Tin Topper Finish

In my last post I mentioned stitching the single pocket from Hillside Samplings' "My Stitching Chair Necessaire."  I stitched the fob from this chart earlier this summer and wanted to stitch a tin topper to go with it.  I'm pleased to be able to show you the finished piece today.

Design:  Single Pocket from "My Stitching Chair Necessaire"

Designer:  Hillside Samplings

Fabric: 36 ct. Parchment

Floss:  DMC as charted

Started:  8/5/12

Finished:  8/13/12

Completed:  8/19/12

I did have to add some stitches to the width to make it big enough to cover the wording printed on the lid.  I tried a "new-to-me" stitch in the center of the flowers called cross tied windmill.  It turned out pretty well for my first attempt at it.

Here it is with the scissors fob I stitched back in May.  I opted to go with the red twisted cord rather than match the green on the fob so it would blend better with the tin's top.

I actually made both the red and the green to see which I liked best.  Hubby said he liked the red better so I went with that.  I like it too.  It gives more focus to the stitching rather than detracting from it like the green seemed to do.

I also used seven layers of thin cotton batting to give the top a bit of pouf.  I think I'll do this again on the next one.  I tend to use the tin topper lid as a needle nanny when I'm stitching.  

I've made several tin toppers in the past seen here, here, here and here.  I really do enjoy making them. They are so useful for stitching on the go.

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I hope you had a good weekend and I hope your week is good too.  Thanks for stopping by today for a visit with me.


Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

TUSAL & Jolly Jack finished

Design:  Jolly Jack

Designer:  All Through the Night

Fabric: 30 ct. WDW Putty

Floss:  Called for WDW

Started:  9/9/11

Finished:  8/16/12

Let's start today with my latest finish.  I decided to work on Jack at the guild stitch-in the other night and made some good progress so last night I decided to just finish him up.  I also decided not to stitch the words.  I have a finish in mind, I just need to percolate on how I want to execute it.  So stay tuned!

I've been in a fall stitching mood since the weather finally gave us a break from the scorching heat.  I love the floss that was called for on the leaves.  It's called Tobacco Road.  It has a lot of nice variegation to it and is just perfect for leaves!

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Today is also TUSAL day!  Remember, TUSAL stands for Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long.  So I gathered up my ORTs and here's my ORT report for August.  This month's contributors were:

• August Assignment for the EMS SAL aka BAP (DONE!)
• Thank You heart for Summer Exchange (DONE and received!)
• ORTs Container and Bee Hive scissor fob from The Primitives Club (DONE!)
• Rouge Du Rhin "L" (Done...needs to be completed)
• Single pocket from Hillside Samplings' Stitching Chair Necessaire (Done...needs to be completed)
• Glory House by Chessie and Me (in progress)
• I Sigh Not for Beauty by C Street Samplers (yes, still in progress)

Well, that's the round up.  It's not a very big list but it sure did creat a respectable pile o'ORTs.  I really need a finishing day soon.  I've got several things patiently waiting.  I've also got a list a mile long of the fall/halloween/thanksgiving/gift stitching I want to do right now.  Sigh, if only I could just stay home and stitch all day! Don't we all wish we could do that?!   LOL!

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Well folks that's all I've got today.  Thankfully we made it to another Friday.  Can I get a woo hoo from all the stithers?  Oh yes, I heard y'all!

I'm off to the Tiara Club's stitch-in tonight.  We are in a new location since our peep, Rita entered a new chapter in her life.  Hey Rita, I know you are reading this...I miss ya!

Thanks to all for stopping by today for a visit.  Welcome to the new followers and a big thanks to all who take the time to comment.  I really do enjoy reading them!  Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Secret Stitcher

Yesterday brought me a package from my Secret Stitcher.  I can tell she had fun putting this one together!  I had to smile when I opened the envelope and saw this peeking out at me.

I cracked up when I saw all the "back to school" bits taped all over the tissue paper.  We start back next Monday so these were so appropriate!

Here's what was inside.  A zippered pouch that goes in a three ring binder and a matching pencil case!  The best part is they are pink!!!  I love the flower design on them too.  Oh this is just too cool.  Wonder what's inside?!

Here's what was inside the zippered pouch.  From left to right: a long handled ball pointed bodkin, a needle threader, a super cute August note pad and a magnetic telescoping stick for picking up errant needles.  All very useful things!

I saved the very best part for last.  Look what was inside the pencil case...this Hello Kitty flash drive!!!  Can you even stand it?!  Oh this is just the coolest thing ever!  Who knew they even made such things?!  I love, love, love it!

Thank you so much Secret Stitcher!  You've certainly spoiled me well this month.  You really put some thought into this one and I love each and every thing.  How fun!

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Tonight I'm off to the guild's monthly stitch-in.  I'm looking forward to hanging with the peeps and making some stitchy progress.  Who knows what I'll work on tonight.  I'm getting in the fall mood so I may have to bust out Jolly Jack and give him some attention or then there's always "Beauty" patiently waiting for her time with the needle too.  Oh decisions!

As always thanks for taking the time to stop by and visit with me today.  I hope everyone is having a good week so far.


Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Simply Primitives Club

The mailman brought a great surprise to my doorstep Thursday!  I finally received my first shipment from The Needle Hive's Simply Primitive Club!  I've been patiently waiting since spring to see what surprises Irene, owner of  The Needle Hive and Carolyn from Liberty Hill had put together for us.  Trust me it was worth the wait!  Check this out!!!

 It's a hand painted writing box!

 Here's the inside!  Don't you just love the bee hive and that saying?!

This is the stitching kit that came with it!  Everything I needed to stitch and finish both charts, pictures of the finished pieces and a bonus chart to boot!

Of course I had to start on this right away!  I love the saying on the ORTs container.  I stitched my initials and date over one on the back of the fob.  Love that bee skep!  Swoon!

Here the back of the fob and the ORTs container laying flat.  I love the fob with my heart scissors!

Design:  Bee Skep Fob and Portable Orts  Container

Designer:  Irene from The Needle Hive

Fabric: 32 ct. Chestnut as kitted

Floss:  DMC as kitted

Started: (fob and orts container) 8/9/12

Finished: (fob) 8/9/12 & (orts container) 8/10/12

Completed: (orts container) 8/10/12 & (fob) 8/11/12

 

Here it is all put together!  The instructions said to pin the sides of the ORTs container to make them stand up.  Isn't that just clever?  I just love this project and everything about it.  I can't wait to see what else Irene and Carolyn cook up for us in the coming year!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend so far.  Thanks for stopping by to visit with me today!


Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Summer Exchange Received

I was invited to participate in a Seasonal Exchange for the Summer round and now I know who was stitching for me!

Bent Creek Zippers "Blue Bird"

This is what I received from Dawn!  Isn't it just too cute?!  It's from a Bent Creek Zipper kit called "Blue Bird."  The fabric and trim match the design perfectly!  I don't have a finish like this in my collection either.

This is actually the second piece I received from Dawn.  The first piece was damaged when I received it.  Dawn and I are fairly sure it was damaged by the extreme heat (100 plus degrees) we've had in these parts.  See she used adhesive in the finishing and I'm afraid the heat was not kind to it by the time it reached my house.

I won't post a picture of it in the state it arrived because I don't want to embarrass Dawn.  I did feel badly that she had to stitch a replacement piece so I felt it was only right to send her a RAK to show my appreciation for her efforts.  The fabric in the background is the backing fabric I used.

Design:  Alphabet from Cross Stitcher Homestyle (UK) magazine

Designer: me

Fabric: 28 ct. natural

Floss:  DMC 4150

Started:  7/30/12

Finished and Completed:  7/31/12

I know Dawn has received it and says she likes it.  It really was the very least I could do for her good heartedness about the whole situation.  I know we both learned a lesson from this experience...don't use adhesive in hot weather when sending something through the mail.  Things happen beyond our control sometimes!

Thank you again, Dawn for making this right and for your kindness.  Also thanks to Lisa S for hosting the exchange and helping to work things out.  All's well that ends well.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by for a visit today and welcome to my new followers.  You all make this blogging thing a lot of fun.  Have a good week!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

BAP Update August Edition

Started: 8/1/12

Finished: 8/4/12

Well folks, I'm two thirds of the way finished with my BAP.  It is really looking good if I do say so myself!  This month's assignment went just as quick as last month's did.  It helped that I worked ahead a bit too.

August's "assignment"

This month all I had to do was finish up the blue flowers, add the berry sprig, and finish up the white flower border.  I had the cherries and the bluebells already finished.  I can't decide what's my favorite part of this month's work.

Here's a close up of the blue flowers and the berries.  The berries remind me of hawthorn berries and the tiny blue flowers look like forget-me-knots.

The white flowers kind of look like the hawthorn flower too.  That cherry border is just so sweet.  I do like cherries both as a motif and to eat!

Since you all know what a floss nerd I am, here's an updated floss box pic.  You'll notice I "out grew" my original box.  I'm up to 72 different colors in this project!  This month I added two new ones.  I've got room for my spare greens in this box and a couple extra compartments for even more colors.  I'm anticipating more to come next month. 

I'm already anxiously awaiting next month's "assignment."  I love the rose basket and I'm going to finally get to stitch the butterflies or at least part of one.  That's another motif in this design that drew me to it.  I can hardly wait!  I'm still as much in love with this project as ever!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend so far!  I know I am.  Thanks for stopping by to see my progress.

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Tiara Stitch-in

Wow, what a week I've had!  Lots of things happening lately and now today is the first of August!  Really?!  This summer has just slipped right past me for sure.  Let's start with the stitchy stuff...

Saturday was our monthly Tiara stitch-in.  I worked on my Rouge du Rhin "L" for my tote bag project.  I actually got the stitching finished on Sunday.  Hmm...I should probably take a picture of that.

Moving to my left, check out these beautiful morning glories!  I'm told this one is going to be close to four feet long when it's done!  Looks great so far.

I love the colors in this Shepherd's Bush.  This peep is hoping to get it done by September so she can have Jill Rensel frame it for her.  Won't that be stunning?!

This one is a reproduction of an antique quilt in the Shelburne Museum's collection.  I love the bright colors!

I actually saw this quilt when the traveling exhibit "Art of the Needle" came to town.   The quilt was donated to the museum in 1955 by Ida W. Beck who lived from 1880 – 1967.  She was a shut-in who specialized in needlework and monogramming. It's stunning in person!

This one is a golden anniversary sampler one of my peeps is doing for a friend.  Her friend's hubby passed away not long ago but she's going to finish the gift anyway.  So bitter sweet.

This is a new start on the "Folk Art Hornbook" by Hillside Samplings found on the Bay of Evil.  I'm glad to see the Bay of Evil (eBay) gets other folks in trouble too.  LOL!  I love the painted hornbook that goes with this one!

Making the full circle around the table, this is the one that was being worked on to my right.  It's by Jeannette Douglas called "My Story."  I have this one in the stash from the Shepherd's Bush retreat 2010.  Unfortunately I never got further than the trees.  LOL!  This one is so pretty in person!

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We were a smaller than usual group as you can tell by the WIPs.  Here's what came for show and tell.

An Erica Michaels piece.  I like the frame!

I love the saying on this Country Cottage piece.

I love the colors of this Praiseworthy Stitches "Faith."  There's just something about Quaker designs.

I don't recall who this one is by but I love the charms on the ribbon.  I'm told they came from Hobby Lobby.

I love the colors of this JBW wedding sampler.  That silver frame just sets it off!

This is Little House Needleworks' "Elizabeth Hancock" sampler.  I remember when my peep was working on this earlier in the year.  She changed out the colors of the flower vine because the called for white was just now showing up.  I like how it turned out! 

This one always reminds me of my "I Sigh Not for Beauty" since they both have the same verse on them.  Speaking of, I did give "Beauty" some more attention at the stitch-in in the afternoon.  I got the house all the way done.  I didn't take a picture because it doesn't look that much different than the last time you saw it.

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As I mentioned earlier there's been a lot happening around here lately.  Some of you know my 10 year old car gave up on me before I gave up on it.  LOL!  So we had to go car shopping.  Most folks would be excited about that...me, not so much!  I equate it to bra shopping, a necessary evil.  So we spent two angst filled days shopping and I found one...finally.  Whew!  Hopefully I won't have to do that again for another 10 years!

The same day we picked up the new car, my little girl got her snippety snip done.  Poor baby!  Here she is that evening.  As you can tell by the ears and the sad face she's not feeling too hot.

She was a real snuggle bunny that night.  My little velcro dog wanted me to stay right by her side all night long.  At one point, she even put her head on my shoulder and let out a big sigh.  Talk about melting my heart!

I'm pleased to report it's been a week today since her surgery and you'd never know anything happened to her.  She was actually her normal fired up self the very next morning!  If only people bounced back from surgery like that.  LOL!

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Well folks, that's all I've got today.  I've been doing some gift stitching lately so I can't share that just yet.  I hope everyone has had a good week so far.  Thankfully we are barreling toward a weekend! Yippee!!!  Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher