LofSHE BofM block

Our on-line embroidery group has been doing a block of the month all year. December is my turn and I decided to keep it simple but reflective of this season of peace and joy. Meet "Dove in Flight". She is about 7" wide and fits nicely on to an unfinished 10"x10" block. I am doing a tone on tone geometric white. One of the options for the outside edge area is to fill it all in and have it look like a piece of stained glass.

I have not decided how I'm going to finish the project off because I am nowhere near finished up with the other blocks that the ladies designed.

Lady of Steeles Hand Embroidery Crafts - SS swap part 2

My package has arrived at the other end. I got to send to Janice, one of the group moderators and I decided to spoil her since she is recovering from surgery. Her hand is out of commission which means no stitching (or other things) for a while.

Lady of Steeles Hand Embroidery Crafts - SS swap

I got a box in the mail this week. My son helped me open it and it was hot and steamy :) After letting things cool off for a wee while this is what we discovered and oohed and aahed over. Thanks to Linda (who also lives in Tennessee) for making me feel like Christmas had come many times over :) My husband was amazed !!!!

Oh look a tortoise ironing. Might it be a reference to the fact that I joke about being such a slow poke with my projects :)

I don't drink espresso but I love the towel, a great way to visually jump start my brain. The pincushion is made of felt and already comes armed with pins for my next project.

I'm already using the bag for my crochet traveling project and it has been seen out and about a couple of times.
The embroidery on the gardening gloves is gorgeous. Too good to dirty up so maybe I'll have to think up a way of displaying them.
Lots of needles, embroidery thread, a pretty pin and some other fun items. Linda also made the card.
My package is off in the mail and should get there some time next week. I have photographs but they will have to wait.

Pincushion swap update

So I have the basic pincushion put together. Now I just have to work out how to tuft it. Probably non-traditional. If it does not work out I have enough of the fabric to make something else.

Pincushion design

I'm participating in a pincushion swap at the LofS hand embroidery group. I finished up a design yesterday. Now I have to work out how to tuft it. Hubbie thinks I should turn it into a regular cushion :)

First project finish for 2010

I don't normally post on the week-end but I have started AND completed my first project for 2010. I'm in shock :)
A freebie from http://passe-tempsdeflo.over-blog.com/ stitched on 14ct. Aida in 3 shades of teal DMC 3847, 3848 and 3849. Total finished size 8"x8". Design size 3 3/4"x3 3/4".
I've also completed all the embroidery blocks for the LofSHe embroidery exchange. Boy am I glad that is finished. Good experience but I'm not sure I would want to do that many again (23). As a group we are creating and participating in a BOM for the rest of this year. Should be interesting. January is a mitten and yours truly has agreed to design a block for one of the months :) I have to decide what fabric I want to use for the background before I can get stitching.
Next project - a birthday present for my youngest daughter. I cannot decide whether I want to quilt, cross-stitch or do a combination of both.

Peek-a-boo

Look who's decided to tag along to Britain as quality control inspector for my sewing project. It's baby penguin from the recent pincushion swap. She's going to make sure I do my chain stitching properly and finish all 26 blocks for the LofSHE "siggie block" exchange. We shall see how that "OC" goal develops :)

Baby penguin needs a name. Maybe we will get inspired while we are on our travels or maybe one of you can suggest something. I'm thinking she may need an outfit to protect her from the sun :)

LofSHE - siggie block exchange

This is what I am contemplating doing for the center of my signature block for the exchange. We have to do a 7" plain muslin block with the hand embroidery no larger than 5".

I had a picture of a double celtic knot sitting out on my sewing desk but it was too big so I cut it back to one. I'm contemplating doing any required writing within the intertwining knot sections. Not sure if I want to do them in green.

I'm going to take this trial block and use it for something else :)

I did a basic, 2 strand, chain stitch and it took about 2 hours to complete. (I was supposed to be knitting but the group did not meet today.)

Happy stitching.

Carol H.

LofSHE - Secret Sister Exchange

The name of the group is Lady of Steeles Hand Embroidery Group which I will shorten to LofSHE.

We are about finished with the secret sister swap. We are a very international group. I received this lovely flower block from Arwa who lives in Baghdad. I sent some ribbon embroidery supplies to Lata who currently lives in Saudia Arabia.

We are getting ready to start a friendship block exchange which will take a while to complete.

Happy stitching.

Carol H.