And a New Year Begins

I re-joined the Embroiders' Guild of America.  I was a member years ago when there was a local chapter, Plum Grove Chapter.  That chapter disbanded and I let my membership lapse.  But decided to join the on-line Cyber Stitchers chapter.  One of the first things I discovered is that the President of the Cyber Stitchers chapter had issued a challenge to complete UFOs (UnFinished objects), that is, stitching we've worked on and then put away to finish later.  Some UFOs languish for years and years...  Anyway, those wanting to accept the challenge could identify up to five pieces they wanted to finish over the course of the year.  Most of us responded, "ONLY five???"

I have been able to complete two of my five identified UFOs.  One was the teaching piece from last year's ANG Seminar in Chicago.  I changed the color a bit, it has a hint of pink, rather than the hint of beige that the teacher planned.  Shortly after finishing the piece, we learned that Pat Donaldson, the teacher, had died.  I also changed several of the drawn thread rows..  I had set it aside with all the stitching done except for the needleweaving column on the left, that was new to me and for some reason I thought it would take a long time.  Once I picked the piece back up and started needleweaving, it only took about six hours to complete the piece.  Here it is in all its glory!

Whitework Sampler by Pat Donaldson

And now for something completely different: the second piece I've completed so far this year. Can you guess the designer's name without reading the caption?

Lahaina Breezes by Laura Perin Designs

In between those two big pieces, I stitched a bookmark.  I picked up the kit in the gift shop at Westminster Abbey on our 2011 cruise.

Stained Glass Window bookmark by Textile Heritage