 2014.  It was a gift for my boyfriend Tony.

A Vikings World
Designer/Publisher: Lisa / © Designs by Lisa
Finished: January 5, 2014
Stitched on Brittney 28ct. Evenweave, Color: Bone using DMC cotton floss. The name at the top of the ship reads as Anthony Jorgen.

And now for the three WIPs I worked on: Camelot Sampler, The Twelve Days of Christmas, and Musical Bell Pull. Even though I didn't finish them, two out of the three got a lot of work done on them, and I am closer to the goal of getting them finished.

Camelot Sampler

[Before]

[My total progress so far.]


The Twelve Days of Christmas

[Before]
Day Six was the only block I worked on this year.

[My total progress so far.]

Musical Bell Pull

[Before]

[My total progress so far.]

And last but not least, the two new projects I started this year; my biker's vest patch, and my Norwegian alphabet sampler, along with my little TUSAL beaker to bring this post to a close.

Biker's Vest Patch

[Before]

[After]


Norwegian Alphabet Sampler

If the frame looks familiar that's because it's "Birds of A Feather" by With Thy Needle & Thread.  The center of the sampler will have some original elements.  What they'll be even I don't know at the moment as I'll just stitch them as I go along getting ideas from other samplers I've seen.

[Before]

[After]

 
And finally......

The latest orts are from the sampler in the above picture.
 
 
Thank you all for visiting my blog and becoming my friend in 2014.

Jan
 
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November Wipocalypse

Posted by Jan

Looks like I'm a little late for this month's Wipocalypse posting.  So let's get started.... I put '12 Days of Christmas' by Teresa Wentzler back on the WIP/UFO pile for the foreseeable future.  I've had no progress to show since the last time I posted about 'Day Six' back in April 2014.  The two projects I have progress on are below.

Musical Bell Pull - Mandolin - by Donna Vermillion Giampa

This is what I've done so far since starting the Mandolin section last month.
 



Click for larger picture

My Biker's Vest Patch.

Before:
Click for larger picture

After:
Click for larger picture

I tried two different shades of green but the outline just seems to disappear next to the solid lighter green.  So I decided to stick with the darker shade of green.

Now for this month's WIPocalypse question.

Topic:  What are your favorite and least favorite materials to use in your stitching?

Well I guess I'll start off with favorite floss.  I like all types of DMC's cotton floss, linen floss, rayon (aka satin) floss, and pearl cotton floss; Also silk floss and over-dyed floss.  I've never used DMC's light effects floss so can't comment on that. I also like Kreinik blending filaments, braid, and Japanese threads.  On the other hand, I've never been fond of the DMC metallic thread, the old type that came on spools.  It always seemed to fray and unravel too easily. 

The only thing I've use as far as accessories is mill hill glass seed beads.  I've never stitched anything that required buttons or charms so I can't comment on that either. But I do love the way the glass beads give that little extra sparkle to a stitching project.

As for favorite fabric materials that would be hands down Even-Weave.  The thread counts would be 25, 28, and 30.  With my eyesight not the best now days 30 count is a little tough to see with out the help of a 3X magnifier.  Aida I'm neutral on, I neither like nor dislike it.  I started out with Aida learning how to do counted cross stitch, and my favorite fabric counts were - 14, 16, and 18. My least favorite fabric would be linen.  For me I just don't like the look and feel of the fabric, it's so wispy and thin, that and the subs in the weave make it look and feel uneven and hard to stitch on.

That's it for this Blog Blurb, Thanks for stopping by.
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April WIPocalypse Topic Question

Posted by Jan
First off I'm afraid I don't have any progress on "Day Six" of TW's 12 Days of Christmas.  Well not enough to matter with an update picture anyway.  So how about I show you something else....


April 15 – Topic:  How do you keep your stash organized?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words so instead of explaining everything here are three  pictures from back in April of 2012 when I was living in an apartment. As you can see I'm a bit of a pack rat when it comes to needlework stash.  The only thing I don't have pictures for are the four green file folder boxes full of fabric for stitching, and pre-finished items to stitch like tablecloths, table runners, kitchen towels, pot holders, etc.

Click for a larger picture to read the print.
Click for a larger picture to read the print.

Click for larger picture to read print.


All the items you see in these pictures are all packed up and in storage except for some of the bobben'ed DMC thread and the nine WIPs listed on the side menu of my blog.

Thanks For Stopping by....
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April Weigh-In and TW Update

Posted by Jan
One weeks worth of progress on The 12 days of Christmas - Day Six - by Teresa Wentzler. I have this funny feeling it's going to be a close one come December, as I don't think I'll get this project finished. I just can't seem to focus working on it. Maybe it's just the fabric count of 28 I don't like.  Sorry for the blurry pictures of my digital camera.  Next time I promise to use my scanner for update pictures.

Before...
Click for bigger picture.

 After...
Click for a bigger picture.

As for my first of the month Weight-In, I haven't been getting on the tread mill every weekday like I promised myself I would. I just don't seem to have any ambition, that and feeling tired from lack of sleep because my back and hips hurt all the time now. Just walking 6 blocks round trip to the convenience store gets my hips to hurting. I've been trying to compensate for the lack of activity by cutting back on when and how much I eat. I seem to be leveling out at 222 lbs. and keeping 1 lb off is pretty good in my book. All I can do is keep trying. I lost it before, I can do it again.

Until next time... Keep on stitch'n
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A Blue TUSAL?

Posted by Jan

Well isn't that what it should be called when you have two in the same month?  Or does that only work for full moon dates?  Anyway welcome to Daffycat's Totally Useless Stitch-Along.

Click for a really big picture.

 I'm afraid there wasn't but a few tiny orts put in the beaker this month.  Not even enough to see on top the previous months deposits.  Just a little blue from Camelot Sampler and some brown bits from 12 days of Christmas.  I really haven't been feeling like stitching at all lately.  With getting my last unemployment check last Sunday and the government refusing to extend it, even though I've only been unemployed for 6 months.  I've just been too depressed worrying about how I'm I going to pay for things in the mean time.
Not to make this a totally blue posting. Here is what I've done so far on day number 6 of TW's 12 days of Christmas.

Click for a really big picture.


Stitched over-one on 28ct Cashel linen [antique white]. I went with the recommended model fabric but I find it's much to thin and wispy for my tastes.

Thanks for stopping by.  Welcome to my new followers.
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March Wipocalypse and Catching Up

Posted by Jan


I can't believe I let two Sundays slip by without my weekend updates.  Y'all know the last time I posted here I had a sinus infection and my stitching mojo was at a low ebb.  I basically whined about how I was tired of working on the jousting scene of Camelot Sampler.  Well since I was still pretty tired from said infection and I didn't do any treadmill workout for the week, I buckled down and made myself try to finish the background for most of the jousting scene.

Before....


After......
Sorry for the dark blurry shot - had to use my camera as it was still on the frame.

Thankfully I'm now back up to speed with my treadmill workout again and have managed one mile every day this last week.  Which reminds me; I also missed my weigh-In post for the first Sunday of the month.  I have to say February was a hard month to stay on track.  One week I'd only do 3 days a week another it would only be 2.  Then there was the last week of February, I didn't do anything because I was sick.  Which made my water weight bounce up and down all month long; the good news is I didn't gain any, but the bad news, I didn't lose anything either.  It's getting to the point where I don't trust what the scale says, I'm much more inclined to notice how loose or tight my jeans are. Hopefully I'll have better news to report at the beginning of next month.

Just as a side note.  You know the one inspirational TV program that really keeps me motivated to stick to my exercise routine - "My 600 lb. Life" that airs on the TLC channel.  Granted at the moment I'm only 223, but still it gives me the motivation I need to get back down to 177 again.





Now for this month's topic question.....
March 16 – Topic:  Show us your favorite places to stitch. 

Since my bedroom is so crowed and my camera only has a 10 second timer on it I'm afraid all you get is a picture of where I sit in my bedroom (minus the stuff that is packed on either side of the chair including my floor stand OTT lite and magnefier). I designed and had a friend help me make the scroll frame cradle and table you see in the picture. I needed it to hold the 36 inch scroll frame I made for TW's "The 12 Days of Christmas" project. Since it's adjustable I can use it for any size scroll frame or slate frame.





Well that's it for this blog blurb.  Thanks for stopping by.
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February WIPocalypse

Posted by Jan
Before I get started with the Wipocalypse SAL check-in, I want to wish all my followers and lurkers who stop by my blog a very Happy Valentines Day!!!




February 14 - Topic: How many projects do you generally feel comfortable having in progress at a time?  Tell us about your one-at-a-time or rotation habits!
 
Well since I never really thought about it before, I'd say 3 sounds like a comfortable number to have in process.  Although I've never had fewer than 10 in my WiP list for as long as I can remember.  I have a bad habit of letting my start-ides gene grab a hold of me and I'll work on something for maybe 1-3 months and then I'll become bored with it.  The trouble with that is the other WiPs in my pile don't hold my interest either, so they sit unloved for months to years at a time.  I tend to get easily burnt-out when I'm stitching for myself, except when it comes to an obligation project for a family member.  I know that the project must get done by a certain date, and I push myself to get it done.  I think that's why I joined this stitch a-long, to keep me set to a definable end of the year goal.
 
As for my rotational habits, they've changed over the years since 1999 when I first connected with the on-line stitching communities.  Before 1999 all I had were local department stores or fabric stores where there wasn't much in the way of artists or kits that interested me.  Therefore I was a one project at a time stitcher.  Then I discovered the internet and on-line shopping, and my SADD affliction (Stitchers Attention deficit disorder) came into being.  At first I tried a form of timed rotation where you keep track of how many hours you stitched by coloring in a square on grid paper.  After so many hours you'd go on to the next project in the list; and so on, until you reached the end of the list and started over.  I had so many WiPs that to me it didn't seem like I was making any progress.  So next, I went to the once a month or by the page/section rotation.  Basically I work on a defined section of a chart, (like a page or part of a page) or I work for one month on a project stop wherever I am at the end of the month and then rotate to the next WiP on the list.
 
Alrighty, now for the progress reports...
 
Musical Bell Pull:
Finished the Banjo section which has put me at 50% done on this WiP. YEA!!!!!!  I tell ya after working non-stop on this section for the last 4 weeks I don't want to see it again for at least another 2-3 months. Sorry for the darkness of the snap.  I had to use my crappy digital camera outside.

Click for larger picture.
Camelot Sampler: 
Just started working on this yesterday. I'd forgotten just how wearisome it is working one over one on the jousting scene so no progress to show yet.  I wish they'd make smaller tapestry needles than 28. I've been reduced to using a #10 beading needle just so the fabric isn't distorted and the threads don't roll under the fabric weave.  Anyway, hopefully I'll have something to show for this Sunday's progress update.

12 Days of Christmas:
Next up in the rotation starting in April, sooner if I get tired of working on CS. 

Happy Stitching and thanks for stopping by.....
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Wipocalypse 2014 get your needles started and let's go.....

Posted by Jan


This year instead of having monthly stitching themes Measi is having monthly topics to go along with stitchy up-dates.  You can check out my wipocalypse tab for the topics or use the button on my side menu, it will take you directly to Measi's info and sign-up page.

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January 16 - Topic: Introduce yourself, your projects, and any goals you have for the year!

My name is Jan.  As of October 2013 I am an unemployed (still job hunting) electronics stockroom clerk and homeless.  I'm 56 years old and currently living under my parent's roof.  I'm single (aka spinster) and have no kids or pets.  My projects, it seems, have been forever listed on the side menu of my blog page. 

My goal for the year would be to finish at least three projects that have a significant amount done already; That being:

1) Camelot Sampler - by Teresa Wentzler (TWDesignworks)
2) The Twelve Days of Christmas - by Teresa Wentzler (TWDesignworks)
3) Musical Bell Pull - by Donna Vermillion Giampa (Vermillion Stitchery)

The problem I'm having with several WiPs is that my tastes have changed over the years and I don't know if I will ever finish them.  I'm hoping that if I do a rotational system I can get 'em done.  If by some miracle I finish all three before the end of the year I will pick three more to continue on with.

And without further a-do here is what all three projects looked like from the last time I touched them.  
Remember to click on the pictures for a bigger image.

Musical Bell Pull - started ? last worked on Oct. 2008




A close up of where I left off.




Camelot Sampler - started March 2001 last worked on Nov. 2005

 

A close up of the jousting scene where I left off.

The Twelve Days of Christmas 
Started March 2004 last worked on Dec. 2004
For individual close-ups go to the WIP link on the side menu.

I will be starting my stitching rotation with Musical Bell Pull.  Bravo!!!  If you made it all the way to the end of this post.  For it has to be the longest one I've ever made. [LOL]


Happy Stitching and thanks for stopping by........

One last note:  I've added "A Vikings World" chart to my For Sale page.
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