What we're stitching now...

No, I didn't come up with it, I bought the chart while on a business trip with my dh. I did change all the colors though-- I seem to be totally unable to stitch a chart entirely as designed.

If you'd like the chart, I'd be glad to mail it to you -- just email me privately with your address, and I'll send it off tomorrow.

-- Jere

Jere Williams said

As Buddy on Night Court used to say "I'm feeling much better now" and have been doing the finishing for completed projects. The estimate I got for framing Inspirations' Tea Time was way more than I wanted to spend, especially since I wasn't that crazy about the frame and matting that I picked out. I lucked out at A.C. Moore -- an 11 x 14 frame in almost the right finish for a mere $3.00!!!!

I also made a purse with candlewicking design of sea shells that had been languishing in a drawer for months and another purse using the silhouette from the personal hygiene ad that was inspiration for previously mentioned Belle. This time, the flowers on the head are plastic ones picked up at Hobby Lobby in

2/$1 packages -- if future daughter in law likes it, I'll do more as gifts for her wedding attendants.

Sounds beautiful.

I admire anyone who can do those designs with so much shading and color changing.

I do believe those days are behind me.

-- Jere

Ah, an amaryllis.

Did you ever hear the old song: "O'er the flower bespangled grass trips the lovely amaryllis...."

My mother used to sing that all the time.

-- Jere

What does being good have to do with cross-stitching????

I used to have all sorts of "shoulds" about my stitching. Then I heard yet another quote about such as that: "Don't 'should' on me."

Now I'm free, free, free -- and stitch what I want, how I want. So much more fun.

Thanks so much to everyone for this -- it's really cheering to "see" what you are all doing, and gives me ideas for new projects -- as if I need any more ideas. Talk about being SABLE. I have more than enough for TWO lifetimes.

I suppose the buying of charts has now become more addictive to me than the actual stitching of them.

I've told dh that when I die, he's to come to this newsgroup and offer my stash -- my daughters would just sell it all at a garage sale for pennies on the dollar.

-- Jere

I fell in love with the quotation: "If you cannot be kind, at least have the decency to be vague." Now to find the appropriate border to put around it.

Pat in Illinois

I just finished 2 large sort of mille fleurs letters for our apartment door (4 and L) - I had to make up the 4, starting from the initial I, because there were no numbers. I used 6 strands of floss on 10 count plastic canvas. It looks spectacular!

've started a free mermaid pattern (Trick or Treat Mermaid) on verysmall count fabric, probably 36. I'm using a beautiful overdyedfabric but it will take awhile. I'm waiting for some threads tostitch the cat and mouse design (Handworks). Knitting - working on a lovely baby alpaca scarf for a friend. Waiting for needles to do a lace scarf for my sister.

If I get bored there are so many UFOs to choose from!

Alison

I'm about 1/4 of the way through a Queen Angel fish cross stich pattern. It's based on a photo my husband took - and it's my first try at designing my own patterns.

So it's taking a while since I'm constantly changing things in the pattern as I stitch

Patty

My top priority project at the moment is a gift for my doctor from "More Professionals" by Dennis Originals. Anyone who can reduce my pain by that much deserves a present!

Oh that's a great one -- that goes in my quote book.

In the spirit of changing things...

Many years ago, during a distressing term of unemployment, my dh decided he wanted a cross stitch of the USAF Thunderbird aerial demonstration team. I told him in no uncertain terms that I had no intention of stitching the same thing four times. I had a chart of one airplane, he wanted me to add the paint scheme they use, and then stitch four planes in the diamond formation they use when they fly.

So he did it -- adding the paint scheme, and even changing the perspective of each one so the planes looked correct in their formation.

It now hangs in his office -- and people never believe he's actually the one who stitched it.

Imagine my delight when I saw the new Quick & Easy magazine from the UK -- not only did it have a free Tinker Bell kit (younger daughter, aged 31, loves "Stinker Bell"), but it also has a chart of the Red Arrows (Brit aerial demo team). I may just stitch this one for him myself. Christmas next year??

-- Jere

Hi everyone,

I've been working on temari balls, and Monday night I finished my second 4 inch diameter ball for a Christmas Exchange I'm involved in.

Last week I put together a couple of canvaswork ornaments that I had stitched 2 years ago, so those are now ready to hang on the tree when it goes up. I also stitched two Kogin squares to make into scissor fobs.

I purchased the threads and prepped a piece of 32 ct. antique white linen to stitch "Charlotte", and should get the first stitches in today.

also have a pair of flannelette pyjamas cut out and ready to sewtogether, should get those started today. ...add all this to my UFO's which are TIAG's "Farmers Market", Mirabilia's "Fairy Moon", and a host of others...

take care, Linda

"LIghthouse Cove" Dimensions - 60% done

On tap: that Iris thing from Candamar which the friend unloaded on me.

Mental plans for a ndlpt cat sculpture to sit on back of couch - will use up lots of old leftovers.

Plans for a quilted placematty type thing for top of microwave - found suitable fabric recently.

Have plan for window valance for laundry room window - fabric gathering dust for two years.

Every so often I have photos of the Red Arrows popping up on my screen (I took them as they flew over the house a few times, during one of their displays off the sea-front.) The contents of our photo album are set as a slide show/screen saver.

One poor little boy who sometimes stays down at the caravan park where my daughter works is absolutely TERRIFIED when they come down - his parents have to take him somewhere else for the day! We were there when they did a practice run this year and the poor little chap ran of screaming his head off with his hands clapped over his ears!

Pat P

Busy at work on a Just Cross Stitch magazine pattern from 1990 called "The Button Vendor", and a large needlepoint canvas of stylelized Indian designs, to use up lots of scrap yarn. On tap I have "Blue Bayou" from Northern Pines Designs,and also to do by NP is "Surf and Sand". Both of those to be turned into keepsake boxes for grandaughters when they graduate from HS in 2 and 4 years. I belong to a Creative Stitchers Club in AZ and have agreed to do a workshop on a small Susan Portra handout pattern for an ornament or whatever one wants to create--lol. The mind is full of several other things I have stashed away. Just need to finish a few at a time before setting up new ones. Running out of wall space to hang all my pictures. Kids walls are full too---lol Love the quotations. Clarice in AZ

"Jere Williams" wrote in message news:K0Ybf.75519$ snipped-for-privacy@tornado.texas.rr.com...

Oh - I like that one! Sounds like Dorothy Parker almost. Shades of the Algonquin Club.

Cheryl

Thanks for starting this thread, Jere!

Last month I finished stitching 12 towels (C'mas gifts for coworkers). Glad I started them in June!!! :)

I'm currently working on an Indian Chief head (full headdress) that my sister started *years* ago, got off somewhere and set it aside. She sent it to me a couple of months ago to see if I could figure out where and get her back on track. And she stitches the opposite way I do (my top stitch slants right; hers slant left...hard to remember!) It's been challenging! :)

She already had the face nearly done...it's in the feathers where the problem is. A fair amount of frogging and restitching is done and I'm currently stitching the feather shafts in the right places so she can use them as a guide. I'm nearly done with that and will then send it back for her to finish. Don't ask me for a link...I've search google and the pattern is c1982! I don't even have a color picture of it, just the (huge) pattern.

Not quite sure what I'll stitch next....probably Fairy Grandmother. I got some *gorgeous* handpainted fabric from NN in Aug. I pulled all the floss for her to see how it would look. I think it's gonna be

*much* better than the ugly fabric colors (sorry, Marilyn!) she uses on her models.

Joan

;-) For me, the problem is that I don't like all the unfinished projects hanging around taking up space. We don't have a lot of storage space, so big ol' half finished projects are a real pain to deal with. Unfinished cross stitch projects aren't so big, but afghans and laprugs are! I'd like to have that space back, in addition to the satisfaction of a completed project.

Best wishes, Ericka