WIP Wednes...er, Thursday

I didn't get around to this update yesterday - it's been a very scattered week for me.  But there has been a bit of stitching done.

Let me start with the failure.  This is the Dr. Who Time piece I'd designed - I've been concerned about the color choices ever since I began it, and finally, when I picked it up again, decided it just isn't working.  So, rather than waste time with it, I've abandoned it.  I'll go back to the drawing board and try again, but not just now.  Meanwhile, my January 15 Challenge is now the January 14 Challenge.

On a brigher note, there was also a Challenge finish - the Elizabeth B Sampler from The Sampler Girl.  I'd intended to put this into a frame for Deanna - but she asked if it could be finished as a small pillow instead, and that sounded like a sweet idea.  So it is tucked away until I choose the right fabric to back it.

Another finish is the Sampler Girl's lovely shamrock needlecase I started last week.  I'm so pleased with how this turned out, I need to show it off in a series of pictures.


This is the entire needlebook opened up.  The finish is done with a nuns stitch, which I've never used before, but it made for an extremely neat stable edging without having to hem.  I'll be using that technique a lot now that I know how simple it is.

There are two layers of felt stitched into the center of the folded over cover - it feels soft and yet solid and the design just makes me smile - it's gentle and cheery. I'm very much looking forward to using this regularly, and it has me thinking of other possibilities... a notebook cover? A wallet?  I very much want to do more 3-dimensional pieces like this.

Now for some ongoing progress... just a bit.  I didn't dive as deeply into my challenge projects as I would have liked - but I did do a little more on my Quaker project (and have just completely given up of this ever looking right on camera), and dealing with some of the background on the dolphin piece.  Mostly just a lick and a promise with each of them.

This is another one where my camera is just not up to the task of capturing the colors - they are actually very vibrant...all sorts of blues and greens and turquoise and teal.  I'm enjoying it more as I go along, although I can't stitch it for very long at a pop because all the abstract color switches require more concentration than I usually have patience for.

Finally, I added another new start - the Spring Quaker Square from the May 2007 issue of the Gift of Stitching.  Just to be different, I decided to do this one over one square of 25ct evenweave.  The needle is laying there in the picture to show how tiny these stitches are.  I used a Threadworx floss in shades of tan and pale turquoise, and while I'm not sure how often I my eyes can deal wit the itty bitty stitches, I'm really loving how it looks.

And that is it for this week. :)