Author: Anne S

The last two days I’ve dragged out an old UFO from the box, and managed to put a few stitches into it. Now I remember why this particular project became a UFO (UnFinished Object) in the first place!! It is the most dreadfully boring piece to stitch – mainly greys and drab blues, it really doesn’t inspire me to pick up the needle. But pick up the needle, I must …

I am giving this piece to my lifelong best friend Vicki, and her husband John, as their wedding present. I originally joked for them not to expect it until their 10th wedding anniversary … I didn’t think it would be a serious statement at the time, but as time is marching merrily along, it’s getting closer and closer every year. Well, I decided it was high time that I put some serious effort into this piece. I’m sure the finished project will be nice to see, but boy oh boy it’s hard going to find the enthusiasm I need to stitch this!

I’m about to start a Mirabilia SAL (stitch-along), which takes place the 3rd week of every month, so that should give me enough of a break from this project. Not sure if I’ll keep going until it’s actually finished, but every stitch put into it is a stitch closer to the final product, and I’ll keep going until I’m ready to slit my wrists from boredom ;-P

… I’m having a real spate of bad luck stitching-wise this week.  I moved house about 4 weeks ago, and just getting things in order in the new place … my real joy was finally getting my stitching station together, and curling up with some quick stitching projects that could be started and finished quickly to give me a sense of achievement after moving.
 
Well, that was the plan – and it was going pretty smoothly … I almost finished a Strand NZ little canvaswork kit, Bone Carving on Woven Flax (it always reminds me of home) – when I say “almost” finished, the only thing that stopped me is that I ran out of the background thread, hmmm.  Anyway, a quick email to Strand NZ and apparently a strand of wool is being sent over … oh well, I’ll just have to start something else quick, me thinks …
 
So the last couple of nights I’ve been stitching a Mill Hill chart called “Beading in Needlework – Basics and Beyond” – basically a stitching and beading sampler.  I was going great guns, before realising my 40123 beads didn’t feel like showing their face in the new flat, and have gone into hiding.  Seeing I’ve had the day off work today (due to shift work roster), I drove 1/2 hour out to the local Spotlight and picked up a packet … came home and yet again have got within a hair’s breadth of finishing … only problem is that I’m just short of 8 whole petite beads to finish it!!  Aaaarghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I don’t usually need any help from outside influences to keep a huge pile of UFO’s sitting there, but conspiracy theory is starting to spring to my mind … mutter mutter mutter.  Oh well, back to Spotlight in a few days, I guess, so I can finish it finally … I suppose in the meantime I’ll just have to start something else LOLOL.

Well, it seems I finally can go no further until I buy some more Mill Hill beads, then I can get my bead sampler finished. Hopefully I will see the finishing point by the end of today – if not, I’m sure tomorrow night will see the final stitches being put into place.

It’s a pleasant day in Melbourne today – very overcast, but not cold … all-in-all a perfect day for stitching. I was hoping to get the final stitches put into my sampler before heading off to the bay for a walk, but those darned beads have foiled my plans! I’ve hunted high and low for my own stash of 40123, but they’re alluding me hmmm. The joys of moving house, I guess …

I managed to get a small amount of stitching completed tonight, much to my surprise. I started the Mill Hill chart “Beading for Needlework – Basics and Beyond” 3 nights ago, on 1 September. So far I’m going pretty well, although I’ve misplaced my MH 40123 beads for the short term – no doubt they’ll turn up when I least expect them, but in the interim I may just have to fork out for 1 more packet to enable some more stitching to take place (and obviously I can’t finish the sampler until I get those dratted beads!). Anyway, here’s a photo of my progress thus far.

Today I don’t really have anything stitching-related to write about – but instead I wanted to mention something that happened on another Yahoo group I belong to. Like everyone else, I’ve been watching with horror and despair the devastation left by hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast of USA. Today a posting was made by a group member that read:

“Hi all – I have been watching the news and am surprised at the depth of my feelings for those living along the gulf coast. I did something today that I didn’t think I’d ever do. I don’t have much money but wanted to donate to the cause. I was widowed many years ago and have kept (and still wear on occasion) the diamond ring my husband gave me for our engagement. I sold my ring yesterday and today I gave the $900 I received from it’s sale to a local television station that was collecting. I’m a bit sad that I no longer have the ring, but I’m very glad that I was able to donate such a sum to the relief effort.”

Wow, that just gives me goosebumps and a tear in my eye when I read that – it’s amazing to me to read a story of such great compassion. When I despair sometimes that the world is ‘going to the dogs’, I will always remember this selfless act!

Well, this is my first attempt at joining the ‘blogging’ community – it looks like a great way to share thoughts and ideas, and share in others’ stitching achievements. I’ve thought about setting up an online journal a number of times just for my own satisfaction, but never got around to it – but not all the tools are at our fingertips to just jump straight in.

I’ve been stitching since about 1991, and started with cross-stitching, which is still my favourite relaxation therapy – I can stitch XS and just let the world pass me by, or take the time to destress. About 6 years ago I started branching out with my stitching, and have attended a number of classes at my LNS, as well as correspondence courses, to try different techniques out – these have included hardanger, stumpwork, blackwork, and silk ribbon embroidery. I’ve also just started attempting some small canvaswork pieces to try the technique out.

Born in the UK originally, we moved as a family when I was 6 years old to Auckland, New Zealand, so I class myself as a Kiwi. I moved to Melbourne, Australia 2 years ago on my own, where I shared a flat with different people, including a close male friend. The time came eventually, though, that I needed to find some space of my own, so almost a few weeks ago I packed up and moved to a new flat on my own – I will miss the camaraderie with my buddy Fraze, but will enjoy not having to cook and clean for anyone else but me … as well as not feeling guilty when all I want to do is come home and stitch!!

I work as a reservations consultant for an international airline, and work full-time shift work which means some horrendous shift times, but more free time to myself (that should hopefully equate to more stitching time…).

My stitching plan currently is to finish off some of those old UFO’s that have been cluttering up space for years – as well as stitching new projects purely from my stash … like the majority of stitchers, I have hordes of fabrics, threads, and charts – and now I’m living on my own my living expenses have tripled … see, Mum, I KNEW there was a reason I had amassed such huge piles – it was in preparation for the day when I couldn’t afford to buy any more! haha.

Since moving it’s been difficult to get some ‘spare time’ as time has been spent unpacking – but last weekend I refused to unpack anymore, but opted for some quality time for myself … and stitched a small canvaswork kit called “Bone Carving on Woven Flax” (by Strand NZ). I almost managed to get it finished last night, but ran out of the background thread right at the last part, so I have to wait for the manufacturer to post me one strand more of the wool before I can put the last stitches in 😦 Oh well, it was still nice to pick a needle up again, as I haven’t touched one in approx 2 months!

Anyway, tonight my stitching plan is to start a small project that will be finished quickly – an “Ever So Little” design of a giraffe. Once finished I’ll send the chart to an online member of EGA who loves giraffes, just in case she doesn’t have it already. With any luck I’ll be able to post a completed piccie of it in a day or two 🙂

Rightio, that’ll do for now – I look forward to posting on a regular basis, and joining this fun online community.