Jardin Prive, Lavender & Lace, Rotation, Works in Progress

Great start with my rotation

Anne S

I’ve been working really well with my rotation so far this year – much better than any other recent attempts … perhaps this time I really will stick to it!

After washing poor old Angel of Love after the hand sanitizer accident, I put her back on the scroll bars to finish my rotation slot (10 hours each slot) … after stitching a fair bit, I had yet another accident with her!!  My sinuses were blocked up so I reached for my little jar of Tiger Balm so I could spread a bit under my nose to help to clear it … only to find when I tipped up the jar to dip my little finger in that the whole top of the jar had melted in the high heat in my bedroom, and dripped onto my stitching 😦  Now dropping hand sanitizer on it is one thing, but melted Tiger Balm that contains eucalyptus oil as well as other things is a whole different kettle of fish … I had ‘lovely’ splotches on my fabric all the way down in a little row thanks to it leaching through every fabric layer on the scroll bar!  Back she went into an overnight tub soak with some Orvus – the marks haven’t come out 100%, but almost … there will probably only be one part that may not be covered by stitching, but thankfully it looks like a bit of fabric mottling now so I should be able to get away with it.

Anyway, here she is looking sparkly clean after her many washes, at the end of her first rotation slot – the fabric is a lot lighter than it once was before I started stitching and washing her, but it still looks OK I think:

Angel of Love 1

Next up was the medium-sized projects slot, and I have just finished those 10 hours this afternoon – my choice for this slot is Eiffel Quaker, and it’s been lovely stitching on something so simplistic … nice easy blocks of only 3 colours … it’s stitched with one strand of Au Ver A Soie Soie d’Alger thread on a 36ct evenweave.  The hardest thing is putting it down to move on to my next rotation slot … one for UFOs …  I have a feeling the next 10 hours won’t go quite so quickly LOL.  In the meantime, though, here is my Eiffel Quaker as it goes to the back of the rotation tub:

Eiffel Quaker 1

Cross Stitch, Finishes, JBW Designs

First finish for 2014

Anne S

Yesterday I spent the afternoon getting all my first rotation projects onto scroll rods and Qsnaps and they’re now sitting in a but with their charts and threads … maybe my rotation is finally off to a good start this year!!

I made a tiny start on L&L’s Angel of Love, but had a slight mishap so she had to be put away for a while … it was super humid here yesterday in my room, which for me means having to get up and wash my hands regularly … well I was in the middle of a TV show so I was too lazy to get up and go to the bathroom, and grabbed some hand sanitizer to keep me going until the next ad break … or that was the plan!  I ended up accidentally dropped 3 gloops onto my stitching!!  Thankfully I had only done a teeny bit of stitching, and it was DMC threads only, so I rinsed the area under the tap and popped it onto the balcony to dry.  A few hours later I went out to check on the progress, only to now find I had a lovely ‘tide mark’ where the water had spread.  Time for the whole thing to come off the scroll bars and it went for a thorough dunking in cold water, and once again put out on the balcony for an overnight drying spell.  It looks OK this morning, and has been ironed ready to go back onto the scroll bars once again.  Guess who will put my TV show on “pause” next time instead of taking a supposed “shortcut”?!!!  I had managed to get a teeny bit more than the below shows, but it’s still not really worth warranting a photo … but I figure at least it’s a start!! 😉

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After yesterday’s stitching disaster I decided this morning to finish off JBW’s Plum Pudding … freeing up the last set of Qsnaps I need for my Christmas Ornaments rotation slot.  This means this is my first finish for 2014, and it’s time to get back to my rotation again (but not until I’ve pulled my finger out and got some housework done, seeing as it’s laundry day for me … gotta love having dedicated laundry days in our shared laundry).

Plum Pudding by JBW Designs

“Plum Pudding” by JBW Designs
stitched on 32ct hand-dyed Belfast by Countrystitch ~ colour Pipi
with my own choice of threads:
GAST Roasted Chestnut, DMC White, Needle Necessities 153, WDW Holly

Challenges & SALs

2014 Stitching Plans & WIPocalypse

Anne S

It seems I fell off the WIPocalypse wagon part-way through the year last year thanks to an insane workload/hours at work … but it’s time to get back up on the saddle again for the 2014 WIPocalypse.  I’ve always loved this SAL as it doesn’t have strict rules and it encourages me to make at least one blog post a month … so there’s no good reason not to continue again this year!  Also going by my bad progress with the 2013 Crazy January Challenge, I’ve decided to not join up again this year – so the WIPocalypse may just be the only ‘real’ challenge I’ll sign up for this year …

2014 WIPocalypse

I’m also going to try to pick up my rotation once again … this sounds like a broken record to me, as I’ve attempted this a couple of times at this time of the year … but yet again I’m going to give it a go and see if it helps to keep me motivated.  This also means I get to focus on some older UFOs/WIPs as well as having lots of new starts – and gives me more fodder for the WIPocalypse posts.  So here is my rotation slot list for 2014, including the projects I have in mind to start off with:

  1. Focus Piece – Angel of Love by L&L, Wedding Sampler for a friend, Poppy Pixie by Nora Corbett (gift), English Garden Sampler by TW
  2. Medium-sized Projects – Christmas Elf Fairy by Mirabilia, Trick or Treat Box by Just Nan, Eiffel Quaker by Jardin Prive, Red Lace Sewing Case by The Drawn Thread
  3. UFOs – Crimson Fire Sampler by The Victoria Sampler, Flight of the Bumblebees by Ruth Schmuff, Raphael’s Raspberries by FMNIS, Le Jardin Silk Sampler by JCS, Cottage Etui by CA Wells
  4. Focus Piece
  5. Small to Medium-sized Projects – Thistle Needleroll by M Designs, Classic Stitches needleroll, Blue Bell Sampler Accent by Periwinkle Designs, Blackwork Box Pincushion by Silkstone, Beyond XS-Rhodes Butterfly by The Victoria Sampler, Cross Stitcher in Residence by Lizzie*Kate
  6. Large and BAPs – Angel of Love by L&L (this will move to the Focus Piece once a couple of commitment pieces have been finished), Sampler Gameboard by The Drawn Thread, Christmas Flip-its by Lizzie*Kate, Quaker Diamonds by Rosewood Manor, Quaker Christmas II by Bygone Stitches
  7. Focus Piece
  8. Christmas Ornaments & Freebies
  9. Canvaswork – Blue Bayou by Northern Pine, Holly and Ivy by Laura J Perin, Holiday Square by Laura J Perin, Reflecting Pools by Laura J Perin, Surf and Sand by Northern Pine
  10. Finishing – Getting those stitched pieces into their ‘final form’ after languishing in the finishing pile for years

My biggest goal for the year is “no pressure stitching” … I still have gifts I need to complete that are overdue from last year, but I don’t want to commit to deadline pressures at least at the start of the year anyway over and above those gifts.  I felt quite overwhelmed last year, so this year I want to get back to the ‘joy of stitching’ not just using it as a sanity tool.  At least this year I won’t have crazy commuting times to/from work, so I’ll have more time at home to get some work/life balance … hopefully that will reflect in my stitching and on my other personal goals to lose some weight and get healthier … which of course then makes me feel happier within myself and that in itself will provide some improvements in general I think.

Anyway, enough spending time on here … it’s time to actually put a few stitches into that first rotation slot … my first 10 hours on Angel of Love by L&L, before she moves to the “Large/BAP” slot and gets replaced by the wedding sampler as my focus piece.  Really looking forward to getting Angel of Love stitched up, she’s been on my stitching wishlist for YEARS! 😀

2013 WIPocalypse, Crazy January 2013 Challenge, Goals

2013 stitching in review

Anne S

I had to laugh when I looked back at my stitching challenges I set for myself in 2013 … to say I was ‘less than successful’ is probably an understatement!  While I still managed to get a reasonable amount of stitching done, it just wasn’t on those items I’d challenged myself with.  So, here were my goals, and how I went …

SALs:

  • November 2012 – Quaker Christmas II SAL … No, epic fail – still not happy with my thread choice after ordering two separate colours of red silk, so it remains unstarted, although the fabric is cut out now and ready to go
  • 1 January – Nora Corbett’s Bluebell Pixie SAL … Yes, completed – she’s just waiting to be framed
  • 1 January – Drawn Thread’s Sampler Gameboard SAL … No, another epic fail – managed to cut the fabric prior to Christmas though so this will be worked on some time in 2014
  • 1 February – Aussie Round Robin … Yes, completed the full 4 rounds
  • 14 February – Ink Circles Cirque des Coeurs SAL … um, didn’t even give this a thought – Dad was in hospital at that point so I spent 2 months in NZ caring for him and Mum, and I still don’t really have a desire to start this one yet
  • 1 May – Teresa Wentzler SAL … Yes, worked on TW’s English Garden Sampler as part of the SAL – did well initially but then it fell by the wayside, but I’m determined to see this one finished in 2014!

Crazy January Challenge:

  1. Bluebell pixie – Mirabilia/Nora Corbett … Yes, completed
  2. Little Blue Potting Shed – Brown House Studio … Yes, completed
  3. Blue Bayou – Northern Pine Designs … I started it but realised I had a wrong thread and had to stop stitching
  4. Christmas Elf Fairy – Mirabilia/Nora Corbett … No, not started
  5. Bluebeard’s Princess – Mirabilia … No, not started
  6. Moon & Stars – Little House Needleworks … Yes, completed
  7. Trousse aux Fleur Bleues – CMon Monde … No, not started
  8. Spooky Scissors Fob – Shepherd’s Bush … Yes, completed
  9. Little Witch – Shepherd’s Bush … Yes, completed
  10. Trick or Treat Box – Just Nan … No, not started
  11. Acorn Hill – Little House Needleworks … Yes, completed
  12. Valentine Fairy – Mirabilia/Nora Corbett … Yes, but not completed as I ran out of one of the threads
  13. Christmas double flip-its – Lizzie*Kate … No, not started
  14. Ebb Tide – Northern Pine Designs … Yes, completed
  15. Sky Blue Accent – Periwinkle Promises … No, not started

Older WIPs/UFOs:

  • With My Needle – The Goode Huswife … Yes, completed
  • Flight of the Bumblebees – Ruth Schmuff … No, not touched
  • English Garden Sampler – Teresa Wentzler … Did a huge amount of work on this one, but didn’t quite get it completed
  • Enchanted Mermaid – Mirabilia … Yes, completed
  • Egyptian Garden Mandala – Chatelaine … No, not touched

Actually in hindsight, I guess I did OK – there were some large pieces in there that I did some substantial work on (Enchanted Mermaid and English Garden Sampler), and a number of teeny pieces inbetween the larger ones, not to mention managing to put together a few more finishing tutorials for the Focus on Finishing blog … so really I can’t complain!! … I just didn’t manage to complete the challenge projects, which is a lesson to me for my 2014 goals, which will be in the next post …

For now, though, here are all the projects I completed in 2013 – considering the crappy year I’ve had this year it’s actually a pretty reasonable list at 32 finishes! 😀

Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Dragon Dreams, Elizabeth's Designs, Finishes, Freebies, Glory Bee, JBW Designs, Little House Needleworks, Works in Progress

Last finishes for 2013, and Christmas at home

Anne S

First of all I should say a rip-roaring and resounding “HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!” to everyone … as we kick off a new year with the first day of 2014.  I know I’m not the only one that had some struggles in 2013, so personally I’m certainly not sorry to see it finish!  Let’s hope that 2014 is a brighter year for everyone who had a crappy 2013, and that it continues on a positive vein for those who had an awesome 2013 🙂

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I just returned home this morning from two weeks holiday with my parents in New Zealand.  I say “holiday”, but in truth it’s never really a holiday when I go home … there’s usually a list of chores that my folks want me to complete … and I have to admit I’m generally really happy to help out as much as I can when I go home.  This year the chore was to take Dad out to buy a new mobile phone … and teach him how to use it … the first part was pretty simple, and the second part saw me practising “patience” substantially, let’s say! LOL.  Then we went out to buy a Panasonic digital recorder (DVR) for both Mum and Dad and set it all up for them in their respective rooms.  Sadly Mum’s was a real challenge due to not having a good aerial set-up, so unfortunately they’ll need to call in someone to add a new aerial on the roof for Mum so she can get it working 100%.

Dad has to drink something similar to protein shakes daily, and he’s been really bad at drinking them – he told me he’d missed one whole day because Mum was sick and she couldn’t make them for him … my response was that he shouldn’t have to wait for Mum to do everything for him, why couldn’t he just make them himself?  He shouldn’t have to rely on Mum for everything, if she got sick then he’d be stuffed!  You could have knocked me over with a feather the next day when Mum told me Dad has asked her to teach him how to make his shakes … and that he needs to be more “independent”.  I didn’t expect my little chat to have such a big impact … but I got a HUGE resounding vote of thanks from Mum, as that’s helped to relieve some of the pressure from her every day having to do everything for Mum (and I know it’s been getting her down).  I hadn’t expected him to do that, but it’s a very good thing, I think!

While I was in NZ I managed to meet a dear online/blogging pal that I hadn’t managed to meet before.  Zeb had chatted to me briefly just after I moved to Aussie to live, wishing she knew stitchers in the local area to have GTGs etc … it seems all these years later there is now an active group of stitchers in Auckland that meet up, and we managed to ‘gate-crash’ the party for an afternoon!  I’d called out to the Auckland stitchers to see if anyone was interested in getting together while I was in NZ, and Zeb arranged a stitching day at The Ribbon Rose – what a perfect choice for the venue!!!  Not only did we (Mum and I, ‘cos I dragged her along for a change in scenery and a different group of people to chat to to give her a break) get to meet some lovely people on the day, but we managed to kill two birds with one stone by completing a small stash enhancement onsite.  I always drag Mum into The Ribbon Rose each trip, so it was extra special this time!  I managed to get a group photo in the afternoon, but unfortunately a few of the group disappeared and left while Mum and I were browsing around the store, so the photo doesn’t include everyone that was there 😦  (UPDATED: Photo now removed by request of someone in it.)

 

Now we’re back onto the subject of stitching, I did manage to get quite a lot of stitching done while I was away – mainly because we couldn’t really go far from home because of Dad, and I made it a priority to do ‘the family thing’ while we could.  Dad still has to have two surgeries yet in 2014, and as awful as it sounds I wanted to spend as much time as I could while I could … obviously we all have positive thoughts that he’ll come through the surgeries just fine, but I don’t want to have any regrets if it doesn’t …

Anyway, back to the stitching again … these are the little pieces that I started and finished while I’ve been away – I think I impressed myself which the stitching progress this time round!!  Admittedly two days sat in front of the TV in Mum’s room watching Catherine Cookson DVDs really helped … while I’m generally very very patient, and wanted to spend as much time with Dad as I could, we still needed to have a wee break just for sanity’s sake!!  Dad has a tendency to make comments that are less than positive and can be quite derogative, so I needed to recharge my little positivity bubble for a couple of days …

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“Never Too Big” by Dragon Dreams (2004 JCS ornie issue)
stitched with recommended DMC and Kreinik threads and JABC button
on 28ct light taupe linen (sorry, didn’t write the details down when I kitted it up!)

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“Full Moon” freebie by Elizabeth’s Designs
stitched on 32ct hand-dyed Lugana by Countrystitch ~ colour Little Boy Blue??
with recommended DMC and WDW threads
(really love those little sheepies, even if they don’t have legs! LOL)

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“Seasons Greetings” by Glory Bee (2005 JCS ornie issue)
stitched on 28ct natural linen
with my choice of threads:
Lettering in Crescent Colours Cupid, Kreinik #4 braid for the star (#002),
DMC for the rest – white, 502 or 503 (can’t remember) and 500

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“Gourmet Garden” by Little House Needleworks
stitched on 32ct hand-dyed linen by Countrystitch ~ colour Pipi
with recommended DMC threads

I did start one last project that I hoped to see finished by the end of 2013, but it just wasn’t to be … this one will only take an hour or two of love and it’ll be finished, so it’s likely to be my first finish for 2014.  I really did want to start my rotation tomorrow, though, so I’ll have to make a decision whether to finish this one off now, or to wait until the “small projects” section of my rotation … I’m pretty sure I know what will win out tomorrow! 😛

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Just have the holly leaves and lettering to go on this one before there is another “F word” … “Finish”

And on that note I’d better call it a night, I think … I managed to pick up a few healthy groceries in readiness for one of my New Year’s Resolutions, that to be healthier and happier.  Hopefully all the salads will offset the half a suitcase full of chocolate goodies and Gingernut biscuits that Mum sent me home with! haha.

As to the rest of my New Year’s Resolutions and stitching plans/goals for 2014, well I guess that’ll have to come later once I’ve made some decisions … watch this space … just maybe not for a wee while 😛

Cross Stitch, Mirabilia, Works in Progress

Update on “Flossy”

Anne S

In  my last post I forgot to include an update on “Flossy” … she of the candy-floss sickly pink dress …

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Well sadly this is how she is going to stay for the foreseeable future as Hoffman sadly didn’t provide enough Kreinik #4 braid in the kit (and quite frankly paying $50 for a kit I would have expected more from them!!) to complete her, and it’s not a colour I have floating around in my stash, albeit a quite sizeable stash … and Hoffman don’t seem to be willing to respond to my online query about getting a replacement thread sent out.

I do have to admit that she’s grown on me over the weeks she’s spent lolling around the bedroom … I don’t think we’ll ever be BFFs, but she doesn’t make me want to puke quite as much as she used to!  Anyway, she’s just going to have to sit and taunt me for a while longer, as I’ve already put in a thread order to Nordic Needle prior to running out … and quite frankly I don’t really want to fork out for an entire spool of thread that I’ll never use in a million lifetimes after Flossy is finished … so there you have it …  I still have to frog and re-do her legs, thanks to an old dye-lot of DMC … but in truth I can’t bring myself to do it yet knowing that I still can’t finish her off … poor old Flossy, here she will sit unfinished and unloved for the foreseeable future!!  I still haven’t decided what to do with her once she’s finished … I may even keep her … maybe … I will decide later I guess … 🙂

Cross Stitch, Finishes, M Designs, Needlerolls

Thistle Needleroll

Anne S

I’ve been planning projects for a formal rotation, but truthfully haven’t had the mental energy to put it all into place as yet … I need to put everything onto Qsnaps and/or scrollbars and to ensure everything is kitted up properly before putting it all in order into a designated project ‘tub’.  In truth I get more enjoyment about of sorting through my stash to narrow down the potential suspects for the year rather than doing the stitching itself … but I’m sure over the New Year I’ll find some mental space to do it all properly and get the rotation kicked off for real 🙂

For now, though, I snuck in a new start over the last week, and did most of the stitching over the weekend to finish it off.  This was supposed to be the next project for my ‘small to medium sized projects’ in my rotation, but it jumped out at me early – probably only because I had the fabric and threads ready to go (including the fabric being nicely ironed in advance) … so what’s a girl to do?  I actually have the 2nd needleroll ready to go as well, but might wait for a couple of rotation slots before starting that one again so soon – this version is the “vibrant” colourway, and I still have the pastel version to complete.

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“Thistle Needleroll” by M Designs (vibrant colourway)
stitched on 28ct Lugana ~ colour Miracle Mint
with recommended threads (except used DMC alternatives for Anchor 898 and Olde Willow Antique Violet)

I won’t get around to doing the “finishing” of this one until the New Year, so for now it’s been added to the ever-mounting finishing pile.  As for what to start stitching next, that’s a very good question!

Seeing as I’m only in Oz for another working day (hopefully), my next new start will take place in NZ while I’m visiting with my folks.  I’m probably going to just take a couple of small ornaments and/or kits with me to work on, as I doubt I’ll get much stitching time in … but fingers crossed I’ll get to hang out with a group of lovely stitching ladies in Auckland on Sunday at a LNS.  I say fingers crossed, because it all depends on whether I can actually GET to NZ … the joys of staff travel and being on stand-by, and the flights are all almost 100% full to capacity as it is.  I’m limiting myself to 2 full days sitting at the airport – after that I’m going to stay home and try again on Christmas Day … but in the meantime I’m hoping for a miracle that a few people sleep in and miss their flights (very selfish of me, I know!).  Time will tell … and in the meantime I’m off to go choose a couple of projects to throw into my bag with me … if I choose something small enough I can get some stitching done at the airport, especially as it’s likely I’ll be there for the entire day each day!!  And otherwise I’ll be making sure my Kindle is full charged up, along with my iPhone … if nothing else I’ll be able to keep myself amused somehow, that’s for sure! 🙂

Uncategorized

Canvaswork stash on its way

Anne S

I’m a bit excited that my latest stash order (and final one for quite some time!) is on its way!! Woohoo!!! I thought I had the threads for all those Canvaswork designs in the previous post but it seems my database report failed miserably and lied to me … bah humbug … every chart was missing at least one thread … and one of them about 8 threads!

I had to order from Nordic Needle as some of the threads are Rainbow Gallery ones and hard to find online … and while I was as it I ordered a couple of pieces of colored canvas that I didn’t have and can’t find locally … and I heard last week the box has been shipped! Yippee!!!

Oh yeah I also ordered a couple more sets of stretcher bars so I can mount the canvas as soon as the box arrives as it seems I’m also short on those! I really hope it all arrives before the 17th but I’m guessing that will be wishful thinking … I bought a couple of designs from a stitcher in the US 3 weeks ago and that still hasn’t arrived yet! Oh well it will be a new year treat to come home to! 🙂

I have to admit to not picking up a needle for over a week now – I started a Canvaswork piece last weekend only to find out I’d been sent #5 WDW pearl cotton instead of #8 so the stitches look lovely but are too chunky and I can’t get the adjoining stitches to fit … of course I only found AFTER I’d finished stitching the whole skein! That put me in a bit of a funk … but the good news is that I had ordered another skein in my Nordic Needle order as I couldn’t find it when I was kitting it up … so at least I know I’ll be able to frog it all and start again when my threads arrive. Flossy has also been sitting on my bedroom lap stand taunting me to finish her … but I don’t have any desire to do so right now, but I don’t want to take her off the frame and start something else as I know she’ll not see the light of day again for quite some time … the end result of course is not stitching anything at all!!

Instead of doing actual stitching I’m thinking about next years stitching plans. Along with that are thoughts about setting up a formal rotation like I used to have in Melbourne. I haven’t managed to stick to one for years and think I need to set my rotation up like I used to … I used to have all my rotation pieces sitting in there all kitted up in their own project bags and in order of being stitched. I’d start working on the front project and continue for 10 hours … sometimes that would take a day and sometimes a fortnight … then I’d put it to the back of the tub and start on the next project now at the front of the tub. It did wonders for my productivity!!

And this is what my Canvaswork looks like now prior to being frogged … I’ll only start frogging when my thread turns up so I can frog and stitch progressively and save on counting 😉 !!

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Uncategorized

Secret Egg Hunt

Anne S

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“Secret Egg Hunt” by The Trilogy
Stitched on 32ct … um … can’t remember!!
with recommended GAST and WDW threads

I don’t celebrate Easter at all but I had a real urge to stitch this one … it was a fun stitch over the weekend (minus one bit of frogging of the one egg I managed to stitch last night). So all-in-all a relatively quick stitch as well while catching up on recorded TV 🙂