March Madness, Week 3

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After a weekend off (you'd think it would be easier for me to stitch on the weekend, but the opposite is true), I drew a slip of paper that said, "Hardanger Ornament". Now, when I wrote that slip, I took it off a WIP list I had made a while ago. I thought to myself, "I wonder what ornament that is! Oh, well, I guess it'll make sense when I open my ornament box." Well, I opened the box, and I still don't have any idea what ornament it meant!! So, I decided to start one of Moss Creek Designs' Hardanger Fancies.I got all the kloster blocks done in one night, and had I not played some games online, I probably could have finished the filling! It looks like these would not take much time to finish at all. It'll probably take me longer to do the holly leaves and berries.

The next night I was feeling under the weather, so I didn't get anything done. My next draw was a beginning lace project, Leafy Scarf.I am fascinated that according to the number of knitting versus stitching projects that I put in the bowl, the probability has come out just about right. There was one knitting project for about every ten stitching projects, and that's about how often I'd drawn them so far. I got about four or five repeats done on this scarf, and I think there are only 30. It's a nice silk blend and very soft. It'll look great once it's blocked! I made myself put in a lifeline (that's the pearl cotton you see woven in there) for practice (and discipline) when I get to more complex lace shawls.

The next day brought another Liz Turner Diehl project, this time in stumpwork.I need to redo at least one of the bee's wings, because my stitching has improved...you can see a difference in the buttonhole stitching on the first wing and all the others, and I know it will bug me. But I spent my time working turkey knots (the black and gold loops you see at the bottom of the bee). They are very relaxing!

Another day skipped, but the following day brought another Moss Creek piece:This is her Blackwork Band Sampler, the infamous class after which Teresa rescued me from overpriced hotel food, along with Jill. After a dinner of "cow", two great friendships were born. I had finished the needleweaving section at some point (I know it wasn't during class), but I stitched all the blackwork in my one evening of madness. That section was supposedly taken from Helen of Troy's bracelet, and it made me think of our cruise in the Mediterranean in November, when we got to stop at Athens and Ephesus and explore some remains of ancient Greek civilization. (Yes, yes...I know you want pictures. They're coming sometime.)

The final piece of the week was another new start!!This is Teresa Wentzler's Celtic Cross Bellpull. I've had most of the silks for this forever, although I'm still looking to replace the Silk Mori...'cause I hate that stuff! I got some Soie Cristale on sale (LOVE IT!) but I'm not sure the colors work.

So much fun to revisit (and start!) these projects!! One more week of madness to come...!

JiffNotes
Probability loves me. That, or it really, really wants me to start new projects. And if you're not sure what's going on, you might want to check out weeks one and two.

And the winner is...

Katri!

Thank you for participating in my contest (or just clicking to help me out). I didn't end up winning anything myself, but those are the breaks!

I just realized that I missed my blogiversary yet again this year, so I decided to give out another prize to celebrate that as well, a little belatedly. The second drawing (I say "drawing", but I numbered everyone's entries in order and used Random.org to pick a number) went to...

Annette!

Ladies, send me your addresses (at heather dot lott @ lottloft dot com) and your pick of one of the eight prizes. Annette, you'd better send me a second choice just in case Katri snags your first choice.

Thanks again for playing!!

March Madness, Week 2

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As I explained in my first post about my version of March Madness, I drew a piece of paper from a bowl each day in March and worked on whatever project I drew. (I was allowed to spend "dayilght hours" beading Mirabilia's Easter Fairy, in the previous post.) The end of the first week, I drew......a Chatelaine mandala design that I had just barely started. Well, it's still just barely started......but it was fun to work with the silks and just ogle the sparklies that go with this piece.

The next day I drew another project that, like the Antique Button Sampler from week 1, I have not touched since I walked out of the class. This is Seeds of Love by Teresa Wentzler. Teresa actually taught this class at a retreat in Myrtle Beach. It was a really fun time. I was thinking as I stitched this that it wouldn't take that long to finish...

I didn't get to stitch on Sunday, but Monday I drew a fun band sampler that was a birthday gift. This may be my next candidate for replacing the Easter Fairy once Spring turns into Summer. I have Fall and Winter pieces, and now the Fairy for Spring, but nothing for Summer. Hmmm...

The next day, I picked another new project to start (like Floral Fifteen the first week)!! I'm in love with Mirabilia's reindeer. I want to stitch them in order according to the poem rather than release order. But either way, Dasher is the first!I have changed the colors a little bit. The reindeer's coat and the greenery were a little too "yellow" for me, so I changed them. I still need to find a good replacement for the Umbria Waterlilies that goes with this reindeer and the seven others. So far, though, I haven't been able to find an overdyed silk with a bluer green and either a burgundy or deep purple. Anyway, this reindeer has so many sparkly beads and crystals to attach, I can't wait to get on with it!

The very next day brought another Christmas design...Star of Wonder.This is a Just Nan class piece, although I did not actually take a class. I love the colors in this one.

The final day for this week, I drew yet another class piece that I had not touched since the class (sense a theme here?)This was a fun class, because there was pre-stitching for all the hardanger kloster blocks, as well as the cutting. In class, we got to work on the filling stitches.
You can see that the first four are done. I finished the fourth one with that night's work. I could probably continue to finish one a night!

Stay tuned for weeks three and four!

JiffNotes
Week two of March Madness brought more "ancient" class projects and another new start!

Happy (Easter) Dance

I wanted to post this on Easter, but it was a very busy day; we sang at two services and then spent the day with my parents. This is actually hanging on the wall; it was hanging up the day after Spring arrived, and that's pretty good for me!
Don't forget the giveaway from the previous post. Make sure you leave a comment each time you click for me! =)

Giveaway!!

I am desperately trying to win a contest myself, so I'm going to ask for your help, and give a little something in return. I need clicks (from unique IP addresses...and if you don't know what that means, don't worry about it! =) to this URL: Harmless videogame advertisement. Only one click per day (per IP address) counts.

I'm going to have a drawing for a prize...entries are based on you helping me. Heck, if I get something good in my contest, I may get generous and draw for multiples. But I promise at least one of you will get to pick a prize from the following:
For the knitters/crocheters, your choice of one of the following:
1) Sock Sampler - one skein of Austermann Step and two skeins of KnitPicks Essential Kettle Dyed in Jay

2) Lamb's Pride - My finished Cable Sampler Bag and the remainder of the Lamb's Pride Worsted (to be honest, I'm not a mohair fan; that's why I'm giving away the bag!)

3) Swirly Scarf - one skein each Lion Brand Homespun and Moonlight Mohair, bought to make a potato chip scarf (but of course you can do whatever you wish!)

4) Crocheted Purse Delight - one skein each Lion Chenille and Caron Fling, each with a crocheted purse pattern on their labels

For the stitchers, your choice of one of the following KITS:
1) Eileen Bennett's Little Green Acorns

2) Shepherd's Bush Garden Roll AND Just Nan's Christmas Treasure Box (opened to look at goodies, but everything's there)

3) Flower Thread Company (Meg Thompson Shinall)'s Sampler Pouch

4) Indigo Rose's Stella

So, here's what you need to do to enter:

1) Click here (or above): Harmless videogame advertisement

2) Post a comment to this post only saying you clicked the link. If you're able to do it from multiple IP addresses, note that in your comment. One entry per click, per day (per IP). The "day" starts over at midnight US Mountain Time.

3) The contest runs until 10 AM Eastern Time (or 8 AM Mountain Time) on Saturday, April 10.

4) Earn an extra 5 entries by posting on your blog about this contest and linking back here. Post a comment saying that you did this.

That's it! Thanks for the help!

This contest is over; thanks for participating!

March Madness

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Glad you guys liked the Lottlympiad updates! They are fun to write. =) I think the most time-consuming part is looking up who the commentators were for each sport! (Jim is fictional, of course.) If only I wrote them down as I watched...

In past years, I've done monthly themes for my needlework, like "Strike up the Band Sampler August" or "Christmas in July". One of my favorites was always March Madness. The general rule was that I had to work on a different project every day of the month (if I worked on anything at all). I would usually plan in advance what the projects were going to be. This year, March came so close on the heels of the Lottlympiad and my birthday, I didn't have time to plan. So here's what I came up with:


I printed out all my WIPs (that I could remember), along with a few projects that I wanted to start. That turned out to be around 60 (I know, I know). I also threw in 6 blank slips...they would be wildcards! I would draw a slip of paper each morning, then work on whatever project I drew for that day only! I wasn't allowed to throw the paper back in the bowl...I had to work on that project. The only finagling allowed was on Stitch Group nights. If I drew a cumbersome or fiddly project that morning, I could draw again and do the fiddly project the next day. Or, if I drew a project the day before Stitch Group that was portable and stress-free, I could designate that for Stitch Group and draw again for that day. It worked really well!

Enough gabbing! On with the eye candy!

The very first day, I excitedly drew a slip:

This is a project that the wonderful Girl with Needles used to teach a group of us to crochet at A Stitchers' Gathering. I had done most of the top (brown) and started on the bottom (green). After my one night...

...I got the bottom curve done and am ready to continue with the "straight" sides.

The next morning, I drew a project that I literally have not set needle to since I walked out of the class:


In class, we worked on one of the buttons. Of course, my stitching has improved in the last 10 years or so, so I began by ripping some out. But by the end of the night, I had this:


The next morning brought some excitement--I drew one of the projects I've been wanting to start: Just Nan's Floral Fifteen. It's a 15-sided biscornu. I had treated myself to the kit (with silks!) for my birthday last year but still hadn't started it. These are some of my favorite silks to work with, as I've discovered while working on her Peacock Cypher.

I didn't get much done in one night, but it was fun!

The next night was Stitch Group, and I fortunately drew a stress-free project.

This is a Just Another Button Company design that was kitted by Needlecraft Corner.

And that was just the first week! More to come.

JiffNotes
March Madness at the Lottloft means a different project every day! This year, I draw for it!