AN OFFER I CAN'T REFUSE...

This whole week has been a celebration of the 40th anniversary of The Godfather. Being totally obsessed with the films, I've completely enjoyed the week. Today is the Godfather Saga, which is a compilation of all three movies in chronological order. Now I've got to order this one.  It has some added scenes. Only problem is, I've got orchestra rehearsal at 6PM tonight and this continues until 7PM. Have to order have to order......

Good thing is, I've been stitching and finishing while watching TV. Here's what I did:

This is from the 2011 JCS and it's by Charlotte's Web. It took FOREVER but was worth it. I changed some of the colors and added some beads. It caught my attention because it reminded me of all those wonderful, old churches I visited on my trips to England.

This is a freebie by Blue Ribbon Designs. It's called "Cardinals for a Cure". I finished it like all the others because it will hang on the same tree.

Here's the last. It's a LHN and also came from JCS. It took almost no time at all.

My mojo still isn't back, so I'll keep plugging along on my ornies. Only have about a dozen to finish by the end of the year! I have all of them-including JCS- except the newest out. I'm also doing the CCN ornies, too, because it's a mother-daughter thing.

Now if we'd just have a Jane Austen Week..........

A QUESTION ABOUT FABBY

On my last post, I had a question from Craft-i-leigh about aida and other fabrics. So here goes:

I used aida for many years because it was the only thing available: Michael's, Hobby Lobby and Hancock's. I didn't order by mail because I didn't have a computer and even now I'm hesitant about ordering fabric over the Internet because I want to be sure of the color. I have a friend that uses Vikki Clayton 35 ct.. I have a sample of it and I wouldn't hesitate to use it.

The big complaint I always had about aida was that it was SO stiff. It was rough in my hands. And there were so many big holes. When I did my Marty Bell pieces I actually stitched in the sky because I didn' t want all those little square holes (I know. Sounds OCD and it is). I still use aida for some things, especially ornies. There is an aida that is very soft and I use it for table runners, etc. And it has a tiny bit of shine to it.

The first pieces I did on evenweave were the Cricket Collection's acorns. Somewhere in the archives of my blog you can see them. Probably around October or November. I got discouraged at first, but then went back to them with more care and finished them. They are beautiful and the colors wonderful.

I like evenweaves (linen) because it gives a more polished, complete finish: no little (big, to me) holes around. The only size I don't use is 40, simply because I'm old and it's difficult to see the threads. I'm participating in a Round Robin (my first) and I know some of the ladies will be using 40 ct., so I'll put on my big girl panties and do it.

The colors in linen are GREAT. They're a little limited in aida.

Another thing is that you can do is"over 1" on linen. When over 2 and over 1 are combined in a piece the finish is spectacular. Right now I'm doing the petit etui and it combines those two stitches as well as others (which are easier to do on linen). I guess the password is "versatile".

If you're ready to try linen I'd say get a small pattern-maybe a Christmas ornie- and try Use a 28 ct. fabric. And don't give up. It took a little while to get used to linen. It's not unusual to split a stitch. Sometimes you have to frog some stitches. Sometimes you can just compensate.

Go for it. And take your time. Get the feel for it like you did for aida. As I said, do something small.

I don't know if you've tried over-dyed threads. If you haven't, try them. I love them, too. And silk: it's just wonderful. It's more expensive so I used it more for "special" projects. Belle soir is my favorite. Vikki Clayton is great. So are the others.

I will tell you (at the risk of giving away a secret) that I'm going to do a special piece, starting in the next few months. It's going to be for a very special person. It's a Stoney Creek chart. It's LARGE and the only fabric I will use is aida. If I ever split a stitch on that one it would be a major disaster.

Don't be afraid. Step out and do it. You can! If I did it, any one can. Just ask Robin at my LNS. She kept at me until I started stitching on linen. Now there's no turning back.

Any one else out there that has a comment, please make it. Let's convince her to try!

I'M SITTING HERE SOOOO BORED........

watching this football game. It is so dull. And to think it's for the national championship. It's in the second half and is STILL 7-7. I'm pulling for Oklahoma-not being disloyal to the SEC, but I have a friend that graduated from OU and besides, I don't like Tebow. He's his own best fan.

I have a couple of finishes- Christmas ornies, but finishes none the less. The first is "Partridge In A Pear Tree", a freebie from Aion. I stitched it on the specified fabric with specified DMC floss. I finished it myself with Christmas fabby and trim. It's the December ornie for the Christmas SAL.

These are ornaments from Plum Pudding Needleart, a chart called "Holiday's Samplings". There is also a small pillow pattern included but I haven't done that one. They're on 14 ct. Aida with Gentle Art's Cranberry thread. I finished them myself, again with Christmas fabric and trim.