FLASHBACK NEEDLEWORK - Black Forest Santa by Willmaur

 

Found while getting the ornaments out to trim the tree.   The "Black Forest Santa" by Willmaur.   Stitched in approximately 1995

FINISHED NEEDLEWORK: "Heirloom Santa: Feline" by Willmaur

The fourth and final Animal Santa - this one has cats! Designed by Sandra Cozzolino for Willmaur

"Feline Santa" on perforated paper, kit floss as charted.   Modifications: I stitched on the beard and cat whiskers instead of gluing them on.  Ran out of lighter rust floss before I got to the fish, so did the head and tail in the medium rust floss.   Also stitched the fish on a scrap of cream perforated paper so that it would stand out more as a distinct separate element. (It's free hanging, attached by a floss 'stringer'.)

Next up on the travel stitching is getting back to the Timberline Santas from Mill Hill.  Also designed by Sandra, but with beads!   I have the Norway Spruce and Douglas Fir ones in the stash, so I need to pick which one to work on next.

Slow Sunday Stitching - December 15, 2024

 Well, Dela is settling in well.   I got her microchipped and licensed with the city.   Housebreaking has been a real success, and walking in harness is coming along well.  We are starting obedience classes soon.  But first she has to have some dental surgery.  Poor baby.  I'm pretty sure her being a somewhat picky eater is probably due to mouth pain; she likes soft treats and food better than crunchy treats and kibble.

She likes to sleep under my desk in the footwell - nice in the winter, like having a living foot warmer 🐕😄.

Christmas things are a bit crazy, including extra rehearsals, kid's programs and so forth.  Somehow being retired has not included being more organized! (2025 goals) 

On the crafting side, I'll admit that I haven't been very productive, but I did get some travel stitching done on the last of the Animal Santa set of perforated paper ornaments.   Looking back, I notice that I have not shared any 'in progress' pictures since I started this one back in September!

The 'Feline Santa" Ornament by Willmauer has the Santa completed (except the beard/moustache which goes in last) and the first of the three cats has been started.  I'd kind of like to get him done so I can get him up on the tree.  So I may make finishing off the white fluffy kitty on his shoulder and black tuxedo cat down by his ankles a focus this week.

Linking up with the SSS crew.

FRAMED NEEDLEWORK: "Mini Teaching Band Sampler" by The Drawn Thread

 

Pattern: Mini Teaching Band Sampler (68 x 104 stitches)

Designer: The Drawn Thread

Fabric:  36 count Edinburgh Linen in colorway "Cream"

Threads:  As Charted (DMC floss and perle, overdyed floss from Needle Necessities)

Charm: in chartpack

Stitches: Cross (one over two), 4-sided Stitch, Satin Stitch, Scotch Stitch, Eyelets (8 leg and diamond), Smyrna Cross, Queen Stitch, Herringbone Stitch, Montenegrin Stitch, Interlaced Cross Stitch, 

Framed by The Frame Warehouse, Topeka KS 12/13/2024

Online Class by Tapestry of Dreams in 1998

Slow Sunday Stitching - December 8, 2024

 

Got the final hat for donation finished this week and took all the donation hats to their drop off locations.  I still have enough of this cotton acrylic in the stash to do two more hats, but there's no rush now to finish another one.

All my needlework time this week has been put in on my full coverage piece.   Over 1,000 stitches so far this week!   I'm up to row 116 on the fill in and at 37.69% overall.  You can just see the hint of where her front paws/hands are gripping the handle of the drinking horn.   The green basting line is the halfway point at row 175.

Linking up with the SSS crew.

Slow Sunday Stitching - December 1, 2024

 First Sunday of Advent! Where has this year gotten to?   It's been a busy one, for sure and I'm going to be even more busy now.

Meet Dela - she's a five-year-old Australian Shepherd rescue.  Blue merle (dappled) coloring, with only a very faint creamy tan flash.   And very striking heterochromia eyes - only the bottom half of her left eye is blue.  

She was a breeder mom in a puppy mill - so right now she has no idea how to be a dog.   We are working hard on figuring out how to potty in the yard and walk on a leash.   Taking her to my vet tomorrow and getting her teeth looked at - they look terrible.  Also getting her stitches out from being spayed.   Luckily, she isn't entirely unsocialized; she's a bit of a velcro dog - if I stand up, she stands up.  If I go in the bathroom, she goes in the bathroom; sort of like having a toddler LOL.  But better than not trusting people at all!

Needless to say, there was not much needlework this week.  (Though I did meet my full coverage goal for November.)  Knitting is a bit easier to pick up and put down, so I did get the new hat up to the crown decreases.  I don't have any of the labels done, so I'm going to do the donation next week and should have this finished by then, too.

Linking up with the SSS crew.

Full Coverage - November 2024 Month End Report

Decent progress on the Mead Dragon.  2,916 stitches this month.   That brings the project to a total of 34,593 stitches or 36.61%.  Background (and wing fill in) is down to row 111.   I'm going to need to move the qsnap soon.

And where I was last month for comparison.  The articulation of the front wing has appeared (plus more of the webbing) and a little more of the back and the collar.