White Nights is go!

So today is THE BIG DAY.

Yesterday evening I sorted out all my silks and put them into Floss-A-Way bags. In fact, all the stuff for this project has gone into it's own special bag. Last week we went to York and guess what? There is a Cath Kidston shop there too, and the sale was still on! Mm, me thinks that book bag will do very nicely for storing the bits for White Nights, well that was my excuse.

Dispite having a date with Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends on Saturday I was able to finish the Snowmen Biscornu. The button is made of mother of pearl and it came out of the 1930s button box at Duttons for Buttons in York.

I think it is on the Basket of Biscornu where someone has photographed one of their biscornu on a mirror, to show bits of the underside, so I have given it a go. Please excuse the weired reflections on the photo.

Last week I also made some progress on 'The Red Santa'. The cross stitching is complete only the backstitching to do.

And finally, this is Thomas the Tank Engine himself, being given a well earned drink by his driver and fireman, before going to bed at the end of a very long day!

One cute robin!

This is the progress made on the Snowmen Biscornu by yesterday evening. It is stitched on 32 count white, opalescent linen for a sparkly effect. I chose to use the floss recommended by the designer for a finer finish (DMC 4215 for the scarf and DMC 4235 for the snowflakes and buttons). Instead of doing French knots for the snow I used some left over Mill Hill crystal beads, these were stitched on using DMC 4235, being variegated this gives each bead a slightly different look.

This shows the detail of the melted snowman on the underside. Here I changed the colour of the robin's breast to a bright red, as charted it should be the same colour as the carrot. I think he's one cute robin!

So strictly speaking, it's back to the Santas on the rotation. However, this week is a funny week with a lot of travelling involved, yesterday from mine to The Other Half's (195 miles), tomorrow The Other Half's to York ready for Tornado's big day on Thursday (188 miles), Thursday York to mine (120 miles), Friday mine to Llangollen for a 'Railway Weekend' (75 miles). The distances involved don't really matter it's the time taken to travel them and we are bound to get stuck in a jam somewhere! It will be interesting to see how much I manage to get done. Most of the sky in the New York Skyline (Reflections) was actually done travelling in The Other Half's white van up and down the country and in and around London. And yes, just in case you are wondering, he can be a 'White Van Man', this is OK in his van but not when he's driving my car!

No really, I shouldn't complain, he does do all the long distance driving, creates fantastic meals which means that I have more time for stitching!

Look what the postman brought!

Hurray! the parcel arrived.

Tonight I will start the Snowmen Biscornu as the linen and my missing threads were in the parcel along with, as you can see, some other stuff. Last weekend my Mum made me a gift of 'White Nights in St Pertersburg' by Chatelaine Designs. Some of the bits needed to start the first section are still on order. So this is going into the empty week in the rotation.

Whilst awaiting the parcel I have finished one side of the Rhodes Butterfly Biscornu, the disastrous 'in car sewing' from the other week (see post on 26/01/09). Also in the post today was an invitation from The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust to attend the naming ceremony of Tornado. The naming is to be conducted by The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at York railway station. So, the hotel is booked and we will be there at this historic occasion, mmm... do you think I should wear a hat?

Has the postman been?

This was, I think, the first thing I said when I got in from work today. Not, how was your day? And the answer? Yes, but there was nothing for you. Drat! this means I cannot start the Snowmen Biscornu. I don't know, this little thing has really caught my eye and I cannot wait to get started, but not tonight. Fingers crossed for a parcel tomorrow!

Basket of Biscornu

Whilst browsing through other blogs over the weekend I came across Basket of Biscornu. What a fantastic idea! Too late to sigh up I am going to do the same, albeit a month behind. I am going to try and theme my biscornu. So far these are my ideas:

January ~ Snowmen Biscornu from Faby Reilly Designs (just waiting for some bits to come from Sew and So)

February ~ Valentine's (still looking)

March ~ Baby Shamrocks from The Sweetheart Tree

April ~ something English for St George's Day (still looking)

May ~ ?

June ~ ?

July ~ ?

August ~ ?

September ~ maybe La Rentree from Faby Reilly

October ~ Halloween theme (still looking)

November ~ Poppies for Remembrance Day and possibly a cornflower on the other side, if I can find a chart

December ~ Christmas Biscornu from Just Nan (a bit of a cheat as this is all ready done)

Fingers crossed, the stuff I need to start on the January one should arrive tomorow, can't wait.