WIPs to share

I wanted to share the stitching I've been doing this week. Can you believe that Labor Day is only two weeks or so away. Where did the summer go? We wait so long for it, and then, when it comes, it flashes by so quickly. Maybe it's that I really didn't have a lot of "vacation" this summer. Hopefully next year . . . I'm starting to get into a fall mood. The weather is starting to cool off, so that may be propelling it. Yesterday it was in the high 70s and rainy, today a little sunnier. It's been pretty rainy here this week, definitely not "Augusty" in Maryland, but I do love a good thunderstorm. Our house faces west, so rather nice to stand in the livingroom and watch the storm roll up over the park and the farmland behind.

Anyway, since I am in a fall mood, I thought I'd work on this this week:




As I said, it's a design by Pumpkin, and very fun. I am using Fiddler's Lite, just because I prefer the way fall colors look on it. It's nubbly and comfy and warm, it's everything good about fall. I think I'm going to do this as a basket tie-on, pending my ability to get the right felt backing at the craft store, and then tie it with some gossamery ribbon. I'm crossing fingers that it will look right.

And my work on the quilt square. I finished the stitching, now just to finish the backstitch. I'm using an old Leisure Arts leaflet, 20 backstitch alphabets, to do the wording. Yes, I know it's not centered, but it works. I had debated actually doing the phrase on there, because who am I to tell these people how to mourn? But part of me wanted to include it. I have always found comfort in grief when I can think of ways to connect to the departed. Perhaps these parents will be able to think of their daughter as a butterfly dancing among the flowers, alighting on the nose of a beloved pet.


Someone asked what color DMC the puppy is. I don't know exactly because I kitted the Britter Critter quilt up in 2006 and just used that floss for this. It is one of the original browns, though. I wish they would do more natural-toned flosses in their Variations, it really is a pleasure to use them to stitch animals. I'd love a nice tabby-colored one, or even a good grey variation.

This weekend is going to be a crafty weekend. I'm going to get spray paint for the birdcages for the centerpieces. HTB has them all gathered together to paint for me. And, while I'm there, I'm getting stuff to finish the wooden boxes I started painting the other week. I bought an antiqueing kit at Michaels, but it didn't have any kind of sealer. Well, once you're finished painting, wouldn't the logical step be to protect it? It looks unfinished, and that is not acceptable to this girl! Maybe if I can get some of these craft things done, it makes doing the other things I have to do a bit easier. At some point, we need to wrap 200 candles as favors. I was going to do them in organza bags, but it's hard to find the right size bag, and they looked unfinished, so I think cellophane and pretty ribbon from the craft store will work. If someone doesn't like it, oh, well.