TUSAL

Here is my ort vase for the month. The autumn-y blob on top is the product of stitching on a fall-themed pinkeep. I am trying something different for the pinkeep, and it is not coming out how I pictured it, but I think it will still look good. Can't wait to post pictures of the finished result!

I also have some other lovely things to show, when I have the time and energy to do a real post some day. Not that anybody is hanging on every blog post. :)

TUSAL

Not much progress this month. See the little fluff of color above the white bunch? That's it!

TUSAL and OakHaven SAL update

TUSAL and update

Only posting once a month works pretty well for me. It helps me keep a record of my stitching, and the TUSAL deadline keeps me motivated both to stitch and to post.


I got a lot (for me) of stitching done this month. Worked on the OakHaven Owl SAL, my Fair and Square Blackbird Designs round, and Sophie's Pincushion from Shepherd's Bush. So, my TUSAL update shows quite a bit of progress!

There is a satisfying lack of dust in this picture. Thank goodness I took a sec to wipe the edges with my skirt!

And here are the April and May birds from the OakHaven SAL. They are too cute - love the baby owl!

As it's a holiday weekend here, I will have to try and post again about my lovely Fair and Square exchange and the SB pincushion I mentioned above.

TUSAL

When it came time to takes pix of my latest TUSAL contribution, it had been so long since I last stitched that I had to search for my ort bag...

Here it is, snuggled underneath my Favorite Stitching Book Ever. I'm using stuff from "A Stitcher's Journey" by Blackbird Designs for the current Fair and Square round.

I haven't put floss through fabric for at least a week and a half, so my threads are still in my adorable tiny ort bag. Isn't is fabulous?

Don't look at the dustballs. They ruin the magic.

Here is my paltry progress. I *have* stitched, I swear, but I must be super frugal with floss this time around. More likely, I haven't stitched as much as I thought. I think I stitch in my dreams.

My cats are not allowed near my stitching. HOW IS THERE A WHISKER HERE? Wait, maybe that's mine...

And a shot of that lovely crystal vase full of string:

It isn't even the new moon!

Time for an update, and it's not even because I need to post my TUSAL progress!

I *finally* got some decent photos of the squares Jennifer of Sweet Pea Stitches sent me for Round 23 of the Fair and Square exchange (accepting new members!).

Rhodes Butterfly Biscornu by Kincavel Krosses

This is why I'll never be a star in the stitch-blogging world. My photography skills are near zero. I could not get a photo to do justice to how pretty this is! I just love these - the colors are lovely, and the Rhodes Butterflies are perfectly stitched. The pretty pale yellow is Jennifer's own hand-dyed floss color. Beautiful! Thank you, Jennifer!

I also finished March's owl from the OakHaven SAL for the Yahoo group.

Another cutie. You can't tell in the photo, but he's stitched on Mint Julep Jobelan by Dyeing4U. I miss that company - yep, this has been in my stash around ten years! Tonia kindly sent me April AND May, so that's what I'll be working on for the next couple of weeks. I am also finishing up my squares for the Blackbird Designs round at Fair and Square.

TUSAL

Just a quick post to share my TUSAL progress. I actually did get some stitching done during our move, so there are some pretty greens and pastels in there.

I finished my March installment of the Oak Haven SAL, and received some gorgeous Fair Squares from Jenn. I am having a terrible time getting decent pictures; it has been grey and cloudy lately. I will try again and post on those later.

Fair and Square exchange

My partner, Jenn, received the squares I stitched for Round 23 of the Fair and Square exchange. I had such fun stitching these, and I'm happy I can show them now! Here they are:

Designer: Brenda Keyes of The Sampler Company
Pattern: one block from Sampler Musings
Fabric: 32 ct. light mocha
Threads: DMC as charted, except for the crab. I chose what I thought was a "crabbier" color than the original.
Note: the signature square also contains a fish motif from Hillside Samplings.

For some reason, as I was nearing the middle of the first square, I panicked because I thought the mailing deadline for this was April 4. It was April 18, which explains why nobody had noted they mailed their round. I am NEVER first to mail, that should have clued me in! At any rate, I ended up staying up all night on the 3rd to finish up, and left off the simple border that framed the pattern.

I think they turned out very cute. Jenn says she likes them, so that is what really counts!

EDIT: (Just in case anybody is reading!)The Fair and Square exchange is accepting new members. You can check out the rules here, then go here for instructions on how to join. It would be great to have more active members! One of the things I love about this exchange is that it is a "stitched piece only" exchange. Putting together packages of goodies is fun, but it can get expensive and a little competitive feeling for me. This is simple, and it is so wonderful to have stitched pieces from all over the world!

TUSAL

I can't believe a month has gone by already. I do have a small bit of stitching, but can't show it yet, as it's for the Fair and Square exchange.

On to my progress with the TUSAL. Here is the product of my stitching this past month. Truth be told, I feel like it's more the product of frogging! That's a story I'll tell when I post pics of my Fair & Square round.

As you can see, I am finally gathering a good amount of orts! Nice evidence that something is being accomplished. Please excuse my ironing board background. We are in the middle of moving and all of my pretty fat quarters are in storage.

Daffycat is the host of the Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long (TUSAL). This year's list is closed, but Daffy's blog is fun to read, and you can find links to tons of other inspirational stitching bloggers there, too.

Update!

Well, I decided to give myself a chunk of stitching time, and I managed to finish the February owls by Tonia of OakHaven Designs. They are so cute!

Daffycat, host of the Totally Useless Stitch-a-long, asked about how to join this SAL. It is for members of Tonia's Yahoo Group. It is the kind where you finish one section and post a picture, then you can be sent the next month's pattern. You could e-mail Tonia to see if she is still accepting participants. Whether you can or not, you could still join the group - she is freebie crazy and has TONS of for purchase designs you can only access as a member. Her designs are sweet and simple; I love them!

I have been stressing because I have a few stitching projects lined up but LIFE keeps getting in the way. My husband and I have started a program to improve our health - I am talking MAJOR lifestyle change. It is well worth the effort, but it has turned our lives upside down and been quite an adjustment. We are also moving at the end of April. So I will have to manage my time very carefully in order to get the real important things done, namely my stitching projects! This is what I have lined up:

1.) Fair and Square Round 23 squares - I have a plan for these, just waiting to hear back from my partner to make sure my slight deviation from the rules is ok by her. Not worried about this one - I am sure I can get it done on time.
2.) Something stitched for the TUSAL prize basket. I have some time on this one, since it won't be sent out until the end of the TUSAL.
3.) A birthday present for my sons GF, due in late May. I worry about this one, because it is right in the midst of unpacking and cleaning our old apartment.
4.) Keeping up with the Owl SAL. Not sure what to do with this, because I am packing up most of my stitching supplies, so I won't have my huge stash of fabric to choose from in April or May. I may have to resort to picking up whatever looks nice from my LNS.

Unless I am forgetting something, that doesn't seem too bad. I am not a speedy or consistent stitcher, though, so I will definitely have to keep up with it.

I wanted to say thanks to the kind stitchers who have commented on my blog! Compared to some of the more popular and entertaining stitching blogs, my feeble efforts aren't worthy of notice. So, I appreciate it when people are nice enough to say hi. Thank you!

I am so sad!

I was so resolved to get some stitching done this month, so I would have more than just my TUSAL. But I only got a few stitches into the Oak Haven designs SAL. So, here is that pic:

I know it is March, but I hope I can get it done in the next couple of days and that Tonya will still be kind enough to send me the March section.

And, here is my ort vase, with a tiny, miniscule addition of threads. You can see that I keep my stitching tray all set up in hopes of getting time to throw in a few stitches!

TUSAL

Haha, my stitching train almost totally derailed this month! I am working on a freebie and a surprise project, so if I get time I'll post pics during the week.

BUT - I did add a tiny bit to my ort jar. As you can see, I went overboard from last time, and chose a huge fancy crystal vase this month. It IS a month for flowers, and I thought it looked pretty with my heart fabric. (My in-need-of-paint walls are another matter - don't look.)

Anyway, here are my orts. It's sort of hard to see my threads, but they are there!

Thanks to the people who stopped by and commented on my first finish! I plan on visiting blogs this month of other TUSAL members to see what you all are up to!

First finish of 2011!

I'm so excited - I have never finished something so early in the year before!

This is the first installment of OakHaven Designs Months 2011 SAL. I omitted stitching the month at the bottom because I'm waiting to see how the others look before I decide if I want to use them as monthly patterns. I love this little guy!

Designer: OakHaven Designs
Pattern: Months 2011 - January
Fabric: 28-ct Powder Blue Meran
Threads: DMC as charted, except I substituted 3750 for the recommended 937
Started: January 4, 2011
Finished: January 5, 2011

TUSAL

I haven't actually been added to the TUSAL list on daffycat's post, but since it's time, I'm posting anyway. Here is my first mostly empty jar for the Totally Useless SAL. I'll probably get something different to store these in, I just used what I had for now.

You can join the TUSAL here.

Let's Try Again

After so long a silence, all my (few) readers have left! It's to be expected, of course, and I've come to the realization that I'm not really a "blogger", like some of the beautiful stitching blogs I follow.

Still, I do want a good way to keep records of my stitching. I re-joined the Fair & Square exchange, and am anticipating being in a stich-a-long or two, as well as an exchange or two. I am firmly determined to make this the year of stitching without guilt, and I don't want to lose track of what I accomplish.

I also want to join the TUSAL run by daffycat. It sounds like fun, and there is a giveaway! Hop over to her blog and see what it's all about!

So, here are my planned stitching projects for 2011:

1. Fair & Square rounds - all the regular rounds and special holiday rounds if I feel up to them at the time.

2. The Queen's Sampler: Elizabeth I by Plum Street Samplers. (This was my New Year's start.)

3. 2011 SAL by OakHaven designs. You can check Tonia's Yahoo group here.

4. Valentine's Day card exchange on the SanMan Originals message board.

And, here is my progress on my New Year's start:

The Queen's Sampler by Plum Street Samplers
32-ct Light Chino by R & R Reproductions (think this is discontinued)
DMC as charted
Started: January 2, 2011

Oh, and I forgot to put the pattern in the picture - here is what the finished product will look like: