Assembling the Wizard

Today instead of picking up where I left off finishing the wizard yesterday, the dogs and I took a walk in the woods to admire the fall color. The photo above is the highest point of our property, looking towards the Blue Ridge Mountains which you will see as a blue line at the low horizon under the sky and clouds. I don't have an LNS anywhere near me, no cell phone service, or many other ammenities, but today I prefer having this view.

I took the photo at a spot where 8-10 turkeys were standing around when we climbed into view and flushed them. Sadly I didn't have time to drop my coffee cup and grab the camera before they were in the air and away. I hope those of you who don't have fall will enjoy the view. It was only about 8:30 a.m. and the clouds and fog had not burned off entirely so the photo is darker than it really was to my eyes. You can't see the yellow leaves on all the oaks sadly.


This photo shows the Joan Thomasson wizard yesterday, his top 2/3 stuffed and the bag of rocks in a plastic bag. The rocks are on top of a piece of quilt batting which will wrap them before they are inserted in the base. You also see the paper oval pattern for the base pinned to the fabric so I could cut it out.

The next step is to sew the base on starting at the fabric back. Once I get half of it attached, I will insert the rocks (after checking how well the top stuffing is staying in position) and sew the front of the base. Doing the back first means less mashing of the NP front as I sew the base on with heavy rocks inside.

Stay tuned! I hope to finish tonight and have photos for you tomorrow of the finished wizard standing on his own.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Here it is, November One

With Halloween over and the time change looming tonight, I think it is really almost Thanksgiving. So let's head over to Amy Bunger's November newsletter and admire the stitched Thanksgiving Pilgrim and Indian set Amy showcases. By the way, she mentions Blog! I now officially have the big head. Thanks, Amy and Robin. And thanks for the diagrammed T stitch for the background. That looks like a fun stitch to add to our stitch tool kit.

You can read the newest newsletter at the link below, or check out older ones, or even sign up to get it as a PDF in your very own mailbox so you don't have to remember to visit Amy's website the first of each month.
http://www.amybunger.com/current_enewsletters.html

A newsletter from Lani let me know she has posted 150 new designs on her website! The three inch rounds on page one are beautiful and very reasonable in price. There are both Asian and Jewish designs on page two, the Asian ones spill over to page three which also has flower collages and advertising signs that are knockouts, and page four has more collages and some wonderful inspirational word pieces. Very nice job, Lani! The Lanterns and Birds scroll from her new group illustrates this blog entry above.

http://www.lanisneedlepoint.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=101

Shortly I am stuffing the Joan Thomasson wizard and hope to get the base sewn on tonight. I have my next two pieces ready to start and I'll be talking about them once I have a standup wizard ready to give to my niece for her Christmas present. Stay tuned!

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

And You Thought YOU Decorated for Halloween

Lots of folks decorate for Halloween. Even I have been posting Halloween Canvas of the Day items on the Blogspot blog. Pierette has posted a darling easel-type piece on her blog.

http://lovetostitch99.blogspot.com/2008/10/happy-halloween.html

But the clear winner of the most decorated website for the holiday is Gay Ann Rogers. Click on any photo on her home page and you'll find a Halloween surprise.

http://www.gayannrogers.com/site_2/Home_Page.html

By the way, the trick or treaters canvas above is either Susan Roberts. or Tapestry Tent. If you have this for sale, I know someone who is looking....

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

I Laughed Til I Cried

I visited Coni's blog this morning and when I read it, I laughed until I cried.

http://spinsterstitcher.blogspot.com/2008/10/cautionary-tale.html

I've never ever done anything like this myself, if you don't count the time I glued my hair to an ornament I was finishing. Bet you thought a lot of stitchers don't use glue because it might ruin the canvas in 200 years. No, it's because they heard about What Jane Did.

Coni and I will be at the bar, swapping horror stories. Can I get a refill martini please?

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow