Stash Treasures

Not having much time to start something new this summer, I have been searching through my stash.  I noticed something very interesting; I have so many UFO's that only need a few days to a few weeks to complete them.  Why they were thrown into the closet for years, some for 10 or more, I will never know.

The first UFO I had decided to complete was a Rainbow Gallery design, "Hungarian Silk Garden".  I had planned to run this as a beginner canvaswork workshop many years ago;  to share some stitching tips on the specialty stitches and working with the various fibres.  It took me only about 7 hours to finish the final border.  Now all I have left to do is attach the beads.  I promise it won't take years.

The next piece I rescued was Lavender & Lace's "Morning Song".  This pattern was released in 1995 and I know I started it after Christopher, my son was born, so it must have found it's way into my UFO bin about 15 years ago.  It's about time I finish it. 

I am stitching it the continental stitch (petit point) using 3 strands of floss on a 23ct silk gauze.  Petit point is my first love, and this was my third Lavender & Lace pattern in petit point.  I had stitched "Sweet Dreams" after the birth of my daughter, and the "Guardian Angel" (minus the wings) for the birth of my son.

I wanted them both to have a Mother & Baby picture that I stitched for them in celebration of their birth. And this piece was going to be mine.

Over the past two weekends, while at my parent's cottage, I managed to stitch on it a bit every day, and this is how much I've completed.  Except for the backstitching on the faces and hands, the mother, baby and little girl are finished.  I also added about 6 yards of thread to the confetti style background.

Next week David, the kids and myself are heading to Alaska for a family vacation, and this piece will be too intricate for me to take with me.  I'm planning on taking something less complicated with fewer colours, and something not so hard on the eyes such as cross stitch or needlepoint.  I have quite a number of these in my UFO bin (or should I say bins).  So I won't be going without something to stitch, but I'll have to see if I find some time.

If I don't manage to post a blog next week, I will try to post some photos of our trip on my facebook page, Kathrin Ellison.