A winter finish and a spring start

A winter finish and a spring start was the title I chose for my post last Monday. What post last Monday? Last Monday was half term week and I spent it away from home, so I decided to post from the iPad. Having downloaded the app, composed the post, I then tried to add the photos and that is where it all went wrong, so after a couple of attempts I gave up!

My winter finish was the Winter Arbor from the Drawn Thread.

This project came as a kit and was stitched on 32ct 'Smokey Pearl' Belfast Linen and was stitched with  NPI silk.

My spring start, which became a finish, was Just Nan's Lady Scarlet's Scissor Roll.

Here are a few close ups.

This was stitched with the recommended floss (DMC) on 32ct 'Limestone' Belfast Linen. I'm hoping to  make it into the scissor roll at the weekend.

As we did a lot of travelling over half term I was able to make more progress on Hand Wash Only.

This week it's back to the tree skirt, back stitching, beading and couching!

Happy stitching!

Two more finished!

Before I start can I just say a big thank you for all your comments on my last post.  The Santa Tree Skirt did become a UFO last year, it's not finished ye,t but not far to go, so keep watching this space!

One project that isn't destined for UFO status is Halloween Rules from Lizzie*Kate.  Last week I finished two more sections, Brew Some Fun and Sit for a Spell.  The cat's eyes look a bit mad in this photo.

At the weekend we made our first visit to 'The Railway' of 2013. It was very wet but everyone seemed to enjoy 'A Day Out With Thomas'.

On the way there and back I was able to do some stitching in the car so Hand Wash Only moved on a little.

This week it's back to the Winter Arbor.

Happy stitching!

Almost there!

After a slow start on Monday, only half a dozen stitches stitched, things improved and yesterday I put the last cross stitch into the Santa Tree Skirt.

All the back stitch has been completed except that done in black, most of the back stitch if I'm honest, then I need to do the couching and cording on all of the Santas. I've also decided to replace the French Knots with seed beads. so still quite a lot to do but the end is now in sight!

This week it's back to the Lizzie*Kate Halloween flips.

In answer to a question on the comments to the last post the gold frame was one that I had, I can't remember where it came from.  What I tend to do is mount projects so that I can swap them about. The Shepherd's Bush project from last time will fit in the same frame. This is something I stitched before I began blogging which, until now, lived in the gold frame.

Happy stitching!

Two more finishes!

So my first blogging New Year's resolution went out of the window, to post every week.  In my defence, things were pretty bad at work last week and I had to do quite a lot at home.  Anyway I should be back on track from now on.

At the end of my last post I said that my second week on the rotation world be something from The Drawn Thread starting with the Winter Arbor.  Here is my progress after a week.

So for the third week on the rotation I have chosen to do something by Just Nan. My first choice was Sunny Summer Happy Garden.  This was a cheerful stitch, what with all the bad weather we have been having.

This was stitched on the recommend 30ct Weeks Dye Works Morris Blue linen with the suggested DMC floss. There should be a backstitch border around the project which I left out.

As this was a reasonably quick finish I was able to stitch on a WIP over the weekend so I managed to finish the Creepy Pin Cushion from Shepherd's Bush.

The final week in the rotation is going to be a Christmas project week so it's back to the tree skirt!

First up on the rotation

This New Year I have decided to re-instate the rotation, and stick to it!  So for the first full week of the month I'm going to stitch something with a Halloween theme. I have chosen to do the Lizzie*Kate Halloween Rules Double Flips.  I am going to stitch these all together as one piece as I have the frame for it, a gift from Father Christmas in 2011.  These are being stitched on 32 ct Chestnut linen with the recommended over-dyed floss.  Wast week I managed to complete three of the flips.

I have included the scissors in the photo because when I have seen this project on other blogs it has seemed much bigger than it really is. My next dilemma is what to do about claiming a finish? Do I only claim a finish when all twelve flips are completed or do I claim each one or do I claim two flips as a finish as this is how you buy the charts?  Suggestions please!

At weekends I'm often away from home for one reason or another so I usually take a small project away with me.  This weekend's one also had a Halloween feel, the Creepy Pin Cushion from Shepherd's Bush.

On the rotation for the second week of the month is something from The Drawn Thread starting with the Winter Arbor so progress pics of that next time.

White Nights came back from the framers and is now on the wall.  This is not the best picture but it shows you how big it turned out!

Happy stitching!

The final finishes of 2012 and the first finish of 2013

I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and New Year and that Father Christmas did some stash enhancing!

One of my stash enhancements was the Gingerbread Mouse from Just Nan. Here it is before making up alongside a ten pence piece to give an idea if it's size.

This was stitched on the recommended 32ct Antique Almond linen with the suggested DMC floss.  Here she is made up, sitting on a Champagne cork.

This was my last finish of 2012.  Prior to that I made made my annual family Christmas ornament, this year it was 'Do you hear' by Shepherd's Bush. I made this ornament five times, only four of them are pictured here.

The chart for this ornament appeared in the 2012 Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament issue. I stitched it on 32ct Lambswool with the suggested DMC floss.

Now to my first finish of 2013.  Finished this afternoon it is another Shepherd's Bush design, 'Charmed Hearts'.

To finish with an update on my progress on the tree skirt.

The Cream Santa is finished, except the couching and there is not much more to do cross stitch wise on the Blue Santa.

This year the rotation is back, the first week proper starting tomorrow so watch this space, I've not quite decided what to do but it will be a new start.

Happy stitching!

 

Back with some finishes!

Well, a bit of a delay since my last post!  I have to admit that after finishing White Nights I took a bit of a break from stitching, plus I've been having to do a lot of school work at home so there has been a lack of quality stitching time.

Anyway I have managed to finish a few things. Firstly, I framed Autumn by Jardin Privé.

I also finished and framed Winter, also by Jardin Privé.

I have also finished 'Official Crazy Cat Lady' as a bell pull.

At last, the Santa Tree Skirt has had some work done on it.  This project now well and truly falls into the UFO category and is where I am going to put most of my stitching efforts over the next few weeks

Happy stitching

It's finished!!

On Sunday afternoon I put the final stitches into White Nights!

At last, it has taken the best part of three years to complete this project.  Although the last stitch was put in on Sunday it has taken me three evenings add the crystals.  Here are some more shots.

The details, this was stitched on 32ct opalescent linen with a mixture of DMC, overdyed silk and Rainbow Gallery metallic threads, as recommended. Basically, the solid colour silks, NPIs, were substituted for their DMC equivalents. The beads and crystals were the recommended ones.

So what next?  Well, you know me, I have a number of other projects on the go, five at the last count, so I'm going to finish them off first and then have a fresh start in the New Year, well that's the plan.  Thanks for all your supporting comments with this project over the last three years they have been much appreciated.

Happy stitching!

White Nights Part 11 is finished!

Yesterday I finished part 11, complete with crystals. The crystals have still to be put on the rest of the piece but I will wait until all of the stitching is done.

I have also made a small start on one of the corners.

This is the project in its entirety, well at least as much as you can see!

I have had a few weekends away from home and have managed to finish Autumn from the Maggi Co's Village range by Jardin Privé. This was stitched on 32 count opalescent white linen with the recommended DMC floss.  The only alteration is that I stitched this with one strand of floss rather than two.

I have also made a start on winter.

I'm off to do some more on White Nights. The end is getting nearer!

The final countdown or roll up!

Yesterday I finished the border, mentioned in my last post, after another weeks worth of no stitching in the evening.  An early return from 'The Railway' meant, a last, that I could get some quality stitching time.

So the final few stitches were put in, the beads were stitched in place and then it was time for the final roll up.

The bottom part of this design has not seen daylight for over twelve months!  I was able to put a few stitches in to the border.  The end really is in sight now!