Stitching with Lizzie - Week 30 - Complete!!

Elizabeth Mears Sampler - Completed 27 July 2011

This morning I completed the stitching for the Elizabeth Mears reproduction sampler.  I haven't decided how I am going to sign it, but that doesn't really count as part of the the stitching.

I am completely delighted with the way it turned out -- mistakes and all!  This is the largest and one of the most beautiful pieces I have stitched completed.

Am I the only stitcher that would pay more for a chart if the designer would provide some overlap stitches from one page to another?  I had been away from the cross stitch world for some years and with recent purchases of large charts I have been dismayed (putting it nicely) that designers have dropped the overlap section.  This is forcing me to make copies and do a cut and paste activity to be sure my stitching is in the correct position when moving from one page to the next.  The chart for this sampler is an example of the lack of overlap.  Perhaps it is now the industry standard -- but seriously, how hard can it be to add a couple more rows the the page?

In spite of the shortcomings of the chart for this sampler, it was a great stitch!

Stitching with Lizzie - Week 28

Elizabeth Mears at week 28

This fabulous house looks so much better in person!  This week I have, once again,  spent several hours working exclusively on the Elizabeth Mears sampler.  I am hoping that by this time next week the house will be complete even there is still quite a bit to be done.

Stitching with Lizzie - Week 27

Elizabeth Mears at Week 27

Wow -- what a difference a week makes!  The castle is stitching up quickly -- even for me, one of the slowest stitchers on the planet.  Once the gable is complete, the remaining stitching is simple cross stitch. Perhaps an August finish??

I've tried a couple different ways to work the checkerboard brick work -- putting in a whole section of white and then filling in with the brown, working on a diagonal, putting in the brown and then filling in the white....etc.  In my opinion, it is easiest to work in horizontal rows with two needles -- put in the white, fill in the brown and then drop to the next row.

Stitching with Lizzie at week 26 - what was she thinking??

Lizzie at Week 26

The past week, I have only stitched on Lizzie aka Elizabeth Mears.  I have spent a ridiculous amount of time stitching the center gable at the roof line.  The white outer edge of the gable is stitched one thread high and two threads wide with plenty of partial stitches to confuse me.  Needless to say, it took a couple of attempts to have a gable that was presentable and I'm fairly pleased with the result.

If you are stitching this piece, I suggest you follow Barbara's direction and put in all of the full and partial stitches surrounding the gable first and then go back and work symbol 9.  Even with that I found that I needed to mark my progress on my chart to keep my stitches in the correct positions.

Since the high temperature continues to hover in the 110 degree plus range, it should be another good week for stitching.

Stitching With Lizzie - Week 25

Elizabeth Mears Sampler - Week 25

This is Elizabeth Mears  at Week 25.  The baskets came out great and the big house should start taking shape soon. I'm sort of wishing I had selected a darker ground fabric so that the house will stand out a bit more.... but .... I really wanted to use the church linen.

Mr. Snowman - Ornament #5

Ornament #5 is still in progress. I was distracted with the pompom on the hat.  The stitch guide uses modified turkey work that is then cut, but I've never been a fan of that stitch.  I have a few ideas...

Elizabeth Mears at Week 20

Elizabeth Mears - Week 20

During the past week I completed the queen stitch band and a portion of the baskets and words.  It looks great but it will go on the back burner while I get some quilting done.

Elizabeth Mears Stitching - Week 19

Lizzie at Week 19

On to the baskets!  Don't you just love the berry baskets on this sampler?  I continue to follow the schedule and the suggestions that have been made by Barbara of Queenstown Samplers.  The queen stitch row is marked and will be stitched after completing a small portion of the section just below it - the leaves of the baskets, top of the building and the fruit words.  So glad that she provided the stitch schedule through July!

Elizabeth Mears Stitching - Week 18

Lizzie at Week 18

After taking a couple of weeks off, I am back to stitching with Lizzie.  There are a couple of color changes in the rice and eyelet alphabet... not by design.  Since there are no sampler authorities in my home I will be the only one to notice.

The four sided stitch is fun and fast, I should have the band finished this weekend and will be able to start the over 1 inscription row.  I am totally keeping up the group!!

Elizbeth Mears Sampler Stitching - Week 15

Elizabeth Mears Sampler at Week 15

Stitching with Lizzie  continues with the eyelet stitch alphabet row.  This is taking much longer than the rice stitch dividing band and alphabet row.  I am not stitching the eyelet as shown in the sampler instructions.  Old needlepoint habits carry over nicely to sampler stitching -- I have a much more even result if I put in every other stitch first and then complete a second round putting in the missing stitches, some stitchers do the second round counter clockwise.

Elizabeth Mears Stitching - Week 13

Elizabeth Mears Sampler at Week 13

Stitching with Lizzie continues ... the best part about posting photos of my projects is that the camera points out errors/opportunities that I just don't see otherwise.  I will add the last rice stitch to the letter A this evening.

Next comes the eyelet dividing band and since that is one of my favorite stitches, I won't be stopping now.

Elizabeth Mears Sampler Stitching - Week 12

Stitching with Lizzy continues into week 12.  I had planned to stop for the month after finishing the third alphabet but the rice stitch band just needed to be done.

Elizabeth Mears Sampler Stitching - Week 11

Elizabeth Mears Sampler  - Week 11

Stitching with Lizzy continues --

This sampler is pretty in the photos but it is much more beautiful in person ... I continue to stitch along with the group.

Elizabeth Mears Sampler Stitching - Week 10

Mears Sampler at Week 10

Stitching continues on my Elizabeth Mears Sampler... I have completed over half of the lovely bargello band.  I know several stitchers are working just a bit of each band in order to get the correct spacing and get down to the big house.  At the moment, my plan is to work each band - or in tandem with another band as the designer has suggested - before moving on to the next.

When the bargello band is done I will be on track to catch up with the stitching schedule --- at least until a March newsletter is posted!!

 

Mears Sampler - Chili Needlepoint - eBay Auctions

Elizabeth Mears

There hasn't been much progress on my version on Elizabeth Mears - but, something is better than nothing.  I did find a set of super strong tiny magnets that I'm quite happy with.  In the photo the little bubble shows the magnet that I found at The Container Store.  There are 16 in a pack for less than $10 (on sale) I can have them on every project!!

Chili Handpaint Needlepoint

It's always nice to have a project that requires very little thought and no chart -- this little canvas by Chili is perfect.

eBay Auctions!!

I have also been busy getting some of my craft items on auction at eBay.  Check out my Auction page to see what I have listed right now and what will be on eBay soon!