3/13 SAL

Progress from the 3/13 SAL at Let's Stitch.

Brittercup Finish

Brittercup's Keep It Clean is now finished and hanging in my kitchen. The metal rack it is hanging from was something I picked up from on clearance at A.C. Moore for $1.12 (regular price $12.99) that was supposed to hold your house number. They didn't have any of the metal numbers left. I decided to use it in my kitchen. Somewhere I have a box with some stitched towels and kitchen items that I put away for safekeeping when we were painting and putting up wallpaper last spring. I put it away so well that I can't find it now.



Tonight I pulled out my DMC witch and worked on the purple stripes in her top and leggings and stitched her shoes.



This is a progress photo of my Lanarte Cat Sampler that finally has a cat in it! It looks a little startled without the backstitching for the eyes, nose and whiskers. This cat reminds me of my Abby.

Cat Happy Dance

It's another cold, dark, rainy day and I was up early for the washing machine guy. DH came upstairs to say that the motor has a problem too and it's going to cost double what we expected. Sigh. The dryer has decided to make a sound now too. DH cleaned a lot of lint out of it and now it's better.

On Monday I started Outside My Window ornament from JCS. I have all but one branch and one bird finished. I'd like to do one of those flat fold finishes I've seen so I'm going to search for instructions online. Yesterday we decided to take some laundry to the laundromat just in case the washer isn't fixed soon. I took my knitting and worked on my alpaca shawl while we waited. When we got back I was going to work on my cat but I was lazy and ended up grabbing a Christmas banner UFO that was downstairs by my stitching chair. I actually managed to get quite a bit done on it. Another day or two of work and I can probably finish it.




DH helped me stain a frame I found in my stash for Thanksgiving. While it dried I put the final stitches into my cat. Yay! He looks like a cat that roams around in our neighborhood that we have nicknamed Creamsicle. He also looks a little like my sister's cat Tony. and I know she is going to want me or my mom to stitch another one for her when she sees this picture.

I was originally thinking about putting the cat into a bulletin board that has a picture frame at the top. It ended up being a little to big for the frame so I used a bunny I stitched back in the summer instead. I love the basket that came with the chart. I had a big carrot button in my stash so I decided to stick in the the basket for fun. I'll figure out how to finish the cat later but for now I'm just happy I'm finished stitching him.

Cat Update

I finally seem to be making progress with my Lanarte cat. I've recorded a bunch of tv shows I like and have started setting aside a couple of hours each afternoon to stitch while I watch them. It's better than trying to find something good on afternoon tv. I like to have mini marathons of my favorite soaps and shows instead of taking my chances that Dr. Phil will be interesting that day. I actually like Dr. Phil but it never fails when I have time to watch him it's a re-run or something I am not interested in.

Back in the summer when I started this cat I would stitch for hours and feel like I hadn't made any progress. I was in a big stitching slump at the time and ended up setting him aside to learn to knit and do some crochet projects. I have this wonderful feeling alpaca yarn I have been working with to make a shawl. Knitting bothers my carpal tunnel more than cross stitch so I can't do it for long periods of time. I'm learning to knit on a machine now which is a lot easier on the wrists.

I am itching to start a new project but I have made a promise to myself to finish the cat first. I finally got the last two of six Lanarte farm animals I have been collecting and I want to start them for my kitchen. I have a big bare wall all ready for them. The look nice with the farm kitchen accessories my mom gave me. I wish I could play hookey from work and stay home tonight and stitch.