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.

Gone missing

Well I've been away for awhile, as I said I had a very busy week last week, and then became ill on Friday, so spent the day, night and part of Saturday in bed. So what have I been up to stitching wise, well - not a lot really. I stitched a Country Companions Tom mouse, just a small one - a freebie from a magazine (not photographed him yet). I've also stitched the final motif on the Mystery flower sampler (again not taken a new phote yet), just have the border to stitch on that. I've started a SAL of a Biscornu. I have a photo of that, week one was just to do the backstitching around the squares, so didn't take lone. I've chosen a 28ct linen, it's a pale Dusty Pink colour, something I had in my stash, doesn't have a label so can't tell you exactly what it is. It came in a Mixed Grab Bag of evenweave cuts I bought at a show a couple or three years ago. I'll try and get some more photo's posted of the other stuff. Last night I picked up Betty's Japanese Garden, and put a few stitches in that, I really do need to get on with that, and also need to get back to Mystery IX. So many things - so little time.

by xstitcherxx

The Gift of Stitching

Well, I really like the October issue of this magazine. It has a design by Martina Weber, so I'll definately have to stitch that. If you don't subscribe to this magazine, I'd definately recommend it, it's well worth the money. The design by Martina is a small Mandala Garden, called Lavender Garden, and I love Lavender. There's also designs by Pine Glen Designs, Karen Kluba of Rosewood Manor to name a few.

No stitching here

Well I've not done any stitching since Tuesday. Although I've been thinking about it. I was out on Wednesday night, not sure where last night went, it just disappeared, I did a bit of TV watching. Gone are the days I could stitch and watch. I wear glasses for distance, but can no longer stitch with them on, as I cannot see clear enough with glasses on.
There'll be no stitching tonight, as I'm out card making. I also have a busy week next week, I'll be out Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night. Although if I'm lucky I may manage an hour on Wednesday night when I get back home. Fingers crossed.

Beading

Well this is the beaded needle case I got last week, it arrived on Monday morning. Of course I couldn't wait to get started, and so I started it on Tuesday night. I was keen to try out Tacky Bob. I still lost a couple of beads, they flicked off the needle when I was trying to pick them up! But it was much better than spilling all of them everywhere, like I usually do.

I know it's not a really clear picture, (but if you click on the pic to open a bigger one-you might see it better) I'll do a close up of the case when I've finished it. The case is read with a black cat on it. I've finished the cat, but I'm not happy with the beading across the base of the case, so I'm going to undo it, it was a little too slack just in a small area, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist, and as I won't be doing another I want it to be right. I really enjoy beading, but how many beaded needle cases does one need. Now beaded baubles, that's another story. I'll try and remember at Christmas to photograph the one's I've made.

STASH

Well, last week was a stash week. I'm having trouble posting the pics on here, Blogger does not want to play tonight. I had a busy week last week, not much time for PC, and then over the weekend, I wasn't able to get on the PC when I wanted to. I don't normally have any problem, but when I was able the rest of the family were on, and when it was free I was busy!
I have finally finished Part 8 of Mystery IX, have stitched a little more of Part 9, but Part 10 will soon be here. I can't wait to see what it will be, Part 9 was definately a surprise, and I can honestly say I have no idea where the pattern is going. But that's the whole idea of a Mystery isn't it?

Le Potager du Roi

I thought I'd give Mystery IX, it's proper title. I've finally picked it back up, and getting on with it. An unexpected plumbing emergency has meant I've had to take the day off work, so I thought I'd post.

As the photo's of Mystery IX don't really show the threads off, I've taken a pic showing the threads used in Part 8, as they are nearly all variegated it means longer stitching time, but I'm hopeful to get this part finished, and a good way on with Part 9 before the next one is released. Wish me luck.

Flower sampler

I've still not returned to Mystery IX, but will do so now. I have gotten it down from the loft, and the Flower sampler has been packed away. I've stitched another two squares since my last posting, so there's only one motif left, and the border was released on Friday, so need to decide on that, there's a couple, or I could do them both. I think I will do them with a darker green.

I've definately decided on the floss colour for the 'stitchers set' I'm going to make, and chosen some pretty flowered fabric to go with it, so looking forward to starting that, but I must devote at least the next week to Mystery IX.

Oh, I forgot, I have just received a Tacky Bob, and I'm hoping this will help with all the beading needed on Mystery IX. I love beads, and most things I've stitched recently have beads, but I'm notorious for spilling them. I somehow, always manage to spill the pot, and they go down the side of my chair-lost forever. I ran out when I was stitching Shimmering Mermaid, probably due to spilling them several times. I've now decided to put a throw over the chair whenever I have beads, and then hopefully I'll be able to pick them up off the throw. I'll let you all know how I find Tacky Bob.

Another day, another motif

Well, I stitched this last night, and I went on to start the next motif. I really must put this away, as I need to carry on with Mystery IX, if I'm to stand any chance of finishing it before the end of the month.

I had another think on the stitching set I'm going to make, and have changed my mind about the thread colour, but I still have to do a floss toss with the fabric to see if it works.

Off now to get Mystery IX from the loft, and while I'm up there, I'll see about the floss toss. So many projects, so little time.

Byeee

Not much to tell this week

Well, this has been a really poor stitching week. Maybe I was all stitched up after last weekend. Anyway, I've frogged part 5 on the Flower Sampler, and I've restitched and finished it. If you like the look of it, you can find the pattern here.

I've put in an order from Needlecraft Corner, but I'm not telling what I've ordered yet. You'll have to come back another day! I've also decided on a new project. I was going through the free patterns I've downloaded, and found a nice Stitchers Set to do, I don't think it will take too long, I've chosen the fabric, and the thread (I think) from my stash, and hope to start on that soon. I think it will make a nice gift for my friend.

Well that was short and sweet, but Roast Chicken calls. Hope to see you all soon.

HD here

HD here.

This stitched up really, really fast. Sorry the pictures not so good. I've been back at work today, and I'm just too tired to stitch, or master a good photo. I just need to stitch the point up, and I'm thinking of backing it, can't decide whether to put iron on interfacing, with holes cut out for the drawn thread work, and the hardanger. Or maybe just back it with some pink fabric.

I now have to decide which WIP to return to. I think it has to be between Mystery IX or Japanese Garden, which I am finishing for someone.

I'll be back in a couple of days to let you know, what I decide. It's my Cross Stitch Club tomorrow night, so I don't expect to get any stitching done then either (too much chatting!).

Progress pic

Wll, this is stitching up really fast, once I eventually got started, I had to frog 3 times! I'm really pleased with how it looks. I only have to do the hardanger heart, and the V border at the bottom, and then it'll be finished. I'm thinking of having a go at making a hanger for the top from some dowelling and maybe some small doorknobs. Has anyone else made any themselves?

It's September

Hi everyone, it's September already.

Firstly, I'd like to thank you all for visiting, and hope you keep coming back. And thanks to all the nice people who left comments.

Well, I've done a little bit more stitching on Mystery IX, nearly done another corner of Part 8. Part 9 arrived yesterday, and it contains lots and lots of beads and crystals. I couldn't resist stitching a little bit of Part 9 too!

For a few days now I've been itching to stitch something else, so I've started a new project. I had a look in my stash, and I found this. I bought this a couple of months ago from Viking Loom in York. I thought it was really nice, and only £3! A real bargain. I'm hoping it won't take too long.

Anyway, I started it whilst the tea was cooking, and have realised I'll have to frog it all. I've somehow swapped the greens around. Don't you just hate that. Here's a pic, it'll probably take me longer to frog than it did to stitch. It seems really big stitching it too, as it's on 28 count, and my recent stitching has all been on 32 count, 36 count, and 18.

The first corner done

I did the first corner, but still need to bead it, but I'll do the other three corners, and then bead them all at the same time.

I'm also working on another mystery-this one's a freebie though, available from Kissycross blog. This is how far I am, I worked on Part 5 tonight, but will have to frog it, as I'm one square out. I'm doing it on 18 count aida in a nice mint colour. I don't really use aida much, but as I have acquired a lot recently, I thought I'd use it for this. I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with this piece when it's finished though. Maybe a bag, or a cushion.

I'll be adding some more of my WIP's soon.

A little bit more

I've stitch some more on Mystery IX, but have realised as there is only today and tomorrow before Part 9 is released, it's very unlikely that I will get two corners done. Oh well, if only I could sit and stitch all day........... Now I could, as I'm off work, but I have lots of jobs to do, and I really must do them. I expect that the next parts of the Mystery are likely to be quite big. There's 4 months left, and the finished stitching is to be 17.5 inches square, so a lot more to add yet, and there's going to be a lot more beading to do. I love beads, and this was one of the reasons I decided to stitch this piece. There will be3496 beads and crystals on the finished stitching. I'll have to work out how many I've put on so far.

This part is ready for the leaves and flowers.

Mystery IX

Stitching

Well, here I am again. I've been busy stitching, and I'm currently working on Mystery IX, I've got behind with it, having not touched it since May, when I was in front, having guessed at what was coming next and got a head start on it, I then didn't pick it up until last week. I finished Part 6, and then did Part 7 in less that 24 hours (not continuous stitching you understand), and yesterday I finally started Part 8. I know that I won't get Part 8 finished before the next Part is due out on Friday, but hope to have a good start on it. I'm thinking that I should be able to manage to get two corners done.

Here's a pic - no I've never done this before, so lets see if it works.

First posting

Just testing, will be back later.