Fresh Starts

Last night while watching football and the New Year's Eve festivities with DH and the kids, I decided I wanted to stitch. I do have several WIPs I could work on, but I decided I wanted to start something new. It is the New Year after all. This is what I got done:
Eventually, it will be this, Shepherd's Cottage from Elizabeth's Needlework Designs:

I first fell in love with Climbing Rose Cottage (below) which was featured in the Jan/Feb 2001 issue of Just Cross Stitch.

I love the little cottage ( I have a thing for stitched houses) and the little satin stitched sheep. Shepherd's Cottage was also pictured in the magazine article and when I found the chart at my LNS, I just had to have it. It's been 11 years, but I'm finally getting around to stitching one up.

I'm using the suggested DMC and Weeks Dye Works flosses and a very similar substitute fabric (32 count raw linen.) There are beads on this piece, but I will have to check my stash for something suitable. If I can't find the same beads or appropriate substitutes, I will have to order.

Elizabeth's Designs also has some other pretty little cottage patterns. I like:

Christmas Tree Cottage

Woodland Cottage

Ladybug Cottage

Crabapple Hill Cottage

And there are others. Elizabeth is also the designer of one of my favorite pieces, Nature's Alphabet.

And as if starting a new needlework project wasn't enough, I also spent the afternoon piddling around with some quilting cottons. Remember back in 2009 when I made the pink/yellow/green Spring Spirit top? Well, I still have a ton of pink, yellow, and green fabrics in my stash. I figured I'd drag them out and play around with them.

This is what I have so far. Just a simple block in 3 colors.

I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do with them. I figure I'll just work along on them whenever I need an easy straight line sewing project.

And hopefully by the time I've got enough squares to make a quilt, I'll have cleaned out some of these fabrics from stash.

I hope to get back to garment sewing soon. I have a couple of WIPs to work on and several items on my "to do" list. The holidays have just been so hectic and I've been stressed out with family and all the holiday activities, that it's just more than I can handle to fit anything and sew a garment right now. The needlework and quilt piecing is keeping the mojo alive, though, so maybe soon...

Happy New Year! And here's to successful sewing projects for everyone all year long!