What's that in the sky?

I've been doing a mental review of all the UFOs I have back at home. Urk! Too many to list at this point. I think I will inventory them when I get back and try to set them up so I can complete one a month over the next year. That will significantly reduce the pile. Of course, I've made this resolution before and what seems to happen is this - the UFOs get finished, but I start as many new projects, leading to more UFOs. Sigh. I need to lock up all materials I have for new projects, then just stay away from stores and catalogs. Hehehe.

UFOs

I'm still in South Carolina and I have three unfinished objects here that I'm "working on" while I recover. I've got a Monticello sampler done on 14 ct aida that's a souvenir of a fall road trip with my mom. The road trip was great and it's a nice way to remember it. I've also got an untouched kit from the trip that a picture of Carl Sandberg's goats. Don't ask, okay? Next on the UFO list is Genny's wedding sampler. It's about 85% finished and they just had their 2nd anniversary, so I'm not doing too badly there. The last one is for my mom, but since she reads this, I think I won't talk about it! Hopefully it will be done and framed in time for her birthday.

Coming out of the closet

I spent the day going through a closet full of framed art and needlework. The "library" now is full of books and east European artwork - oil paintings, watercolors, prints, etchings, and batiks. It looks pretty good if I do say so!

In the process, I found more of my samplers. The first one is "Forever" by Just Nan. Good thing I really like it, since the marriage didn't last forever! The second one is an alphabet sampler on linen with a lot of beading, which doesn't show up well in the photo. Nor does the lattice border which was an inordinate amount of work. The most interesting thing about this one is that it is done in flower thread, not floss. The third sampler is themed on Noah's ark and other biblical occurences. I have patterns for several more along that line and may actually complete them someday. The last sampler is a favorite. It's about Betsy Ross, the old sew and sew!

It's Done!!!

Not my embroidery, but my assembly! This has been hanging around my mother's house (Her work.) for at least 5 years and (at last) it's a pillow!

Country style

Here's one from my country days. I still like wreaths. The patriotic sampler and the warmth of the home sampler are both at my mom's house. I'd reframe the warmth of the home one, but she won't let me.

Nothing could be finer than

being surrounded by old stuff about South Carolina!

Sew and sew - or so and so

I still don't feel like working on new stuff, but it's fun rummaging through old things to post. I had forgotten these pillows, but not the Just Nan sampler. I am going to have to look up the names of all of her patterns that I've completed.

Recovery Time

I'm still in the US, recovering from knee surgery. It currently feels like my knee is stuffed with cotton and I'm achy all over from being on crutches and doing knee exercises. Not conducive to being productive on needlework at all. I had hoped to use this time to get ahead on some projects, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. I'm still posting old stuff, though. Here's one I did for my daughter back in her boarding school days.

More blasts from the past...

Here are two pieces I did for my mom and dad in the late 1980's. Can you tell which went to which?

Back to the future

This was my first real embroidery and it was a stamped kit. Note it was finished in 1973, so this blog really covers three and a half decades, not a mere 20 years. Oh my.

Scandinavia beckoned

This one was a first kit from a needlework shop in Granville, Ohio ca. 1989. I did a couple of different patterns from the same series as gifts, so I don't have any photos of them.

Yes, I sew too!

Okay, so maybe it's not just embroidery. I'm discovering all sorts of forgotten sewing projects too. I made this one in 1985 for my son's first Christmas.

Happy New Year!

January 1, 2008 and Happy New Year! I'm hoping to get all of the photos of embroideries I've done over the last twenty (!) years into this blog and hopefully get back on track to finish the many UFOs in my home. Here's a start from my Just Nan Phase....