Cleaning up

This weekend was a clean-up weekend.  You know those projects that you're so close to being finished, but there's either a problem you don't feel like tackling, or you got disgusted with the project, or you just forgot about it?  I've been sorting through all my WIPs for my upcoming move, and I finally got down to the bottom of my basket.

I got one small project finished, so all the flosses could get filed back into the system.  Another project got enough progress that all it needs is filled in with one color, so yet more silks could get un-kitted.

Last thing was major.  I finished Birds of a Feather Happy Hearts Sampler back in 2008 (well really it was January 2 of 2009, but I'm saying it was a 2008 finish).  I was in a relationship at the time and totally in love with the guy.  Yep, I was an idiot and stitched our names on the sampler.  Not just stitched them, but charted the inside of the intertwined hearts with our names over 1 and then filled in around them.  You guess it, we broke up a few months later.

For years that sampler has sat in a pillowcase.  I totally loved it, except for our 2 names.  My mom tried to convince me to just leave it, arguing that we had some good times.  That's very true.  I have more good memories from that 9 month relationship than from my 2 year marriage.  Maybe that's why I still left his initials on the piece.  We actually still chat, so its not like I want to throw darts at a picture of him.  I got past that phase.

Anyway, this weekend I ripped out all that over 1 stitching, re-charted the 2 hearts, and re-stitched the inside of them.  I had to get this done before I leave Utah so I could get it into Jill for framing.  I had some very definite ideas of what I wanted done.  Think Venetian carnival style harlequin diamonds and small checkerboard.  You know Jill, she likes to layer things.  We had a blast today at her studio planning this one out.

Birds of a Feather Happy Hearts Sampler, stitched on 36 ct linen
with HDF silk

I was also able to get another ornament done for the Challenge.  Yep, more collages.  Almost as time-consuming as beaded edges.

Plum Street Samplers Yuletide ornament from the 2011 JCS ornament edition,
stitched on 36 ct linen with assorted overdyed cotton.