The results are in!

Thanks to everyone who voted in my 'What to stitch over the summer holidays' poll.  The winner was 'In the night' by Jardin Privé. This is now kitted up and in the sewing bag ready to go on holiday, along with another two projects, just in case.

Late last Thursday I put the final stitch in to my Tuscan Gardens II UFO.

This has been a UFO for a number of years. I have the third Tuscan Garden project in my stash, let's hope that when I eventually start to stitch it, it does not have the same fate. I finished the larger Tuscan Gardens I a number of years ago.  I do have two more Christmas themed projects which have become UFO's over the last twelve months, I started stitching on one of those again last weekend. Progress pics on that one next time maybe.

So far this week I have been stitching White Nights. My aim this week is to finish the lower portion of the middle building on the left and right hand side. Here is my progress so far.

I was lucky enough to receive a blog award from Becka, The Stitching Lion, thanks Becka.  At the moment I am not in a position to pass this on, maybe in a few weeks when things are a bit less hectic.

Happy stitching!

Nearly there!

Look at what I managed to achieve after a weekend at 'The Other Railway'

There's not much to do now! I might be tempted to try and complete Tuscan Gardens 2 this this week, wait and see. I would have finished all the cross stitching on this project if I hadn't finished the DMC mini kit snowman.

I've not decided how to finish this off as at 4" x 4" it's a bit too big for a Christmas tree decoration (I don't have a massive tree).  Any ideas?

Last week I managed to complete the sections of the White Nights border I set out to do. I was also able to make a start on the central buildings. here are the border sections before the project was rolled up.

Finally Waxing Moon's Simply Welcome came back from the framers. The frame is a bespoke frame especially for this project.

Thanks to everyone who has voted on my poll on the sidebar. If you have not all ready done so there is still time to vote. more information can be found in the previous post.

Happy stitching

A quick update!

Shock horror almost three weeks since my last post!  however, on the stitching front things have been progressing.  After finishing the Three Tulips Humbug I started Lady Scarlet's Secret Garden, also by Just Nan. what with one thing and another I've had a couple of disturbed stitching weeks so I can't tell you how long it took to stitch. However, I can tell you that the finishing took an evening.  Here is the needle book before finishing.

Here it is made up and inside Lady Scarlet.

The back has a the same design but in a different colour.  Here it is.

Last week I went on a school trip to the University of Manchester. Whilst travelling to and from the event I began a DMC mini kit. I did a little bit more on it yesterday after wearing myself out tiding the garden, on probably the hottest day of the year so far.  The subject of this project?

At 'The Railway' this weekend I was able to put a few stitches into my Tuscan Gardens UFO. There really isn't that much to do on this one and with another 'Other Railway Weekend coming up I have high hopes that this will soon be finished.  This week it's the turn of White Nights. I did make some progress on this last week but not enough to show.  So to finish here is Tuscan Gardens.

Happy stitching!

Tuscan Gardens UFO

Apologies for the lack of posting recently. Lack of posting has reflected a lack of stitching on my part, for reasons I won't go into, but which may become apparent in the future.  I have managed to do a little work on my Michael Powell Tuscan Gardens UFO.

Stitching a UFO is probably not the best idea when stitching is the last thing on your mind but I will persevere, at least until the weekend, when I might start something new! Next week I should be stitching on Witches Riding By. I was really enjoying this project before I gave it up for Christmas stitching so I'm looking forward to picking it up again.  I hope if anyone else out there is in a stitching slump you soon get out of it. Start something new! In fact I might just do that this evening on thinking about it. Off to the stash room to see what takes my fancy!

Happy stitching!

Another tree to add to the festival

Before going away for the weekend I was able to put the final beads into the Victorian Tree.


Over what turned into a busy 'Railway Weekend' I was able to put a few stitches into my Tuscan Gardens UFO.


The replacement pin for Just Nan's Summer Wings Humbug also arrived. So here it is complete with pin.


This week it's back to White Nights progress pics on this one on Thursday.

Happy stitching

Some bits and bobs

This weekend was spent away so there wasn't as much stitching done as normal. In the car I made some progress on my 'handbag stitching' piece. This is the 'Stitcher's Favourite' biscornu from The Sweetheart Tree.


I did make a small start on my Christmas ornament for Yoyo's Christmas Design SAL.


Today being Sunday I stitched on my Tuscan Gardens UFO for my other blog 'I've started so I'll finish eventually...' I've not worked on this since Easter for one reason and another. I think that the top third of this design is complete.


Next week on the rotation, at the moment, is an empty week so I'm in two minds as to what to stitch. I'm tempted to work on White Nights but with two evenings being spent away from home there's no way the next house will get finished so I might leave that until the week after when I should have four clear evenings. I might start 'Witches Riding By' from Lavender Wings, decisions, decisions.

A finish and frogs!

Yesterday I finished Open House!


This was stitched as charted with DMC floss on28ct lilac cashel linen. The buttons are from Just Another Button Company and are the ones suggested. The only button I've missed off is a pumpkin one which covers the stitched pumpkin by the steps. I have the companion piece to this, called Three Gables but I will not be starting it until the summer. Here is what it will look like. I will be doing mine on the lilac linen.


My next spooky stitching project is going to be this.


This piece is called Witches Riding By and is from Lavender Wings, it was a Christmas present from 'The Other Half'. It is stitched on 36ct linen using two strands of floss. I've not stitched on this count before. Will two strands make the work look bulky? Two strands have to be used as some of the colours are blends. So do I go with the 36ct or change to something bigger? Any advice would be appreciated.

I thought I would give you an update on my UFO. Michael Powell's Tuscan Gardens ll.


The backstitch really does make a difference. Next week it's back to the Green Santa. However, I know some evenings are going to be taken up with school stuff as it is the last week of term so I'm not expecting to get as much stitching in as normal.

Finally, spring has arrived and the pond is full of frolicking frogs!

When does a WIP become a UFO?

Now I know this question is not is important as, What is the meaning of life? (answer 42) but it has been playing on my mind for some time.

Why?

On my WIP list I have Michael Powell's Tuscan Gardens II. It is not on the rotation, I have not put a stitch in since virtually the day I started it over six months ago - so is it actually a UFO?

This next one is definitely a UFO. Started when one of my nephews was still a bump, one is now 12 and the other 9!

This is the Teepee Bears Door Hanger designed by Joan Elliott for Bucilla.

I have another one, hidden in a drawer at The Railway, which is a Country Companions one. The idea here being to leave some stitching at The Railway so that I didn't have to take something every weekend. Mmm... that's been there over six years.

So in a moment of madness I have started another blog called 'I've started so I'll finish, eventually' at http://ufotofinish.blogspot.com/. This is a SAL for all those who want to finish/talk about one or more of their UFOs. Purely for fun, but if it encourages people to finish their UFOs that would be great. If you are interested in joining then email me, via my profile, or leave a comment on this blog and I will sent you an invitation.

Reflections

So why am I enjoying doing smaller projects at the momment? The answer, Reflections by Dimple Designs. This cross stitch on 32 count evenweave measures 12.5" by 25.5" and took over three and a half years to complete, not so speedy you may say. However, in that time I also completed over fifteen other things including the larger of Michael Powell's Tuscan Gardens.