Thursday, March 29, 2007

WIPs

Works In Progress (WIPs). Ah, that brings back warm memories of Accounting 211. Or, well...memories anyway.

I have a few projects on hold until after The Deluge of Baby Bibs ebbs.

The first involves two small floral pieces that I found tucked into a book almost completed. I'm not sure why I stashed them without finishing them, but I'm glad I found them! They're for my daughter but I haven't decided what to do with them yet. I'm leaning toward making one a hanging door plate with her name and sewing the other onto a small bag.




The second project is a baby quilt for my daughter. Both of my children already have beautiful Hawaiian quilts made for them by their Nana. But, I'd also like a patchwork quilt for my daughter with a few cross stitched squares. Unfortunately, I do not quilt or own a sewing machine. But, I'm starting with the cross stitched squares and will cross the quilting bridge when I come to it. :)


I originally intended to do her initials, but the letters are smaller than I thought and I may end up doing her whole first name. I got about halfway done with this letter then realized I didn't have one color that I needed for the next section.


So, I moved onto the next letter and got a very small section done before I needed to get cracking on those baby gifts.


I'm finishing up the last of the gifts and will start working on getting these WIPs on to FGs and eventually COGS (well COGGs). And I thought I'd never use Accounting in real life...

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

I'm bringing StitchingBack

Backstitching is an outlining stitch done with a single thread that is used to define a piece of needlework. When I first started cross-stitching years ago, I ignored the backstitch instructions. Partly because, once you finish cross-stitching, you want to be done! Woohoo! This piece is finished! And having to go back over the entire piece again is a special kind of purgatory. But, also partly because I didn't really think it made a difference.

I just finished this piece today, and I think it illustrates really clearly how important backstitching can be.


I'm almost finished with this. Just need to go back and stitch baby's name in and then...one more bib down!

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

The maiden voyage.

This is my very first piece, made almost 4 years ago when my son was just a few months old. In the right light, you can still see the slightly dingy mark left by the oils of my left hand where it came in contact with the hoop. And you can see that I didn't do any blocking as the cloth is pretty skewed and you can still see the fold mark on the aida from packaging. I'm leaving all that as it is, because I kind of like the novice touch.






Mine was inspired by a piece of yarn embroidery that my mom made for me when *I* was a wee few months.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Libby's Bib


I've been on a serious baby bib jag lately. So many new babies! So many first birthdays! This is one I stitched for my cousin's first baby, born last month. I've learned over the years, that nobody will put a handstitched bib on a drooling, feeding baby. So, when I give a baby bib as a gift, I tie it around a teddy bear's neck for display in baby's room.


A single step.

I love cross stitching and I love blogs, but I can't seem to find the perfect stitching blog. Which, I guess, is a blog that talks about me! and my! stitching. :) So, here we go on that journey of a thousand miles...