Cross Stitch – Page 66 – Feather Stitching

1 out of 50 Projects Completed

21 September, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

It took me forever to do just a tiny bit of stitching last night … I’m still struggling to get my needles active again – but I persevered until the final stitches were put into my little bee project … “Bumble the Bee: Waxer Pocket” by Moss Creek Designs. I only had the beads and chain stitch left to do on the main piece, and the whole of the name label. It might be a while before it’s actually finished into the pocket itself, but at least the stitching’s finished 🙂

The pictures are totally out of proportion, too … the little name label on the right is actually only marginally over an inch in size! When I cropped it on the scanner, it automatically resized it hmmm.

Now I’m off to have a quiet day again … I’ve had a couple of minor dizzy spells today, so I’m taking it majorly easy and just pottering … not sure whether my needles will see the light of day today … time will tell.

Stitching Smalls

Photo for Tessa

15 September, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

Just to satisfy Tessa’s curiosity … here’s my basket of ‘smalls’ – in fact, here’s a “before” and “after” shot haha … the first photo is from when I first started blogging just over a year ago – and the 2nd is the result after a year’s worth of stitching to fill it up! I eventually want to find a nice long narrow basket especially just for my needlerolls, which will give a bit more space to my pincushions again, but for now this will suffice. It’s sitting on top of my new Ikea cabinet I made last month which houses my glasses, and is the first thing you walk past when you come into my wee flat. I can’t believe how full that basket has got recently … me thinks perhaps I’m going to have to find another one to fill again soon too 😉

before ……………………….. after
Aside from that, nothing to post about really – I’ve been feeling really down and homesick today, so a phone call home helped a bit before settling down for the night. I’ve just been moping around for the last two days, perhaps because I haven’t been at work so haven’t had the distraction of chatting to other people there, and I’ve really been missing Mum since she’s been gone. Oh well, it’s back to work again tomorrow for 4 nights of 6pm starts (my least favourite shift – yuk!!), so I’ll have plenty of things to keep my busy then … I might even sneak in a small stitching project for work too, seeing as every now and then we get a quiet night and can get a few stitches in between phone calls 😛 This time I’ll make sure it’s not a Lorri Birmingham kit, so there shouldn’t be any errors for me not to notice!

And I’ll soon be meeting Katrina face-to-face when she’s over visiting Melbourne during the next couple of weeks, so that’ll be a great cheer-me-up and something to look forward to 😀 Then on 30 Sep I’m hosting my very first dinner party since I’ve moved out on my own … which is a huge big deal for me, as I’m inviting 4 people from work phew! I’m really nervous about it, but really looking forward to it as well – two of the ladies are definitely staying over for the night too, as they have a long way to drive, so it will be a fun social weekend, as we’ll be finishing off with brekkie at St Kilda before they head off home. I’m not really social on the whole, as I’m quite shy, and having people from work in my home is a biggie … I’m just nervous that people can be quite judgmental, but I feel secure enough with my surroundings now to make the move and invite people round …

Over the next week I’m hoping to catch up on blog reading, as I’m usually little miss cranky pants during the day and don’t get any stitching done on these shifts (I can’t usually get to sleep until about 4am, and don’t get a good unbroken sleep) … I’ve decided I’m fed up with Newsgator now showing piccies on the subscription feeds, so I’m moving everything over to Bloglines, and I’m catching up on each blog at the same time as copying over the subscription details – unfortunately, though, it’s going to take me quite some time to do it all, so my apologies if it’s a while before I get to ‘your’ blog 🙂

Rightio, back into the kitchen again to finish cooking dinner … a very boring Tuna Bake, that’s going to last me for the next 3 nights …

Stash, Works in Progress

WIP updates

14 September, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

I was originally going to post a piccie once I’d got my latest project entirely finished, but it’s been slow going so I thought I’d post a progress piccie instead. This is the first time I’ve ever tried doing nun’s stitch, and I’m amazed at how slooooooowly that wee stitch goes … can’t say I’m a huge fan, although it looks OK. I still have to add the little bead eyes and do a broad chain stitch across the centre fold line – then I have to do the little separate name label before putting it all together … and being ‘finishing challenged’, I’m going goggle-eyed reading the instructions already – hopefully it will all slot into place once I have the actual finished articles and lining etc in front of me! This is “Bumble the Bee’s Wax Pocket” kit by Moss Creek Designs … I just love the little bee 😀 I wasn’t so fond, however, by the over-one stitching hmmm.

In fact, seeing as I’m not a great over-one fan, I’m definitely getting plenty of experience with my current/future projects … this one, plus the Bordeaux Sampler (all the verses plus the next band has oodles of over-one grapes), and the Lavender Rose Sewing Case (next on my list of smalls to stitch, seeing as I missed the SAL) … I’m either going to enjoy over-one more after all that practice, or detest it further … only time will tell …

And seeing as it’s almost Friday, I can finally post a progress piccie of the Bordeaux Sampler with my start of band number 2 … I haven’t touched this since coming home from Hong Kong, so I caught up a bit by putting 4 hours into it earlier in the week – and it’s time to get it back into a regular stitching slot each week. I’m looking forward to seeing Carol’s progress too 😀

Other than that, I have another mail art to be done as the original one went AWOL … have to admit, this is definitely not a stitching highlight for the week 😦

I do have to admit to a slight lapse off the Wagon last week too – just realised I’d forgotten to post a public announcement of my lapse, as well as a piccie of my spoils … Ashleigh was selling off a bundle of her stash on Ebay, and I’ve been dying to try some of the Periwinkle Promises little cushion kits, so I couldn’t resist trying some at a reasonable price to see if I like them … and after receiving them, I think I see more of them arriving on my doorstep in the future … after I’ve been on the Wagon a bit longer 😉

Now it’s off to bed for the night after a very inactive day … mind you, I can see the lounge room floor again, so I obviously got a bit of housework done today ;P

Finishes

Empty flat once again …

13 September, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

I just walked in from dropping Mum off at the airport, and the flat seems awfully quiet and empty … it looks like a tornado hit, though, so I’ll be keeping busy tidying things up – there’s stuff everywhere! LOL. Thanks for all your comments too about Mum and I … I have to admit, we’re very lucky in that the relationship we have is very close – I certainly wasn’t ready to have her go home yet tonight.

For Mum’s last day we spent our time making up a couple of ornaments, and we went through my Christmas fabrics and cut off enough fabric for each one of Mum’s stitched ornaments for her to finish them off when she gets home. Mum reckons I’m being a very generous daughter, but then again I’m just giving a bit back for all the things she’s done tirelessly for me over the years 🙂 Mum made a very good comment the other day, in that I’ve hardly done any stitching while she’s been here, apart from the commitment stitching … and she’s right. Never mind, I’m sure I’ll get back into the swing of things again soon. On the other hand, Mum’s been stitching enough for both of us … as well as the ‘finished’ ones, here are Mum’s ornies that she’s stitched:

As for me, I finished up my ornament that was Mum’s gift this year, so she could take it home with her – and I managed to quickly finish off my Sweetheart Tree Strawberry Needleroll from my finishing pile while I was waiting for us to head to the airport this afternoon.

I was originally going to get cracking and do some more finishing when I got home, but I’m not entirely sure how keen I feel now … I feel really tired and flat, and could do with some ‘down time’. I’ve been having a lot of pain in my right shoulder blade area, and been using anti-inflammatory cream for the last week or so to try and ease it … today I’ve started taking some Voltaren tablets to see if that helps, as it’s been so painful it’s been keeping me from sleeping properly each night as the pain wakes me up. If it keeps up in a week’s time, I’ll have to see a GP about it as it’s really getting me down, and it’s been niggling ever since we did our spot of DIY after the Hong Kong trip.

Anyway, off to tidy up a bit so I can at least see a small portion of the lounge floor …

Cross Stitch, Exchanges

Needleroll exchange from Sylvie

12 September, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

WOW!!!!! That’s what came out of my mouth as I stood on the pavement at the back of the Post Office today … I was too impatient to get home to open up my parcel, so Mum and I opened it up together there and then 😉 Inside the parcel was my needleroll exchange from Sylvie, and I can honestly and truthfully say I am totally blown away by it all – I just adore everything! The needleroll is stitched and finished so beautifully, and the design and colours are incredible … I’m lost for words as to how beautiful I think it is 😀 And if that wasn’t enough, inside the gorgeous bag (that is going to be oh-so-useful for my stitching bits and bobs next to my chair) there were Gloriana silks in the most dreamy and heavenly colours for a blue girl like me … serious drool material – I adore Gloriana silks! But there was even more yet … a lovely little address book, and cute turquoise bracelet, and a postcard from Normandie … and I love it all!! I still can’t believe that I get to keep it all, that it’s all mine! I’ll say it again … “WOW”!! 😀 Thanks heaps and heaps Sylvie for an exceptional exchange 😀 {{hugs}}

(I give up on Blogger tonight, so I’m using Photobucket mutter mutter mutter)

The other squishy mail I had today was my next round robin piece – this is Lynn’s seasonal round robin … I’m really enjoying stitching on these, and I’ve been looking forward to the next one arriving. Now I just have to decide which season to stitch, Winter or Spring … oh decisions, decisions … 😉

Rightio, off to work I go again … but not ‘real’ work, though … Mum and I are going to try ornamentifying a few of her stitched ornies so she knows how to do it when she gets home. Which will be interesting, as I’ve only ever made the two square ones last year … we’ll be dragging out the magazines again to get some ideas, I think – mind you, seeing as Mum’s flying out tomorrow, I don’t think we’ll be getting too creative – nothing like leaving it until the last minute haha. We’re going to finish off her holiday tonight with king prawns (on sale at Safeway today), and breakfast out at St Kilda tomorrow morning and a trip into the city for some last-minute sightseeing/shopping … thank goodness for stitching, ‘cos I’ll be feeling a bit lost for a few days afterwards having the place to myself again … not for long, though, as I’ll be kept busy catching up on all the blogs!! 😀

Cross Stitch, Exchanges, Finishes

Redwork exchange

12 September, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

Just a quick note to say my redwork exchange on the SBEBB has been received by Nancy, so I can unveil it now … I used the Quaker Swan Case as my instructions, but used an online freebie as my basis for the stitching. As the stitching chart was wayyyyy too big, I deleted a few elements and played around with the flower leaves for a while until it fitted my measurements OK. It’s stitched with DMC 115, which I really love, on a 32ct hand-dyed Lugana from Country Stitch. I was really really disappointed with my finishing, as I found the ribbon ‘hinges’ too long, and it just flopped around when it was all put together, so I ended up putting a little line of backstitches on the two side hinges to keep it more ‘together’ – which also means now that you can hang it on a hanger on display … which I really love the idea of it, and may now do that with mine when I get around to stitching it too 🙂 I also wasn’t too pleased with how the inside hearts are attached (the red ones), so when I do mine I think I’ll modify that a bit too. I’m really glad Nancy liked it, though, as I was a bit worried about it … I didn’t take a photo of it with the ‘tweaking’ of the hinges, or with the goodies I sent, and I don’t think Nancy updates her blog anymore, but at least you can see the needlecase 😀

Seeing as it’s Mum’s last full day here today, we’re off out shopping … so no stitching for me until tonight. I do have a progress piccie to share, but I’ll wait until tomorrow or Thursday, when it’ll be a finished piccie hopefully 😀

Finishes, Needlerolls

Needleroll SAL

10 September, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

Even though I worked all weekend, on Friday and today I was on a 6am shift, so got home early enough in the afternoon to get some decent stitching in (especially tonight) … I thought I’d get one Shepherd’s Bush needleroll finished (“Thisbe’s Needleroll”), but I ended up taking a Lorri Birmingham one into work as well (“A Stitcher’s Needleroll”), and managed to finish them both tonight – yippee!! As per usual, there was an error on the LB chart, and because I was distracted by calls etc, didn’t pick it up until it was all finished! I can’t be bothered unpicking it, so it will remain as it is … if anyone else is thinking of stitching this, check the chart, as the very top band only had one space below it and the first border, whereas the bottom band has two … I have decided I absolutely detest LB kits for that exact reason – I’ve stitched 3 different ones now, and every single one has had a major error … mutter mutter mutter. I’ll do the actual finishing another day.

Only 3 more days to go, and life will be back to normal here at home, as Mum will have headed back over the oceans where she’ll be staying until February, then I have the pleasure of her company again probably for another six weeks. I’ve told her I’m going to start charging her rent, as she’s here 1/4 of the year hahaha. I love having her here, though, and it’s really no hassle 🙂 It means at the end of next week I can catch up with blog reading again without feeling guilty and self-conscious … I can’t wait to see what I’ve been missing out on! 😀

Rightio, that’s all for me tonight – just a quick post for the needleroll SAL piccies 😀

Exchanges, Finishes, Needlerolls

Needleroll exchange

6 September, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

Just a quick post before I head to work, as my needleroll exchange (on the Robin’s Nest BB) has been received by Nicki … as soon as I received Nicki’s name, I decided I now had two redwork exchanges to do, as I know Nicki loves red 😉 And I also knew I wanted to have something about cats on it … after trawling my stitching stash, and a couple of online freebies, I sat down at the computer and cranked open the XS designing software, and came up with the following needleroll.

It’s a combination of loads of different bits and pieces – the top band came from a Just Nan chart “A Summer’s Day”, the little fish bone skeletons I designed myself, and just used a row of herringbone stitches next. The band above and below the cat band is from the “Peace needleroll ornament” by Jeannette Douglas Designs. The blackwork cats are from Just Nan’s “Catnip Tea”, the blackwork fishies are from an online freebie by Kristine Herber, and the row of watery waves are from “Summer at the Ocean” needleroll by Jeannette Douglas Designs. I’d worked 4 different versions online before I finally decided on this final one, and I was really really pleased with the result – and I’m glad to hear Nicki likes it 😀 It was stitched on 32ct Maritime by Lakeside Linens.

SBQ

Needleroll exchange on its way

1 September, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

Yippee, there was a cheer of relief today as I returned from the Post Office – into the mail went a chart I’d promised Katrina, as well as my first of two exchanges … my needleroll exchange is winging its way across the oceans. I have to admit, I was really looking forward to doing this one as I know the recipient quite well, but it took me a while to work out what I wanted to stitch. All-in-all, though, when it was finished I was pretty pleased with it – with any luck the recipient will like it too 😀

Nothing else to report, really … I still have to do the final touches to the finishing of my redwork exchange – after my 6am shifts last week I was too mentally exhausted to attempt it, but it should hit the mailbox by Monday afternoon as I’m working all day Saturday and from 6pm-2am on Sunday night … but that leaves me most of Sunday to put the final touches on it. I’ve never ever attempted this sort of finishing before, so I’m a teensy bit panicked about it, but hopefully I’m worrying for nothing!

I’ll finish this short post with the SBQ … Today’s SBQ was suggested by Anna M and is:

“What do you keep your WIPs and other stitching supplies in when traveling?”

I have some tote bags made out of calico that Mum made for me, or use a plastic folder either with a ‘zipper’ glider on the top or with a flap and press-stud closure. At the moment I’ve got a pile of the plastic folders on top of my books in my bookcase, which is right next to my stitching chair, and they house all my WIP’s I’m stitching on at home (I don’t honestly have travelling WIP’s that often as I drive to work, and don’t have the time to stitch at work that often).

This week’s SBQ was suggested by Carolyn and is:

“How do you share your finished pieces with others? Do you frame them, scan and/or photograph them, or do you have another method that you would like to share?”

I wish I could afford to get everything framed, but that’s just not an option – I am starting to think about finishing alternatives to framing, though, such as quilted wallhangings etc. I blog about any finishes I’ve had, and always scan them or take a photo and keep an electronic record. I keep a Webshots album that I keep relatively up-to-date, plus I keep a printed record in a ringbinder. I print a copy of the photo/scan plus info on the chart/designer, who it was stitched for, when it was started/completed, and any notes that might be of interest. In case you haven’t seen it before, here’s an example of one of the pages.

Gifts TO BE FIXED, Stash

Another RAK … and stash …

30 August, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

(Updated to apologise for the piccies – Blogger won’t upload photos for some reason for a change hmmm, so I’ve had to use Photobucket, so no chance of enlarging…)

Further to my post yesterday, I have another lovely piccie to share of some goodies that Missy sent to me – she was going through her charts and found this one that was just perfect for me … I knew the chart was coming, but I didn’t expect the other goodies – stitchers are such generous souls! I have to admit I literally laughed out loud when I opened the envelope and saw the chart title … I just love it! And I adore the dishcloth that Melissa crocheted herself, as well as the yummy thread – I feel very very spoiled. I don’t want to use the dishcloth … I just want it to sit in the kitchen and not get used/soiled – I just adore hand-made gifts. Thanks again Missy for an awesome treat 😀 {{hugs}}

And believe it or not, I had a 3rd arrival today as well … another expected parcel, with unexpected contents – this time from KarenV. I sent Karen the specialty threads for the Love needleroll ornament for her to stitch it, and had the threads returned with some added company across the oceans – not only did Karen send me some scrummy threads (unfortunately the Stef Francis thread is now unusable, as it’s totally covered in drool – that’s the prettiest colour I’ve ever seen in her threads … I almost don’t want to use it, but just to continue drooling over it for years to come), but there was also the sweetest little biscornu, all stitched by Karen … I was absolutely floored, and thrilled to have these little treats, and felt quite overcome by it all. Thanks Karen for your generous gift … and I will treasure the biscornu always 😀 {{hugs}}

As the title states the word “stash”, you can correctly conclude that squishy mail has also been arriving in my PO Box from a spending spree … thanks very much to a generous gesture from my employers, we got given a wee bonus last week at work – not as generous as past years, which is understandable, but sufficient for me to have a little stash splurge on scissors! Thanks to the kind offers made by Jenna and Erin to help me procure some lovely Gingher’s, I’ve been thinking about this for a wee while now … and when my ‘crappy’ old scissors started having problems cutting a simple DMC thread early last week, I jumped on the internet as soon as I heard about the bonus and filled a shopping cart with shiny metallic things of different shapes and sizes 😉 Seeing as I was paying all the money for postage, I added a couple of extra ‘cheapo’ pairs in there as well as a new pair of Gingher’s and Tres Claveles, so I can also make up a few small sewing kits that can sit with my WIP’s etc … I’ve already christened one of the el cheapo pair, but I’m waiting until I put a scissor fob onto my Gingher’s before they get christened, and they’re never going to leave the house again! Thanks again, ladies for your kind offer, but I ended up just biting the bullet and splurging (and thanks again to my lovely employers!!) 😀

Also, today saw the arrival of even more stash … the last remaining items from a very old backorder from SB&B, plus some other charts that we added on when we returned from Hong Kong. Now you may remember I went on the wagon and said I wouldn’t be buying any more charts until at least my birthday … well, I have actually been sticking to it so far – you see, all these new charts are actually for Mum, not me (she’s paying for them). We bought her some more #26 Piecemaker needles (she’s already worked out how great they are haha), some Floss-Away bags, and some Kreinik braid for us both as I’d run out, and a few charts. The M Designs needlerolls (Butterfly, Rose Mosaic and Snowmen ones) were from my backorder, as were the two Victoria Sampler kits (that’s what was holding the whole process up – Level 3 #1, Whipped Spider Web Rose, and Level 4 #1, Four Sided Pulled Stitch & Four Sided Hemstitch). Mum went mad on Prairie Schooler Santas (Starry Night … which is a gift for me from Mum yippee … Redwork Santas, A Christmas Visit, Santa Collection 1996-99, and Santa Collection 1988-91), plus Lizzie*Kate snippets (2001 Ready or Not, and 2004 A Good Night). The last little goodies were some 32ct cream Belfast that I needed as I miscalculated a biscornu I started stitching before the biscornu exchange earlier in the year, and needed another piece so I could actually stitch the back (pretty important in the scheme of things LOL), and the Silk Bella needed for the Lavender Rose Sewing Case SAL (which is no longer a SAL, as I think everyone’s almost finished … oops … never fear, I am still committed to stitching it, and will be doing this before I stitch anything else … I just have to get my exchanges in the post first, and I’m getting VERY close to the wire with that!! Next week should see me finally starting this gorgeous new project).

Now I’m going to finish my stash report with a hug for both Gina and Sharon, who always make such wonderful company to visit with. They kindly drove all the way to my little flat and spent their time fondling my stash and finished pieces/WIP’s, as well as sharing other items of interest – Gina brought some great books to flip through (and I seriously will have to get a copy of the Why am I tired? book … Sharon, if you see me coming in saying cheekily “I’ve seen a book, I think it’s blue, and it’s something to do with being tired”, you’ll know which one I mean, ‘cos I know nobody else that does such daft things teehee), and Sharon brought some wonderful CQ blocks to examine … I have to admit I harbour no desires to try a CQ myself, but I really do love to see them in real life – perhaps when I turn 80 I should be about 1/4 through my stash by then, I might consider it LOL. We had a lovely lunch, with much chatting, and then a great afternoon tea of goodies that they brought with them. I feel like I’ve known these lovely ladies for so much longer than I really have, and you’re welcome to visit at any time {{hugs}}.

I’ll leave you with a photo of one of three bulbs in flower – this is a hyacinth that Sharon brought with her as a gift for me, and it’s just stunning (every time I tried to get the whole pot in, they came out blurry, so it’s just one of three bulbs in the piccie) … thanks heaps Sharon, it’s gorgeous! Who would believe on Saturday it was all in bud!! (My blog will start having an identity crisis now … it’ll be thinking it’s actually Carol’s blog, with the flower piccie at the bottom … the photography’s not as good as Mike’s though LOL.)

My apologies to anyone I’m owing an email to … I hope to catch up next week – I don’t tend to spend much time online while Mum’s here, after her making a comment about me “wasting” so much time on the computer during the last visit, which means that I get even further behind than I normally do … and I’ve been bad enough on my own just lately! LOL.