Wedding Sampler

It's Saturday,

At the last monthly guild meeting someone brought in a box (a huge box) of old cross stitch magazines that someone was trying to find a happy home for. After going through hundreds of magazines I ran across this 1986 issue of Cross Stitch and Country Crafts Magazine. On the cover was lovely wedding sampler that I could not resist doing. I made a trip last Saturday to my favorite LNS and purchased 25 count dirty linen for this project. The designer called for using three strands of DMC but after starting with that I was not happy with how it was turning out. So, I have changed it to two strands and I think it looks much better.

I have a question though that I need help on. There is a border that runs around the design that calls for using 1/16 silk ribbon and then doing a statin heart over it. I cannot find 1/16th ribbon and was trying to think of something else to use instead. Help??????

Well, today will be a fun day here at home. We have a graduation party to attend and then we have to hurry home for the town parade and festival. The nice thing about living close to the festival is that it makes it easy to run over to the festival each night and buy an elephant ear or ice cream cone

Have a great weekend....

Father's Day

Father's

What a special person that we have received in our lives. A person that has worked hard to keep a roof over our heads, food on the table, and values to use in our adult life.

There are so many special memories that I have of my dad that I would like to share. These memories always make my heart sing and put a smile on my face.

-- Christmas morning being woken by a old fashion camera with lights brighter than the sun shining into my eyes. Walking into the living room and seeing a Barbie Doll Dream house, Chatty Cathy doll, and another doll house taller than me. And poor Dad so tired since he stayed up all night putting them together.

--Vacations taken out west and seeing the old west with Indians dancing. Going to bed that night in a hotel and being afraid that the Indians would come and steal me away.

--Spending the afternoon picnic after church at the airport just to watch 10 jets take off. Okay, so I just aged myself.

--Fishing with a plastic worm that caught so many fish that Dad could not get them all of the line fast enough to fish himself.... Off came the plastic worm and into the lake it went.

--Sunday afternoons wrestling with Dad on the floor while he tried to watch Sunday Football.

--Going camping on my birthday and being the only campers in the park. Why? It was snowing and the campground maintenance people were turning off the water for the year.

--Dad and I being the only brave souls to sit outside on a cold and windy day to have a campfire.

--Dad helping me rescue baby birds that had fallen out of their nest due to a storm. Using his warm hands and breath to warm them up.

These are just a few of the memories that make my dad so special to me....

Happy Father's Day Dad..... I love you.....

Patriotic Themes

The summer time is my favorite time because I can put out all of the patriotic projects that I have completed. Well, okay, I need to complete some more and I have to say that anything with red, white, and blue in it will be added to my stash.

Here is a picture of Liberty Sam from Lizzie Kate. I was lucky enough to have my LNS send him off to be finished for me. Well, I started the process and then figured it would get done faster, no, it would get done better if I had someone else that was experienced complete it for me. I was right. She did a great job.

Also, the USA is a Prairie Schooler design that I got free a long time ago at my local LNS shop. I love to get their free patterns and of course I do love buying their patterns.

Wow, I cannot believe that I am actually posting again in under a week. Now I now I am a blog addict.

Dinky Dyes - Celtic Knotwork Cross

Well, after successfully completely the latest Loose Feathers Design - Rites of Spring I jumped into a new project that I though would be a quick weekend project. Well, look at these pictures and let me know what you think. Hint: this involved a lot of frogging and today is Tuesday.

Working with Dinky Dyes is such a treat. I did discover to keep the pattern of variegation going and to stay in line with the chart I had to work threads up both sides of the cross evenly. I found this out when the lines crossed over and they didn't match. This pattern has a lot of quarter stitches in it which I have to say I have not done in years. So, that added to my challenge of staying in line. I am using three strips of highlighting tape to mark my progress on the chart.

On a lighter note: I just returned from a fantastic retreat put on by Moss Creek Designs. If you are looking for an exciting and challenging retreat this is one not to miss. I had the opportunity to take a class from Jane Timmers - Fancywork, Jackie du Plessis - It's Fine-ally Finished, and of course Rae Iverson of Moss Creek Designs. The class sizes were wonderful and the projects are amazing. I have a lot of work ahead of me in completing them and learning some new stitches. I know that this will be a repeat retreat for me in the future. Plus, I had to chance to travel out by family and enjoy time with them. So, two wonderful events at once - stitching and family.

Well, it is off to work on this cross again. Good evening and good stitching.