TA-DAH!!

So - I waited until now to post because I felt silly posting more update photos here of the same old same old.....

I am so thrilled that this is finished. It needs a good steam bath to fluff up the stitches and it will look better once stretched but IT'S DONE!!

Makhi by Landmark design - started Feb 2009 and finished Feb 2010. mbroider asked how big it is (and I don't think I've been asked that before!) It is stitched on 16 count aida and is 187x187 stitches which makes it about 12" square. This is the second Landmark design that I've finished of 10 that I purchased 2 years ago.

I finished Kazakh early last year.

I have started a third just today - I'll try to post the details tomorrow. I adore these patterns and hope to one day hang them in the stairwell.

Ginger, our puppy is starting to settle in and it has been wonderful to see our older dog becoming more playful again. The pooping continues, but I seem to be learning her schedule ;)

Do you think she'll grow into her ears??!?

Good night all,

New hooligan in the 'hood and Makhi again

I can see the finish line on this behemoth. I estimate another month for completion - barring any distractions like......

like this!!! This is our newest hooligan - Ginger. She is 8 weeks old, mostly shepherd with a little lab thrown in for good luck. I am smitten, and Madi - our most senior hooligan of the canine kind has taken to her like peanut butter in a kong. She needs to stop pooping on my floor though - it's really kinda gross. Any tips for house training? Madi was pretty easy - this one, we walked outside for an hour and then she came inside and pooped all over the floor. Discouraging, no? Good thing she's cute.

Good evening,

Caroline

Happy New Year's

So begins a new year - fresh starts and new resolve. I wish everyone a Happy New Year!

I have been stitching a lot - mostly on Makhi - I had a ton to rip out due to a mistake. I was not happy about that. I had thought that I would leave it in a closet somewhere, but actually, just kept working away at it.

I hope to finish up LHN's Holly and Berries tonight:

Santa was very good to me this year - lots of new stash and a new pair of Gingher scissors (my very first pair!) Plans tonight include lots of stitching and a movie, though not sure yet which one.

Phew!~

Hello out there for anyone still reading! What a month it's been. I have been busy so I'll give a little update on the projects that have seen the most love.

Here is my Papillon Creations SAL "How Does Your Garden Grow". I am now finally finished the first part and need to catch up the the other stitchers who have finished part three!

Makhi: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways....

Craziness - I am hoping to join in on Vonna's PS SAL - fabric is ready and I'm poised over the last chart, needle in hand. See this photo for the full effect: the picture that began teh crazy. Did you swoon a little? I did.

I finished the sweater for Hooligan #2. Since he'll be surprised all over again at Christmas, we decided to try it on a bit early and thankfully it fits. Hooligan #1's sweater is underway - I'm about 5 inches up the body.

So - there in a nutshell, has been my progress on a few projects. I really hope to update this blog more often, so please stay tuned!

Yellow Blanket

What a week it's been. I had been feeling really out of sorts about all of the projects under way and NOTHING being finish finished. I started my Christmas knitting (more on that later) but needed a cable from another project that had been on the needles for awhile. When I was pregnant with my son I began a blanket for him - sunshine yellow, soft, squishy superwash wool. It was a lace pattern, and I learned a valuable lesson about dye lots (always order extra...) and gauge - mine was off - but it was a blanket right? Who cared about gauge? Well, I worked away for a good 10 months on that sucker - it grew heavy on my big belly, and heavier on my post partum flab and lap. I was so disappointed with it (dye lot differences - I had tried striping it, gauge - it would be HUGE when done - and I have to finish it - you know - even if its wrong) Then I hated it. I couldn't work on it anymore. So, I abandoned it, and I decided that I would rip it out and use the wool to make something else. I couldn't deal with it, so I left it behind a few piles of stuff and tried to forget about it. Then, last weekend I really needed the cable needle that was buried under the stitches of that blanket. You should know at this point that my son's favourite thing in the whole world is his blue knit blanket that my SIL made - he can not sleep without it. He digs knit stuff. I worked so hard on that damn thing that even if it wasn't right - he would like it - and that was the whole point. I didn't even look to see if I was at a completed pattern repeat - I simply cast that sucker off, wove in the ends and presented it to him.

I think he approved. I now think that it's the greatest thing I've ever made.

I also showed Makhi some love.

Then I cleaned out a stash drawer. This is something I stitched last year for my little guy's room. If you'd like the pattern - I'd be happy to pass it on to you - please leave me a comment. It's LHN "Counting House".

Now, onto the Christmas knitting. I decided to make my kids matching sweaters (just the pattern, not the colours) because I've always wanted to - KWIM? I'm using Wendy Bernard's "Drive-Thru" pattern. Dudes - this is a great pattern. Easy even, and I'm a very basic knitter. So, I've already knit the body of the babe's sweater (in the round, bottom up) and now I'm on to the first sleeve. Here's where I have to give myself props. I taught myself the magic loop method of knitting (with the book - awesome instructions...) Wanna know what's so magic? It's one long circular needle, and I'm knitting a tube that won't need to be seamed!!!

SEE?????
So, thank you and good night.

Ready to start back......

We're home from a great couple of weeks away, decent weather and happy children. School starts back tomorrow and my teaching schedule starts back up as well - I teach private music lessons. It will be nice to see (most of) my students again. I was able to stitch in the evenings after the babe was in bed so Makhi was the project of choice. I did have a new start as well - I love it, but I'll keep you in suspense until tomorrow to see it. I think you'll like it.........

Dear Stewey......

Since Stella's been getting so much attention I thought it only fair to give Madi an introduction to the blog. Her given name is Madeira and she enjoys long walks and even longer naps. Stewey - Madi hopes that you are feeling better after your visit to the v-e-t, and is glad that it was you and not she that was there.

We love our girl dearly which is the only explanation for why we put up with four months out of every year - a shedding of fur that sorely test the limits of our vacuum.

Stitchy progress on Makhi:

Good night all!

Chirp, chirp.. there are crickets in the corner...

Well - it is official - I am really talking to myself. So - I guess the first person to tell me they want the PA Design gets it.

Here's Makhi - for some reason I'm loving working with the aida though it's been years since I've touched the stuff. It really works well with these designs. I'm almost halfway done!

I have been wanting to stitch this next one for a while. My husband will be away for most of this month and I've been feeling a bit blue about that. As a pick me up, I've got the floss and linen ready to go. I'll be stitching all three designs together within one border which is given as an option within the pattern.

So. My nemesis. This damn red house I have now stitched three times. It will not be done again :shaking my fist in the air: Perhaps I'll even leave it with a crumbling wall as a final "screw you".

So - there you have it. It'll be nice to get back into the stitching groove this month.

Love

I can't stop kissing him.... This face is very distracting, as you can see by the pile of laundry behind him.

"Of female arts" was actually worked on last night, just a wee bit of progress to show:

Also - Makhi is a very relaxing stitch with endless x's of DMC 799.

Has anyone seen Revolutionary Road? I'm considering watching it tonight - it looks good.

Have a great evening!

Fobs and lobs......

Here's the fobs I won from Laura 

too cute!

Updated Makhi photo:

And now - the Strumpet comes out - I can not remain faithful, lo though I try.... see this?

A week ago it looked like this:

I was using a thread that I hated. My local LNS owner (who now knows me pretty well...) knew that I had put this away and correctly guessed that I had put it away simply because I hated the thread so much - she suggested an alternative and now $50 later (gulp) I have hand painted silk that I am over the moon about (that's it in the before photo - it's like a really wonderful 13 year old cheddar next to Velveeta - no offense to those who like that product..... well, on second hand - dudes take offense, that stuff is nasty.

As of today, both hooligans are home for the summer. The littlest hooligan had his first hair cut, and promptly fell over giving himself a black eye which enhanced the hooligan factor.

As for the lobs - well, it is Wimbledon week after all......... Stay cool!

Strumpety behaviour

Well, yet again I find myself unable to stick with any one project - so thought I would post an update of the 4 projects that I seem to be going between.

I started the Primitive Needle - Of Female Arts a month ago - love this fabric, and stitching it one over one makes it teeny tiny.

My LHN design is growing, but I'm not sure I'll make my mid- June deadline (OK, so I know I won;t make it to be honest...)  The roof on my third house seemed to take forever.

I've put a few stitches in Makhi - love it, love it, love it.......

Lastly, my HAED which is causing me to dream about DMC 809. Blurg.

DH will be home again tonight for the weekend - what a relief! It's been a difficult week with my DS who had a mild reaction from his MMR shot last week. Totally normal, but made my normally sunny little boy a cranky pile of fussiness. Fortunately my DD (8) was great all week.

An update on the swallows - still nesting and her mate is pooping all over my porch furniture. Oh well - babies are a messy business. Happy Friday to all.

Friday!

So, tonight is SAL night with the blog "Let's Stitch". I'm working on a Landmark Design called "Makhi". I'll probably focus on the right hand side tonight.

I love Fridays, don't you? So many possibilities stretched out ahead to make the most of..... I'll be spending some time nibbling on these: