My Restless Hands

absent blogger

2009-06-01T11:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a very long time since the last blog, and who knows when I'll be back. I'm just not that interested in sharing.

Building my own neighbourhood

2008-09-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

I've joined Vonna's MMIRR and I must say I'm a little nervous. I'm very hard on myself when it comes to picking designs and tend to change my mind alot. My initial instinct is to use Brightneedle's Blueberry Lane charts. I like the simplicity of the designs. But I also love the PS ideas others have come up with. But then I also like the CHS charts (the Village, Houses and Shores) Ahh, the dilemma.

SB exchange received

2008-08-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

I received the loveliest exchange from Heather on the SBEBB. She made me a pillow using the Scatter Sunshine pattern. Isn't it wonderful. I just love the colors she picked, very soft and springy.

She also included the Stitcher's Roll kit, a couple of tins, some trim, gorgeous butterfly cards and a magnetic bookmark.
Thank you very much Heather, I'll cherish the pillow and happily enjoy the other goodies.
I'll leave you with a shot of the sky over our garage. Pretty, huh.

Stitching exchange

2008-08-12T11:29:00.001-07:00

Becky from Becky's Stitching Hive put a call out the other day for people to do a personal Hallowe'en stitching exchange with her so I immediately emailed her. I've been on the receiving end of an exchange with Becky once before, and she is an amazing stitcher. I'm looking forward to stitching something for her now. Of course now comes the most stressful part...finding something to stitch. I have several great Hallowe'en charts, and there are plenty available on the'web, but to pick just the right one is so hard. I have narrowed the choices to 4 and just may stitch them all.

pheww

2008-08-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

Yea pictures!! Look out blog world.

Pictures! (i hope)

2008-08-04T17:48:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago DD#1 and her synchro team went to the BC Summer games. She and her duet partner came in first and won an overall Silver medal. She was so very happy, can you tell? ( DD#1 on the right, partner on the left)They would have liked to win gold but the other team came in 1st and 3rd for figures, so no gold. The team came in fourth after swimming a very strong routine. Technically and artisticly very strong. They wuz robbed! They truly were better than the 2nd and 3rd place teams.

I have been stitching. I love the latest 'trend' of floss tags. I've done a few now, including this one designed by The Sampler Girl. My heart belongs to the ocean and knew when I saw it that it was meant for me to stitch. Being a Pride and Prejudice lover sealed the deal.

I am also doing some exchanges. I really don't think my partner reads this blog so I feel okay with sharing a pic: frog biscornu front. It's so cute. And darn, I can't remember where I found it.

One last pic. DD#2 at the recent Kamloops Highland Games doing a Fling. I love her kilt in this one.

like a boiled lobster

2008-06-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

DD#2, my parents and I just got back from a trip to Vancouver for the BC Highland Games. DD#2 got a gold in the Hornpipe! Congrats, I'm very proud.
On the down side, after spending about 7 hours outside in 30+ weather, I am now the colour of a lobster and very sore.
I did get the biscornue for the exchange finished. It is so cute! I hope my partner likes it.

living up to my title

2008-06-11T12:10:00.000-07:00

I got bored with all the WIPs I have so last week I started Dragon Dreams's Summer's Magic. I am stitching it on a sandy opalescent from Sugar Maple fabrics ( I think) So far I have the left side of the leaflet stitched. I am forcing myself to stick to a rotation so I actually complete some projects.
Mon-Wed: Mirabilia's Winter Queen
Thurs-Fri- DD Summer's Magic
Sat-Sun- current exchange piece
My at work/synchro/highland project is Ink Circles Quackworth. I quite like how this is shaping up. The thread color reminds me of a robin's egg so that is what I am calling it. It only has a number on the tag.
I am a little worried about my Winter Queen. I read more and more about the whisper threads yellowing. I have been leaving it for last, although I did stitch a couple of small areas. If I can find the 'Fuzzy Stuff" that others have mentioned at my LNS I think I will sub it out. My LNS kinda sucks though so I'm not holding my breath.
Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week! I finally get some days off.

Have you missed me?

2008-05-30T15:39:00.000-07:00

I hadn't realized how long it's been since I blogged. I'll have to make an effort to stay up to date.
A quick catchup: DD#1 and her synchro duet partner took home a gold medal at the provincial championships last weekend. This is the second year in a row for them. Way to go girls!! They will also be competeing this routine at the BC Summer Games in Kelowna this July, as well as a team routine.
DD#2 continues to bring home golds and silvers for her highland dancing. She recently won a 1st place trophy for the jig at a competition in Kimberley, BC.
DD#3 has her year end dance recital this weekend, fri through sun. She has to miss her highland dance year end due to scheduling conflics but until they perfect cloning, oh well.
In stitchy news, I'm still working on Winter Queen. I think I'm more than half way finished and had hoped it woulf be done by now, but the weeks seem to fly. I need to allow myself a coupl of guilt free stitching hours a day.Bringing stitching to work isn't a good idea, especially a project with colour changes. I do have a monochrome JBW piece that I work on, and I've started Ink Circles Quackworth. I'm using a J&P Coates thread in muted pink-beige-green on Coffee Bean. I think it will look alright.
I'm also in the planning stages of a celtic knot quilt. I'm trying to figure out how to calculate yardage from a 4" stamp.
~~i'm posting from work, there are times that I HATE dealing with the public. How can one person ruin a great day??~~

Exchange recieved

2007-10-13T14:29:00.001-07:00

Not by me, but one I sent. This was stitched for Paula from the SBEBB Halloween exchange. I stitched PS October block from a Prairie Year and finished it as a box. Inside has orange fabric finished so you could tuck in a pack of needles or some thing special. I also sent some floss with spooky halloween names, and some Lindt chocs.
The pic is on Paula's webshots album cause I forgot to take a pic.
I'm glad she likes it.

Little catch-up

2007-10-10T16:08:00.000-07:00

I am a very frustrated stitcher. I am developing a ganglion cyst in my left wrist. The hand that I use to hold my fabric (yes I stitch in hand, everything else gets in the way)and it hurts!!. The pain radiates from the first three fingers of my hand up to my shoulder. It's making stitching painful and slow going. I was able to finish some exchanges. You can see the Quaker Alphabet I stitched for Jean here: http://theslowstitcher.wordpress.com (the linky button isn't working) Scroll down the page a little to the Needlebook from SuzanneN, that's me.
One needs a few more stitches, just have to get the conversion to DMC, one needs to be finished into something and a new one that I haven't started yet. I'm kinda drawing a blank but I have till Jan to finish it. Lots of time.
I've picked up Mirabilia's Winter Queen. Soo much beading! But she will be beautiful when done.
DD#2 and I spent the Thanksgiving weekend in Castlegar where she competed in her first Intermediate highland dance competition. She will spend a year at Int and then move up to Premier, the last level. She did well, 2-2nds and 2-3rds. It can be difficult to place at this level so she is very proud of herself, as am I. She is also progressing very well in her solo number that she is doing for the highland scholarship competition in Nov. What a busy girl.
Think that is it for now. Thanks for stopping by.

Chanter lessons

2007-09-20T21:57:00.000-07:00

DD#2 and I had our first chanter lesson tonight. I think I'm going to love it. I've played the piano for years, and during the high school years was in all the bands and could play pretty much everything. Except the flute. Lousy flute... Anyway, the chanter is not really like a recorder or an oboe or clarinet but a little like them. Tonight we learned the basic scale and my fingers hurt. I really want to jump right to the bagpipes and start the marching but it's baby steps so the scale it is. One day, I'll be posting a vid of me and her marching with the pipeband and I'll be so very proud. For now, it's baby kittens in a paper bag.

Times flies

2007-09-19T20:30:00.000-07:00

Has it really been more than a month since my last post? Wow.
Life has been taking over, not even much time for stitching with the exception of my pieces for SBEBB.
This is the busiest time of the year for me work wise. I co-own a dancewear store and back to school is nuts. This year has been twice as busy as last year. It's crazy, and I'm exhausted by the time I get home, but it's almost fun.
Getting the girls back into their routine is hectic as well. We are juggling sunchro, duet, hip hop, jazz, three highland classes, chanter lessons, violin and highland scholarship classes. I am SO GLAD that DH now works from home. If I can't drive, he can. Please don't ever go back to the station, you need to stay here.
I have no stitchy pictures to share. They are secrets.
Thanks for stopping by.

Exchanges

2007-08-10T18:46:00.000-07:00

I'm finishing up an exchange on the Stitching Bloggers Exchange BB and have just recieved the names for a couple of new exchanges on the SBEBB. This is the most stressful time for me, deciding what to stitch. I've visited their blogs and I think I know what they would like, but there is always that little niggling doubt. And then to decide how to finish it. I've been reading some french blogs and I love the way that they are finishing their cross stitch. It's given me some great ideas, and my high school french from many, many years ago is starting to come back. The only thing missing is time. I have great, grand plans and then time runs out.
I'm looking forward to finishing this latest stitching, and starting the new ones. I love to stitch for other people.
Thanks for the congrats re Danielle. She is studying hard and trying to pick out music for her choreography.
Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend.

Bustin' with pride

2007-07-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

I just received a call from DD#2's highland dance teacher. DD#2 has been chosen to go to Edmonton in Nov to compete for the BATD Highland Scholarship! Every year she writes a theory exam, which includes dancing and oral questions. She scored so high that she, along with another dancer from her class, have been invited to compete for this scholarship. This is a North American scholarship so she will be competing against other dancers from Canada and the US in three catagories, written theory, solo choreography and a master class combining the two. We are busting our buttons we are so proud of her. Her teacher said that a few years ago when she had another dancer chosen there where only 25 in the group. From all of N.A. What an honour. I told DD that the next few months won't be easy for her. She needs to be very prepared for alot of hard work. Good thing she's so very freakin' smart
Sorry for the ramble, I'm going to Snoopy dance for a while now.

Had a great time

2007-07-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

We've been back from our trip for a little while now, and I think I'm recovered enough. We saw some great sites, Hopewell Rocks, Anne of Green Gables play in Charlottetown, the Citidel in Halifax to name a few. DD#2 did her highland dance comp in Halifax, and danced very well indeed. She took 1st- fling, 4th- Seann Tribhuans, 3rd- lilt, 4th- flora. And third overall for the aggrigate. She's happy, so I'm happy.
I took lots of pics while we were gone, some of my favorites being at Peggy's Cove. Or they would have been my favs if the picture card in my camera didn't decide to die, taking the hundred or so pics on it with it. To say I'm not happy is putting it mildly. At least I get a new camera. We are getting a Sony DSLR. Once I upgrade my picturetrail account, I'll have lots of great pics to share.
I did get some stash on my trip. My favorite, I think, is Brightneedle's Nantucket Sampler. The model at 'Because you Count' in Moncton had replaced Nantucket with New Brunswick, so I think I'll do something similar to remind me of the trips back east.
I think I'll save more stitchy news for the next post.
Thanks for popping by. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Leaving, on a jet plane

2007-07-02T13:58:00.001-07:00

We fly out tomorrow for a family trip to Moncton. We'll be gone a couple of weeks visiting family and playing tourist. DD#2 will be competing at a highland dance comp in Halifax, the hilight of the trip for her. She's hoping to take home the aggrigate but I'm sure the competition will be tough and that she better dance her little buns off for that. I'll be happy if she places in all her dances.
WE will also be going to PEI to see an Ann of Green Gables play, to Shediac, the Bay of Funday, Peggy's Cove, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay (my personal favorite place), just to mention a few. While in Moncton, I'll be visiting Because You Count, a great LNS.
Behave yourselves while I'm gone :)

Rotating

2007-06-23T14:55:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start a rotation. I counted the number of WIP's I have and it's way, way too many. I have been using the one-at-a-time method, but it wasn't getting me very far. And it was getting boring. Hopefully having a rotation will be a better use of my limited stiching time and prevent those bored periods.
This is Rotation #1:
Mon and Tues- Fantasy Triptych TW
Wed- Scared Silly BOAF
Thurs- Celtic Christmas TIAG
Fri- Needlework Garden Olde Colonial Designs
Sat- Needlework Store Brightneedle
Sun- current exchange piece
I'll stitck with this rotation for four weeks and then start rotation #2, which I haven't decided on yet.
Thanks so, so much for all the support re the last post. You have no idea how much it means to me.
Thanks for stopping by, have a great day.

feeling like shit

2007-06-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

Ever participated in an exchange, stitched something that you love and hope that your recipient loves it too. That feeling of excitement and expectation waiting to hear from the person you stitched for? Every get kicked in the guts for your hard work? Well, I have. And it is going to take some deep breaths for a long time to get over this.
I joined a fob exchange on a BB that I won't name but I'm sure would be obvious if my blog is read. She hates it, thinks that I stitched it for myself and decided to give it to her instead. What to read her whinings? Here it is http://tapestry-of-dreams.blogspot.com/ **EDITED to add that she has now removed her offensive post to me and another exchange stitcher**

Should I let this bother me? Probably not, but having feelings makes it very hard. Guess if you join exchanges for the presents you receive you're bound to be disappointed. Maybe you should think twice about the reasons you join exchanges.

a finish and an exchange received

2007-06-11T18:16:00.000-07:00

I finished on the weekend this cute strawberry. It's from the 2006 Just Cross Stitch Xmas ornies issue and is designed by Blackbird Designs and is called Quaker Medallion Strawberry Pinkeep.

I also recieved a fabulous exchage package from Carol at Garden of Stitches ( http://www.carolsxsblog.blogspot.com )
She made for me a cute little fob designed by Stitchy Kitty, their Stitch and Bee Happy fob. She also spoiled me rotten by including some hand dyed threads, hand dyed fabbies and a great pair of blue stork scissors, my very first ones!

What a lucky girl I am.
Thanks for stopping by.

Going through old stash

2007-06-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

I was going through some old magazines looking for a project, Merry Cox Needlebook, when I found all sorts of great projects. I found Indigo Rose Sweet Baby Jane Needle purse, a Brightneedle Mama Bird, a cute Drawn Thread and from a 2001 issue of SANQ a strawberry sewing box with smalls. I was quite excited to find this because the accesories are very cool, an attached pincushion, needleroll, scissor sheath and thread roll. The downside is that this issue doesn't carry the chart or instructions for the smalls. Oh well, I might be able to 'fake it' and come up with the charts on my own.

Thanks for the good feelings for Emily. She was back in the water today with no problems.
Thanks for visiting, have a great weekend.

the worst feeling in the world

2007-06-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

I know this is my stitchy place. A place filled with happy dances and comforting images of WIPS, finishes... things that bring me joy. Today is not that day. This has nothing to do with stitching and everything to do with my first love, my family. Specifically DD#1. You've seen her in a previous post, all smiles after winning a gold in duet synchro. Last night though there were no smiles and lots of tears and scared faces. Last night, DD was taken by ambulance to the ER stapped to a backboard, her neck immobalized after she hit her neck on the underside of the bulkhead that seperates the pool into lap lanes and synchro pool/dive tank/deep end. She was practicing some of her moves and didn't realize where she was. When she came up to get air, she came out of a tuck into the bottem of the bulkhead hitting the back of her neck. She's lucky. After I got the call from the pool, all I could think of was that she hit her head entering the pool which would have been so much worse.
X-rays showed no fracture, only a large contusion on the base of her skull. Then she was relesed. I never want to see my child strapped to a backboard ever again. The site of her helpless and crying tore at a part of me so deep I didn't even know it was there. She's home now, very sore and tired. But ready to hit the water on Sat. She has a test coming up to move her up to the next level, and nothing is stopping her do that. 'I wish I had broken my arm mom, I can still do synchro with a broken arm. It would be a lot harder with a broken neck' Kids.

THanks you for the comments on the jig dress and kilt. I'm getting ready to do another one for DD#3.
Karen, she's wearing character shoes. She won't compete the jig for a little while so we'll get her jig shoes then. Save my floors for a little while.

Stitching Pics

2007-06-03T14:03:00.000-07:00

I have a couple of pics to share. The first is of Heart in Hand's It's Spring. It's not finished into anything yet, but I might make it into a needleroll like BeckySC did. I quite like hers.
The next is of DD#2's jig dress. She looks quite ticked which is fine for the jig, it is "the angry leprachaun' dance. The reason for the look? Ponytails! She hates ponytails *snort*
Last pic is a back view of the kilt and jacket I made for her. The kilt is the Nova Scotia tartan, it has 47 pleats with a total of 5 yards of fabric. Every inch of this kit was stitched by hand, no machine involved at all.
Thanks for stopping by. I love to read comments if you'd like to leave them.

Dragon Dreams Exchange

2007-05-28T20:37:00.000-07:00

I participated in an exchange at the Rotation Stitchers BB and recieved the most adorable dust bunny stitched by Missy Ann. You can see all of its cuteness at her blog http://www.deepinsidemissy.com/until I get my pic up. My recevee hasn't got hers yet, so no pic just now.
Thanks so much Missy, I love, love, love it. And everytime DH said " aren't you going to do anything but stitch today?" I just pointed to my sign
Thanks again for visiting, pics coming soon. I promise.

Quick catch-up

2007-05-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

Whew, long time no blog.
I did finally get the rest of my birthday stash. A great variety of charts including Sweetheart Tree NR's, an Olde Colonial basket kit, Fancy Works patterns and a bunch more. I also received a stack of chart from Jennifer Aikman-Smith for being a Dragon Spotter. And I just purchased the new Mirabilia Mermaid of Atlantis. DH is a big Stargate fan, so this is for him. Now if I only had time to stitch.
What I have been working on is a jig dress for DD#2. She'll be wearing it tomorrow for her Highland Dance year end show so hopefully I'll have pics. She'll be dancing the hornpipe and a couple of Highland dances as well so I should get pics of those costumes as well, also made by me.
I'm back to working on Mirabilia's Titania, Queen of the Fairies, but I'm getting ready to put her down. Not sure what will be up next.
Thanks for stopping by. All the best

Birthday Stash part one

2007-04-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

I recently turned the big 4-0 and told my parents that I wanted stash. After being told that was stupid, they relented. The first part of my online order arrived today.

Brightneedle -Pretty in Pink
Sweetheart Tree NR's
Heart in Hand- Spring Medley
I also finished my tape measure cover today. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.

Enjoy!

Is the crazy over yet?

2007-04-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

Such a lot of travel. My oldest two DD are competetors, DD#1 in synchronized swimming, DD#2 in highland dance. Over the last couple weeks we've been to two competitions going in opposite directions.
First was Synchro in Nanaimo BC. That's a 4 hour drive, a 1.5 hour ferry and 10 mins from us. While there E and her partner won a gold in the 13 & over tier 2 duet, and their team took a fifth. This was their provincial competition and while they are thrilled with their duet placing, they are a little disappointed with their team placing. Aren't they proud!!

I did get stash while we were there, at Future Dreams. I brought home SB's Spring Folio, The Cat's Whiskers' Feed My Soul sewing companion and Fancy Works' Lavender Rose sewing case.
I also recieved in and exchange Sheepish Designs' Wabbit's Wonder and Sweetheart Tree's Holly NR, Strawberry Patch NR, Forget-me-not NR and Remembrance Rose NR.
This past weekend DD#2, DH and I were in Kimberley BC, 8 hours from here (kamloops) at a highland dance comp. DD won a fourth in the Seann Truibhanns, Lilt and Flora and a third in the special Fling. She was disappointed in her results as she's used to getting firsts and seconds, but she didn't prepare very well for this one. I forgot to get a picture of her so that's on the to-do list. I made her a jacket to wear with her kilt and she looks so nice. So... pic to come.
Right now I'm working on TW's Peacock Tapestry. I love this one. Even with all the blends, I find it so soothing. I'm also working on my exchange piece for the FGBB scissor companion exchange. I think it's cursed though as I've had to rip it out a dozen times. But it looks fabulous!
Thanks for visiting and leaving comments. Love that!

Fourth freebie finished

2007-03-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

This is the last freebie of the Four Freebie Challenge on the FGBB. It is a design by Tanya Meehan available from the Stitching Expo. I used dove grey evenweave and stitched it using WDW and Old Willow threads. I finished it as a tin after seeing so many great tin finishes in other peoples blogs. It was really quite simple apart from the hand cramps trying to squeeze the glue out of the bottle.
I really enjoyed this challenge. I stitch mostly big projects, so it was nice to have so many finishes in such a short amount of time. I wonder what's next.

There are more views in my Picturetrail album, clickable on the sidebar over there. You can also see the rest of the freebies that I stitched for this challenge.
Thanks for visiting.

Curling and Stitching

2007-03-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

I finally got to see a women's world curling game last night. They've been playing in Japan and none of the stations broadcasted a game. Till 10pm Sat. night. Canada beat Denmark in the finals 8-4. While I was watching all the action, I stitched this sweet little design

It is available at http://www.casamiainitalia.com/ I used a DMC variation on linen fabric.
I also want to show you the biscornu I recieved in an exchange from Kimber1y. Isn't it so pretty

Red House Scissor Companion

2007-03-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about being a quilter and a dollmaker is having a huge fabric stash. I was able to finish this little project by using some fabric scraps from another project. While searching for just the right thing, I found some great stuff for future smalls, a rich red with little crows, an earthy yellow dotted with eggs. I pulled each one out thinking of which project they could be used for.
Here is Ewe & Eye & Friends Red House Scissor Companion, stitched on 32ct ivory linen using DMC in the called for colors. Finished today with the green shown in the pic and purchased cording.

Pics

2007-03-21T16:47:00.000-07:00

You can see my new stitching pics in my webshots album by clicking the link on the right side bar. I'm done trying to figure out how to get it to show in a post. Maybe tomorrow.

I have pics!

2007-03-21T13:49:00.000-07:00

But I can't get them to upload on Webshots. My poor pictures are stuck in my 'puters harddrive and nobody can see them but me.
Soon there will be pics for all to see. Just as soon as I can remember my password.

So busy

2007-03-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

I spent almost all of my day off at my store doing a fall order. I hate doing fall orders. Now I get to the dance studio and pool for the next four hours for highland dance and synchro. But I will get to work on my Red House scissor companion and tape measure cover. So not a total loss.

Welcome!

2007-03-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

I've restarted the whole blog thing with one dedicated to my stitching, quiting, beading, painting. You get the idea. I hope to keep on top of this one with updates etc on what I'm currently working on.
Thanks for visiting, comments are always welcome.