Yep, this is me, officially hopping on the cross-stitch bandwagon. :)
I picked up The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery's adorable
It's a Kawaii Winter Wonderland Countdown pattern over the long holiday weekend, and I busted out some Aida cloth and floss and started stitching last night. Cross-stitching was the first kind of sewing I ever did, a zillion years ago. My mom taught me when I was a little girl, and I really enjoyed it until I became a moody teenager, so it was a kind of nifty to sit on the couch with my hot cocoa last night and do some (mostly) mindless counted cross-stitch. It all came back to me like riding a bike.
In other WiP-y news, I can finally share my finished EPP honeycomb pouch with you guys, now that it's made it to its new owner. I made this pouch for my friend
Amy, better known as Sukie, as an early birthday present. I love the Sweetwater Mama Said Sew
Sewing Guide print I used for the background, and how it contrasts with the bright scrappy EPP honeycomb pieces.
I also started quilting my EPP starflower pillow yesterday with some simple straight lines. I forgot how much I hate straight line quilting. Don't get me wrong, I love the way it looks, but the actual act of doing it feels so monotonous to me. Fortunately, this pillow is only about 21" square, so hopefully it won't take much longer.
Speaking of EPP, I got some happy mail yesterday. I ordered some new pieces last week that just arrived. I picked up the paper pieces to make
Katy's fab Spring Carnival blocks and an octagon block of some kind, as well as some new straw needles. I also got a wonderful package of beautiful fabrics I ordered from
Pink Chalk, including various prints from Ellen Luckett Baker's new
Stamped line and two prints from Zen Chic's
Juggling Summer collection. And that's just the stuff I ordered before Thanksgiving! My mailbox is going to be overflowing soon once my Black Friday purchases start rolling in. Fortunately, I think I'm about done Christmas shopping, I just need to get my own personal outlet of Santa's Sweatshop up and running so I can tackle my handmade presents!
Stay tuned on Friday for the next installment of the
Sea of Stars quilt-along, where I'll share with you more than ever wanted to know about half-square triangles. If you haven't already purchased your pattern, you can find it at
Craftsy, and you get a great deal on your fabrics at
Fat Quarter Shop, with coupon code JINGLE through the end of the day today. If you're joining the quilt-along fun, be sure to join the
Flickr group right here.
What are you working on this week? Write it up and share it over at
Freshly Pieced today. Have a great Wednesday!
Cute cross stitch!
ReplyDeleteI always had to use a cross stitch pattern with a pattern stamped on it. I always messed up the counted kind. Guess it wasn't so mindless for me! LOL.
ReplyDeleteYour EPP projects are just gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about straight line quilting - drudgery! But often I just make myself do it, because some projects just need straight lines!
That honeycomb pouch is incredible!! So, so pretty. Can't wait to see your next EPP projects!
ReplyDeleteDid you see that they're doing a spring cross-stitch sampler with a woodland theme??? I must make that one too. Of course, I haven't started on the Christmas one yet...
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the Santa's sweatshop! I'm not panicking yet, but maybe I should be. :)
I had to warn my husband about the influx of mail this week. I think it's kind of alarming!
Cross-stitch was my gateway drug too
ReplyDeleteLove that your joined the bandwagon, its a fun one!! Love those EPP projects, and Amen to straight line quilting, LOVE the look, hate the process!
ReplyDeleteGood for you - I just jumped on the cross-stitch bandwagon a month or so as well. Its such a great portable craft. I love your EEP pillow! Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteEverything is beautiful! Loving the EPP pillow! Cross-stitching really takes me back to my youth! I would probably jump on the bandwagon too, if I didn't already have a hand sewing project that is going to take me a zillion years.
ReplyDeleteEverything is beautiful! Loving the EPP pillow! Cross-stitching really takes me back to my youth! I would probably jump on the bandwagon too, if I didn't already have a hand sewing project that is going to take me a zillion years.
ReplyDeleteoh I'm loving how your pillow is coming along. And congrats on the stitchery - I did cross-stitch years ago as well!
ReplyDeleteThat cross stitch pattern is adorable! My first sewing love was cross stitch as well, but I didn't give it up when I became an angsty teenager. I gave it up in my twenties for knitting. Now, I'm pretty well rounded in my stitching abilities, and this cross stitch pattern may well just deliver me back to my first love!
ReplyDeleteLovely lovely!! I'm recently addicted to EPP and love your projects! I started the cross-stitch too, yours looks wonderful!! It's such a cute pattern, those ladies are so clever!!
ReplyDeletevery nice work
ReplyDeleteNice! I want to get back into cross stitch too one of these days. It must be one of those things that crafty moms teach their girls young because it's easy and fun.
ReplyDeleteI've got two somewhat big handmade gifts to start work on this week.
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ReplyDeleteGosh, those honeycomb pouch pics really grabbed me-- Sukie is a lucky lady!
ReplyDeleteI love those Xs on your pouch. They are beautiful. I've recently been thinking background colors to use as neutrals. Your charcoal works beautifully on these blocks!
ReplyDeleteNancy from joy for grace
Cute wee cross stitch, and love that pouch!
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