Incoherent Scribblings

This week I decided to work on my bi-monthly Christmas Ornament commitment for my 10 Ornies in 500 Days Challenge. After browsing through my magazines and my freebies, I finally settled on “A Colonial Christmas Ornament” by Cherished Stitches from the JCS 2007 Ornament Issue.

I don’t think this ornament was originally on my list of things to stitch from this issue but I am glad I decided on it because it challenged my finishing skills a little bit. I doubt you can tell because I had a hard time getting any pictures that accurately portray how it actually looks, but I finished it as a three-sided whip stitch ornament. A three-sided finish was a first for me and it wasn’t until I started whip stitching the panels together that the directions made sense. Once I got the hang of it though, the ornament went together nicely.

There are a few things about this piece that I should mention: First, instead of beads I chose to do French knots for the holly berries. Why? Because I didn’t have any suitable beads in my stash. (Note to self: Really should work on acquiring adequate bead stash.) Second, the date and the holly on the third panel are stitched over one… on 36 count! Third, I am especially proud of the cording that I made. After two or three years of making my own cording, I finally made a length that has uniform tension!

A Colonial Christmas Ornament
by Cherished Stitches (from the 2007 JCS Ornament Issue)
April 14, 2008-April 17, 2008
36 Count Khaki Edinburgh
DMC Fibers, Rainbow Gallery Petite Treasure Braid

P.S. I am not going to say who I originally had in mind when I started this ornament because I like it so much that I just might keep it for myself!

How appropriate that I finished “Winter Love” by SamSarah Design Studio from the JCS 2007 Christmas Ornament issue just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Actually, I stitched this as part of my 10 Ornies in 500 Days Challenge. This will be turned into a Christmas Ornament for a member of my family. At the moment, I think it will more than likely be for my step-mom, but I haven’t decided for sure so I haven’t personalized it yet.

I envision it as a simple pillow-style ornament, though I am hoping to make it a tuck-pillow ornament. I would like to finish it into the ornament sometime soon, but it will really depend if I can find some appropriate fabric.

There isn’t much of a fabric selection out here in West Texas Town, so I am considering looking to see if I can find some sort of fabric shop online. I figure that with all the quilters out there, there are just as likely to be OQSs as there are ONSs, right?

And with this finish, I am afraid I can put it off no longer… “Above the Clouds” must be next in my rotation.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Seeing as I only have one more Christmas to achieve #12 “stitch a Christmas ornament for each member my immediate family” of my stitching goals on my 1001 Days List, I decided that I better make a plan to stitch and finish this set of ornaments.

First of all, I define my “immediate” family as such:

Mom
Dad
Sissy
Niece
Nephew
Step-mom
Step-sis
Step-dad
Aunt (Mom’s Sis)
Uncle (Dad’s Bro)
BFF (Best Friend Forever… you know who you are!)

With his “Baby’s First Christmas Ornament,” I have already stitched one for my nephew, so I guess I don’t need to stitch him another… unless I really want to.

As far as the rest of the family goes, I will aim to have the ornaments for my mom, dad, sister and niece done for next Christmas. I will then complete the second half of the set before the end of my challenge and those ornaments can be gifts for Christmas 2009.

Therefore starting next month, I will add the goal “Stitch and finish Christmas Ornament for So&So” to my stitching goals every other month until I finish all 10 ornaments and can count the “thing” as complete.