Gifted Gorgeousness SAL - April update

It's time again to report on progress in the Gifted Gorgeousness SAL organised by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching

That must mean we are already half way through April as updates are due on 15th of each month - where has the month/year gone?

I had hoped to post a finish in this update as I have been stitching a design for a wedding sampler.  Unfortunately I realised I wasn't going to have enough of the #5 perle (which I won in an Instagram giveaway from Riotous Colours).  Lisa managed to find a partially used skein in her personal stash which has been mailed to me but hasn't arrived yet.  So progress has been stalled.

This is a chart bought from Etsy and says All You Need is Love in a heart shape.  When I receive the additional thread I will measure it and then use a length and count the number of stitches I get from a single length.  I should then be able to estimate if I will have enough.  Fingers crossed.

I was also lucky to win a Mirabilia chart in another Instagram giveaway from an American company called Embroidery Central    I could choose any Mirabilia chart and decided on one of the latest which is called Moon Flower

As anyone who reads my blog or follows me on Instagram will know I am a huge fan of Nora Corbett (Mirabilia) and the colours in this design really appeal to me.   As I am also taking part in the Stitch from Stash SAL another attraction is that I already have in my stash the one colour of Waterlillies needed.  I have checked the bead requirements but as I won't be starting this for a while and I always do the beading last I have plenty of time to sort those out.   I will be strict with myself and finish At the Met before starting this though I may be tempted to sort out the DMC and then do a "floss toss" on some of the hand dyed fabrics I have in my stash to decide on the one I like best.

If you look back at my last Gifted Gorgeousness post here you will see The Caring Fairy which was framed as a gift.  I think there are a lot of similarities in the pose of the figure so they would make a lovely set displayed together.

I also want to share with you this wonderful set of sewing smalls which were made for me by a dear friend

There are 3 scissor keepers for different sizes of scissors, a pincushion, a scissor fob and a drawstring bag.  How lucky am I?     I am really enjoying using them as well.

As always I am looking forward to reading the other posts in this wonderful SAL

Thanks for popping by.

WIPocalypse April update

This month's topic for this SAL is:

April 4 – Which specialty stitches do you love doing on projects?  Which do you dread?

Many moon ago when I first started decorative stitching (as opposed to dressmaking which had been my main stitching activity) I stitched a few pieces of what is called Needlepoint in the USA and Tapestry in the UK.   Basically wool stitching completing covering the canvas fabric.   Without calling them specialty stitches I learned how to stitch quite a lot of the stitches I started using when I moved onto cross stitch and specifically cross stitch samplers.

I am a huge fan of Just Nan, The Victoria Sampler, The Drawn Thread, Shepherd's Bush and Patricia Ann designs, all of whom use some specialty stitches in some of their designs.

I enjoy pulled stitches as I like the lacy effect they create and my least favourite are probably bullion and colonial knots.   I enjoy drawn thread and hardanger but with both I still find the cutting of the fabric very nerve racking.

I don't mind doing French knots but I have a dread of bullion knots as they never seem to look right.  I am sure the answer is practice as it is with most things   

This month's WIP activity has been focused on trying to keep up with the 2 monthly SALs

I'm happy with progress on the Story Time Sampler by The Frosted Pumpkin as I finished the March frame just before the end of the month and also stitched a length on the banner.   Sherlock is my favourite so far. 

I've made some progress on the Zodiac sampler by CloudsFactory though I am behind and have been stitching Aquarius which was February's instalment.  I love the look of this piece but still don't enjoy using the satin floss. Thread Heaven helps but doesn't solve all the issues.  On the other hand I really love the colours of the WDW threads that have been used.

I managed to complete a small piece for Easter which I will show in my Smalls SAL update and also made progress on a wedding piece which is my Stitch from Stash project.

The Way to Happiness received a tiny bit of attention this month.

As usual I don't have enough stitching time to do all the things I want to do.  Such a common complaint amongst us stitchers but at least we're rarely bored.

Easter Blog Hop

Happy Easter to all

My letter in the Easter Blog Hop organised by Jo at serendipitousstitching is

Here is my Easter collage- I can't wait to see what everyone else has stitched.v

The Easter sheep is newly stitched on Polstitches hand dyed evenweave using a freebie pattern by OakHaven on the Cyberstitches site.

The needleroll was stitched years ago and I can't recall the name of the designer.  I know the carrot button is by Just Another Button Company.

The little Easter bag which holds tint chocolate eggs was a gift from a stitching friend.

The next blog to visit is here

Happy Easter and keep your stitching away from chocolate 😉💐

Stitch from Stash March update

Time to make a progress report on stash spending for the month of March.

Month: March
Spent: £9
Earned: £0

My only stash purchase this month was £9 (plus £1 shipping but I don't think that counts) which went on a pack of Threads of the Month from Jodyri Designs.   Although I get a reminder each month it isn't a commitment so doesn't come under the subscription exemption.


I don't have any finishes to claim this month although I have started a project which will qualify as I have had the chart for well over 6 months.

It is an Etsy chart from a designer called Wonder Needle.

The white linen is also from stash and the thread was an Instagram giveaway I won from a new dyer of threads called riotouscolours on IG.

All You Need is Love

Smalls SAL - March update

It's the last Wednesday of the month which means it's check in time for the Smalls SAL organised by Heather at Stitching Lotus .  That also means that the year is already a quarter gone .........

I had hoped to report an Easter finish but that piece still needs a bit more work and is likely to be my April Small.

So instead I will show my lavender sachet with apologies to those who have already seen it when I did my Gifted Gorgeousness update.

Lavender Sachet by Itching to Stitch

It is stitched on white Cashel linen with a backing of Liberty style fabric using DMC and Stef Francis threads.  Everything needed was in the kit including the lavender and ribbon for hanging.  All I added was some wadding.

Thank you for reading.

Gifted Gorgeousness SAL March 2015

The Gifted Gorgeousness SAL is organised by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching

I feel like I don't have a lot to report because most of my limited stitching time is absorbed by the various SALs I am stitching, 2 of which are in monthly installments and one of which is a large project which I know will take a long time to complete.

Apologies to anyone reading this who has read some of my previous posts where I have featured some of these photos before.

Christmas Village by The Prairie Schooler was gifted to me by a friend having a clear out of some of her cross stitch stash.  I didn't finish it for this Christmas but it is now back from the framers and ready for display this December.

As part of my gifts for my Mum for Mother's Day I finished this lavender sachet which was a kit by Itching to Stitch - you can read more about this new designer here in my post for DESIGN

Everything was included in the kit - linen, threads, lavender, Liberty style backing, needle and ribbon for hanging.  All I added was some wadding as I decided I want it look padded rather than flat.

I can see me stitching more of these as the kit includes a complete alphabet and there were plenty of left over threads.

The next project is one I finished stitching years ago.

Some years ago I was made redundant twice in 2 years.  Quite scary when you are the sole breadwinner.  Both times I had to wait to start the new job after it had been offered to me so I was in the situation of having far more time than I was used to but very little spare money.  As any committed stitcher would do in that situation I used the time to good effect by stitching from my stash including some of the bigger projects which really benefited from that extra time.  I got through quite a lot using some of the pieces as presents but what I didn't have was the cash to pay for framing.  I did frame some smaller pieces myself and also finished others as bellpulls and cushions but for big pieces I believe a professional framer makes all the difference.

So knowing that I have finished but unframed pieces languishing in a drawer one of my birthday presents was some cash to frame a couple of favourites.   This first piece counts as part of Gifted Gorgeousness because not only was the framing paid for but so were the embellishments which I had not been able to afford when I stitched the piece.

Lily of the Woods, The Caring Fairy by Mirabilia

I'm also going to include Blackbird by Blackbird Designs as the fabric was given to me - it's Permin linen in a lovely sandstone colour which is yellower than it shows in the photograph

I finished the Little Ballet Dancer as a simple cushion which has now been given away

And last but by no means least I can show you a piece I stitched during the course of last year and had framed this year.   It was a birthday gift for a dear friend with a significant birthday this month and I wanted it to be a surprise so couldn't share any progress photos where she might see them.

Sweet Pea Fairy by Nora Corbett

I chose the colours knowing what she likes and I am very pleased with the way it has turned out.  I've stitched a couple of other designs in this range and really like the way they stitch up, plus they aren't as big as the standard Mirabilia designs so don't take as long.

Sorry I'm a day late posting this but 15th was Mother's Day in the UK and I was busy in a very pleasant way.

Full Moon WIPocalypse update March 2015

This month's topic set by Measi who organises the

WIPocalypse

March 5  – Topic: If money – and time – were not limiters, what projects would be on your stitching bucket list?

Because I have been stitching for decades I have accumulated far more stash than I can ever hope to complete so time rather than money is the main limiting factor for me.

Probably top of my list would be to complete all of the alphabet band sampler by The Victoria Sampler

I love band samplers anyway and these have such a variety of stitches and threads that they are an absolute joy.  I don't have all of the charts and embellishment packs so this would be where the "money no object" part comes in as they aren't cheap.  I have collected most of them in sales, off eBay etc and have a list in my phone of the ones I am missing "just in case"

This is L for Librarian

Other designs which make my bucket list are some of the Mirabilia designs I have in my stash and a few I don't have but would love to make

It's very hard to choose but these are probably my top 5 at the moment

Moon Flowers (latest release)

Dressmaker's Daughter 

Cinderella

Red Lady Pirate

Peony Garden

I would also like to make some more quilts (and finish some of my UFOs) and make more Shepherd's Bush Christmas stockings.

And then of course there is my wish list (see separate page if you are interested)

Well that would keep me busy for a while...............................

So back to  the present and an update on my current WiPs

I will start, appropriately enough, with the Mirabilia design I am stitching as part of the You Tube/Floss Tube SAL.  Everyone chose their own Mirabilia design and mine is At the Met

I haven't had much time to spend on it this month which is a shame as I really enjoy stitching it

There is lots of black but also some lovely Caron Waterlillies which are wonderful to use.

I collected Christmas Village from the framers and am really pleased with the job they did on.   I had decided not to stitch the border from the pattern so I knew I wanted at least a single and probably a double mount and some kind of wood frame.  I just love this one which looks old and slightly rustic so is in keeping with the design I think.

The completed piece ready for display this December

Close up of the frame

I definitely want to stitch more Prairie Schooler designs but perhaps some of the smaller ones might be next.

I completed the February section on the Frosted Pumpkin Story Time Sampler which was The Secret Garden and I'm looking forward to starting March's (Sherlock Holmes).

I am however behind on the CloudsFactory Zodiac Sampler SAL.  I just finished January's installment (Capricorn) on 28 February so now have Aquarius and Pisces to complete before the end of the month

I have a couple of small finishes to report

This little ballet dancer was a quick stitch from an old magazine

And I finished the lavender sachet by Itchin to Stitch and it will be part of my Mum's presents on Mother's Day.   You can read more about the talented designer of the piece here because I chose to write about her in the DESIGN project

The kit came with the linen, the Liberty style backing fabric, threads, ribbon for hanging  and a sachet of dried lavender.  I decided to add stuffing around the lavender bag and I'm very pleased with the way it turned out.  I may be making more of these as I think they are nice for gifts.

Finally this month I made a start on Blackbird from Blackbird Designs 

I'm using a hand dyed thread from Jodyri Designs called Nevermore which is a blue/black very reminiscent of blackbird feathers.

My other WiPs haven't been worked on but March is another month.

Thanks for popping by and I look forward to reading what progress everyone else has made and what is on their bucket list