My Finish

The wedding sampler is finished and in its frame.  It was a struggle every step of the way but very much worth the effort.  Currently I am waiting to hear from my sister in law to make arrangements to deliver it to her. 

Back At Last

Okay, I just scanned through all the posts in other blogs since I was last here two weeks ago.  I finished a little project for Annie's Publishing.  I have no idea what they are doing with it because I think it is not for Just Cross Stitch.  In any case, it seems like it is all a closed subject because my check arrived in the post today. 
It has been a little difficult for me to settle back into my stitching. 

My last posted picture of the wedding sampler shows it completed but not in its frame.  That has been fraught with problems.  First I had to locate some 1/8 inch foam core because 3/16 inch is too thick.  I cut the foam core and laced the sampler to it.  I could not line it up squarely behind the mats; it just would not work.  With much frustration, I cut the sampler off the foam core.  With some help I hauled the mat cutter upstairs and set it up.  Please keep in mind that I have never used this mat cutter since it was given to me a number of years ago.  After spending half a day learning how to set it up and how to use it, it cut the foam core with lovely straight, even, and smooth edges. Ahhhhh, I thought, I will get that sampler on here so quickly and it will just jump behind the mats, not so.  I had to carefully manipulate the sampler but it is now taped to the foam core and looks rather even and square.  It has been sitting there of almost a week.  At first I thought I would just leave it taped in place.  Then I decided to stitch the corners and leave the edges taped.  Now I think I will also lace the edges in place.  I am not certain when I will begin but it ought to be sometime this week.  Please keep me in mind to silently urge me to resume the framing process. 

There is some nice little progress to show you on the birth sampler.  This week I plan to paint the dowel and finials for it.  Last week I picked up some lovely pearl cotton to make cording and a tassel for it. 

My very old UFO, otherwise know as XOUFO (Extra Old Unfinished Object) has been languishing.  I have only done a little bit more on the band of pansies.  But I did make a correction to the mats for Last Stitches.  The mats for both Last and First Stitches were made with a spacer.  As nice as it looks, it was not going to work because it made the back stick out way beyond the frame.  I knew I would have to take the mats apart to take the spacer out but I was very hesitant to do so because I feared ruining the mats.  I did try with the mats for Last Stitches and was successful.  I feel confident I can correct the mats for First Stitches when I am ready to frame it. 

Nancy's Giveaway

Nancy of Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is hosting a giveaway to celebrate her birthday. 
Visit her blog to enter. 
The drawing will take place 14 August 2014.  
She is one of the most generous people around. 
Her products are extremely nice.  You would love to have something from her shop. 

A Little More Progress

Here is the birth sampler; for obvious reasons, I am trying to preserve a little anonymity for the recipient and her family.  The colors are the same as I used for the birth samplers for both of her older sisters.  Besides the name and birth date, I added the row of pulled thread work under the date to better balance the personalization with the rest of the design.  With a little bit of luck, I will be able to resume my stitching during the coming weekend; however, I will not be stitching on Sunday as we have an out of town obligation in the afternoon. 

The Wedding Sampler Advances Slowly

As I predicted, the post this week is very slim.  Probably next week too. 
The charts I am supposed to stitch for Annie's Publishing arrived this past Monday and I need to try to get them back in the post a week from yesterday.  Remains to be seen whether or not I can do it. 

But, the most exciting news is that I got the bride's initials last Friday and stitched them into the sampler before the model arrived.  Yes, the wedding sampler is stitched.  The frame and mats should be ready for me some time this coming week.  Remains to be seen when I can mount the sampler and pop everything into the frame. 

In a Holding Pattern, Sort Of

Except for the initials of the bride and groom, the sampler is finished and just waiting. 
I have added a lineage in the margin which will not show when it is framed to show my relationship to the groom. 
Yesterday I selected and ordered the mats and frame.  It was difficult to select the mats because there are not many peaches and apricots in the mats. 

Progress on my long overdue First Stitches is slow and only going to become slower. 
The row of square eyelets takes up some extra space that appeared after I made some modifications in the sampler bands.  I will most likely add something between the groups but will wait to make a decision until I have seen the finished sampler. 
From this row of pansies on, there will be no significant changes. 

Unfortunately, I will be setting this long suffering UFO aside for a few weeks.  My editor at Just Cross Stitch is sending me a little project with a very short turnaround time.  You know that I cannot share it with you until it has been published.  My blog entries will be a little thin after the packet arrives. 

Before I found out about the new project from JCS, I selected a new project to work until I got the initials for the wedding sampler. 
I had already taken a picture of it to share with you. 

I will start with Blue Carnations from Victoria Sampler.  It is going to become a birth sampler.  The colors that I will use are the same ones I used to make a birth sampler for each of her older sisters. 

Stitching Progress Report

The wedding sampler is coming along very well. 
The bottom has a line of eight carnations. 
Currently, I am waiting for the bride's initials.  I hope that she agrees to use three as I think that will look better than two. 

First Stitches is also looking good. 
My revised wording fits perfectly; I may add a few beads at the beginning and ending of the line. 
Currently I am working out the band of stitching to absorb the space left from the original wording and rearrangement of one of the other bands. 
This is proving to be a little more complex than I had originally thought.  Right now my plan is to stitch a band of pulled threadwork.  I need to stitch a little sample to help me better work out the right and left side placements.  Hopefully that will work well and then I can stitch it in.