March IHSW: ... finally!

Hey Blog Buddies,

I do love my International Hermit and Stitch Weekend (IHSW) stitch-a-longs!  I didn't have too much time to stitch on Sunday, but I made up for it on Saturday.  The "finally" is because I finally stitched the January square from Crabby All Year!  It missed its turn in the rotation last month, and I wasn't super-enthusiastic about it, but I'm glad it's done!

 I made the "W" and the "C" much larger than charted, just because.

This square is actually more appropriate around here

this month than this past January when we had only a trace of snow,

as opposed to the 9 inches we had almost two weeks ago!

You can see from this photo that I also started on the header

since I've now made my way to the top row of the piece.

I finished the (January part of the) header after the sun went down,

so I had to take this with a flash,

hence the totally different color of the fabric and threads!

Actually, I think this is more representative of the real colors.

I also did a little sewing

(trying to piece together a table topper to match my

Circle Dance wall hanging),

and a little knitting

(on the same cowl that you've already seen),

but I'll show these when finished so as not to bore you to tears.

To see what my fellow hermitters have been up to,

go here.

Hope everyone had a fun, stitchy weekend!

Thanks for visiting!

Still Crabby in 2013

Hey Blog Buddies,
Thanks for all the great comments you've been leaving!  I really do appreciate them so much!

Raise the Roof Designs' Crabby All Year is one of those rare projects from my 2012 WIPocalypse list that made the jump with me from 2012 to 2013.  It is still very much a WIP, and I finished up December this week:

That blue on the check is a bit brighter than in real life.

The amount on the check is "2MUCH" -- heheh.

There was an error on the chart that I didn't catch:

the pen was supposed to be blue (as in their photo)

but the color listed on the chart was salmon.

I know, no big deal.

But the coins on the bottom were charted as copper pennies

which I thought might "clash" with the pink,

so I changed them to nickels and a dime.

I have no idea why the buttons for the month

are little flowers, but they are.

I am growing a little weary of this lovely BAP,

but not to worry:

I intend to keep plugging along.

Only three more months to go!

And the header.

And all the buttons.

Oh, and I'm changing the size of the word for May.

It looks like 2013 will be the Year of Halloween

here at The Southpaw Stitcher.

I joined Lainey's 2013 Halloween Ornament SAL,

and we are doing one ornament a month.

The theme for January is pumpkins.

I'll be working on my January ornament this weekend.

So hopefully I will not be whining about

how I need more ornies for my Halloween tree come October.

(If I do, just slap me!)

Speaking of stitching for 2013,

there's a list of this year's goals under my blog header.

It's longish, but I don't think it's as unrealistic as last year's.

Or maybe I'm being delusional.

And it's good for a laugh.

That's it from here.

Have a great, stitchy weekend!

And thanks for visiting!

September is an Ugly Month

Hey Blog Buddies,

Hope you had a great weekend.  Between all the made-from-scratch leftovers that my friend Joyce sent with us on Thursday (yum!) and the stitching/sewing I got done, it was a good one for me.

First up, as you might expect from the title, is Crabby All Year's September.  Yes, it is ugly, but that's why I like it because all of Crabby's months are ugly in some form!

There was a lot of stitching with this one,

between the bag of leaves and the large pile of

(you guessed it) leaves.

I just placed the buttons on top

to pretty it up a bit and so that

you can see what the finished product

will look like.

I'm sure that there are parts of the world

where all the leaves fall off the trees in September,

but here in northern Illinois it's more like

late October/early November.

However, the ladies have something different planned

for those months.

While I was plugging away at September,

I was also busy cutting fabric for my quilt.

I finished that task, much to my surprise,

and thought I'd start out with sewing a small block.

The plan is to crease the two pieces down the middle,

line up the creases and pin.

The first two pieces:

sew the two curved sides together.

Hahahahahaaaaaaaa!

They suggest using the one-pin method,

but that didn't work for me.

I need three pins, one in the middle

and one on each end.

I'm acquainted with many people

who could whip this out in the blink of an eye.

I am not one of them.

But I did get a block finished:

Not really perfect, but kinda close.

For me, this is as good as it gets.

If all my blocks turn out like this,

I'll be a happy camper.

The  construction of the above block took a long time--

and a lot of stress.

I only had to rip out two seams.

My goal is one per day, until I reach seven.

Then, it's on to the larger pieces.

In the meantime, I plan to start another stitching project

from my 2012 list.

It's the hand embroidery that will keep me sane.

Until next time,

thanks for visiting!

November IHSW: Assisi, Batiks and September

Hey Blog Buddies,

I had no finishes this time around--and I knew that would be the case going into the weekend--so I decided to do something a little zany for me:  three starts!  I'm feeling a little chatty today, so maybe you should get a "cuppa" or an energy drink before we embark on our journey...  ...Got everything you need?  Good, let's go!

As the year draws to a close, I keep glancing at the 2012 goals list on my sidebar.  Now I knew quite a while ago that I wouldn't be able to finish all the projects, but it would be nice to at least put a few stitches in all of them.  So that is the reason for the three starts.

First, I chose Christmas Elegance by Milady's Needle.  Here is what the pattern looks like:

I chose the top left version,

only I'm doing it in green silk.

The difference between the top and bottom versions

is that one is the negative image of the other.

In other words, the top trees have the background stitched

and the bottom trees are the opposite.

They call the top versions Assisi stitching.

Normally in Assisi the entire background is stitched

and the design is left blank.

That's true here only for the tree.

Since I was doing the design with one strand

on 40-count linen, I was somewhat concerned about coverage.

The directions suggested doing "Two-Sided Italian Cross Stitch"

for better coverage, and the stitch was even diagrammed.

The best way I can describe it is

a cross stitch with a back stitch on the left and bottom.

This makes for a very dense, chunky stitch,

even if you're using only one strand!

I did the border in regular cross stitch and

decided to do the potted tree in Two-Sided Italian Cross Stitch.

You would not believe how long it took me

to stitch the pot!

And no, ripping the pot out at this point

is not an option.

Ripping anything more than a couple of stitches of

Two-Sided Italian Cross Stitch is not an option!

I don't have a crystal ball,

but this little guy might not get finished

by the end of the year.

Next I decided to go for another challenge:

Elisa's Backporch Circle Dance quilting pattern.

Sewing curves (shudder).

Here is a photo of the pattern to refresh your memory.

I wasn't crazy about the fabric in this photo,

so I decided to start over with some very bright batik fabric instead.

Don't worry--I hadn't gotten far

and the above fabric was used to make

some very cute ort bags this summer.

No sewing yet, just cutting,

and only 12 pieces of each element cut.

I'll need to cut 40 total of each of the smaller elements,

and (ahem) 106 of each of the larger.

But it's a start--and I love the fabric!

The last is not technically a start

since I've been working on this project a good part of the year,

but it's a start on a month.

Yes, Crabby All Year is back after an extended absence!

You can tell this is September, right?  No?

Well you'll be able to recognize it soon,

because I plan to finish September

before I move onto anything else.

That wraps up my November IHSW.

To check out the other hermitters,

visit Joyce's blog here.

Hope you had a grand weekend,

and got some stitching in, too.

Thanks for visiting!

WIPocalypse 2012 - August Blue Moon Report

Hey Blog Buddies,

The dog is done!  Yes, I'm talking about Boris by Plum Street Samplers.  Once I got all of the frogging out of the way, he seemed to go very quickly.

He gives everyone a menacing stare

because he'd like to be thought of as a bad-a**,

but you know he's in touch with his feminine side.

Why else would he have gotten that

lovely sunflower tattoo?

I substituted green for the ecru in the bone,

so it would show up.

(The ground really is ecru and not pink, like in the photo.)

The top piece of "fruit" in the bowl was originally charted as ecru, too.

I decided not to stitch his whiskers

because I thought it made him look too much like a cat!

I bought a frame for him, and I'm going to attempt to frame him myself.

The frame is only 8" x 8", so how hard can it be?

(You probably shouldn't answer that!)

I did some work on Crabby all Year, too.

Here's April:

Imagine that you see long, straight stitches on the tax form.

(The folks at Raise the Roof advised stitching them last.)

The entire Crabby design is very specific not only to the USA,

but also to areas that have a humid continental climate,

like northern Illinois.

So to those of you not living in the USA I ask,

do you pay income taxes in April like we do?

If not, what month are they due?

I even finished August!

We use an herbicide on our pathetic little lawn

so we don't have dandelions there,

but they actually grow in the cracks in the sidewalk!

Here are the five months which I've completed thus far:

The piece won't look wavy once it comes off the scroll frame

and gets mounted and framed.

But I can't not show you my monthly progress (heaven forbid!),

so you'll be looking at waves for quite some time!

I also started and finished the third LJP ornament

which was featured in my last post--I won't make you look at it again.

Only two more of those ornaments to go!

One finish and three mini-finishes from my WIPocalypse list:

 "I done good" this month!

To check out everyone else's WIPocalypse progress,

click here.

Until next month, have a fun and safe Labor Day holiday

if you're a USA blog buddy.

To all my international blog buddies, have a groovy weekend!

And thanks, as always, for visiting!

WIPocalypse 2012 - July Report

Hey Blog Buddies,

The year is half over, but am I half done with my WIPocalypse list?  Uhhh, no.  Here's what I accomplished last month:

This was a quick start and finish.

(And see, it did get framed!)

I have had this Lizzie*Kate chart for several years.

Here is another start of a chart that I've had for a while.

(Raise the Roof's Crabby All Year)

The finish on this one won't be quite as speedy.

If I can complete two squares per month,

it should get done this year.

Rainforest Revisited got a tiny bit of love.

Here's where I was at last month:

And here's where I'm at now:

I stitched the three squares in the current top row,

which is actually the second row of the piece.

I also recently started Plum Street Sampler's Boris.

That didn't turn out too well (see previous post).

But here is the new and improved Boris:

He looks so much better (IMO).

The area of the fabric that I frogged

almost looks like aida cloth now (heheh)!

But those puny-looking letters have to be redone, too!

Will everything on my list be completed

before the end of the year?

Realistically, no.

I have a fair amount of commitment stitching

staring me in the face.

And there are two or three recently-purchased (cough, cough) charts

that are just begging to be stitched.

But I'm pretty certain Rainforest will get done.

And there will be other finishes from the list, too.

Stay tuned...

Click the dragon on my sidebar

to find out more about this SAL.

Hope your month has been productive.

Thanks for visiting!

Bugs and Rabbits!

Hey Blog Buddies,

During the WIPocalypse update, I mentioned that I had started on Raise the Roof's "Crabby All Year" and showed you my start for June.  I had originally intended to do only one "month" per rotation, but enthusiasm got the better of me this week.  So here is June:

I'm not a fan of bugs, but I do like this square.

My favorite is the caterpillar.

The designer calls it a centipede.

But I had never seen a red and yellow centipede

(and I've seen a lot of centipedes!),

so I shortened it's legs,

and it's now a cute little caterpillar!

The lettering and the "gnats" flying around

appear to be black,

but they are really DMC 939

(dark, dark blue!).

I had intended to continue on to July, but--hello!--

April, May and June are all on the same row!

So I backtracked to May's rabbits.

And here is May:

The design called for DMC 420 for the rabbit,

but I substituted WDW's Cappuccino.

Stitchers like me probably should not use overdyes.

Notice how stripey the rabbit is?

That's because I almost always

insist on crossing my stitches the Danish way.

But this design is a little zany anyway,

so the rabbit stays the way he is.

It seems like the lettering could be

a little larger in this square.  Hmmm.

I'll wait until the project is finished

before I make any decision to change the letters.

The weather in these parts has

been just beautiful the last couple of days.

Hope the weather where you are

is just what you like.

Thanks for visiting!

WIPocalypse 2012 - June Report

Hey Blog Buddies,

May was a much more productive month for me than April, so I've got a few things to show you.  Let's start with a finish!  Here's the before photo:

And here's the finish,

Alessandra Adelaide's CT13:

Rainforest Revisited by Needle Delights Originals

also got some love in May.

Here's the before picture:

I added eight more squares since then

(the top and bottom rows):

Last and probably least,

at this point anyway,

I made a start on Raise the Roof's "Crabby All Year."

It's on my list because I've had the charts for quite a while.

So, say hello to June:

"B"?  Really??

Yes, June is "Bugs!"

I had a bad moment with it this morning.

As you can see, I did measure for the center and

basted a line down the middle.

Trying to be careful here

because this is another BAP.

I'm doing all the months on one piece of linen.

Then it hit me:

there's an 80-thread header I forgot about!

I vaguely remembered Joy at House of Stitches

telling me I was getting a little extra

when she cut the fabric.

(I think my measurements were

almost equal to the width of the fabric.)

So I counted, and there's plenty of room at the top!

Whew!!

That's it for this month.

Hope your month was productive, too!

And thanks for visiting!

WIPocalypse 2012 - January Report

Hey Blog Buddies,

Are you as stoked as I am about the 2012 WIPocalypse?  Not that I'm hoping that the world will end in December, but if it does, there are over 300 of us who will have our WIP's (hopefully) all finished!  And there's something to be said for that.
I haven't actually showed photos of my 2012 to do list before.  And since I can't seem to get this Blogger page thing figured out, I'll do it here.  Some are WIPs, and other are just things I want to do this year.  But since this is a picture-heavy post, I'll stop blabbing and go straight to my WIPocalypse list:

Here she is, our old friend,

Libby Sturdy's Uptown Stitcher.

She's nearing completion.

There should be no reason that she remains a WIP.

Alessandra Adelaide's CT13--

the zany red Christmas tree.

I'm really hoping it will be up on my wall

for Christmas 2012.

This is Indigo Rose's Winter.

It's probably my oldest WIP,

started in 1998 or 1999.

The project benefiting autism research

that my Guild offered in April 2011.

The multi-colored row that I'm doing now

is really... interesting.

Another stocking from

BBD's 'Tis Halloween booklet.

I'd like to get at least one other one stitched, too...

..this one.

I've got two of these designs finished.

I want to do three more.

(Yes, I'll be stitching one twice.)

These will look cute finished as a cube.

Plum Street Sampler's "Boris."

He is just too cute for words!

Milady's Needle "Christmas Elegance."

You can never have too many holiday ornies!

(I want to do at least one, hopefully two.)

Raise the Roof's Crabby All Year

This is such a fun design!

Once I get all the buttons and some linen,

look out!

I found this free chart while

rummaging through my stash today:

Calico Crossroads'

"I Stitch Therefore I Am" band sampler.

How cute is this?!!

And I didn't even remember I had it!

Gotta do this one soon!

This was a Guild project,

a freebie blackwork design from Laura J. Perin

that I'd really like to get done this year.

This is another guild project:

cross-stitch pinwheels

from Calico Crossroads

worked on perforated paper.

Everyone needs a cross-stitched pinwheel, right?

Right???

This is Rainforest Revisited

by Needle Delights Originals.

I'd like to start this right now, except

the short ends of the stretcher bars

are being used by Uptown Stitcher.

(Just another reason to finish her soon.)

I want to do 2 or 3 of these

for my spring display....

This Victoria Sampler ornament

was in the 2010 JCS Christmas issue.

It's all kitted up and ready to go!

And wonder of wonders, I have a finish!

Lizzie*Kate's January Flip-It.  Woo hoo!

And here is my latest start.

Snow Patches from the Cross-Eyed Cricket.

If you've made it through the end of this list, congratulations!

Hope your weekend was fabulous.

And thanks for visiting.