And They Sinned

I am at the one month point of ATS ( pattern by Examplar Dames), I started it on Memorial Day weekend, May 25, 2013. This sampler is my focus for this summer. I can not believe it happened but after 20 plus years of quilting I have had a little burn out. I am just not interested at all in quilting. I am slowly finishing Ladies of the Sea, however some weeks I am only at my sewing machine for an hour or so. I find myself reading more and wonder of wonders, cooking, now that I am not quilting as much. I still enjoy browsing all of my favorite quilting bloggers and I have a few pictures of the quilting details I am using on Ladies of the Sea that I will post as I get closer to having her finished.

I feel a real sense of contentedness as I stitch on this sampler. The variegated Gentle Arts Sampler Threads give it a very aged look. I thought the little cherubs were too close in color to my background fabric

 

so I went online and looked at color charts (the flesh tones in the sampler are actually a DMC floss 950). I decided to outline the skin tones in DMC 3064 which is the medium to floss 950s light in that color. I think it gives the cherubs just a little more definition.

I am currently working on the clouds under the angels on page one of the pattern. My cross stitch really needs help, it is difficult for me to keep my stitches all neat and even in a large filled in area. I am open to suggestions as I feel like I am still a beginner in sampler stitching.

 

Happy Stitching and Happy Birthday America!

Cheri

 

Posted with Blogsy

A Finish And A New Start

I have finished my Scarlet Letter sampler. This sampler was originally done by Mary Ann Hutton in 1801. I made so many changes to it I really can not call it a reproduction. It is stitched on 25 count homespun linen with silk threads.

This was a relearning experience for me that I really enjoyed. It was fun to share my progress on Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year blog. I am looking forward to doing another Scarlet Letter reproduction sampler and learning some other stitches.

My next project, however, is a sampler I have admired for a couple years. And They Sinned, by Examplar Dames Pattern Designs.

This is a large sampler, 9 by 45 inches, that depicts the story of Adam and Eve. I am stitching it on 18 count Zweigart Vintage Mocha Aida.

I want to work on perfecting my basic cross stitch (Mary Ann Hutton is full of errors and tension issues). The threads I am using are the suggested Gentle Arts Sampler Threads. They are beautiful hand dyed variegated cotton threads.

I have been surrounded by inspiring beauty the last couple days while we have been traveling through the Rocky Mountain National Park. I have to share these pictures taken at the Estes Park, Colorado golf coarse. I am not a golfer but I think elk on the golf coarse is a rather unique golf hazard.

The golfers did not seem to concerned and just played on through.

Happy Stitching All,

Cheri

 

Posted with Blogsy

Sally Post

I finished Sally Post a couple weeks ago and today I got her back from the quilter. I finished the binding this evening. It is such a large quilt I had to lay it in the grass and stand on my deck to get the whole thing. The Sally Post Floral Sampler pattern was a free block of the week from Gay over at Sentimentalstitches.net. The patterns are still available but she has a new block of the week starting soon. I loved that the blocks were set on point in this quilt. The original quilt in Gay's collection is signed "Sally Post 1854 age 63 years"


I machine appliquéd the appliqué blocks with a blanket stitch. I had my local quilt store machine quilt it with an all over feather design. When I had my long arm machine I always struggled with thread color for red and white quilts (white always seemed to be the best choice). I was very concerned with the color thread I would have used on Sally Post, but my friend Renee came up with a great choice. It is a coffee brown thread believe it or not.


The brown blends in perfectly with the reproduction colored fabrics and is not noticeable on the white appliqué blocks because your eye is drawn to the appliqué. Great suggestion Renee, I am really happy with it.

Happy Stitching All,

Cheri


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad