Sunday 29 March 2009

Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

Well, needless to say, my rotation went right out the window this week. I don't know why I try one - it only works in the short term.

I received a beautiful Make a Wish from Jill this week. She stitched Sweetheart Needle Roll by Sweetheart Tree. It is so perfectly finished. Please check it out closer, the stitching is absolutely perfect. Thank you so much for such a delicate stitch Jill. I appreciate it.



I did stitch on my HAED. Although it looks like a black blob, it is actually two shades of navy.

I was so thrilled. I got to change colors. Wendy has asked to see the photo of the finished piece so I thought I would include it for those who are interested.


I stitched the gold heart on Danielle's Friendship Sampler RR and it is ready to go in the mail this week. This a fun RR as each heart only takes a day or so to stitch.



I finished the lovely Easter Squares that Melissa sent me into this pillow.
I tried to come up with something that would protect the bunny's silk chenille tail and also show off the work on Melissa's signature square. This is what I came up with. I hope Melissa likes what I did with her squares.



And, here is the progress on my Fairies in the Garden. I had managed a couple more of the flowers and when the mint green and flowers came together - I was in trouble. I was out by 1/2 stitch. I tried compensating for the error with no luck. It just kept compounding itself. I then took out the magnifier and searched for the mistake. Well, I found it. Way back in the second flower.

Now - what to do!!! I could not tear it all out. I thought about it for a few hours and then decided this was not going to work. I had struggled with seeing the holes in this fabric because of the color and realized I would only have the same problem again at some point. So, out came the scissors and this is what happened.


Yep, I cut it out!!!!
I am thinking of starting again (Start #4) on a pretty white opalescent 28 count fabric. What do you think? Maybe the fairies could use a little sparkle.

I am now working away on a set of Fair Squares and will try to work on my rotation a bit this week.

Have a great stitching week everyone!!!

24 comments:

Kim B said...

I love the way you finished your squares! How frustrated you must have been with those flowers!

Marion said...

You've been busy, busy, busy!!
Great stitching!!

Rotations have not worked for me either.....I work on what I feel like at the moment...only thing that seems to work....just wish I wasn't so fickle!! haha

Take care
Marion

Becky K in OK said...

Ah, the needleroll is beautiful. And bummer on the lillies. Idiot that I am, I would probably have ripped it out. I think the opalescent fabric will look great. Are you going to make a small fob or ornament out of you cut out?

Jenny said...

Kathy - you crack me up! I can't believe you cut the flowers right off the fabric! LOL

Love how you finished the bunny, very cute pillow.

Brigitte said...

The needleroll from Jill is gorgeous. All Sweetheart Tree needlerolls are wonderful designs.
I love how you finished the two Easter squares into one pillow. This is a terrific idea and I'd really like to copy it if you agree.
A fairie stitched on an opalescent fabric sounds a very good thing. Sorry for the miscounting but I hope you still can do something with theat wonderful little flowers.

Annemarie said...

Aaaaargh, no! You cut up your fabric in order to start it all over again? Well, you're a braver person than I am. The flowers looked so delish!
Love the Easter pillow you made out of the fair squares!

Wanda said...

Your Faeries in the Garden piece is so dainty and pretty. Isn't it amazing the impact and power of color! And I just LOVE seeing your Haed! OK...so maybe we've got years of "progress" pictures...I'm ready to see every single one of them! Great work

Carolyn NC said...

You are a busy stitcher! Sorry about your Fairies, but your HAEd is coming along beautifully. Soon you'll be in those luscious blues and all the beautiful colors. Love those peacocks! Your squares look lovely and you're right - the stitching on your needleroll is beautiful! Congrat on giving and receiving such lovely gifts. :)

Andrea said...

Love the squares that you turned into a pillow. Great idea. Your NR is gorgeous too.

Beatrice said...

Oh boy I remember when...guardian....
Good for you it would have been a struggle all along.
The opalescence will be terrific. Good choice.

I hope you saved the flowers for a bookmark or something?


The squares are wonderful done up into the cushion.

HAED is coming along..I'm sure it was great to change colours!
lololol!
The HAED blog is amazing!

Margaret said...

Wonderful stitching Kathy. My goodness that HAED looks very challenging but will be beautiful when finished.

Who is the designer of "Fairies in the Garden" - would love to see what it looks like.

What a fun time you must have had with dear Juls. Do you go south every winter?

I was raised in Thunder Bay (Fort William), a wonderful place in summer but sooooo cold in winter.

Edgar said...

The needle roll is just beautiful!! I think I would have gone down the same road as you with the Lilly issue. The WIP's are really coming along nicely!!

Rebel In Ontario said...

WOW! Talk about stitching! Oh yea, you are a treasure to me as well and I'm so glad to be able to count you as a friend....hurry home safely!

Von said...

What a busy stitcher you've been. I would rather be stitching than pulling down wallpaper too, except for that girl that keeps nagging at me. And now that I see how nice the walls look all scrubbed down and fresh, I feel quite happy with myself. :)

Cutting up your fabric had to have been a hard thing to do, but now you can start totally fresh on a fabric that will work better for you. You will be much happier in the long run - good for you!

stitcherw said...

You've certainly been busy, they all look wonderful. Great headway on your HAED. Congrats on being able to start another color. Thanks for posting the picture so we can see what it will look like done, it will be gorgeous. Sorry Fairies didn't work out, but it does sound like a restart might be for the best. If the fabric isn't working, or it takes to much work to see it, it takes so much of the fun out of the project, and stitching should be enjoyable. I'll look forward to seeing it on the white you're thinking of, a bit of sparkle will be fun.
Sue

Stitchingranny said...

Oh fairies will look fantastic on opalescent fabric -- 4th time lucky I hope.

Lovely wips and your rota looks as though its working fine to me.

AnnMcD said...

The fairies will look faboulous on opalescent fabric.Maybe I'll wait till you get home to get back at mine. The rest of your stuff looks great. Be sure to keep the part you cut out. Marie Paule will know what to do with it!
When will you be home again... we need you back here.

Karin said...

Gorgeous needleroll. Sorry that the flowers didn't workout - although I think opalescent fabric would be lovely!

Crazee4books said...

Hi Kathy,

Um. You may want to postpone your
trip home. Or perhaps skip it
altogether. I hear Arizona is
lovely in the summer.

The Weather Network has issued a
weather warning for Halton Hills
and other areas of Ontario. We'll
be getting rain to start, early
on Monday morning, and then that
will change to snow and we could
get over 15 cm's of that during
the course of the day!!!

Move over Kathy...I'm movin' in
with you and your DH in Arizona!

In slightly less hysterical
blogging news and comments.....

Oh dear. I'm so sorry to hear
about the further trials and
tribulations with your Fairies
In the Garden piece. It was
looking so pretty too. I really
admire your determination to
stitch this piece though.
Start #4 you say??? Good luck
with that.

The needle roll that you received
from Jill for the Make a Wish is
gorgeous!! Such a delicate and
beautiful design, and it is
stitched and finished perfectly.
What a lovely gift to treasure
and enjoy.

I'm glad you posted a picture of
what your HAED will look like when
it's done. It is lovely. Do you
find it hard to stitch one of these
designs???

The Easter squares from Melissa
look fabulous finished into a
pretty pillow, all ready for
Easter. Love the rabbit's
tail.

Guess I should sign off and head
to bed. We're going to need our
rest for tomorrow's wonderful
Spring weather. Ugh!!!

Cheers (HOHOHO)

Wendy said...

Thanks for showing a pics of your design you are stitching. I just love the design of your HAED you are stitching. Can't wait to see this one grow. You have a great progress on it already.

Your other stitching looks wonderful too.

Wishing you a wonderful week.

Rachel S-H said...

Those are some lovely WIPs and I love the bunny squares.

Maren said...

I'm very sorry about the frog, but I definitely think a change in fabric or a changing in lighting is in order. Lovely Easter pillow. That dark blue background really shows off Melissa's squares.

As for your HAED, stitching all that dark navy may be hard right now, but I'll bet you can't wait to get to the peacocks! WOW, that's going to be gorgeous!

Ruth said...

OMG start #4!!!!?!??! I'm certain I'd consider the pattern doomed. lol I'm so sorry.

And I completely understand the rotation out the window. If I had a ledge, mine would have had to set up housekeeping out there years ago.

Dani - tkdchick said...

Kathy you've gotten some beautiful exchanges there!!! Great progress on your HAED