Sunday, November 2, 2014

Slow Stitching on Sunday finally produces something!

I'm not sure when I started this piece but it has to have been many months ago...maybe as much as a year as the name of this piece is Bittersweet September by Blackbird Designs.


I got this as a kit from Dyeing to Stitch, it is from their Ladies Prim Society and was a release from 2013. The pattern, fabric, threads, backing fabric and rickrack were all included. They made it into a little pillow but I think I'm going to frame it. This has been a great club and I've done it for two years now. This club is featuring designs from Blackbird Designs and Threadwork Primitives. The charts for these clubs haven't been release to the general public. I assume they will be at a later date but so far I haven't seen any on the retail sites. I LOVE this piece - it has my trifecta of things I want in a sampler - a house, an alphabet and an interesting border. I really like that the top is different from the sides and the bottom.


Now the over one stuff always takes me a lot of time. I did stitch the C and the N in a different floss color - those are the initials of my boys. I wasn't paying attention when I stitched the S and the T - they are a different color too but I didn't do that on purpose and I wasn't going to frog it.

So a finish always leads to a new start right? Shake your head up an down, up and down -LOL! I couldn't wait to  finish Bittersweet September so I could start on this 2014 release from Dyeing to Stitch's Ladies Prim Society called Bittersweet Lane.


I LOVE EVERYTHING about this piece - it has a house, it has a gorgeous border and it has a pumpkin with a quilt block on it! So many things I love to stitch squeezed into a dainty 6" X 6" square. I was in such a hurry to start Bittersweet Lane that I neglected to read ALL of the instructions. I had 2 sides of the border stitched when I realized I was already running low on one color of floss. Hmmmm... that's never happened before, they always include ample amount of thread...unless you didn't read the line that says "Cross stitch with 1 strand of floss over 2 thread of linen." Arghhhh...well, I checked my stash of threads and have most of these colors so I'm continuing on with 2 strands over 2 threads. I preferred the more solid look of 2 strands to the more delicate look of one strand of floss.

Here's a peek at what I've done so far. It is a gorgeous border - reminds me of a filigree bracelet.


So I'm linking up with Kathy's Quilts Slow Sunday Stitching - go here and check out what others have been up to!

Thanks for all of you who commiserated with my tale of plumbing woe - I do appreciate it - send good thoughts my way as another plumbing problem has reared its ugly head. I hope to get someone here tomorrow to address the nasty smell  that comes and goes in one area of the basement. Our drop in temperature these last two days seems to have made it worse. I talked to the plumber last week and a couple of my neighbors who had this problem in the past  and have a bad bad feeling that I have a cracked pipe somewhere that is letting this smell come out.  My fear is the pipe is behind a finished wall which will require demolition, repair and the reconstruction.  Again I see dollar bills flying out of my house - not a pretty sight. Big sigh!

I'm off to do a bit of stitching - I have a couple of projects going that I can't share yet as they are Christmas presents and I need to work on them. As of there are 52 days till Christmas !!! Now that is a scary thought too.

happy stitching-
carol fun

22 comments:

  1. congrats on a beautiful finish and enjoy your stitching on the new one! So pretty!

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  2. I so like cross stitch samplers. Yours is very well done.

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  3. I love your stitchings. I used to do stuff like that before and the first couple of years we were married... then kids came to mess with my knitting and sewing. The embroidery got forgotten.
    Thanks for sharing the beauties.
    Hugs

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  4. Nice to finish one project and always fun to start another! Beautiful projects! Happy stitching!

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  5. Congrats on the finish! Of course you have to make the new one, it is so perfect especially the border. Thank you for sharing!

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  6. Oh, my!!! I love the finish, but the new start is just aces!!! The bricks! The pumpkin! With quilt blocks! YGG with the 2/2. :)

    As for the plumbing, I saw that but the buggy RSS killed my comment. Sending good wishes your way. I've been way into This Old House recently, but yours is not the Reno I want to see/hear about! Pipe ruptures out! Yarn in!

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  7. Blackbird Designs have gorgeous cross stitch patterns and you have done such a great job on yours! Congratulations on your finish.

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  8. Beautiful stitching. I have yet to purchase a Blackbird Design, but I love those patterns. I agree that the border you are stitching looks like a filigree bracelet. Such fun to stitch.

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  9. Congrats on a finish! I don't think it's been THAT long since you started it. The new project is lovely too. Sorry about the Plumbing problems!

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  10. Bittersweet September turned out really great. I love the quilt block on the pumpkin on your new piece and you're right - the border is sweet.

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  11. What a beautiful finish. I just joined the club this year and I just got the Bittersweet piece. I think I will change the directions also. I might even do it on 32 ct. That is my only problem with the club. I stitched Abigail on 32 ct. and used threads that I had on hand. My old eyes prefer 32 ct. to any smaller. Oh well, at least I have the charts. I also like two threads. I have done one on 36 ct. and my DH and I think it looks skimpy. Oh dear about the plumbing. I sure hope it turns out to be something simple!!!!

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  12. I just found your Blog and I love love your finish...

    I love your new WIP...this one is going to be so pretty too.

    I too have a Blog and here is the link...http://lindaksstitchingcorner.blogspot.com

    I have become a follower of your Blog. I would love for you to become a follower of my Blog.

    I love your Quilting as well...you are a beautiful stitcher and a beautiful quilter.

    Happy Stitching

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  13. Love the BBD finish and start
    Happy stitching!!

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  14. Both Bittersweets are very pretty Carol.

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  15. Gorgeous stitchery!
    I also have plumbing bills that are stealing my money!
    Oh well, gotta have a running system!!

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  16. Yay on the finish! I too love everything about your new project!

    I always used 2 threads over 2 when working on linen. I was an avid cross stitcher before I rediscovered quilting ... but I have a couple of cross stitch UFOs as well as several patterns that I still love. Maybe I need to find time (now that I'm retired) to do both.

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  17. Oh my gosh!! That is beautiful and I love it. They need to release those for sale! And I should get busy on the one I started LONG ago!

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  18. Your finish is wonderful Carol. Cross stitching is like quilting and you need to have stamina and a perseverance to get er done. Love how you personalized it with your initials a different color that contrasts just right. BTW- I'm not sure but in the border of your new Bittersewwt Pumpkins design I think there may be a stitch error.
    It's on the top section that's shown near the corner. Each inside bud treatment has 3 stems, the one center that's longer and then 2 littler stems shooting off at angles. I don't have that pattern, but it looks like it from a distance. Wanted to let you know before you got too far.

    I also really loved your newest quilt finish, that is amazing, how did you do it? If you wanted to share your technique on a post I'd appreciate it. Jane

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  19. Oh, I just love cross-stitch samplers. Yours is no exception.

    When I used to be able to see better that is what I loved to work on - samplers of all types.

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  20. Hi Carol,

    This is so gorgeous in autumn colors! I haven't done cross-stitch in years. Blessings - Donna

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