May-be a Finish!

May is complete from the Joyful World SAL!

The Conversion is listed below.

The Maiden

Peony Posted

Peony has been finished for quite some time (late 2018 perhaps), but it was not until someone asked me for my conversion that I realized I had not posted her on the blog!

 

 

She traveled with me to San Antonio where Nora Corbett herself saw me place stitches in the skirt (along with hundreds in the airport as she kept me company during a lengthy delay)!

 

I converted the majority of Waterlilies to cut down on the cost:

 

WL 066 - DMC 563

WL 269 - DMC 603

WL 072 - DMC 823

WL 196 - CC Razzleberry

WL 271 - DMC 988

WL 083 - DMC 3847

 

All those Garnet beads!

 

A note on the hair conversion: I had to stop after each color to asses where to go next, often times texting photos to the Mother for her opinion.

 

Hair Conversion (DMC):

 

938 - 310

433 - 3371

435 - 938

437 - 801

677 - 434

712 - 435

 

I was really excited with the final product and felt that I was able to maintain the highlights and appearance of the up-pulled strands.

 

Peony is so stunning in person, these photos really do not do her justice! The Maiden

 

 

Sewing boxes and Crosses

The Crone has returned to stitching and this little Carriage House is the project that inspired her to pick up the needle again!

 

She has also spent some time crafting these sewing boxes!

 

Each one is so unique!

 This one is my favorite, but don't get any ideas as I have already reserved it! Hahaha , the Maiden

Maynia Stars

I have wanted to start Cinnamon Stars by Plum Street Samplers for well over a year now and Maynia has given me the perfect opportunity!

 

 

This star was created using The Gentle Arts Dark Chocolate and Silk' N Colors Cinnamon Stick, 2 of my new favorites! They are so vibrant in person, the stitches seeming to float above the fabric as they subtly change in hue.

 

There is no method to my madness, no plan meticulously outlined for this month. Thus far I have managed to find new projects and old to entertain my nights, and all comprised of materials in my very own home. The Maiden.

Maynia Moon

Having embraced a more Vintage vibe as of late the moment I saw Moonlight Haunting from Blackberry Lane I knew I had to have it!

 

 

Stitched on 28ct Thunder Storm OD Linen using The Gentle Art's Gold leaf. There is a 3D quality to the threads on this fabric, similar to the effect that Night Creatures has. I now know it is due to this fabric!

 

 

I love how many new designers Maynia has exposed me to and this, like all my other starts, was kitted using only fabrics and threads from my stash. The Maiden.

 

Maynia Dared

What WIPs? Day 3 of Maynia has brought with it another new start, Enter... If You Dare by Cherished Stitches.

 

Stitched on 28ct ODL Frankenstein, a beautiful mix of greens and purples not evident in this photo. I decided to use a variegated silk called plum by Waterlilies for the boarder, but had to use 3 strands to get the coverage I desired. This fabric is challenging, the holes so wide my needle often slips out, slowing me down as I hunt for it beneath my frame.

 

Experiencing the high of a new start every day is addicting, I am not sure I will be able to refocus my energies on WIPs this month! The Maiden

Maynia Blues (for fabric!)

I got all caught up in the excitement of Maynia and could not resist another new start!

Cedar Hill's Bouquet for June has been kitted in my STASH for years so I can take solace in having not spent any money on this start.  

Stitched on 28ct Zweigart evenweave chosen for it's beautiful cornflower blue color (which is unfortunately lost in this photo). Those French knots were unexpected and I adore them!

I had decided to leave off the alphabet and numbers, but worried it might look a little bare. Then as I stitched I knew exactly what I would do with it as my niece's name is Isla Rose I will turn this into a birth sampler!

I believe my cross stitch choice this evening was influenced by this fabric, which I am currently turning into a project roll.

The Maiden

Maynia Kitten

Maynia has arrived! I feel like I have been waiting 12 months for this day, as last year I was only able to participate with 1 start.

 

My plans for the month are ever evolving, but I do know I intend to have 19 projects for 2019. My focus will remain works in progress, so I can continue to join the Mother in #WIPOUTWIPs2019.

My start for Day 1 is the month of May in the Joyful World SAL, stitched on 28ct coffee tea dyed monaco. I thought this was the perfect way to kick off the month, as it is technically a WIP (having already started the SAL) but also a new start! The Maiden 

Stitcherhood of the Traveling Pattern

While this is technically not a WIP, I did sign up for this Stitch Along in 2018 and could not resist a start when it arrived in my mailbox!

There had been 3 stitchers before me, their challenges and joys of stitching this project outlined in letters that accompanied the pattern. I added my own along with this conversion and sent the packet along to the next stitcher.

While I cannot tell you the fabric count or color (as I was determined to use only materials from my stash) I have included my conversion above which took 12 days to stitch. I found the actual colors to be quite different than the cover photo and wanted to include my favorite variegated silks for flags into the design.

 

I adored the idea of being part of a bigger stitching circle and as the pattern weaves it's way throughout the country I thank the original owner who thought to share this out of print gem!

 

The Maiden

Farm Fresh Bags

I may not have accomplished much stitching, but these project bags were just too irresistible not to make!

Commissioned bags shown, but more are available on my Facebook page at Stitching maiden project bags. 

The Maiden

Sewing Away

My hands have been very busy sewing away for upcoming retreats where project rolls and bags are quite popular!

My facebook shop has been filled with orders, you can request to join at:

 

Stitching Maiden Project Bags

 

The Maiden

Enchanted Employment

Enchanted Mermaid by Mirabilia has sat untouched since the last time I was unemployed in 2007. The moment I picked it back up I received 2 amazing job offers!

This mermaid is HUGE, so I included a shot with stitchy scissors for scale.

In addition to being my largest mermaid to date, she also has close to 40 bead packs- you would have to be employed to finish this one!

Having found my stride, both professionally and in this project, I will work on her until she is completed. The Maiden

#WipeoutWIPs2019

Joyful Stitcher

I have my first finish for the Joyful World SAL! I converted many of the colors to Gental Arts that I had in my stash and used coffee tea dyed 28ct monaco. #wipeoutWIPs2019 has been so motivating! The Maiden

A bee for thee

The Mother has pulled out her diamond painting again, and I cannot wait to start one of these! I have been hesitant to convert a HAED because of the size, but Michelle of Heaven and Earth designs is adding canvases with the charts printed on them to her site and I could not be more thrilled! Right now it's just select smalls and minis ( coming soon) but hopefully in the future we will get full charts!

I am less than amused with bees at the moment as a killer bee hive has taken root on my roof! The maiden

Weeping Stitchers

The Crone has added a few stitches to Willow Queen by Nora Corbet and I could not be more excited for her to join #wipeoutWIPs2019!

Sign ups for the 2019 Mirabilia Minons retreat were posted on Feb. 1st, and while the mother secured a spot the Crone and I did not. This year went much quicker than I anticipated! The Maiden

The Workshop

The Crone has been busy working away at finishes and complex stitches in what we have come to call Santa's Workshop! 

Mixed media art, stretched on canvas and adorned with embroidered accents. What an amazing gift!

Miss WIP

The Mother has had an inspired idea for the new year, one that has motivated us both to pull out the WIPs that have languished for so long! Wipeout WIPs 2019 was born! The Maiden

#wipeoutwips2019

The Weather Outside is Frightful!

Country Cottage Needleworks Forest Snowfall, stitched in 11 days and finished December 2018 (late posting and not "framed", but I have a plan!).

Conversion: 

house was stitched using Gentle Arts dark chocolate,  lambswool and woodsmoke.

The following Classic colorworks substitutions were made to utilize my stash: cocoa bean for little house brown, old blue jeans for deep fennel, and English ivy for weeping willow.

The Maiden

A Kiss at Midnight

A project 10 years in the making, The Kiss by Mirabilia is finally finished!

I counted down the last 10 beads much like the seconds of 2018, having finished my second cross stitch project ever started as the year came to an end.

I think I placed more beads on this project than all my others combined!

This finish felt bittersweet as I can hardly remember a time when this was not a WIP. 

The detail, beading and kreinik created a visually stunning final piece, one that I will treasure my entire life.

The Maiden