Mary Wigham

Not a very good pic colour-wise, but you can see my progress. I am still stitching directly from my comp screen, so it`s kind of slow going. I changed the colours on a few of the motifs as the ecru and white just don`t show up on the cream...I really, really am loving this sampler!

Keep stitching ladies!

Grateful Heart Chit Chat for Silklover

SilkLover asked me some questions about my version of Grateful Heart. She wrote:

I Love the Grateful Heart Sampler. So happy to find someone else stitching it! I was checking Just Cross Stitch Mag for corrections as I had a question on the colors used in Areas C and E since the directions said to use color 7044 (Dungarees) for BOTH of the stitches, but the photo of the design (and your pic) differs. What I found instead was that all double-running and backs stitches should be stitched using one strand of floss rather than the two noted in the instructions. If I was more experienced, I would have figured that out. Too late. Since I have too many hand problems to rip out the work I have used these stitches in, and if I did I would toss it right now as the GAST floss is terrible quality and does not hold up, I will leave as is. I have a question - did you use Old Blue Paint or Blue Jay color for the long-arm stitches in Areas C and E? Thanks!



Hello Silklover! I looked for an email addy for you, but can`t find one, so i`ll answer you here...I really wondered about doing the double running with 2 strands, so I stood back and looked after I stitched it, and it looked ok to me so I left it.

I completely agree about the GAST quality...I have some older stock in my stash that is nice, but this is terrible...I won`t be buying their threads again unless I can see them first(I mail order all my supplies right now). This also makes me wonder if I am going to run out of thread because i`m using twice as much for the double running stitches. I know mistakes happen, but geeze...don`t they check things before they publish? Grrrrrrrr......

As for areas C and E... I used Blue Jay for the long armed cross...I think it is a mistake in the pattern saying to use Dungarees. The pic looked like she used Blue Jay, so that`s what I went with...

Thank you so much SilkLover for the info...I didn`t see any corrections for the sampler anywhere...where did you find them, and are there any more little 'surprises' I should know about? Do you have a blog where I can see your stitching?

Winter`s Lace update

I spent last weekend with this project...I hadn`t worked on it for awhile, and I had to 'switch gears' to working confetti stitches....a big difference from Mary Wigham. I like working this though I wish it was going a little faster. I am trying to be patient with it, because unless I stitch it exclusively, it is going to be slow going.

I am back to working on Mary Wigham again...I have my comp on the side with the pattern on screen so I can stitch (no printer). It`s a bit awkward, but I just can`t seem to put MW down...I am officially Quaker addicted I think!


Keep stitching ladies!

Mary Wigham update

Here is section one, (mostly) finished. There are a few stitches that go into the second part that I haven`t done. The only problem is I don`t have a printer, so i`m waiting for part two to come in the mail (my fiancee printed it off for me). I have tried stitching with the comp on my lap, but it`s a bit awkward...maybe i`ll stitch on Grateful Heart for awhile...or maybe go back to my wolves...hmmm. Decisions, decisions...

There is a lot of buzz about this sampler on the Needle and Thread board. I am loving every stitch of this so far, and i`m not alone!...come take a peek at our pics and join in the conversations! Joining YUKU is free, and there are a lot of stitching boards there...

Keep stitching ladies!

Grateful Heart and Mary Wigham

Here is an update pic of my Grateful Heart by Sharon Cohen. I made a change in this band...the carnations had been done in green and pink, whereas mine are just pink. I made a mistake when stitching and decided I liked them better all pink, so I just left it. I wanted to get this band finished before I started Mary Wigham...my linen and threads for Mary came on Monday!

I started Mary Wigham a few days ago. I don`t know if I am going to be bored with all cross stitch and no specialty stitches, but it`s fun so far! Go here and click on the pic in the side bar to see how others are stitching theirs...there is so much wonderful variety in the colour schemes!

Keep stitching ladies!

June 6

Today is the anniversary of D Day, The Battle of Normandy. I have 2 soon-to-be stepsons who are in the military, one in Iraq, one in Afghanistan. They are never far from my thoughts, but today they are especially on my mind. Stay safe.

Stitching...on a budget?

Photo by Fry, Annapolis Basin. This is one of my favorite places to stitch...


I have been trying to be very conservative in my spending the last few months. I am going to live in the USA, and have been saving (or trying to) for airfares, etc. I have really done very well...until lately. I decided to join the Mary Wigham stitch-along over at the Needleprint blog, and so I ordered my material (from the sale section of Traditional Stitches) and my thread (DMC instead of silk). I made a donation for the continued upkeep of the sampler at Ackworth, and thought to myself wow...I shouldn`t spend anymore on stitching for awhile...after all, I have more in my stash than I will likely ever get stitched now...and then I saw this , the Ackworth School Memory Book. I could have a place to enter the names of all the stitchers, notes on my progress, mementos of the event, notes about the antique sampler....I hesitated...I hemmed and hawed...I slept on it. I tried to ignore the book, but it beckoned me...so I broke down and ordered it. By the time I get this sampler finished, I will have spent around $100.00...and that is before framing!

I plan on stitching a lot on Grateful Heart this weekend so I can have as much of it done as possible before starting Mary Wigham. I should have an update pic for you on Monday.

How do you all manage to stick to a budget when it comes to your passion? I need a needlework intervention!

Keep stitching ladies!