Friday, November 21, 2014

Nov Mega Monthly Challenge - Part 2

http://justinescrossstitch.blogspot.com/2014/11/mega-mini-monthly-madness-return-post-1.html

Mega Mini Month Madness is now being hosted by Justine at Justine's Cross Stitch. It's all about getting some 'smalls' done in time for the Christmas holiday.

I'm not doing so well getting these posted, but I have been getting some stitching done on them. I even have a FINISH to show off this time!! :)

 
This is a freebie from Little House Needleworks that can be found on her blog HERE. It was a really quick and fun stitch and will be sent off for an exchange with a 'Winter' theme. And yes, I know I said just yesterday that I was sticking to Autumn themed stitching to encourage warmer temps, but this was already done when I said that, and I can't be trusted when it comes to stitching!! :)
 
I think I can get the next Ornie done in time for a post early next week and I have still yet to see if I can wash out the dye from the stocking Ornie, I need to get it over with and try!!
 
Tonight is Friday Night Sew In, so I'm off to gather together what I'm going to sew on:) I think I know just the project!! 


Thursday, November 20, 2014

IHSW - November 2014


IHSW is hosted by Joyce over at Random Ramblings. This stitch along is all about staying home and stitching as much as possible!! :) You can join in any month!!

Coming in a little late with this post:) I did get a little stitching done last weekend, but not nearly as much as I would have liked. Isn't that always the case? At least for me it is, never enough stitching time:)

I decided to work on Prairie Schooler's 'Harvest Time' from book # 93. Last time I posted about this I also posted about the 'Home For Christmas' chart as well. I was wanting to work on both at the same time, however after the cold snap that came through I thought I would stick with an Autumn chart in hopes that the Autumn weather would come back. And it worked!! Well, closer to Autumn weather anyway. Instead of highs in the mid 20's we are getting highs in the mid 40's now. And the weather man is saying that Saturday may get up to 60!! So I'm just going to keep on stitching Autumn charts and see how long we can keep this going!! :0)

Here is the super tiny amount of progress I got done on this...

 
I'm stitching this over one on 28 ct? 32 ct? Not sure, it looks like 28 ct to me, but I found a slip of paper for the Christmas one that said the fabric was 32 ct. And I know I bought the fabric for both at the same time. I'll keep plugging away at it until the next chart catches my eye:) 

Thursday, November 13, 2014

A Little Knitting Progress

There has been lots of running dd to different activities this year!! But this gives me a bit of extra time to bring along my knitting. Actually I bring along my stitching too, but the knitting is usually what is calling my name (the gym doesn't call my name nearly loud enough!!!). Here is my progress so far...
 
I've been working along on the red scarf (I put the dark blue scarf away for now so I can focus on getting at least ONE of the projects done:), but am getting close enough to needing to switch out yarn balls that I started thinking that I didn't even know how to do that!! So I gathered some small scraps of yarn I have and started a washcloth. I knew I would need to change from one ball of yarn to another in the middle, so this made a perfect trial on something that wouldn't matter. I had also only ever cast-off on a small practice piece, so that was something else I needed to do. I think it turned out okay. You can't see it in the pictures, but I can tell where I switched out, it's not too bad, but I think I will practice with another wash cloth before I have to do it on the scarf. Oh, my, ANOTHER project. How will I ever live with myself?!?! :0)


The scarf is only around 3 feet long right now and I would like it around 6 feet, so I still have a ways to go, but the process is starting to feel more natural and I'm learning how to fix little problems without having to take out row after row, so that is helpful.

 
I had mentioned on the last knitting post that I had found a video showing how to hold the yarn in the left hand instead of the right, and someone had asked if I would post the video. I'm sorry I didn't get back with you sooner!! I can't find the exact video I watched, but have learned in the meantime that this form of knitting is called 'Continental Knitting' and you can Google that and get lots of videos!! I'm still not sure I'm holding the yarn exactly like that either, but it's pretty close. :0)
 
The weather has turned frigid around here this week, so I'm off to work some more on my scarf, because now I really need it!!

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Mega Mini Month Madness

http://justinescrossstitch.blogspot.com/2014/10/mega-mini-month-madness-november-sign-up.html

The Mega Mini Month Madness SAL was originally hosted by "Pull the Other Thread' and has been taken over by Justine at Justine's Cross Stitch for the month of November. It is a SAL for small items that will hopefully help us get ready for the holidays:)

I forgot to post on this last week!! I got a bit sidetracked and more than a little frustrated with one of my projects. As you can see in the following picture, my progress on 'Christmas Stocking' from Plum Street Samplers (2013 issue of JCS Ornaments) has gone backwards. Just after I posted the last time (last month) I noticed that the spacing seemed a little off and when I checked, sure enough, I was off by 3 stitches. I thought about ignoring it, but I wanted it to be right, so I pulled all the stitching out under the house. Then my next and biggest problem showed itself. The red and the green floss bled a little onto the fabric. I think I can dab it out, but I was frustrated and I haven't even tried yet.

 
But I did get a little work done on 'Snowbirds' from Country Cottage Needleworks (also found in the 2013 issue of JCS Ornie mag) and I started a new project called '7 Pines' from Little House Needleworks. This is a freebie from her blog found HERE. It will be for an exchange I'm in.

 
So even with the setback/frustration thing, I did make some progress and am still having a lot of fun with this challenge:) Hoping to have another update on this later this week!! 

Monday, November 10, 2014

WIPocalypse - November 2014

http://measi.net/measiblog/2014/11/06/november-wipocalypse-check-in/
 
WIPocalyspe is a monthly challenge to get work (any amount!!) done on our stitching:) It is hosted by Measi over at Measi's Musings. You are welcome to jump in and join along at any time.

A little late on this posting. I've been busy, busy stitching and knitting away. And that really is the best kind of 'busy'!! I've been in an Autumn/Holidays mode this past couple of weeks between working on a scarf to keep myself warm and working on ornaments for myself and as gifts. So I decided to switch gears for a bigger project(s) as well and I pulled out some older charts to work on.

 
These are both from Prairie Schooler and I think I started both of them back in 2011!! Yikes,  I guess it's time to work on them again:) 


Hoping to make some good progress on both of these this month as well as get a couple gifts worked on. It's that time of year for frantic stitching!! I enjoy it though, so I guess it's not too much of an inconvenience. :0)

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

12 Days of Christmas Swap



I'm joining in something different this year. A Holiday Swap hosted by Chaotic Goddess Swaps!! I've been wanting to do one of their swaps for a while now, but am just getting to do this.

Sign-ups for this swap are open until Monday, November 10th, so if you want to join along too, there is plenty of time, just click on the banner above and it'll take you where you need to go:)