Ninth finish ABCs of Parenting!

Hello everyone!  I am back with a finish to the project I have been meaning to introduce you to! 

Way back on July 11th I started stitching Lizzie Kate's ABCs of Parenting and I finished it on August 31st.  I received the pattern and threads for Mothers Day.  This one has been on my wish list since I first had my daughter.  The fabric I chose is April Showers 28 count Lugana stitched over two by Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie because it picked up all the colors in the design, especially pink and blue for both of my babies. 

Here is the first pic I took after I used up the first skein of the dark blue.

At this point I thought I was about 1/3 of the way finished...but I was wrong.

I am very happy that I was able to finish this project in about a month and a half because it includes weeks where I didnt touch it because I lost my inspiration and the stitching seemed to drag on.

Here are some more progress pics...

But I did love working on this design also.  The words seemed to stitch up quickly and I really enjoyed working on a more simple design.  I didn't work top to bottom and left to right so I did get a little bit off but I think I was able to hide it well in the finished piece.

This was my first time doing a piece this big without using a hoop or frame to stitch it.  I tried using Q Snaps but they kept stretching the fabric too much.  Also this was my first time using hand dyed verigated threads and I really enjoy how they turned out.  

Thanks for taking a look!  I'll be back soon with a YOTA update.  I hope this summer has been filled with lots of stitching and fun for you all!

HAED Birthday SABLE

My birthday was in July and I was a very lucky girl and got treated to a lot of great stitchy stuff.  I knew that most of what was ordered wouldn't be here for my actual birthday and there was a big sale, so I went a little crazy getting a big chunk of my wishlist from Heaven and Earth Designs.  Which afterwards I realized how crazy that was because now I don't want to calculate how long I will have to live to have time to stitch all of these beauties!  Oh well I learned a new stitchy term SABLE from a new blog I follow :Eclectic Bloke's The Secret Language of Stitchers.  So now I definitely have Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy or SABLE!

Here are the charts I received:

Desdemone by my favorite artist Gustave Moreau

Orpheus by Gustave Moreau

Sappho Se Jetamt de Summet by Gustave Moreau

I have been so excited that the site offered these Gustave Moreau paintings plus a few more and I wanted to support them having charts made of one of my favorite and pretty rare artists.

Ruby by Meredith Dillman

I love the Marie Antoinette feel of this one but it calls for Krenik which scares me a bit...we'll see how it goes!

Waiting by Selina Fenech

I love the whole Little Mermaid theme in this one.

Pure Nature by Little Fairy Art

I usually wouldn't stitch something like this but I LOVE teal and the color in her eyes and hair really draws me to this one.

Christmas Mailbox by Ruth Sanderson

Once again I love the teal house and the Christmas theme.

Sanctuary of Knowledge by Randal Spangler

I have been looking at this one for awhile and was thinking of doing it for a friend who LOVES books but we'll see when I ever get around to starting it.

Lingering Dream by Ida Larsen

This was a brand new design and I love the colors and the furniture and interior but it is ENORMOUS and it will be beautiful when I finish it some day.

These are the two Heaven and Earth designs I already had:

A Cozy Table for Two by Mikki Senkarik 

and

Mom and Baby Turtle by Annya Kai

Mom and Baby turtle is the only one I have started and finished only one tiny page so now looking at the rest of these looks rather intimidating...but I know one day I will start and finish them all :)

August YOTA Medieval Lady

Hello again!  I am trying to be better about blogging more regularly.  Here is my on time YOTA post.  You can find out more and see what everyone else has been up to here: http://pulltheotherthread.blogspot.com/p/yota-year-of-acronyms.html?m=1

After my last YOTA finish Chi Omega pillow.  I started to get excited because I realized that my original long list of WIPs is getting really short! In fact I am down to three  (not counting my current design I haven't shared yet and Christ at Hearts Door which is still too frustrating to even think about stitching)!! They are Girl with a Pearl Earring, Mom and Baby Turtle, and this YOTA piece Medieval Lady.

I started this design I am guessing sometime in 2004 or 2005.  I found it in Cross Stitch Gold Magazine Issue 27 and it is designed by Karen Brittan.  This was my very first project I did that didn't come in kit form.  Its so old that it the stitches are going in both directions instead of all going in the same direction.  It's also quite a bit dirty as it sat in Qsnaps at my mom's house for at least a few years and got covered in lots of dust.

Anyways here is the overall before photo...

As you can see I got quite a bit done before I abandoned it for some reason I can't even remember.

Here is the bottom of the Lady's skirt before...

And here is where I am now...

Here is a close up of her buttons before...

And after the red backstitching.

I also did a bit of work on the border, the Celtic braid column and finished the Greyhound's jeweled collar.

Before...

And currently...

So overall, here is where I am on the design now!

I was able to get another good start on her and I am looking forward to working on her!  All of the bright colors and some half crosses should help keep me motivated to finish her.  In fact I really hope I can finish her before the end of this year!  There is still quite a bit of work left but I am definately a little more than half way done with my Medieval Lady.

I can't wait to see what everyone else has been working on.  Also does anyone have any washing suggestions?  I've never washed a stitched piece before because I've never had to and the process seems a bit intimidating to me. I worry that it will get ruined but I can't leave her the way she is.  Any ideas would be appreciated.

Happy Stitching!