ChatelaineTag Archives

End of a Long Weekend

I love long weekends. The only bad thing about a long weekend is when it ends. Oh well, at least I have another one coming up this next weekend, so I only have to work three days this week.

I managed to put together a bundle this weekend for the Iraqi Bundles of Love project that I posted about on Friday. If I had more time to gather stuff up, I could easily have filled far more than one box, but this was what I was able to assemble on such short notice.

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Since it’s already bundled up, you can’t see the contents, but it has a variety of eight quilting fat quarters, 10 balls of matching yarn (can’t remember the brand now), five balls of novelty scarf yarn, two skeins of Lion Brand Homespun yarn, knitting needles, and crochet hooks. It’s then all wrapped up in a half yard of Moda sampler fabric. I also included a handmade greeting card thanking Major La Flamme and the other volunteers for coordinating this project.

In other stitching news, I was surprised at the end of last week with a gift certificate to my LNS from my friend Nicole in Chicago. I headed over to the shop on Friday to pick it up and, naturally, had no trouble putting it right to use. Here are the goodies I picked up:

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The charts are “Pumpkins 4-Sale” from Little House Needleworks and “An Apple a Day” from Plum Pudding Needleart. The fibers are for the new “Romantic Rose Garden Mandala” design from Chatelaine Designs that appears on the cover of the September issue of The Gift of Stitching digital magazine. I have no clue when I’ll ever get around to stitching it, but it’s definitely one I want to stitch at some point, so I figured I might as well go on and kit up the fibers. Here’s a partial pic of it from the cover:

After I left my LNS, I headed over to Joann to buy the ribbon to tie up my bundle for IBOL. While I was there, I stumbled across a little bundle of fat quarters of Halloween fabric that was on sale for $1 off. As much Halloween stitching as I do, I grabbed it for finishing. Here are a couple of pics. The first shows the whole bundle, and then the second one shows a better view of one of them since it was a large print.

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Lastly, I put in some stitching on Hagatha’s Slipper. It’s amazing how much longer it takes to put in that purple background stitching than you would think. I’m really trying not to focus on the fact that I have to do this all over again for the other side when I finish this piece. I’m really hoping this doesn’t turn out to be like so many single socks I’ve knitted over the years.

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Ok, that’s it for now. I really need to be in bed! Until next time …

8 September 2009

Misc., Stitching

8 comments

canvas, Chatelaine, Cross Stitch, Fabric, IBOL

8 years?! Seriously?!!

Happy Blogiversary to me! I can hardly believe it myself, but today marks the 8 year anniversary of my blog. I started blogging way back on August 1, 2001. My archives only go back to 2004 because I lost all the entries prior to 2004 when I moved from my original blogging service to Blogger. I ultimately moved on from Blogger to running WordPress installed on my server. Thankfully, I was able to port all of my Blogger entries over when I made that move, so I didn’t lose everything a second time.

I’m not sure how many posts I lost, but this entry will be #982 of what I still have. I guess I should have blogged a bit more this past month and then I might have made 1000 posts on my blogiversary. How cool would that have been?!!

I will be having a blogiversary giveaway, but I don’t have a photo of the package yet. Since I’ll be spending all day at the LNS for our monthly Saturday stitching group, I probably won’t get a chance to take one until Sunday. So, be watching my blog in the next few days for the details and entry information.

I have been doing some stitching this week. I’ve been working on Taj Mahal Mandala Garden from Chatelaine Designs. Because of the complexity & size of the design, it’s one of those pieces that I really have to be in a particular mood to work on it. It’s not one a piece that I can work on when I’m just wanting some relaxing stitching time. Here is my latest progress photo:

Well, that’s it for now. As I said, be watching for the giveaway announcement later this weekend.

Until next time …

1 August 2009

Cross Stitch, Misc.

9 comments

Blogiversary, Chatelaine, Giveaway, Taj Mahal

Knee Update & Stitchy News

I was stuck at home all weekend nursing my injured knee. It started aching a bit last week, but then gave way beneath me on Wednesday when I was out running an errand. It gave way beneath me again on Thursday morning, so I called my orthopedist to have him check and see why it was acting up again.

I was very fortunate and was able to get a work-in appointment for Friday morning. The ortho checked it out and said that it was just a flare-up and that those are very common when dealing with a torn meniscus. He said the best thing I could do was stay off of it for a few days, take pain medication as needed, and keep it iced to reduce the swelling. So, my weekend was definitely uneventful.

Between bouts of loopiness from the pain medication, I got in some good stitching time. I finished up Part 1 of the Mini Mandala Mystery IV from Chatelaine Designs that came out earlier this year.

Mini Mandala Mystery IV
Designer: Chatelaine Designs
Fabric: Silkweaver 32-count Peaceful Waters Lugana
Fibers: NPI, Silk ‘n Colors, Waterlilies, Petite Treasure Braid
Progress as of May 31, 2009

This photo doesn’t show off the fabric very well. I took it last night right before I headed off to bed. It’s not long available in their Lugana line, but they do still offer it in their Classic Linen line. Here is a more accurate color sample from their website.

Finally, as if I don’t have enough stitching projects going on already, I’m really hoping to start another one very soon. Jacqueline Holdsworth of Needleprint is going to be offering the Mary Wigham 1790 sampler as a free download on the Needleprint blog as part of an international SAL (stitch-a-long). Here is a photo of this lovely reproduction sampler:

On one hand, I’m very happy that she is offering the chart for this SAL for free. Yet, on the other hand, I’m saddened it’s having to be done this way due to the fact that the sampler was charted and sold commercially by someone else without license or permission.

The chart will be released in sections beginning today. The sections will be released weekly until the entire design has been made available. While donations are not required to download the chart, participants are encouraged to make a donation to the Ackworth School if you download the chart. This money will be used to help with the costs of conservation and possible purchase of more of these beautiful old samplers.

Well, that’s it for now. Until next time …

1 June 2009

Cross Stitch

3 comments

Ackworth, Chatelaine, Injury, Knee, Mary Wigham 1790, Mini Mandala Mystery IV, SAL, Silkweaver

Stitchy Update

Ok, so I didn’t get around to this yesterday after all. Oops! After I downloaded the photos from my camera, I just wasn’t happy with how they turned out when I saw them. I decided to wait instead and take some more pictures before posting. Here are my latest stitching adventures:

Petites Lettres Rouge
Designer: Blackbird Designs
Fabric: 25-count Cream Lugana
Fiber: Gloriana Red Clay
Stitched 1 over 1
Progress as of May 5, 2009

Southern Stars
Designer: Dinky Dyes Designs
Fabric: Silkweaver 32-count Poltergeist Lugana
Fibers: Dinky Dyes silk – Yallingup and Saltbush
Progress as of May 10, 2009

Mini Mandala Mystery IV
Designer: Chatelaine Designs
Fabric: Silkweaver 32-count Peaceful Waters Lugana
Fibers: NPI, Silk ‘n Colors, Waterlilies, Petite Treasure Braid
Stitched 2 over 2 except braid which is 1 over 2
Progress as of May 17, 2009

Letters from Nora – Letter M
Designer: Nora Corbett
Fabric: 32-count Waterlily
Fibers: Crescent Colors, Treasure Braid
Stitched 2 over 2 except braid which is 1 over 2
Progress as of May 16, 2009

I also picked up what is basically the last of the items from my exceptions list for my 25 Project Challenge. The only items still remaining are the classes I’m taking this summer/fall. I also slightly modified my list to remove the Just Cross Stitch ornament issue because I will get it free anyway as part of my subscription to the magazine. I keep forgetting it’s included now and not a separate purchase.

As for what I did pick up from my exceptions list, I went by my LNS on Saturday and bought the final 3 charts for Boo Club and the threadpack for ABC Lessons. Both are from Lizzie Kate. I have no idea yet when I’ll stitch ABC Lessons or what fabric I’ll use for it, but I knew I wanted to stitch it as soon as I saw it the first time.