It's been aaages since I've posted about any stitching! (Usually when I do, my husband hangs his head in disappointment, wondering why he wasn't blogged.) It's not bc I've lost my interest in it, but rather bc I've simply not had the free time to do much of it. So I vowed to myself that on New Year's Day I would make myself find a few moments to do just that. And I did!
Every year I start a new cross stitch project, although every fiber of my being is telling me that this is wrong, wrong, wrong. After all, I've got many beautiful things started already, and I still want to see them all to the end. Some of the projects that have been started are...
1. Jane Rees (Scarlet Letter...I'm fascinated with samplers from the Bristol orphanages, especially since I had to read about George Mueller when I was in junior high school.)
2. Village of Hawk Run Hollow (Carriage House Samplings... who hasn't fallen in love with this neighborhood?)
3. Frances Eden (Handwork Samplers... this lovely sampler was half-finished and given to me by my good friend Kim, who decided she didn't care for the fabric or fibers she'd chosen.)
4. Chloe's House (Ewe and Eye and Friends... started bc I needed a port-o-project to keep with me in the car, but then it never got finished bc I kept forgetting about it sitting in the glovebox. Plus, I got a Blackberry, which took up all my car stitching time.)
5. Ruth Bacheler (Scarlet Letter... started as a SAL with Margaret, but I think both of us thought SAL was an acronym for Sit-Along, bc our Ruthies are still sort of just sitting there.)
6. Dutch Beauty (Permin of Copenhagen...I had high hopes of finishing this by my 40th birthday. I've got about 36 hours before that happens.)
I'm sure there are more, but I'll pass on going upstairs and rummaging around to see what they are. That thought frightens me.
My New Year's Day start this year was chosen by Kim and I a few weeks ago, but I neither one of us had it kitted until only a few hours before start time. (Kim was still dying her fabric at midnight on New Year's Eve, I believe...) This year we chose Sarah Brignell by The Scarlet Letter.
I was planning on stitching this sampler in DMC, so I ran to Hobby Lobby and bought the floss for it. However, I was none too thrilled with what the fibers looked like, once I got them home. Here they are on my fabric of choice, Lakeside's 36 ct. Vintage Buttercream:
I decided instead to change the palette to something softer, so I am now using Belle Soie..
Notice the blues have been dismissed, and although I love red, I didn't care for the DMC red the chart called for. So it's been toned down with Belle Soie's Rustique, which is the second skein in from the right.
There is a small sky scene in Sarah's sampler that would have used those blues, but it makes no difference to me. I've seen a lavender sky before, so Sarah is getting a lavender sky!
Here's the comparison photo:
I got a small start on it yesterday morning, and I think I'm going to like it. The fun thing about changing colors is the outcome will be a complete surprise. Hopefully a good one!
I wonder if Kim has posted her progress yet? I'll need to head on over to her blog to check it out. As of last night, she texted me to let me know she'd gotten the flower outlined. :)
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Frieda is back in the hospital again, btw. She only got to spend a couple days at home before Nurse Carla informed us that she's got another infection she needed to be admitted for. I just came from the hospital this morning, and she's doing okay, although she keeps forgetting that I don't understand German, her first language. She carried on a fairly animated conversation with me, and I didn't have the heart to say, "Huh?" so instead I just smiled and said, "Ohhh, yes, I see." She seemed satisfied. :)
Oooooooohhhhhh!!!! I love how it looks so far!! Is Kim sticking with the DMC colors or is she changing things up too? I'll have to mosey on over to her blog to see. So far I've been resisting this one -- read stem stitch. I'm assuming it has a bit of surface embroidery??? Can't wait to see more!
Sorry to hear about Frieda being back in the hospital. Poor thing. Hope she gets better soon!
Posted by: Margaret | January 02, 2010 at 01:13 PM
Beautiful start, I love the color conversion :)
Sorry to hear about your mother-in-law... sending positive thoughts and prayers to your family.
BTW, I love the new header!
Posted by: Nicole | January 02, 2010 at 02:09 PM
I LOVE that new header!! You are too freakin' clever. YGG on the new start. I love the bright colors but also love the more subdued colors. It's going to be amazing!
Prayers continue to be said for Frieda. And for all of you, too.
xo
Posted by: Siobhan | January 02, 2010 at 02:38 PM
What a great color conversion! I can't wait to see how this turns out.
So sorry to hear about Frieda. I do hope she is feeling better. Thoughts and prayers to all of you!
Posted by: Catherine | January 02, 2010 at 03:08 PM
Your new choice to stitch is beautiful, and your start is lovely!
Poor Freida. I hope she gets better soon!
Posted by: Nancy | January 02, 2010 at 03:26 PM
Good to see you stitching again, I love the new colours. Happy New Year. Julia x
Posted by: Julia Arnold | January 02, 2010 at 03:44 PM
Sorry your Mother-in-law is back in the hospital. Hope she is better soon.
Love the colors you selected for your new project. They are so soft and wonderful. Love the flower and leaf. Bet this is going to turn out great!
Posted by: Alma Allen | January 02, 2010 at 04:47 PM
Beautiful start on Sarah's Sampler. Can't wait to see more!
I hope your MIL gets better soon...
Posted by: Valerie | January 02, 2010 at 05:19 PM
Great start on Sarah's Sampler - I much prefer your colour conversion!
Healing thoughts to Freida from across the ocean
Posted by: CarolR | January 02, 2010 at 05:31 PM
This is a beautiful pattern Paulette! I love your color changes! I'm so glad you've gotten a chance to sit and stitch a bit. I'm so sorry about Frieda though. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Posted by: nicole | January 02, 2010 at 06:13 PM
I think that you've chosen some lovely colors for this design. I hope that you do post many progress pics of this one ;)
Posted by: Dianne | January 02, 2010 at 06:30 PM
I think that your choices for the threads for Sarah are beautiful. And that's a beautiful pattern! I'll have to add it to my list at some point! And you have a great array of projects in your WIP pile. I've seen DB finished by someone in my Guild and it was spectacular!
I'm sorry to hear about Frieda and hope that she gets better soon.
Posted by: Debbie | January 02, 2010 at 06:37 PM
Ohhhh... Paulette I love the conversion you did for your Sarah. Belle Soie are my silks of choice these days and your palette is is wonderful.
I hope you get to put in a few more stitches soon.
Love your new header.
Posted by: Laurie in Iowa | January 02, 2010 at 06:38 PM
Love your new header - very stylish!
So glad you have found a little stitching time and Sarah is just an amazing piece - I am going to need this one. Your color changes are just lovely. It's going to be such fun to watch your progress and Kim's and to see the differences in colors.
Our prayers are with all of you and especially Frieda.
Happy New Year, Paulette.
Posted by: Cari | January 02, 2010 at 11:49 PM
I love your colour choices for the sampler!
Sending good wishes for a speedy recovery to Frieda.
Posted by: Nic | January 03, 2010 at 01:58 AM
Great colour choices and a good start! I wish I could be so bold with changing the colours...
I enjoyed reading about your Christmas time, and the pictures! Sophie's expressions are the best :)
Posted by: Pirjo | January 03, 2010 at 04:40 AM
i love your choice of sampler starts for 2010! it will be fun to watch your's and Kim's progress!
hope freida is feeling better and home soon. thats no way to start the new year!
Posted by: joann in tx | January 03, 2010 at 02:04 PM
I love your color conversion as well, I really don't like bright pink in any sampler- it just seems so.. unnatural.
Bless Frieda's heart.. I hope she is doing better now. :)
Posted by: Tracey | January 06, 2010 at 08:07 AM