It's almost Christmas (aka where did 2015 go too?!)

I know, it’s been a while.  I’m really starting to feel like 2015 passed in a blur.  Some of my silence has been that I haven’t had much stitching to share but, given that what I have stitched has been mostly Christmas themed lately, I wanted to try and update before Christmas has been and gone.  Family start arriving home tonight, more  tomorrow and after that it will be Christmas Day!

The only definite stitching plan I had this year was to stitch each of the ornaments from The Prairie Schooler chart, Christmas Favorites.  I mostly worked on these on Sundays throughout the year and I’m happy to report that I did stitch them all!

Stitched on 32ct Zweigart Natural linen using suggested colours.

They are out on display this Christmas, on this small tree, but next year I hope to have different plans for them.

One new ornament for our tree this year, Homespun Elegance's Rejoice.  I stitched this quite a bit earlier in the year and, in my usual procrastinating way, I only got round to finishing it when the tree was about to go up!

Stitched on a mystery 32ct from my fabric stash using the suggested colour.

My most recent WIP was Merry One from Plum Street Samplers.  I still have the word ‘merry’ to stitch but, other than that, it’s a finish. 

I stitched this one on 32ct Lakeside Linens Vintage Buttercream. My only change from the suggested colours was the red for the santa.  For that I used a CC Belle Soie silk, Red Fox.  I wanted something a little more red but still with some of the original colour.  Merry Two arrived a couple of days ago so that’s on my to do  list for 2016 – ideally I’d like to keep up with these as they’re released and have them all stitched for next Christmas (let’s see if I manage that!!).

I’ve several plans in mind for stitching goals in 2016.  I’ve a number of charts that I definitely want to try and stitch next year and I’ve realised I do far better if I set myself ‘targets’.  This year I didn’t really do that and I feel like it showed in what I did/didn’t get stitched.

Whatever your plans for Christmas, I hope you have a wonderful time.  This house is going to be full to the brim for the next few days.  With grown up children living in different parts of the UK it is rare for us all to be in the same place at the same time and this year there is also a 16 month old to keep us on our toes!! 

Until next time……

Some finishing & getting to some Christmas stitching...

Hi everyone!  The finishing mojo struck with the needle roll-up I shared last time round so thought I’d let you see how that turned out!  I added fabric for the centre rather than linen which had been on the front cover picture.

The fabric had been a gift, as had the little acorn charm which I’d been keeping safe to use someday. 

As you know, I’m not a confident finisher but I was pleased with how this turned out.

I’m trying to get back to Christmas stitching on a Sunday.  Let’s face it, it is September and December will be here before we know it!  Here’s the recent Merry, Merry from Country Cottage Needleworks.  I loved this one as soon as I saw it and had to add it to my stash.  Well, you can tell how much I loved it as I pretty much started stitching it as soon as I received it!

Using a 32ct from my fabric stash and the suggested threads

The fabric in the background (which is a closer red than appears in this picture) is going to be used for the backing – now let’s see if the finishing mojo strikes again for me to finish finish it in time for this Christmas!!

I’m still not done with autumn stitching, hoping to start another design soon once I’ve done a bit of stash diving.

Hope all is well with you and yours.  Thanks for dropping by my blog and for those of you who take time to leave a comment – thank you!

Until next time… 

Moving straight on into autumn stitching....

Hi everyone!  August has been a busy month for us but one full of enjoyment.  Three trips to England which included looking after our grandson, said grandson’s 1^st  birthday (where has the last year gone?!?!?!) and a family wedding when our nephew was married.  Can you say that August passed in a bit of a blur for us!  I did manage some stitching in there and, given how poor the weather has been here this summer, all that seemed to appeal to me was autumn stitching.

Having completed the BBD Loose Feathers the other designs in the Autumn booklet caught my eye. I’ve always liked them but, the usual story, never got round to stitching them.  Well, here we are……

I stitched this one first of all….

My first experience of stitching on chenille trim. I think I like using it, I probably was too hung up on wanting it to be ‘perfect’ to the point that I kept trying to fluff it up so much that it started to come out!!

Not content with stitching the little pillow I started on the box top…..

I’m really pleased with how this turned out, chenille trim and all, but the chenille trim was much more straightforward this time as I just glued it on!! I still want to line the box but, haven’t got round to that yet.

Both stitched on a mystery piece of 32ct linen from my stash and the suggested overdyeds

Do you know, I found there was a certain satisfaction in stitching all 3 charts from the booklet, mostly I will stitch one, maybe two at a pinch and often, if I’m honest, I don’t actually get round to stitching any and it stays in the ‘to do’ pile!  I imagine many of us are the same!!

Was I finished with my need to stitch autumn pieces?  No.  This is one that’s been in my stash for a while, and, one of those that would catch my eye but I would never get round to pulling the fabric and threads. 

This is from Beehive Needleworks, Fiona Pettiwood Needle Roll-up. 

Stitched on a 32ct Natural linen from my stash and the suggested DMC

I love the colours in this one, it’s stitched in DMC and it has reminded me that even good ol’ DMC have some lovely autumn shades.

I’m not a fan of over one stitching but I love these little over one acorns that the squirrel is gathering.

I don’t think I’ve got autumn stitching out of my system yet so this weekend I’m planning on going through my stash and finding something else in autumn colours. 

Hope all is well with you and yours!

Until next time… 

It only took 4 years........

Hi everyone!  I know, it’s been a while……so long in fact that I’m feeling quite rusty when it comes to actually getting a post with pictures uploaded!  But, I am still here and, after what was to me quite the stitching hiatus, I am slowly picking up the needle and thread on a more regular basis. 

And look what I have to share?!?!?!  A long-term WIP is finished!!!!  I’m sure most people have forgotten that I even started this one!!!!

Here is BBD’s Loose Feathers from 2011……

 

Stitched on 32ct Belfast linen - Antique Ivory - and the suggested overdyed threads.

Started in 2011 and I was going well with it until I became totally bogged down in the second part, Autumn.  I fell out of love big time with this one, that large bird just gradually took away any enjoyment that I had in stitching this and it was rolled up and pushed to the back of a drawer.

I’ve looked back to see when this WIP was last mentioned on the blog.  Seems like it was early 2014 when I pulled it out again and thought the answer was to start on the final section as I did like that part.  Again, I lost interest and, again, it ended up at the back of a drawer.  Roll round to a couple of weeks ago and, for whatever reason, I pulled it out and had the inclination to work on it again.   Two weeks of Wimbledon tennis watching and a realisation that if I put my mind to it I could finally have this in the finished pile.  With perfect timing the last few stitches went in last night!  Four years to stitch it but I got there in the end!!!

There have been a couple of other small finishes in the last few months.  I have tailed off with these at the moment but since I last blogged I have completed a few more from the Prairie Schooler booklet Christmas Favorites. 

This poor Santa is still waiting for the backstitching to be done (I can see that last post several months ago he was in the same position!).

I haven’t worked on these for a while, I need to get back to them.

I also managed to stitch and finish the latest part of the Shepherd’s Bush Fold – the sweet needle roll, Fear Not.

I will admit to being a little daunted by the ric rac row but found that once started it was easier than I had imagined it to be – I’ll be honest, I reached that part and put this to one side for a while until I decided that a piece of ric rac wasn’t going to defeat me!!!  For me, I found it easier to hold the ric rac in place rather than tack it as that way I felt I could make sure it lined up correctly.

So that’s what I’ve been up too.  I hope all is well with everyone. I can’t promise that I will be back to regular blogging but I don’t plan on giving up on blogging yet.  I just need to really have the stitching mojo in full flow again so that I have lots to share!

Until next time….

A finish, an update and a new start...

Hi everyone!  I’m happy to report a finish this time round as I put the final stitches in BBD’s Spring Tulips last week.

BBD Spring Tulips - Stitched on 32ct Antique White using the suggested threads

I did make some changes in this one.  The year is stitched on either side of the middle tulip but when I’d done that, with a 5 in place of the original 1 (it was published in 2011), I didn’t care for it much.  It just looks too big and clumpy.  So out the date came and I just continued with adding a few blue off set squares which I figured tied in with the rest.  Then I decided against stitching my initials at the side, again, they were quite large when stitched, and filled that space in with some more blue motifs and was happy with how it turned out.

Next up, I’ve made some progress on Brenda Keyes’ Red House Sampler…

Using 32ct cream Belfast Linen and the suggested DMC

I need to get to some of the border vine as I don’t want to leave it to the end and then get totally bogged down in it.

Then, having finished Spring Tulips I wanted to have another smaller WIP.  Shepherd’s Bush Cherish Life has been sitting here a few weeks and I haven’t been great about keeping up to date with this series.  So, I started on that…..

I will say, I swapped out the fabric on this one.  The piece of linen in the kit was much darker than the fabric I’ve received in the earlier kits and I preferred to keep to similar shades.  I did some stash diving and came up with something that I felt was more alike.  I only started this one on Monday, and I haven’t had much stitching time, but it feels like it is stitching up quickly.

Happy days! My stitching mojo seems to be sticking around!  I have still been ‘good’ though and have just made a list of my ‘must haves’ from Market rather than giving in to the temptation of buying. 

Hope all is well with you and yours.  As always, thanks for your lovely comments, I am such an infrequent blogger these days and I really appreciate that people still take time to leave them.

Until next time….

Slow and steady....

I think is the best way to describe my stitching these days. I may not be managing a lot of stitching time but it’s happening most days, no matter the length and….it feels good!  I am feeling much more enthusiastic about stitching pieces and there were quite a few new releases at Market that sparked my interest although, I’m going to be good and not order anything just yet.

Well, a decision has finally been made as to the large project I want to work on this year.  I have to say, this one wasn’t in my plans at all, I had something else in mind, but my dear stitching friend Vicky – no blog but you’ll find her on IG under @vickyfa and if you’re on IG but aren’t familiar with her go check out all her lovely WIP’s – took me up on something I said and next thing I knew I was ordering a chart and the decision was made!

Along with Vicky, I’m going to be stitching The Red House Sampler from Brenda Keyes’ The Sampler Company.  You may remember that back in 2013 my project for that year was A Sampler Story where I stitched two blocks a year and managed to complete it.  Not much progress to share but, it’s a start!

Stitching this one on 32ct Belfast linen in cream, using the suggested DMC threads

I’ve been working on BBD’s Spring Tulips and would hope to be sharing a finish next time round….

Using suggested threads but changed linen to 32ct Antique White.

Then, I’m still managing my Christmas stitching on a Sunday and finally was in the mood to start adding the backstitching to these …..changes them totally, doesn’t it?!  These are from the PS Christmas Favorites booklet and the ‘plan’ is to have all 9 stitched this year.  So far, so good!

Using suggested DMC threads and linen (32ct Lambswool).

So there we have it, what I’ve been up to stitching-wise.  Later this week I’m off to England for a few days to spend time with my daughter, SIL and, most importantly of all (!!), our 6 month old grandson.  I feel like I’ve just blinked and he’s this age, before we know it we’ll be celebrating his 1^st birthday!!! 

Hope all is well with you and yours. I know many of you are still in grip of severe winter weather so hope you get some respite from it soon.  Here, Spring is showing signs of arriving although this morning the rain is pouring down and it’s blowing a gale!

Until next time…..

14 years later.......

Last week I came across some stitched pieces that, quite honestly, I’d forgotten about.  Several pieces were for smalls, ones where I’d done the stitching but then never got round to doing anything with.  Below is one of those pieces.

I know this was a freebie design and I’m 99% certain it’s by Bent Creek. If you look closely you can see my initials and date.  Yes, you read that right…..2001! I’d done nothing with this other than stitch it.  In all likelihood the finishing had me totally daunted, the thought of working with something circular?  No, I would have run a mile from that.  Given that I’m a little bit more confident with the sewing machine now I decided this needed to be finished.  Now, it wouldn’t win any prizes in the finishing department but, finished it is.  I added a heart button in the centre and it seems like the perfect small to have out this month.

I have a finish report!  Okay, so it’s a small one but it is a finish and I managed to squeeze it into being one for January.  Here is BOAF’s Love…

I did change it a little, adding a heart in the bottom right hand corner rather than my initials.  This linen is a mystery one, from the feel it’s an R&R.    Not sure whether I’ll finish this as a pillow or see if I can find a frame for it.

Next up is a new start – BBD’s Spring Tulips (I was in the mood for something Spring-like). 

I haven’t gone with the suggested fabric, when I pulled the threads together I liked how the colours looked on what I think is just ordinary antique white Belfast linen.  Hoping to finish that this month.

Thanks for all your lovely comment last time round.  Slowly I seem to be getting back into stitching mode which I’m happy about.  I have something in mind for a larger project but haven’t started it yet, hopefully next time I’ll have made a start and can share some pictures.

Hope all is well with you and yours!

Until next time….

Ditherings.....

Oh yes, lots of dithering going on around here!!  Usually I start off the year with ideas, have a January 1^st start and, even if I don’t manage to keep to it, have something of a ‘plan’.  Not this year, nope!  No January 1^st start (well, I did have a full house at that point – 6 adults and a baby – fabric and thread didn’t even enter my head!) and whether that’s been what has thrown me off or not I don’t know but, here it is almost to the end of the month and I still don’t feel like I have much to show.

I have decided on some Christmas stitching for through the year and have started to work on these…

 the Prairie Schooler Christmas Favorites booklet.  I’m using #santasundayxs on IG as the incentive to keep going.  You’ll notice I’ve started the second one but haven’t done the backstitching in the corners of the first one.  I did start that but wasn’t feeling the love so decided to leave it for now.    I’m stitching these on fabric from my stash, it’s feeling like R&R linen, and the suggested DMC threads.  The fabric isn’t showing it’s true colour, it’s coming up quite washed out in this picture, blame that on my photo taking skills (or lack thereof)!

Next up, something that Carol has already shared on her blog, the ornament that I sent as part of her Christmas gift.  This was a cute one to stitch, a chart I’d come across by chance,  Silent Night by AB Designs.

Then something that isn’t Christmas related!  I don’t think I shared any part of this one while I was stitching it as I didn’t want to spoil the surprise should my daughter drop by my blog.

I stitched LHN’s Simplicity but you’ll see I changed it slightly and, instead of  stitching the word Simplicity, I put our grandson’s name, date of birth and added a couple of bee buttons.  I was pleased with how it turned out  (and happily they loved it!) and I gave it at Christmas when they were here and could take it home with them. 

Excuse that the wrapping is still round the frame but we decided to leave that on until they got home in case it was damaged.

And finally, one other little bit of stitching. A chart that has been in my stash for quite a few years but I’m only getting round to stitching it now!

BOAF’s Love.   Now, a bit like the PS ones, this picture is showing up somewhat washed out, both for the fabric and the threads.  Again, it’s fabric from my stash (note a theme starting to run here …. stash diving rather than buying!) and I’m using the suggested colours although a mix of DMC and overdyeds.  Not sure how I’m going to finish this one, maybe a pillow or in a small frame.

I’m still not settled on a large project.  I’ve pulled fabric and threads for several different pieces but either I’ve done a couple of stitches and just thought ‘no, not for me right now’ or I haven’t even got as far as that.  That elusive project will be found, it’s not like I don’t have enough charts here to find something I’d love to stitch, and I am actually keen to have a year long project on the go. 

I have a number of new followers on the blog so thank you for adding me to your lists.  While I may be dithering over what I’m going to stitch I am hoping to be blogging a bit more regularly (I know, almost the end of January and this is my first post!!) and also commenting on other blogs. I have been very neglectful of that but plan to rectify it.  It has been lovely to catch up with the plans everyone has for this coming year and it has certainly brought some charts that I have in my stash to mind which I had completely forgotten about.

I’m not the greatest fan of January as a month but it seems to be going in quite quickly.  Hope all is well with you and yours and here is to 2015 being a wonderful stitching year for us all!

Until next time….