Month: January 2014

Finishes, Hardanger, Victoria Sampler

UFO no longer … Ecstatic Happy Dance!!!

Anne S

I finally plucked up the courage to just “do it” and finish the hardanger band at the top of my Crimson Fire Sampler.  I wouldn’t go to sleep last night until I’d put the very last stitches into this piece, and just managed to put the last ones it before midnight … I’m so thrilled with this one, it’s not funny!  My lack of confidence saw this end up as a UFO for 3 years … crazy, because I used to be an incredibly confident stitcher and my learning knew no bounds.  Not sure what happened really over recent years, so it felt amazingly good to prove to myself that I really can still do new things, and to ignore my inner voice in the future!!  Anyway, this is finish #3 of the year, and definitely the finish I’m most proud of since finishing off my Enchanted Mermaid last year!

"Crimson Fire Sampler" by The Victoria Sampler Stitched on 28ct white Cashel linen with recommended threads and beads Started Jan 2011 - Finished 28 Jan 2014
“Crimson Fire Sampler” by The Victoria Sampler
Stitched on 28ct white Cashel linen
with recommended threads and beads
Started Jan 2011 – Finished 28 Jan 2014

Now I’m back to my “small projects” rotation slot to finish off the last 5 hours … but I won’t be stitching until midnight this time round and happy to stagger that one over a few nights! 😉

Christmas Ornaments, Finishes, Hardanger, M Designs, Victoria Sampler, Works in Progress

2nd Finish for 2014

Anne S

In readiness for completing the hardanger band on my Crimson Fire Sampler, I decided it would be wise to do a ‘refresher course’ on hardanger first, seeing it’s been so many years since I did my actual beginners class!  I rummaged through my ‘small project’ rotation filing box and managed to find the appropriate Beyond Cross Stitch kit by The Victoria Sampler.  Added to that I also dragged out the book by Janice Love called “Hardanger Basics and Beyond” for some extra clear photos and descriptions.  This book is without a doubt an absolute god-send for the basics of hardanger!!

Anyway, I finally put needle to fabric, and managed to start and finish this little sweetie in a day (4 1/4 hours of stitching to be exact … gotta love the stopwatch function and a timed rotation!!).  My woven bars aren’t perfect, as I still need to work on my tension a tiny bit … but overall after not doing hardanger woven bars for about 20 years I can’t complain really, and I’m pretty chuffed with it!

Victoria Sampler-Christmas Heart Beyond XS 5-3
“Beyond XS 5-3 Christmas Heart” by The Victoria Sampler
Stitched on 25ct white Lugana
with kit threads and beads
Started 26 Jan 2014 – Finished 26 Jan 2014

I was getting a bit tired by the end of the day, so I opted not to do any more hardanger last night, but instead did an hour on another “small project” for my rotation slot … leaving me with another 5 hours to go.  This is the ‘pale colourway’ of the Thistle Needlerolls by M Designs (I stitched the vibrant colourway before Christmas).

"Thistle Needleroll (pale colourway)" by M Designs Started 26 Jan 2014
“Thistle Needleroll (pale colourway)” by M Designs
Started 26 Jan 2014

I forgot that I’d meant to stitch up Lizzie*Kate’s Cross Stitcher in Residence in my small project rotation slot this time round, so the poor old needleroll may end up looking like that until the next rotation.  I have to say I wasn’t enjoying stitching it last night, so that’s not necessarily a bad thing!!

Lavender & Lace, Rotation, Works in Progress

Angel of Love progress

Anne S

Last night I put a few stitches into Angel of Love, and today I managed to stitch the entire day and finished my rotation slot for this project.  She’s coming along quite well, I think.  I prefer to stitch her without the wings, to make her more like a ‘regency lady’ of some sort … but I’ll decide at the end whether to leave her this way or to stitch the wings on.

Once again, it’s a crappy photo taken with my iPhone at 1am … not a clever thing to do, really!!

AOL26Jan2014

2014 WIPocalypse, Victoria Sampler, Works in Progress

WIPocalypse January

Anne S

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Well that wasn’t a very good start to the WIPocalypse year at all, was it?  Already late with the first post for the year!!!  I need to update my calendar with all the dates, I think!  I also haven’t been doing too well over the last few days with my stitching either … although I managed to get through quite a bit last weekend.  I’ll get to that shortly … first I need to do my ‘official’ WIPocalypse introduction post … to be specific I need to “Introduce yourself, your projects, and any goals you have for the year!”

This is my 3rd year of doing the WIPocalypse, and in truth I don’t intend to spend the year just focusing on my WIPs … I DO intend to work from my substantial chart/kit stash, however, and will only buy additional stash this year if I’m missing threads etc to kit up my projects.  This year I’m also going back to a formal rotation, of which I have 10 rotation slots, and stitching allocations of 10 hours per slot (with the exception of the “Finishing” slot, which I’m allowed to just do 5 hours … but no less than 5 hours!).

The main projects I really REALLY want to finish this year are some commitment pieces, some UFOs, and those designs I’ve already spent a bucketload of money on to kit them up (eg specialty threads etc).  In particular I’d like to work on the following, irrespective of seeing them finished or not by the year’s end:

  1. Angel of Love – L&L (hope to finish this one)
  2. Quaker Christmas II – ByGone Stitches
  3. Egyptian Garden Sampler – Chatelaine
  4. English Garden Sampler – TW (hope to finish this one)
  5. Elie’s wedding sampler (hope to finish this one)
  6. Miss Valentine Fairy – Nora Corbett/Mirabilia (will finish this one easily)
  7. Christmas Elf Dairy – Nora Corbett/Mirabilia (hope to finish this one)
  8. Cross Stitcher in Residence – Lizzie*Kate (will finish this ASAP)
  9. Eiffel Quaker – Jardin Private (will finish this one)
  10. Poppy Pixie – Nora Corbett/Mirabilia (will finish this one ASAP)
  11. Crimson Fire Sampler – The Victoria Sampler (almost finished with this one)
  12. Christmas double flip-its – Lizzie*Kate (hope to finish this one)

Anything over and above those projects will be icing on the cake 🙂

My rotation is already making some great inroads into a few of these projects – Crimson Fire Sampler has been a sadly neglected UFO since the 2011 Crazy January Challenge … after 10 hours working on this one last weekend I was so close to a finish that I extended my rotation slot by another couple of hours.  Now I’m just left with the hardanger band left to do, and it will be my first UFO finish of the year … woohoo!!  Following is how it looks now, before completing the hardanger band … hopefully I’ll get a better photo over the weekend in daylight, and I’ll be taking the photo of the finished article!!

photo 1 (2)

The only other news I have is that I saw my GP today for the results of my nuclear scans … there is no stress fracture, however the heel pains that I’ve had for so long have been putting extra stress on the rest of my foot, and it showed more arthritis in my foot, which is exacerbated by the plantar fasciitis.  As my heel pain has been returning quite quickly again, I’ve got another script for a cortisone shot under ultrasound yet again … but my GP is also now referring me to an Orthopaedic Surgeon to review surgical options.  I’ve got to give my GP his dues, he’s really trying to get to the bottom of it all, bless him … which I’m not thrilled to have the potential of surgery in my near future, I WILL be thrilled to finally have an outcome that will see me walking normally and without pain every single day … will have to wait and see I guess …

Victoria Sampler, Works in Progress

More Crimson Fire

Anne S

No stitching for the last few days, but today I’m making an effort to do a bit more on my Crimson Fire Sampler … geez this is such a pretty design when it’s stitched up!  The chart photo doesn’t do it justice whatsoever, and probably neither do my photos!!  It’s certainly challenging my stitching abilities at the moment, as it’s been such a long time since I’ve tackled tricky specialty stitches, but oh boy it’s so worth all the effort!  Thanks to Thea Dueck/The Victoria Sampler for such a stunning design!!

Crimson Fire 18Jan2014

My nuclear scan on Friday didn’t seem to reveal a stress fracture, so it’s back to the drawing board again and back to my GP again next week … but in the meantime I’m enforcing myself to put my feet up for the entire weekend to rest my foot up … which means lots more time for stitching!!! 😀

Rotation, Victoria Sampler, Works in Progress
Anne S

It’s been a quiet week stitching-wise this week … it’s been too damned hot most days, even with the electric fan blaring … although I did manage to get a sum total of 3/4 hr stitching done on Tuesday night.  This is how Crimson Fire is looking now, at almost the half-way point in my rotation slot for it.  I did the teeny tiny (but quite pretty) gold sheaf stitch band with red beads and the lettering … oh well, every stitch is one step closer to a finish … slow and steady as she goes … 😉  This is a better photo colour-wise than the previous one, as it shows the fabric and threads more true to life 🙂 Crimson Fire 14Jan14

I’m hoping to get another hour done tonight if I can stay awake long enough!  I didn’t get much sleep last night – once again probably partly due to the heat, but also I was really quite anxious about having a bone scan done today at the Nuclear Medicine lab.  The scan was to check for a stress fracture in my left foot, as it’s been very uncomfortable since having my last cortisone injection in my heel … although the inflammation and discomfort has all been at the front half of the foot.  I needn’t have been worried, though, as the injection I had to have before the first scan was really similar to giving a blood sample (although perhaps a bit more uncomfortable) – and the scan was nothing at all compared to the MRI I had to have the last time at that hospital.  They did one set of scans before sending me away for 1 1/2 hours and coming back for the final set of scans.  It seems they didn’t find any clear stress fracture at all, which is good in one sense as it means not having to have a plaster cast or moon boot for 6-8 weeks, but it does of course mean that we still don’t have an answer as to the cause.  Oh well, back to the GP I go again next week – next stop (unless he thinks of something else) is to go speak to someone about special orthotics and/or special shoes … but I guess I’ll know more next week!

In the meantime I thought I’d share my rotation system that I use for my rotation – I’d mentioned this in a Facebook group I belong to, as someone asked what I did, and one of the ladies asked if I could do a PDF version so she could print it off and use it herself.  Anyway, I thought someone might find it of interest if I post it here too (I may have posted something about it years ago, but perhaps it’ll be useful to someone … or not … haha).  Zeb had also been asking questions about how people organise their lives, and I guess this is just part of my own organisation (my Day Planner is a different story and would need a post of its own, if I ever get around to that!!).

Rotation 2014 example

I have one document (on the left in the above photo) where I plan possible future projects that I’d like to stitch within a set rotation slot (obviously I had to decide on the 10 rotation slots first, which is the number I decided on this year).  Then the page on the right is what I use to actually track my progress within each slot.  I found this easier than using a spreadsheet, which some people prefer to use … I have different sized ‘blocks of 10 blocks’ on different pages, aimed at the different size of the projects in my rotation slots.  For example, I only have 3 blocks of 10 for the small-medium sized project slot, as most of those projects should be finished in under 30 hours of stitching.  I have a separate page printed for each rotation slot, and record the details of the project at the top of each group of blocks (I’ve also started scribbling the fabric type and stitch count of the project too in the side margin).  Then each block of 10 represents 10 hourly slots – I mark a “X” in the box once I’ve completed an hour of stitching … or just “\” if I’ve stitched half an hour.  Once I’ve got a block of 10 boxes with crosses I pack up that project and put it at the back of my rotation project tub, and put the rotation page to the back of the pile, then pick up the next in the pile/in the tub.  It may not work for everyone, but it certainly works for me 🙂 You can download my blank pages if you want to try it yourself … just print the page that you think would suit you the best … I put the rotation number and heading at the top of the page when I complete mine.

And on that note I guess I’d better pull my finger out and stop being lazy, and I should get another hour done on that rotation slot so I can move onto something less taxing on the brain cells … 😉

Victoria Sampler, Works in Progress

The rotation continues

Anne S

I’m still continuing to do well with my rotation – this time with my UFO slot.  I’ve had this piece started since the 2011 Crazy January Challenge, but it stalled when I didn’t have the required beads so I’d have to rummage through my stash for alternatives, and also because the next band is one of the two drawn thread bands and it intimidated me to no end!!!  Seeing as I chose this one as my first project for the UFO slot in my rotation I just decided to suck it up and give it a go … and I did!

Since I had recently bought the right beads that I needed, I did those first, as well as doing the eyelet stitches in Kreinik #8 braid, before I tackled the withdrawn threads.  I can’t truthfully say it was pleasurable at all, really, but at least one of the two bands is now over and done with!  It wasn’t so bad to do, except for the fact that the linen thread I was withdrawing kept fraying and breaking off – I think it’s just a really poor quality linen that I’ve had sitting around for ages and perhaps it’s deteriorated over the years, I don’t know … but I was quite shocked at the quality (or lack of it!).  Thankfully I opted not to follow Thea’s instructions, and opted to withdraw the thread from the opposite side of the row to give me more thread in my needle, as otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to thread the needle with a long enough thread if I’d done as I was told and cut my threads in the centre of each row!

Anyway, it’s done now, and I only have one more drawn thread band to do in the bottom half of the sampler.  It’s a slow and tedious process, made slower by the disintegrating threads, but at least it means I have now tried it and know I can do it … and hopefully the next time I have to do it I won’t let it turn my project into a UFO for quite so long!!!

photoFirst step after re-weaving the linen threads into the sides of the fabric

photo2

photo1Number one drawn thread band completed with two sets of herringbone stitch

I still have another 6 1/2 hours left to go with this slot, so hopefully I will get another couple of bands completed in that time before I move back to my Focus Piece slot.

Sorry for the crappy photos – since my little Lumix camera died, I’ve been using my iPhone for almost all of my photos, and it’s clearly crappy for photographing stitching!!!

Jardin Prive, Lavender & Lace, Rotation, Works in Progress

Great start with my rotation

Anne S

I’ve been working really well with my rotation so far this year – much better than any other recent attempts … perhaps this time I really will stick to it!

After washing poor old Angel of Love after the hand sanitizer accident, I put her back on the scroll bars to finish my rotation slot (10 hours each slot) … after stitching a fair bit, I had yet another accident with her!!  My sinuses were blocked up so I reached for my little jar of Tiger Balm so I could spread a bit under my nose to help to clear it … only to find when I tipped up the jar to dip my little finger in that the whole top of the jar had melted in the high heat in my bedroom, and dripped onto my stitching 😦  Now dropping hand sanitizer on it is one thing, but melted Tiger Balm that contains eucalyptus oil as well as other things is a whole different kettle of fish … I had ‘lovely’ splotches on my fabric all the way down in a little row thanks to it leaching through every fabric layer on the scroll bar!  Back she went into an overnight tub soak with some Orvus – the marks haven’t come out 100%, but almost … there will probably only be one part that may not be covered by stitching, but thankfully it looks like a bit of fabric mottling now so I should be able to get away with it.

Anyway, here she is looking sparkly clean after her many washes, at the end of her first rotation slot – the fabric is a lot lighter than it once was before I started stitching and washing her, but it still looks OK I think:

Angel of Love 1

Next up was the medium-sized projects slot, and I have just finished those 10 hours this afternoon – my choice for this slot is Eiffel Quaker, and it’s been lovely stitching on something so simplistic … nice easy blocks of only 3 colours … it’s stitched with one strand of Au Ver A Soie Soie d’Alger thread on a 36ct evenweave.  The hardest thing is putting it down to move on to my next rotation slot … one for UFOs …  I have a feeling the next 10 hours won’t go quite so quickly LOL.  In the meantime, though, here is my Eiffel Quaker as it goes to the back of the rotation tub:

Eiffel Quaker 1

Cross Stitch, Finishes, JBW Designs

First finish for 2014

Anne S

Yesterday I spent the afternoon getting all my first rotation projects onto scroll rods and Qsnaps and they’re now sitting in a but with their charts and threads … maybe my rotation is finally off to a good start this year!!

I made a tiny start on L&L’s Angel of Love, but had a slight mishap so she had to be put away for a while … it was super humid here yesterday in my room, which for me means having to get up and wash my hands regularly … well I was in the middle of a TV show so I was too lazy to get up and go to the bathroom, and grabbed some hand sanitizer to keep me going until the next ad break … or that was the plan!  I ended up accidentally dropped 3 gloops onto my stitching!!  Thankfully I had only done a teeny bit of stitching, and it was DMC threads only, so I rinsed the area under the tap and popped it onto the balcony to dry.  A few hours later I went out to check on the progress, only to now find I had a lovely ‘tide mark’ where the water had spread.  Time for the whole thing to come off the scroll bars and it went for a thorough dunking in cold water, and once again put out on the balcony for an overnight drying spell.  It looks OK this morning, and has been ironed ready to go back onto the scroll bars once again.  Guess who will put my TV show on “pause” next time instead of taking a supposed “shortcut”?!!!  I had managed to get a teeny bit more than the below shows, but it’s still not really worth warranting a photo … but I figure at least it’s a start!! 😉

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After yesterday’s stitching disaster I decided this morning to finish off JBW’s Plum Pudding … freeing up the last set of Qsnaps I need for my Christmas Ornaments rotation slot.  This means this is my first finish for 2014, and it’s time to get back to my rotation again (but not until I’ve pulled my finger out and got some housework done, seeing as it’s laundry day for me … gotta love having dedicated laundry days in our shared laundry).

Plum Pudding by JBW Designs

“Plum Pudding” by JBW Designs
stitched on 32ct hand-dyed Belfast by Countrystitch ~ colour Pipi
with my own choice of threads:
GAST Roasted Chestnut, DMC White, Needle Necessities 153, WDW Holly

Challenges & SALs

2014 Stitching Plans & WIPocalypse

Anne S

It seems I fell off the WIPocalypse wagon part-way through the year last year thanks to an insane workload/hours at work … but it’s time to get back up on the saddle again for the 2014 WIPocalypse.  I’ve always loved this SAL as it doesn’t have strict rules and it encourages me to make at least one blog post a month … so there’s no good reason not to continue again this year!  Also going by my bad progress with the 2013 Crazy January Challenge, I’ve decided to not join up again this year – so the WIPocalypse may just be the only ‘real’ challenge I’ll sign up for this year …

2014 WIPocalypse

I’m also going to try to pick up my rotation once again … this sounds like a broken record to me, as I’ve attempted this a couple of times at this time of the year … but yet again I’m going to give it a go and see if it helps to keep me motivated.  This also means I get to focus on some older UFOs/WIPs as well as having lots of new starts – and gives me more fodder for the WIPocalypse posts.  So here is my rotation slot list for 2014, including the projects I have in mind to start off with:

  1. Focus Piece – Angel of Love by L&L, Wedding Sampler for a friend, Poppy Pixie by Nora Corbett (gift), English Garden Sampler by TW
  2. Medium-sized Projects – Christmas Elf Fairy by Mirabilia, Trick or Treat Box by Just Nan, Eiffel Quaker by Jardin Prive, Red Lace Sewing Case by The Drawn Thread
  3. UFOs – Crimson Fire Sampler by The Victoria Sampler, Flight of the Bumblebees by Ruth Schmuff, Raphael’s Raspberries by FMNIS, Le Jardin Silk Sampler by JCS, Cottage Etui by CA Wells
  4. Focus Piece
  5. Small to Medium-sized Projects – Thistle Needleroll by M Designs, Classic Stitches needleroll, Blue Bell Sampler Accent by Periwinkle Designs, Blackwork Box Pincushion by Silkstone, Beyond XS-Rhodes Butterfly by The Victoria Sampler, Cross Stitcher in Residence by Lizzie*Kate
  6. Large and BAPs – Angel of Love by L&L (this will move to the Focus Piece once a couple of commitment pieces have been finished), Sampler Gameboard by The Drawn Thread, Christmas Flip-its by Lizzie*Kate, Quaker Diamonds by Rosewood Manor, Quaker Christmas II by Bygone Stitches
  7. Focus Piece
  8. Christmas Ornaments & Freebies
  9. Canvaswork – Blue Bayou by Northern Pine, Holly and Ivy by Laura J Perin, Holiday Square by Laura J Perin, Reflecting Pools by Laura J Perin, Surf and Sand by Northern Pine
  10. Finishing – Getting those stitched pieces into their ‘final form’ after languishing in the finishing pile for years

My biggest goal for the year is “no pressure stitching” … I still have gifts I need to complete that are overdue from last year, but I don’t want to commit to deadline pressures at least at the start of the year anyway over and above those gifts.  I felt quite overwhelmed last year, so this year I want to get back to the ‘joy of stitching’ not just using it as a sanity tool.  At least this year I won’t have crazy commuting times to/from work, so I’ll have more time at home to get some work/life balance … hopefully that will reflect in my stitching and on my other personal goals to lose some weight and get healthier … which of course then makes me feel happier within myself and that in itself will provide some improvements in general I think.

Anyway, enough spending time on here … it’s time to actually put a few stitches into that first rotation slot … my first 10 hours on Angel of Love by L&L, before she moves to the “Large/BAP” slot and gets replaced by the wedding sampler as my focus piece.  Really looking forward to getting Angel of Love stitched up, she’s been on my stitching wishlist for YEARS! 😀