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Monday, February 15, 2016

Lots of stitching and Gifted Gorgeousness

Today is Presidents Day here in the states which means, for me, a 3-day weekend.  Friday was my compressed schedule off day, so I decided to make my nice 4-day weekend into a really nice 5-day one and took Thursday off.  My plan was to pull Chatelaine's Secret Victorian Garden out of hibernation and spend as much time as possible working on it. 

When it came out of the WIP box on Thursday morning, it looked like this:

 
I spent the late morning and afternoon stitching, but decided to keep regular stitching schedule and include my other stitching in the fun. So that evening, Its About Time was put on the frame and had another 300 stitches added


Friday became a HAED stitching day. I started working on Christmas Presence in the morning and hit a rhythm with it and didn't want to stop. I finished a column and the stitching with all the parked threads on the last page.  I estimate about 600 additional stitches total.


After  I finished with Santa, Shakespearean Fantasy was put on the frame and I spent a rather relaxing time stitching nothing but black.  I added almost 700 new stitches.  I may actually get to add some color at the bottom of this column!!


After running errands Saturday morning, there was more stitching on SVG.  Sunday morning is reserved for smalls stitching and  I finished Welcome Spring by Jardin Prive


Given that I am looking at snow and freezing rain right now, this square is a definite mood lifter.  I didn't start the next block as it's a "pick your own color" block and I haven't decided on one yet. 

So that brings us to Monday evening and I am very happy with my progress on Secret Victorian Garden .  As of right now, it looks like this:


Sorry for the horrible photo, but it was the best I could get given the lighting and space needed to get the whole thing in frame.  I have about half of the outside border and all the beading left for a finish.   I probably could have finished it if I hadn't done all that other stitching, but I am very pleased with the progress on everything and would not change it.

WAIT!! What's the Gifted Gorgeousness you mentioned in your blog title?  Gifted Gorgeousness is hosted by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching and is a way for us to thank people that have gifted us with charts, fibers or fabrics, by showing them what we are doing with their gift.  It also gives us a place to show what we're stitching for gifts.  I won't repost photos, but the patterns for Its About Time and Shakespearean Fantasy were gifted to me by Kate from Needles and Haystacks and Pull the Other Threads respectively.  I am shoehorning Christmas Presence and Welcome Spring into the SAL as they are freebies and, in my estimation, a gift from the designer.  I have one piece that I am working on right now that is a gift, Just Nan's Christmas Soldiers.  Am I the only one that hears the tune for "Onward Christian Soldiers" when I read that?   Probably not now :-)!


That was my stitching journey this week.  I am, as I mentioned, very pleased with my progress on everything.  I'm not sure when I will have the opportunity for another stitching binge, but I will not hesitate to grab it.

15 comments:

Linda said...

Awesome post Susan. Lovely stitching and progress on all of your projects Susan.

Linda

Leonore Winterer said...

Wow, that was a lot of progress! 5 day weekend sounds awesome, I could use something like that right now :D I'm really excited that you are getting close to finishes on the SVG and Christmas Presence, and glad you found your missing stitching bug again in full force ^_^

Kerryp77 said...

Stunning chatelaine, I can't believe how much you've stitched. You've really made the most of the weekend.

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Thanks for taking part in GG this month. GORGEOUS stitching on your Chatelaines this month.
I am also hearing Onward Christian Soldiers in my head now. It's a very rousing hymn, along with When A Knight Won His Spurs which was my favourite from Primary School.

Clare-Aimetu said...

Such great progress - my Dad and I used to sing Onward Christian Soldiers all the way to Scout Camp (back in the 1970s) once it's in your head it's stuck there !!

Annie said...

Wonderful progress on all your beautiful pieces!

Robin in Virginia said...

Your stitching binge paid off, Susan. Way to go! And thank you; now I am hearing Onward Christian Soldiers in my head. Enjoy your week!

Justine said...

What a productive long weekend! Beautiful stitching. Your Chatelaine looks close to a finish, though I imagine there is quite a bit of beading to do.

Unknown said...

WOW you have made great progress on all your projects this weekend. I do love Christmas Presence. He is just what I really think Santa Looks Like.

Your Christmas Soldiers is so beautiful Too.

Kate said...

Oh my, all are so gorgeous! Love that Time is progressing! :D

Sherry said...

WOW you really kept busy this week. I wish I had gotten as much done as you did.

Suz said...

That's an amazing amount of progress. Congrats on getting a 5 day weekend, too! :)

Victorian garden is looking so great. I really love seeing your progress on that particular one.

Elfie said...

Beautiful stitching - and lovely progress this month. Being a Santaophile myself, I am very taken with Christmas Presence. It is stunning.

Heather said...

Awesome progress on everything! I HAED's 4 day weekend because we got lincolns birthday off too. I felt like I got a lot done but you left me in the dust!

Stitching Noni said...

Wow! You did make the best of your extra long weekend! Great progress on all of your stitching. Your HAEDs are impressive :o)
Hugs xx