Speak To The Earth - FINISHED!

Well folks, I've finally finished "Speak to the Earth!"  Yes, it's true!! I can hardly believe it myself.

As I may have mentioned before, this went out of print in 1997 but was brought back by popular demand.  I'm so glad they did!  I first saw it at a Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild meeting before it was reprinted.  My peep, Marsha saw it first shared on Facebook by the person who shared it at the guild meeting.  That set us both in motion to keep an eye out for it and once found, the SAL with the peeps ensued. The picture below is clickable to see it larger.

Design:  Speak to the Earth

Designer: Sandy Orton -  Donna Kooler Designs

Fabric: 36 ct. Light Mocha

Floss:  DMC as charted

Started: 1/1/15

Finished: 7/12/16

Framed: TBD

It feels good to finally have this one ready for framing.  When that will be? Well, who knows but at least it's done.  This was one that I will miss spending time stitching.  It was a joy to stitch.  The colors were what grabbed me, particularly the sun and moon.  The other part that really grabbed me was the bee hive in the lower right.  You all know how I love my bees.  Now I just have to decide how I want to sign it.  I've got a couple ideas.  We'll see which I fancy more.

I thought it might be fun to see some of the progress pics too.  This was taken this time last year.  I was over half way done.  I have to laugh at myself, I was so close but yet it took me so long.  Ah...life happens.

Here we are on our last check in back in May.  Heading down the home stretch!  I decided before I left for Russellville that I really wanted to finish this one up before the summer was over.  I'm so pleased I did.

I saved this post until the peeps could all see it first.  Thanks to all who have cheered me on here during the life of this one.  It really is so pretty in person.  I wish you all could see it too.

I've been working on some smalls lately.  They are wonderful instant gratification after coming off a long term project like this one.  Hopefully, I can find time for a finishing day soon so I'll have some more to share.


Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

What I've been working on...

I've had some requests to see my progress on a couple things so I thought I'd pop in and share.  The first one is Speak to the Earth.  Here's where we were when you last saw it.

As of 3/6/16

As of 5/12/16

Now the truth of the matter is that if I would just buckle down, I could realistically get this one done without too much trouble.  Um...yeah, I have no excuses.  Moving on...

~*~*~*~

As of 3/6/16

Design: Pomegranate Pincushion

Designer: Hands on Designs

Fabric:  30 ct. Aztec Red

Floss:  As charted

Started:  1/1/16

Finished: 3/12/16

Completed: 3/26/16

Okay, this one I completely forgot I even finished it until I looked a couple posts back.  I'm a shameful blogger in more ways than one.  Ahem.   Seriously, I really enjoyed this finish and it wasn't nearly as difficult as one might imagine it to be.  I do have the linen and fabric to make the pocket...at some point.

~*~*~*~

Design: From "Tokens of Love: Quaker Pinballs" book

Designer: Erica Uten

Fabric: 40 ct. Linen linen

Floss:  DMC 221

Started: 4/9/16

Finished: 4/30/16

Completed: 5/8/16

This one I made as a thank you for Mary Uhl Brooks who graciously shared the Quaker samplers with me at the Westtown School back in May.  I'll have to write more about that trip later.  Needless to say it was a morning I won't soon forget.  If you find yourself near Westtown, make plans to see the needlework.  You'll want to call in advance but it's very much worth it!

 ~*~*~*~

As of 6/26/16

This one I'm calling a "do-over."  I'd started it originally who knows when, I'm thinking maybe 2011.  I could be wrong.

All I know is the fabric I'd originally used was definitely not made for cross stitch and I don't know what I was thinking.  I also don't know the designer on this or if there ever was one.  You see, I saw this in a friends sun room and fell in love.  She received it as a gift.  We don't know if it was a commercially made pillow or if someone actually stitched it.  All I knew was I loved it and charted it from the picture I took that day.

The original was done on large count fabric.  I suspect from looking at my picture, it was Tula.  That's what I'm using now.  The peeps have given me such grief over this one since I usually like to work on 40 ct. and this is 10 ct.  What can I say, I liked the chunky look of the original and that's how I wanted this one to look as well.  I plan to finish it into a pillow too.  It's going pretty fast.

~*~*~*~

I've also started and finished a couple other things but can't show them until after this weekend is over.  I'm going to try to have a finishing day real soon so I can clear out some of the backed up stuff in the box o'shame.  I'm sure you all have one of those too where finished stitching waits to be completed.  LOL!

I hope you've enjoyed this quick little check-in.  I really wanted to make sure I documented these things.  I really didn't realize how much I relied on this blog to help me remember the things I've stitched.  I've got some more catching up to do!  If you've read this far, thanks for still being here after my long absence!

More later,

The Inspired Stitcher

It's all about the progress...

How did a whole month pass?!  Wow!  I can account for the past two weeks but I have no excuse for the two before that.  Our house has been cursed with the creepin' crud that seems to be going around lately.  DH gave it to me (he's sweet that way dontacha know) and I've had it for two weeks.  Yikes!  Thankfully the cough is gone for the most part and most of the congestion is too.  So I decided since I felt spunkier than I have in a good while, I'd pop in here for a progress update!  Go grab a cuppa.  Here we go!

Progress as of 9-6-15

Progress as of 3/6/16

Excuse the wrinkles.  I took it's glamour shot straight off the q-snaps.  I can't believe the last time you saw this one was last September!  As you can tell, I've worked on it a bit since then and I'm getting really close to the finish on it.  I'm hopeful it will be soon.  I just love all the little animals at the bottom.  There have been a couple peeps who have finished theirs.  I'll have to get a snap of all of them together when I finally get mine done.

~*~*~*~

Progress as of 7/11/15

Progress as of 3/6/16

Okay, I'm almost embarrassed to show this one.  The last time I shared progress was back in July.  Really?!  Oh good golly...can we say slacker?!  Anywho, you can tell I have worked on this one quite a bit since then.  I'm almost to the point of finishing page two!  Next up will be the words in the bottom section.  I love words.  I also love all the little spots in this one too. And the night sky and well...pretty much everything about it.

~*~*~*~

I've also had a couple new starts I haven't shared here yet.  It's funny, I used to be a "one-at-a-time" girl and that went out the window now didn't it.  LOL!

Progress as of 3/6/16

This was my January 1st start.  I'm doing it as a SAL with a certain someone who reads this blog.  Winks!  I haven't worked on it much since the middle of January.  I'm sure my SAL partner already has hers done and is just being polite by not telling me.  I'm really looking forward to doing the finishing on this one.  I think it's going to be interesting.  I'm loving the red fabric! It's 30 ct. Aztec red in case you were wondering.

~*~*~*~

Progress as of 3/6/16

This is my second new start this year.  I picked this one up on Valentine's Day, right before I got sick.  It's charted as the letter "E" but I plan to lob off the top and the middle parts and turn it into an "L."  I'm stitching it on 30ct. Morris Blue with the called for floss.

Our friend Leslie of Under the Sea Fabrics has one someone made for her and it inspired me to do one for myself.  This is my first Nora!  I figured I should stitch one since I'm going to the Mirabilia Minions Retreat for the first time this year.  I'm looking forward to it!

~*~*~*~

So there you are folks, even though I have been absent in this space I really have been stitching.  Between being sick and work still being crazy, I haven't had much time to pop in here to catch you all up.  I do, however, appreciate all the emails checking in on me.  I've tried to make the blog rounds and visit when I could.

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit with me today.  I appreciate each one of you!  I hope your day is good.

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

P.S. Is anyone else sad that tonight is the last episode of Downton?  Can't wait to see what happens!

Speak to the Earth - March Progress

I slid in just under the wire this month on the Speak to the Earth SAL.  For some reason I procrastinated on the over one words.  They aren't that big a deal really.  I just have to be in the right frame of mind to work on them on this tiny count fabric.  So I buckled down and just got on with it already.  Enough of my yip yap, let's see the pictures!

Progress as of 2-15-15

Progress as of 3-31-15

I got on a roll on the right side with the green floss.  I don't know about you all, but I hate to cut a thread when there's a long bit of it still in the needle.  So I stitched it to the end!  I figure it's just time saved later when I get to that part.

I can truthfully echo the sentiments of the other peeps stitching this with me, this is one that is so hard to put down once you get going.  I really enjoy stitching it.  I like that the motifs are smallish and you can whip one out fairly quickly and the colors really sing to me too.  I find the colors make all the difference for me.  How about you all, what really draws you in and keeps your interest?  Let me know if you care to share.

~*~*~*~

Well friends, it's a quick one today.  I switched over to Heaven Above once I finished this month's SAL assignment.  I made some more progress but not enough to show yet.  I'm hoping to spend more time with that one this month.  It's another that's a joy to stitch.

Hope all is well in your world.  Thanks for stopping in to visit with me today!


More next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

TUSAL - February

It's TUSAL Day!

(For those not familiar, click on the word TUSAL above or the link to the right.)

Hello friends!  Here we are at TUSAL day again.  I have to admit there hasn't been much new in the way of stitching happening in my world since our last TUSAL check-in.  Life seems to have stepped in my way.  Nothing catastrophic, just the usual daily grind stuff dontcha know.  Oh well, it is what it is!  There could be worse things, this I know.

Here's a look at the ORT pile for this month.

Let's have a look at the contributor list:

"Snooty Parrots" by Barbara Ana Designs (In Progress)

"Speak to the Earth" by Donna Kooler Designs (In Progress)

"Common Ground - Needlebook" by Just Nan (In Progress)

"Heaven Above" by Midsummer Night Designs (In Progress)

Hmm...same suspects as last month, I see.  I can truthfully say I have moved each of them along since our last visit so even though the list is the same there has been progress made. To keep this post from boring you to tears, let's have some visuals to illustrate what I mean.  Here we go...

Progress as of 1/12/15

 Progress as of 2/15/15

You may have noticed the date on the Snooty Parrots as 2014.  I decided to put last year's date on it since that's when the majority of the work was done and the year I participated in the SAL.  What do you do when projects overlap years?  I'm curious!

~*~*~*~ 

Progress as of 1/12/15

Progress as of 2/15/15

Speak to the Earth is coming along nicely.  It's a project I don't want to put down once I pick it up.  If it weren't for doing it as a SAL, I'd be tempted to keep on going with it.  I'm sure you've had projects like that too. 

~*~*~*~ 

Progress as of 1/12/15

Progress as of 2/15/15

I spent this past weekend working on the Just Nan needle book. I was inspired by this post to pick it up again.  I could easily finish it up if I kept up the current pace with it.  Saturday is an all day stitch-in so just maybe...

~*~*~*~ 

Progress as of 1/17/15

Progress as of 2/15/15

Last but not least, Heaven Above, oh how I love this one too!  I love that blue in the corner.  Does it remind you of anything?  Yes, memories of the Hornbook Bestiary came flooding back when I started that corner!  Oh yes indeed.  LOL!

~*~*~*~

Now that was fun, wasn't it?  I always love to see people's progress pics, especially on BAPs or SALs.   I hope it won't be so long between our next visit.  Thank you for stopping in today. I hope all is well in your corner of the world.  I've missed you all!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher 

New Year's Starts & WIPs

Like lots of folks I like to start something new on New Year's Day.  This year I had a false start.  I hope it's not an indication of things to come this year.  So what did I start you ask?  Check it out!

Progress as of 1-12-15

I present to you, "Speak to the Earth" by Donna Kooler Designs.  It's available as a pdf download if you are interested.  It's nice when you can get the chart instantly like that.  I printed mine on card stock so it will hold up better.

I had originally started this on 40 ct. exemplar but the colors were just not playing nice with the fabric.  Plus there's a good bit of over one stitching on this and I didn't really feel like fiddling with that so I ordered different fabric.  I decided to go with 36 ct. in light mocha which is the color I used for the Parrots.  I like it much better!  So stay tuned, you'll be seeing more of this one this year since a group of the peeps and I are doing it as a SAL.

Progress as of 1-12-15

Since I had to wait for my fabric to come and I was in the mood for a new start, I decided to root around in the basket o'joy.  This one has been in there since I started stitching again back in 2009!  It's by Just Nan and it's the needlebook from the "Common Ground" chart.  There are other pieces to it but I think I may just do the needlebook.  We'll see...

It's done on 28ct. tattersall with DMC.  This is the first time I've worked with tattersall and I really like it.  It's easy to count and find your place on it.  I just love the color pallet on this project.  The finishing doesn't sound too terribly hard either so it should go well.

~*~*~*~

Progress as of 1-12-15

I'm also carrying a couple WIPs into the new year.  As much as I would have liked to finish the Snooty Parrots before the year was over, it just didn't happen.  As you can see, I'm getting closer.  This will be going to the retreat with me this weekend.

I don't think I ever posted a picture of this one.  I did mention it in my TUSAL recap though.  This is called "Quaker Heart" from Piecework Magazine.  I started stitching it on the airplane ride to Utah.  I got side one done while we were there and started side two.  I'm hoping to maybe get this one done before Valentine's day so I can display it.  Maybe it will go with me to the retreat too.

Progress as of 11-8-14

These two are the main ones I'd like to see finished soon.  I'd also like to get back on "I Sigh Not for Beauty" and get it done this year.  It's languished long enough.  If only I could just stitch all day long.  Sounds lovely to me!

Thanks for visiting with me today.  I'm looking forward to sharing my progress after the retreat.  I know I'll be able to move these along with all that uninterrupted stitching time.  Yippee!!

More later,

The Inspired Stitcher