Saturday, October 29, 2011

What have I done now?

Seriously?!?




October 28th and I'm doing WHAT?


Starting a large Halloween project!


To borrow from Battlestar Galactica, What The Frack!

What can I say, I got the urge to do Lizzie Kate's Halloween Rules, and I wanted it done on a blackish-grey linen.  I had several pieces in my stash, but R&Rs 18th Century Blackbird (35 count) won out as being the best match for the floss colors I chose.


I had a little fun with the stickers on Picnik.

There is some method to my madness, I can't really start any Christmas stitching until November 1, since I signed up as part of the 2011 Christmas Ornament Challenge.  Yes, I'm ignoring my 6 Fat Snowmen Project I could have worked on.

As I promised in my last post, here are some pics of other stitching I've been working on, in between my SAL stitching.  Its a really grey and overcast day here, so the colors might not be great.

First up is a win-win situation for me.  I've said before I don't usually stitch Lizzie Kate pieces.  Don't get me wrong, they're fun to stitch, but the colors usually are a bit bright and garish for me, and I don't usually have cutsey in my house.  I got to stitch this as a shop model for Shepherd's Bush, using Teri's floss conversion.  Even better, I don't have to do the finishing, since Teri is a bit busy at the R&R Dyeing to Stitch Retreat, and I don't know if she wants to frame it, or make a pillow.
L*K Ho Ho Ho in a Row, stitched on 32 ct natural linen
using Shepherd's Bush floss conversion.
I worked a bit on building a house mansion, Mansion at Fox Hollow actually.  Not a lot of progress, but some is better than none.  When I first started stitching this I noticed the color key on the chart was off a bit.  I thought it was just a case of a wrong symbol, so forged ahead.  I was wrong.  It was a case of a few wrong symbols, and the blue and green symbols getting reversed.  My door is a green door now, instead of a blue door.  Not a big deal, other than I'm trying to figure out where I'm going to put the blue in this piece.  I refuse to stitch blue stems and leaves.  Ignore the wrinkles on the linen please.  I'm lazy and don't iron my WIPs for progress pictures.
With Thy Needle and Thread, Mansion at Fox Hollow
stitched on 40 ct linen with assorted silks.
Next up is actually a new start, that I totally blame on Margaret.  She started Scarlet Letter's Ann Smith a few weeks ago and I fell in love.  I already had the chart in my stash, but the colors were so bright and vibrant.  My initial start got put on hold when Margaret was kind enough to warn me about needing multiple skeins of some of the colors. Off to the Bush I went, with a list of what colors I needed, and to make sure the duplicates would be the same dye lot.  I don't stitch as fast as Margaret, plus I get easily distracted with other projects, so you'll get to enjoy her finish long before I'm even close.
SL's Ann smith, stitched on 35 ct Lambswool linen
with Au ver a Soie
For everyone that's having crappy weather (rain/sleet/snow), I hope you're able to stay inside with a cup of tea/coffee/cocoa with a nice stitching project.  I almost wish it were raining here.  What can I say, I spent a lot of my childhood in Washington state and England.

14 comments:

cucki said...

well done for the start..looking so lovely..i love this one so much..it is on my to do list from a long time.hopefully soon..
your other stitching is really so lovely too..
keep well dear and happy stitching xx

Margaret said...

Oh my! What a lot of lovely projects!!!!! lol about starting a massive Halloween project now. It's allowed, right? Love it! And all your projects! The mansion at Fox Hollow -- I need to get that chart..... Glad to have helped with Ann Smith. You've gotten a great start! I have to say so far I've only run out of 2 colors. I apologize if it turns out we don't need 2 skeins of some of those colors I told you about. Better safe than sorry, right?

Lesleyanne said...

Love your new start. Your L*K finish is gorgeous. You have some lovely projects on the go.

Valerie said...

WOW! What beautiful projects! I love the darker linen for the Halloween Rules. I want to start that sometime next year and I may have to search for a darker linen like yours!

aprilmecheelesdulllife said...

I love all those work in progress you have going! I am so glad to see a picture of a Start on Mansion Of Fox Hollow. I work on Halloween thought the year!! Happy Stitching!!

Jackie's Stitches said...

I always seem to stitch off season. Christmas in February, Halloween in the summer...that kind of thing. You're working on some lovely projects!

Myra said...

Yipee for you! I love this design and I can see how you would want to stitch it NOW. Love the linen you chose. All of your WIP's are lovely too. I am itching to start stitching Christmas too but will wait for the start of the challenge with you.

Theresa said...

It's never too late to start Halloween projects!! I'm sure it's written somewhere what it can be stitched year round~~~ LOVE your WIPs!!!! They are so different, yet all are so gorgeous!!!!

valerie said...

Fun stuff! I just started a Halloween project too. What's better than Halloween stitching on Halloween?! Love the color fabric you chose.

I am head over heels in love with the L&K with SB conversion! I guess I'm going to have to order the chart there now...stash diet? What's that?! lol

Fabulous stitching on the mansion and Ann Smith!

Teresa S. said...

I am happy to report that for once I have held onto my common sense and NOT joined the Christmas challenge LOL Ann Smith is so pretty, that is what happens when you watch other blogs-you get bit by THEIR bug!!

Christine said...

Such beautiful stitching. I love the LK Ho Ho Ho Row.

Chris said...

So many beautiful projects!
I love the Halloween start, it is so fun stitching with those colors.

Penny said...

Who could resist the pretty thread colors for the Lizzie Kate.

Lois said...

What lovely projects you've got on the go!