And now November!

I believe this month sees the end of adding birds onto my Sue Spargo block of the month. Next month we receive the backing and label.

This has been an enjoyable quilt to work on and I have now signed up for next year.

Sue has also now written a book on stitches for embellishment that is available through her web site.

Now onto a Jim Wurth octagon ornament. I have done the first in the series a while ago and now have Monrovia and one other that at this moment I can't remember the name of to work on. I wish I'd been able to do these as monthly pieces as intended. I would like to obtain all 12 but fear my purse will not stretch to them as they go for silly prices on eBay.

October done!

I am upto date with my Sue Spargo BOM.  Now I can think about doing some other thing like some needlepoint or knitting.

Back to the BOM I have now added 4 for more birds. I changed a couple of things as I felt there was to many drizzle stitches on the given instructions but each to their own.

Teaching at Peacock Alley

Do you wish to try a new technique or skill such as using a laying tool? Are you a beginner who wants a push in the right direction. Stuck with a canvas then I am your lady.

Then phone Peacock Alley in Ada on 1-877-550-9898 or 1-616-682-9854.

I will be available by appointment for one on one help between 12:00 and 2:00 on Mondays. Or drop in and if I am not teaching I will help you out.

We are also open to groups of friends who wish to have some fun together, maybe you wish to all do the some canvas together? It would be fun to see how different they all look when done in your own particular taste.

A girls night out with a visit to one if the wonderful restaurants in our little area could be finished with a bit of stitching fun at the Alley.

Teaching Stumpwork

Today I have the honor of teaching a technique of stumpwork to my local ANG group in W Michigan.

This piece shows different stages involved in making a detached leave or petal.

Mistake!!!!!!!

Just when you think you are in the home lap you notice a mistake. Can you spot it?

Over the last few weeks I have been busy with Nellie (also known as my MIL). When this lovely lady visits I tend to stop doing other things except in relation to my daughters. The that includes housework.

That said whilst she has been here this time I have finished doing the Sue Spargo September BOM and laid out this months, knitted a cowl as a Christmas gift for a friend, framed my Charley Harper needlepoint owl, knitted a sweater, hat and cowl for my Fiona (my own design as well) and got to the background on my second Lee kimono. This was all because Nellie is not able to get around as well as in the past so we have been rewatching Downton Abbey and Revenge on Netflix.

I am hoping to finish said kimono this weekend so I can start knitting Amanda an Aran sweater from a pattern I found at my local library in their resale section. I will be altering the ribs and also lengthing it as she is long in the body.

Funeral for my beloved camera

As you may have noticed in my last posting the pictures were not up my standard. My poor 4 year old canon decided it did not want to open it' eye anymore. After trying to repair myself I finally took it to a store on Saturday only to be told that it was going to cost $100 to $150 to repair.

I have always loved the close up this little point and shoot achieved so here's hoping it's replacement will be as good. Hopefully picking one up on Friday.

In the meantime here is a picture of one of my current needlepoint projects.

It is by Lee (KB 15) and is to go with the crane kimono I have done for my Fiona. Fiona picked the stitch for the sky from the landscape stitch book by Elaine Oliverio. I have this for my iPhone and pad.

Yesterday I was working at Peacock Alley in Ada MI. As this was not my regular day I took my two girls with me. Amanda did work on her stitching briefly whilst Fiona helped with reorganizing a thread wall and started a friendship braclet using some threads from the bargain bin.

Eyeless bird

Not as frightening as it seems. This months block from Sue Spargo includes the first bird, however for reasons unknown the eye is done next month.

It may be noticed by some that I have placed the wing in the opposite direction to that suggested. The inner part of the wing is partly surrounded by drizzle stitches and back stitch.

Have to love the brightness of his plumes.