Works in Progress – Page 15 – Feather Stitching

Cross Stitch, Stash, The Drawn Thread, Works in Progress

Can’t wait till tomorrow for stash report

4 October, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

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.

Cross Stitch, Works in Progress

Almost at the finishing line

28 September, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

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 🙂

Cross Stitch, Works in Progress

Garden Recipe update

21 September, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

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 🙂

Cross Stitch, Works in Progress

Slap me on the forehead now!!!

12 September, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

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 … 😉

Cross Stitch, Works in Progress

Old French Alphabets

5 September, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Joanne in Perth, if you’re reading this by any chance, I just realised yesterday that I had an email saved as a draft for you with the Sajou links – I tried sending to you, but may have written your email address down wrong! Here’s another link in case anyone else is interested and hasn’t seen them before!

French alphabets (Sajou)

Then there is the complete list of old needlework books re-published on the ‘net you might find of interest.

And there endeth my foray into ancient designs today …

Now I’m back to play with my scanner, scanning in photos for the upcoming photo hunts – Mum very kindly brought a box full of my old printed photos with her on the last visit, and there are some really good choices for upcoming themes that I can use … I still have a ‘lump in my throat’ today after spending a lot of the night with my head over the toilet bowl, so I’m having an easy day at home today blobbing out. I can only put it down to a dodgy Turkish meal we had for lunch yesterday, either that or it’s just another symptom of these stupid viral bugs that are all the rage at the moment!

In fact, I might as well also show you a sneak preview of my Just Nan piece, seeing as I still haven’t touched a needle in the last few days (oh mojo, wherefore art though?) … I’ll take a decent daylight photo if I can when it’s all finished – so far this is the bottom 2/3 of the design … I thought I’d leave the top 1/3 off the unveiling until it’s totally finished 🙂

I have to admit I was really disappointed when I started stitching this one – the cover photo looks very blue and purple … whereas in real life there is no blue at all, just purples and greens, so not what I was expecting. Thankfully it’s started to grow on me, and the colour scheme, while not “me”, is quite complimentary I guess if you like purples and greens 😉

Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Darling Harbour, Finishes, Finishing, Friends & Family, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Lizzie Kate, Stash, Sydney, Val's Stuff, Works in Progress

Ah, Bliss …

27 August, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Today I walked out from work at 5.10pm … and felt like a little kid skipping out of school early! It feels really fantastic! Helped that today was the first day that I haven’t been pulled in a million different directions due to urgent things being thrown at me, I managed to actually get some of my own work done for a change … serious bliss!

My rant did me good last night – on top of the productive day, and normal working hours, I feel much brighter today. Apologies to Mum, as this is not how it sounds ‘cos I love having Mum visit, but it’s been really nice to come home to an empty place and not having to have a conversation – I have been anti-social for two days and have found it a great chance to unwind properly at the end of a stressful day without having to chat. I’m hoping by the end of the week to be a bit more back to normal again 🙂

Mum returned home on Monday morning, but we had a wonderful weekend before she left. On Friday we spent the afternoon visiting craft stores – although neither of the stores we visited were really ‘fantastic’ we did manage to find something at each one to spend a couple of dollars on. At Lyn’s needlecraft I managed to buy some pink and cream fabric (yeah, me, pink!! LOL) … and a duck!! (I don’t have space for the ones I currently have, but that makes no difference LOL). At Hobby Sew I bought a smaller version of the wire hanger I use for my embroidery scissors – this one is to hang my junk jewellery on, and was proudly hung on the side of my computer desk tonight.

Friday night saw us having dinner with Brenda and Nigel, and it was really wonderful to catch up with them again. I’ve had to promise to visit again soon and stay the night – that’s no hardship, as I’m looking forward to it.

Saturday morning saw us up bright (OK maybe not) and early (most definitely) and driving into the city. That’s my first attempt in driving into Sydney city itself, and I have to tip my hat to my TomTom GPS ‘cos he managed to instruct me perfectly and painlessly to the parking building I wanted. We picked my friend Jason up at the airport then went to Darling Harbour in the freezing cold where we stuffed ourselves on a cooked breakfast, followed by the compulsory stop at the Lindt cafe for takeaway delices and a Mochaccino … yum!! It was really nice to see Jason again, and I’m really glad we changed our plans to visit with him (he was transferring through Sydney on the way to Asia on holiday).

As soon as we showed Jason the way to the train station for his return to the airport we hot-footed it down the motorway to Rosehill Racecourse to the Stitches & Craft Show, where we met up with my good pals Alison and Amanda, and met some new ladies Karen and Rowena. It was really awesome to catch up with these ladies again – they’re always such fun to spend time with. I was pleasantly surprised with the contents of the show … we parted with a fair amount of cash, although when we got home we didn’t seem to have as much as we remembered 😉

My biggest splurges were two pieces of hand-dyed fabric – one from Peppermint Stitches (for Mirabilia’s Enchanted Mermaid hopefully), and one from Stitches & Spice (36ct mottled/vintage neutral colour), plus a big Santa for my main Christmas display this year (thanks to Dodgey Brothers R Us removalists, I no longer have my beautiful ceramic Christmas tree centrepiece, as it arrived in a squillion pieces). Here’s a photo of the full stash haul (combining both mine and Mum’s purchases). I nearly squealed with delight when I saw a butterfly charm (Susan Clarke design) that will match my Just Nan Dragonfly scissor purse … I didn’t care about the $27 price tag, I HAD to have it!!! (The Christmas items aren’t in the photo as I can’t be bothered unpacking them from the box.)

Other purchases were some metal charms for scissor fobs, some Dress It Up buttons (snowflakes and stars), cheapo scissors for travelling, and the most adorable metal hanger for my Christmas quilted wallhanging. Doesn’t it look perfect?

Crikey, I barely blog for two weeks and now I can’t shut up!!!

I’ll finish for the night by showing my very minimal stitching from the last week or so – here is my latest finish:

“Life’s a Stitch” by Lizzie*Kate
stitched on 32ct natural Belfast linen
with recommended GAST threads

And here is my current work in progress – I’m trying to stitch predominantly those charts that I’ve bought special threads and embellishments for and are essentially kitted up. Once I get through a few of them, I’ll add the designs to my trade list (I’d better hurry up and get stitching or you’ll be waiting for a while!). This project is Just Nan’s “Evening Star” which is a retired class piece. At my current stitching rate it should be finished some time in the middle of September haha.

Last night I was in such a cranky mood I vented my frustration by doing the finishing on my August Christmas ornie – if that’s the result of being angry with work, I should keep it going every night!! LOL. I added a little white pom-pom-thing with glue once the pillow as finished 🙂

And now it’s time to settle in and get some stitching in (after once again lugging up my next round of laundry washing – I figure the more I get done tonight, I won’t have much to do at the weekend).

Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Val's Stuff, Works in Progress

Is it snowing outside?

13 August, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Well, the weather will surely be changing because a miracle occurred in Chez Shackles over the last 24 hours! I managed to get my August ornie completed before the middle of the month … now I KNOW I’m not feeling well!!

“A Merry Kitty Klaus” by Val’s Stuff
from 2007 JCS Christmas Ornament issue
stitched on 32ct white Belfast linen
using Crescent Colours Sassy Brass and Cupid,
Olde Willow Shale, Wisper thread and DMC for the remainder

Went to the GP yesterday who confirmed my bugs are just a viral infection (which I’d already guessed) – I’m now loaded up with Buscopan for the griping stomach cramps and on orders for Panadol, fluids and rest … if that doesn’t work I have to go back to have blood tests, but I’m sure that’s all it is (which is the main reason I hadn’t bothered going to the GP before now). I was still pretty crook throughout the weekend, and definitely not my perky self (commented on a lot by colleagues at work, which didn’t do anything to help my mood, especially when someone drew a smiley face on a piece of paper and wrote “SMILE” on top for me … made me want to throttle them instead of smile! I’m terrible when I’m feeling ill, I just want to sit in a corner away from people until I get over it hmmm).

Still haven’t finished my needleroll, as I need to concentrate a bit on the buttonhole stitch banding etc, and don’t feel up to it yet … hopefully it won’t be long now before it is completed though. Now it’s time for me to jump in the car for another thrilling day at work (can you tell I’m really not in the mood right now?)!

Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Finishes, Heart in Hand Needleart, Works in Progress

A WIP and a finish

9 August, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

First up is my “In the Dark needleroll” – if I were to do this again (which I wouldn’t do) I would definitely make some changes! Firstly I think I would squish the wording up closer together and have it more centred, then I’d bring in the stars closer to the moon. The way this is designed when it is turned into a needleroll you won’t see the full wording and definitely won’t get to see the sparkly stars, which seems such a waste as they’re so lovely! Unfortunately by the time I worked that out I was too far into the stitching to be bothered unpicking everything. I think it would be much prettier that way, though (mind you, I haven’t done the finishing yet, so I could be wrong).

One change I did make, however, was to leave off the ‘smiley faces’ on the stars so it didn’t look quite so ‘juvenile’, and because of that I left off the bead ‘nose’ on the stars and just used the metallic braid. All-in-all not my most favourite piece to stitch, but I do like the finished product – the colours and the sparklies do look very very pretty in real life … my Mum kept ooh-ing and aah-ing over it throughout the stitching process 😉

It still isn’t finished, though – I need to find some beads to substitute for those listed in the chart, and I’ve decided to do the bargello and buttonstitch bands for the top and bottom hems … yesterday I’d decided to leave it and finish it with a normal hemstitched band, but today I’ve had a change of heart, so back on the Q-snaps it goes …

When I opted to leave the bead selection for the needleroll until today, I couldn’t just sit and do nothing, so here is a very quick ornie stitch that I managed to stitch up in a couple of hours last night.

“Christmas Peace” by Heart in Hand Needleart
stitched with recommended threads (GAST)
on 32ct opalescent Lugana by Silkweaver (the colour escapes me right now!)

This fabric is one of the worst fabrics I’ve ever stitched on in my life – I truly detest this fabric, both the colour and the feel of it. I bought this originally to stitch Chatelaine’s Egyptian Garden Mandala on it, and hated it, so unpicked what I’d done and started again on a hand-dyed linen instead. Unfortunately I was left with all this revolting fabric and I didn’t know what to do with it … my idea to use for ornies instead – truth is I still hate it, and think perhaps I should try dyeing it myself. The photo gives no idea of what the colour is actually like – it is almost peachy/apricot in colour, yuk!!

I have no idea what will be stitched next … nothing is screaming at me right now … I had the day off yesterday due to feeling crappy, so Mum and I sat in my bedroom and stitched all day – today I woke up with my mind turning about work issues, so perhaps I’ll go in tomorrow and try to get some work done, as obviously it’s preying on my mind under the surface hmmm. I’ll see how I feel when I wake up in the morning … in the meantime it’s time to go stash diving for a new project I guess … or perhaps I should have a day at the sewing machine … or perhaps I should just have a day off … oh, so many choices 😉

Cross Stitch, Works in Progress

New WIP

7 August, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Thanks for all the lovely comments about my Lanarte finishes – they will eventually be framed with a mid-blue frame of some sort, but I’m not sure whether to frame them individually, or together in one frame …

My latest WIP is something I’ve had sitting kitted up in my stash for a long time – and seeing as I’d bought all the Kreiniks especially for this piece I thought I’d better justify the cost and hurry up and stitch it up. I didn’t get too much done last night, but this is the result of 2 hours stitching and TV viewing with Mum:

The design is “In the Dark needleroll” by Designs by Lena Rose, and is being stitched on Abracadabra 28ct opalescent lugana by Silkweaver. I really like the Silk n Colors used in the border – 977 Sherbert, it’s so delicate, pretty and girly (unlike me LOL). Hopefully I’ll manage to get it finished by the end of this weekend, as there isn’t really a ‘huge’ amount of stitching to be done on it … but then again, that could be famous last words!!

Works in Progress

New Project

14 July, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Just a tiny bit of stitching from last night – I’ve also completed the flower pot above the “2008”, but I can’t be bothered unrolling the scroll bars … Here’s my first WIP piccie of The Cat’s Whiskers Alyssum scissor keeper (yet again a crappy photo due to the evening photography session):

Just one more flower to go before I can hop on over to the left-hand side of the fabric to start stitching the lining section – then I can roll up the scroll bars and finish off both the tops. Hopefully I’ll get chance to finish this one off either before/during the coming week/weekend 🙂