Northern Needles

Well…I did a wonderful start way bac in the spring.  And then I was overwhelmed, and I was busy, and I had too much on my plate, and then we had family visit, and then there were other projects, and then….and then….yes, there are a million excuses but the bottom line is I didn’t make it back.

Until last night!!!!  Wahoo….My Summertime Blues (by Silver Lining) is back on the stitching loveseat and getting some action. 

This is my first Silver Lining pattern that I’ve ever worked on.  I’m hoping I finish it as it’s beautiful.   So please check back in about 4 years LOL.

One of my favourite designers is having a mystery stitchalong on her yahoo message board.  I have just finished the second page!  Yay!!!  This way I may actually finish one of her pieces (I swear I’m a serial starter).

We don’t know what it’s going to look like other then it’s title is “Monarch Beauty”.  However now that page 2 has been completed…I think I may see a toadstool?  Is that a toadstool or could it be part of a wing?  I don’t know.  I can’t wait to see what the next page brings.

What do you think it is?

Nearly finished!!!!  For such a cute, small chart this one took forever!  I love Margaret Sherry’s work, and they adapt well to cross stitch with the help of a lot of “fiddly” stitches.  It’s those stitches that make it take so long but wow, do they make the piece.

I have one thing left to do, backstitch using DMC 169.  That is for the whiskers and for the backstitched boxes around each of the panels.  Unfortunately floss is few and far between up here so I’m waiting for the colour to come via mail.  Once it’s here, 30 minutes tops and it’s done!  WAHOO!!!

Here’s what it will look like finished.  Isn’t it just the cutest????

Just wanted to share a little bit of our world.  And before you ask, no my daughter does not have a moustache LOL…it’s one of her favourite things to take a long on car trips (I don’t know why!!!!)

My baby girl wanted me to point out once again, that the moustache is NOT REAL. 

Really.

She’s so funny.

Enjoy!

I’ve been remiss in updating my blog.  Life gets in the way.  Issues pop up that just complete stop me in my tracks.  I’m trying hard to work around them and be part of life again so bear with me please! 

 July 2008 brought good news for me from my publisher X’s and Oh’s (http://www.xs-and-ohs.com/).  My design Grandparents has been released.  And it’s my pleasure to let to you know that Hoffmans Distributing (http://www.hoffmandis.com/index.cfm) has picked it up for distribution.  Yay!!!  After a quick check they have also picked up a few others of mine (you can find them under X’s and Oh’s in the catalogue).  This means it will be easier to find me “in a local needlework shop near you”!

 Of course, we don’t have an LNS in the Yukon so I’ll have to take your word for it that I’m really out there LOL.

Here is a photo I’d like to share of my stitching of this pattern.  (note:  the leaflet includes several versions of Grandma and Grandpa so that you can personalize your piece to suit your family).   I’m a big fan of pulling my colours from my fabric.  I love to choose a wonderful fabric (this one shown was purchased at our local quilt shop here in Whitehorse, called  Bear Paw Quilts  -  http://www.bearspawquilts.com/ .  For a non-quilter I sure spend a lot of time and money in there! ).  Once the fabric chosen I pick my stitching fabric and use colours that match the sewing fabric.  That is how a lot of my designs begin.  Pretty sewing/quilting fabric that just calls to me and I must use it somehow.

This photo shows how it looks over 1 with a different fabric.  I’m going to make a needleroll out of this one….or use it as a small band to sew on a pillow.  It depends how wild and crazy I feel the day I manage to pull out my sewing machine.

I hope you enjoy working with my designs!  Happy Stitching!  Vivian