Progress on Gentle Stitches and Haul from The Stitching Post

As promised, here is my progress on Gentle Stitches by Shakespeare's Peddler. I haven't done a lot of stitching this week because I was quite busy with house buying related errands, but here it is.

I'm really glad I switched to the whiter linen, and I can't wait to get to the prettier pinks and greens in this piece.

I'm using the Thread Heaven for this and I like it. I think it really cuts down on those annoying looped knots you get on the back of your piece when pulling your thread through. The thread does feel like it is dragging less, but that could also be due to the plain Zweigart linen rather than the Lakeside Linens I started on, which was a bit "fuzzier".
 

I don't know about other stitchers, but I have as much fun going to the stitching shop and planning new projects as I do actually stitching. I got a few things this week at The Stitching Post.

First is this cute "2009 Santa" pattern from The Prairie Schooler:

 

I'm going to stitch this for my hockey-playing boyfriend and personalize with Washington Capitals colors. I don't know when I'll get to this one, but hopefully in time for Christmas. 

I love Autumn and Autumn colors, so this monochromatic piece by Little House Needleworks caught my eye:

The pattern came with this Belle Soie silk floss:

But I couldn't resist the fall colors of these three silk skeins by The Thread Gatherer Silk N' Colors:

Top to bottom they are Rusty Amber, Apples & Oak Leaves, and Autumn Foliage.

When I got home I did some playing with linens from my stash:

I think I'm going to use the Rusty Amber silk (middle above) and the Summer Khaki linen (top left above) but I don't know, they're all so beautiful and each would give the piece a slightly different feel.


I'm also thinking about stitching this piece, which has been in my stash for MANY years, and would look good in my new kitchen:

I'm going to use the floss below, Highland Garden Dark by Gloriana, and either Summer Khaki (top) or Stone Grey (bottom) Newcastle linen. Again, two different feels based on which linen I choose.

I have a lot of stitching to do! Maybe I should do more actual stitching and less playing with stitching goodies ;)

A recent finish and a start

Hello again!

I'm so thankful that I have two followers, even if one of them is my mom :) Shout out to Belinda of Blue Ribbon Designs for being my first follower! I will work on getting more now that I have a second post and readers can get a better feel for what I will be posting.

Since I have been stitching for about 12 years, I will have to get you caught up on some of my favorite past stitches. The one I want to share with you today is called Glory House '12 by Chessie & Me. Even though this was a very recent finish (just earlier this month, for the Fourth of July), it might be my all-time favorite stitch. I prefer small designs that give quick gratification and I love stitching American flags.

I believe this all-inclusive kit was released at this year's Nashville needlework show, and I purchased it at The Stitching Post in Catonsville, MD. It is stitched on 36 count Vintage Pearled Barley linen by Lakeside Linens with Crescent Colours Belle Soie silks. Everything just came together beautifully for this kit, and the linen and silks were wonderful to stitch with. 

Here is a better look at the top half: 

the Smyrna crosses used for the berry and the outer border and the rice-stitched door: 

and the cute little over-one bluebird: 

The only modifications I made to the pattern were making the right edge of the flag straight rather than giving it a ragged edge and using cross stitch instead of satin stitch for inside the plant pot. Now I have to decide if I want to frame this tiny little piece or make some sort of pinkeep or cushion. Any suggestions on finishing ideas? If I do choose a pinkeep there are all kinds of Americana quilting fabrics that would look so cute for the back of the piece. 

I am anxiously awaiting my Strawberry Collection pattern by Beth Twist of Heartstring Samplery and coordinating linen to arrive from the Ye Olde Cross Stitchery website, but it is taking quite awhile since the 40 count Putty linen from Weeks Dye Works is backordered. I hope I like the linen when it finally arrives, since I've never seen the color in person. 

While I wait for my package to arrive, I'm going to try to stitch another relatively quick-looking piece that I've had in my stash. It is "Gentle Stitches" by Shakespeare's Peddler. 

This design was released as a special Nashville Market Release partial kit with another pattern from Little House Needleworks and five skeins of Crescent Colours cotton floss that work for both pieces. I prefer this pattern but there is enough floss to stitch both pieces. 

Last night I started the project on a piece of 40 count Light Exemplar linen by Lakeside that I had in my stash but I decided I didn't like how it looked. 

So I went to The Stitching Post today and bought some 40 count Antique White Newcastle, which is closer in color to what the pattern actually calls for (Porcelain by Lakeside). 

While the pattern calls for 32 count linen, I am stitching on 40 count because I think the piece will fit nicely into a 5 x 7 dowry box from Olde Colonial Designs. This picture is from their website: 

It will make a nice stitching box with the stitching-themed sampler, and perhaps I will pull some of the motifs from the sampler (buttons, scissors, spools of thread) and make some smalls such as a pin cushion or scissor fob. 

So I restarted the sampler tonight with the new linen, and I am liking it so far. I also purchased some "Thread Heaven", a thread wax or conditioner, because I am so spoiled from stitching my last piece in silks that the cotton feels like it is dragging. I'll let you know how the Thread Heaven works.

Well wow, blogging takes a lot longer than I thought! Better wrap this one up. Next time I'll show you another favorite past stitch, my progress on Gentle Stitches, and review the Thread Heaven. 

Thanks so much for visiting. I really hope this blog will come to be read by lots of my fellow stitchers and give the kind of inspiration that other stitching blogs have given me. 

Until next time, 

Kate