My Stitching Nest

I ran across a blog post today that inspired me to think about where I stitch and wanted to share it with you.  The original post shared where she blogged from.  I thought it might be fun since we are stitchers to share where I stitch instead!

 

My Nest

Let me tell you a little bit about my nest.  I stitch in our living room.  Usually while listening to the TV.  You'll notice my nest is on the right end of the couch if you were sitting down.  This is so the arm of the couch can support my right arm as I stitch (I'm right handed dontcha know).  

The other thing you'll notice is the position of the Ott-Lite.  It shines over my right shoulder when I'm stitching so I don't get any nasty shadows on my work.

You'll also notice it's a bit messy.  Nope, I did not straighten up before I took the picture.  I'm keepin' it real folks!

The two bags on the floor are the ones I've dragged about recently.  My DH says I have an obsession with tote bags.  Imagine that?!  I tend to think you can never have too many.

I made the patchwork stripe one on a marathon sewing day with Jenny.  She wanted to learn how to quilt and I thought a tote bag would be a good way to learn the basics.  I'm proud to say she was an excellent student and went home that night with a completed bag!

The other bag is my Vera Bradley "Little Travel Bag."  I found mine on the Bay of Evil (eBay).  I'm pretty sure it's a discontinued one but you can still find them on the Bay. I usually take this one with me on retreats or to classes.  I'll tell you more about this bag another day

I also keep a shallow Longaberger basket beside me.  It's usually filled with charts I'm thinking of stitching or newly acquired stash I still want to fondle before I put it away.  Oh come on, you know you fondle your stash too!  We're keepin' it real remember?! 

Close up of the Nest

Here's what usually lives on the end table I affectionately refer to as my Nest.  I keep all my necessary stitchy things either laying here or in the Shaker basket.

Laying here, we have my Stitcher's Lotion, my Star De-tailor (an absolute must-have in my world), my travel tin (usually in a project bag), my current project's floss on a ring, and my scissors with that cute fob attached.

A quick note about the fob, I was gifted with this cute fob and a coordinating floss tag by Staci of Snippets and Stash last year in a private exchange hosted by Becky Bee.  I really enjoyed that exchange.  Of course this was before I had a blog.

You'll also notice my wind up frog.  I got him this year in the gift shop at the lodge where our LNS has it's annual stitching retreat.  He cracked me up when I saw him.  When you wind him up he does a back flip.  Too dang funny!  I had to have him.  I say if it makes me laugh out loud then it has to come home with me.

In my Shaker basket I keep packs of spare needles, a nail file, a 6-inch Omnigrid ruler, a pencil, some fabric scissors, a Purple Thang (I do my own finishing.  It's great to use when stuffing things.) and my very necessary ORT (Old Raggedy Threads) collector.  It's actually a spongeware ring holder I got from a Henn Pottery party a very long time ago.

So there you have it, that's where I stitch and what's in my stitching nest.  I hope this post inspires you to share your stitching nest too.  I'd love to see where you stitch and what you find necessary to keep near you when you stitch.  If you decide to do a post too, leave me a comment on this one so I can come check it out.

Have a great weekend everybody!

The Inspired Stitcher

Lunchtime Stitching

The Drawn Thread - Pumpkin Keeper Freebie

(found here)

Started:  6/2/11

36 ct. Summer Khaki

Random over-dyed floss 1 over 2 (see below)

I found this little cutie in the "free box" at our LNS.  Turns out it came from the stash of the shop owner.  She got it as a kit from somewhere and decided she wouldn't ever stitch it so in the "free box" it went.  Lucky for me I scooped it up and fell in love with it.  This is what I've been stitching on during my lunch hours lately.  As you can see, I'm not too far from finishing it.

The Drawn Thread - Spring Keeper

Started & Completed: 3/19/10

Scrap of unknown linen

Called for DMC except substituted 722 for 3782 

This is another design by The Drawn Thread I stitched up last year.  I substituted an orange for the called for tan color.  In my world flower pots are orange!

I also finished this according to the included directions.  I'm not sure I will finish the Pumpkin Keeper the same way.  I'm still percolating on that idea.  Stay tuned!

The Inspired Stitcher

Thoughts on creativity and skills

What nobody tells people who are beginners — and I really wish someone had told this to me — is that all of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, and it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase. They quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it’s normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.

~ Ira Glass

I ran across this quote and it really got me to thinking about my early days of quilting.  I can remember having so many ideas and wanting to create so many awesome quilts only to realize I didn't yet have the skills to make them.

People often see one of my quilts and ask me "how long did it take you to make that?"  Lately, my answer is 25 years!  Yes, that's right, 25 years because that's how long I've been at this quilting thing.  It's taken me that many years to acquire the skills to be able to make the quilts I'm making now.

 My First Quilt

In the beginning my quilts were pretty crappy in comparison to the quilts I'm making now.  But you know what?  They were the best I could do at that point in time.  I kept taking classes, making quilts and going to guild meetings.  I kept learning and growing my skills.

One of my more recent quilts

You know what else?  I love each and every one of my quilts too.  They are a reflection of me.  The me then and the me I've become as a quilter today.

A work in progress on my design wall.

So my advice to you is don't give up.  If you get to a point in a project where you are totally frustrated, just bag it up and save it for later.  Whenever later might be.  It could be later this year or it could be years from now.

My point is the skills will come.  Like fine wine, they just need to ripen a bit.  You just have to be patient and persevere!

The Inspired Stitcher

Stylish Blogger Award or Someone thinks I'm worthy!

I've been given the Stylish Blogger Award!  Thank you to Jo at Serendipitous Stitching, for naming me as a Stylish blogger.  I don't quite know what more to say.

So it is my understanding that I'm to thank the person who gave me the award, that would be Jo (done).  Then tell everyone 7 things about myself  and pass it on to 15 other bloggers.

The 7 things shouldn't be a problem.  The 15 part...well that's another story!  Let's play along and see where this goes.

Part one...7 things about me...

1)  I was born on my parents 5th wedding anniversary.


2)  I've had a quote published by Franklin Covey on one of their planner pages right after 9/11.


3)  I can read French better than I can speak it.  That was proven the two times I've visited France.


4)  I dearly love dark chocolate.


5)  I love the smell of rain, clean sheets and lily of the valley.


6)  I started out as a stitcher, then got carried away to the quilt world for 23 years, became a quilt historian, then I came back to stitching again 2 years ago.  I still quilt on occasion.

7)   I didn't even know how to stitch on linen until 2 years ago.  That was also the first time I'd ever worked a specialty stitch.

Okay, part two...

I need to name some other stylish bloggers now.  Here goes and in no particular order either.  There will be no hurt feelers today...okay!

Marsha of Everybody Loved Clark because she was the first of the peeps to have a blog and encouraged me to do the same.

Jenny of One Stitch Closer to Nirvana because she was the second of the peeps to have a blog and she's really good at guilting other people into starting their own blog.  Ahem!  Yes, I'm talking about Tiara in June girlfriend.

Christie of Indigo Rain because she was the third peep to start a blog and for saying "If I can do it, you can do it."  Yeah, you were right.

Lisa S of  Lisa's Cross Stitch Paradise  because she and I are so alike it's scary!  I think it's a "Lisa thing."  She also encouraged me to start a blog a long, long time ago too.

Conni of Spinster Stitcher because she's got that wicked sense of humor that I totally "get."  I can always count on her for a good giggle and her dog is just hilarious too. 

Peggy Lee of Kentucky Sampler because she's a sweetie.  I really admire her for the line of work she does in real life and that she's a supporter of our veterans too!

Edgar of Blacksheep's bit of the Web because my day is not complete until I've checked in on Edgar.  He's always up to something fun.

Jolene of Dip Diddly Designs because she's just as neat in real life as she is on her blog.  We actually met each other by accident at Shepherd's Bush last year!

Well, there's eight...one for each thing plus one for good measure.  So go check these stylish people out and tell them I sent you over to say "hi!"

Also, if I've named you and you'd rather not play along, know that I won't get my feelers hurt over it.  Okay?!   Thanks again, Jo!  This was a fun activity. 

The Inspired Stitcher

BBD progress report

Blackbird Designs - Hedgerow Birds Side 2 progress

Firstly, I want to say a great big thank you to all who have taken the time to leave me a note.  I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them!  I also want to welcome all the followers who have joined this little thing of mine.  I am so amazed that anyone other than my peeps is actually reading my ramblings.  I am humbled and thankful.  Really!

Tonight I thought I'd show you my progress on the Blackbird Designs - Hedgerow Birds.  I really got a good run on it last weekend and have put a stitch or two in this week when I got the chance.  You'll have to pardon the wrinkles.  It came straight off the Q-snaps and right to the floor for it's glamour shot tonight.  I decided to shoot it sideways since straight up and down would make one side look wrong.  I'm obsessive like that.

It's been crazy hot around here this week.  I passed a clock/thermometer tonight that said it was 102!  I kid you not.  We don't get heat like that in these parts.  I've not been setting the world on fire this week because of it.  There's just something about the heat that just zaps any inkling of motivation right out of a person!  Thank goodness for air-conditioning.

Stay cool everybody and Happy Friday!

The Inspired Stitcher

Gabi's having a giveaway!

Just a quick post to spread the word that Gabi aka Lady of the Floss is having a blogoversary giveaway!  The prize is a $100 gift certificate to spend at Anita's Little Stitches, an online shop.  Go check it out.

The Inspired Stitcher

Wednesday night stitch-in

Christie and Marsha clowning around

Last night was our guild's monthly night stitch-in.  It is a good excuse to get together with the peeps and laugh a bit as you can see.  I always try to make it if I can because there are folks that come who I don't see any other place.

Show and tell table

We usually have a show and tell table where folks bring their latest finishes or works in progress.  In the foreground you can see one of our talented members' Blackbird Designs monthly stockings ready for finishing.  I'm sure they will be gorgeous when she gets them done.  She does beautiful work.

The albatross finally finished!  You go girl!!!

Here's one that I've watched from its beginning.  It's by The Heart's Content and it's tiny!  Like around 3"x 3" kinda tiny.  It's stitched over one!  Look at all those color changes.  The gal that finished this one says that she is now officially cross-eyed.  I'm giving that her the "Go Girl Award!"  All I can say is W-O-W!

My I Sigh Not for Beauty progress

See that green leaf in the lower right corner, yeah I did that last night.  Yes, I did a lot more socializing than I did stitching.  What can I say?

I'm stitching this as part of the SAL (Stitch-A-Long) Ellen Chester has going with her newsletter subscribers.  I've really been enjoying this format.  I feel like I can still work on other things while making progress on this bigger project.  This is my first large project.  Up till now I've mostly stitched smalls.  The monthly assignments are working for me.  I work better when I have a goal to shoot for.  I'm like that dontcha know.

Ellen is a member of the guild so it's been fun this year to compare progress.  There are at least four of us in the guild stitching on this same project.  If you go back to this post of Ellen's you can see them all together at a guild meeting eariler this year.

You'll have to keep your eye on Marsha's blog for more pictures.  I think she took some better ones than I did.  Needless to say we had a ton of fun and I got to bed way too late to post anything yesterday.

The Inspired Stitcher

There's a fob for that

I belong to a small group known as The Tiara Club or just Tiara for short.  One of the peeps pulled a practical joke on one of the other peeps before I joined the group.  She made a stitcher's tool belt with fobs on literally everything.  (I wish I could have seen this in person.)  So now we have a running joke about fobs being on everything in a stitcher's tool box.

Well, I just had to make this fob and I'll tell you why.  They say necessity is the mother of invention and I'm here to tell you it's true.

If you own a Star De-Tailer you know how small it is.  If you don't and you are like me, one who stitches right down to the nub,  get thee one!  You won't be sorry.  I don't know how I managed to stitch without one.

Anyway,  I kept losing mine in the couch cushions.  I'd settle into my nest and start stitching only to find my Star went missing.  So I got out my bead box and made myself a little fob and solved that problem!  So yes, there really is a fob for that!

The Inspired Stitcher

Where I find my inspiration

I ran across this blog post today and it got me to thinking about where I get inspiration.  I met Pat Sloan at a local quilt guild meeting a while back.  She's hilarious.  She also collects quotes like I do.  When I saw her inspiration board in this post and I thought I'd share a few ways I get inspired.

The Basket O'Joy and the Box O'Fun

Sometimes you just need a jumping off point.  Whether it's cross stitching, quilting, crafting or whatever your thing is, we've all found ourselves at one point or another wondering where to go next.

Some season specific quilt books I enjoy

Sometimes I'm in the mood to work on a "season."  So I'll go to the stash pile and root out the charts or pattern books that I have, let's say with fall things in them.  Then I'll go root out floss or fabric that suits the colors of the season since I'm pretty driven by color.  You might be driven by shapes or motifs.  That works too.

Fabric and a floss toss

Other times I rely on magazine photos.  I'll go through magazines like Pat does and cut out pictures.  I usually just keep them in a folder.  I like the idea of pasting them in a notebook or onto a piece of card stock too. 

You could also do this with actual photographs.  I'll go through my digital photos or I'll even go take pictures.  That's why you'll usually find my camera in my purse because I never know when I'll see something that inspires me!

Other times I'll go to the card store and browse the greeting cards.  I've got a small pile of greeting cards that I keep for color ideas.  Sometimes I just like the words or sentiments.  You never know what will strike your fancy.

Paint chips in fall colors

You could also keep an inspiration cork board or an inspiration box filled with things that give you ideas.  It could be actual objects, paint chips, floss, fabric, whatever your heart desires.

Paint chips with a floss toss

Once I've gathered my stuff, then I'll lay it all out and see what tickles my fancy that day. Sometimes I'm inspired to jump right in and get started. Sometimes I need to percolate on it for a bit. Sometimes just this act of doing is all I needed to satisfy me.

Possibilities from the Basket O'Joy

I hope this gives you some new ideas.  How do you find inspiration?  Tell me in the comments!

The Inspired Stitcher

More about The Stitcher's Getaway

Let's get back to the stitching today.  I started out Saturday morning working on my Getaway Banner.  I finished it up a little bit before lunch.  So I decided to take a break.

My Roxanne Thimble

When I was in the antiques store on Friday, I struck up a conversation with the shop's owner about thimbles.   She mentioned she wanted to take up quilting and embroidery again.  I was telling her about my special quilter's thimble called a Roxanne Thimble.  (Here's a link if you think you might want one of your own.  And no, they aren't paying me to talk about their thimble.  I just happen to love mine and want to share the love with you.)

See my nail comes out the end

She had long nails like I do.  This thimble is great for someone with long nails because of the hole in it.  I got to thinking about our conversation that night and decided I'd take my thimble to show her.  I'd also wavered on a couple things and wanted to go back to get them.  So off to the shop I went.

Here are the things I had to go back for.  Two more tea infuser spoons and a corn pitcher.  I knew nothing about the pitcher when I went in there.  I just liked it because it reminded me of summers growing up in the country.

The shop owner tipped the pitcher up to show me the maker's mark on the bottom.  Turns out it's a Shawnee pitcher.  I guess they are collectible.  Who knew?  I certainly didn't!

From what I could find on a quick search it looks like the Shawnee Pottery began producing pottery in 1937 in Zanesville, Ohio.  I don't think my piece is that old.  The corn pieces were used in premium giveaways by Proctor & Gamble.  Here's an interesting link if you want to read more.

Quit Yer Bellyachin by AB Designs

After the trip to the antiques store, I took my walk up Main Street for the pictures I showed you yesterday.   When I got back,  I started on our second group project.  It's called Quit Yer Bellyachin by Amy Bruecken of AB Designs.  It was a quick stitch.  I haven't sewn my buttons on it yet because I'm not sure how I'm going to finish it.

Gifts from Belinda

In addition to the wonderful stitching folder I showed you before, Belinda gifted us with things to put in that folder.  We each got a pair of pink Little Gems scissors and a ruler/thread keeper to go in the folder's heart pocket.  She also gave us the hanger for our banners.  Of course I had to have the ones with the acorns.  Others got some that had nice turned finials too.

Close-up of the ruler/thread keeper

I just love the saying on the ruler/thread keeper.  "Stitchery soothes the soul and inspires the mind"  Now that couldn't be more appropriate for me now could it?  Yes, we were truly spoiled!

My monogram stitched and folded

Speaking of our stitching folder, we were to do some pre-stitching before we came to the Getaway.

Belinda's Folder

This is Belinda's folder showing what we are supposed to do with the monogram.  I still need to get mine sewn on.  The little red yo-yo paperclip underneath the folder above is something we made after dinner.

We cut a big circle out of fabric and stitched up a yo-yo.  Then we tacked it to a jumbo paperclip like you'd find at an office supply store.  Finally, we stitched a square of wool over the gathered side of the yo-yo.

You can use it to hold your chart or book open and park your needle or you can glue a magnet on the back and put it on the refrigerator for papers.  Pretty handy!

Getaway Stash

Another fun part of the weekend is shopping the market stuff Belinda brings.  Belinda goes to market each year and buys things specifically for the Stitcher's Getaway.  I think she does a fantastic job.  Here's my Getaway stash:

Fern Ridge Collections - Grey Feast Wool Applique Acorn Scissor Pocket Kit with Scissors

Fern Ridge Collections - Grey Feast Acorn Peyote Scissor Fob Kit

All Through the Night - In The Berry Patch

32 ct. Phoenix by Picture This Plus

28 ct. Moss by Picture This Plus

28 ct. Days Gone By by Zweigart

2 scraps of Natural and Cream Gingham Linen by Weeks Dye Works

Don't you just love stash enhancement?  I know I sure do!

~ ~ ~

We came back Sunday morning for breakfast together and a little more stitching.  Around noon several of us began to say our good-byes and head for home.  

As you can tell from the picture we were all smiles from a great weekend of stitching, visiting, and tons of new inspiration.  I'm already looking forward to next time!

The Inspired Stitcher

A walk through Russellville

I wanted to do a separate post about my walk through town.  I know not everybody is big on historic places and old homes so I didn't want to bore anybody unnecessarily by including it with the other posts.

I do want to share a quote from a book we found in the Breathitt House.  It pretty much sums up my feelings about history and historic places.  Collecting quotes is another thing I like to do.

"There comes a voice that awakes my soul.  It is the voice of years that are gone, they roll before me with their deeds." - Ossian

I had never heard of Ossian so I Googled to see what came up.  From Wikipedia, "Ossian is the narrator and supposed author of a cycle of poems which the Scottish poet James Macpherson claimed to have translated from ancient sources in the Scots Gaelic.  His is based on a character from Irish mythology."

~ ~ ~

So for those who want to come along, let's go for a walk together shall we?

(See the Chamber of Commerce website for a walking tour map)

The Carrico Park Square

I started my walk in the Carrico Park Square.  According to the Chamber of Commerce website, "It is the site of the old Court House, c. 1822.  The first courthouse was a cedar log building built in 1792.  Andrew Jackson practiced law in the Logan County Court House around 1794."

There are several memorials in the park and more of the signs I told you about the other day.  It's a really pretty place and truly in the center of town!

I did not know this before my walk but Russellville was the site for the Confederate State Convention held November 20, 1861.  Confederate leaders from 64 Kentucky counties seceded from the Union.  The state of Kentucky was admitted as the 13th state into the Confederate States of America on December 10, 1861.

Confederate Soldiers' Monument

War Cannon

From the park I proceeded south on Main Street.  The homes on this street just took my breath away.  Oh to have been here back in the day!  Imagine the stories these beauties could tell.  I think it would be fun to do a house tour for a peek inside them or even see them all done up for Christmas.

Old Bank Building

Once known as the Southern Bank of Kentucky.  It was built in 1853 by George W. Norton, the structure served as both bank and residence. It was robbed by the Jesse James Gang in 1868 in their first documented robbery.  During the Civil War, over one million dollars of currency was removed from the vault and hidden to avoid confiscation by soldiers. (Source: Chamber of Commerce website)

This picture really says summer to me.  I just had to get a picture of a real gas light burning!  We don't have these here at home or at least not in my neighborhood.

Here are some random houses on Main street.  No signs but so very pretty.  I could see several of them stitched on samplers.  What do you think?

The Morehead House

O'Bannon House

This was the last house I ran across with a historic maker sign in front.

The original section of this house was built by Presley N. O'Bannon who came to Russellville in 1807. He launched a political career based on his heroism in the Barbary Wars during which he planted the American flag for the first time on foreign soil at Tripoli. He served in the Kentucky House of Representatives and Senate. In 1814 the house was purchased by Richard Bibb, Jr., who added a two story front entrance. (Source: Chamber of Commerce website)

After I got to the end of Main Street at the O'Bannon House, I turned around and headed back.  It had gotten really hot and I forgot to bring my water with me.  Here are a few beauties I passed as I went back down the other side of the street.

The Atkinson House

Don't you just love this side porch's circular stairway?  I can just see a girl all dressed up for prom coming down those steps.  I could also see myself sitting there stitching with a nice tall glass of sweet tea by my side too!

Magnolia

I passed this magnolia and didn't notice the flower at first.  It was the lovely smell that caught my attention and made me turn around for the picture.  It was just heavenly.  It really is good to stop and smell the flowers!

I hope you enjoyed the walk with me.  I know there are other beautiful homes I missed on the side streets.  I guess that will be a walk for another day.

There's still more stitching to post about.  I think I'll keep that for later.

Until then,
The Inspired Stitcher