Completed Hydrangea

I'm very pleased to report that I finished the Hydrangea on Friday night (yay!) I'm very pleased with how it turned out so now I need to measure up Hydrangea and my Irises and get them framed and mounted. I have a feeling I will need to have frames made for both of them. We've a good little frame shop in town so I'll pop in and get a quote next time I go into town. I found it quite hard to decide on what to stitch next so I got all the threads ready for the next 4 projects. I think I'll get all the fabby ready for them too today. I'm still waiting for a thread order to come so I decided to start one of the little Disney kits and did Pluto last night. I shall back stitch him tonight and start Donald Duck. I just need to find a day time project that I can do in front of DS.

My friend has asked me to make her a handbag so I went fabric shopping for her yesterday and happened to pick up a few remnants too. The green with rose buds at the top is the fabric for Sarah-Jane's bag. I love this fabric and I will use the left overs to make a bag for me in a different style . As for the remnants, they were all less than £2. The pink checked is for a handbag and cost £1. The cream will make a great lining fabric and was 50p. The cupcake one I have ambitions to make a pram blanket for DD's play buggy. (designing in my head as we speak) The multi coloured one with the hearts and flowers and the green floral print in the middle are the only ones I have no plans for yet.

Time for the penultimate question...Day 29: Do you have any tips, or things that you’ve learned from stitching?

I Don't think I have any tips that most stitchers don't already know. I prefer to start with the loop method, I usually photocopy my charts so I can mark off on the spare copy. I think the most important thing is to enjoy what you are stitching, it is supposed to be fun after all.  

Thanks for reading and have a lovely Sunday. x

Back on track

Well the stitchy bug came home and brought the turbo needle and the frog with it so I was over run with stitchy visitors, one not quite so welcome though. I stitched a small section in the wrong colour as I'd parked the thread in in the wrong place. Despite the frog I hit my target last night (YAY!!) 300 stitches and now I feel like I'm back on track with Hydrangea. today I must write a list of the projects I need to do in the run up to Christmas to keep me organised. (I do love a list).

I can't believe I've almost finished the questions and I've enjoyed telling you all about my stitching. so here's the next one. Day 28: Do you do any other crafts besides stitching? What are they, and did learning to cross stitch come before or after learning these other crafts?I've crafted for as long as I can remember. I've always made cards for birthdays and I've had a go at scrap booking too. I made a whole scrapbook for some dear friends who moved to Durham 6 years ago and then they asked me to do another for them a couple of years ago. I've only ever done a couple of pages for myself. I started making beaded jewellery about 20 years ago. That has been the main other craft hobby and this is one of my favourite pieces I've made. I made all the tiaras for my wedding too.

Necklace, earrings and bracelet made using AB finished glass beads on black findings.

Lets see if I can list everything I've had a go at...Glass painting, decoupage, knitting, quilling, fimo, pottery (for GCSE), embroidery, long stitch. There must be others but I honestly can't remember any more. I often had making kits for Christmas and that is where alot of my passing fads have started. It's been the needlepoint, paper crafts and the jewellery that have stuck. The needle work is my favourite even though Cross Stitch is something I've only been doing for 7 years. I have recently tried crochet and it's just one that repeately defeats me so I shall persevere with it. I'm enjoying the machine sewing too and I need to go fabric shopping for a bag I've been asked to make. I'm looking forward to learning to make alsorts on that.

Right time to get that list started as there is only 3 months until Christmas. Eek! Happy Crafting. x

You gotta love new stash!!!

I'm having a bit of a stitching drought at the moment and I just can't seem to get anywhere on my Hydrangea. It's very frustrating as I really wanted to get it finished by Sunday. Hey ho that's how it goes.

I did get my Circles embroidery finished yesterday. The original design was alot smaller, so I expanded it a little as the fabric was generous. It's an Anchor living kit I brought ages ago and was in a sale. I just need to glue on the little diamantes now.

Having enjoyed the circles embroidery I was delighted to find the rest of the set that were at a price too good to refuse. I got them from Black Sheep Wools for £1.98 each. Now that's a bargain in my eyes.

Whilst browsing their website I also found these kits too at the same fab price and I shall stitch them for my son who is a huge Disney fan. he doesn't know I have brought them. My only dilemma is as they are only 2"x 2" what do I do to display them? Suggestions more than welcome!!!

I had a lovely surprise package from Laura this week to say thank you for her wedding present. I love the little brooch. Just my colour too.

Well time to see if I can coax my stitchy bug from under the sofa!

Monday - Hydrangea update

Good morning one and all. I hope today finds you all well. It's been a busy morning and I'm yet to crack the housework. I've been Christmas shopping this morning and to Tesco. I feel worn out all ready.

I had a fab stitchy session yesterday and did almost 400 stitches on Hy which was a really good total for me. I also managed to do a bit on my Circles embroidery and now I only have 2 circles to complete to finish it. It been a fun bit of stitching. So here is the Hydrangea as it looks now. I'm hoping for another good session on it tonight too.

Hydrangea update as of 18/9/11

I really need to order the threads I need for my next project other wise I'll be ready to start and they wont be here for me. Which leads me nicely on to todays question...

Day 27: How do you acquire most of your stash? Online retailers, local shops, swaps, or large chain craft stores? What’s your favourite?I get threads and most of my fabby from Cross Stitch Heaven as I tend to do alot of designs from magazine charts rather than kits. If I do do a kit it's usually one I've picked up when I've gone to the Hobby Craft show at the NEC (6 weeks and counting Rach!!) I do love my local shops too The Cotton Reel and Creative Hands. I use them for buttons, fabric and ribbon and also the odd skein when I'm desperate to get on with something. The staff are so helpful in both of them.

Thanks for reading and have a lovely day. xx

Overwhelmed

I really had to do this blog to say how overwhelmed I was with all your comments on my Owl Biscornu. I really am touched by all your kind words. Thank you to each one of you who took the time to leave me such uplifting comments. We had a lovely time at the cinema too. Secondly welcome to my new follower Butterfly. I hope you'll pop back from time to time.

My fellow blogger, the fabulously talented Lori is having a giveaway over on her blog Hippywitch crafts. You can win a beautiful crocheted witch and felt heart. I've put my name in the hat. I'm looking forward to reaching a landmark so I can have a giveaway to one of you lovely folks.

Yesterday I received my ATC's from my first bubble swap. They were two fab ones and I'm looking forward to doing the October swap. I'm thinking as its going to be halloween very close to the date of posting I might do a couple of themed ones. I have a chart for a fab spider that I've wanted to stitch for ages. 

My first ATC's recieved

Day 26: Have you ever been a part, or wanted to be a part of a stitch-a-long? What was it? If not, why?

I join in with the Bubble UFO SAL on a Monday. Its helped me get through alot of little UFO's I've had knocking about and I even conquered my fear of french knots when a bookmark I was stitching required 120 of them. I actually quite like doing them now. I'm currently working on my circles embroidery for it. next on the list is to start doing my HAED on a Monday night as I've not stitched on it for months. It might take me 2 years to get it done though just stitching it on a Monday.

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend. Thanks for stopping by. x

muesli musings

Well it's a damp saturday here in my corner of the world which is a bit of a shame as I am taking DS out this morning to see Day of the Diesels, the new Thomas Tank Engine film as he's somewhat obsessed with all things railway. We're taking his best friend too so should be a nice morning with lots of popcorn and maybe a Macdonalds for lunch. 

The Hydrangea is moving along slowly but surely. I do enjoy stitching it and I only have around 2100 stitches to do so I'm well on target for my end of September finish, but I really do need to hit my 300 stitches target each night in the stitchathons with the lovely Rach. I'll post an updated wip pic on Monday

My exchange partners have recieved their gifts now so here is a pic of the biscornu. It's one of my absolute favourite biscornu's that I've made. The owl on the branch is part of a design from WOXS 172 - Funky owl cards, stitched on 14ct sky blue aida and beaded with Mill Hill beads 0556. I found the owl button in House of Fraser and the flower button is from one of my local sewing shops I brought recently and popped in my button tin, knowing it would be perfect for a biscornu at some point.

Ivory's Owl biscornu

Bottom of Owl Biscornu

Day 25: Do you have a book or a place where you keep patterns, ideas, wish lists? Post a picture of it!

I certainly do have a little notebook where I keep all my notes, lists ideas and thread orders. I've used it for about 3 years. It has my DMC shade card slipped in the front along with odd designs and notes. I also have the lovely stitching diary too made for me by Bubbler Chloe last year as part of a stitching diary exchange.

Stitching Diary and my Stitchy notebook

Well the sun is now shining and the sky blue so best I get ready for the day. Have a fab weekend friends. x 

Thursday ponderings

Hello followers, I hope this Thursday finds you all well in your corner of the world. I thought I'd write a quick blog as I munch my muesli. I had a completely stitch free day yesterday as we had friends for dinner. I'm enjoying stitching the Hydrangea so much, I really missed not stitching it yesterday. I have given myself a computer time limit this morning to maximise my stitchy time.

I recieved a lovely bookmark yesterday a part of crafty lauras gift exchange on bubble from Jo. I have 3 ATC's due to come to me over the next week or so then that'll be it with the exchanges for a while whilst I catch up with birthday cards.

Bookmark from Jo

Day 24: Have you ever made your own pattern? How did it turn out?I've designed a few things over the years. Sometimes it's just a new sampler layout from designs from magazines. I've designed several biscornu. One thing I did for 2 special families was to make them mini samplers for their homes. I got the idea when round at one of their houses I noticed she had several minature pictures in a row above a door frame. I knew I had some tiny wooden frames so designed a mini sampler to fit. its the first time I'd used cross stitch design software, usually I just get out the graph paper and do it like that, anyway heres one of them.



Mini Sampler

Well folks thats me for today. I'm off for a quick gander at bubble. Thanks for reading. x