February Ornament

I know it's been a while since I posted, but we've been really busy with taking care of M's mother when she was hospitalized after she fell, then with her funeral, and now trying to get her home packed up. I haven't been doing much stitching but did manage to finish the stitching on my February ornament. I'm not doing the actual finishing as I have several to stitch on each piece of fabric and don't want to cut them out until I have them all stitched. There will be a finishing marathon when all are stitched.

This one is from Vermillion Stitchery and their 2008 freebie. It is Hearts Snowman and is stitched with DMC threads on 28-count linen called Galaxy from Crossed Wing. It's a bit larger than I'd like, but thought the fabric was perfect for these designs.

Don't know when I'll get the chance to do another post, but know I'm doing my best to read all of your blogs even if I don't have the time to post any comments.

Until next time,

D

Stash Organization

There's been some recent discussion about stash organization on one of my groups so I thought I'd post photos of what I do.

This is a shot of my to do container. Most of the projects in the container are 100% kitted up but some still need a few threads or maybe the fabric.

This is a top view of the container. Guess I've got a few projects to get started, huh.

Here is a kitted project from the to do container.

Here's a shot of my threads. I have at least one of every DMC color and I'm starting on some of the specialty threads now.

This is a shot of the threads I've pulled out for the Monopoly Board. I use bags similar to Floss-A-Way, but these have 2 holes in the bottom of the bag instead of 1 in the top. I've cut some index cards to fit the bags exactly (makes them stand up in the boxes better) and printed labels with the color number which I put on both sides of the bag.

I keep the skein of thread I'm using on one side of the index card...

and any extras I have of that color are stored on the back side of the card.

Here's where I keep my charts. Have I mentioned before that everyone says I'm really anal about how things are kept? I think this will prove it to everyone. I keep all my charts in notebooks in alphabetical order. Once I have enough charts from one designer to fill a notebook of its own, out they come and go to their new home. Here's the first half...

and here's the second half.

These are waiting to be filed.

Here's my armoire. This is where I keep my fabrics and everything that hasn't got a home yet. The right side of the armoire is where I hang my bulk fabric.

and the drawers on the left side hold small cuts, completed projects that haven't been finished yet, and all those little accessories that have no other place to call home yet.

After taking these photos, I realize that I have some serious housekeeping to do. There are way too many charts on the floor waiting to be filed and several of the kitted projects need a few things before they are 100% kitted up. But I recently purchased Organized Expressions and I'm slowly getting my stash listed. Once I am done, a copy will go to the office with me for safekeeping. I know I'd never be able to come up with a list for the insurance company should anything happen to the house.

Alright now my skin is tough - do you think I'm gone over the top on stash storage? Does anyone see where I can make improvements?

D

UFOs

I've spent today going through my stitching and pulling out all my UFOs. I was astonished to find that I had 16 of them. Now I know this is more than some people have and less than others, but I just didn't realize I had this many lying around.

Lizzie Kate

And Two Shall Be One

Teresa Wentzler

Noah's Ark

Stoney Creek

The Brrr-Muda Triangle

Stoney Creek

Tapestry of Life

Stoney Creek

Dog Bone Wisdom

The Prairie Schooler

Old World Santas

Paula Vaughn

Friendship Quilts

OakHaven Designs

2008 Mystery SAL

Needlemania

A Bouquet For Cheryl

Mirabilia

Queen of the Flag

Leisure Arts The Stockings Were Hung

Opening His Pack

L&L

1991 Christmas Angel

Kustom Krafts

Heavenly Afternoon Ride

Just Nan

Queen of the Needle

Brightneedle

Spooky Halloween

Bent Creek SAL

I know there were more, but must have either thrown them away or passed them on to someone else to complete as I couldn't find them. Quess I really need to get serious about stitching and see how many of these I can complete this year.

PIF Winners

I had M draw the names for both PIFs today.

There were 11 people interested in the notions PIF but only 2 could be selected. The winners are:

Barbara - http://plasticcanvaslvr.blogspot.com/
Mayte - http://magicxstitch.blogspot.com/

I also had 9 people interested in the fat quarters PIF; again only 2 people could be selected. The winners for this PIF are:

Terry - http://my-needle-art.blogspot.com/
Melinda - http://melindasue10.blogspot.com/

Please contact me with your mailing address and I'll get something in the mail for each of you.
Don't forget that you now must post these PIFs on your site.

I want to thank everyone who played and I wish I could send something to each of you. I can only keep my fingers crossed that you participate in the PIFs posted by my winners and that you are lucky enough to be one of their winners.

D

I belong to a group of online stitchers who meet every Friday night and do a stitch-a-thon from 6 PM till midnight. Here's the piece I started last night. I didn't get to join them until about 8 PM and then I was watching TV so didn't get much done.



Red Letter Ornaments

Blue Ribbon Designs

28-count Monaco Tea

1 over 1 stitching

And here is a photo of what the back looks like.




D

PIF

I don't have a lot of time any more to stitch so I was beginning to feel left out cause all the PIFs were for stitched items. Then I saw this on Sherry's site and knew this was something I could do. So with her permission, I borrowed this idea from Sherry at http://bloginsherry.blogspot.com/.

Ok, where is it written that I can't start my own PIFs? LOL! That's what I thought so I will reveal both of the different type PIFs I had talked about in a post last month!

PIF #1 will be a notion and thread PIF. Instead of making something to send out for 2-5 people over the course of a year, I will send out notions and/or threads. We all use these things so why shouldn't they be acknowledged with their own PIF! I will send out a package to 2 people sometime within the next 365 days.

The rules will be as follows.

1. Send no less than 5 items per person.

2. Items can be DMC, other threads, stitching needles, straight pins, buttons, scissors, ribbons, ect, just use your imagination. You can send a combination of items such as 3 threads, 1 pack of straight pins and 1 pack of stitching needles or just 5 threads.

3. All I ask is that items be in new condition and not used.

If you are interested, leave a comment on this post until January 18 and I will draw 2 names that evening then post the winning names on my January 19th blog. Please be sure to leave your email address or a link to your blog so I can get in touch with you if you are a winner!

If you win, you must be willing to post this PIF on your blog and do the same for at least 2 people.

PIF #2 will be a Fat Quarter PIF. Everyone loves a FQ! Quilters and stitchers use them all the time! Sometime within the next 365 days, I will send out 2 FQs to 2 people.

If you are interested, leave a comment on this post until January 18 and I will draw 2 names that evening then post the winning names on my January 19th blog. Please be sure to leave your email address or a link to your blog so that I can get in touch with you if you are a winner!

If you win, you must be willing to post this PIF on your blog and do the same for 2 people.

Please state which PIF you are interested in.

First Finish for 2009

Here's my first finish for this year. It's for the monthly ornament SAL in one of my groups. I still need to put 2 beads on his stomach but I don't have any black beads on hand so have to wait on that but I couldn't wait to show you the picture.



D