Weeks!

Just a shot of some of my latest stash from eBay:



I recently completed two auction purchases for 10 skeins of Weeks Dye Works flosses each... there were a few duplicates, so I didn't include all 20 in the photo. But they're so pretty!

Another thing I recently discovered was "grab bags" at my LNS, Thistle Needleworks in Glastonbury. They put all the little ends of fabric in $5 grab bags and you can get some really interesting stuff in there! If my cold is gone tomorrow I hope to go up there and "grab" a couple more of these bags! It is fun to experiment with different types of fabric, and since I like to stitch small designs anyway, it's perfect for me.

In stitching news, I have started on the watering can for Renee's Round Robin (which arrived here on Wednesday). I am about halfway done with it. I think it's going a little faster than when I stitched the same design for myself. I have made a couple of small changes to it, which you can see for yourself once I post the finished version.

WIP: Stiefmütterchen

At long last!


Click to enlarge image.

Renee and I are stitching these pansies as a stitch along, which means we are both working on the same pattern. However, we have already diverged! For her second pansy, she stitched the one beneath the first pansy, rather than the one next to it. I am really looking forward to doing that orange one she stitched -- I think it is really pretty.

I'm enjoying this project so far. I really like the colors. Even though the pansy I just stitched is basically only yellow and brown, it really looks great beside the purple one! I think it'll be cool when I have them all done.

But for now, I need to turn my attention elsewhere. Today I received the next installment in the Round Robin -- coincidentally, it was Renee's watering can robin. I've already picked a pattern and I know it won't take me that long to stitch, so I think I will do that next and then move on to the bigger project I need to be working on.

SAL: Stiefmütterchen

I started something new on Thursday. My first Stitch-Along!

Renee and I are both stitching a pattern by Der Feine Faden, called "Stiefmütterchen." If you are wondering what the German word "Stiefmütterchen" refers to (the direct translation is "little step-mother"), check out the photo that came with the chart:



Yes, that's right! They're pansies!

Renee and I both love pansies, so this will be a lot of fun to work on together. Neither of us really knows how a SAL is supposed to work, though. Do you try to stay together? Do you put the piece into both of your rotations? Or do you just talk about it as you go along? I'm sure it depends on the people involved. Renee and I are both pretty laid back so I am sure we'll work out something that fits us both.

Already it's been good to talk about the piece together. Renee has the kit for this piece and I just have the chart, so I asked her about what size linen was recommended. (I ended up going with 32-ct antique white Lugana, actually, and it's a dream to stitch on.)

And then we noticed that the squares marked on the pattern (for each pansy) were not actually squares -- in fact, they weren't even all the same size. We both came to the same conclusion that they should be 42x43 stitches. It was great to be able to talk about it though!

Our pieces are already different, since Renee changed the color on the long stitch to navy blue and stitched it with two strands instead of one. Mine is done with the one strand of green suggested on the pattern.

Today I am planning to finish up the long stitch and start on the first pansy. I am really looking forward to this! Renee and I will be sure to keep you updated on our progress!

HD: Round Robin

My round robin square is done!



It doesn't look that involved, does it? I swear, after the amount of time it took me, I feel like I should have a Mirabilia angel to show for it.

It's one of four coordinating patterns from an English cross stitching magazine, stitched in DMC colors. I picked this pattern from the ones the RR owner provided because it was in purple, pink, and green -- three of my favorite colors. And I did enjoy working with these colors, very much.

Anyway, I'll be sending this off to England this week. And then I'm looking forward to stitching on Renee's watering can RR!

Random Update

Stash:
Yesterday I ordered from European Cross Stitch two of the patterns from Der Feine Faden: Sommerlaune and Kreuz und Quer. This was my first order from ECS and I'm pretty impressed with the prices and the service so far. I had a question about my order and Cindy wrote me back immediately with an answer. The prices are also decent, considering that shipping is free, and the charts I ordered seem to be tough to find outside of expensive kits in Europe. I am looking forward to getting these charts. I already have Stieffmütterchen and plan to work on it as a Stitch-Along with Renee soon.

I need to pick up flosses now, and my local A.C. Moore is having their 8 skeins for a dollar sale until Tuesday. I will either try to get over there this weekend or on Monday. I need fabric, too, but I think I'll wait on that until I can get to the Thistle in Glastonbury.

Stitching:
I'm a little frustrated because I am STILL stitching on the Round Robin and it's just going so slowly. The design is 63x63 solid stitches (only whole stitches, not even any back stitches), and wow. I really expected it to take about half the amount of time it has.

This has really made me aware of what a slow stitcher I am. I'm not really sure what to do about it. I do think I've gotten a lot faster since I started stitching again (around a year ago) but I'm still amazed at how quickly some other stitchers seem to finish things -- and BIG things, too (Carol and Kim come to mind). I do realize they both spend more time stitching than I do -- Carol stitches daily without fail (and has since the beginning of 2004) and Kim stitches an average of almost 20 hours a week. I don't think I'm approaching that in a normal week.

But I wonder sometimes, if my actual stitch-by-stitch rate is really as slow as it seems to me.

Stuff:
This has been a long week at work and I'm hoping to use the weekend to rest a little, although of course there's plenty of housework, etc, that needs to be done. It's raining like crazy out there today and it's supposed to continue for most of the weekend, so let me just say... I'm grateful it isn't snow!