A Stitching Year in Review

      2011 was a very productive year of stitching. I was able to finish some WIPs in January that had been kept in the stitching closet way too long.

Frances Eden, Hannah Pepper and Elizabeth Savilles  were all WIPs. The only new start to finish completion in the first group is Ann A. Tarbox. 

 Helen Vertue 1812, Ann Hall and two snaps of Dorothy Walpole.

I needed a break from the BAPs. Phebe's Forest, Autumn on Marigold Lane and Turkey Love satisfied my need for a few quick finishes. But, it's the large reproduction samplers that capture my fancy the most, so Mary Allen 1818 finally caught my attention after languishing for way too long in myy WIP closet.

 

I didn't want another year to go by before putting the final stitches in Country Life. To close out 2011 I started and completed Such An Undertaking.

      I decided to celebrate Christmas Eve Day by starting a new project, Scarlet Letter's Emma Miles. This is how Emma will look once she's completed.

       Here's a snap of my Emma WIP.

 Emma Miles 1848

The Scarlet Letter

40 ct. Lakeside Light Examplar

AVAS silk

 I love stitching eyelet stitch alphabets and the result looks wonderful. It's like solving a little puzzle with each letter as you figure out the best route to take and avoid carrying threads over the center hole. 

      My friend Michelle, Cozy Egg,  ends each of her blog posts with a 'Grateful' statement. I'm going to shamelessly copy Michelle and write my own 'Grateful' statement as a closing to my blog posts.

      Wishing you all: A New Year filled with all those things that bring you peace and happiness; A New Year of good health; A New Year filled with hope.

Laurie, Emma and Owen

I'm grateful for the wonderful stitching friends I've made over the years, the journeys my stitching friends have taken me on and a New Year filled with many new stitching adventures.  

One More Finish for 2011

      I wanted to get one more finish in to wrap up a wonderful year of stitching. Amy Mitten's Such an Undertaking was a fine way to end my stitching year. I discovered how wonderful Amy's Fibers to Dye For are to stitch with and how much texture the chain stitch adds to the tree trunk. I'm going to have to remember that for future tree trunk stitching.

 Such An Undertaking

Amy Mitten Designs

R&R 36 ct. Iced Cappuccino

Fibers to Dye For

 

      I just couldn't resist starting a new project. I've really fallen off the 'finish one project at a time' wagon. I've wanted to stitch CHS - Garden Glade for some time now and it just felt like the perfect project to start now that the winter grey skies and dreary days are upon us in northeast Iowa.

  Garden Glade

Carriage House Samplings

40 ct.  Lakeside Vintage Bluegrass

Over Dyed Silks

     

      Friday night into early Saturday morning we had some snow showers. Emma and Owen made the most of that one to two inch snowfall on our Saturday morning prairie walk.

 

      It's hard to believe that next Sunday we will be celebrating Christmas Day. I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all my blog readers a wonderful holiday season. May your wishes and dreams come true.

      Merry Christmas! 

Laurie, Emma and Owen