My Stitchalong

The calendar has turned to September.  The weather has (finally) turned cooler, the kids are back to school, and we're enjoying cool night outside by the fire pit.  It's a busy time of year for all of us.  My stitching hands have been busy, too! I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about how I'm finishing the mandala panda. Stitching is complete!  See what happens when I stick to working on one project?  I actually get something finished!  In truth, I loved this piece.  It was a true joy to work on.  It has been sent off to a friend, who is fabulous with a sewing machine, and she will be creating a tote bag with my panda as the center of the creation!!  I can't wait to see what she comes up with! My oldest WIP is a WIP no more!!  If my mom were here she would be so proud.  I was probably 19...20 when I bought it. As I said earlier, it's now September.  Do you know what that means!!  Fall stitching!!! It's a pumpkin pi pin!! 

We were away for our annual trip to the National Sports Collector's Convention a few weeks ago.  Since I had two recent finishes I decided that something new should be kitted up and brought with me.  I had lots to choose from, and the winner was Mandala Panda.  I started it just before we left. I got as far as his nose.  Progress was made while MJ and Z were at the convention.  By the time the week was out and it was time to head home you could really see the beautiful colors! It was wonderful to have some quiet stitching time.  Then we got home and it was back to reality.  Work, laundry, you all know how that goes.  That was when progress slowed. For several weeks I've had pain in my hand.  I kept saying it would get better.   I'm getting older, and it's just the aches and pains that go with it.   I finally broke down and went to the doctor.  The diagnosis? Something called calcific tendonitis, which is when a calcification forms on the tendon.  It

Can you believe I had two finishes this week?  TWO!!  I don't think that's ever happened in my stitching life time. Welcome to Hogwarts was one of this week's finishes.   This sweet little penguin was a quick start and finish.  A very dear friend of mine was suddenly hospitalized and had to have major surgery.  She loves penguins, and I knew I had a small penguin design...somewhere.  I found it pretty quickly, and decided to make it for her.  This is where having a decent sized stash of supplies comes in handy!! My husband and kids were told not to bother me unless someone had lost a limb, and I sat myself down and got to work.  It was delivered to her in the hospital the next day, and she was so touched that I thought of her.  Her surgery went well (thankfully), and she is on the long road to recovery. So, two finishes deserves a new start, right?  Normally I would say yes, but I'm trying to work on things already started. Passion Chocolat was star

Summer has definitely arrived!!  We went on vacation to Florida, and before we left the temperatures here at home were in the 70's.  It was 95 degrees every day we were away.  The heat really makes you tired, but we had a good time.  We seem to have brought the heat home with us, because since we got back it's been over 90 degrees every day!  I like the warmth, but I was not made for this heat!! I got no stitching done while we were away, but I've been trying to get some in since we got home, and I'm proud to see progress. Welcome to Hogwarts is looking great, and since we visited The Wizarding World of Harry Potter while we were away it's been it's been high in my rotation.     I did a little bit on the pandas, but they aren't showing as much progress.  I'll get back to them...eventually. One of the things we were working on before our vacation was having the living room, dining room, and kitchen painted because MJ and I ordered n

It was an exciting weekend.  My niece and God-daughter graduated high school!  MJ, Z, and I travelled from New York to Texas so we could be part of the festivities. My sister, Vicki, and I with the graduate.  I'm in the sleeveless brown dress. Z, me, my niece, and MJ. It was HOT in Texas!!  I knew it would be (my sister warned me), but I was definitely not prepared for the heat, although Vicki told me that it's not usually that hot (almost 100 degrees every day we were there) this early.  I guess I'm just lucky like that. Of course, when I travel my stitching goes with me.  I knew which stitching projects I was taking with me before I even knew what clothes I was packing!   Progress has been made on the panda project.  I have to finish the one panda, stitch the piece of bamboo they are each holding, and do the grassy area they are sitting on.  And the backstitching, of course.  Isn't there always backstitching? I'll close this p

I started stitching when I was a 19 college student on my summer break.  I fell in love with it instantly, and I've been stitching ever since.  Recently, I was looking for something in my craft closet and I found this: It was one of the first kits I ever ordered.  It got stuffed in the UFO pile because there were multiple counting errors, but when I found it I thought I would add it to my work in progress pile. The first thing I needed was more floss.  Did I really store my floss like that?  All rolled up and just thrown in the bag?  In my years since I started stitching I found a better way. The next thing I needed was new fabric. Since I don't really stitch on aida anymore I choose this yummy 28 count evenweave that I dyed myself. And I now have a brand new kit to work on! I love stitching!!