Hardanger SAL

I stitched this as a Beginners Hardanger SAL at Stitch and Stash. I'm not a beginner, but I wanted to join in the fun. However, I didn't like my first start, the Caron Watercolour I was using just didn't look right. It was one with several colours in it, rather than just shades of the same colour, if you know what I mean, and just wasn't suited to this design. So I put it aside, by the time I picked it up again, lots of people had finished. It was done over 4 weeks, although I never received Part 4, so just worked from other peoples photos. (Where do emails go, Jayne sent me it 4 times, but still I never got it, the previous weeks turned up no problem.) I'm thinking I'll make this into a small cushion. I fancy having a go at a sort of cushion like the Shepherds Bush Be-Attitude pillows. What do you think?

A new start

Hi everyone, sorry I've been away so long. I know some people have said they've missed me, so thank you for missing me! I've been really busy, and life just got in the way. I have been stitching, even if it's not anywhere near as much as usual. My pc time has been extremely limited, but hopefully it's coming back.

I thought I'd show pictures of the Round Robin I joined a while back. It's organised by Colette, in one of the groups I belong. It's the first time I've joined a RR, there's six of us in it, and the others all joined before me. They're really nice people, so that's why I joined. We have all chosen a theme, and sent charts with the RR as it goes on it's travels. My dd chose my theme, and it's weight watchers. The charts are from a stitching magazine, I can't remember which at this moment in time. I've named them 'The Fat Girls', and you never know maybe I can lose some weight before they return! The posting date for the RR is the 10th of every month, so I said goodbye to mine, and received Essie's from Holland. Essies' theme is Christmas Cottages, and she has stitched a border, and we each get to stitch a cottage. Essie is going to make it into a Bell Pull on it's return. What a great idea, and I love Christmas designs, so couldn't wait to stitch on this when it arrived. I hope Essie loves it when it gets back to her. Next I'll be receiving Sarah's, but you'll have to wait and see what her theme is-just watch this space.




I've also had a couple of new starts, and something else which is a secret, but I'll post about them at another date. Hope you're all well, and see ya later.

Village

Well, I've had to change to the New Blogger. I had no choice, I could not sign in without changing. So I'll see if there's any difference.

I finished Village on Wednesday night. This was a recent new release, which I just had to have. DD says it reminds her of our visit to Lapland in December, and I have to agree, maybe that's why I had to have it. The design is by Per Segno Per Filo. I thought the chart was quite expensive at $19.90 when I got it. There were a couple of mistakes in it too, and although there were symbols for the beads, it was the same symbol for all the beads, whatever colour.

I stitched it on 32 ct Raw Linen. And although the design calls for beads, and I put beads on just about everything, I didn't put them on this. The stars should have been in Mill Hill pearls, but I stitched them with metallic silver. The lights on the trees should have had bright yellow Mill Hill beads, and I used a Kreinik for them. For the snow I added Kreinik too. Unfortunately the photo doesn't do it justice.

Another small finish, the previous week was a scissor fob. It's something I'd had a while but never finished. It's a Drawn Thread freebie. I was in a birthday exchange with Sarah, she had said that purple was her favourite colour, so I thought this would be good to send with her gifts.

And the photo next too it, is what I sent to her. There was only the two of us in the exchange, and if you look through my previous posts, you can see what I received. I was a bit unsure as to what to get Sarah, although she obviously had no problem in choosing for me. Sarah loves handbags, so I couldn't resist getting her a bag to stitch, and I knew she needed more thread boxes. I also got her some bobbins, a special DMC gift pack, and Polstitches hand dyed fabric. I think it was 'Lovers Lane'.

Well, I'm not sure what I think to the New Blogger, but I've had a bit of trouble with the photo's. I suppose it will be a case of getting used to it.

Valentine Exchange

Well tomorrow will be Valentines Day, so it's about time I put the pics up. The posting date was 1st Feb, and I've been meaning to get these on for a while.

Here's what I received from Su, isn't it wonderful. Su says it's the first time she's made a flat fold. Just have a look around her blog, she makes some amazing things.

And this is what I made for Julie. They are Hardanger Hearts, from the book Hardanger Embroidery by Jill Carter. I used Caron Watercolours in Cotton Candy shade. I stitched the four hearts, and cut them out, unfortunately I had a disaster when cutting the fourth, and managed to cut the top of some of the blanket stitches. I don't know how I did it, but I fixed it with Fraycheck. I finished them both by cutting four hearts out of pink voile, these where stitched together and stuffed with home grown lavender. I then used these to stuff the hardanger hearts with. I decorated the hearts with beads and a ribbon loop. I thought they could be used as pomanders on coathangers. However, due to the disaster with one, I kept that one, and I only sent one to Julie. (Sorry Julie). Now how many times have you stitched something and not wanted to part with it. I now have the answer - you stitch two and then only send one.

Birthday stash and another finish

Well it was my birthday last Sunday, and I got stash. I've also ordered lots for myself, but it's not arrived yet.

So here's a pic. I received this as a gift in a birthday exchange on a forum I belong. The sepnding limit is £5, but as you can see I did very well. I wish I knew where you could get all this for a fiver.

I also finished stitching Bob (Bettys dad). I was really happy to have him done, I just have to arrange to take him to Bettys friend, who'll wash him, and then he'll be sent to Bettys sister in Jersey. He's already been to Jersey at least once, so he's well travelled. If you look here you can see how much had already been stitched by Betty, and the original photo. There was not stitching under the photo. The fabric is 16count white Aida, and the chart was on 4 A4 sheets.

I've not really done much stitching this week, but I hope to remedy that today. I did pick up Bettys Japanese Garden, and worked on that for nearly an hour. I'll be pleased to finish that one too. I've seen lots I'd like from the Nashville releases, and can't wait to get my hands on them, but as I'm still awaiting an order from 3 weeks ago from the US, I won't order yet. Another parcel I was expecting has gone missing too, but that has been resent yesterday and recorded delivery, so in theory should arrive today, but in my experience if a package has to be signed for the postie doesn't deliver it on Saturday, so we'll see.

One thing I did forget to photograph was a little kitty my dd14 stitched me for my birthday. I got a magazine on the Thursday, and before I had chance to look at it, it was confiscated, dd asked me for some fabric, and then she got the threads, she then spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday night in her room stitching, so she could give me it on my birthday on Sunday. She didn't have time to make it into a card, so just gave me it, and we've not yet decided how to finish it off.

And a big thank you to all that read my blog, I know that not everyone leaves a comment, but I don't mind. I read lots of blogs, but leave very few comments, otherwise I'd never get off the PC. But it is really lovely to get comments.

Just Nan finish

Last weekend I decided to have a bit of a sort out of my Just Nan charts, I discovered I have over 70, and I've only stitched 11 of them. What's more, I have some of them twice or even 3 times. So I think I need to stitch some. First up is this one. I started it on Thursday night, and put the last few stitches in on Friday. I decided to do this one because I already had the frame. This is the only Whimzi frame I have.

I've also been busy stitching on Bob (Bettys dad), and pleased with how far that's come on. And I've stitched more on my Valentine Exchange piece. I'll be finishing that this week.

I've joined a Round Robin, so need to decide what theme that will be. Although I've partly given that job to dd.

I've bought lots of stash this week, so not a good start to the year, but it's my birthday coming up, so I've decided to treat myself. Not that I need a reason.

Another finish

This is my latest finish. It was a must stitch. The chart is by Little House Needleworks and Country Cottage Needleworks, and is called Bee Pinkeep. I won't be making it into a pinkeep, but I think it will make a lovely box top. I'd like to make a fabric box, and have a small leaf print fabric in mind. So I'll keep my eye out for the fabric.

The design is in the latest issue of The Gift of Stitching which came out on Tuesday. I love this magazine, last months issue had 28 ornaments in it, and I'm just in the process of printing them out. I don't think there's any I don't like. If you click on the magazine, you can find out more info, but I say it's definately worth the dollars.




I started my Valentine exchange last night, and that's coming along nicely, but I won't be able to post a picture, so I'll show you this. This is a photo stitch of Bettys dad. Betty died in July 2006, and this is what she stitched. I was given this in December to finish off for her sister, so hope to make a start on completeing it this week.



xstitcherxx

First finish of 2007

Here's my first finish of 2007. I started this back in July, and it has been something I've just picked up everynow and then. I intend to make this into a bag, maybe to keep some stitching in.

This year I have many things to stitch, many things I'd like to stitch and it would be nice to pull out a UFO that's not seen daylight for a few years. All I can say is watch this space.

WISHING YOU

A new finish

I had to stitch on Christmas Day, so at tea-time decided on this design by Patricia Ann, as it was handy. I bought this as a kit on Ebay last month, a bit of a bargain at £1.04 plus £2 p/p. I have a few Patricia Ann charts which I have bought new, but I'd not seen this one before. The colours are lovely. I love the Kreinik braid too, it's the same one I used in True Friends by Just Nan earlier this year. The full picture is a bit blurred, but I need good light.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

WISHING YOU ALL

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

SNOW CRYSTAL

I received this chart in the Chatelaine Advent Calender, it was for Day 10, and I just couldn't wait to get started, so here it is. I stitched it in the recommended DMC's, but I used a Madeira metallic for the Silver, and boy does it shine. I also used some glass beads which I bought at the NEC last month, I just couldn't resist them they are really shiney too, but it doesn't show on the photo. I finished it last night. I can already see it in different colour combinations.

Hope you like.

Another ornament

I really enjoyed stitching this. It's on it's way to my friend, so here's hoping she likes it. I don't think my friend reads my blog, so hopefully she won't see it before it arrives.

Christmas ornaments

This is the ornament I stitched for Jayne in the Stitch and Stash finished christmas ornament exchange. It's from JCS Ornament issue, I can't remember the year, I'll have to look it up. I was really pleased with how it turned out, and would love to do one for myself.

And this is the one I received from Claire in the stitch and stash exchange. This design is a Lizzie Kate freebie. I've not found out from Claire yet what threads she used.

It will soon be Christmas

by xstitcherxx


I've not blogged for a while, but I have been busy stitching. So I'll start with a couple of long lost Christmas UFO's which I finished the other week. The one above, had been started, but only a couple of lengths of thread had been stitched. So I finished the cross stitching, added the beads, and made it up. I am please with the results. Now the one below, only needed a couple of fringes beading, stuffing and making up.



by xstitcherxx

Well, it's been a while since I blogged. I've had a busy couple of weekends. Last Saturday I went to the NEC on a coach trip. I had a great day, but unfortunately didn't get around it all. Maybe next year I'll go and stay in the area. Having left home at 7:20 in the morning, we didn't arrive at the NEC until 11.30 am, and then had to leave at 4.45pm, and arrived home just before 9pm. It was a long day, but just not enough time at the show. I bought a few bits and bobs. My best buy was 50p, a mobile phone charm for dd.

I did some framing on Sunday, well only one picture. I stitched this for someone at work, and gave it to them. They went out and bought the frame, and then asked me to frame it for them. I wasn't really happy with how it went. I prefer to lace my stitching, but this frame didn't have enough depth to have the bulk of it being laced. By the time I'd put the mount into the frame, there was hardly any room to get the fabric in, and then had to put thin card behind the stitching, as the frame back was brown, and it showed through the fabric.

So I'll leave you with this pic, and hope to blog more over the weekend.

A little stitching

I've not had much stitching time this week. But I have managed to pick up the picture I am finishing off for Betty, and hope to finally finish it this week. Time permitting. All I can say is Watch this space.

I've not attempted to post a picture here, because I can tell Blogger is not happy. Maybe it has a hangover after a good Saturday night.

It's nearly Halloween

Well, this was another small finish from last week. I thought I'd make it into a Flat fold, but not done that yet, so maybe it'll be finished for next year.

Being careful

Well, it looks like blogger wants to play today. However, I'm going to take this carefully. I shall only post one picture, and try again tomorrow.

I finished the Biscornu I was doing as part of a SAL, I stitched it with Crescent Colours - Heather Leigh, I really love the thread, but realised I wouldn't have enough to stitch both sides, so the bottom is stitched with a DMC variegated thread, in shades of purple. I hope you like the button, I found four of them in my mums button tin. They've been in there for as long as I can remember, so they may well be older than me.

As blogger is not letting me post pictures, you'll have to make do with this small one. Please click on it for a bigger picture.


by xstitcherxx

TEST MESSAGE

I have been trying to Blog, but Blogger isn't having it. So this is yet another test. It saves my posts, but it will not publish them.