Autumn Stars - Design by Blackbird Designs
I haven't much felt like stitching lately, cross stitching or needlepointing. Don't feel like quilting or doing many of the other things that usually please me to do. I've been lazy, seeming to spend countless hours sitting on my patootie watching tv, reading magazines or playing computer games. I did manage to start on BBD Autumn Stars and in a week of train rides this is all I've managed to do. 
Hide N' Seek - design by Laura J. Perin
Just a bit of border to go and I'm finished with Hide N' Seek. And I should be able to do it on the way home from work. If I don't fall asleep that is. :-)
I really was hoping to finish this puppy off by last night. But I never put a stitch in! On Friday I went to yoga class and once I got home just vegged. On Saturday I did complete a five mile run but I find that after such a long run that last thing I want to do is sit down and stitch. So I ran errands most of the day and then just vegged for the rest of the day. On Sunday I did an early morning yoga class and came home and vegged (see a pattern here?) for the rest of the day. Well most of it anyway, the agility pugs and I had a private agility lesson. That was fun. But it was hot and when I got home I just.... vegged. :-)
I'm over half way finished with the little blocks. I haven't had much stitching time the last couple of days. Agility class on Tuesday and sleeping on the train has pretty much taken away my time from Hide N' Seek. But I'm still hoping to have this piece finished by Sunday evening. The only plans I have for Saturday are a 5 mile run and taking half of the pugs to get their nails trimmed. And yoga class on Sunday. :-) Other than that the weekend is all free. 
Things are really moving along with Hide N' Seek. I'm actually thinking I could have it done be the weekend is over. :-) How about that! :-)
For a weekend change of pace, I stitched. :-) How about that for different? I didn't get as much done on Hide N' Seek as I was planning because I started Scott Lee, a design by the late Jean Hilton. I thought I would post a photo after each step. Of course I came up with this idea after I finished the first step so I don't have a true before photo. ;-) 
All the pretty colors! When I was repacking the thread, I dropped one of the balls of DMC and didn't notice. But Georgie did. I found it the next day in one big tangled mess so I need to buy a new one. That darn Georgie. :-)
Step one completed.
Step two completed. I'll only be able to work on this at home - it's big - 13 x 20 and much to large to bring anywhere. 
I've started work on the twenty or so blocks that surround the center. These go quick and I'm hoping to get some in this weekend. I would also like to start quilting again - yesterday I received in the mail month 8 of the block of the month quilt and at last count I have only completed three so far. I hate being so far behind! 
I finished off the center portion of Hide N Seek. These colors are so fun! Next is the black and yellow border that I'm working on now and then 20 smaller blocks using the bright colors around that. The one small black border and I'm finished. I knew this was going to go quick. :-)
These colors are popping! Just wait until I had the black contrast borders. They will fly off the canvas. :-)
Cherry Hearts - design by Shepherd's Bush
And speaking of counted canvas, here is number four - Hide 'n Seek by Laura J. Perin. This is the odd ball of the group. It's similar in that it's a quilt design build around a variegated pearl cotton but the similarity stops there. This one is like a big scrap quilt and it's very, very bright! Have you ever seem me stitch with orange? And bright yellow? Wait until I get the pink in there! It's really fun already and will go very quickly. 
I ran my first official 5k in eight years on Saturday! And my niece Dana ran with me (she is on the left). Or at least most of it. I slowed down at about 1.5 miles into the race and she wanted to set a PR so I told her to leave me in the dust. :-) I finished in 37 minutes with a 12 minute pace. Which was my goal for this race. I was surprised I made my goal - at race time it was already in the 80's with about 98% humidity. It was so hot!! I took a small walk break even. I can't wait for the next 5k - I'll shave a little more time off toward my goal of a 30 minute 5k.
I'm working on the last border on Cherry Heart! Yeah. :-) I've been lazy for the better part of two months now. I sure hope this ends soon because I've got a ton of stash I want to get to. 
I haven't made much progress with Cherry Heart. Last week I had several work commitments in the evening so no stitching there and over the weekend I never even glanced at it. It was an odd weekend, I felt super busy but really didn't do anything. :-) Ever have that sort of weekend? 
I finished up the heart last night and have started on the first of three borders. The colors are very soft and I'm really happy to took a small break from my needlepoint projects. 
I spent the weekend doing really tough yard work. Digging and carrying and axing out tree stumps. I had no energy at night to even stitch. :-) But I'm still making good progress with Cherry Hearts. This will make a cute little pillow I'm thinking. 
Here is my new start - Cherry Heart from Shepherd's Bush. I did a quick look at my stash and I didn't feel like tossing through my fibers and linens last night. Then I remembered that I have another stash of prepacked kits and things that I have already kitted up. Cherry Heart jumped right out. It's small and quick and will be a nice break from the counted needlepoint.
Cluster of Lilies - design by Laura J. Perin
Just the dark green border to go and I'm finished with Cluster of Lilies. I'd like to take a break before starting number four and am eyeing the new BBD series as a start. But I need the big piece of linen and I really don't want to spend $50 on it right now. I've got a lot of other expenses right now and that seems a little out of line for what I should be spending on my stitching.
It's called Scott Lee and it's a teaching piece that Jean Hilton designed before she died. It's a counted needlepoint piece. My friend Kelly had wanted to do it for some time and she found a shop that was selling them. So I got one too. :-) My supplies should be here by the end of the week. I'll only be able to do this at home though as it's 13 x 20 inches and way to big for the train.
I've done a ton of Jean Hilton pieces and this one is going to be fun! A challenge but fun!
The white border is all finished now on Cluster of Lilies and I've started on the last couple of bits. Just this little solid dark maroon border, and slighter larger multi-colored border and then the last solid border in the dark green. I like the white - it's so bright and clean looking. :-)
Just two more trips around with the white #8 and I'm done with this section of Cluster of Lilies. Then it's one multicolored band and then a solid band and I can say good-bye to this puppy. :-) I have no plans for anything this weekend so I hope to get most of what is left finished. I really want to take a break and do some cross stitch before I start on the second half of this designs.
Don't pugs travel nice? They even pack themselves. This is Aoife ready to go home after three very full days. 
I haven't made much progress on Cluster of Lilies since my last post. I did bring it everyday to the agility trial but I never opened up my stitching bag. There was way too much going on. It was a local trial and I had a ton of friends there and I was running two dogs. 
I finished up the center portion last night and have started on the border. This one is as complected as the last one - multiple times around and around. :-) 
I made a ton of progress considering I only worked on this puppy this morning on the way into work. I slept the entire train ride home yesterday. :-) I was lucky I woke up in time for my stop. :-) The train tracks are really rough three stops before mine and I always get jarred awake. At least I have so far. One of these days I might wake up in Wisconsin!
I'm back from vacation. Such a bummer. I had a wonderful 10 or so days off. I started it with Summer Agility Camp with Aoife and Clancy. Aoife rocked and many, many people had really nice things to say about her. Clancy got his chance to play on day three because Aoife was so tired as most of the classes were outside and it was hot in Eau Claire. :-) He did great as always. Then it was back home for a week of nothing. And I mean nothing. I barely stitched, never quilted, hooked rugs? what rugs? Didn't do any lawn work except for what I had to. I did nap. :-) And play with the pugs. It was really hot the entire week and that is all I really left like doing. 
I didn't have any stitching time over the weekend. Bummer as I was hoping to have this piece done by now and already stitching #3. But I'm close! :-)
Over the past several evenings I have not had a second to stitch. And I've been falling asleep on the train - both ways. :-) So not a lot of progress has been made on Falling Leaves. But the weekend is close at hand so I hope to get a ton done and have a huge progress photo on Monday. 
I totally acknowledge that I have not been stitching a ton over the past several days - the weather was wonderful over the weekend - but it seems like this cream border is taking me forever! :-) By the time it's finished I will take four trips around the square. But it's so worth it - it's going to be so pretty!
Starting on the Falling Leaves borders. :-) The border on this one is really pretty. But I most likely won't have an update tomorrow - I have a big do at work tonight so no stitching later. 
State Fair - American Quilt Collection - design by Laura J. Perin
I love the colors on this one. :-)
Just two more border rows and I'm finished with State Fair! This piece has been such a nice change of pace for me. I really want to start the next one but my mojo is back and I'm actually leaning toward starting a new cross stitch piece instead. :-) But I still have a couple more days to decide. And it will be a fun couple of days - it's so much fun to go through the stash!
I've moved to the border portion of State Fair. That means home stretch! Of course it's a pretty large border so I will be working on it for a while. :-) But border always means almost done to me. And that feels great. 
Here is my progress on Laura J. Perin's design: State Fair. I had plenty of time on Saturday to sit and stitch. But not as much time on Sunday because Clancy earned his Open Standard title!!! 
I'm making excellent progress on State Fair. And as I predicted yesterday it's going to move quickly. I might even have this finished in less than a week! Now that would be sweet - I could move onto the next one and get caught up. :-) And then start on something else. And get back to my hooking. And get back to my quilting. And spend more time with my pugs. LOL!
Here is my start to Christmas gift #1 - also know as State Fair from the American Quilt Collection by Laura J. Perin. I'm stitching all six on 24 count congress cloth using one strand of DMC #8 and Caron Wildflowers. While it's a bit large for the train (12 x 12) I'm going to give it a go any way. I'm way behind but I have a feeling these are going to go quick. The above stitching only took me 20 minutes. And as each piece gets more filled out the more flow I will find and they will end up going quicker as the piece progresses. :-) I like that. 
