A Happy Pillow

This little singing bluebird is from a chart by SamSarah called Sing to Me. I stitched it waaaay back in 2007 on a bit of stitch band that I had gobs and gobs of. I'd always planned to make it into a sort of wrap-around pillow thingy, and finally got around to it today.

I think it's pretty cute in all it's un-perfect-ness. It makes me happy to look at it, too. :-)

I really am thrilled to have my sewing machine up and running. :-)

Fear of Finishing

I admit it! I'm a finishing chicken! I'm terrified that I'll take some lovely piece that I spent hours stitching and completely ruin it by trying to turn it into a pillow or pinkeep! So I decided I needed some practice to build up some confidence. I pulled out an old round robin that didn't really have much of a theme (unless it was "Cross Stitch from the '90s") so the motifs didn't go together very well. I still cringed when I took the scissors to it, and cut away one of the squares; Victim #1 was in my shaking hands! With the hardest part behind me, I got to work making a little hanging pillow. I had to sew the entire thing by hand because my machine is still being cranky. And I learned some lessons. Number one: Don't forget your seam allowance! What a newbie mistake! My second lesson concerned the hanger part: If you want it to be on the outside when you're done, don't sew it to the inside! I'm also going to have to learn how to be neater about sewing up the "stuffing hole". It came out a little lumpy. Other than those few things, WOOHOO! I did it! And I have to say, I couldn't have done it without the inspiration I get from other stitchers who share so many lovely finishes on their blogs! Thank you all!

Meet Charlotte

I decided my little sheepie needed a name to go along with her new blanket! She doesn't look too happy about either, though...
Now hush, Charlotte! That hem is perfectly straight!

Happy Dance!

Recipe for a Scarecrow

from Pine Mountain Designs

Stitched on 16-ct. Heatherfield pre-made sham

using DMC floss

Baa Ram Ewe!

As promised, here is a photo of my finished Wooley Tyme for March. Being a bit "Finishing Challenged", I was happy to discover how simple the blankets are to make.

I was hoping to get outside today to do some spring cleaning in the yard but last night's thunderstorm has left the flower beds a little too soggy for me to work in. I have an extremely low tolerance for wet gardening gloves! I'll just have to find something productive to do indoors!

Thank you for the comments regarding my Spring Zipper. I think I'm going to use it for some finishing practice, and if all goes well I'll gift it to someone. :-)