UPDATE!!!! UPDATE!!!!! UPDATE!!!!!!!

Been needing to do a stitching update for about 3 weeks, but things just were not cooperating, camera dying and spending several days with my Dad. So here goes.

This is the final part of a Christmas present for my adopted sister Mary. She already knows about it, so I don't feel so bad about it being late. Tried to do too many stitched Christmas presents and this one just did not get done in time and then some other things bumped in ahead of it. This is the first thing I have done in a long time that required backstitching. Forgot how tedious and boring backstitching can be. The photo turned out sort of yellow, because the fabric is white in real life. Mary loves Hawaii and I thought this was appropriate for her. They are flowers found in Hawaii. Ready for the framer. This was done before I went to my Dad's.

Aloha

CrossStitch and Country Crafts Magazine

28-ct White Cashel

Anchor Floss

Continue to work on the Blackbird Monthly Stockings. They are really fun to stitch.

BBD- Daffodil Stocking-March

30-ct Korty's Special Blend R&R

Recommended Fibers

This stocking was finished while I was at my Dad's.

BBD-Sweet Pea Stocking- April

30-ct Korty's Special Blend R&R

Recommended Threads

I think I mentioned that Anita, aka The Sunflower Seed, has been doing the finishing on the stockings. I just love how they turn out. She is just so precise on how she makes the curves turn out so smooth. I could never get them to look that good. You will notice that there is one unfinished in the photo. It is from the January ones- Auld Lang Syne.

While I was at my Dad's, I pulled out some old WIPs and worked on them after I finished the Sweet Pea Stocking. Did not have any design models to work on for The Sunflower Seed. I rotated between 2 different WIPs. First is Giving Sisters by Notforgotten Farms on 26-ct White Birch Heatherfield with DMC. In order to get really good coverage with the black am working with three strands. All that was done before, was the witch down to the waist the 1761 sign and a little border. Made lots of solid black progress and the pumpkin. I still really like this design, but the solid black can get a little boring.

Next I worked on a baby sampler for my niece. This has turned into a bigger project than I first thought. It has a lot of color changes and backstitching. Doesn't seem like I made much progress, but seemed like I stitched on it a lot of time. I added the light green blanket to the stack and started the little pink booties. The green blanket has about 3 colors of green, plus a blended needle in part of it. The booties have about 4 colors of pink. It is stitch a couple of stitches and change colors. This one that I have to color in the pattern as I work to keep the frog from coming to visit. This design is Precious Baby by BobbyG on 28-ct lambswool linen with Anchor floss.

There was another project I started and have since finished while I was gone, but it is for a birthday present and she sometimes reads my blog. It is ready for the framer and I will show pictures after her birthday in June. It was done with my favorite fiber Belle Soie silk. Go figure.

Last Saturday I went looking for a small project to carry with me to a KC Royals baseball game. I ran across this Snowman kit by Cross My Heart. It was dated as 1995, so I have had it around for awhile. Everything was with it and I had even done some work on it. Thought it would be a good thing to take with me. Tried to figure out where I was on it and decided that I did not like the aida that came with the kit that I had started using. So, I just threw it out and started over on some mystery light blue fabric scrap I found. Now my stitching friends that labeled me as a "fiber snob" have labeled me as a "fabric snob". I guess we could just say I am a snob all the way around. Here is my progress on this little guy so far.

While talking to Anita yesterday, she told me she was picking colors for a new design. I will be stopping by to pick it up today after my church ladies meeting. Have my Ice Cream Sundae Dessert ready to go. Hopefully, I can keep it frozen driving in and put it in freezer at the church to keep frozen before and after serving. Then will run a piece over to Anita when I pick up my new assignment.

Haven't talk to my Dad since I returned from there. Been in contact with my sisters and they have talked to him and one BIL took him to the doctor last week. So nothing new on that front.

Will continue to use Morris's camera for awhile, but need to figure some things out on it because it made some of my pictures look a little more yellow than I like. Old one makes things look pink and now this one make them look yellow part of the time. I guess I am hard to please. The car I was looking out is now off the table. It was too much for what I want to pay. It was a year newer than I thought, so that made it higher in price. I guess I will just keep looking. The one I have now runs good, but I know that someday it will start costing me a lot with all the miles it has on it.

In closing, I would like to give a shout out to one of my stitching buddies. Janet is leaving next week to spend the summer in Minnesota running the family's antique shop. We are going to miss you being with us each week as we stitch. We will call you and put you on the speaker of my cell phone so you can sort of be with us and hear our laughter. Be safe and hurry home.

Not sure when my next post will be. The next few days are busy and then we will be in South Dakota from Memorial Day til the following Saturday when we bring the 2 13-year olds home with us. Then I probably won't have much time to stitch or blog. Still trying to get my Google Reader back down under 200. Maybe I can get that done before we leave. Yesterday seemed like not many added, but this morning everyone had made up for yesterday and had about 15 added before 10:00 AM Yikes!!!!!!!!!