Canadian Bear - FINISHED

Okay no "work in progress" pics for this one.  It was just too easy and fun to stitch up that I didn't want to stop to take a picture or scan it.  It took 2 weeks but it really was only 8 days of stitching.  Now it's done.

I use 14ct gold Aida, stitched 2x1 full. 

Here he is:

New Start: Oblivion

I started a new project this month.  It's a pattern I made from the Oblivion video game icon at the same time I made the one for Carcassonne.  I think I like this one better and it might turn out better, but we'll have to wait and see.  I think I might make this one into a small pillow.  Because of that I'm doing it in 3x1 on 14ct Aida.  It's 70x70 stitches so it's not very big.

NEW START: July Bear

I started to stitch the June Bear before I had all my eye surgeries.  I wasn't sure I would ever stitch again.  I could so I finished that Bear probably back in 2005 or 2006.  I really wanted to stitch all the month bears and use them as a calendar some how.  So . . . . even though I haven't finished any of my current projects I went ahead and started another one of these.  I picked which one I would do several months ago and I couldn't wait.  It's the July Bear (with the flag pole and the fireworks in metalic threads - yeah me!).  Below is the front and back cover of the booklet.  I think when this one is done I'd like to do the October bear next because it's just so cute.

 I've been working on it for just over 2 weeks and this is how much I've got done so far.  I'm not looking forward to the doing the metallic threads but now that I have some beeswax they might be easier to use.  I'm doing it on 14ct, 2x1 full, Silver Aida.  It's not a shiny silver just a dull gray/silver color.

Cherished Teddies - USA Bear

So I'm stitching the Cherished Teddies International Bears based on the country I've been to.  I started with Japan since I was born in Okinawa.  I've now started to work on the USA bear.  Unfortunately the only other countries I've been to are Mexico and Canada so I'm going to have to start visiting other places if I want to stitch more of the bears in the booklet.

Here is what it is suppose to look like:

I'm doing it on 14ct Lt. Oatmeal (Fiddler's) Aida in 2x1, full stitches.  This is what I've got done so far (it's 2 hockey games worth of work):

Cherished Teddie - Japan FINISHED!!!

I didn't think it would be this easy to stitch up.  Even the backstitching wasn't as bad as I had fears.  I'm not saying I liked it either, but it's finally done.  Now I can wash it and store it away with all the other projects I've made for myself that I haven't framed.  I think I need to do something about that.

Year of the Rooster redo

Here's the redo for the Year of the Rooster.  14ct light blue Aida, 2x1, full.  Now I'm done stitching them . . . . again.  Hopefully I won't run into any problems when I try to frame them that would cause me to restitch one again. 

Cherished Teddies - Japan

I got a book called Cherished Teddies Around the World and it has a bear for a lot of different nations.  I loved it and thought I'd stitch them all.  But which one to start first?  I thought I'd do them in order of the nations I've visited.  I'd start with Japan, because I was born there.  Then the USA, because I live here.  Then Mexico, because I've visited there first.  And finally Canada, because I've visited there too.  And that's about it.  How depressing is that?

So . . .

I've decided to make it one of my "bucket list" items to visit all the places represented by these bears and then stitch up the corresponding bear to hang on my wall.  I doubt that I'll get to all of them but at least it's worth a shot.

Here's the book:

I'm doing the Japanese Bear first.  This is what it's suppose to look like:

This is how much I've got done so far (14ct Mint Aida, 2x1, full):

Year of the Sheep (4) FINISHED!

This is my last Year of the Sheep and it's finished.  AND I changed the colors.  I think it turned out better than the rat that I changed colors but I should have picked a darker brown for the color and inside the ears so the transition stands out more.  I also should have used a darker brown for the backstitching.  I'm still happy with it and I'm not going to nitpick about it.  Now I only have 2 left to stitch.

14ct red Aida, 2x1, full

Year of the Monkey

Here is my latest in the Chinese Zodiac series.  It's the Year of the Monkey.  14ct 2x1 full on light blue Aida.  I did change the hair from blonde to dark brown.  This one is for my niece and she has dark brown hair.  This pattern didn't have a nose on it like all the other ones do so I added one anyway.  It just looked too weird without one and I didn't want people to look at it and think I forgot the nose.  I wish I wouldn't have save this one until towards the end because of all the 945 stitches.  I'm getting really tired of that color and this was almost too much for me.  I persevered and finished it but it was a struggle at times.

Year of the Rat (2) finished

Here's the second one of these done on light blue Aida, 14ct, 2x1 full, as usual. I have one more of these to stitch up and then I'm don with this guy. It was really easy to stitch up except for when I wasn't paying attention. I'm now a full month ahead of schedule so I think I'll take a break for awhile and work on something else.