Last of the Asian Nights

This is how I received the block from the previous person. I was disappointed that half the patches were completely bare, and same with the seams. Why? Because I'm the last person to work on it. I added a lot, and it looks almost full now...

This is the block after my work. Since the theme is anything Asian, I added noshi ribbons (for good fortune, a Japanese tradition) to the top left. They came out better than I thought they would. I used colors already on the block for the ribbons and tacked them down with beads. On the far right, and it's a little hard to see, I added a bead seam treatment; its inspiration was the simple geometric designs found in Asian art.

Here's a close up of the noshi ribbons. Yes, I did thread them through each other.

And this is a closer view of the golden vine I added, along with the other seam. Its inspiration was also the geometric designs of oriental art, but this time the more complicated ones. I hope the recipient likes what I did.

Back to the Man

Time for some more outlining and filling in. The outlining goes so much quicker because there's less of it, but the filling in is just that - no having to count or anything.

New Group Project

My German stitching group has started a new project (again). Yes, it's the second of three! projects they've started this month. This one is called Zentangle and is designed by Elke Reiss. I have the complete outline of part one done and just neeed to fill in the middle with blackwork. I went waaaay outside my normal color choices on this, using a piece of Vikki Clayton's linen I had around and yet another mystery spool of hers. I like the way the colors go together.

Playing in the Middle

It was time to start the middle motifs this week, and you can see they're a lot different color-wise from the edge. I'm kind of surprised at how long this is taking me to do, but I really shouldn't be by now. Things always take longer than I expect.

Second Inside Done

The inner specialty stitches of the right garden are done! On top of that, some of the flowers in the bottom and on the left are complete too. Since it's one ply and in every intersection, it takes a while. I think I'll be able to start part 4 (finally) by February.

The Wheels on the Ornament

go round and round, round and round... yep more Jessica. This time it's the big dark one. I finished Midnight Garden last night, so this piece is the next on my accelerated stitching list. I'm halfway done now and I just need to finish it. Considering that it's so small, if I work a little on it every day, I should have it done in a couple of weeks. The counting can be frustrating sometimes, but I do like the look of it.

It's Got Measles

At least, that's what it looks like to me. I stitch over one in a modified continental, so it's very hard to frog. Guess I'll just work around mistakes as I find them. It's coming along pretty well, I think.

Gardening on Winter Days

The Midnight Garden is coming along quite well, I think. It stitches very quickly, but you need to remember to use a laying tool. Hardest part so far? The bullion knots.

Peeking Out the Windows

I made lots of windows to peek out of this week. It's coming along fairly quickly for me, and each bit brings out a little more character in the buildings.

White's Done

All the white is done until I get to the bottom banner now. That's a sign of real progress, I suppose. I also did some of the brown, again. Brown's going to be a theme for a while, but the skirt is growing.

Round Robin Complete

This was the last block I had to work on for the My Favorite Things round robin. It's so far out of my taste realm that I had a hard time figuring out what to do. I was also kind of shocked that it was sent to me with three patches naked even though I was the last person. I added the tea charms and butterfly included with the block and did some seam treatments. The only part I did that I like are the little asters blowing in the wind on the yellow patch.

A Face

completed! Even if it is one only a mother could love ... Bibendum's coming along. He's so easy to work on it's calming, especially when I have all the black done and just need to fill in the white. If anyone finds other Bibendum needlework designs out there, please tell me.

Half a Frame

I've got about half the frame done now. Yay! It's progress. I'm hoping to start in the middle stuff soon, so it looks less bare.

Oh Say Can You...

see the star? This is the first part of a design from my Marquoir German language stitching group. I changed up the colors somewhat, as usual, and used Vikki Clayton's silks. There was a lot of blackwork in this first section. We're being given 24 sections over a year to finish. Before you get a new section, you have to show them you've finished the previous. It keeps me motivated to keep up and not let it linger as a UFO.

Guess Who? Jessica

Yes, even more Jessicas this week. I told you there were more coming. Once you get the beginning done, they go quickly at least - especially the big ones.

Gardening Along

I completed the February portion of the stitchalong for Cyberpointers this week and found out something really valuable - never, ever snag your thread or let your dog jostle your elbow when you're doing those swirlies under the purple. It pulls and you never get them to lay flat again. That's my story as to why some of them look distinctly - odd. I'm having fun with this. It doesn't have a lot of repetition, so there's no boredom.

A Little Red

It doesn't look like much, but I added some red to the flag and some more filling out of the sashing on the side.

Little Cherries

So I'm still working on this over one, and it's going okay. The big thing is clipping ends and stopping and starting so the colors don't show through the back. It's especially important with the red and dark green. A lesson in being careful!

Handy

Bibendum has a hand! This is almost mindlessly easy to do when stitching the white, as it's just filling in the outlines. It's going fairly quickly, though, and he gets more and more personality with each stitch, so he's fun.

One Garden Done

I'm sorry this post's so late in the day - I had a busy, nonstitching one.

One full garden motif is done and a second one on its way to completion. The Rhodes stitches take a lot of floss because they're huge and fat - two strands of floss in every intersection. It's good to have a part of it truly done, at least. I could, I guess, do this one quarter at a time and get to other parts more quickly, but then I'd have to go back and do it four more times. Better, in my mind, to do it all and get it over with.

The Road is Cobbled

Yay, another finish! I got it done on Tuesday. Not even two weeks into the year and two finishes. Not bad. This, if you remember, is Cobblefield Road by Jean Hilton, taught by Ro Pace as a cyberclass oh ... a year and a half ago? The major thing I did wrong with it - and no, I'm not going to change it - is misplace the upper/lower border. It's off by one thread. I'm not going to let it cause me anxiety and redo the whole border, though. I think it looks fine. This piece stretched me with a few of the stitches, and the Edmar threads were awful to work with. They kink and twist no matter how careful you are. They did add some shine to the finished product, though.

A Couple of Colors

I'm still not to the fun part (the specialty stitches) yet, but the outline is coming along, if slowly. One day, maybe, I'll start finishing things more quickly when I get fewer than ten pieces in my rotation. On a bright spot, that's -all- the pieces in my rotation at the moment. I've let it balloon up to as many as fifteen before. Talk about feeling like you've made no progress!

Circles in a Line

This week I started the first of a whole bunch of Jessica stitches. The two lines didn't take long to do, and they have smyrna stitches in their centers. A lot of what's left is little Jessica stitches, so it'll look like I'm making comparatively less progress than I have been recently for a while.

Stitching Along

I'm leading a stitchalong for CyberPointers, and I chose this piece to stitch for it. Orna Willis graciously gave us permission and is even taking part in the Yahoo group! I'm so grateful for that, and everyone in the group is benefitting from her expertise. The design is up on the Caron site as a promotion for their Waterlilies line. I like the way it's looking so far. Others are trying different color combinations. I'm interested in seeing how they turn out.

Midi Framed

I believe this is the fastest framing job my husband has ever done. He got it done on Monday. The frame was one he'd ordered for a different project that didn't fit. It looks perfect with this, though.

Adding Some Windows

This week I added some windows to the upper left. They add a lot of character to the area, and I've started filling in the rest of the building. It feels good to see actual progress on this.

Lightening Up a Little

All brown this week, but all the lightest color. If you look, you can see it on the lower ribbon and just under the flag fold. All the blank spots in these light areas are for beads, since I do the beads last.

Yes, It's Tiny

This is another new start after all the end of year finishes. It's called Petite Monogramme aux Griottes and is a kit from Rouge du Rhin. It was in my stash and on top, so it got grabbed. What's special about this one is that it's completely over one. I'll probably finish it into a pinkeep when I'm done, though I think the initial in the middle's going to be a charm instead.

Centered

The big center motif of the last band is all done, and I'm itching to finish this. When it comes up in my rotation later today or tomorrow, I'll work on it until it's done. Now that I have it this far, I really like it, even though it's been frustrating at times.

Honey, Your Curves are Showing

This week, Bibendum got a lot of outlining. His eyes are all set in place now and his personality's coming out. It's going pretty quickly, and the more I work on it, the more I like it.

Summer Song Framed

I finished this over the summer, and my husband finished framing it yesterday. He did his usual excellent job. My daughter wanted this, so it's hers. I hope she takes care of it.

No Longer a Mystery

It's all done! I finished this New Year's Day. It will become a pillow in a week or two, I think. The pictures don't show the glittery bits of the fabric. I think it came out pretty well, though if I knew the design beforehand, I probably would have picked something else.

Every New Beginning is Another Beginning's End...

This is the beginning of Chatelaine's Workshop 01, a specialty stitch tutorial. The stitch to be done - Jessicas. I just started, so haven't done any yet, but there are a lot on this small piece. As I've been finishing pieces, I've been able to start new ones. It's great to get something fresh on the plate.

Tuscan Update

The first 'garden' is almost complete - all that's left is the Rhodes stitches around the outside. The part that takes the longest are the little Algerian eye stitches in the squares - it's sixteen passes in such a small space, but it looks good. Only three more to go, then finally to part four.

Goals for 2009

I wonder if I can be a bit more realistic in my goals for this year. I hope so! Anyway, here they are, in no particular order:

1. Finish Medieval Town Mandala. Doable, probably.

2. Make significant progress on my other Chatelaines, including finishing Workshop 1.

3. Complete Diamond Iris, an ANG Chapter Project Book project - this MUST be done by July 1, as I'm teaching it for CyberPointers.

4. Complete Midnight Garden by Orna Willis - the stitchalong I'm leading for CyberPointers. It starts Saturday.

5. Finish Bibendum.

6. Make 20 ornaments. These will probably be mostly temari.

7. Complete Cobblefield Road - this should be quick, as I'm about nine tenths of the way there.

8. Make a stocking for my husband.

9. Work The Traveler by Teresa Wentzler and the house by Barbara and Cheryl into my rotation.

10. Complete Lady of the Flag.

11. Do one crewel piece and one goldwork piece.

12. Make myself a purse.

13. Keep my rotation to ten pieces, no more.

14. Finish at least two UFO's and old WIP's.

15. Reduce my stash significantly.

I hope I can do all these!

So Close!

I'm almost done with this, and will probably finish it this week. Since this picture, I've finished the squares I had and received the final four. Oh, and we're starting a new project today in the group! It's a quaker sampler called "See the Star", really pretty. Look for it soon here.

How'd I Do? Looking Back at 2008

Last December, I posted my stitching goals for this year (http://blog.fiberholic.net/2007/12/stitchy-goals-for-2008.html). It's time to call myself to account and see how I did.

1. Complete the Medieval Town Mandala. I started it in May of 2006 and have been working steadily on it since then. It's about time it was done.

Not done, but I did make progress on it throughout the year.

2. Work two pieces that have been languishing for over a year into my rotation. Both are quite a ways toward completion. One is The Traveler by Teresa Wentzler. The other is a Barbara and Cheryl house.

Still not done, but will be in my rotation as I complete things in January.

3. Finish Crewel Choices. This has an actual deadline of the end of January.

Done!

4. Finish Celtic Knot. This one also has a deadline of the beginning of March. It's for my in-laws' 50th wedding anniversary.

Done!

5. Complete an ornament a month. It doesn't matter the method. Just make an ornament each month instead of bunching them all up at the end of the year.

Well, I did end up doing twelve, but they were bunched up at the end of the year and were mostly temari. I'm going to try to get better this coming year.

6. Complete the Take It Further Challenge. This means incorporating whatever the challenge is into a piece every month.

I managed to complete the January one and then got snowed under with other things.

7. Complete, on time, the two GCC's I've signed up for that start in the next couple of weeks. One is the 17th Century English Sampler and the other one is the Swiss Sampler.

English Sampler was completeded - Swiss Sampler was not started.

8. Make a new stocking for my husband. His got fused together in our last move and it's not well finished. He needs a new one.

Not yet started.
9. Complete Lady of the Flag to be raffled for charity.

Significant progress, but not finished.

10. Make significant progress on the Chatelaine pieces I'm working on that are not specificially listed otherwise in these goals.

Made progress on Tuscany but not the Victorian Garden.

11. Complete Midi Mystery 2. It was started in July of 2006. About time I got it done.

Done as of a couple of days ago.

12. Make one goldwork piece.

Did not make, BUT ... I received Luck of the Irish with its kit in the mail a couple of days ago. It will go into my rotation also in March.

13. Stitch Velo Bibendum for my husband. I haven't made anything specifically for him in a while. It's time.

It's started.

14. Make myself a purse. I don't have a single item of stitching that I wear or carry with me that's completed.

Not yet started.

15. Stitch a design created by my daughter Tory.

Done! It's the project for CyberPointers' January program.

Obviously, I could have done better. On the other hand, I could have done worse. Overall, I completed 48 pieces this year, including some big ones. I'll write my goals for next year tomorrow. They'll probably be overly ambitious too, but what's the worth of a goal if you don't try to stretch yourself?

Triangular Additions

The pieces of this I've been doing lately are big, so it looks like I've made a lot of progress. I added a second pipe and three triangles. The next bits are going to look like less done because they're all small Jessicas.

After Two and a Half Years...

It's DONE! I finished Midi Mystery 2 yesterday. My husband already has the frame and just needs to order some mats and do the lacing and such. The one thing I'd change on this is the background fabric, given a choice. I like the lavender plants in the corners and I looove the Desert Shadows color of Waterlilies. This is my largest Chatelaine finish to date, even though I've been working for a longer time on Medieval Town Mandala.

Doors

This week I added what look to me like doors to the buildings to either side of the central one. I feel like this is going more quickly now than part five did. Maybe I'll be able to accelerate it some.

All But the Beading

As of Friday, I was soooo close to finishing this. Everything but the beading is done and it was calling to me, so when it came up next in my rotation (yesterday), I just did a marathon beading session on it. I'll show you the results tomorrow.

One More Stripe

This week, the Lady's flag got one more stripe of red at the bottom and brown on the opposite edge of her skirt. It feels good to see her actually progressing again, and she'll be given a higher priority in my rotation as soon as the Totales Mysterie is done - hopefully by the end of the week.

Jeanne's Seamy Side

Yet another holiday finish to show you- I finished my work on Jeanne's block for the On the Seamy Side round robin. This is my last block to work on, and I had a bit of a problem - all that was left to work on seam-wise was a teeny two inch seam. I did it, though. I also did a flower in the stitch of the month - Cretan stitch. Then i added a ribbon around her tree because the center looked a little naked compared to the rest. The ribbon's actually the tie from Rose Anne's Christmas cracker that she sent me. I hope Jeanne likes the block. i think it looks really pretty.

Lovely Gift

The cats' grandparents sent me a present for Christmas! It's a lovely group of fibers from Stitching Bits and Bobs. Aren't they pretty? So many varieties too. I'll have to think on how to put them to best use. Thank you!

Back on the Road

I pulled this back out and into my rotation again, too! As you can see, it's very close to being done. I added the satin stitches in the middle of the medallion and all the smyrna crosses around it. I also fixed the triangular stitches that had pulled out in the major band above it.

All that's left to do on this is finish the outer border, four stars around the medallion, smyrnas around the medallion, and the two bottom corners of this bottom band. I hope to get it done by February.

Return of the Man!

Bibendum's back in my rotation. I finished enough things in the past week that I was able to add him back in. Since I have some projects with deadlines coming up - commitments for my needlepoint guild and for the EGA chapter - I've changed my way of adding things back in. Right now, it's alternating between something I've previously started (like Bibendum) and something new. I'm happy he made it back. When I stitch on him, he just takes on personality.

Slowly I Progress...

As you know, I fell behind on this while I was out in October and early November. I've been slowly closing the gap, and in this picture I'm on part seventeen of twenty. In the past week since this picture was taken, I've completed parts seventeen and eighteen and am working on part nineteen. It'll be done early in the new year.

Finish 25

Here it is - the 25th and final finish of my challenge! I decided to just get it done last time I dragged it out, even though there was quite a bit more to go. I -think- it's going to be framed. Anyway, there were a lot of little specialty stitches in it and, once those were done, it went rather quickly.

Temari Star

This is the last of the four balls I made for my husband's colleagues last week. It was interesting making the star pattern. It counted as one of my project challenge finishes and I hope the recipient liked it.