I love doing alphabet samplers. I have a great feeling of satisfaction finishing the piece I am stitching because stiching of the alphabet rows seems so concrete to me. I have started a wall of samplers in our apartment. I am lucky to have a husband who does very well at measuring and hanging up pictures! I have three sampelrs so far. This will be my fourth. I will be sure to post on the others! Always, ~Jaime
I know that I am a little bit out of order on my to do list! I had a lot of supplies that I have acquired in the last month. Part of the supplies I bought at a needlework show, and the other supplies I had purchased on three separate trips to a cross-stich and framing store that was closing. The store was closing because the owner was retiring. I was so disappointed to find this out because a store that was closer to where I lived closed last summer for the same reason!
The fortunate side to this, was I was able to add to my stash with some patterns and other items I wouldn't have normally purchased. I was able to find time this past week to organize all of the supplies, and put them away. I will definitely at some point try to think of a way to inventory everything, but one thing at a time!
I did make a list of threads that I need to finish some kits I have that already included the linen. I also ordered them. A couple I have already, but I wasn't sure how much was left, so I bought those 3-5 skeins as well. When they arrive, I can put everything together into my own ready-made kits!
One of the things I mentioned that I was going to do on my list last week was to set up a project bag. This I did immediately, and it has helped me a lot! I can keep all of the projects I am working on together, and rotate which ones I am working on. I think that it will help me to get to those projects that hang around longer than others. :)
This is a limited edition kit by Lizzie Kate titled "Do Your Best". It is to be finished as a little pillow. I dropped everything else that I was working on when it came in the mail, to start working on it. I really love the combination of colors in this one. I can't wait to try doing the finishing- it seems like a good beginner's finishing project. More to come about this project!
I want to share one of the projects that I am working on. It is called Zen Rabbit Purse. It was a kit that was apart of a class I took by Dames of the Needle/Finger Work. I took the class last May, but have picked it up again. I will definitely post more on the components of it at a later date!
I have many things that I would like to get organized with my stitching. I have some supplies I would like to make into kits. Also I have some classes that I am taking that I have to get going on. This is the perfect weekend for it, because I believe that it is going to be International Hermit and Stitch Weekend!
I am looking forward to having everything organized. This also means content/inspiration for Lessons on Linen! I feel like I am thinking about posts, projects, and things that I would like to create, with no direction and then I end up fumbling around trying to figure things out! I have had the opportunity for adding to my stash during a needlework celebration and also at a shop that was having a big sale. I am also doing three stitching classes! These are all things I would like to chronicle here. I love reading other people's blogs, that is what inspired me to start my own. Another item on the agenda list is to organize my various social media accounts, such as Twitter, PInterest, etc. and figure out how I would like to use them. Wow! Even this post is getting a little disorganized!
I am going to make a list to commit what I would like to do, that may help me try to get these things finished. I am going to report back on my progress next Monday. I am going to use the mantra: "Progress not perfection" when it comes to this!!!!!
Okay, I think that is enough for now. I can think of other things, but I won't overwhlem myself. Perhaps at the end of the summer time I will have another list!
Always, ~Jaime
I was a little bit distracted from some other projects that I had been working on, when we received an invitation to a 40th wedding anniversary party. It was a small dinner for some very close friends of my family. I quickly went to a local needlework store (closest is an hour aways), and found this Lizzie Kate pattern on sale.
It looked like a quick stitch. I went to a picture framing studio to have it framed, and they did a great job. I forgot to take a picture of it, but the couple we presented it to included a picture of the piece hanging on the wall of their bedroom.
Note to self- take pictures of finished work! :)
The first set of blocks I completed was for a baby girl, Teagan. This set of blocks is for a little baby named Thomas. I was trying to pick fabric that wasn't particularly baby fabric, but had a blue color scheme. I did find out that his room has a whale theme, so I think that it will match well. I was hyper focused on the fabrics I was choosing for these block projects, and then realized that it is for a baby, and that they probably wouldn't care if it matched anything!
I don't think that I have ever tried to work on a project from a book! I have lots, and lots of embroidery and cross-stitch books, but I don't think that I have actually used one to make a project, until now. It was a great project! There are two people I know who recently had babies, for which I wasn't really sure what to do for a gift, or really if I should give a gift. I did want to make something, but nothing too complicated, and I also wasn't sure about what colors to do, etc. I happened to think to myself to look in this particular book: S is for Sttich: 52 Embroidered Alphabet Designs and Charming Projects for Little Ones.
I fell in love with the block pattern, and loved the idea of embroidering the baby's name on the blocks. I am rather novice at sewing, but everything seemed to come out okay, and I found a little more confidence with the sewing.