I don't usually do a lot of projects just for me, but earlier this year when I learned about a new cross stitch series featuring whimsical houses (I have always enjoyed stitching architecture!) from the local stitchery shop, I couldn't resist. It's now late July, and I confess, I'm a bit behind!
I'm almost finished stitching the fourth in the Fabulous House series from Cottage Garden Samplings (not an affiliate, just a fan). This one is simply called 'Cottage' and features vines and flowers over a white brick structure.
I finished stitching the first three charts and I even blocked the first two - in fact they're still pinned to the cork board.
The third one, the green house is the least dense, stitching-wise, and was the hardest to finish because it's my least favorite from the series so far.
I've got the patterns and threads for number 5 and number 6 in the series. I'm tempted to hoop them up and have three going at once, but I'm afraid that will feel like none of them are making any progress!
Charts for number 7 & 8 are available but I haven't ordered my copies of those yet.
What's the hold-up, you might ask?
Good question! As I've stated previously, I usually do sewing machine stuff in the morning, then shift over to computer work for the rest of 'business hours,' then after dinner, if time permits, I like to sit and stitch with a movie or 'whatever' on the TV in the background.
Lately, mornings at the sewing machine have been focused on quilting four quilt tops made from scraps and leftover fabric stash over the last few months. Some issues with my sewing machine have kept me from forging ahead with quilting. Some of the machine issues persist, but I am powering through them to check boxes in the 'finish' column.
These two (above), plus a near replica of the citrus star quilt are quilted and bound. That's three twin-sized quilts. The binding was attached by machine and sewn to the back by hand (I just prefer doing it that way). Felt like I was sewing down binding that was about a football field long!
And I did that stitching in the evening. Instead of making cross-stitched houses.
And there is one more. The blocks for this quilt were originally intended for class demo models. I had some of the original fabrics in the box, but not enough to make more blocks, so jacked up the size to twin-ish by adding borders in weird measurements. It'll do.
The quilting on this last project in the four-some is done, and it's ready to be bound (adding more football field yardage). Not good news, I'm afraid, for the stitchy project. But it's great news for checking off another finish, and turning something collecting dust on a shelf to something for a kid's bed - all good excuses, as far as I'm concerned!
I'll take that trade all year long! Eventually, it all gets done, and the stitchy-stuff will get its turn.
Happy Stitching!
Head Hummingbird
Hummingbird-Highway.com
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