Erica's Stitches

See the blank temari?  It's been one of my oldest UFO's for almost 10 years.  Not any more. I recently saw a picture of a temari with free-form flowers which renewed my interest.  I pushed aside some other projects to finish the temari. I started out traditionally with a star on top and on the bottom. Then I put my free-form flowers around the middle.  I had fun remembering how to stitch on a temari (using only another temari as a guide).  The flowers were more of a challenge, but it's similar to stitching on felt and I got them stitched on. Now all the temari in my basket are finished.  Time for something new.

Yes, I made a basket. I got the kit a while ago at a thrift store and finally was brave enough to assemble it. I made mistakes and it's not perfect. It was a horrible feeling when I got to the last step and discovered I'd already used the piece I was supposed to lace with.  Luckily, I had just enough scraps to make up for it. It actually looks just like a basket.  Just, don't look too closely at the left corner.  The next one I do will have better corners.  If I ever see another kit out there. The basket is the perfect size for projects.  I've started with some yarn for my next knitting project.  But after that, it will probably hold some other stitching.

I'm going to make a biscornu to go inside my sewing basket.  That's the lid of the basket on top. I'm using the red and green in the basket as a starting point for the colors. The darker linen makes it difficult.  Mediums tend to blend right into the background.  The picture makes it easier to see how the colors work together. There are actually four reds and I only need three.  The lightest and the darkest I'll definitely use.  Right now I'm leaning towards the lightest medium. I've decided I like the rest of the colors so I'm ready to start stitching.

The following are done: The 1975 Azalea .  The frame is made of plastic but doesn't quite look it.  I thought it perfect for completing the 1970's look. The Magic Needlecase Challenge - outside and in. The Aida cloth made for extremely ugly bulky corners that I hid with the twisted cord.  It turned out nice, but the needlecase doesn't lie flat.  Oh well. And finally ... with some Alpaca samples I received 2 weeks ago a sampler: The teal one isn't Alpaca - I had to practice first.  The Alpaca is so soft and I enjoyed trying the different textures of each sample.  Now I have room for more new projects!

I've spent all my spare time this last week (OK, not all, it just seems like it.  I have watched a little of the Olympics) digging up iris. This is about half of them.  Today I started planting.  This is faster then digging them up. Then comes finding people to take the rest of them. This is beginning to be too much work.  This is the last time I'm going to dig them all up in the same year.  After this it will be a few every year. Hopefully next spring it will seem worth it.  Right now, it doesn't seem like I'll ever be done.