Easter blog hop

Happy Easter friends!

This year I'm participating in one of Jo's lovely Blog hops . This time it is the Easter Treasure Hunt! Pop over to Jo's for the rules and how to be a happy Easter blog hopper! Each blog taking part will give you a letter to an Easter word or phrase. You can then post your answer at Jo's blog. There is usually a prize involved for the lucky guesser. The best part is you get to visit lots of lovely blogs and maybe make some new friends along the way.

This is my Easter picture...I've not done any Easter stitching this year but this is one I stitched for Steph last year and is a design from The Snowflower Diaries. I just love their designs.

And keep scrolling for my letter...

Keep going...

My letter is...

U

You now need to hop on over to Katie's blog to find the next letter...

Happy hopping!! 

Wipocalypse

Hello friends 

welcome to my new followers too, I think that is part of the beauty of SALs that you get to visit some fantastic new blogs and make new friends. I've visited several new blogs since the start of the year and discovered some wonderful stitchers. 

Right on to wipocalypse...stitch like its the end of the world! Hosted by Measi, you can find my 2016 list in the tabs above. 

Progress, we have progress! I've worked on the winter swap, Plum Street's 12 days and the PIF's. I'm happy with that lot, although my list of projects that need finishing off/making up is getting longer. My sewing machine needs servicing so I've been putting off making up as its all hand sewing. 

So progress...all in the photo below, I mentioned in my last post that I wanted to stitch on 7 in 7 days...I did it! 

The biscornu bottom for the winter swap...I'm not overly happy with the fabric as its paler than I wanted but as its the bottom I'll deal with it and just get this biscorn finished. This project has dragged on far too long. 

12 days by Plum Street Samplers...it was lovely stitching this, even if I've not done much to the third day. We've got a short break during the Easter hols so I need to decide what to take with me to do, I'm not sure whether stitching on 25ct over one lends itself to car stitching though.  

I've done 4/5 PIF's now and working on the 5th. I showed you progress last week in GG, but we have more! I've sewn up the seaside sachet and put in another couple of rows on the camper van. I think the camper will be a travel project for Easter. 

As always there is a question to go along with wipocalypse and this months is...

Do you use hoops, stretcher bars, lap stands or Q snap frames and why?

The short answer is yes! On large projects like my Anchor sampler, I use a frame very similar to a Q snap which has a built in lap stand. Small aida projects such as biscornu I don't tend to bother but all smaller projects done on evenweave or similar are done with a hoop as it helps me to tension better, even the ABC SAL which only measures 30x30 stitches done on 20ct belana, I use a 4" hoop. For comparison the stitch for Syria design is on aida and 31x31 and the stiffness of the fabric means I don't bother. I have a big floor stand too, but I don't use it that much anymore as its a pain to store. 

Happy Easter to you all too. I'll be back on Friday with my Easter blog hop post. 

Gifted gorgeousness March

Hi friends,

It's the 15th so that can only mean one thing...it's time for Gifted Gorgeousness hosted by the lovely Jo at Serendipitous Stitching The basic idea is to stitch something using something that was gifted to you - such as the chart, threads, fabric or embellishments or stitch something that will be a gift.

I actually have new things to show you this month as I have been busy working on the long overdue PIF's. 

I've managed to get one completed, one that needs making up and I'm stitching on the final one, so all being well the recipients will have them by wipocalypse! 

This is the biscornu stitched from a design in Crosstitch crazy issue 212. 

It's been a travel project for me as the design is repetitive. Here I am stitching on the number 32 bus! 

Believe me it's not easy stitching on a double-decker, especially not the top deck!! 

So the next project was a seaside themed one. I really loved stitching this, again another one that was carted about on my daily travels as it was nice blocky stitching. 

The last of the PIF's is a Campervan bookmark. I did a fair chunk last night and I'm guessing this will become my new travel project. 

As I was sat stitching the campervan last night, I realised that I had stitched on four different projects in four days, so I decided to set myself a little challenge of stitching on seven different pieces in seven days. I've participated in March madness before and I know many of you take part in CJC or DUCJC. Stitching every day can be a challenge for me with my ME. Some days I just don't feel like it, other days I can surprise myself with the amount of stitching I get done. I've picked my pieces for today and tomorrow, Thursday's choice is yet to be made but it must come out of the Basket of doom (which basically is the place where WIP's become UFO's!) wish me luck.

Two things that I forgot to post about in last months GG work the card I made for hubby for Valentine's Day...

And the beautiful quilted mat that Christine sent me for winning her little competition at the end of last year.  It's made with some beautiful fabrics including vintage ones too. It's got heat resistant fabric inside to so can be used as a pot stand but it's far too nice for that so my biscornu bowl rests on it.

So that's my lot for today I'm off to sneak in an hours stitching before I do some housework. I best not tell my daughter though as she told me off this morning for having a day off! Apparently I should work every day!! Cheeky monkey!

Happy stitching friends. x

Free to a good home

Hi folks. 

A friend was having a clear out and sent me lots of cross stitch charts from UK magazines. I've kept quite a few but already have these as I subscribe to the magazines. They're from cross stitcher, crazy and WOXS. 

There are several different themes so if you would like any of them I'll be happy to post them out to people. Must are If several people want them I'll pop names in a hat. Some piles have 3-4 charts others just one or two. 

Themes are

Animals (mainly cute)

Christmas

Retro/Scandi 

Oriental

Beach/seaside 

Floral (one set of charts)

Give me a shout if you want any, I won't be offended either if people want to pass  

On with the stitching (said in a firm way to try and motivate me as my stitchy bug is refusing to play these last few weeks)