I have been MIA! So sorry!

But,

its only because I have been having fun! fun!fun!

  Here is an update on the unicorn sampler, I am still working on this row that has lots and lots of queen stitch!!

I am determined to get this row finished so I can move on to the next, less tedious band. I do love those french knot strawberries though!

MD1660 Unicorn Sampler by the Scarlet Letter

And I have also been working on the Pinkes Sampler by Darleen Osteen.

All of these flowers are done in reversable cross stitch, which actually has a nice rhythm to it once you get used to it.
There are these gorgeous white work dividing bands done in #12 perle cotton. My lighting was really bad, we have had a lot of rain and overcast days, so you can hardly see them. I will try to get a good picture when I get a better day. But trust me, they are really pretty the way they catch the light!

And last but not least, I have gone wool crazy!

I have spent a couple of nights with Joanne Mulally's Wool Crazy book, my favorite hero Horatio Hornblower, and some beautiful wool!

This is what I have come up with so far!

This is my first block of a 4 block wool crazy quilt. Each block is 24" X 24", and they are seasonal. this one is spring.

This project is fun, fun, fun! I can hardly put it down!!!

So thats what I have been doing in my spare time;  and in my work time I have been coming up with new dolls and woolie pin cushions for TDIPT at the end of the month, and new cross stitch charts to be released very soon! 

Thanks for visiting my blog, and I enjoy every single comment, so don't hesitate to leave me one!!

~Annie

More progress on the Unicorn sampler

I managed to finish the alphabet band with the date 1660 and signature "MD". The letters are all done in italian cross stitch, and the dividing bands are montenagrin.

I put in all of the needle-woven stitches, so now you can see the acorn and star motifs. The little eyelet looking things are darned wheels.

I also started withdrawing the threads for the second drawn work section. You cut 2 horizontal threads at the center where the basted line is, withdraw them, (pull them out) and then weave them into the border on the back. You skip 2 threads and then cut the next 2, withdraw them and so on. After all of the horizontal threads are removed you do the same with the vertical threads. Then you weave over them to bind each set of 2 threads together to make a grid. The lacy pattern is worked on this grid, using the stitches I have used above to make the unicorn panel-doves eyes, needle weaving and darned wheels. This bottom panel will look like a piece of lace when it is done.

Its really easy-it just takes time. But it is SO worth it when you are done, don't you think?

Stitchy Weekend

I had a lovely stitchy weekend, due to the cancellation of one of DD's basketball games. So I took advantage of some relaxation time to pull the Unicorn Sampler out of my WIP pile.  I actually finished the doves eye stitches in the top cutwork band. There are still some needleweaving stitches that go in to form an acorn and other motifs. Then there is the lower band that I haven't even started yet-but for now I am pleased to have a big chunk of the top one done.

Here you can see the lower alphabet band, all done in italian cross stitch. I am working this one in silk threads on 35ct. cream linen. It seems every stitch in this sampler is time consuming, but it will be a great accomplishment when it is completed.

And here is my progress on AED 1746. I affectionately think of this one as Adam and Eve and the Devil. It has a lot of religious motifs on it, which I love,  and a great  A&E at the bottom center. This is another repro from Scarlet Letter that I started in January during the Crazy 15 Challenge. It is mostly if not all cross stitch, so it will go much faster. I love the 35ct Tea linen I am working it on-such a pretty color. I am stitching it in good ol' DMC.

Unicorn Sampler

My new enthusiasm for the needlework of the 17th and 18th century, also known as the golden age, has brought me back to working on my Unicorn sampler. This progress picture is after several hours of working the lacis sections. The area is quite large, and it has taken forever to withdraw the threads to make the grid, and wrap all of the vertical threads. Now I am putting in the design with the dove's atil stitches, and then I will add the needleweaving and pinwheels. I chose to do this on 36 count instead of the 40 which is what the model was stitched on, so I will only have half of the fluer de lis. At the time that I purchased this project I was highly intimidated by it, and I thought the larger count would be easier. Now, of course I wish I had gotten the 40 ct. but oh well, live and learn! Anyhow, here is my progress and a picture of the finished model.