Finish, new WIP, and some answers

So I did manage to finish Beneath the Waters.  Yay!

Beneath the Waters

Carriage House Samplings

30ct Legacy Custard Creme Linen over one

NPI threads called for

I really love how it came out!  

 

Now all I have to do is attach it to the box I made it for.  lol!

But instead of doing that, I happily gave myself permission to start a new project.  Bad girl!  Oh well!  I started Shakespeare's Peddlers' reproduction of Sarah Woodham.  I needed me some good flowery border to stitch!  I know some of you hate to do borders, but I sorta like stitching them!  And with my projects recently, there's been nary a sign of one.  

Here it is so far.

 

The fabric color doesn't show up well in the picture.  It's 40ct vintage Maple Sugar, and I'm using the Gloriana, Belle Soie and Threadgatherer silks called for.

I have to say, these are not my favorite fibers to use.  I have to use much shorter lengths and even so they tend to fuzz and shred.

I'm also doubting my fabric choice.  I keep worrying that the white isn't showing up as well as it should.  But I'm far enough along that I'll probably keep going.  I think it's looking ok.  I hope!

There have been a number of questions that I really should answer.  For starters, someone asked what the samplers in my new header are.  Here's the list of samplers from left to right.

Historic Countries Mystery Sampler (from the Gift of Stitching Magazine, a series)
Time and Season Sampler (Moira Blackburn)
Plantation Sampler (Canterbury Designs)
This is the Day (Hands to Work from JCS Magazine)
Dutch Beauty (Permin)
Lois Minshall (Threads of Gold)
Rachel Hyde (Threads through Time)
Ann Rogers (The Essamplaire) (also the first piece on the 2009 finishes post)
Hannah Lancaster (Porcupine Collection)
Charlotte Clayton (Northwest Sampler Guild)

Part of Charlotte Clayton, of course, was my old header picture. 

I've also been asked how I stitch since I don't use scroll rods or q snaps or hoops anymore (as I did in my old stitching life).  I stitch in hand with the sewing motion.  I think those who can stitch with a stand and who keep one hand on top and one on the bottom are the ones who are the fastest stitchers.  But I hate being tied down to a stand, scroll rods or whatever.  In hand stitching gives me the freedom I love.  Which is a good thing -- if I used things like scroll rods or stands, I'd be wanting all the cool ones with the pretty woods!  lol!

A while back I gave Sherry a chart she'd been searching for.  Imagine my surprise when an envelope came in the mail with a lovely card containing this.

(Sorry -- the streak of sunlight was supposed to be artsy but now you can't see the top pins very well.)   Such beautiful pins for my collection, on a nice red piece of fabric!  Thank you so much Sherry, for such a wonderful surprise!

In other news, the girl child is more than halfway through her first week of the second semester now.  She went back to college on Sunday -- and immediately emailed saying she needed money.  lol!  Our fault for not realizing that of course with the new semester starting, she would need money for her textbooks.  The boy child is through with his midterm exams and is now finishing up the first week of his second semester at high school.  Tomorrow is that mysterious entity known as Superintendent's Conference Day, so no school and a three day weekend.  The poor teachers have to go in though.  There's another SCD the weekend of his birthday -- that one seems to be a permanent fixture since it's occurred on his birthday weekend for the past few years.  But this one was a surprise from the blue.  Good thing it's on the calendar -- I had to check online several times and ask the boy child if he really had the day off tomorrow or if I'd written it in on the calendar by accident!  

So who's excited about market?  :D  Meeeeeee!   Kathy  of Carriage House Samplings has started showing peeks of her Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow on her blog.   I'm impatiently waiting to see any sneak peeks from Barb and Alma on their Blackbird Designs blog.   (Pretty please, Alma?)   Lisa of Primitive Needle has shown a few sneak peeks on her blog as well.   As has Paulette of Plum Street Samplers.  And Ellen of With My Needle.   Etc etc etc.  Oh I'm going crazy already!   I'd better stop talking before I plotz!

Enjoy the rest of the week and the weekend!  Thanks for stopping by and saying hi!