Hydrangea update

So last night saw me finish the leaves and stems on the Hydrangea. So here's a new WIP pic of the Hydrangea

I'm thoroughly enjoying stitching this. I find Sheila Hudson's designs a joy to stitch. This is the 3rd one of hers I've done and I have 5 more on my to do list. 

Below is a pic of me sat in my stitching corner taken a couple of nights ago. As you can see I'm all set for the night with my favourite choccie and a glass of rose.

I finished the biscornu for the gift swap and all I need to do is to sew it up, something I plan to do later today. Its a really cute owl one and I'll post a pic later in the week when it's found its way to it's new owner. I recieved my exchange gift today a very sweet tissue holder and card from my Bubble swap partner Ivory.

I'll do one question today although I'm a little behind and that is,
Day 23: If you had the supplies (and patience) for it, what project would you start today?
There are a few design on my wish list that I'd love and after my visit to the hobbycraft show hopefully I'll have a couple of them. They are blackwork designs one of a Dragon and the other two are Art Nouveau designs - one called Pink Window and the other is the Waterlily both are found here. Purely for on the patience part it would be to get some more done on my HAED.

Thanks for reading and happy crafting everyone. xx

Not alot to report but I thought I'd have a catch up with my questions and see how you all are doing. welcome to my new follower passionatlypink...about time too Rach!!!
Day 20: Do you stitch in public? Was anyone offended/incredibly happy/curious that you were doing so?I'll stitch anywhere and it's not uncommon for me to stitch on the bus when I'm child free, in the park whilst watching the children play or at birthday parties my son goes to. I'm not sure how people could be offended by it, Sometimes I get little comments about it, generally people admiring it and/or my ability just to do it. It's lead to me finding out about other stitchers and crafters. The first time I took it to a kids party one of the other mums was very glad and promply got out her knitting.

Day 21: Do you stitch gifts for friends and family for the holidays or birthdays?I love to stitch for friends and family for Christmas and birthdays. I have for the last few years stitched my Hubby a dragon themed card for our wedding anniversary, my best friend Sarah gets something most birthdays even if it's just a stitched card. My son likes me stitching things for him too and will put in a request every now and again. My favourite person to stitch for is my Mum. She's had a couple of pictures and lots of cards. I've got her christmas present and card all planned, along with my son's. they'll only be small bits, but that way everyone gets a little something. I've done a few cards for bubblers too.

Day 22: Have you ever stricken someone off your to-stitch-for list because they didn’t appreciate/take care of your last stitched gift to them?I've never stricken anyone from my list, but over the years I've learnt which friends to stitch for. It now means I only stitch about 12 Christmas cards now and thats enough for me and I can say I've got 7 done already yay!!

Hydrangea is coming along well, spurred on by my evening stitchathons with Rach. Today I should get the leaves finished and post a progress pic for you all tomorrow. I've been thinking about my stash reduction for the bubble group and what 5 to pick for next year. I think I've got 4 out of the 5 already

1. A nudge from mom (needle treasures)
2. QS Iris (HAED)
3. Lickle Greetings (Lickle Ted)
4. Japanese Bookmark (V&A collection by Anchor)

I'm not sure what the 5th will be yet, i'll probably do a floral design from one of the many magazine charts I have on my to do list.

Have a fab day folks. x

Last day of the summer hols

Well I'm predicting today will be a busy one with all the preparation for back to school tomorrow. I still need to sew in some nametapes, an onerous task if ever there was one, along with a couple of other jobs.

I put aside all the little projects and got the Hydrangea out yesterday. I felt I wasn't getting anywhere with it as I'd been stitching alot for exchanges. I did 550 stitches on it or there abouts yesterday and finally looks like something rather than a green splodge on the fabric. (It's 2 green splodges now!) so here's my progress pic. An image of the competed design can be seen on the right.

Day 19: Do you watch television or listen to music whilst you stitch? What are your favourite things to stitch to?The TV is usually on when I'm stitching, and is normally a crime drama of some description, last night it was Gently on BBC1. I do watch some sport too whilst I stitch. I'm a big fan of Formula 1 so I watch or rather listen to that, also Tennis and big events like the Olympics. I like comedies too like Miranda and Big Bang Theory if there really is nothing on then the DVD's of the Gilmore Girls come out. How about you readers?

Have a lovely week everyone .xx

short and sweet Sunday

Good morning friends, I hope this Sunday finds you well. Just a short and sweet blog today as it's all quiet round here. 

I completed another ATC yesterday so here are my first 3 all together. They're for 2 different swaps, one on bubble and one for Debs for her Fibromyalgia fundraising. See her blog here. I haven't decided which is for what yet but I'll be getting them in the post this week. The designs are all from Cross Stitch Collection 200 and I've put them together in my own arrangement. I used up threads from the card packs that come free with the mags and the card they are mounted on are actually the backing cards from the packs cut to size - no sense in wasting it.

My first ATC's



Day 18: Do you have a favourite stitching magazine?

I don't think I could choose between Cross Stitcher or WOXS. I have subs to both and I find each has it's good and bad points. I use the WOXS design libraries alot especially since I've been stitching themed stuff for exchanges. I occasionally buy Crazy, Gold or Collection if a design catches my eye.

So as it's a wet and miserable day here, I plan on spending it with a needle in hand as much as I can. Have a lovely Sunday. xx

catch up Saturday

Morning folks,

Today I'm having a bit of a catch up the house as it looks like it is lived in by a gang of tramps with hoover phobia. I was going to wait until the children go back to school but frankly I cannot stand another 4 days of mess so I will be spending time doing this today. not my idea if fun, I'd rather be stitching! So to keep up with the catching up theme I thought i'd post 3 pics that were meant to go on other blogs and didn't quite make it for whatever reason.

Here are the seaside sachets all made up. they're now hung up in the cloakroom. The middle one is a little wonky but hey, it's handmade!

This is the birth sampler I did for my son. It was my most challenging piece as a novice stitcher (day 8's question). It had tweeding, french knots, fractionals and took alot of counting to get the characters in the right place.

finally heres the Stitchlet exchange i recieced from Bubbler Anne.  I love mouseloft kits, they're so sweet and the blue flowers will look great on ATC's too.

Day 17: Have you ever had a project that you loved become ruined? What’s the story behind it?
I've never had a piece of stitching ruined although when I was sewing up the height chart last week the iron was spitting out limescale so that was a bit of a hairy moment. So far anything thats been spilt has come out in the wash and when I was stitching Elvis for Mum, I cut the fabby too small and only left about an inch on 2 of the sides for framing. It was ok and framed up nicely.

So I hope you all have a lovely weekend and I just want to send my best wishes to Laura as she gets married today. have a wonderful day. x

Kerry. x

Weekend here we come!

I didn't stitch much yesterday although stitching was never far from my mind. I did write out thread lists for my next 5 projects in my little notebook so I do believe it will soon be time to do a thread order. I have a couple more projects to list before. I sat with my pencil and graph paper having a little sketch too. I do like to sketch little idea's for designs. I want to make my own stitchers sampler so I will be going through mags over the coming days to get ideas.
I did sew up the seaside sachets with a little help from my son who chose where to put the charms. some might call it a little wonky, I call it handmade charm. I've been asked to make a couple of handbags by a friend so I get to go fabric shopping. I have to decide a price and that is the hard thing as the fabric is £11 a metre but I use way under that so I'm unsure what to charge her. The school craft fair will be at the end of November, I had a stall last year so I might make some bits for it again this year, thats 2 1/2 months to plan and design. Christmas decorations always go down well. Hopefully Novembers trip to the NEC will give me ideas too along with the stash to create some masterpieces. I've had the notebook out again and it has one or two ideas.

Last night I got out an old embroidery UFO and thoroughly enjoyed stitching it, whilst trying to find a picture of it I came across 3 more co-ordinating designs. I think I may have to purchase them!!!

Pink Circles embroidery by Anchor

I'm popping over to mums later with the children so looking forward to catching up on Bubble as for some strange reason I can't post from this computer.

Oh nearly forgot the question!
Day 16: Have you ever had a stitching related injury?
Apart from stabbing myself with a needle numerous times and a sore shoulder from poor posture when stitching, nothing to report i'm afraid!

Have a fab weekend friends. x

Thursday already

Yesterday I recieved my stitchlet exchange from Anne and had this lovely little stitchlet, card and embelishment. It was my first stitchlet swap and good fun to do. I spent alot of yesterday evening sketching out a ATC design for the swap on bubble as I only have 10 days or so to get them done. One got finished yesterday and I used the CSC design again but did a blackwork version, I kind of just did the outline of the main flower and then just let the needle take me where it did. I started the second one too and I shall continue to work on that today. I'll post a pic in my next blog when they are both made up into ATCs. I also finished a design for a coaster. I used the top of a biscornu design from the totally fab Kincavel Krosses.

All stitched and ready to be made into coaster

Laura (check out her blog here) recieved her wedding parcel I'd made for her yesterday so I can now do the big reveal for that! I stitched her a card and matching tag from Cross Stitcher issue 225 and stitched this blackwork lucky horseshoe from a DMC booklet called Blackwork Occasions. Both designs required beading and I went into town armed with the one side of the design to match the beads as I'd changed the colours to match Laura's colour scheme, not realising that the card needed beads too. anyhoo I brought beads that went very well (Mill Hill 2018) got them home to realise that the card needed beads too and would you believe they were the right colour - see the horseshoe is lucky already! I also made Laura a little parcel of heart and love themed sweets for a bit of fun. All that remains is to wish her and her Fiance all the very best for Saturday and every happiness together.

Back of Horseshoe

Front of Horseshoe

Wedding Card for Laura

Ok I think I need to catch up with some questions so here are 3 to see me up to date (I think)

Day 13: Have you ever taught anyone to stitch?I taught my mum to do tapestry's, she won't try cross stitch as much as I've offered to teach her, I'll keep persevering. I think if she ever completely falls in love with a design then that would be when she'd learn, but knowing my luck she'd get me to stitch it! I'd be happy to teach anyone who'd pick up a needle.

Day 14: What’s the worst threads or fabric that you’ve worked with and why?

I've gone of working with metallics and no amount of thread heaven will make me change my mind at the moment. I can't think of a fabric athough recently I did a round robin where my fabric was an aida band, as with many bands it was very loosely woven and impossible to do fractionals on. It gave one of my fellow robiners quite a headache.

Day 15: What was your least favorite pattern and why?I can't think of anything I've stitched where I've really disliked the pattern. I only tend to stitch things that I like the pattern for, even when doing gifts. I did start a flower fairy once from a card kit and just couldn't get into it. It didn't ever get finished and I passed it on to a penpal to do.

Thanks for reading folks and stopping by. Enjoy the rest of your day. x