Spring Stitching Fling

We've had a weekend filled with sunshine--and I've had my own spring fling of colorful stitching on this and that in-between the grocery shopping, errands, and house chores.

I've been cross-stitching hearts with pretty variegated DMC floss--these hearts will be part of another cross-stitch quilt I am planning. I have been doing a lot more cross-stitch lately, and playing around with some designing; but I think I could stitch these hearts in my sleep! The trick to bringing out the gorgeous color variations in this kind of floss is to go ahead and completely cross all of your x's as you stitch. Normally you would stitch across on a row going right, and then come back and make the "x" going left. With variegated floss, the color changes quickly enough that you would miss out on the natural striping if you did this. I love the variegated flosses and I have one sampler pattern that uses the same color, yet it's amazing how it naturally changes all the way through. And, you can pick any color for the sampler, so you can make this one sampler several times, and even if you made it twice with the same variegated skein, it would look different! Love it!

 














I have to give a quick garden update. My onion and garlic chives are already filled out in the middle raised bed of my garden! Once again we have fresh chives for our omelets and baked potatoes, because they have thrived in the cool weather. Radish seeds love the cool March weather too and they are popping up all over the other raised bed. I am almost surprised, because it was snowing last week! But they look very hearty now in the sunshine.

Today, after singing in choir in two services, running home for a quick bite and starting the cross-stitch owl for my daughter, the owl lover, we ran over to Michaels because my favorite sugar and cream yarns were on sale for $1! I guess I am patch happy with a lot of projects, but I continue to knit these colorful cotton patches for a knit quilt I am making and finding sugar and cream yarn on sale makes me happy! I stocked up on the pretty blues and purples.




 


I also picked up the package of "popular" DMC flosses. I love these colors, and am thinking of using this palate for a bunch of new designs.

I have to mention, DMC floss is now 35-cents a skein at my local Michael's craft store. Alright, that does not sound like much until you need about 50 colors for a project. For many years it was 25-cents a skein, and would go on sale for 20-cents a skein sometimes--my best friend and I would load up whenever that would happen. I ended up with a big, clear plastic box of over 350 colors, filed in the bags and labeled. 


For over a decade, I have been mostly able to "shop" my own stash when I start a new project, and I still have my stash going strong. So now I am realizing that its value has actually gone up! Very cool. Thrifty, as I am, I bought this $16.74 package of this gorgeous color collection with a 40% off coupon. That was a great value. Yay me!

Aren't they pretty?

Floss to me is like paint to an artist--I never get tired of it, and always get excited about new colors and forms, such as the variegated and the satin flosses. I get as excited about the floss as I do the actual projects. I want to work on the many patterns I have, and I want to design new patterns. Am I weird? I'm definitely a life-long cross-stitch-aholic. I guess I could be worse things! I do, however, enjoy how my love of cross-stitch has morphed into mixed-media art--it all fits right in.

This was Minnie today, helping on the greenhouse. She's so busy. ;)

I heart spring.

The bad news: thunderstorms and 40 degrees are hitting the Ozarks tomorrow! The good news: spring is still here, it's just hiding for a day. I'm glad my hubby grilled out for dinner tonight!  EWDS!