Finishes – Page 22 – Feather Stitching

Stitching and Frogging

22 June, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

I don’t have too much stitching left on my June Christmas ornie now … I would have finished it by now, but I’ve had to frog stitch almost all of the border, followed by now having to frog almost half of the plant leaves due to being one stitch out on both … ho-hum. Hopefully there will be a finish piccie by the end of the week anyway (although work this week is going to be hell, so may not …).

Another stitching stuff-up on my part saw me almost run out of fabric on the following wee piece that I stitched up last night and this morning … when I was kitting all of my stitching up before putting everything into storage last year, it seems I misjudged the fabric size and basically cut it to the stitching size plus about one inch on the left and right margins … that was compounded when I managed to also start the stitching off-centre as well last night, leaving me with a scant 1 1/2 cm border on the left hand side. Thankfully I’m thinking of finishing this as a small pillow, so I just have enough margin to attach the quilting fabric. Anyway, here’s the finished piccie – once again a very poor photo as my battery still wasn’t charged up when I took it this morning, and my SLR doesn’t get the nice crisp details that my point and shoot Lumix does …

Not my ‘normal stitching style’, but I had fun stitching this one – I especially love the beads and little pigtails on the girls:

“Picanini Can Can” by Pauline’s Needlecraft, NZ
Stitched on 28ct white Cashel linen
with DMC threads & Mill Hill beads

Unfortunately I believe Pauline’s (a LNS in Auckland, NZ) has now closed down, so the design is probably no longer available – it is just printed on blue paper, but if anyone would like it, I’m happy to send the chart off to a new home … just leave me a comment here for it. If more than one person is interested in it, I’ll have a draw to pick a winner at the end of the month. (Updated to advise this chart now has a new home, thanks for the interest – those who went into the draw have been advised separately by email)

As for me, it’s now time to hit the hay and hopefully not dream all night about frogs!

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Freebies, Gift of Stitching

Finally a stitching post …

21 June, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

I’ve been stitching all day but have very litte to show for it … first up is a wee freebie finish:

Freebie by www.romyeale.blogspot.com
Stitched on 28ct antique white Lugana
with Caron Collection Waterlilies in Pine Forest

Here is the wee beastie that has taken most of the day to stitch … I had to change almost all of the colours as I didn’t have the recommended threads in my stash, but I think it turned out OK – not perfect, but I still like it. It was quite fun doing some different stitches for a change, especially doing the whipped backstitch. The sand is a mix of cross stitch and Smyrna crosses, but you can’t see that in this photo. This will eventually be a tin topper … after trying to find another design in the Gift of Stitching magazines, I came across this one and remembered I fell in love with it when I first received the issue. Well I then made up my mind to stitch a new piece rather than turn my Prairie Schooler Duck into a tin just yet. Fingers crossed the finishing will go OK for my first tin attempt! Apologies for the poor photo, but my battery just died so I can’t take another clearer one just yet …

“Waves” by Melissa Dunajski
from Gift of Stitching Magazine, Issue 17 June 2007
Stitched on 32ct Ice Blue hand-dyed Belfast by Countrystitch
using the following substitution threads:
GAST Flax = used recommended thread GAST Flax
WDW Angel Hair = substituted DMC 677
WDW Aqua = substituted DMC Variations 4020
GAST Cornflower = substituted DMC Variations 4230
GAST Oatmeal = used GAST Oatmeal
NN Bali Hai = substituted Carrie’s Threads Dillon’s Sea

Not entirely sure what to stitch next … although I guess I “should” stitch my Christmas ornie for June as I’m nearly running out of time (just for a change!) – but I really want to start something new, something like Drawn Thread’s Autumn Arbor or Sunflower Sampler … oh decisions, decisions … Or perhaps I should just put the needles away for a day and concentrate on doing some finishing … hmmmm … 😉

Chatelaine, Cross Stitch, Finishes, Stitching Leporello, Works in Progress

Stitching Leporello … part 8

15 June, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

I managed to get part 8 of Chatelaine’s Stitching Leporello finished today (the pincushion) – I’ve been a little hermit all weekend, and loved every minute of it. I’m all caught up with Supernatural season one, and now part-way through listening to The Kite Runner on audiobook … ah bliss 😉

I really should try to take a better photo in daylight as this one doesn’t show the colours very accurately at all …

Stitching Leporello 8 2

Chatelaine, Cross Stitch, Finishes, Prairie Schooler, Stitching Leporello, Works in Progress

Lazy day stitching

15 June, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

It was a perfect Saturday – sitting up on my bed all day stitching my little heart out. I started stitching The Prairie Schooler’s “Duck” last night, and put the final stitches into it today – I just love this little fella!! It’s intended to turn him into a tin topper, but I think he’d look nice in so many different finishes I’m now undecided!

After my Duck finish, I also polished off part 3 of Chatelaine’s Stitching Leporello – this was just a small design, but it still took me a wee while to stitch. Thank goodness for Season 1 of Supernatural to keep me company all day (thanks to Katie at work for loaning it to me). I must say I think the colour choices for this one are quite “strange” … hmmm.

I also put a couple of stitches into part 8 of the Leporello, which will eventually be the pincushion – I might even get that one finished tomorrow, as it’s quite a small piece to stitch.

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Works in Progress

Part 2 of Stitching Leporello finished

9 June, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Mum and I spent the day out yesterday enjoying the sights of Mittagong, Bowral and Berrima, and had a great day out! Unfortunately it’s getting down to the last couple of days of Mum’s visit … it’ll be really quiet round here after she’s gone!! I haven’t had time to sort out our photos from yesterday yet, and seeing as it’s now just after midnight here I might leave those until a later time … I will, however, share the photos of my latest stitching finish …

Here is part 2 of Chatelaine’s Stitching Leporello … I had a sneak look at the finishing instructions today and nearly had a heart attack … luckily I don’t have to think about it too much for a while yet as there is still loads of stitching to be done, and I only intend to stitch these inbetween other stitching such as Winter Queen. I must say, though, that I really love this block, and in particular those little flower urns! 😀

Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Finishes, Works in Progress

Ornie finish … and WIP

6 June, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Here’s my latest ‘small finish’ that I put the final stitches into yesterday (this was my holiday stitching piece that had an attack of the frogs the first night):

Twisted Oaks-Christmas Tree
“Christmas Tree” by Twisted Oaks Designs
from 2005 JCS Christmas Ornie magazine
Stitched on 28ct opalescent white Cashel linen
Some substituted threads – instead of NN Lemon Delight I used
Carrie’s Creation Gold Glow, and instead of DMC 349 for
the hearts I used Carrie’s Creation Scarlet

Also my progress from yesterday after finishing the ornament … I chose something already kitted up and ready to be picked up at a moment’s notice … this is the stitching of part 2 of the Stitching Leporello by Chatelaine … perhaps I will finish it today? Or perhaps not … 🙂 (sorry for the bad photo but I took it after midnight last night and can’t be bothered taking another one)

Stitching Leporello WIP 05Jun08

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Finishing, Stitching Smalls

Biscornu finish

31 May, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Did you hear a lot of muttering and cursing down under last night? If you did, it was likely to have been me!! I was all set to finish-finish my beautiful red tuffet/biscornu … and had the pieces freshly ironed ready to go, with the perle cotton and threads ready to start making wee tassels … Remember my joy in finally finishing this project??

Well, as soon as I started to thread needle through the backstitching on the sides, I thought to myself “hey, those fabrics feel totally different in hand” … and lo and behold on finer inspection and measuring they have been stitched on two different thread counts so the sides don’t match up!!! Lesson to self … do not take thread count on labels as gospel, always check before stitching!!! To say I was less than thrilled was a HUGE understatement last night – I was absolutely gutted … that means I have to either stitch the big piece again on the new fabric, which I have plenty of, or I have to try to find other fabric to match … considering I had such a bad run on stitching the main piece previously I have absolutely NO desire to stitch that again. Anyway, it’s been thrown in the corner to sit in disgrace until I decide I have the motivation to look at it again and decide what the heck to do … ho-hum 😦

Luckily I had another design ‘in reserve’ to finish as a biscornu for the Monthly Finishing Challenge that Becky has been organising … this one seemed to go relatively hitch-free, although I wish I’d left a bigger margin of “clear” fabric at the edge of the design before starting the backstitching for the whipstitch join, as it looks a little ‘busy/crowded’. Never mind, I still like it, nonetheless … So, here’s my attempt for this month, just in the nick of time! 😀

“Mystery Sampler” design by Debbie Draper
from Gift of Stitching Magazine (issues 6 and 7, 2006)
stitched with Carrie’s Creations threads
finished with seed beads from U Bead It (Sacramento, CA)

Christmas Ornaments, Finishes

May’s Christmas Ornie

29 May, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Yesterday I started and finished my Christmas ornament for the monthly challenge on XSers Yahoo group. Unfortunately I chose to stitch on 32ct instead of 28ct, which means my teeny buttons look overpowering on it, so I’m not bothering to put them on … I may still add larger red ones to the corners when it’s eventually made up into an ornie though – in fact, I think I’m due to have a large ornie-finishing session soon! 🙂

“Spool Ornament” by Sue Hillis Design
from 2007 Just Cross Stitch Ornament magazine
Stitched on 32ct white Belfast linen with DMC

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Gifts TO BE FIXED, Home & Family TO BE FIXED

Fun and productive stitchy weekend

11 May, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

I dropped Barnabee’s Bride over to Karen at The Stitching Post yesterday, and she’s now sitting on display in the smalls cabinet. Alison joined me for the trip, and I had a wonderful time catching up with her before we made the drive – we had time to have a cup of coffee while I wandered around her stitching gallery and admired her beautiful stitched pieces on the walls … that was a real treat before we hit the road! I was dying to see Alison’s latest stitched piece from her blog, and the photo doesn’t do it justice … that wallhanging is just divine in real life (as is everything else)!!! 😀

Alison is always great company and we had an enjoyable drive chatting away the whole time. We arrived at The Stitching Post early, where I had a panic attack that the shop was closed, not realising it doesn’t open until 12 noon!! Phew!!!

Catching up with Karen and Brendon is always a treat – although poor Karen got absolutely no work done while we were there ‘cos we spent the entire hours of opening chatting away. I apologise in advance if extra hours are needed this week to catch up!

I was given a thank you gift from them for the model stitching that was totally unnecessary, but it will be treasured always. I am now the proud owner of one of Brendon’s jewellery pieces … isn’t this amber just amazing?? It will always be a reminder of their friendship when I wear it – thanks so much once again, Karen and Bren, I love it! 😀

I had an extra treat of seeing the first three of my framed pieces up on the wall – I didn’t realise they were there, or I would have taken my camera with me and taken a photo … but I intend heading back again in a fortnight with Mum when she comes to visit, so I’ll remember to take a camera with me then 🙂

What I can show you a photo of, though, is my latest finish – I truly ADORE this piece! As usual, because the photo is taken late in the afternoon without a flash or tripod the photography isn’t the best, but here it is in all its glory … in real life the colours really pop 😀

“Beach Roses” by Just Nan
Stitched on 28ct natural Cashel linen
using recommended threads (DMC)
and embellishment pack of charm and pearls

And don’t you just love the little scallop shells and starfish charm?? I sure do!! 😀

This project will likely head on over to my Trade page at some stage in the future – Nan was really generous with the beads, so there are still just enough pearls to complete the design again … but a charm will have to be bought separately. I’ll make an announcement post here when I eventually get around to updating my list after I clean out a few folders in the future.

Right now I’m not entirely sure what to stitch next – I’m quite keen to get some of my older WIP’s (they’re probably better categorised as UFO’s now, but we’ll stick with WIP’s for now LOL) finished, as well as getting a few more models stitched for Karen – so I think I’ll bring out one of my BAP’s to concentrate on (that’s already started, eg Mirabilia’s Winter Queen), and do a 10-hour rotation with 1 or 2 of those, with an LHN/CCN design or Christmas design/ornament inbetween – with any luck that’ll see me get at least one BAP finished before too long! 🙂

Hmmm, perhaps that’s what I should work on tonight … Winter Queen … but an LHN is calling … oh decisions, decisions … 😛

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Needlerolls, Stitching Smalls

Barnabee’s Bride is complete

9 May, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

I managed to get all the finishing done on Barnabee’s Bride in time to drive her over to The Stitching Post tomorrow morning. She looks very cute (although I have a bit of wrinkling of the green wool when she’s rolled up, if I had more fabric I might have unpicked it and cut it a bit smaller, but it’s OK I guess), and I couldn’t resist taking a quick photo in the sunlight to show off her wee sparklies 🙂

Barnabee’s Bride (kit) by Just Nan

I forgot to take a photo of the needleroll opened out – I’ll take one later … if I remember … but I’ve run out of time to take one this morning, as I’ve now got to race off to work (I’m on the late shift today ‘cos I’m “on call” for the next 7 days in case of emergencies, which gave me time to quickly take these photos this morning).