This first piece is a needlecase that I got in my Christmas package from my secret Santa, Erica. It's the first project like this that I've ever done, and it came with the most gorgeous silk floss (all the magenta and blue). I've never worked with silk floss before and I have fallen totally in love. Now I'm on the lookout for more needlecase patterns since I've filled this one already. A quick, very fun project.
This second piece also came from my secret Santa. (Sorry the photo is so blurry.) It uses DMC's new scented flosses. I admit, I was a little hesitant at first, but the floss was actually not bad. Not an overwhelming scent, just a gentle perfume of Lily of the Valley. Only the white in this was scented. I will say, however, that the chart was one of the more annoying ones I've ever followed. I'm not sure what they were thinking. In any case, doing this made me curious to try some of the yummier (i.e. food-based) scented flosses. Now if anyone has any ideas on how to finish this, I am open for suggestions. It's only about 6 inches square.
Now this is a project with a history. I bought this kit somewhere around 1993, I'd guess. I'm basing that on the fact that I remember where I bought it, and I haven't lived within 500 miles of that store since 1994. I actually finished crocheting it a long, long time ago. Think years. And I even started the cross stitch on it. But soon found that stitching the same flower over and over again was really dull. Phenomenally dull. Mind-achingly dull. Run screaming from the house dull. But late last year I decided it was time to just finish it. And I did. I'd stitch one or two flowers a night and before you know it, it was done. Yeah!
This was a fun project. I found myself wandering the aisles of the Dollar Tree one day and discovered they had this great bulky yarn. I ended up going to about three different stores buying all they had in about five different colors. And then the crochet madness starts! I'm pretty sure I wasn't following any published pattern and I just fooled around until I came up with something that I like. Actually, looking back, I think I may have mad a scarf first. Whatever. In any case, I ended up with a pretty cool, totally obnoxious, super huge afghan. And still have some yarn left for all my scarf-making needs:)
And finally, a long project finally completed. This piece is called Tapestry Cat and is designed by Teresa Wentzler. I actually finished stitching it some time last year, but just didn't want to sew on all the teeny, tiny little bead. Actually, I almost just didn't add the beads. In the end, though, I decided to do it and am glad I did since it both added a lot to the piece and also helped me catch a couple spots where I hadn't quite finished all of the stitching. Now I've just got to frame it, a task I dislike quite strongly (as evidenced by the large pile of finished cross stitch in my home).
