Ring In The New Year!

Hi everyone! I hope those of you who so celebrate had a wonderful Christmas!
There was ice:

 more ice

and snow!




We had a fun time with family, but now it's time to get back to 'normal'.

 

The tree is down and away in storage until next year, and the house will soon be put to rights with vacuuming and polishing........well, unless of course I'm distracted by stitching. Lol

 I'm happy to report that I finished the cable blanket, and even made a faux sheepskin blanket as well as a teepee for DS's cat. He'll be purring in cushy comfort. (The cat, that is. ;-)   )
For my 2014 CQJP, I plan to create a red Christmas tree skirt, and the theme will be snowflakes. Debra of the Tuesday Stitchers, has already machine embroidered a pile of snowflakes for me (thanks so much, Debra!!) and I shall be waiting until their arrival before piecing the skirt. In the meantime, I shall tat some snowflakes of my own and work on other projects in the wings: my wrapping cloth, a pink/blue/purple wallhanging with 'silkies' of my darling granddaughter, projects for StitchMAP, knitting, wool sculpture, painting, and I may just get to teaching myself how to crochet..............maybe. I might return to finishing the Lace and Roses wall hanging if time permits.
As for the Christmas tree skirt, I plan to have an opening of 12" around the tree base and two triangles' sides trimmed, but not joined, to allow room for easy placing after the tree is decorated. The total circumference will be ~15 1/2 feet with each triangle measuring 24" x15", not counting any trim I may add.
Well, that's the plan right now, anyway..........
Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!
May you and yours all be well,
And may there always be some spare time for stitching! and tatting! and creating!

Thanks for visiting.

Hugs from Suz

It's Almost Christmas!

Hi everyone. Hope you're all ready for Christmas.

in the foyer

Here's a pic of the cotton tape I'm using for the sashing between my blocks. It ties in with the colours nicely, I think.

The first step of the sashing. I then trimmed the sides, and added the long strips of tape, then layers of lace.

And that's when I noticed a problem..........and had to rip the hanging apart......  :-(   ...there was wailing and moaning, and the air turned blue........

Time was getting short, so I've tucked the pieces away until after Christmas........

After all, I still have the cabled blanket to finish, and a sewing gift to finish, and baking to do, and some visiting, and one more present to buy......

My other projects are also on hold........

Our Christmas tree is up and filled with memories and history, including the lights and many ornaments from our first Christmas as hubby and wife! Those items are now 40 years old!

And, they still work! wow.

All lit at night.....well except for the lights that are blinking....


See that empty space under the tree?
It's the perfect spot for a Christmas tree skirt, don't you agree?
So, guess what I'm making for CQJP 2014?   
 In red!!

ooooh, ...pixilated.....

and a bit more playing in Picasa........wouldn't this make a neat card?






I shall be taking a break from now until after the New Year.
Wishing you all a wondrous, safe and very

    MERRY CHRISTMAS!

        and All the Best for 2014

 

    HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Thanks for visiting. Hugs from Suz

CQJP - Wrapping it Up

With the finish of my December block, I completed CQJP 2013!  Yay!

 Here's how they'll fit together for my Lace and Roses wall hanging.

Next, I need to add a border between each, then add lots and lots of lace!















Work on piece #10 of my wrapping cloth has begun with a row of french knots and the start of buttonhole lace.......

I am smitten with the strip of lace across the top. It's pinned in place for now.




Piece # 10 is rather small, so it won't be long until it's fully titivated..........I hope














I've been making progress on my cable blanket, and am almost half way...............
Snow arrived......

and made the neighbourhood white and fluffy.......















In keeping with the season, you might like to listen to this acapella hymn. I think it's beautiful.
Wherever you may be, I hope you're having a wonderful December.


Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

Needle Arts as November Ends

Sorry I haven't been here, lately......... hope to correct that......
I've gotten a little more stitching done, and finished my November block with a simple seam treatment above the roses

I'm sorry I forgot to take a photo of December all naked, but I got carried away..........


some of this beautiful beady trim was added

 as well as a crocheted butterfly from an old doily


and a bit of  pink and white 'curlicue' trim

more lace, tea-dyed


and beads

A pretty button, and some more beads, along with a lace piece from a friend's wedding gown and broderie anglais, December is almost finished!

That will give me some time to join my blocks together, and finish the wall hanging, hopefully, before Christmas



I've finished piece #9 of my wrapping cloth! by adding a tatted seam treatment and a cascade of french knots. Yay! On to #10!

You might like to see more here and over here of the other elements on this piece.

the blue StitchMAP piece ought to have been on it's way long before now. French knots along the lace on both sides, create a quilted look.
I'd added some buttonhole lace around the outside, but, when I started the third row, it was evident that my stitches were not perfectly uniform..........frogging ensued......and then I thought I'd like to add a tatted border. It's taking longer than I'd hoped......

 
 

just a simple chain........

hoping I have better results with the tatting........








uh, knitting? what knitting?  lol

it's coming along slowly, and I'm almost halfway there......

There is sadness in the tatting world on the passing of Master Tatter Jan Stawasz. He'll now be tatting with the angels.

 Wishing everyone who celebrates a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Hope you've had some time for stitching or other creative endeavours.
Thanks for visiting.
      Hugs from Suz














 

Lest We Forget

Remembrance Day:- Monday November 11, 2013

On the 11th Hour, Of the 11th Day, Of the 11th Month......

 Our freedoms today came at a high price, and we should never forget that wars shatter lives, families, and communities. 


In Remembrance and with Gratitude.  For those who have served, those serving now, and those yet called to serve. Bless you and Thank you.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=497694559251&set=vb.639284251&type=2&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201334380694797&set=a.4009688593895.2164178.1031629140&type=1&theater

 Hugs from Suz

Hallowe'en and Stitching!

Here's what the cute little goblins will see tomorrow night when they come trick or treating at my house!

This will be the first time I've had trick-or-treaters in 38 years, so I'm a little excited!
I have my candy stash, and my witch outfit, and I'm ready. Yay!














 

This witchy might show up, too.

Out our backyard is a walking/biking trail with lots of greenspace. It's used daily by the community.

We like to walk the trail, and sometimes follow it to the nearby park.

We often meet our neighbours out for a stroll, walking their dogs, running, or riding their bicycles and getting some fresh air and exercise.

We found out there is a plan afoot to destroy this greenspace and put in a 4-lane parkway!
Needless to say, we'll be heartbroken if this plan goes through.

 There won't be the open spaces with wild plants, nor the old trees providing oxygen.

I certainly wouldn't be able to walk out my yard and see mother nature, nor discover fungal sights like this.

sigh

Fingers crossed that the city will recognize the value of this open, green area in the middle of the city, and save it for generations to come.




I've been stitching. (Surprise!..lol!)
My October block is almost done: just one little seam to finish.....on the lower left.  I also added

some rolled and french knotted ribbon.



















A project I've been working on for the past 2 weeks is a StitchMAP challenge. We were to take a dozen 3" or 4" squares and embellish each with one of 12 assigned stitches. Then, we were to transform the squares into a project.

This photo shows my squares stitched, laced, and with a backing. Two layers of batting sit between the fabric layers, and I have the last seam on the left to complete,  then a bit of quilting to join the layers together.

This quilted mat will be a gift for a friend, so there may be some added embellishing, too.

Here's the back:

My friend loves the colour blue!

I've tatted some tiny thread into this organic form, and I might just use it on another project I've begun with the fabric shown. There's more tatting to add to this.
I think the colours match quite well, and
the tat is ~ 1"x 1.5"

Now, that's really thin thread!

Also on my needles is this blanket. I started one last year for our son as a Christmas gift, but it wasn't finished in time..........gee, how'd THAT happen?...lol

I tinked it 2 weeks ago, and I've begun a new blanket with cables......sheesh, it's the first time I've ever done cables........( I think I may need to get my head examined!)

You can see some of the cables adding interest to the plain green.

The pattern is a 22 row repeat, and I've now done 25 rows...........it measures 10" long so far...........got a ways to go yet......sigh......

How many more weeks until Christmas?




That's it for this week. I hope to return to my wrapping cloth piece #9 during the next few days..........
Hope you've had some nice creative time, too.

Happy Hallowe'en!














and Happy November!

Thanks for visiting.
             
Hugs from Suz

The Last 2 Months and Stitching

Hi everyone.
During the last 2 months, I've received some delightful items in the mail, but there was very little spare time during our daughter and granddaughter's visit to post. So, better late than never.........

Sherry and I share a birthday, and she sent me these wonderful gifts to celebrate the day:

a beautiful pearl and crystal bracelet!

I love the magnetic clasp and the charms.

this lovely card

 this sachet (I love sachets!) is filled with rose petals from her garden, and lavender (I love roses and lavender!)

 pretty hand-beaded pins in an adorable, sparkly 'holder'

such creativity

Sherry, thank you so much for my Birthday Surprise!
I love everything!

I love, too, the fact that Sherry made each gift. As the  bracelet charm indicates, thank you for all the love!













The afternoon before my birthday, I found a bulging envelope in the mailbox. It was from Mary Anne. She didn't know it was my birthday, but the timing was perfect. Look at the delightful laces and trims she sent me!

I've already used some on my wrapping cloth pieces.


There's even a tatted edging!

Thanks so much MA for making my birthday even better!



















Later, a third package showed up in the mail from Lyn. She sent me some of her vintage cards!

They remind me of my Mother's box, filled with old cards, I used to look through when I was young. Memories.

Thank you, Lyn!







My stitching fun continues with work on the October block, and my wrapping cloth:

some alternating lazy daisy trios and cast-on stitch chains filled out this seam treatment

a third chain was added
(took me three tries to get it right!)

the french knots will have bullions added for next week

October, so far.......




















Piece # 9 of my wrapping cloth is progressing slowly:

two tats to cover small seams.....

more buttonhole lace and french knots on the hanky edgings....

a prairie point with buttonhole lace, cast-on stitch 'fastenings' and a white, sparkly button

here's how it all looks...

more titivations to come...


I hope you've had some happy creative time.

Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz