A Stitching Finish or Two! (finally)

Wow! I am known as the Queen of Procrastination when it comes to stitching! I always try and make the kid's teachers a stitched present every year. Normally I'll start sometime in April or May and still barely manage to get the stitching done in time. This year, I didn't start until mid-May and really didn't complete the first cross stitch or even start the 2nd cross stitch this past weekend! Of course, school ended only 3 days later so I had plenty of time to cruise through the personalization, machine sewing, stuffing and finishing of the pillows right???? Well, I really, really enjoy hand stitching; machine stitching on the other hand presents all kinds of new and interesting challenges for me. However, after working diligently through the NASCAR race from Pocono Raceway; I was done the first piece (minus the personalization) and well onto finishing the second!

I had to share this picture. While getting my sewing machine set up and sewing together the pillow fronts and then sewing the backing to the front, my kitty decided to get comfortable. This is Patches, my one year old delinquent chilling out in my sewing machine case. If it is something he can wedge himself into, he is there.


Well, here is the finished projects! I finished personalization Tuesday afternoon in cross stitching, cut the fabric, sewed together the pilliows, ironed them and stuffed one that evening. Got up early this morning, stuffed the 2nd one and hand sewed the "hole" left in each for stuffing. I was cleaning up by 9:30 this morning so I could deliver them to school at noon. A new world record for me! Usually I don't get a chance to clean up from my mess until the kids are home and this year I actually got to enjoy a Starbucks hot chocolate before going to school to celebrate my success. :) Both teacher's seemed to really like them and the kids were very pleased with the end of school year projects. Every year I promise to start them sooner and to not have to rush to finish them but I think that would take away part of the adventure!