In case you wondering, what exactly is this? Well let me tell you, this is one of the 4 canvases that make up Mr. Crow, a wonderful creation from Melissa Shirley Designs. I have been stitching this for Aristea, under the tutelage of Wendy’s shop. Hopefully Mr. Crow will make an appearance as a model in Melissa’s booth for the January Market.

I have had this since the very end of August, but you know there have been so many things to accomplish that at times this got pushed to the back of the pile. Lately I have been stitching on this for countless hours, stitching night and day and round the clock…seriously! I am positive that there might be some hope of getting it finished for Phoenix, which is where this years January market is.

I had taken these pictures after I returned from button shopping on Small Business Saturday. After trying the knit shops and a few specialty places that carried these amazing buttons, I realized that these buttons were just a little too girly for Mr. Crow. After all he is a really cool dude. So I headed to the not so small businesses to find some buttons, and I wasn’t coming home till I did.

I settled in a for my night of stitching by finishing up some other parts on Mr. Crow and then I would start the feathers. Well how long would that take? I should be able to finish that in a few hours. That’s the largest area that I need to do yet, the feathers on these 2 canvases. A really cool stitch that Wendy charted out for me with Kreinik 005 in size 8 and then an accent stitch in 015.

Well I have lost count of how many hours I have now stitched on the feathers. You know when your eyes are bigger than your stomach? What was I thinking? The Kreinik has been getting used up at a record pace. In amounts even I never thought possible. I have been using exceptionally long lengths as it is a little challenging finding places to anchor the threads. Every once in a while you will see me use a little away pinhead stitch to lock the threads in.

Okay lets say that I have used more than 5 spools of Kreinik 005 in size 8 and then started digging through my stash. Okay I have 005HL, 005C. There is 005 in size 4, size 12 and size 16, but nothing in size 8! Guess what I am doing as soon as my LNS opens today? shopping! I really am so very close to saying “I am finished!” the rest of the feathers, the bow tie, the flower on the hat and sew on the buttons! That’s it!

I did get some Christmas decorating in over the weekend and needed to relocate a few of the orchids to make a little room. I was concerned that AlleyCat would not approve of some of them getting moved here, close to her favorite nap spot, but she was okay with it and I did not find them pushed off on the floor! and until next time…keep on stiching