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.