Poppies biscornu finished!

I finally finished my Poppies Biscornu.  I rather like the way it came out.  It doesn't have a poppy button in the center yet.  I'll make that the next time I take out the polymer clay.

As I predicted, I didn't love stitching with the DMC metallic.  It wasn't awful but I wouldn't call it fun either.

Poppy Biscornu from Faby Reilly

Poppy Biscornu from Faby Reilly

I still need to massage around the fiberfill to even out the corners a bit.  But, otherwise, it's a finish!

Now - the big dilemma.  Do I really have to wait until next month to start August Peridot Fairy since I designated August as a finish month?  She is absolutely gorgeous and I want to stitch her even more than Dressmaker's Daughter (which has a lot more sparkle).  Of course, I still have to finish lacing my dragonfly and finish the cording for my Boo Club banner - but when it comes to actual stitching...

Here's August Peridot Fairy from Mirabilia Designs if you haven't seen it yet.

August Peridot Fairy from Mirabilia Designs

I hope everyone is enjoying their back-to-school preparations.  

Happy Stitching!

Kelly

Well - it counts (barely)

So finishing the stitching on my Poppy biscornu is taking longer than I expected.  Somehow I didn't catch that the stitching is over one with two plies of floss.  Not tough but taking longer than I expected.  It does look nice though.

I tried a few things regarding my Emerald Dragonfly.  I read Jill Rensel's blog where she talked about how she beautifully frames beautiful cross stitch.  (I really recommend that you check out her blog for incredible inspiration.)  I think I have an idea how to go about lacing it and framing it now.

But - since I didn't actually finish anything this weekend - I took the easy way out.  I popped my Moonlit Kitties into its frame.  There!  A finish!

Happy Stitching.

Kelly

Beaded and backstitched

I tend to forget that I really like beading.  And, fortunately, I am not one of the many people who truly detest backstitching.  So the little progress I made on my Poppy Biscornu was quite enjoyable.

I still have to do the stitching with the DMC metallic gold - which I do not find particularly enjoyable.  But then the top of the biscornu will be finished.  The back has very little stitching.  I still need to make the little poppy button from polymer clay - but I think that will be fun. 

Happy Stitching!

Argh! Poor planning or no planning at all?

As part of my finishing month I pulled out Emerald Dragonfly.  The design is by Nora Corbett and she released it a few years ago.  I love the metallic threads and beads - I think this was the first time I used Magnifica beads so maybe it was more than just a few years ago.

So, I planned to lace it and frame it this week.  Here's where the problem comes in.

Yep, that would be the corner cut off the bottom of the fabric.  I'm not sure when that happened.  I suppose it could have happened after the stitching but I can't imagine how.  Which leaves either poor planning or complete lack of planning.

You'll also notice that it is cut in just far enough from the side to go beyond the left end of the stitching.  ARGH!  That leaves a grand total of 1 1/2" at the bottom margin between the lower end of the stitching and the cut.  So, I'm off to troll about for solutions to the "not enough fabric to frame" problem.

Finishing month was supposed to be a breeze - a relaxing month of stitching, lacing and sewing.

Heavy sigh---

Finishing month

It sure feels like August - hot and humid.  The weather forecast keeps saying "Expect thunderstorms".  Clearly, I need to adjust my expectations because we have not had a drop of rain since last Sunday and every day the forecast has said "Expect thunderstorms".  So, I think I'll stay inside and stitch - or sew.  I have decided that this month will be "finishing month".  I have a number of items that I have finished cross stitching and haven't "finished" either into a functional or decorative item or framed.  Then I also have a few BAPs - that are UFOs.  And a few new projects.  I've decided that anything I have actually started qualifies for finishing month.

So - in no particular order - here they are.

Poppy biscornu from Faby Reilly.  I have the back started and the front just needs beads and backstitching.  The biscornu are easy to finish and I can easily do it even in front of the TV.

Boo Club from Lizzie Kate has been stitched for some time now.  I created the twisted cord a while ago but then I decided that I didn't really like the black and white cord.  I have a few different backing fabrics to decide between but the cording is really where I'm stuck.

Here we have French Country Owl from JBW Designs on top, then April Robin Button-Up Birdie from the Victoria Sampler.  Then I have Moonlit Kitties which is a Buttons and Beads kit from Mill Hill.  And under that I have Dizzy Busy Bees from Sweetheart Tree that I'm going to finish as a biscornu.

I've had Fairy Idyll as an Unfinished project for more than a year now. I really want to work on her.  I also still have Indian Summer Reflections from Chatelaine that I stopped working on when I ran out of black marlitt.  I did recently find some more of the discontinued thread so I want to get back to that design.  I really do love this mandala.

And, I recently started Shakespeare's Fairies and Dressmaker's Daughters.  I've got my work cut out for me.