Half way there!

Time off pays off.

Christmas Wreath update

Page 2 completed

Of course it's helped that I've had a week off work!

Christmas Wreath update

A page finish!

Butterfly Heart update

Another page closer to completion. I do like pages where very little is stitched. Technically speaking, this was page 9 and 13 as page 13 had only 83 stitches.

Christmas Wreath - update

It's been a couple of weeks now, working on my little robin only on a Tuesday and Wednesday.  at first of course there is little to show, but things are starting to ease in.  I think the main issue is not having a needle organiser (as they're loaded with threads for my other BAP), therefore time is taken swapping threads.

Butterfly Heart update

Another page completed. 

It's got to the interesting stage now, where I'm excited to work on it. I'd say I'm about a third of the way through it.

New Stitches

I'm usually quite strict with myself sticking to just one BAP at a time, but on a Tuesday and Wednesday each week I'm planning on working on a Christmas Wreath with my Butterfly Heart being picked up on the other evenings. 

I was late starting my Robin tonight as I fell asleep after tea.  

As with most of my large projects, I've started at the top left hand side.

A week of joy

I'm very fortunate to have such lovely family and friends.  A simple thank you doesn't seem to be enough, particularly after the week I've had.

I had such a lovely birthday; shopping and lunch with TMTC, with a family dinner to finish the day.

Then this week I had two surprises.  Firstly a bouquet of flowers from a friend. 

Then a lady came into my office and handed me £50 worth of shopping vouchers which I'd won in a prize draw!

Needles and hooks

Our friends came to visit today.  Lots to eat and drink, a good natter and a few stitches added to my butterfly heart. 

For the last 18 months, this fabulous cross stitched Eddie Stobart lorry was painstakingly created by Richard.  The chart was made from a photograph of the actual lorry named after our Colly!

Colly herself has just put the last stitch in a crocheted blanket.

While I finished another page of my butterfly heart.

On the move

A few years ago I was in the unfortunate position of having to endure regular hospital stays.  As part of my packed-ready-to-go case I collected a number of freebies from various cross stitch publications to help stave off the inevitable boredom.   Thankfully those days are behind me now,  but I have hung onto the freebies which come in handy when travelling. 

Last week we visited London for a long weekend; the 2 hour train journey was the perfect excuse to break open a wee kit. 

This little fella should make a nice birthday card.

SAL finish

This week Essie and I completed our stitchalong:

I went with Kreinik sparkles, above.

Essie went with a colour close to the original fluffy effect, below. 

As you can see both are equally as beautiful. 

Week 4 - Fairy SAL

As I move onto the easier part of the fairy,  Essie begins the wings. She has also already picked out all the detail with backstitch. 

I have opted for a different colour for the skirt and fairy dust, using cream thread with Kreinik for a subtle hint of sparkle.

Both beautiful in their own right.  Another week or two and we'll have completed her!

Week 3 - Fairy SAL

Another evening of stitching our Fairy Stitchalong and some real progress has been achieved. 

Essie chose to add definition with some back stitch. 

While I chose to complete the wings.  The paler colours don't stand out well on this fabric.

Week 2 - Fairy SAL

The next installment of our stitchalong. 

Essie's update:

My update:

I wonder who will finish first.

Page finish - Butterfly Heart

I'm really enjoying stitching this up.

Fairy Stitchalong - week 1

Tuesday has been chosen as the day Essie and I stitch this piece, and share our progress on a Wednesday. 

This is Essie's first update:

And this is mine:

I have my work cut out to keep up!

Update on Pink Heart Butterflies

September's effort.

Kitting up

My pal Essie and I have planned a stitchalong. 

We each have the same chart, fabric and basic threads, with a small element of artistic licence.

We are going to stitch on it for just one evening a week then share our progress.

Ring Cushion finished.

Lastly the beads were added to lend a bit of bling. 

The design will now be returned to be made into the ring cushion.  I'll ask for a photo to upload when that has been done.

Frogging and weaving

It wasn't until I posted the photo on yesterday's entry that I noticed the cross stitched flowers were incorrectly placed....out came the frogs this morning to unpick and restitch them.

Next up is the woven bars.

Firstly the heart shapes.

And then the outside border.

Cutting edge

This is the part I tend to procrastinate over, particularly if it's on a piece for someone else.

Good light and time, along with a sharp pair of snips.   Lift each thread, double check, angle the scissors and cut.

Once all the selected threads have been cut it's time to remove them.

Stage one complete

All the surface stitching has been worked; the kloster blocks, the buttonhole stitch, Rhodes hearts and tiny cross stitch flowers.

Next comes the hold-your-breath moments...

Friendship

Friends are the family we choose.

My lovely friend is having a bit of a hard time at the moment and is struggling to stitch.  I have therefore happily agreed to finish the hardanger part of a ring cushion.

The design is by Col's Creations. 

I started it at a get-together on Saturday and I'm pleased to have got this far over the weekend (despite so many pleasant distractions).

As you can see we're a happy bunch.  Among our number here, we have a lady from The Netherlands and a lady from Canada! 

We were all spoilt by so many gifts!  Colly made each of us a gorgeous cushion in our favourite colour:

Maria made up a gift bag each filled with so many crafty bits and pieces. Her granddaughter made each of us a pretty little bracelet too!

And Sarah made us each a beautiful angel:

It's good to have such great friends

X

Page finish

It has taken me a while to be able to return to longer stitching sessions. I'm almost there but I am reminded of my injury if I try to extend beyond an hour at a time.

I can today reveal a page finish. 

A little break is required now, before the pain beats me.

Holiday stitches

It's been a couple of months since I've managed to put needle to cloth as too many other things took priority... or I was too tired after work.

Having just returned from a week's holiday in North Yorkshire, I have something to show for my early mornings woken by seagulls! 

Efteling framed

It's worth its own entry.

I am very chuffed with the finished result.

Butterfly Heart ♥

I belong to a crafting forum called A Crafty Natter where a few of us share an update of what we are working on each Wednesday as a way of encouraging one another to finish our projects.

This is my update. We've had a bank holiday weekend and I've had a further two days' holiday so I've managed a couple more stitching sessions.

It looks a little more like a butterfly now.

Friendship - the family you choose

My favourite place on earth is home to all manner of creatures in a garden so filled with happiness and love, you can hear, smell, taste and feel it.

At one end of the garden is a beautiful railwayman's cottage.

At the other is a cabin filled to the brim with fabrics, yarns, threads, and so many beautifully created craft items both made by the owner and all the people whose lives she has touched.

I consider myself one of these lucky people to have her part of our family as our adopted mum/granny for around the last 10 years

She never complains about me plaguing her to overlock my fabric.  She has taught me to do hardanger and speciality stitches, the basics of quilting and how to make a patchwork bag, how to crotchet and introduced me to the delights of Yankee Candles.  She is always there if I have a problem or if I just fancy mooch round the garden centre!

There are little bits of her all around us, from granny's bonnets in the garden to cushions and quilts and bags she has made me as gifts. I have even immortalised her garden in cross stitch.

This lady also happens to be none other than the designer of Cols Creations! 

Fabric all secured, I did manage half a dozen or so stitches today. However I'm always so relaxed at their's that I was simply happy sitting, chatting and watching the birds.