A Little Progress

The title says it all really.  I have managed a little progress over the last couple of weeks.  I have completed the first stitch in Save The Stitches which has a little bit of copper thread.  It is the DMC thread and it is horrible to use, even with thread heaven.  I'd recommend the Krenic over the DMC any day.  However I do like the effect.

I've put this away again for now and I'm trying to complete a page on Dragonfly.  I hope to have an update on that soon.

I'm going to come up with some goals for 2016 which I hope will be achievable and I'll post those too soon.

I've done this post from the mobile ap so I hope it looks ok.  I'll check it out on the PC later.

In the meantime - Happy Stitching.

Something New

As if I haven't got enough big pieces on the go I've decided to start another one!  Why is that those new starts are so magical?  There's something addictive and exciting about puting the needle through the fabric for the first time and placing those first stitches.  I just love new starts, almost more than finishes which may be why I don't seem to get very many of them.

So this new start, as I said another big piece but slightly different this time.  I've taken on Save The Stitches by Blackwork Journey which, as it suggests, is blackwork rather than cross stitch.  It come in 24 parts so if I stitch two each month I could finish it in a year!  Yeah I know, nice plan but I'll never stick to it.  Anyway, this is what I have so far:-

The lighting of the photo is really bad so sorry about that but you get the idea.  This is the outline for the whole of block 1 and each block needs to be filled in with different blackwork patterns.  I'm enjoying it and it seems to stitch up quite quickly but I guess that might vary depending on the stitch that's being used at any one time.

Now with less than a week to go to Christmas and all sorts of commitments between now and then I don't suppose I'll get a chance to do any stitching for a while.   At some stage I'm going to have to get the house and food ready for 13 people for the big day and I'm working Christmas Eve (bad planning), so I probably won't get to post again before the 25th.

So I'll wish you all a very merry Christmas and hope that Santa brings you loads of stitchy stuff!

Birthday time and the Dragon gets a cookie

It's been a busy week this week with my eldest daughter turning 18!  She had a friend to stay last weekend, then a family party on Wednesday (her actual birthday) then a party with friends this weekend.

From this little thing......

To this, with her Grandma....

On a stitching front I've been working on Curl Up With A Good Book.  It seems to have been a slow process with the stem of the glass requiring many colour changes.  However looking at the photos I've done more than I realised and the dragon has a cookie..... well, very nearly!

Happy stitching.

Hello! I'm still here.

My plans for this new blog didn't last that long did they?  So much for the TUSAL and Turtle Trot trying to inspire me.  Life has just been busy - mind you when isn't it?  We've been touring universities every weekend looking at Psychology courses for my daughter.  Applications are all in now so we just wait and see.  Fingers crossed she makes the grades she needs to do the course she wants.

I have, however, started to pick up my needle again - yay. I've been stitching on Curl Up With A Good Book which is currently slow progress as there's only three or four stitches of any one colour at the moment.  But I should soon move on to an area that will fill quicker.

I've also made a little purchase to motivate me - what better way than to add to my collection of incomplete cross stitch?  I've bought a little Christmas chart and the materials to do Save The Stitches.  Hopefully they will arrive tomorrow.

 However, I do remember that I promised you pictures of the framed Celtic Summer and I don't want to disappoint you so here they are, better late than never hey?

Happy stitching everybody!

TUSAL Update, A New Moon and An Eclipse

So today sees the new moon and another TUSAL post so how appropriate that we've had a partial eclipse in the UK.  Its the first time I really remember experiencing one.  The light certainly changes and it almost feels like dusk or early dawn not 9.30am.  We didn't have the glasses so made do with a pin hole in a piece of paper which gave a sharp, if somewhat small image.  However, I did get these on my phone.

This is the sun in the top left but if you look to the lower right you can see a crescent which is the reflection of the eclipse in the double glazing.

This one might take a bit of work to see (and was much better on my phone, I think it's lost some detail in the upload).  If you look at the bottom right of the blur that is the sun's glare you can make out an in focus semi circle.  This is the sun and on my phone there was a chunk missing which was the moon, but I think you are going to have to take my word for it.

And this one I just like.  You can see the sun underneath its glare. 

I know they are not going to set the astrological world alight with their quality but seeing it's only the camera on my phone I was quite pleased with them.

Anyways, back to stitching and TUSAL.  Here's my jar.  It's starting to show lots of the reds now from Dragonfly.

And the dragon itself continues to progress.

Celtic Winter will be back from the framers next week so I'll post you some shots then.

Happy stitching and thanks for visiting!

Late Turtle Trot (March)

Celtic Summer has gone off to be frame, yipee,  Can't wait to get her back and put her up with Celtic Winter.  Two down, two to go.  Don't hold your breath though, it's taken so long to do Celtic Summer that the other two won't be here any time soon!

However, Christmas Pots is now finished.  It needs a wash and iron and then "finishing" but the stitching is done.  (The picture's a bit washed out, I'll get a better one when it's washed).

And I'm pleased to say the Dragonfly continues to progress.  The dragon's face is starting to appear.

And here's a close up of the dragons head.

Only a totally different note I've started a sewing course.  It's for complete beginners and started with real basics, like how to thread your sewing machine.  But at the end of week three I've learnt how to do various seams and darts and I've made a place mat using wadding and bias, which I was actually quite pleased with.  I might even try and show you a picture next time.

Finish Number 2

Woo Hoo!  I've done it.  I've finished Celtic Summer.  This has been a ridiculously long journey.  The first stitch went in in October 2009 so it's taken me just over 4 years!!!  I know it's a big project but that is a little bit crazy, it just goes to show how much I get sidetracked onto other projects.

So here are some pics (sorry that not very good).

She's stitched two over two except her hands and face which are one over one.  She's on 28 count cashel linen (Summer Khaki).

Dragonfly Page Finish

In my last post I promised a picture of Dragonfly with page 12 finished.  However, this was a lie, it's actually page 15 finish - Whoopie!!!!  Mind you that's out of 20 pages not 18 so although I couldn't count yesterday I've still got just as much to do as I said but I've done more than I said.  Any way, stop rambling I hear you say.  Here is the picture.

I was also surfing the web last night looking at cross stitch charts and came across Chatelaine Designs and I think I have fallen in love with the mandalas.  I just love the Chinese Garden one which the above link takes you to.  The pictures don't do it justice, have a look at this joysze blog.  The only problem I have with it is that it uses so many specialist threads that, based on another design that is available through Sew and So it comes to over £200 for fabric, threads and beads and that's just not something I can justify.  Oh well, I'll just add it to the wish list anyway, we can all dream.

Just look HERE to see how beautiful these are when stitched.

TUSAL Update

Well it certainly seems to have been a productive month for stitching for me and the ORT jar has the evidence to prove it.

I've really got into the flow of Dragonfly at the moment which is great as it's relatively close to a finish.  I've nearly finished page 12 of 18 pages but the last four pages are only half pages (if that) so compared to what I've done there is hardly any to do (only a few thousand stitches!).  I aim to post a picture of progress tomorrow as I should finish page 12 tonight.

As for Curl Up With A Good Book and Treasures I'm pleased to say I have found the missing pages. They were hiding away on the old computer but still safely there.  I've now printed them off so they are back on my Turtle Trot list.  Save The Stitches has been moved to a wish list, one that I'm sure will grow over time.

Happy stitching all and thanks for visiting and to my new followers!

Turtle Trot Update

It's the 10th of the month so time for an update on my Turtle Trot.

Overall it's been a good month.  I've made progress on Celtic Summer adding a whole load of the beads and I'm hoping for a finish on this next month.

I started and completed "Brew Some Fun" and I've just got to decide what to do with it now, plenty of time to Halloween though so no rush.  It's a Lizzi Kate flip chart so I might even do the other pattern before then you never know.

"Curl Up With A Good Book" has made a little progress from this

To this:-

But I have hit a problem in that I don't appear to have the final page of the chart.  I'm going to have another check of my PC to see if I can find it otherwise I'm going to have to purchase the chart, luckily it is still available.

However, this is also a problem with "Treasure" as I only have half the chart.  I've only stitched half a dozen stitches so this one is going to be substituted with "Save The Stitches".  (I do love to pick the large charts).

There is also progress with "Dragonfly".  From this:-

To this:-

It doesn't look much but it's being stitched one over one on 25 count so it's a lot of stitches for a little progress.  It's page 14 of 20 so it's all in the right direction.  I've got my grove on with this one at the moment so I'm going to stick with it for a bit, at least until the dragon has a head!

Then there's "Christmas Pots", which has gone from this:-

To this:-

Happy Stitching everyone and don't forget to visit other Turtle Trot participants at BAP Attack.

First finish

Wow, celebration time!  It's my first finish of the year.  "Brew Some Fun" has been a lot of fun to stitch and has certainly helped me find my stitching mo-jo.

I just have to work out what to do with it now!

Happy stitching and thanks for visiting!

The Lady Progresses

I don't have a huge amount to show you today.  We had visitors over the weekend and so I didn't get too much stitching time - and what I did have tended to get used up by The Sims.  However, I have added some beads to Celtic Summer.

There are only a few beads to go in the purple patch of her dress.  It really won't take me too much longer to finish but I do need to do it in daylight in order to see the thread and that's what I'm struggling with -  daylight stitching time.

Christmas Post has progressed a little bit but not enough to show.

Going back to the weight loss plan - well that is failing so I've decided to set my self a goal.  If  no When i loose half a stone I'm going to treat my self to a cross stitch chart.  Now lets see if that can motivate me!  Each half stone - a new chart!

Happy Stitching all!

Getting Side Tracked!

Stitching has been very much slower this week.  Life has just been busier, with a busy weekend but I have managed to finish the "M" of "Christmas Pots" and make a start on the "A".

Mind you I did get sidetracked a little by "Theme Hospital", a game I used to play a lot when it was first release (not sure when that was but must have been around the 90's).  I loved it then and it still hasn't lost any of it's charms.  OK, the graphics aren't up to today's standards but the playabillity and the sense of humour are great.  Who can argue with bloaty head syndrome where the doctors have to pop and then re-inflate the patients head!

Happy stitching all!

TUSAL And Stash!!!

So it is the 20th January and a new moon shines down upon us all.  That mean's it's time for a TUSAL update.  My little honey pot is starting to get some colour to it!

I've really got my stitching mojo back at the moment and had a lovely quite weekend with lots of time for stitching.  I've been working on "Christmas Pots" which has contributed quite a bit of white to the TUSAL pot, but I've also started the Lizzie Kate "Brew Some Fun" which is proving to be a really fun stitch.

Here's "Christmas Pots"

And here is "Brew Some Fun"

And then there has been the final purchase for the Turtle Trot.  Here is number 10 - "Let's Be Wicked" by Imaginating.

A stash delivery also came this morning - some new bobbins because I can't see the numbers on the plastic ones any more and the number stickers just fall off.  A needle threader - 'cause sometimes I struggle with that particularly when using invisible thread for beads - it really is invisible!  And let's not forget some threads and fabric.

That lovely purpley one is Polstitches "Bewitched" and I thought it would be great for "Let's Be Wicked".  The chart only calls for three different coloured threads.  I might change the maroon one as it could get a little lost.

Happy stitching everyone!

Turtle Trot 2015 Numbers 8 and 9

Hands up if you need to be asked twice to buy more stash?  No? No, me neither so the Turtle Trot was the only excuse I needed to go spending.  I've bought the last three but one is currently out of stock.  So here are numbers 8 & 9.

8) "Brew Some Fun" by Lizzie Kate

9) "Wine a bit" by Lizzie Kate

Of course all I want to do know is start them both, especially as they are nice small projects.  I didn't buy any materials for it so I'll need to check stash supplies and see if I can get going or if I've got another excuse to buy stuff!!

Happy stitching everyone.

Turtle Trot 2015

So the Turtle Trot is being run by BAP Attack.  The aim of this is to:-

1) Pick ten pieces to stitch for 2015
2) Post progress pictures on the 10th of the month
3) Link up Here so we can all admire your progress and cheer for you
4) Hop around at the above link and see how far everyone's gotten and cheer for them.

So I've got to pick 10 projects.  I'm still coming up with some of this list but so far I  have:

1) Christmas by Heritage Cross Stitch

2) Celtic Summer by Lavender and Lace

3) Dragonfly by Heaven and Earth Designs

4) Curl up with a Good Book by Heaven and Earth Designs

5) Treasure, a  Storykeep by Heaven and Earth Designs

6)  Enchanted Flute by Heaven and Earth Designs

7) I don't know what this one is - I'll have to track it down it was released month by month several years ago and I'm sure I've got the missing bits.

And those are actually all the WIP's I have - does that give me an excuse to buy three more charts?  Happy Days!!!!