Stuff up to now!

As you can see, I really have been stitching but I have greatly pared down the scope of projects. Thanks to someone who has successfully cured me of serial starter madness (I type this as I hear imaginary groans from all around the world), and I now rotate 3 projects, instead of 23.

For a while, I Was one-at-a-timing by stitching Celtic Banner, by Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum... for the second time. My first Celtic Banner was gifted to a friend (who, alas perhaps, left it at his former flame's house). I've always loved the length, and the beautiful blending threads, as well as the subtle complexity of colour shades in this very very unique band sampler, but let me tell you, finding the linen (Glenshee....which is skinny and long) is a bitch. I phoned Drema at Needlecraft corner, and was told, no, it couldn't be found, and ditto some other shops.

At some point, I was considering switching some threads and stitching it over 1, on a long piece of evenweave but my pal Brenda contacted me one day and said "I have it as a WIP and I don't think I'll finish it, so do you want it?" And you can guess I jumped on it quicker than you can say "Happy Dance"... I have to say, the colour was lighter than the first one's fabric, and it actually made the colours pop a little more. Every moment spent on this sampler was an absolute joy. I wouldn't do it for the third time, but really, realising the second version really made it feel like it came full circle for me.

And the bonus: DH loves it!!! Thank you again, Bren!

Here's the sampler in its entirety:





As for the WIPS, I'm currently on a rotation for 3 pieces, like I said. Keeps the starting madness well at bay, and there's some actual visual progress at the end of each stitchy session:

Mette Puttfarcken, on Pg 3, now looks like this:




And DMC's Peacock, it is a nine pager, and I got lazy about fabric, so I decided to put it on 16ct aida. Besides, I tend to keep linen aside for samplers, or for Mirabilias, etc. So this is Pg 1 in the beginning.





And a new start, to commemorate the new year (like I said, 2010 in the second half was rife with issues and problems from unexpected parties, and stitching and blogging depleted to nothing), this is Metal, an art reproduction piece by Maria J William. I'm stitching this in tandem with my sisters... by which I don't mean biological (I dont have any...thank god), but my sisters in spirit, Joyce and Novia. (Incidentally, they, too, have no biological sisters, so it is perhaps fateful that we met and we just connected). Joyce is doing Fire... isnt she so sexy! And Novia is doing the beautifully demure Earth!

Metal has been assigned to me, because she looks like she could kick ass, go to a KISS concert. Oh, and because, according to Nov, because she has got the biggest boobs... (not much to see at this point... it's just a white blob)




Can you tell the girls push me around!

As an ending note, I just wanted to say, that I am so thankful for my stitching friends. They're as always, a source of support, comfort, joy and sharing... and I'm happy to call these people not just friends, but real family!