Lizzie Kate Turkey

Last time I went to the Shepherd's Retreat in 2012, we did a philanthropy project through Heifer.org  This year we are doing the same.  Here's how it works...we each stitch a pincushion and bring $5 with us to the registration table.  The pincushions will be displayed at the banquet and we will receive our exchange that night as well.  The Shepherd's Bush girls match the money collected and we find out how many sheep our group will purchase this year.  Last time we were able to get 10 sheep!

Design: Turkey from Autumn Alphabet

Designer: Lizzie Kate

Fabric: 28 ct. natural

Floss: DMC as charted (subbed 3863 for 3864)

Started: 8/17/14

Finished: 8/17/14

Completed:  9/14/14

I took this picture on my bookshelf to give you an idea of size.  It's a little one.  The turkey part is about 2" square.  I am so inspired by Carol's finishes that I had to try to finish this one similarly.  After the fact, I wish I had put my city and state on it somewhere but done is done.  I'm pleased with the result. 

Here's a clearer picture so you can get a better idea of the true colors.  So if any of you are going to the retreat, you could be the lucky owner of this little cutie.  I'd love to know if any of my readers are going to be there!  Let me know in the comments.  Maybe we could meet up somehow.  Wouldn't that be fun?!

I hope everyone has a wonderful fall weekend!  I'm going to kick mine off with dinner and stitching with some of my peeps.  Several of whom are going with me to the retreat!  Fun will be had by all tonight.

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

TUSAL - September

It's TUSAL Day!

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

My wish for some smalls last month has been realized.  I've finally gotten to the point of stitching up several things since our last visit.  One is for the Shepherd's Retreat exchange that I need to show you and the others are gifts so I can't show them just yet.  I'm getting so giddy about going to the retreat.  I can hardly stand it.  The peeps are getting pretty excited too.  Only 17 more days...and yes, I'm counting!!!!  I've even have a countdown app on my phone.  Whoop whoop!

Let's have a look at this month's contributors to the ORT pile:

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

"Turkey Block" from Lizzie Kate's Autumn Alphabet (Completed!)

Gift stitching for Shepherd's Bush (In Progress)

It's a pretty short list for the month but I was out of town with my honey for our anniversary for one of the weeks this month so I didn't get much stitching done that week.  However, I was able to finish the exchange piece before we left on our trip.  Yay!  I also managed to finish the September assignment for the Snooty Parrots and now the gift stitching is my current focus.  I'll have to do a catch up post soon as life has gotten in my way lately and has kept me from sitting down to do it.

Well folks, as always, thanks so much for popping in for a quick visit today.  I always enjoy your comments and appreciate you all very much!  Hope your week has been good so far.

More next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Snooty Parrots Progress - August

I spent my Labor Day weekend with the Snooty Parrots. I was determined to get August done before the weekend was over and I'm pleased to say I achieved that goal a day early.  I'm back on track now!

8/30/14 - August's Assignment Done!

 

I started on the right parrot on Friday night and it had legs and a branch before I went to bed.  Saturday I got up and really got on a roll.  I finished up the bird and started on the vine again.  I had a good bit of the green still on the needle so I took it as far as it would go which got me close to the corner.  Since I was so close to rounding the corner, I decided to thread up another stand and go for it!

8/31/14 - Start on September's assignment

 

Then on Sunday I decided I'd see if I could get the borders to meet.  That's always an unnerving adventure till you get to the home stretch and realize they actually will meet!  Yay!  I felt like doing a victory lap around the living room.  Woo hoo!!  Now I have a better sense of just how big this sampler really is!

9/1/14

I'm running a tad low on the GAST Cranberry so I decided I'd go ahead and stitch all the berries on the vine.  I'd rather them all be the same dye lot for the whole thing.  If I need to get more for other parts it won't look as obvious.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it. LOL!

I'm actually further along now.  I've gotten a good start on September's assignment in the lower left corner.  I'm hoping to get it done in the next week or so. I have some gift stitching and an exchange I need to get started on.  I'm so happy to finally be caught back up again!

Thanks for stopping by and sharing my joy today.  I hope you all are having a good week.  I just love these short weeks.  I can already see the weekend from here!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

TUSAL - August

It's TUSAL Day!

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

 

 

Holy smokes folks, a week from today is September first!  Really?!  I feel like I've been waiting for summer to get here and it never did.  Well, not until the last few days when the heat finally arrived.  We've gone all summer with it being cooler than usual and now you can cut the humidity with a knife.  It's always something!

 

 

This month's ORT report is full of good things. The ORT pile doesn't look like much but trust me, there's been a whirlwind of finishes.  I finally got to the point that I only needed a few more stitches and I could wrap up a couple things so that's just what I did.  It feels so good to have all but one BAP done now.  I'm looking forward to working on some smalls now!

 

Here's a look at this month's contributors:

 

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

"Quaker Faith" by Little by Little Designs (Done!)

"Summer in Bloom - Drum Pinkeep" by BBD (Completed)

"Turkey Block" from Lizzie Kate's Autumn Alphabet (Done needs finished)

 

Well it's a short one this month but I'm pleased with the report none the less.  I hope everyone has a great week!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Parrots Update

I'm finally able to show an update on the Snooty Parrots.  They've been sorely neglected this summer but I buckled down and am now up to the current month's assignment.  Can I get it done in a week?  Well...that remains to be seen.  LOL!

Progress as of July 8th

Last Saturday we had a Tiara Club all day stitch and I made some real progress there.  On Monday I got together with some of my quilting friends and I stitched some more.  Then on Wednesday our guild had its monthly evening stitch-in and I started my August assignment.

July's assignment as of August 19th.

 

I didn't take a picture of the August assignment start.  It's really nothing special yet.  Just the green part of the vine on the right.  I'm tempted to keep going on it to the bottom but who knows if that will really happen.  I am anxious to stitch the parrot though.  Its coloring is slightly different than the one on the left side.  You'll have to check that out next time.

 

I'm going into the city tomorrow with a quilting friend to see a quilt display at one of the local museums.  It should be a fun outing.  I hope you all have a great weekend too.  Thank you for your visit today!

 

 

Until next time,

 

The Inspired Stitcher

BBD Pinkeep Drum...DONE!!

Ever had one of those finishes where you just need to do this tiny little thing and it would be complete but for some reason you procrastinate it?  Yep, that's me on the BBD Pinkeep Drum.  I've had the stitching completed for a while already.  I'm happy to say I finally completed it last night.

Progress as of July 20th, the last day of the Russellville Retreat.

Stitching completed July 27th.

Then I started the construction on July 27th too.

I have to say that putting this together was a lot easier than I'd anticipated it to be.  I followed the directions that came with the chart pretty closely.  The only thing I changed was I left the cardstock circle inside the drum and added a couple layers of batting between it and the linen for the top and bottom.  I didn't want the drum to pooch out.  Yes, that's a real technical term isn't it?!  I like the way the top is relatively flat now.  I also filled the bottom with about an inch or two of poly beads for weight and used fiber fill for the rest of it.

Design:  Summer in Bloom - Pinkeep Drum

Designer:  Blackbird Designs

Fabric:  28ct. Silkweaver Days Gone By

Floss:  GAST as charted

Started: 7/18/14

Finished:  7/27/14

Completed: 8/14/14

Our retreat kit came with silk ribbon to ruche along the edge but I really wanted to work with chenille again.  I really enjoyed using it last time.  I had ordered some from the LNS but got to rooting around in the stash and came across this.  I love how it matches the fabric perfectly.  I had another option that was more of a rust color but it wasn't wide enough.  This chenille came from Victorian Motto in case you are wondering.  I know not all LNS carry this stuff.

So there you have it, friends!  I'm so pleased with how this turned out.  It's the first drum finish I've attempted and it won't be the last.  I really love working with the chenille too.  It hides a multitude of stitching sins.  LOL!  I'd highly encourage you to give it a whirl if you get the chance.

I hope everyone had a good week and I hope your weekend is just a nice.  The Tiara Club is getting together for an all day stitch tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to hanging with the peeps!  Thanks for stopping by for a visit today.


Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Quaker Faith - DONE!!!

I am so happy to report that my absence from the blog was because I've had my nose to the grindstone finishing up my Quaker Faith!  I made some more progress on it at the LNS first Friday stitch-in and decided I just needed to buckle down and finish it already.  So that's what I did!

Here's my progress on 7/14/14

Here's where I was Saturday around noon.

Design:  Quaker Faith

Designer:  Little by Little

Fabric: 35 ct. Jackalope

Floss: DMC as charted

Started: 1/1/14

Finished: 8/10/14

To be framed...

Here it is finished as of about 9:30 last night!  I changed the initials on the right side to reflect those of my parents and paternal grand parents.  It seemed fitting to honor them.  I left the "P" on the left to represent my honey.

A special thanks goes to Melissa over at Words and Blooms. I had entered her giveaway back in 2012 and found out on 5/8/12 that I'd won this kitted chart!  So I wouldn't have stitched this beauty if it weren't for Melissa's generosity!  Thank you so much, Melissa!!!

This finish also serves a dual purpose too.  I am now finished with my commitment for the local Queen City Sampler Guild's Quaker challenge!  Now all I have to do is get to the LNS to get her framed.

This finish kicked my week off to a great start.  I'm going to get back on the Parrots now and I've even started thinking about Christmas ornaments.  I can truthfully say that after committing myself to three BAPs this year, I'm going to try not to do that again.  I really do miss my smalls and ornaments.  Live and learn!

I hope everyone has a great week!  Summer is sadly winding down but I'm looking forward to the Shepherd's Bush Retreat in October so it's not all bad!  Have a good one and thanks for stopping by to see me today.


Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher