The Stitch Up

Late Summer WIP Update

Hi All!  Just thought I'd give an update on my previous WIPS and the new stuff I'm working on now.  First, a little embroidery:

I managed to finish this tea towel in time to check a few months off the calendar!  I love this pattern and I like the way the colors came together on it.  It's going to get framed, along with some other tea towels, in my craft room.

This next project, I did not blog about at all while I was making it because it was a gift and you just never know!  I made a baby quilt for some friends.  I had bought this fabric a while back, just because I thought it was adorable and knew that I would find something to make with it.  I actually used a bit when I made this project bag for myself.  It worked perfectly for a baby quilt.  I found a couple of organic cottons to mix with it at Joanns and a nice soft baby flannel for the back side so that the new little bundle would have a soft side to just cuddle.  I liked how bright and happy these colors are:

The new baby's name is Adelaide, hence the "A" I embroidered to personalize it a bit.  I love making baby quilts.  You get to use the cutest fabrics and the project always comes together pretty quickly.  I almost always use a play on this basic pattern.  It works great for a baby shower gift if you want to have everyone fill out a fabric square with best wishes for the new mom and baby and then sew them up together.  

Another project I started and finished before it hit the blog was this sampler:

 

This is a pattern that I designed and I plan to share in my next post.  I'm thinking to do a bit more detail in the orange flowers but haven't really decided yet.

The projects that are now "Works In Progress" are this cowboy boot embroidery pattern that I am planning to use for a bigger "Cowgirl Quilt" down the road:

I also have a fairly worn out sweater that I thought would be good to try a little crewel embroidery.  I've wanted to work on embellishing a sweater for a while and what better time than as we head into Fall?  I have a bunch of inspirational ideas saved on my Pinterest page here.  My favorites are this, this and this.  These are the colors I have to make a plan with - we'll see how inspiration strikes:

My last planned project is a snuggly cowl that will hopefully be done in time for the first Fall chill:

This is from the Crochet Boutique book which has a ton of great projects and I think that hot pink yarn is going to be really cute as a cowl.

I guess I have plenty to do!  It's always a little hard to change gears each season but we are soaking up the last of the Summer weather before we get ready to move into Fall.  

I hope everyone has a lovely Labor Day weekend!

Our Gato

We've had a sad few weeks around our house.  Our sweet and snugly gato passed away after twenty years of being our friend.  She was always up for a cuddle and I found it hard to resist sticking my nose in her neck and snuggling her close when I found her sleeping on the couch, or the arm chair, or bed or wherever she happened to pass out.

My extremely biased opinion is that she was the prettiest gato around.  I loved her big green eyes and pretty orange fur and her expressive little face which always seemed to be thinking witty and clever thoughts.

She loved the outside and looked forward to the Spring and Summer when she could soak up the sun and watch the birds and squirrels in the yard.

She had a fun side and didn't mind dressing up occasionally - much.

But mostly she liked to curl up on our lap or tummy or shoulder or whatever was handy and purr and share so much love with us.  We love her and miss her and are grateful for so many wonderful years with such a wonderful, loveable cat.  

Emo Cat

The Hubby piled a stack of my quilt books on a desk by the window so that the gato could peer outside in comfort.  Before this she was standing up on her paws to look outside and it was a little pathetic.  She sits and stares out the window during the 5 or 10 minutes out of the day that she's not sleeping.  The Hubby and I get a kick out of watching the cat at the window - she always seems so moody.  We enjoy imagining the emo haikus that are going through her mind while she stares outside:

lonely cat trapped in the house

I just want freedom

and maybe to kill a bird

She's probably can't create poetry in her tiny little head, but it cracks me up to imagine it anyway.  In fact, the picture of her should probably be in black and white - to reflect her mood.

 

It's possible that I find this entertaining because I've been working too hard and spending most of my time trapped in an office.  Sadly, I have not been out to the Cherry Blossom festival this year which is terrible since I hear it's great this year.  I did go last year though, so feel free to travel back in time if you'd like to see some photos!

I'm off to try and get some embroidery in before I hit the hay!  Hope everyone is having a lovely Spring!

 

New Year, New Blog

My New Year's Resolution is to blog more.  A LOT more.  To encourage more blogging I spent a little time updating the old blog.  I have a new name:  The Stitch Up.  Since the blog is not primarily about Spain anymore I figured I'd change the name although the link with the old name, "stitching spain", will remain the same.  I've got a banner that's winter inspired - I took the pic last January on our trip to Berlin - and the plan is to change it up seasonally or as the mood hits me.  So much work right?  But my readers are worth it.  And by "my readers" I basically mean you, mom!  Holla!

December was hectic and a little nerve racking honestly.  All of our furniture, clothes, knick knacks and whatsits were delivered a couple of days before Christmas.  As the hubby is traveling I had to unpack alone - which wasn't terrible, just a little time consuming and tricky.  Tricky because our new place is a little small and finding the space to unpack required a certain amount of architectural genius (if I do say so myself) of stacking other boxes on top of each other until I could plow through to a closet and shove everything in there.  The place looks good now as long as you don't open any closets, drawers or cupboards.

The New Year was also a little crazy as kitty got sick a few days before January 1st and we had to make a few trips to the vet.  She's doing well now but has to take some medication for the next couple of weeks which we're struggling with - literally.  She was too weak to fight back the first day or two but as she's feeling better, shoving a pill down her throat gets tougher and tougher.

(This is kitty in healthier times).  She's getting better every day but she's lost quite a bit of weight so I'm trying to fatten her up.  Poor gato - I think she is looking forward to a new start in 2009 as well.

I start a new job this next week and I'm excited to be back home and getting in the swing of things.  2009 is off to a good start and I'm anxious to see what else is coming our way!