Well… I finally got the ABC Calligraphie Rouge pattern by Compagnie des ouvrages, from The French Needle… what a lovely kit!  I started this somewhere in the middle to end of January.  I’m stitching on it as I feel moved… and often times after work, that is rare, but it’s still got some going on, which always inspires me to keep going.

Another little start I did about mid October of 08 is a little four patch, called “Patch Red 4″, by Dessins DHC, albeit I’m doing mine in green, which after seeing them online now at the link, I think I wish I would  have chosen red as well.   I think I chose green because I am planning on stitching Moulin Rouge, and thought the variation would be pretty.  Here is a pic of where I’m at on the little thing…

Let’s see… what else am I stitching on?  Well… I’ve only gotten a little farter on my Windmills from Full Circle, but as you know, every little stitch counts.  Here is where I was, and as you can see, I’ve added a couple more rows of stitches…  I did notice a boo-boo, in that in my last row, I should have had a row of words between the very last row and the one above it, but I’ll just put my words after this last row, and then add another special row before the next green swirly things.

Another update is how I’m coming along on my Angels Song by Shepherd’s Bush (my ultimate favorite place to go and shop).  It bears repeating that this is the sister pattern to the Emmanuel’s Song that I stitched for my brother and his wife, so isn’t that just fitting?  Anyway, the last time I posted  a snap of the progress on this, I had gotten to this point, as seen in this photo, and here is where I’m at now…

I’m not exactly speeding along, but slow and steady wins the race.  So, this is where I’m at with things.  Progressing at a snails pace, but progress is progress, and I shall enjoy stitching now that I have made my blog current.  Hugs and stitches.

These are the stockings I stitched, and had my loving mom finish.  I gave this set to my brother and his wife for my niece and nephew, Grace and Timothy… with the intention of giving Brad and Becky their stockings this coming Christmas so they will have a complete set.  These were from the Shepherd’s Bush patterns… that are just lovely…

Then, here are the ones I have for Adair and Alec, with our set to be completed this Christmas as well for Mike and I.  Again, I stitched them, and my mom did the sewing to make into stockings.  I loved how they turned out and am excited to start the rest!

Well, it’s been a while and I haven’t been stitching on this too regularly, but I had to unhoop it to be able to continue stitching, so it seemed like a good time to take a snap of where I’m at now on my Quaker Virtues.  Slow and steady wins the race, right?

Here is where I was the last time I posted a pic… so, from July 2008, until now, March 2009, you can see that I haven’t made huge progress, but at least I’ve gotten a few more motifs done.  I have bee stitching on some other things, like my Angels Song, by Shepherd’s Bush, as well as the ABC Calligraphie… which I haven’t even take a picture of yet, but it’s beautiful.  Will vow to take some photos soon.

With me now working, I find that I have less brain power to stitch… I come home from work so mentally exhausted, so I’m just not stitching as much as I used to.  Maybe I will become acclimated to it soon and get back to a more regular stitching time.

I saw this on a fellow stitchers blog… what a beautiful description to keep in mind as I go through deep reflections while stitching… what a picture….

God’s Embroidery

When I was little, my mother used to sew a great deal. I would sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask what she was doing. She informed me that she was embroidering. As from the underside I watched her work within the boundaries of the little hoop that she held in her hand, I complained to her that it sure looked messy from where I sat. She’d smile at me, look down and gently say, “Son, you go about your playing and when I am finished with my embroidering, I will put you on my knee and let you see it from my side.” I would wonder why she was using some dark threads along with the bright ones and why they seemed so jumbled from my view.

A few minutes would pass and then I would hear Mother’s voice say, “Son come sit on my knee.” This I did only to be surprised and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or sunset. I could not believe it, because from underneath it looked so messy. Then mother would say to me. “My son, from underneath it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a plan on the top. It was a design. I was only following it. Now look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing.”

Many times through the years, I have looked up to heaven and said, “Father what are You doing?” He has answered, “I am embroidering your life.” I say, “But it looks like such a mess to me. It seems so jumbled. The threads seem so dark. Why can’t they all be bright?” The Father seems to tell me, “My child, you go about your business of doing My business, and one day I will bring you to Heaven and put you on my knee and you will see the plan from My side.”

Author Unknown

I’m finding myself hugged tightly by God lately… so tightly that I can hear my back popping and its the bear hug itself that announces to you how much you really needed it, yet didn’t realize that you did until you were embraced into it.  It’s absolutely amazing.  So strong, so complete… it’s the kind that melts away the day (or last couple of years) as if it never occurred, or as if it has no importance in the large scheme of things anyway.  What a power and presence to be swallowed up within.

I love my job… I appreciate what it is, and what I am able to do… and I’m really appreciating who I am placed with.  Such unique and beautiful people, all of them.  Unique God carriers all of them.  Everyday is like a treasure hunt or scavenger hunt, and I am getting clues to things I didn’t know I was hungry to know.

Stitching hasn’t been happening too much, other than to make a stocking for my niece and new baby nephew… what a miracle and precious creature.  Blessing.  Joy.  Tangible grace and love.  Wish I could see and hold.  Will need to get linen to make stockings for my brother and his wife as well…. Wise man… and Angel that they are.

Stitching on Quaker Virtues… have stitched Simplicity all… and had to do some frogging of a border of a top motif that was off by one square.  To punish it I have kept it in the bag for a time out, and ignored it all together… I should forgive my poor stitchery and take responsibility for stitching with tired eyes… I shall forgive it tonight and stitch it again while watching Biden and Palin debate.  I’m really curious to see how it plays out.  Will it be one sided?  Will Sarah have better answers than she has for other interviews?  Will Biden be mellower?  Interesting to say the least.  Which presidential candidate do I support you wonder?  It’s not as obvious as some would automatically assume.

Well… it’s been a long time since I’ve written… I’m sorry bloggy.  I shall not keep so quiet.  I’ve been adjusting though this last month…. to this new schedule, to this new adventure, to this partially new part of me that I am walking into.  It’s been a bit jarring, and a bit freeing, and a bit scary, and a bit beautiful, all wrapped up into one tapestry.  So many colors, so many interesting textures.

While watching the Olympic swimming events I finished my SB stocking (pattern:  Elisabeth’s Stocking), sans my name stitched at the top, and sans the finish of the beads and buttons.  Instead of totally finishing it, I started my husband’s stocking (pattern:  Reed’s Stocking)… his is a shepherd   I can’t wait to finish these and send them off with the ones I made for my kids for my mom to make into stocking shapes!   )))

Well, here is my new start of the Wiehenburg Quaker Mystery 2008, stitching on 32 ct. Ivory Belfast linen, with one over two, using Gentle Arts Hyacinth.  I have had to frog the upper right triangles and boxes twice, and the lower right triangles and boxes once.  RRGH.  I am now seeing the light at the end of the motif and will be happy to be done of it and move onto a different and happy little motif where I vow to count better so that I won’t have to frog any stitching.  RRGH.

Let’s see… today was the beginning day of the Cache Valley Fair… I took the kids and was alarmed at the cost of things.
Fair Entrance: Free
Cost of tickets for three rides: $20
Two funnel cakes with powdered sugar: $8
Little package of candied almonds: $3
Seeing my kids think it was fun: Priceless

This ABC Calligraphie by Lawrence Roque is stunning… I must do this. 

Look at the piece in progress by an inspiring stitcher named Cathy… it’s amazing.  Just amazing.

Mom? How about another Stitch-Along in addition to our Quaker Mystery 2008? ; )

Have you heard the saying or seen the bumper sticker “Time spent fishing cannot be deducted from a man’s life”?  I asked my husband the if the same thing could be said like this, “Time spent stitching cannot be deducted from a woman’s life” and if it would be equally as true.  His response was a quizzical expression that shrugged the answer “Sure…” and therefore I am relieved.  My time spent stitching is not only about making an heirloom but it’s about time in thought and in reflection and prayer.  All of which are likely similar to time spent fishing, but without the tales of the one that got away.

I don’t know why I like stitching… if it’s because I can focus on everything while I focus on one thing, or if it is because I can go to an inner place and find peace and calm when sometimes things on the outside are not so much reflective of that.  I’m not sure.  I like the creating of it, and I like the distraction of it, all the while knowing that I can lay it aside when I want to do something else.  I like having my hands move, in some tiny tiny ways it reduces my desire to grab food, haahaa.

I have about six works in progress right now, and a ton of patterns with linen and floss ready to go.  I like being able to switch from one pattern to another on any given day.  Somehow having the choice of what to stitch is freeing, especially because sometimes I get bored with the look of one, so it’s fun to work on another and get hungry to go back to the one I tired of.  ; )

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve posted.  Had surgery to remove my paraovarian or paratubal cyst.  All went well, and I was very blessed to have my mom here lending her hands and time.  I am all better and yesterday I did not need a nap, which is saying a lot, because a couple days prior I took four naps in one day.  I was exhausted.

On stitching notes, I got the linen for the remaining two SB stockings I need to do.  One for me (Elisabeth’s Stocking) and one for Mike (Reed’s Stocking).  I’ve got my angel all the way stitched and the stars and trumpet, now I just need to do the top vine and lower scene and I’ll be done.  I’m moving quickly on it… just started the day my mom came (a week ago Saturday) and I’m moving right along.  Will complete this one, then move on to do Mike’s so that I don’t have confusion between charting symbols like I did when I stitched both of the kids stockings at the same time.   After I’m done with these, I’ll send them off to mom to make, as she’s so crafty with her sewing machine.

I am readying myself to start the 2008 Quaker Mystery Sampler stitch-a-long, and just waiting on linen and thread.  It will be fun to have a different Quaker to switch to when I’m tired of the Virtues.

On other fronts…. school for the kids will be starting in no time, at which point I will be going to school full time during their school for web design stuff.  Let the geeking begin.