This is an embroidery piece that I finished in backstitch.  I used a DMC floss, but I forget which color!  This summer my husband and I were off for the day, and came a cross a quilt shop, and of course I had to pop in!  He is so patient in those situations, and even helps me shop!  Anyways, he loves lighthouses and nautical types of themes.  I ended up purchasing this beautiful piece of thick linen, and then transferred a simple design on it.  I then sewed a piece of coordinating fabric on the bottom.  I was so pleased with how this came out.  It was a really, really quick project.  I realize in looking at this that I forgot one important thing- to iron it!  I will remember for the next time I take a picture. Always, ~Jaime 

A third of the way there!  This drawstring bag was one of the more difficult things I have sewn.  I am so glad that I took this class, beause I thing to add a stiched piece to the front of  bag like this would look so pretty. I purchased that pattern that came with it, and the bags can be made in lots of different sizes.  I almost think I need to take it again in order to remember some of the tricks that the teacher taught.  I was so grateful for this new finishing idea! 

I am behind by one day, but I promise two posts tomorrow!  Here is a seasonal Christmas stitch by Lizzie Kate.  It is part of a series of seasonal ABC's.  I really loved doing this series.  I had them all framed in the same frame, just different colors. 

 I have mentioned before, Christiane Dahlbeck is one of my favorite designers.  Here is a finish I completed that was in one of her books.  I just love it.  The colors are slightly different than what was called for in the pattern.  It was quite a lot of backstiching, but was a rather quick stitch. 

Well, it has been one week of finishes!  On a personal note, I am also doing these postings as a sort of challenge to myself to be consistently posting.  I realized one day how many things that were finished which I could share on this blog.  Another challenge I have been working on is finishing.  I discovered through blogs that there were other options for finishing besides just framing.  I also discovered a lot more about cross-stitch and embroidery in general, which I will share about at another time.  

To improve my finishing skills, I decided that I would definitely need to learn to use a sewing machine.  I had little experience with this.  To begin, I purchased several charms packs of Kaffe Fassett fabrics, and began to sew them together in order to gain practice with sewing a straight line, measuring, and pinning.  This quilt is one of the practice pieces.  I brought it to a quilt shop to be quilted and to have the binding placed.  On the train quilt I wrote about the other day, I was able to do these portions, so I am pleased with my progress.  I took a sewing class where we learned to make a slip cover for a pillow form, so that is where the pillows came from.  

I hope that everyone can see the quilt.  I must have taken this photo half a dozen times with this kitty trying to pull a "photo bomb".  :) ~Jaime 

I started stitching when I was around 7 years old on stamped cross stich. I still love stamped cross stitch!  It provides a different level of relaxation for me.  I don't think that I have to think about it as much.  I tend to follow exactly how the pattern is designed in the kit.  This is a Noah's Ark piece I had framed at a craft store chain. 

I spent the better part of three weeks working on this quilt.  I was pleased with the way it came out!  This is my first quilt.  It was a gift for a very special person who loves trains.  I was seeing him today, so I had a deadline! 

I have a few of these scaves to show.  I purchased them as a kit that had a piece for the front and a piece for the back.  I loved the colors and the combintations.  I bought them because I wanted to have more experience with sewing straight lines, and using different types of fabric besides cotton.  

Here is a scissors case from a gorgeous pattern book by Christiane Dahlbeck, a desgner from Germany (and one of my favorites!).  I don't speak or really know much about the Greman language, but after looking up some of the core words in a dictionary, I found that the pattern was easy to stitch.  I used Danish and German Flower thread, as the pattern called for.  This type of thread is just lovely to work with, and I would recommend to everyone to try it out! Always, ~Jaime  

Here is a little finish that I used to take a break from some projects I was working on that were really frustrating me!  I ordered the kit online, not realizing (1) that it was a pre-finished pillow, and (2) that it was 14 count linen.  It was a very fast stitch, and I really like the design.  I love sheep!  They seem to be common motifs in stitchery.  What's your favorite animal to stitch? Always, ~Jaime