Grape Threadkeeper – completed!!

Grape Threadkeeper – completed!!
Originally uploaded by Cathymk.

Here it is!! La la la!!

Ok, I still haven’t decided about the tassel/cording. I actually like it without. I did order myself a cording mini drill in my recent shop-fest (not yet received) so this project will offer an opportunity for a practise with the new tool. I also have never beaded the top of a tassel so that would be another new thing to learn.

If you would like to see some other photos of this piece I have loaded them into a special set in my Flickr album. The fob is exquisite. I think it is almost the thing I like best about this project! Which is hilarious when you consider it is only the size of a fifty cent piece!!

It’s going to be strange for me tomorrow, only two files from Martina to down load – Persian Iris Garden and Japanese Octagon box. Earlier this year I think I was up to 4 or 5!

Crazy Cat Lady Exchange news!

Oh bliss! I finally heard today that the piece that I stitched for the Crazy Cat Lady Exchange arrived safely in Canada. I mailed it on 18th September, so you can see why I was getting a bit antsy.
I chose to stitch “In Stitches” by Calico Crossroads for Beth. I ended up finishing it as a flatfold. Which is one of my favourite ways of finishing things. That’s a little mouse button in the corner securing the ribbon bow (I was pretty pleased with this button). I also included some charts I found at my LNS on sale (bargin!!) and some rather cute cat fabric that hopefully Beth can use for her own finishing projects.

Oh and here is a pic of Felix, helping me decide what to do as finishing for this project and of course adding his own personal touch to the design. (I brushed this pretty thoroughly before I sent it)

I’ve pretty much finished the Grape Threadkeeper, I just need to decide whether to do the tassel and cording. I’ve done a tassle with a brown thread but I don’t think it matches well (Joel disagrees) so I am waiting to see what I think in a couple of days time. In any case I will want to buy more thread in order to do the cording, there isn’t much left here. I’ll take some pics sometime tomorrow.

Grape Threadkeeper – nearly done.

Here is Sunday’s progress on the finishing of Grape Threadkeeper. As you can see I have completed the needle-book (except for adding the ribbon) and attached the spine. I’ve pinned it all together for stitching together (probably today). I’m so pleased with how this process is coming together. It really is a beautiful piece (even pinned together) I’ve just realised you can see my toes in the first picture – I was still in my pjs this morning when I took this photo!

I had morning tea with my good friends Donna and Ali yesterday – it was so lovely to catch up with them and to savour the wonderful hot chocolate at Tranby House. Joel and I then had lunch there which was very nice (they have improved their lunch menu too – hooray!). Then we went off to Ellenbrook to visit with my sister in law and her husband (and the kids!!) I had rather a large glass of red wine so I couldn’t countenance any further work on Grape Threadkeeper after we got home.
I think that I have an appointment to have my legs waxed today. I’ve lost my appointment card from the salon, so I’ll just show up and see if I’m in the book (and make an appointment if I don’t have one today!!).
Thank you all for your comments yesterday – I’m so pleased to be able to share my progress with you.

Finishing Grape Threadkeeper (part one)

Here’s my progress at the end of day one of my finishing spree on Grape Thread Keeper (Martina Weber – Chatelaine Designs). Looks pretty good, eh! I’m feeling pretty confident that this will look great when I’m done with it.

In this picture you can see the four elements that will make up the threadkeeper. I have made the scissor pocket (with my purple scissors to match) and the chart pocket page and the hedebo rings for the threads. I will not be sharing the whys and wherefores of the finishing instructions as these are the property of Judy O’Dell. I have been wondering how similar these instructions would be to her Simple Elegance instructions but looking at the photo on her website I’d say not very similar at all. Another project to add to the wish list? Judy does make the finishing very easy. I have just had the digest from the yahoo group and they are all enjoying the finishing process too. It’s fun working knowing others are doing the same thing too.

What I did on my holidays (Shock! Cathy updates her blog!)

What have I been up to?
Actually not a whole lot. I’ve been sorting out my stitching stash. All is now tidy and I finally know which DMC I need to buy to complete my set (can you believe I’m still 126 colours short of a full set – actually not that hard to believe when you realise it is on average $1.00 a skein over here). I also updated my lists of WDW, GAST and Cresent Colours – hopefully I will now manage to avoid too many duplicates.
I got my tax done and I am expecting a refund – yay! (I’ve had a little shopping fest to celebrate).
I’ve tidied the house (and messed it up again!!)
My copy of JCS ornaments 2006 finally arrived and I have been enjoying choosing the ones I’d like to stitch.
And I’ve been working on Reed’s stocking for Niall. I’m still hoping that I may finish this one in time for Christmas.

I got tagged by Rava! A girl who really knows how to shop!
Five weird things that I have to admit to about myself or my pets.. how odd I can’t think of much, but I do get plenty of strange looks from the people in my daily life.

1. Max has a habit of trying to follow me by walking in front of me. This is annoying but not particularly weird.
2. He also runs around in circles when he is excited, especially when he thinks I am going to get up and feed him. I have been known to pretend to get up just to watch him rush off and then laugh. Yes, I am a bad person.
3. My cat Felix is the filthiest cat I have ever known. He never ever grooms himself. He comes inside covered with mulch and then expects us to brush it off his fur.
4. Felix also loves Max and is always trying to cuddle up to him. This week I have watched him climb into Max’s basket countless times and seen Max leap out of his basket to get away from his cuddles. Felix actually grooms the dog (I wonder if he expects Max to clean him too?)
5. Max is soo deaf that Joel and I can sneak in some evenings before he realises and pop his food in his dish before he has a chance to beg for it. When we make enough noise to wake him, he jumps a mile in surprise (this is pretty funny).

Max has been waking me at 5am – he seems totally unaware that I am on holidays and don’t need to be awakened with the dawn chorus. This is my way of getting back at him. Everytime I put my head down for a nap, he sits and whines by the bed. Max, you are on my bad boy list. Today I made his hair appointment – it’s time for another extreme makeover for Max. When I called the vet, the first appointment was for two weeks time – tis the season, apparently.