I know I’ve posted a whole lot of knitting and crochet projects lately. Just to prove that I do still cross stitch, I thought I would share my progress on W for Witch by Victoria Sampler:

W for Witch by Victoria Sampler (WIP)

As always, the colours are off. I took the picture yesterday afternoon, right in the middle of a typical grey October day.

The row above the witch should have some flowers on it, but I’m waiting until I have a little better light to work on them. My goal is to get this finished up no later than the middle of next week. By then I’ll be putting out a few more Halloween decorations. (Even though the husband doesn’t really like Halloween. Can you imagine?!)

It’s Almost a Witch is a post from Reflections in the Pond

Oh look, a new start! Imagine that.

W is for Wtitch by Victoria Sampler

It is W is for Wtitch by Victoria Sampler, stitched on 30 count linen banding using the thread pack which is full of yummy silk threads. And, while this may be a new start when I am already drowning in WIPs and UFOs, at least it is a) seasonally appropriate, and b) on my list of 2011 goals. This lessens my feelings of guilt just a little bit.

W is for WIP is a post from Reflections in the Pond

One of my goals this year was to stitch the four Victoria alphabet samplers that I have (H, K, M and W).  They are actually pretty quick to stitch up, so I’m hoping this is one goal I can accomplish this year. And, happily, earlier this week I did finish H is for Homemaker.

H is for Homemaker by Victoria Sampler

As I’ve said before, Victoria Sampler designs aren’t really my style, but I love doing all the specialty stitches. This design, more than any one I’ve stitched, had elements in it that I really didn’t like at all. So, I made some changes on the fly and ended up with a finished piece that I love. Some minor changes include leaving off some beads and changing the colour of others. The major change comes with changing the homemaker figure significantly.

Two Homemakers (VS left, mine right)

My version is on the right, and the Victoria Sampler version is on the left. Oddly, the colours I picked for my homemaker’s clothes matched the colours I was wearing the day I stitched it. Funny how that worked out. (I can pass on my notes re. my changes if anyone is interested.)

For those who like to know these things, the design was stitched using the Victoria Sampler thread pack on 30 count linen banding.  I’ll be stitching all the other designs on the same banding.

H is for Me is a post from Reflections in the Pond

I’m sorry about the lack of posts this week.  No, I haven’t been buried in a pile of garbage, although the husband and I are thinking about heading downtown tonight for dinner and goodness knows what the situation is like there now. And to quickly answer some of the questions about the strike all we know is that the union says the strike will go on all summer because they won’t back down.  And yes, they did strike a few years ago but they were legislated back to work partly because the Pope was coming.  All we have this year is Beyonce and Lil’ Wayne.  Yeah…

So, what have I been up to then?  Well, taking Baby Man to the park (where he has some trouble holding his own against the older kids), reading (I highly recommend The Idle Parent by Tom Hodgkinson), knitting, and cross stitching.

On my knitting needles right now is Ribbed Lace Bolero from Kelly at 10 feet high.  I’m knitting it using Lion Brand’s Cotton-Ease in colour Snow, which is a really nice cotton/acrylic blend.  I would most likely use it again if I came across a project it would work for.  Here’s where I am on the project so far, just three more rows of lace left and then the finally 3″ of ribbing.  I’m planning on wearing this to a wedding in two weeks, so I am ahead of schedule.

I also finally finished up my latest crochet project, Market Tote from the Spring/Summer 2009 issue of Knit 1.  I used Universal Yarn’s Summer Linen in colour Sky Blue, a cotton/linen blend.  Again, this is a nice yarn. I think I would use it again for a light summer tank.  As for the bag… well, it is much smaller than I expected and looks a little home-made, and not really in a good way.  Maybe it will look better with use.

Market Bag folded into bottom

Market Bag unfolded

As for cross stitch, I haven’t been working on Baby Man’s stocking.  But, I have still been working on one of my July goals: his birth sampler.  I’ve made some good progress on Victoria Sampler’s Heirloom Birth Sampler over the past couple of days.  I’m using the ribbon thread kit, DMC perle cotton and floss and 32ct Platinum Belfast. (The fabric was originally intended for Ink Circle’s Growth Rings, but this was more important.  And I’ve just reassigned Growth Rings to the fabric that was for Quaker Seasons from TGOS and that has been reassigned to some random unlabelled fabric.  So, it all works out.  Am I the only one who does this?)

In the original version of the piece, those three sided stitches at the bottom are pulled very tightly.  I decided that I didn’t want to do that.  I was also a little free in the placement of my leaves and beads, but I was very careful about where the roses when since I knew they would provide me with a base to work from.

I hope to finish up the bolero this weekend and maybe get a couple more rows done on the birth sampler.  One thing I am upset about, though, is that the strike caused the HazMat pick-up scheduled at our building for today to be cancelled.  And they were going to be giving out Air Miles points!  Now the strike really has hit home!

White Roses and Snow Lace is a post from Reflections in the Pond

Baby Man and I were out of town for a few days visiting my parents and making one last trip to Golden Threads, my former not-so-LNS.  (She will be focusing on mail order shortly.  You can find her site at gthreads.com.  And she does have some NeedlePaints, if you are one of those searching for some.)  I also went to my cousin’s wedding shower on Sunday and gave her all those dishcloths I’ve been working on.  They seemed to be well received, but one never knows.

On the top row from the left to the right they are Mason-Dixson Washcloth, Morning Glory Washcloth from Lion Brand, Grandmother’s Favourite Dishcloth, Multidirectional Diagional Dishcloth.  And left to right on the bottom row they are Ball Band Dishcloth, DW Darrell Waltrip Knitted Cloth, and Interwined Dishcloth.  They were knit using either Lily’s Sugar ‘n’ Cream or Bernat Handicrafter Cotton.

Still with the knitting, the pink sock I shared the other day is complete except for being bound off.  I’ve tried twice already and both times it was much too tight.  I’m going to give it another go with a bigger needle tonight or tomorrow, depending on when I stop being angry with it.

I’ve also made progress on my lovely moss-coloured Tesla scarf. I’ve still got about 5″ more to go though.  *sigh*

Remember the teaser picutres I shared a few days ago of some cross stitch projects?  Well, one was a gift for my dad for father’s day.  Now that I’ve finally given it to him, I can share my completed Seaside Garden Sampler by Victoria Sampler.  It was stitched using the thread pack on 28ct. Silkweaver Spring Breeze and finished into a bellpull by me!

I’ve also finally finished Part 2 of Papillon Creation’s SAL Castles in the Air.  Thank goodness!  I really want to get Part 3 done this week, because July is supposed to be about getting Baby Man’s socking done and getting a good start on Lynn Nicoletti’s Velveteen Rabbit.  (I got some lovely hand-dyed Jobelan from Wichelt in colour Summer Sky.)

The Nova Scotia heart design that I shared a little while ago was well received by the recipients.  Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of it framed.  (I framed it myself in a store-bought frame with a large mat/fillet style design.)  It is always nice when someone appreciates the gift that you have spent a good deal of time and thought on.

So, what’s my plan for this week?  Get that pink sock bound off, work on a Baby Surprise Jacket for a friend’s new baby, Part 3 of Castles in the Air, and, if I’m still motived, finish up the Canadian flag I’m stitching. Oh, and maybe get the second pink sock started.

Dishcloths, Stitched Gardens, and More is a post from Reflections in the Pond