Life After QC

It is hard to believe that I got QC done. My focus was so much on working on it and then when it got close to the end the focus was to get it finished. Now I am having problems figuring out what to work on next. Wednesday I took QC to our wonderful local frame shop. Total cost of the damage for framing is $95 including tax. Anita stopped by the frame shop and approved my frame choice. She always does such a good job of picking frames. I didn't want to spoil the piece by putting a yucky frame on it. It should be done in 2-3 weeks.

My stitching buddies have given me a new label. "Fiber Snob". In trying to figure out what to work on next, I was trying out several different WIPs. Going from stitching with Belle Soie to GAST or WDW or plain DMC is such a letdown. Now all I want to stitch with is Belle Soie. That can be a really expensive habit. Keep looking at projects and trying to see if I can convert them to Belle Soie.

The piece I have decided to focus on now is a piece I started probably 5 years ago. When we did our Stitcher's Over Night back in April this design was done hanging on the wall at the B&B. It made me pull my in process project out of the depths of my unfinished projects. Here is a photo of where I am I on this. It was about half done when I picked it up this time. All the scripture, top half of the border and most of the alphabets were done.

In My Father's House

Designer: Margaret & Margaret

Fabric: 28-ct Natural Linen

Fiber: Anchor Floss

Back in the late 90's on some of our girl's stitching trips we toured a couple of museums to look at their needlework collections and they discussed "Mourning Samplers". Had never heard of them before. That is when I decided to do one for my mother, who died in 1996. As a part of her service they used the scripture.. "In my Father's house...", so I decided I wanted to use that in some way. It took me a long time to find a design I liked. Almost decided to chart it myself and add some type of border. Found a Cross My Heart pattern for the words, but did not like how they did the border, but in 2003 I found this pattern and it was just what I was looking for. Started it right away with lots of gusto, but got sidetracked with something else. Don't even know what. Probably a gift deadline of some kind. It is so pleasing to be back working on it. There is one more small house and a BIG house to do and lots of grass. I mean lots of grass to do. Janet, one of my stitching buddies said that I should target having it done by the time we go back to the B&B the 3rd weekend in October. OK, I will try.

In your comments to my post about finishing QC, several of you gave me permission to start something new, so I took you at your word. I started Precious Baby for my new great-nephew due July 17th. It won't be done by then, go figure. I am not that fast at all. I did get it started. It is going to be a bear to work on. Has a lot of half crosses and they are rather funky on my fabric. The blue line is the back end of an elephant.

Precious Baby

Designer: Bobby G Designs

Fabric: 28-ct Antique White Lugana

Fiber: Anchor Floss

Still trying to get current with blog reading. Yesterday I was reading Dawn's blog and she had a couple of freebie design links shown. Followed it to this. Dug around in my stash for fabric and thread and this is the result. Not sure how I am going to finish it.

USA
Designer: Trail Creek Farms

Fabric: 28-ct Lambswool Linen

Fiber: Recommended WDW

(subbed Whitwash for Angel Hair)

Blogger all of a sudden wanted me to double space the above. Cannot get it changed.

Saturday turned out to be a fun day. After a visit to Kohl's (nothing there I could not live without), Barnes & Noble ( 3 books later), I met Reina at the mall. Checked out the sale Clark's shoes at Dillards (nothing I could not live without) and had lunch. The big event was meeting Anita at the LNS -The Sunflower Seed, which was closed for the 4th holiday to allow one of my blogging buddies and Anita's customers from out of town do a little private shopping. Our special shopper was Michelle. She grew up in Topeka and was in town visiting her father. Through our blogging Michelle and I found out she was a former Topekan. Then she called the shop one day when I was there and we talked. Now we got to meet face-to-face. Oh, what fun. Actually after we met, we realized that last year when she visited Topeka and was in the shop, I waited on her. That was before blogging. It is such a small world. Michelle, we loved having the shop open for you and meeting Rob and your parents. Hope you visit in Topeka was a fun one. I know you went home with some great projects from The Sunflower Seed. Rob took photos that will appear later on Michelle's blog. Isn't this blogging thing just the greatest. Making new friends and enhancing our stitching world.

Thank you to everyone that visited to see my completed QC. That was quite an accomplishment and your kind comments are greatly appreciated. Now if I can just get the same focus on the coming projects.

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. Keep on stitching!!!!