Friday, August 1, 2014

June Finishes

I don't believe I've posted any of my stitching since before my heart surgery on June 13! It's not that I haven't been stitching.  I have!  I've just been lazy about taking pictures.  I don't know why.  I have also been rather lazy reading blogs & every week or so I have to play catch up.  I don't know why this is either.  I will admit that it's frustrating to leave comments for someone only to have them bounce back to me.  I have discovered that they do show up on the bloggers' posts, but I think that unless the blogger monitors his or her comments, they have no idea I commented.  But this in itself isn't the reason for my laziness.  I'll just blame it on recovering from surgery.  Sounds like a good excuse to me   : )

I kitted a handful of projects before my surgery.  Strangely enough, none of them were ornaments!  I either didn't have the right threads or the right fabrics.  This, however, was a bit of a blessing because the projects I kitted were ones I fell in love with at first sight & have been wanting to stitch for months ... even years!

I really enjoyed stitching this first design!  It's supposed to have a date & initials included on either side of the blackbird, but the designer only gives the date of 2005 & her own initials.  I know I could have played around & figured out similar letters & numbers to replace the ones on the design, but I don't much care for dates & initials on projects anyway.  I'm just wondering if leaving these two things off the design makes it rather empty?  What do you think?

Designer:  La D Da
Design:  Act Justly
Fabric:  36 ct Pear linen
Floss:  WDW per designer

This next one was a fun stitch all around   : ) I made a couple changes in floss color with the sheep but otherwise followed the designer's recommendations.  I was surprised when I started kitting this that it was such a small design ... only about 5" x 4".  The words on the right side of the design are all stitched over one.
Designer:  Plum Street Samplers
Design:  Ye Olde Woolery Shoppe
Fabric:  32 ct Vintage Sand Dune linen
Floss:  CC per designer

This next finish was definitely "me"   : )
  Designer:  Threadwork Primitives
Design:  Wintertime
Fabric:  32 ct Apple Brown Bindy linen
Floss:  GAST per designer

I also finished the SAL I was doing with Sally. I opted to use GA's Simply Wool threads & think they compliment the design very nicely  : )   
Designer:  Little House Needleworks
Design:  Warm Winter Woolens
Fabric:  32 ct Vintage Exemplar linen
Floss:  GA Simply Wool

I also finished another punch needle design. I have no idea why the edges of the fabric are puckered the way they are.  Apparently I did something wrong, but I don't think it will affect the finishing.
Designer:  The Old Tattered Flag
Design:  No Two Alike
Fabric:  Weavers cloth
Floss:  Sullivans

I've also been trying to teach myself rug hooking!  I'm not going to show you my beginner's project, still in production, as it looks like Nightmare on Rug Street.  I'm hoping that when I am finished with the hooking, I will be press it into normalcy somehow.  I sure hope so.  

Today is August 1st!  Isn't it wonderful!?!?! Summer will soon be over!  I can't wait. Yesterday John & I went shopping & the store had all the school supplies on display & some winter clothes as well!  Seeing those things brought a big smile to my face, let me tell you!  You may have noticed that I've even brought my Christmas countdown counter to the top of my sidebar!  Life is good   : )

I will try to photograph & post my July finishes in the next day or so   : )

23 comments:

Krista said...

WOW! Wonderful finishes, Shirlee!! You have been busy! I am also counting down to the end of summer, half way there! Enjoy the weekend!

diamondc said...

I hope your recovery is going well and passes fast so you are back to everything you did before.
I love all your stitching lovely.
I love looking at school stuff brings back many memories, I am in my middle sixties and am loving it.

Blessings in Jesus Name

Catherine

Vicki said...

I have had that same problem with my comments bouncing back but only on one blog. It's weird. I think I'll take your advice and start checking the comments on my blog to be sure I'm reading them all! Great finishes...

marly said...

A nice bunch of lovelies and the punchneedle is great! I haven't had a summer yet so I am NOT looking for fall!

stitchersanon said...

Wow, what wonderful stitching projects...they are all beautiful. Yes, that surgery can knock it out of you. We are all used to seeing hospital dramas on TV where at the end of the show ( 1 hour) they are cured and walking home..and actually it isnt like that at all. Keep well, rest and just do what you want to do when you want to do it xxx Great to see you back in blog land xx

geeky Heather said...

Those are all lovely pieces, but the top one has one of my favorite verses (Malachi, I think?) If you had not told me there should be a date and initials, I'd never have known anything was missing. I think it looks great.

Hazel said...

Beautiful stitchy finishes! You have been busy. I'm glad I'm not the only one who isn't keen on summer. The only good thing is that I get time off to catch up with blogs. X

Robin in Virginia said...

Fabulous finishes, Shirlee! I had to go check out the La D Da design to see where the year and initials for to go. I don't think it looks empty at all! Hope you are gaining strength and are back to normal. Enjoy the weekend!

Robin in Virginia

Pam in IL said...

Funny how summer coming to an end excites you and depresses me! We had nearly 7 months of winter weather and I'm totally not ready to go back to it.

Your stitching is lovely. Your punch needle is great too. Maybe your punch needle stitches are a little too crowded and that's what caused the puckering? If you're going to be turning that fabric to the back I don't think the puckering will be an issue.

Beth said...

All are wonderful - I have a soft spot for reindeer and sheep!

cucki said...

Super sweet stitches and I
Love them all so much
Big hugs for you x

Sarah in Stitches said...

Gorgeous stitching, Shirlee! I've missed seeing your projects. You've been so busy! I love your latest punch needle project too :D

Carol said...

How nice to see what you've been up to Shirlee--such lovely projects! Are you enjoying the punchneedle? It's something I've contemplated trying, but just haven't looked into it enough.

I'm sad that it's August as we've had such horrid non-summerlike weather here this year. You would have loved it--cool enough to almost turn the heat on! I sure hope we get some warmer sunny days soon before fall sets in...

Hope you're recovering well and not overdoing it (don't I sound like a mother?!)... Take care now and enjoy your weekend!

Simply Victoria said...

What great work you've done. I love "Act Justly" and wouldn't have known anything was missing at all. The punch needle snowflake is lovely too!

Sally said...

Love, love, love all your finishes Shirlee but I especially love your PSS one. I think your La D Da piece looks perfect with the initials and year.

Hope you are doing well.

I am so done with the hot weather we've been having here. Way too hot for me. I don't mind summer if it isn't this hot and we are lucky here as we usually have a cooling sea breeze.

Frances said...

What gorgeous stitching! Your work is always beautiful!
I hope you're feeling better and enjoying your stitching while you get better!
I have worked on my blog--I'm told I'm a no-reply blogger, but some say that they have no trouble responding!! I really don't know!! I've tried to adjust and I really don't know what else to do, but I guess I'll just plod along! The technology part of this is difficult for me, but I do love blogging and I enjoy yours!
Have a fun weekend!

Kaisievic said...

Great finishes, see, I knew that you had been stitching! Just holding out on us all! lol! All of them are gorgeous but which is my favourite? Hmmm! So hard to choose - maybe Warm Winter Woollens, I do so love LHN designs. hugs, Kaye

Julie said...

A lovely selection of finishes, well done.

Anne said...

Shirlee! You have been a busy gal with your needles! I really love the La-D-Da design! The punch needle snowflake is so cool! How are you going to finish it I wonder?!?! Hugs!

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Yay for a stitching post and boo for a Christmas countdown LOL.

I love your unseasonal stitching, the Wintertime one is my favourite but the sheep in the woolly jumper is very cute too.

Hope you are recovering well.

Angela CG said...

All your stitching is lovely. I don't think that your "Act Justly" is missing anything. If after putting it down for a little while, you still feel as if it is a little empty, you could put one of the little flowers next to the bird and that would fill the space up perfectly.

The Inspired Stitcher said...

I think summer time puts the lazies on all of us. I know I haven't posted near as much this summer. I love your finishes. Lost of pretties to admire. Have a good rest of the week!

Shebafudge said...

What fantastic finishes! I LOVE the Olde Woolery Shoppe one, that is gorgeous! Off to investigate it now.