Stitch-A-Long: FINISHED

Okay, so it turned out to be a 25 month Stitch-A-Long, rather than a 12 month Stitch-A-Long, but it is still FINISHED! And, I do like this method of taking large projects and breaking them up into “doable” chunks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m afraid the budget doesn’t allow for a gorgeous double -matted frame job, so what to do, what to do?  I reached way back into my “toolbox” of sewing skills (WAY back, haven’t made a quilt or wall hanging in years!), and decided to turn it into a little wall hanging. I found some sweet fabric to reflect some of the dominant colors which are also found in my office (I spend much more time there than at home, so decided that is where it will hang — it will also help on some of those challenging days to remember these “Living with Charm” words).

I considered how wide I wanted the finished product to be, and decided that I wanted the emphasis on the stitching so the borders and binding are fairly narrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It needed a little something to give it some form, but I didn’t want to use iron-on interfacing.  I had some leftover pieces of soft white flannel which worked perfectly!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was time for the binding … It has been a while since I mitered a corner, so Google was my friend!  I found this great free tutorial online at Jaybird Quilts.

Success!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: cross-stitch, Debbie, Sewing, Stitch-A-Long

Stitch-A-Long: Month 11

Back-to-back business travel with a memorial service sandwiched in the middle, include some important work deadlines, and my immune system was ripe for takeover. As a result, last weekend I was recuperating from the “crud” … after 2 trips to the doctor, 2 breathing treatments, antibiotics, and an inhaler! I ignored my germ-ridden house, overgrown backyard, and the ever-looming dissertation work and enjoyed some much needed rest and a couple of “pj” days, and was able to complete Month 11 of my Stitch-A-Long (the second completion during Month 14, I’m so proud!). ☺

So here it is … I’m working on “Live” right now and hope to be done before February is over.

 

 

Tags: cross-stitch, Debbie

Stitch-A-Long: Month 10

So, I’m still working on my 12 month Stitch-A-Long (sponsored by my favorite local needlework shop, Needle Delights), and yes, it is actually Month 14, not Month 10, but at this point all that matters is continued progress!  :-)  This has been an exceptionally tough week for me. I lost a dear friend of 23 years to brain cancer. Jill had fought this dreaded disease valiently and with grace for three years. Jill and I had been through a lot during our friendship–we had both been single moms since 1992, when her husband died and I was divorced.

The Danish author and poet, Hans Christian Andersen, was quoted as saying that “A human life is a story told by God.” On Wednesday we celebrated her life and I was honored to be asked by the family to provide a spoken tribute. I was blessed the day Jill and I first shared stories. We cried together over loss and the challenges of life, yes, but we also laughed, oh, how we laughed … like the time we put together a gas barbeque grill with some do-hickey on backwards and almost set her new house on fire!

So this Stitch-A-Long post “Laugh” is in honor of my dear friend (and I’m pretty sure she was having a little giggle when I had to stop in a Walmart to buy underwear in Tampa this week when her memorial service fell in the middle of my business trip to Orlando and one to Tallahassee and I didn’t make in home in between).

So, take some time today to laugh with someone you love!

Tags: cross-stitch, Debbie, Stitch-A-Long

Halloween Stitching – Alternate Finishing

I finally finished a little Halloween cross-stitch project which I started, oh, I don’t know, probably FIVE years ago!!! The problem with holiday-themed projects is that I only like to work on them around that holiday! So, every year, Mr. Sweet Tooth got packed in with my projects to take to the annual Needle Fair stitching retreat sponsored by my favorite local needlework shop, Needle Delights, only to be put away at the end of the weekend until the following year’s retreat. I’m afraid this little project had kind of become the “mascot” of the retreat and I was getting sick of looking at him. So, I was determined that not only would I have the stitching finished before the retreat, but that the project would also be “finished” and on display with other finished works at the retreat.

Since this little guy will only be hanging up a few weeks each year, I decided that a professional frame job was not in the budget. I had seen another like-project finished in this manner hanging up in the shop a few years ago and decided to give it a try myself.

Supplies:

finished cross-stitch project

burlap fabric

thread/floss to match burlap

raffia

straight branch or dowel (I used a crape myrtle branch because they are so nice and straight)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Directions:

Cut finished project to desired size, allowing 1-1 ½ inches to fray. Cut burlap large enough across the top to allow for making a casing (large enough for branch or dowel to fit through).  Cut burlap two to three inches larger than the finished project on two sides and the bottom, allowing for fraying.

 

Fray top about ½ inch and fold over to the back, making a casing large enough for the branch/dowel. Stitch in place by hand or machine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Center finished project and pin in place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long stitch around edges using 2 strands of thread/floss and allowing desired amount to fray.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insert branch/dowel and use long raffia to make hanger. When the holiday is over, roll it up and store with other decorations until it is time to come out again next year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Halloween!

 

Tags: cross-stitch, Finishing, Halloween

Stitch-A-Long: Month 9

Okay, I think this is the closest to the “appropriate” month that I’ve finished a stitch-a-long this year since Month 1 in January!! I have actually been done since Sunday night  (October 2 – just TWO days after the end of Month 9), but forgot to take a picture and write a quick post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a small plaque in my office that says “Never, never, never give up.” It is attributed to Winston Churchill. I think I might have found the origin of that quote; here is the “encouragement” quote of the month:  

“Never give in… never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.  Never yield to force… never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”  ~Winston Churchill

Tags: cross-stitch, Debbie, Stitch-A-Long

Stitch-A-Long: Month 8

ALMOST caught up, but not quite … Month 8 finished in the first week of Month 9! It sure helped having a 3-day weekend without any looming work or class deadlines (and the fact that this word-of-the-month only had FOUR letters!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I leave you with this thought, one of my favorite quotes, about caring: 

“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”  ~John Wooden

Tags: cross-stitch, Debbie, Stitch-A-Long

Stitch-A-Long: Month 7

Catching up!!! Month 7 (July) is done before Month 8 is over! Definitely no lazy days of summer around here … from May through August 6, work and school just plain wore me out! I have spent most of the rest of August just trying to recover some energy. I’ve given myself permission to “take-off” (from working on my dissertation) until the conclusion of the Labor Day weekend. So, I’m going to try to get Month 8 and 9 done by then … I “believe” that I can do it – will let you know how that all works out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: cross-stitch, Debbie, Stitch-A-Long

Stitch-A-Long: Month 6

Five grants submitted … check! Written exams, taken and passed … check!  Oral exam, taken and passed … check! Just had the opportunity to tack a couple of days on the end of a workshop held down in Lakeland (between Orlando and Tampa) to visit a dear friend in Tampa. We spent a couple of wonderful days just sitting and chatting, and I took the opportunity to get some stitching done. So here is Month 6 of the Stitch-A-Long (yes, I know that we are now in Month 8 … I didn’t say that I was caught up!).

Tags: cross-stitch, Debbie, needlework, Stitch-A-Long

Stitch-A-Long: Months 1-5

Okay, Jen said we need to get something up here besides cooking … the blog is called Threaded Together, right?  So, here is my first non-cooking/baking post. I am participating in a year-long “stitch-a-long” sponsored by Needle Delights  (my favorite local needlework shop!).  I take all kinds of classes … and finish very few projects (so, I hope if you’ve been the recipient of one of those finished projects that you REALLY appreciate it!). Life has just been too hectic the last few years. However, as I tell my children, co-workers, and anyone else who might listen, as long as I have the opportunity to stab a needle through fabric or canvas on occasion, there is no chance I’ll cause bodily harm to any of them (it is great therapy!).

So, when Kathy, the owner of Needle Delights, decided to have a year-long “project” I knew that I needed to pick out something that I might actually kind of be able to keep up with.   I love Lizzie*Kate designs — quick & easy!  I had already purchased everything I needed to do the “Living with Charm” series, and it very conveniently had 12 patterns, which could be stitched separately or in one long piece (a banner).  I’m doing it as a banner, and have changed the border a bit from the recommendation – using Williamsburg Red and Navy because those are the colors I want to “pull out” (will probably mat with blue/red … whenever it is finally done!).   I am not going to use the charms that have been included with the patterns (even though it is called “Living with Charm”).  I’m stitching it using the recommended Sampler and Weeks overdyed threads. Wish I could tell you what I’m stitching it on, but I haven’t a clue … linen, probably around 28-32 ct. (Kathy knows my eyes can’t take anything smaller these days!), over 2 threads with two ply threads.

Month 1 – January 2010: Finished on time!

Month 2 – February 2010:  Finished on time!

 

Month 3 – March 2010: I think I got this one finished in early April (otherwise known as Month 4) … uh-oh, falling behind!

Months 4 & 5 – Finished during June (Month 6):  I know, still behind …

Month 6 … Where is Month 6?  This is Month 7 (July) so there should be a Month 6 … but, there isn’t … but, it is in progress!  One of my goals is to attend “stitch-ins” and make everyone else feel good about themselves (because they are all ahead of me!). :-)

Tags: cross-stitch, Debbie, Sewing, Stitch-A-Long