Love Quilts UK start and bag of goodies

There wasn't much time for stitching this weekend due to family gatherings and a bit of gardening - both very enjoyable.

I did work out the design for my Love Quilts UK square which I have signed up to stitch.  The theme is superheroes and I am using a Superheroes alphabet design I bought from Etsy and used for a nameplate.   The great thing about Etsy downloadable designs is that you can print them out when you like so I printed a new copy and cut out the 5 superheroes I wanted to stitch.  I then cut off the letters and played around with the layout until I was happy and glued the 5 pieces to make one overall design.  

Then I cut the fabric to size (standard white 14 cont aida as requested) and pulled the DMC threads.  All of this took time so I was only able to make the first few stitches.   This will be The Incredible Hulk in the centre.

I also fitted in time to go through a bag of stitching goodies given to me on Friday by a friend who said she had had a sort out and had a few bits and bobs of cross stitching stuff for me.   It turned out to be a wonderful assortment of threads, fabric bits, charts, a couple of kits, buttons, charms, needles and to my amazement some UFOs.  I plan to finish at least 3 of them and one of them has already been added to my current WiP list as I love the design, lots of it has already been completed and it was easy to find in my stash the DMC threads needed to complete it.  It is called Christmas Village by The Prairie Schooler and is stitched on evenweave.  

A finish and considering a new start

I finished the Hearts and Kittens Wedding Sampler just ahead of the deadline so pleased about that.  I had started to stitch a different design on navy sparkly evenweave and my eyes just couldn't cope, even in the summer sunlight so I had to look for something else suitable that would stitch up quickly.  This design from an Etsy store seemed to fit the bill as both bride and groom are cat lovers.   If wasn't designed as a wedding sampler but there was plenty of room to add the names and date.

I am now itching to make another start.   On my principle of trying to stitch from stash as much as possible I looked through my threads and found this pack of Gentle Arts Sampler Threads which I think will work for the Lizzie Kate Christmas design in the current issue of Cross Stitch Crazy.    They are limited edition threads but all the names are Christmas related.    Just need to choose some fabric next.

So where did the weekend go?

So where did the weekend go?

On Saturday I called into our local hospice charity shop with some items I had de-cluttered and was leaving when I spotted a cute white wooden photo box which I just couldn't leave behind. I am thinking that instead of photos I may use it to store small charts like Lizzie Kate snippets. I also found a nice frame for the photo we bought last week of my GD's dance class.

Sunday was a lovely day with my parents, brother and sister in law coming over for a traditional Sunday roast lunch - roast beef, Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, 5 different veg and 4 different puddings. All washed down with lots of chat and "putting the world to rights". So not much time for stitching.

I did manage some more work on my Jane Austen piece - I only have 2 sides of the border to do and it's finished. I have loved stitching this piece as it combines 2 of my passions - stitching and reading. I have in mind that I would like to stitch some other Jane Austen themed pieces and then make them into a quilt. Just an idea at the moment.... I do have some other patterns including some I bought from an Etsy store called WestWindCrossStitch. I think this may be the next one I stitch

The Business of Her Life

Designer: WestWindCrossStitch