Tuesday 17 July 2012

It's Not All That Bad!

Stitching on 35ct that is! For weeks now I've been putting off starting With Thy Needle & Thread Birds of a Feather. You may remember that this is the piece that my friend chose for me to stitch for her as a thank you gift for all the time I spent using her sewing machine. She really preferred the 35ct which I had never stitched on before this. So fabric and floss were ordered and then promptly banished to the drawer of kitted projects once I got a look at the fabric up close. "There's just no way!", were my thoughts. "My eyes can't take working on such a high count."  Would she even notice the difference if I ordered the 30ct and stitched on that, I wondered. Yeah, she would, if only because I didn't want her too!

So this week, after finishing up Maisonnette aux Fraises, I dug it out of the drawer and with a determined attitude, I forged ahead. To my surprise, the stitching started off smoothly and continued in this way just as long as I didn't remove my little magnifiers. Okay, I can live with this! It's going so smoothly in fact that I'm even considering giving the 40ct a try in the near future. 

I didn't start off with the border on this as so many did but rather the centre which is my preference. So here's my progress so far.


I'm using the fabric and floss called for by the pattern. I will really be glad to be done with the tree though. I'm bored with the two colours already and anxious to move on.

As I mentioned above, I also had a finish with my Maisonnette aux Fraises. I love the cheery colours in this one but haven't yet decided how I want to finish things off.


Speaking of finishing, I also had another first last week. For the first time I sewed up a pillow using my very own sewing machine!
I haven't threaded a machine since highschool home economics class so my friend and neighbour, Michelle, came over to get me started. She went through the basics with me, checked out the tension and then had me practise following the seam allowance as I sewed.  When I'd gathered enough confidence, we brought out the pillow to be finished off for my giveaway. I can still use a little more practise but I was pretty pleased with the results. I only hope that Daffycat is!  The design is by The Sampler Girl and I added two of the lovely pins which I'd purchased from Nataly. It's winging its way to you as I write, Sharon.

The Sampler Girl Busy Nothings


The weather here continues to be hot and humid. Last night the weatherman promised rain but so far only a small downpour has taken place and the sun is out once more. So for now I sit in air-conditioned comfort and think of so many who don't have this luxury. The gazebo remains too hot to sit in during the day but I do manage to stitch there in the early morning with my coffee and again in the evening when the sun starts to go down.

Thank you for all of your well wishes. My bronchitis seems to be on the way out now and I'm feeling much better. Now I'm off to do a bit of straightening up. We had a successful garage sale on the weekend and there is still some cleanup remaining from it. Enjoy your day!

20 comments:

  1. I am glad you had garage sale success. Your busy nothings pillow looks great. Good job. Your pink strawberry house is lovely. I would have started in the center on Birds of a Feather also. :)

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  2. I've just gotten into using 28-36ct fabric myself. But you know what I LOVE IT! I used to work with a lot of aida but frankly I don't think I'll EVER go back.

    Love the house of strawberries finish! Gorgeous! I can totally see it as a pillow ;)

    As for the heat - you can always send it over my way ;)

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  3. Your finish of the Maisonette is wonderful! And the pillow is awesome!

    Cathi

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  4. Lynn -- I LOVE your finishes and think your pillow turned out just darling.

    Nice start on the Birds of a Feather piece. Yeah for you for trying the 35ct:))

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  5. As usual, your pattern choices are in my stash!!! Can't wait to see how your Birds of a Feather turns out. Maybe it will inpsire me to break mine out and start it sometime soon...

    Glad to hear your yard sale went well. Thanks for sending me the Rosewood Manor pattern!!

    Hope to see you soon.

    Lianne

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  6. Lovely start and I love your finish, it's so colouful.
    Your pillow looks great too.

    Glad you are feeling better.

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  7. I love your finishes, and the pillow looks perfect! I will enjoy watching your progress on Birds of a Feather--my preference is starting in the center, too.

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  8. Congratulations for taking on two "new for you" projects and making yourself comfortable with them. I could never stitch on 35ct, so I am very impressed! And, your pillow is darling! Hope you don't see anymore of the bronchitis - it is no fun!

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  9. I think 35 count is wonderful - Love your projects !!

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  10. Your stitching is perfect on that 35 ct. Lynn! YAY! Your friend will be pleased as a peacock with the finish, I'm sure! Love your little pincushion too! Go AWAY Bronchitis...blah!

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  11. I'm so happy to hear your bronchitis is saying farewell, Lynn--you sure have had some unpleasant things to deal with lately! Great news that the garage sale was successful, too. That is always a good feeling to get things cleaned out and recycle old belongings. Need to do the same thing here!

    Your strawberry cottage finish is so, so pretty--I love the color of the pale yellow flowers you used. And what a lucky friend to have you stitch Birds of a Feather for her--it is off to a great start! See, the higher count fabric really isn't so bad, is it--on to 40 count :)

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  12. Excellent start and great job trying out the new count!

    I love the colors on the strawberry piece, very cheery indeed!

    Oh, I can't wait to receive the little pillow! It looks perfect! Threading a sewing machine is easy once you KNOW HOW it goes but soooo intimidating at first. Too many slots and channels and guides!

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  13. Maisonette aux Fraises is adorable, can't wait to see how you finish it. I'm glad you finally started on the Birds of a Feather project, its such a fun stitch, but you're right, the tree and leaves did get a bit boring.

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  14. What a sweet way to thank your friend! You've made a nice start. I love the colors in Maisonette aux Fraises - it's a sweet little design! And I love your pillow! Hope you are feeling better! :)

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  15. I've not stitched on fabric higher than 32 count. I think I should try it too. Happy to hear it's going well for you. Your stitching looks great. Congrats on sewing up the pillow. You've done a wonderful job. Love the backing fabric too.

    Hugs,
    Veronica.

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  16. What a lovely finish Lynn! I'm not confident on the sewing machine either and I really should try to use it more. You've finished the pillow beautifully! Well done on getting started on 35ct - it's looking lovely! I've a terrible tendency of just staying in my comfort zone with 32ct - I really should push myself more!!!

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  17. Glad to hear that you are feeling better Lynn!
    Your projects are fabulous :)

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  18. Lynn congrats on your stitchy finish and your finishing too! It looks great and finishing is something we fine tune with time and practice!

    Great new start, glad 35ct is not as scary as you thought it would be!

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  19. Lovely stitches! Your gift for Sharon turned out wonderfully!

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  20. So good to hear that you're finally getting rid of that nasty bronchitis which seemed to have been running around the world as my husband was having it, too, for several weeks.
    Congratulations on that lovely pillow that you sewed on your own machine. Once you get used to it you'll wonder why you didn't get started on it earlier, lol.
    After a major disaster with a BAP that I started at the top and as I had counted wrong, of course, didn't have enough fabric at the bottom I have never started a project in any other place but the center again. You were doing a great start on your new project.

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