Tuesday, March 2, 2010

W ~ I ~ P

~ ~ ~ WELCOME FRIENDS ~ ~ ~
I can't believe it is March already, and here on Ohio's north coast it came in like a lamb. I hope that is not a bad sign. Yesterday was pleasant with the sun shining most of the day. What a difference a little sunshine can make.
I was not quite feeling up to snuff today, so I did not go to the library to hook :-( I was hoping to have lots of wonderful rugs to share with you. Since I don't, I'll share with you what I've been up to.
For many, many years I did counted cross stitch, but in the last twenty years, I could probably count on one hand the number of pieces I've done. I've seen so many wonderful stitcheries (Is that a word? Spellcheck doesn't like it!) on blogs, I got the itch to stitch. I figured I'd better do something small to see if my eyes could take it. This little sampler by Blackbird Designs was aptly named "petites lettres rouges". The chart called for three shades of red but I am only using one. I found a piece of 26 count linen in the attic and coffee stained it. I forgot to rinse it after dying it and every time I start to stitch I can smell the coffee and I'm not a fan of coffee. Now if it smelled of diet Coke..... I am using two strands of floss over two threads. So far, so good.
I'm also working on a couple of punch needle bunnies since Easter is drawing near. I made a few of these in 2007 and they came out pretty good. I like punch needle because it is so mindless and finishes rather quickly.
Ignore the markings on this one. They will be punched over.
Finally, here is the little hooked mat I am working on. It is a design by Lori Brechlin and is about 11 x 12.
When I first started hooking with the ladies at the library, I was working on a Barbara Carroll design that was about 13 x 25. I thought it was HUGE. A comment was made that they thought it easier to hook something large rather than small. I just could not understand that, but now that I've hooked a few bigger things and am using a wider cut, I now understand what they mean. I'm anxious to get started on something bigger and hopefully will ~ soon!
Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you will come again soon.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

11 comments:

Alice ~ Folk Art Primitives said...

Your little rabbits are very cute! I didn't know you were a stitcher ~ I was a long time ago ~ that's the year my eyes went to ~ glasses!! But I'm getting interested in it again ~ haven't done any but I like the new piece that you've started!! Stitch on!

Margie said...

That's a lovely piece of stitching you have there! I dye a lot of my linen but I've never used coffee - I love the stuff but I don't think I would like my stitching to smell like it. :-) I also love your little bunnies and your hooking.

Kathy (woolfind) said...

Lovely pieces! And I like the one red color idea. Very nice stitching. Keep it up! Hope you feel better real soon.

Kim said...

I was a stitcher for years also, but since I started hooking there is no going back. A stitched piece takes so much longer and I am impatient! The little sampler is gorgeous and the bunnies.....so adorable. Great work.

Andrea said...

Hope you're feeling better. Love the rabbits and we missed you at hooking yesterday.

The Eveningstitcher said...

Beautiful pieces, Lauren. I am hooking a big rug and I am hoping to get it done by the end of the year..LOL!! I love your cross-stitched piece...beautiful colors!

Deb said...

Everything looks wonderful Lauren. Hope that you're feeling better. I was talked out of a bigger piece for my first try. I can see why now. I think I would have been frustrated because I'm just a slow beginner.

Joanne said...

Oh wow Lauren - you have been busy - your rabbits are so cute - love your stitching too! How are the eyes? LOL! I got a giggle out of your comment about the size of rugs! Feel better!

Anonymous said...

Hello Lauren~Love your your little bunnies..I may have to try the punchneedle again myself!
Your stitching looks wonderful..great job!
hugs~Kathy

From Sherry's Heart said...

Well Lauren it looks like we're both doin' the same thing!!! Over the years I'd do a little stitchin' here and there. Even owned a cross stitch store back in the early 80's,it was called The Magic Needle.
Then all of the sudden the past couple weeks I've just felt like X stitchin'. I've done several pieces on different fabrics. Put 'em all on ebay.
I think for me it's just been easier physically on me to just pick up a piece of fabric & sit in my chair & stitch. The hard part comes when I have to do all that movin' around to finish the pieces. Now THAT really takes me awhile!!!!
I've always aged my pieces after they're stitched.
PS: your things are "lookin' goood" as Freddie Prinz used to say!!!!

Sherry aka:The Queen

Doris said...

Lauren so glad to hear the negative report! Jack Russell hugs to you from Doris and Eloise