Easter Sampler - finished?

I am thrilled to pieces with this sampler!! Head on over to Novalee02 to see all the wonderful finishes for this.

I have a question: When do you consider a stitched piece finished?? When the stitching is done? Or when it has been made up into something or framed? It would be nice to add this to my finishes for this year RIGHT NOW - but somehow I'm not quite convinced that it's totally done. What do you do?

Happy Easter!!! Today should prove to be so much fun! All the kiddos are still asleep, but the baskets are hidden around the house and there are MANY eggs hidden in the backyard :o) The cousins should be here around 10:00 and then the real fun will begin. I just can't wait!!

While we were on vacation in Maui, we drove to a lot of different beaches to snorkel and to hike. The snorkeling was fabulous and the hiking was so beautiful - I couldn't believe how lush and green everything was and how many waterfalls we could hike down to. "Little" J is a better climber than his mommy! Anyway, while my husband was driving, I would knit - 21 fish I knit. I didn't even know how many until I got home and started weaving in all the ends!! That brings my count up to 96! I am now officially past the halfway point (I need 180 total) - VERY exciting. When I first started knitting these fish, I did not weave in the ends. Whenever I ended one fish I immediately cast on for the next. As a result there are lots and lots of fish that still need their ends woven in. So now I am alternating between knitting fish and weaving in the ends. I can't wait to get them all finished so I can lay them out and begin sewing them together!

I have also been working a little bit more on my weaving. This pattern is called "rep" and is very tightly woven. You have to beat it really hard so that none of the warp threads can be seen.

This closeup show that all that is visible are the weft threads.

This next pattern is called the basketweave. You are supposed to be able to see the warp threads as much as you see the weft threads. You cannot because I beat this pattern way too hard. I was in the groove of beating and when I changed patterns, I forgot to just let it go. This has been such a great learning experience!! I have quite a few other patterns to try out before I go back to the shop where I took a lesson and my teacher can show me how to get this off of the loom and then rewarp for a new project. Weaving is so much fun and once you get into the rhythm it's very hard to stop!

Did you see??

this beautiful shawl pattern from knitty?? Isn't it exquisite?? I love the way it looks. Not only that, but the way it is knit looks very interesting - a NEW to me technique!!! I have way too many things on the go right now, but I will keep it on the top of my to do list. We were away last week in Hawaii - we had such a wonderful and relaxing time. The kids did really well on the plane and the trip could not have gone better. Lots of beach time and hiking. It was too sad to come home to a regular schedule once again!! Above is my Easter Sampler after Part 6. I finished Part 7 on our trip and am now most of the way done with part 8. I just don't have any updated pictures yet.

Parts 1-6

I did manage to finish part 6 of the Romantique Sampler and get the photo to the designer before we left. Thanks so much for the encouragement Hakucho!!!

A close up just because I think it is so pretty!
Parts 1-6

Waves of Love Dishcloth from the Monthly Discloth Group.

I love this color and the design on this cloth.

I am now behind by two dishcloths!! I told myself I would make them all this year (I have not been able to do that in the past) - I better get cracking!!

Romantique Sampler progress and Kid's sewing

These two sections of the Romantique Sampler seem to be taking me FOREVER to stitch. I know it's just me - the pattern is lovely - I am enjoying stitching - but I just stitch so slowly!!

Section 5 complete. Section 6 on it's way. This picture is from a few days ago and I am now at the half way mark. I need to finish this by the 10th. I think it is possible :o)

9 year old finished her little bear and is so happy with it.

I surprised her by stitching up the larger bear and giving it to her when the smaller one was done. She was thrilled!!

TUSAL & 2011 KALendar mystery shawl

This is my TUSAL for April 1st. The larger bits are from the fish I am knitting. All the other threads are from various cross stitch projects.

It's kind of cool to drop the ends of my threads in and watch the beautiful color changes! I finished clue 3 of the 2011 KALendar mystery shawl. I am really liking this knit and also knitting from a chart once again. I had forgotten how fun it is to see your stitches take shape like this.

We had the option to add beads or nupps. I chose to do both. I was having an awful time with the nupps. I found a way that worked for me where on the row that I had to knit all those little stitches together, I used a size US0 needle - that worked, but was really slow. Then on ravelry, one of the other knitters knitting this shawl posted a link to a youtube video for the Easy Peasy Nupp! This method worked wonders for me and is how I finished up the nupps without going stark raving mad.

It is now big enough to move it to circular needles which is what I did and I have actually been working on clue 4 so am a little farther than this picture shows. It's so nice to be knitting something a little challenging and to be learning something new in my knitting!!