WIP: Remember Me Photo Album (by Indigo Rose)

Today's featured WIP is likely the one that's got the least amount of stitching complete. It is the Remember Me Photo Album by Catherine Strickler of Indigo Rose. Isn't it pathetic that I only made it this far before putting this aside?

Technique/Materials:  This photo album cover (and yes, the kit came with the album) is worked on 28ct evenweave with two strands of cotton floss. Not having the instructions in front of me right now, I can't be sure, but I believe most of the stitching is in cross stitch, though there may be a few other stitches here and there.

Background:  I'm not really sure when I started this. I think it was shortly after the design came out, and since Catherine's original had a date of 2003, I'm guessing I started in 2004. Since I never bothered to mount this on a frame/hoop/Q-snap or any such thing, I'm sure this was started as either a desk project (for stitching during my lunch hour) or a travel project. As such a project, it only saw hit-or-miss progress, which accounts for how little is completed.

Why it's not done:  Have I ever mentioned that I really don't like to work on 28ct? I really don't. On 28ct, you have to use at least 2 strands of cotton floss, and then you have to lay each stitch to get halfway decent coverage. Of course, this is much easier if the fabric is mounted on some sort of frame and in a stand, so you can use a laying tool. Trying to stitch on 28ct in hand is a pain. (Yes, I know about railroading. I never have good results with it, because one strand eventually overtwists and the other undertwists on me, so I don't use this technique. If it works for you, please share your secret!)

What's left to do:  Just about everything. Fortunately this piece isn't huge, and if I actually mount the fabric on a frame of some sort, it shouldn't take too long to do.

Happy Dance: Bead Blanket Sampler

Sorry, all! It's been a heck of a week, with all the Christmas preparations. Up until yesterday night at the LNS, I think I stitched about two hours all week. I've been off work since Wednesday, but I've still been baking, writing Christmas cards, finishing up my shopping, fixing my sister's electrical outlets so she could plug in her tree for her party tonight, etc., etc.

On Wednesday, I received a surprise in the mail. I knew Kaz was sending me the Moss Waterlilies I needed to finish the border on my Bead Blanket Sampler, and it arrived Wednesday. That wasn't the surprise, though. The surprise was learning that not only did this generous stitcher send me the thread, but that she sent it from the U.K.! The sharing in this wonderful global community of stitchers never ceases to amaze me. Thanks again, Kaz!

So, for stitch night at the LNS yesterday, I packed up my Bead Blanket Sampler with all the threads I needed to finish. Between time at the LNS and an hour afterward at home, I finished the back cover. Today I made time to finish the project, before sitting down with a pile of presents and wrapping paper.

Here is the Bead Blanket Sampler, designed by Catherine Strickler of Indigo Rose. The three pictures are the front (with the alphabet), the back (with the types of beads listed), and the side (so you can see the piece of velour blanketing that's meant to keep beads from bouncing all over the place while I'm attaching them onto a WIP).

Another UFO down! I'm officially down to 39 WIPs/UFOs. That still seems like a really big number, but I've got another small piece that really only needs a couple of hours to finish, and that will knock the number down again!


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WIP-loss challenge status: 6 down, 4 to go

Bead Blanket Sampler progress

Before I forget, thanks to everyone who's left comments lately! I do read and appreciate each one.

I'm slowly plugging away at the Bead Blanket Sampler from Indigo Rose. In case you're not familiar with this piece, it will work up like a needlebook, but instead of felt in the middle, there will be a piece of velour blanketing. Velour is perfect for holding beads as you're stitching. The plush keeps the beads from escaping as you're trying to get them on your needle!

The part I'm working on now will be the back of the book. This piece is small, but it's not working up very quickly. While over-1 stitching always looks great, I find it pretty tedious.

See how the border isn't done on the back? That's because I ran out of the green thread in the kit. One of the readers here, known as "samplerstitcher", very generously offered to send me a length of the Waterlilies silk needed to finish the border. Isn't the internet community of stitchers great? Thank you, samplerstitcher!

This morning I'm heading out to Barnes & Noble to wrap gifts. Our local EGA & ANG chapters volunteered to do this to promote both organizations and to let the community know the chapters exist, just in case there are any lone stitchers out there!