A good rotation!

Have I already talked about my good rotation?
Yes, I have. I'm so happy how it's working that I'm wondering why I haven't ever decided a rotation before this month.

On Monday I usually stitch Christian's Stocking by Shepherd's Bush. I started stitching it last year and it became an UFO after Christmas. Some weeks ago I pulled out it and I made a little progress.

Last year:

Last Monday:

On Wednesday I usually stitch my Christmas ornaments and yesterday I finished a Santa by Kris Kringle (Prairie Schooler). This is my tenth ornament in 2006. I'll have to stitch two ornaments before Christmas because I want to use them for my tree.

I also stitched something else, not only the patterns in my rotation and this is the result!

I finished this lovely pattern by LHN, Elizabeth McGuire (Dear Diary series).
It was not one of my favourite patterns in this series and I decided to stitch it as first of the Dear Diary patterns. While I was stitching it I fell in love with it. I like very much the cabin and the lady.

Thank you, Carol

This morning I received a beautiful gift by Carol. It's one of the most lovely gifts I've ever received. Thanks, Carol, you're so sweet.

In the package I found scissors and scissor-fob. These new scissors will be my favourite ones, they're the first ones somebody gave me as a present. The scissor-fob is a very great work and you can't appreciate it because my picture doesn't it justice. I really like it because Carol used a pattern of one of my favourite designers.






My first rotation seems to work and I'm really happy about it.
I worked on everything in the list but I can't post each progress because I'm working on some gifts and exchanges.

I'm uploading only the progress on November Flip-It.

I followed my plans but I also stitched something else.
I'm really enjoying Elizabeth McGuire by LHN. It's a relaxing and quick design.

My first rotation

I've never tried to use a rotation and yesterday I decided to prepare my first one. I'll be busy stitching some Christmas gifts and finishing some of my goals for 2006 so a rotation looks a good idea to organize my works.

This is the rotation:

Monday - Christian's stocking (that was an UFO few days ago) and gifts for Christmas
Tuesday - Flip-It by Lizzie Kate, I have to stitch three to finish all the series Blocks
Wednesday - Celtic Summer (that was an UFO few weeks ago) and Christmas ornaments
Thursday - Christmas gifts/exchanges
Friday - Christmas ornaments
Saturday/Sunday - Terre de France and what I like

Yesterday I started using my rotation and I worked on Christian's stocking. I've not taken a picture yet. I also started stitching two ornaments but I can't post the pictures before Christmas.
My most recent progress is a progress on the Santa by PS.

I also stitched an envelope for my Italian mail art exchange. It was for Chiara. She has already received it and I can post the pictures.
I used some patterns by Lizzie Kate because she's one of her favourite designers. I tried to be more creative than usual...


Front side:

Back side:

Inside:

Some pictures

I've not been writing for some days, so I have some pictures to share.

I'm trying to work on my monthly goals and I stitched November Flip-It by LK.
I love Autumn, so I'm enjoying this lovely colours.

I also decided to start stitching a new Christmas ornament. It should be the October one that I've not stitched yet.
I chose a Santa by Kris Kringle, leaflet by Prairie Schooler. He should be faster then the last one I stitched.

A little progress:

After an unlucky order that I put on Pawprint I received some fabrics I ordered more than two months ago. I'm very disappointed about this order. They didn't have the buttons I ordered and they let me wait for all the supplies. After two months they decided to send me the fabrics because they have not received the buttons yet. I think they should have sent me the fabrics at least a month ago...
At the end I received my fabrics. I needed them to start stitching a new big project. I'm going to stitch all the series Dear Diary by LHN and to sew the patterns into a quilt. As I received the fabrics some days ago I immediately started stitching the first pattern. I chose Elizabeth McGuire as first design.

I stitched it for two days and these are my progresses.

First day:

Second day:

I'm stitching it quickly because it's a lovely pattern and it's easy to stitch. I'm so happy about this new project!

You know I'm stitching a bit Celtic Summer every Wednesday.
After a month I've a progress to share. I'll post my last picture and the picture of my most recent progress. The progress is not so important, but I'm happy because this pattern became an UFO and I finally pulled out it.

May 2006:

November 2006

Finally...

Finally I finished a Christmas ornament. It took me a very long time and I can't understand why. I started this ornament at the end of August and it had to be the ornament for September. I finished it in November!!! Now I have to catch up with two ornaments, the ones for October and November. I decided to choose two Santas in the leaflet Kris Kringle #62 by Prairie Schooler. Those Santas are smaller than the yearly ones!

1996 Schooler Santa by Prairie Schooler stitched on Belfast linen 32ct, Rock Quarry (Silkweaver)

Reading Anne's blog and especially this post, I decided to organize a personal challenge. I really admire Anne because she's taking part in this project with 50 patterns but I couldn't do so and I decided to stitch 10 patterns already kitted up before purchasing new supplies and kit up other patterns.
My challenge starts today and before putting a new order I'll have to count ten finished patterns.

Happy stitching!

Reviewing goals

Finally I can post some pictures.
During the past days I didn't stitch a lot. I only finished the monthly Flip-It and I worked on the Christmas ornament. This one is taking me a long time, more than I thought. It's a Santa by Prairie Schooler and even if he's about 50wx70h he's a little busy project. My next Santas will be smaller because I want to finish twelve ornaments before the end of this year and I decided to choose other Santas by Prairie Schooler and not the yearly ones.

I received my third envelope. I'm taking part in an Italian mail art exchange and I'm really enjoying myself.
This is the lovely envelope that my partner sent me.

Front side:

Back side:

Inside:

It's time to review October goals.

- stitch August, September and October Flip-It by LK
I stitched only August and October

- stitch the monthly Christmas ornament and the September one
no! I only worked on the September one

- stitch a block of Terre de France
no!

- work on the pattern by Sisters and Best Friends started as a SAL with some Italian friends
only a bit

- work on Quaker Garden
yes, but I didn't post a picture because I found a big mistake and I had to unstitch and stitch again a part of the pattern

- finish a charity pattern I started last month
yes!!!

- work on Merry Christmas by Brightneedle (SAL with some French ladies)
no, I'm still waiting for my supplies

- finish the curtains for my kitchen
no :(

I also finished an UFO, Cookin' Up Magic by Mill Hill and I pulled out other two UFOs I'm working on. I have not pubblished pictures yet because the progresses are not so important but I'm really happy because I stitched them again. I also stitched an envelope for my third mail art exchange but I can't upload it because I have to sew and send it.

Now I'm writing my November goals. I decided to focus my work on few goals.

-stitch September and November Flip-It by LK
-stitch September, October and November ornaments
-finish a block of Terre de France
-finish the curtains for my kitchen

A finish

Finally I received my package with the DMC threads and I could finish my charity project.
Here is the result:

It was a funny and quick pattern. I really enjoyed it and I'm happy that it's for Quilt America.

I stitched a bit also Pear Tree Inn by LHN. I'm stitching it slowly because I have other deadlines during this month and I usually stitch it as a relaxing pattern.

Yesterday was Wednesday so it was the day of my Celtic Summer. I stitched her but I'm working on her big skirt and after two weeks of work we can't see any progress yet. This is why I have not a picture of her.

Again UFOs

After finishing an UFO I decided to review all my UFOs and I noticed they are too many.

Enchanted Alphabet by L&L
Celtic Summer by L&L
Once upon a time by Passione Ricamo
HOHR by Carriage House Samplings
Christian's Stocking by Shepherd's Bush
Little Kate by Margaret Sherry
Christmas Elf Fairy by Mirabilia
a towel I started stitching for a friend

I decided to dedicate a day for week to one of these UFOs and yesterday I started stitching again Christian's Stocking. I chose this one because I decided to stitch it for Lore last year. I had finished a stocking for me and I'd like to stitch one for Lore too.
I'm not posting my progress because we can't see it...I hope to post the progress next week.

Veronica and I decided to dedicate also an hour to our ladies by L&L. We stitch together every Wednesday. I added a very nice button she created for me. Again the progress is not so important and I will not post a picture.

During the past week I've quite finished my charity project. I should send it away during next days but I'm waiting for a package with DMC fibers and it has not arrived yet.

And my progress on the monthly Flip-It:

Autumn

I love autumn's colours and everything talking about this season.
Yesterday we went to a wood in the country near Florence. We wanted to search some mushrooms but we met a snake at the beginning of the walk and we decided to walk following the path. At the end of the walk my basket for mushrooms was till empty. LOL!
Fortunately one of Lore's aunts gave us some mushrooms and we had a very autumnal dinner! Mushrooms and chestnuts!!!

Me and the (empty) basket




In the wood



Mushrooms and chestnuts for dinner



Lore cooked pasta with mushrooms




and mushrooms



We also played the guitar...well, Lore played the guitar, I played just one or two songs.



During the past days I also finished a kit by Mill Hill I started stitching last year. I fell in love with this funny kit and I immediately purchased. I worked hard on it but I couldn't finish before Halloween. I pulled it out last week because I was going to finish before Halloween (2006!). I worked on beading and this is the result:

I also changed my mini poll. Please, vote!
I'm going to work on my kitted up patterns and I've 31 patterns ready to stitch. I chose five of these and I'd like you to help me to decide the one I'll stitch in the next weeks. Thanks!

The old poll was about two WIPs. I finished both of them, so I closed it.
The votes were 34 and 20 were for The bookshelf by LHN and 14 for Tea Room by CCN.

Small projects

During the past days I worked only on small projects.

Finally I finished a Flip-It by Lizzie Kate, the one dedicated to August. I don't like the colours in the picture but I had to use the flash. I hope to make a better picture when it will be finished into a little pillow.

I have also a progress on the charity project. I like the colours of these patterns. They're really brigth and I'm really enjoying stitching mine. It's the letter P by an alphabet I don't know. The leader of this project gave us the letter we chose at the beginning of the work. I chose the letter of my surname.

Do you see that it's a P?

I have never posted the second envelope I sent for an Italian mail art exchange.
We sent the second envelopes during the summer. I chose an angel by Joanne Elliott because she's the favourite designer of my second partner. Unfortunately I have not a pattern by Joanne Elliott about summer, so I thought to stitch a little scissor fob with marine themes to send together.

Front of my envelope for Cristina:

Back of my envelope for Cristina:

Inside of my envelope for Cristina and scissor fob:

I'm back...

Finally I'm back.
I've not been writing for about a month.
September finished and it was a very sad month. This is why I didn't feel writing posts.
We were in mourning. Lore's father in law suddendly passed away and he left his wife, Lore's sister, and two children. It was a great loss to our family and we were really busy with a lot of things.
I would like to apologize for not taking part in your blogs with posts and not sending what I had to send.
-------
A new month arrived and it's time to speak again about cross stitch and goals.

My September goals were:
- stitch August and September Flip-It by LK no!

- stitch the monthly Christmas ornament no!

- finish The bookshelf YES!!

- finish Daisy Lane Cottage YES!!

- stitch a block of Terre de France no!

- start a pattern by Sisters and Best Friends as a SAL with some Italian friends YES!!

- work on Quaker Garden no...

Here are the October's goals:

- stitch August, September and October Flip-It by LK
- stitch the monthly Christmas ornament and the September one
- stitch a block of Terre de France
- work on the pattern by Sisters and Best Friends started as a SAL with some Italian friends
- work on Quaker Garden
- finish a charity pattern I started last month
- work on Merry Christmas by Brightneedle (SAL with some French ladies)

- finish the curtains for my kitchen (I worked on them during September and I'm pretty happy about the results)

Now we can see the pictures of my progresses during the past month.

I started Winter Peace, a pattern by Sisters and Best Friends that I'm stitching as a SAL with some Italian friends.

Yesterday I started stitching the Pear Tree Inn by Little House Needleworks as autumnal SAL with the ladies of the LHN group.

I started a charity pattern to take part in a project for Love Quilt America.

I worked on the August Flip-It by Lizzie Kate.

I finished The Bookshelf by LHN.

Stitched on Lugana 32ct, Hazelnut, Silkweaver.


And I finished the Daisy Lane Cottage by LHN.

Lists

During the past days I didn't stitch as I would have liked but I could finish the Santa I had started stitching in July.

Now I can cut the fabric and sew the four ornaments I stitched on this piece.
I've already chosen the new Santa. He'll be the 1996 PS Santa. I stitched a bit and I started his hat.

I've also finished a block of Terre de France by Annick Abrial but it's not the block that is in my goals. I had quite finished this one before August and I didn't work a lot on it during the week-end. Now I'm going to start and finish a new block and this will be my September block.

I'm also impatient to see the new marquoir that Annick will publish in October. I loved Terre de France and I hope she'll create a new beautiful sampler to stitch. To tell the truth they're big works but I imagine how I'd be happy if I could finish one!

I've not uploaded my holidays pictures yet but I finished to upload the pictures of my kitted up patterns. I can't beleive they're so many! They will take me at least a whole year.
And my future projects' list is growing quickly. I've not finished it yet and I've already created a new one!!!

I'm back!

I came back home few days ago but I was so busy that I couldn't write a post before today.
The holidays were really good and I hope to select some pictures as soon as possible. I've not had enough time yet.

Fortunately I have some pictures to share about cross stitch.

I could stitch during the holidays. I stitched only a bit, but I stitched and this is a surprise!
I worked on the Quaker Garden only when I was in Portugal and here is the progress:

When I came back home I pulled out my old projects and I stitched The bookshelf and Daisy Lane Cottage by LHN.

I'm working hard on these lovely patterns because I want to finish them and start stitching all the patterns of the Dear Diary series before the end of the year. I'll sew them into a quilt and it seems to be a big work. I imagine it will take me all the next year.

Otherwise I'm late with my monthly goals. I have to stitch the July's Christmas ornament because I couldn't finish it before August. I also have to stitch the August Flip-It by LK and this will be in my next goals.

Here is the progress on the Christmas ornament started in July. I have quite finished it, so I think it will not be in the goals of the next month.

So, here are my goals for September:

- stitch August and September Flip-It by LK
- stitch the monthly Christmas ornament
- finish The bookshelf
- finish Daisy Lane Cottage
- stitch a block for Terre de France
- start a pattern by Sisters and Best Friends as a SAL with some Italian friends
- work on Quaker Garden

I should add other goals such as
- prepare a fabric for a big SAL starting at the beginning of 2007 with an Italian friend
- sew two curtains for my kitchen
- ...

Well, I'm pretty busy.