Birthday Gifts!

Last year I complained a few times about not ever getting stash as gifts for birthday, Christmas, etc.  This past Christmas, my parents did buy some stash, much to my delight.  And, for my birthday this past weekend, I was completely spoiled!  In addition to going out for lunch/movie/dinner (while my parents babysitted), and allowing me to buy Heirloom Stitching Sampler last month, my lovely husband bought me all my books on my Chapters Indigo wish list, which included Joan Elliot’s Bewitching Cross Stitch and Socks A La Carte.  The rest of the books included a stunning Tarot deck (Mystic Dreamer Tarot), Tarot for Writers and The Soul of Creative Writing.  Yeah, I was totally spoiled.  And I’ve also updated my wish list in case he is moved to be so generous again. 😉

My parents also bought me stash–three Victoria Sampler charts and the thread pack for two of the charts.  They gave me W is for Witch, S is for Stitcher and Sring Garden Sampler and the thread packs for the two alphabet samplers.  My dad also completely surprised me by making me a yarn swift.  (Here are the directions he essentially followed.)  How sweet is that?

Oh, I also forgot to mention that I won one of the Cross Eyed Kat door prizes from The Needlework Show. My chart, Oak Tree Biscornu arrived on Monday.  What a nice way to cap off a lovely weekend.  All of this made turning 32 just a little bit easier.

Now, on to what I have actually managed to get done this week!

First, the Never Ending Blue Shawl of Doom is nearly done!  I have three more rows of the centre design to do and then about another 15 or so rows of plain filet to do to finish it up.  It will need a good blocking to uncurl the sides.  Since it is cotton, we will have to see how that goes.  I will share a picture in a couple of days.

I finished up the drawstring bag, but forgot to take a picture of it.  It still needs to be lined, but my mom has my sewing machine foot pedal. (Long story, that.)

I’ve also put in some time on my Lotus Blossom Shawl, but lace is slow going and looks like nothing while it is being worked on.  I’m on row 29, which means I am 3.1% done according to to Jessica Rose’s Shawl Progress Calculator (see the side bar).

For cross stitch, I’ve done some of Nora Corbett’s Lily of the Valley fairy.  I’m using more of the Silkweaver Solo that I used to do Letter H.  She is turning out just lovely.

And, lastly, for the past couple of days I have been working on Christmas Treasures Collection by Victoria Sampler.  I guess I was just in a VS mood after getting all those charts for my birthday.

This week I plan to continue on with the Lotus Blossom Shawl as time permits (lace knitting and toddlers do not combine well).  I’ll work on Delightful Dragon on Wednesday, and Lily of the Valley or Christmas Treasures for the rest of the time.  There is also the blue shawl to finish up, and a super secret project to think about starting.  I may be using wool for that, which means I’ll need to wear a mask and gloves.  But, I think the final project will be worth it.