Z is for Zipper

This is the Stitch & Zip I am currently working on.  It is an eyeglass case.  I love these kits as they are easy to do and don't need much finishing.  If you can stitch in the car, this is a great travel project.  Not much thinking involved either so it is a great,"Tired, but want to stitch" project.
I finished the challenge.  Yipee!  I think I will go order a shirt....

Y is for Yellow

I did this seam on my crazy quilt using yellow thread and the fly stitch so I could use it today.  Each fly stitch looks like a Y.  Tomorrow is the last day of the challenge.  I do believe I am going to make it!

X is for lots of X's

 I really did not know what to do today, so I thought these cross stitches in the background of my Elizabeth would count.  Here is a photo of the whole piece. 

Plenty left to do and a few decisions to make, but I love how she is looking!

W is for Waffle

This is a year long project by Ro Pace that can be found here: ANG Stitch of the Month 2011 .I am stitching it for my local guild.

V is for Veil

I got the veil done except for the pearls!  So excited!  She won't be done by my May deadline, but she will  be close!

U is for Up and Down Buttonhole Stitch Feathered

Yes, that is truly the name of this stitch! You can find it here:  Sharon B's .  She has a ton of great stitches and her directions are wonderful!  I thought about UFO-unfinished objects, but I had too many to choose from...  That is a sad state of affairs.

T is for Turkey and Twisted

 The bee did not stand out in my piece so some friends suggested that I do stumpwork on the bee.  All those threads are the start of turkey work. I think I am half way through.

That little bit of green on the seam is twisted chain stitch.  It may not work and may have to be removed..
What am I going to do for U?

S is for Spider's Web

A friend saw this piece a week ago and said she could barely see the web I had put in.  I had a motif in this section that I did not like, so I ripped it and made the web much larger.  Now I need to make a spider.  After all, this web did not make itself.....

R is for Ridged Spider Webs

I saw these at Mary Corbet's Blog  and she called them ribbed wheels.  I thought they would look great on this  crazy quilt. This section still needs french knots, chain stitch and other stuff.  But it is a good start.

Q is for Queen and What I got done on the Hermit Retreat

I did not have as much time to stitch as I would have liked, but I did make some decisions about the veil.  I also did some gardening which ate quite a bit of time.  I will have to get some more time here this week so I can have this done by May 2.

P is for Pulled Thread

This is a pillow made by a fellow stitcher in the technique called pulled work.  Threads are not removed in this type of work; the stitches are pulled as the pattern is stitched which creates an opening in the ground fabric.  I love this technique and the designs it makes.

O is for Outline Stitch

I think this is an outline stitch although it may be stem...I know there is a difference, but for me, it does not matter.

N is for Needlecase

I love needle cases!  The one on the far right is Gay Ann Roger's Townhouse. If I had a search engine on this blog, you could see the whole thing opened up!  The one on the left is Gay Ann Roger's Echoes of Elizabeth.  I have the kit for the sampler waiting for me in the basement.  The middle case is my son's.  He made the scissor's fob too.  He is a teen now and not doing needlework so I get this case.  I thought he might want the scissors, but he didn't ask for them....

M is for Maidenhair

I love this variation of the feather stitch.  I looks like little ferns.  Hope everyone got their taxes done!  We did, finally so I get some stitching time tonight!

L is for Leviathan Variation

 The green stitch is the leviathan variation with a bunch of other stitches around and on top of it.  Lots of fun to make these!

Here is my progress on the whole sampler.  Hopefully I will get some stitching done on it today.

K is for Kloster Block

Kloster blocks are used in hardanger embroidery. It is the little blocks used to keep threads in place before cutting holes in the fabric.  I love this little angel.  I rescued her from an auction for $1.  There is hardanger at the end of the Heirloom Stitching Sampler, but I am no where near the end of that piece!

J is for Jean Hilton

Spirit of Jean 
This is a new group correspondence course through American Needlepoint Guild.  Yes, I signed up to do it through  Cyberpointers .  You can always join me in my craziness!  I love Jean Hilton stitches and geometric pieces.  I can't help myself!

 

I is for Indigo

Some friends went to a quilt show and picked up this lovely indigo dyed fabric from South Africa.  I need to wash it as it has something on it.  I love the designs.  I have a crazy friend who is going to grow indigo so we can dye our own fabric.  Yipee!

H is for Heirloom Stitching Sampler

I had hoped to get to the next alphabet before I posted again, but this is as far as I have gotten.

G is for Gobelin Stitch

The outer square is done in padded gobelin stitch.  Not much to look at, but it will frame some fantastic whitework!

F is for Featherstitch

For some reason, I always thought this stitch was the Fly Stitch, but when I looked it up in my stitch books, I discovered its real name.  It is my go to stitch when doing seams on crazy quilts.

E is for Elizabeth I

This is the piece that I work on consistently.  I am very close to finishing her skirt, but this photo shows my lack of proper tension.  But onward and upward!  I think the veil is close!

D is for Drawn Thread

This is my progress on my Doodle Drawn Thread Sampler.  No threads have been removed but I am confident that it will get done.

C is for Carriage

This one is done!

B is for Buttonhole

This piece has lots and lots of buttonhole.  And I can see a spot where I cut a thread.  Sigh.  Another piece that needs lots of work.  But also, lots of opportunities!

A is for Algerian Eye

 I decided to pull out Sharon B's Sumptuous Embroidery class project to show Algerian eye.  It is a great open work stitch and I think it will look good in that upper corner.  But four stitches aren't enough!!!