Rose Round Robin and Help, Please

I really need to get this done soon, so I've been working on it most every day this week. Why? Because I received the new one in the mail day before yesterday! Time for me to get working on it. So, I'll try to finish this up next week some time. My problem is the next one. It's a French poem about stitching and is really pretty. Evidently, we're supposed to put needlework tools in the border around it. I have no real charts for thimbles, pincushions, or scissors. Does anyone know of some out there? I know about the Bleu de Chine heart, but I want to put something on there they'd not regularly come across - in other words, something by a non-French designer. If you know of something that might suit, tell me please? I'm thinking of actually going to the point of making up a pincushion chart and a thimble chart ...

To Rhodes and Back

After this picture was taken, I finished Part 1! I'm only two months behind. It looks really pretty, and the pictures don't do the copper metallic braid justice. I won't be doing the beads until the end because of the Q-Snap situation, but I'm pleased with the effect so far. Part 2, I've heard, is a lot of work, and it looks like it. At least I've already started.

Tucks and Tweaks on Ribbons and Roses

All the edges are now neatly trimmed up and the strap is 28.5 inches long. After this picture, I sewed up one side of the bag and was surprised by how nice it looked. Strangely enough, I'm beginning to feel I'm nearing the end of this project despite the large amount of beading around the edges and the rest of the beading for the rose to go. Perhaps my feeling is right, though. I'm getting through.

Needlepoint Heart

I managed, today, to stitch the rest of the outer pink color of the heart. Still have to add the darker lines, but at this rate I -should- have this done next week. Maybe even by the end of this week. I needed a quick little project to complete and will put another short one in my rotation when I finish this one. I'm still thinking of finishing this one as an ornament, although I might put it as the top of one of those spiffy Lifesavers Sours metal boxes.

Corner Coming Along

Well, I got more blue and gold done on the corner. If you want to see other colors in this part, you're out of luck. It's all blues and golds. Luckily for me, I like the combination. The very corner part somewhat mirrors the four corners already done earlier in part three. I'll be working on part five for months, I think.

The Tale of the Appearing Pots

I got one pot done, at least. They're coming along and it's a lot easier to do than the arches. Once I'm done with the pots, there are a lot of Rhodes stitches to put into different areas. Maybe I'm over the slump I was feeling about this. I can hope so - I'd like to finish this some time in the next year.

Presents!

Several weeks ago, Yveline wrote to me and asked me to get some extra Waterlilies for her in the color I sent her for Christmas. It took quite a while because I used Stitching Bits and Bobs, but I sent them to her last month. Last Saturday, I received these two things in the mail from her as a thank you. The hexagon is a needle case, and I'm sure I'll put it to work. The white square is an exquisite piece of hardanger - the second piece of hardanger I've ever owned. I LOVE it. Yveline won't read this, though ... she only speaks French and is part of the round robin group I belong to. I'm writing her a separate thank you and hope to get to see her and some of the others when I go to France in just under two months.