Oh my goodness, how can it NOT be added? Love, love, LOVE it!!! 😀
Mallard Duck Collage by Laura J Perin
Category: Crafts – Needlework
Past the halfway mark now
The construction workers have completed the building work, and the landscapers need to finish the rose plantings, then there’s just the rest of the road signage to be completed … and even with all that pink I’m still enjoying stitching this one 🙂
WIP’s and UFO’s
This is especially for Kathy of the Blig Blog … here are photos of the current state of all my UFO’s (I could pretend that they were WIP’s but seeing as the majority haven’t seen a stitch put into them in over 12 months, 95% would definitely be deemed as UFO status!):
Macaw -&- Beaded Fish
Egyptian Garden Mandala -&- English Garden Sampler
Le Jardin Silk Sampler -&- Flight of the Bumblebees
Noah’s Ark -&- Winter Queen
In the Dark Needleroll -&- Love & Affection
Wildflowers Needleroll -&- Apricot Elegance
Monica Hunt Hussif -&- Classical Garden Bookmark
Nature’s Resting Place -&- Wool Beehive Needlebook
Oriental Poppy -&- Summer Fruits Pincushion
Pomegranates & Beetle – Martha Schmidt Hussif
Stumpwork Needlework Accessories
Goldwork Pea -&- Wool hot water bottle cover
Honesty & Heartsease -&- Bullion Rose Facecloth
Long stitch frogs -&- Butterflies & Hearts Needleroll
Stumpwork Dragonfly
Berry Delightful Bag -&- Mediterranean Village XS
Vicki’s Cot Quilt
Stitching Leporello isn’t included in the photos, as I’ve been stitching a complete section each time, so no individual section is in progress at the moment. And I can’t put my hands to either a photo or the actual project of GCC Ornamental Delights, so I guess that one won’t be getting stitched in a hurry haha.
Very sad that some of these projects are over halfway and never finished, however there are many there that are barely started … I’m sorely tempted to just unpick the bullion rose facecloth, for example, as I don’t know if I truly ever want to finish it, the same with a couple more projects in there … will see how I feel after one more stitching session on them, I guess, before I make the ultimate decision to turf out. It’s funny when you look back through the photos and remember why you stopped working on them … for example the Lorri Birmingham Butterflies & Hearts needleroll, I really hated the colours used, as I felt the wording etc just faded into the background, so no doubt that whole piece will be unpicked and started again from scratch with my choice of threads 🙂
I’ve already gone out and pulled numbers out of the hat for the first round, and highlighted the text in bold in the main list in the previous post … and I’m really looking forward to starting my rotation – I just want to finish my current piece first … although I guess I could just choose to start at the “free choice” slot and start counting my hours, that way I can continue with my current project and be starting my actual rotation at the same time – ooh, I like it when a plan comes together!!! 😀
That means my new current rotation is as follows:
- Focus Piece: CA Wells class projects
- Medium/Large: Lavenderblue Celtic Knot Quilt – From Nancy’s Needle
- WIP’s/UFO’s: Berry Delightful Bag
- Focus Piece: CA Wells class projects
- Small/Medium: Jumpin’ Jelly Beans – DKT Originals (freebie)
- Large/BAP’s: Egyptian Garden Mandala
- Focus Piece: CA Wells class projects
- Christmas Ornaments
- Finishing
- Free Choice
Quick stash post
Just a really quick post before I head off to work – and holiday tonight – to show the stash that arrived this week. First up is my stash haul from Colours Down Under … I won a $15 gift voucher from Janine for my August Xmas ornie, and figured I might as well add some extras to the prize to make the most of the postage, and this is what I got (compliments of their 15% off sale which is still on until the end of October, I think). I still have one more blue Periwinkle Promises Accent kit that is on back-order, but I’m really REALLY impressed with the speed and service from Janine!!
Here’s a close-up of the blue threads – I’ve been trying to decide what thread to use for an upcoming RR of With My Needle’s “Ackworth Friendship Book“. The thread in the middle is CC’s Milady’s Teal, which is what the original is stitched in, but it looks really wishy-washy and pale, so don’t think I’m going to use that – I think my ultimate favourite is Gloriana’s Slate Blue … in fact I think that has to be one of the scrummiest blues I’ve ever seen in threads, and it may just be my favourite silk of all-time at the moment … and that’s likely to be my choice for this project, I think (if not many more!). I think I’m going to have to order a few more skeins ready for our RR to start after Christmas.
Next up is some scissors and tassels I picked up from an Ebay seller in France (thanks to Staci for mentioning her details) – again I only wanted to buy the antique reproduction scissors in the very bottom photo, but chucked these in to balance out the postage. I chose the tassels ‘just because’ (and they’re scrumptious colours!), and the scissors I thought were very ‘spring-like’, just right for our current season. Have to admit I don’t like these scissors as much as I expected to, but I’ll make a little spring fob to dress them up a bit. (Talking of scissors, have you seen the latest ones from Ginghers? Oh my, they’re to die for!!! – beautiful in turquoise and browns.)
And lucky last, this is the sum stitching I’ve managed this week … woohoo, two plant stalks!! I’ve taken a photo anyway just to show the fabric that I bought especially for this piece for the pillow and covered buttons – hopefully it will look OK when finished … and of course here are the infamous scissors that I fell in love with from the French Ebay seller (sorry, don’t have time to find the details and links – if I remember next week I’ll add them if anyone wants them …).
And on that note it’s time to finish packing and get off to work … See you some time next week 🙂
Housewarming Party
I forgot all about adding a couple of photos from a Housewarming Party I went to on Saturday night (what a social butterfly I was this last weekend – very very unusual for me!) … here are a couple of photos taken of me with friends during the evening (I’m the one in the blue top – how unusual LOL).
Alex, Anne and Lisa
Nat, Katie and Anne
Anne, Katie and Lisa
And just to prove this is still a stitching blog, here’s my bit of stitching from Sunday night and late yesterday afternoon – LHN’s “Home Sweet Home” on 28ct cream Jazlyn (I think it’s Jazlyn) (stitched in pink, so obviously this one isn’t for me teehee). Even though I don’t enjoy stitching in pink normally, I DO love the Pink Peony darker pink colour in this one … and have to admit I’d almost be tempted to keep this one, except I already have visions of re-stitching it in scrummy blues 😉 This one, however, is destined to live with Karen at The Stitching Post in Katoomba – finished as a cushion like the cover model. I’ve bought what I hope is the most perfect finishing fabric, but time will tell when it’s stitched up 🙂
I’ve had a couple of pieces where I’ve ironed the fabric all ready for stitching, and the kits all sitting in a shopping bag – I’ve got the fabric hanging up on a “skirt hanger” to keep the pieces crisp and flat, so I’ve been working my way through those pieces before starting on anything else. I still have a serious urge to start some other pieces, especially a Halloween piece, but want to get some of these hung-up projects finished off. This LHN piece was one of those projects – as was Just Nan’s Evening Star and Drawn Thread’s Garden Recipe … at least this project I’m actually enjoying stitching! The remaining two projects with fabric hung up are Victoria Sampler’s Crimson Fire sampler and Calico Crossroads’ Spring cushion – then the fun starts again deciding “what next” … although I’m thinking of using a “pick a number” system like I used to do with my UFO’s, then I don’t have to actually decide! We’ll see what I feel like when I finish this one … ‘cos tomorrow’s another day! LOL 😀
Can’t wait till tomorrow for stash report
So, I’m doing an extra post today … do you think I’m trying to do anything to put off what I ‘should’ be doing today??? LOL.
Here’s what came in the mail on Thursday … one beloved item from my wishlist, all the way from France, and two new designs that I fell in love with 🙂
Add to that a few embellishment packs I picked up from Karen’s recent 20% off sale … ‘cos at the moment I have a SERIOUS urge to stitch up some of my Halloween designs, which are predominantly Just Nan’s … I just LOVE ’em 😀
And I also forgot to add one more chart to my wishlist pile that I am still drooling over months after seeing it for the first time on Monique’s blog … “Stitching is a Hoot” – I just adore this little fella, and love the colours … yep, it’s a ‘gotta have’!! 😀
In fact, I’ve just remembered that I still haven’t cashed in my $30 gift voucher from Colours Down Under, so I’d better make that another exception to my 25 Project Challenge … although technically that’s not using my own money … hmmm, maybe my Challenge will start on Monday to give me time to get my order in! LOLOL 😉
And finally, here’s proof that I really am NOT getting far with my stitching … the herb flowers band was finished last time, so that pitiful bit of stitching below is what I’ve managed to achieve in the entire week … I should be publicly flogged with wet floss!!! 😉
The good news, however, is that the pink flowers at the bottom is the final part of the sampler – I just have to finish that band, and add one more narrow band of double four-sided stitch, and add the little heart beads and charm … and it’s all finished …
So, what am I still doing here, I hear you ask?? Actually that’s what my head has been saying all morning … but yet I still sit here glued to the computer and trying to ignore that voice in my head … hmmm … 😉
In fact, I’m off to spend that gift voucher … when I should be stitching … c’est la vie … LOL.
Almost at the finishing line
Thanks for all the support while I’m stitching this ‘dratted design’ – especially to sweet Tannia who has offered to finish stitching this for me. As it’s meant to be a gift for someone, I thought I’d best just knuckle down and get it done … then I can move on to something more fun 🙂
Unfortunately there was a lot of frogging tonight – I changed the honeysuckle flower colour to show up more on the fabric, but then decided I didn’t like it, so I’ve unpicked and restitched it in the original colour.
I’ve since finished one more green narrow band since taking this photo, which means there is just one more band of wording, one more green narrow band, and one more floral band, so hopefully by next weekend a finish will be in sight 🙂
Garden Recipe update
I sat superglued to my stitching all day yesterday (plus Friday night), inbetween doing a couple of loads of washing – I was sorely tempted to pick up a more ‘fun’ piece of stitching after a few hours yesterday, but have a feeling if I put this one down I just won’t ever get around to finishing it. So, perseverance is the name of the game right now – once this one is finally finished, I can choose something more “me”.
In the meantime, though, here’s the current progress … which is substantially different to the last progress piccie! 😀
Thankfully that means I’m now halfway through this piece … fingers crossed one more week of stitching plus a session next weekend, I will see this one finished 🙂
Focus on Finishing blog is moving to a new home
I’ve just posted on the Focus on Finishing blog, but thought I’d do a ‘cross post’ here as well … That’s one of the things I do LOVE about Blogger, the fact you can tweak your own template – this one is based on a free template from Simply Fabulous Blogger Templates. I absolutely ADORE this template, and had originally earmarked it for my own template, but it would take me forever to work out how to apply the various components to the WP template (and of course WP charge you an annual fee for customising any of their existing templates). Oh well, at least I can visit and smile at the new Focus on Finishing blog instead 🙂
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hi everyone – it’s been a while since I announced the idea of moving the Focus on Finishing blog to the more popular Blogger platform. That idea has finally come to fruition, and the new site is ready to have all the posts copied over. Here is a preview of the new look:
Anyway, I hope you will enjoy the new home … I, for one, am quite thrilled with the clean, fresh new look of the blog (it’s been fun spending a few hours tweaking the HTML codes!). The new link is:
FOCUS ON FINISHING
(http://focusonfinishing.blogspot.com)
It would be wonderful if you would be willing to post photos of any items you have finished using our tutor’s classes, or any other finishing methods you would like to share. If there is enough interest, I would also be happy to reopen the idea of having a weekend set aside each month to focus on finishing our projects languishing in the finishing pile.
Please update your bookmarks so you don’t miss any new posts – these existing pages, however, will still be kept open as I will continue to maintain the classes schedule etc via WordPress as I find that easier.
Unfortunately each WP post has to be copied over individually into Blogger, so it is going to be a long and arduous task to copy over the old posts and classes, but they will gradually be added over time.
Thanks for your continued support of this blog 🙂
Kind regards,
Slap me on the forehead now!!!
I was wandering through the lounge last night undoing my ‘chart holder’ of my floorstand to see if the screw would fit my lapstand, when I looked over to the clamp part … well, duh!!! The clamp part is identical to that of my lapframe, right down to the knob … do you think I could’ve perhaps worked that out on Monday night and not 4 nights later?? What a blonde!!!!
However, that means I did finally put needle to fabric last night after two weeks of doing nothing … and in the hour and a bit I stitched last night I managed to finish the beading of two more bands of Just Nan’s Evening Star. That means only one more band left and it’s all finished woohoo! Then it’s going to be finished into a quilted wallhanging. Here’s the bit I finished last night (sorry for the lousy photo but it’s taken in the wee small hours of the morning):
Once the finished piccie is up, there will be an announcement some of you might be interested in … 😉
Feather Stitching 
