FROM MY NEEDLE - Wow, I had a VERY productive weekend near the beginning of Feb, LOL.  Remember some of the things I said were on the drawing board last month?  Well, not only did I finish the project notes for the three projects for Issue 50 of A Needle Pulling Thread (needlework magazine), I also finished designing the NEXT project (for Issue 51 - this will be the second in the series),  LOUIS ARMSTRONG, done in blues, to be stitched on a hand-dyed grey background fabric from Picture This Plus... and of course, I used my favorite song/saying "... and I think to myself, what a wonderful world..."  Now I just have to get it stitched in time!

FYI, the first in the series (an Audrey Hepburn design), was released to distributors and shops in January... which means you'll find it on the website this month (wink), just click on the link.

On the same weekend, I also finished up the Collective Stitch design I mentioned last month, a bough of apple blossoms, and the world's HELLO SPRING! in decorative script.  Gitta's will have the design as a free handout from June to August (note that Kathrin's DD is getting married, so they will be CLOSED JULY 13th).

And on the SAME weekend, LOL, I ALSO got a design done for Wichelt's newsletter... I did an interview with them as well, and I'll post a link here (and in my newsletter) when it's available.

(WHEW), that was a BUSY weekend, but I felt sooo productive!  Now I just have to finish that Keirstead I've been working on - and find a stitcher for it ... but that will probably be in the next update! 

As for MY stitching, I finally FINISHED the LION wallet (second of four), and can't wait to start the next one (CAT or FLAMINGO, hmmmm), but I think I better stitch LOUIS first (sigh).  The back of the lion came out beautifully... I started with a Zen-tangle inspired layout, but ended up selecting colors that gave the whole thing a very African vibe - quite suited to the LION - so I am very pleased with it!  I used Rainbow Gallery Fuzzy Stuff (FZ) for a nice furry mane, and that was the hardest part of the stitch... I did it last, but might suggest to anyone else stitching it that they stitch all of the lion (except the FZ), then start the back of the wallet, and alternate between stitching the mane and the back, as the FZ can be a little scratchy on the fingers! I used two shades of brown, but the darker one isn't quite dark enough, so I'll have to change that color to a darker one in the pattern instructions...  I have to play with the FZ as well, as I'm wondering about stitching over 2 on Aida (for a 7ct FZ mane!)... it may not be thick enough, but at full count is SOOOO thick, I'm curious...

And I had trouble finding dark enough gold-yellow (button) eyes for the LION, though I did find some nice pink ones for the FLAMINGO (I also re-designed the back of FLAMINGO the other day, and I really like it now, LOL)… I finally found some nice shiny gold ones with my CDN distributor, though they didn't have as dark a yellow as I wanted for the OWL (I bought the buttons shown in England, and am having trouble matching them now (sigh)), so I ended up ordering THOSE in bulk from the States!!  I've also ordered in some green buttons for the CAT eyes, so we'll see how I like them ... Here's a pic of the first 2 of the 4 designs that will all be in the same chart (the LION looks a bit funny w/o eyes, LOL, but they haven't arrived yet) ...

As you can see... I ended up adding a lightweight cotton sleeve to the top of each wallet, as the Aida was just too thick for the Flex Frames, even when I removed the seam allowances from the sleeve area.  However, I like them even better, (GBG), so that was lucky!  Now I'm trying to decide whether to put all 4 in one chart, or set them up individually...

So I actually DID start stitching LOUIS the other night, and have put in about 8 hours so far... I started with an area that had ALL the colors in, so I could see how they fit together, as they are all shades of blue, and so far, I'm loving it!!  I'm a tiny bit concerned about the amount of stitching I'm taking on myself... I may need to follow up with some of my stitchers who have been quiet lately...  Speaking of stitchers, a funny thing happened this month, LOL.

A customer emailed me to ask about a 3D design she thought she'd seen (turns out she was mistaken), but we got to talking about the idea... and it excited us both... and the long and short of it is that I have agreed to do the design, and she has agreed to stitch it for me!  I don't want to say too much right now, as it's just on the drawing board, and not being worked on yet... but here's a really big hint... think Santa and Mrs. Claus ... and 3D!

Well, I think that's it for me this month... basically, I'll be stitching the same project for a while, so I'll come visit next month, and let you know how I'm progressing!

I think you must be tired of hearing about our sllllooooowwww house renovations, LOL, so I've decided to change the focus of this blog to what I'm stitching and designing, and hopefully you will want to talk about what you're up to, or give me feedback on the ideas I have - some of my best designs have been inspired by stitchers like you, asking for something you can't find!

Since I was away so much during the last couple months of 2018 (see my last WAS'SUP in Dec for details), I have a LOT of catching up to do with both designing AND stitching over the next couple of months!

A NEEDLE PULLING THREAD has an adorable new design of mine coming out shortly (Issue 49) - a little duck wearing rain gear, splashing in a puddle, with a cute saying - but they also need something for the NEXT issue, which has a RECYCLED theme.  So I'm playing with a number of things, including a stitched bracelet made from an empty packing tape roll (I have this one done - came out very well!); a 'knit' bracelet with a Dorset Button accent (about half done); and a 'knit' tube celtic knot bracelet, which I just started, and I'm not sure how it's going to come out, LOL.  These last two 'knit' items are made from old sweaters!

I just designed a watercolor style picture last week, of a little girl dancing, that is now off to a stitcher…  and you're going to love it - it's one of my favorite things I've ever designed, so that's telling you something!

Also for ANPT, I'm working on the second in the series that began with Audrey Hepburn - a stylized portrait with my fav quote from each person.  The new one is Louis Armstrong, and I have it about half designed...

What else do I have on my design desk?  I decided we needed more mice in the ornament chart that goes with the Chris-Mice Advent calendar, LOL, so I drew up 4 more, which are being stitched by a new stitcher for us.  I can't wait to see how he does!  Anyone who already HAS this chart can contact me to get the four new designs in a PDF dowload (proof of purchase can be as easy as you holding a copy of the chart)!

Oh, and I'm working on the next Keirstead conversion, which is something quite different for him... a field of flowers with a beautiful butterfly, which he calls MONARCH AND IRISES.  I got a beautiful over-dyed fabric from Picture This Plus to stitch this one on, so it should be gorgeous when it's done!  This one is probably a little over half done...

I am ALSO designing something for STITCHER'S VILLAGE, lol.  I'm joining with Gitta's (in Mississauga), to take part in the COLLECTIVE STITCH, shop-hop with free designs at each shop, which will run from June to August.  I have the design over half designed, and hope to finish it next week.  Kathrin (who owns Gitta's) is going to stitch up a model to have on display at the shop, so I have to get it done asap!

When it's time for me to relax at the end of the day, I'm stitching a set of four snap coin purses (with those flex metal strips at the top).  FYI, I have bought a batch of these in 2 sizes, but right now I'm working with the larger strips.  I also purchased some sew-on magnet snap hardware for a future project, lol, all of which I am hoping to get on the website updated so you can purchase them soon (sigh).  I have an OWL (with a large heart back) done, and I'm currently stitching a lion (with an African style zen-tangle inspired design on the back), and this one will probably take me another week to stitch.  There are 2 more in the set, but I'll tell you about those next month (GBG).

As you can see, I don't work on just one thing at a time, LOL.  And sometimes an idea is so strong, I just have to finish it, no matter what else is on the table (like the little dancer).

So many designs, so little time!  What's on your needle?

So one of the things I would have told you in November (wink), was that my DH Bill took me to Florida for a couple weeks, to recuperate from all the shows I did from Aug to Oct... we had a great time, just goofing off, reading, soaking up the sun, swimming... and of course, eating seafood (mmmm).  I must admit, when we stay in the Kissimmee area, we hit Joe's Crab Shack before we check into our timeshare resort!

However, I was only home for TWO DAYS before I rushed off to England to help our youngest DD, who was heading back to work and didn't yet have anyone she trusted our new granddaughter with, since her first choice (her sister, our other DD) hadn't yet gotten her visa to move over to England, and her second choice was 9 mos pregnant herself, LOL, and couldn't handle a baby at this time.

What started out as "a week or so to help out" turned into 3 weeks, LOL, but I loved it.  I got to see our granddaughter stand for the first time, to buy her a pair of shoes and a riding toy that she was very soon pushing around as she started trying to walk... and I even saw her first couple of tentative steps - even if they were mostly accidental, (GBG), so it was a wonderful trip...

However, I forgot how very busy and time consuming babies are - it's been over 30 years since I had mine!  I had taken several books with me - and read none, LOL.  AND I had taken a couple of projects with me (one to stitch and several to design).  While I DID get SOME stitching done, not nearly as much as I expected to.  However, I did design some adorable snap wallets (watch for them in 2019), and I got the first one stitched (but not assembled).  But there was another project a stitcher is waiting for (a little impatiently, LOL), which STILL isn't finished and ready to print, but IS on the list for this week (sigh).

I returned home THREE DAYS before the Gatenby's big family Christmas, and Bill was supposed to be home a day or so after me... but as you know, he's working in Nunavut now, and he got snowed in for two days!!  He finally got out of camp Saturday morning, got a flight into Toronto the same day (very late), stayed overnight in Toronto, and took a train right to his mom's in Kingston, where I met him on Sunday! 

In the meantime, I had several orders to ship out, including 8 dozen charts for one of my distributors, I had to do all the shopping for his family that didn't get done because I was in England, wrap everything, and spend pretty much all day Saturday baking 13 dozen buns (!!), 10 dozen of which went to the Gatenby's.  Everyone brings part of the meal, and I make the buns every year, (but my MIL, SIL's and nieces have come to expect extra buns to take home, LOL), and 3 dozen went in the freezer for our OWN Christmas!

Whew... busy, but fun!

Once I recovered from all THAT, LOL, I remembered I was teaching a 2-day Advanced Hardanger class at my guild in January, so everything went on hold (again) while I worked up a class project... I'm giving them a sample cloth to learn the stitches on, then a cute doily project (with an owl) that they can make on their own, using the new stitches... sorry, that almost counts as business, which I try not to talk here (wink) ...

My sister (meanwhile) had gone on a mission to Kenya, helping out for three weeks at an orphanage and hospital, acting as an aide for the nurse she went with - she even delivered a bunch of babies!!  SHE got home Christmas Eve, and my family (mom / dad / sis / Bill and I) had a lovely breakfast (mom does this baked dish every year), and opened stockings and gifts at our place.  However, since Chris was so jet lagged, we had decided to postpone our big dinner until Boxing Day, to give her time to rest, so I put the turkey on to cook overnight, and the gang gathered again (with the addition of an adopted aunt and uncle) for a big feast on Boxing Day.

Of course we were all suitably spoiled, LOL, I think EVERYONE gave me De Rocher chocolates!  And even the dogs and cats got goodies!  Another wonderful Christmas gone too quickly...

A cousin came to stay with my parents for a couple days after Boxing Day, so there were more meals together, and games to play... and today (before she headed home), we all went into Belleville and had brunch at EGGSQUIS (if you don't know this restaurant, think a less expensive, but just as tasty Cora's - lots of fresh fruit, and mainly breakfast and lunch menu - they are only open 6am - 3pm).  So again today we were spoiled!  But I was determined to get this blog - and hopefully a newsletter - done up before I gave in and went to bed!

Always thinking of YOU, ROFLOL. 

Anyway, that's the fast (if not short) version of my past month... this year has been full of wonderful events (the best of which is a new granddaughter - our first official grandchild - though we do have 2 step-grandsons), and lots of great designs and wonderful friends...

I'm hoping to get myself organized and caught up before the new year, but since Bill took extra time off over the holidays, and DN leave for work again for another 1.5 weeks, LOL, I'm dubious - but I'll do my best!

Lots of plans on the drawing board, and exciting things I can't wait to share in my newsletters... so have a great holiday season, and the most fun New Year's Eve possible, and I'll talk to you next year!

Well, as I will explain in my newsletter... we had some web issues recently, that ended when we moved the site to a new hosting company.  Unfortunately, the old site crashed before that happened, and we lost several months worth of updates (like from the beginning of June to now!!).  So I ask you to be patient while we try to recover (or remember and recreate) the missing data...

Thanx for your understanding!