Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Stitchy Update

I am back with the promised stitchy update. Have been stitching diligently on Dorothy. She is such a joy to stitch with all the specialty stitches. I conquered my worries over the Queen Stitches and had my row done, hooray!


Just love these satin-stitch alphabets!



Just started on the 1 over 1 verse, the crosses are so tiny on 40 ct. I only have two letters done ha ha! This section is going to be slow moving!

I had a private exchange with Margaret recently. If you are familiar with her blog, you will know that Margaret stitches and sew beautifully! Look at this gorgeous set that Margaret made for me - a drawstring bag, a needlebook and a pincushion, in my favorite colors. I just love the PS designs that she chose for me, the other side of the back is a blackbird.




The needlebook opens up with 3 pockets and a charm, isn't it gorgeous? Margaret also included a chart by Heart In Hand and a piece of fabric.

Margaret's stitching and finishing are just perfect. Please visit her blog for more beautiful pictures! Thank you, Margaret, for a wonderful exchange!

This is what I stitched for Margaret. I forgot to take a picture of the goodies I put together for her, please visit her blog to see more. Margaret takes better pictures ha ha!



Remember this in my previous post? My friend had it sew into a beautiful pouch for me, thank you Sonia.



A gift from my friend, a biscornu with two different colors fabric. The design is from the same Japanese magazine as the pouch, Idees Volume 16. Thank you, Claudia!




My new year's start was this SAL by By The Bay Needleart.  The SAL was completed last year, you can visit her blog to see the stitchers' beautiful works. Here is my progess. The finish is to be a big pincushion on top of this box.


A closer look!

Design: Autumn SAL by By The Bay Needleart
Fabric: 36ct Dried Thyme by Nina
Threads: DMC, Anchor variations

 Here is my first finish for 2013, a Christmas ornie that did not made it for last year! This design is a freebie from Jura Point de Croix for Christmas Challenge 2012. The ornie is stitched on 30ct linen using DMC threads.


I have join Lainey's Christmas Ornament SAL 2013. Hopefully with this SAL, I will have a ornie a month which I failed the last few years! This month, I am continuing with my Fairytale Advent Calendar by The Little Stitcher. I only finished 5 out of 24 ornaments last year ha ha! Will post progress pictures soon!

Thank you everyone for your visits and participation in my New Year Giveaway! All your comments are greatly appreciated!

Happy Stitching!

Hugs,
Ellen

22 comments:

Grit said...

Wonderful stitching.
Liebe Grüße Grit from Germany

Giovanna said...

What a gorgeous exchange with Margaret, and great finishes too. Funny, I also started that same BtB design on New Year's day... but I'm lagging far behind at the moment :-) It's very pretty.

Siobhán said...

Oh my goodness!! Talk about a stitchy update of wonderful goodies for the eyes. :) Everything looks beautiful. The exchange with Margaret looks so nice--she does such lovely work. I joined the ornament SAL, too--I'm desperately hoping to not let myself down, as usual.

Mii Stitch said...

Great exchange & lovely stitching! Such bright colours, a delight :)

Carol said...

I saw your gifts to Margaret on her blog just now, Ellen--really beautiful exchange on both sides! Love that alphabet on your sampler--I can see why you're enjoying this one so much...

Nicola said...

Dorothy is looking so beautiful, well done you have made wonderful progress.

I love the gifts received and give, I had seen Margaret's post before and know how delighted she was.

Chris said...

Oh Ellen! Dorothy looks amazing.
What beautiful gifts and exchanges.

Solstitches said...

Your Dorothy Walpole is looking gorgeous already Ellen.
I have an over one verse on my piece also and am dreading it although mine is 36ct so not quite so bad.
I absolutely loved our exchange and the pretty things you stitched for me have been much admired.
Your Christmas ornament is lovely and I love the pouch your friend made for you.
Hugs,
Margaret

Isabel Maio said...

Your stitching is amazing!!!
Well done.

Carin said...

Your stitching is beautiful !!!
Love the gifts you recieved too.

Andrea said...

Lovely sampler. Your exchange pieces with Margaret are just wonderful. Thanks for sharing the freebie with us, this is a new site to me so I had many minutes going through the blog. :)

Anne said...

Oooh wow! Dorothy is divine especially with all that lovely satin stitch! Very sweet exchange you and Margaret made for each other. The biscornu is adorable!! I love By the Bay designs and this freebie is a sweet one!

Kathy Ellen said...

You are doing exquisite stitching on Dorothea. It will be so beautiful when it is all finished and you will be so proud of your gorgeous needlework.

What joy there is in giving and receiving so many special stitched gifts. It must have been fun doing the exchange with Margaret. Love her very special gifts to you, and yours to her is very lovely too.

Love the two sided biscornu too. Enjoy your SAL..always more fun stitching with friends.

Blessings!

Peggy Lee said...

Really enjoyed this post...so many beautiful stitches in it!
I especially like the sampler you are working on (go figure)...I am always drawn to those samplers!
~hugs

Tatkis said...

Wonderful processes, and your gifts are so beautiful - sent and received! Congratulations!

Hugs,
Tatyana

marly said...

Lots of pretties but Dorothy is gorgeous!

Mylene said...

Beautiful gifts you've received as well as the one you sent to Margaret.
W.I.P's are coming along great!

Margaret said...

So much lovely stitching! Love your Dorothy! The exchange with Margaret is just wonderful. Love seeing everything!

Lillie said...

Beautiful gifts and exchange.
The alphabet sampler look wonderful.
"Gong Xi Fa Cai" to you

Brigitte said...

Oh my, such a lot of wonderful stitching and great gifts.
Your Dorothy Walpole is coming along great. When I chose my charts for Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year I avoided those with Queen stitches, lol, so no Dorothy for me although I love her.
The gifts that you sent and received are just gorgeous. You are right, Margaret is such a talented stitcher and finisher. And you are, too.
I will be stitching the By The Bay freebie this year as well, I chose it for this year's Crazy Challenge that I'm starting this month.

Poussy Stitches My Love said...

very beautiful stitching !

marylin from FRANCE

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri Malinovich) said...

Gorgeous stitching on Dorothy, Ellen! She's such a pretty sampler. All your other goodies are wonderful - such treasures. Love the By the Bay piece you're working on, too.