Cross Stitch – Page 23 – Feather Stitching

Ackworth Friendship Book, Chatelaine, Cross Stitch, Finishes, Quaker, Round Robin, Round Robins, Stitching Leporello, With My Needle, Works in Progress

A Little Bit of Quaker

6 July, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

After finally charging my camera battery up on my point and shoot, I can show piccies of KarenV’s Quaker RR – this is round 3 of our RR, which means we’re just over the halfway mark, with just 2 more rounds left to go. Unfortunately not true to life colour, but the best I can do on a dark winter’s night with no natural lighting. I have to admit I found this a challenge trying to work out which bits classed as which bits for the designated colours, and it’s definitely slower to stitch this way, but it really is worth it in the end result! Karen does an awesome job of selecting colours! This is one really pretty Quaker!! 😀

(Sorry, but it’s also quite blurry … my hands obviously weren’t entirely steady at the end of the day!!)

If you want to see the other finishes for this month and previous month you can check out our blog here.

As well as taking photos of the Quaker pieces, I also snapped a couple of new photos of Chatelaine’s Stitching Leporello, which are as follows (and shows the stitching and colours much more accurately):

As for what project I decided to pick up next, I opted to make a start on the final ‘large’ piece of the Stitching Leporello as this month’s UFO challenge … which I think means after this one there are only two medium-sized pieces left … and then I have the major challenge of finding some lining fabric and attempting to put it all together – perhaps a job I’ll save up for when the Dragon comes to visit next month, with an excuse to go fabric shopping 🙂

Following is the paltry start I managed on the final large section tonight – woohoo, hold me back! 😛

At the moment I’m struggling to make a decision on my new start project, and the choices in the pile are currently:

LHN – Ladybug, Ladybug
LHN – Travelling Stitcher
LHN – Home of a Needleworker 2
LHN – Dear Diary, Abigail Winslow (I think – don’t have it in front of my right now – the one with the lighthouse/ocean theme)
Sampler Cove – Quaker Huswif
Just Nan – Winter in the Square (just need to coffee dye the fabric first)

Ah, decisions, decisions … Mind you, at the rate I’m stitching these days, I’ll be lucky to get my Chatelaine square finished by month end, never mind anything else … I’m feeling a “stitching RDO” coming up (and definitely a stitching weekend away at the end of the month – yippee!!).

Anyway, time to hit the pillows for the night before the alarm clock screams its head off at 5.30am (yucky!!) – I’m loving my gym workouts already … perhaps next week we may even start doing some of the classes like body pump etc … 😀

Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Finishes, Imaginating Inc, Works in Progress

Missing in Action … Again

5 July, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

Finally over the last two weeks I’ve been feeling ‘normal’ again – after two months of being as sick as a dog, it feels great to finally get some of the old energy levels back and feel like doing things again.

Two weeks ago Katie’s Mum came up to visit for the weekend, so I drove us down to Bowral and Berrima for the day. I managed to pick up some darkish fabric to complete the set of fabrics of a potential quilt top … now I just need to find the original pattern for it, or work out how to use my quilting software that I bought years ago to replicate the design – one day…

This week saw me getting up before the crack of dawn with Katie to head out to the gym before work – which then had the effect of seeing me in bed exhausted at 9pm every night … which hasn’t been particularly conducive to stitching of late! It will, however, (assuming I can keep this up) be conducive to shifting some of this weight and getting me healthier overall … which will also help to give me added years to do my stitching with any luck 😉

Unfortunately my camera battery died over a week ago, and I keep forgetting to charge it up again, so the following stitching finishes are compliments of my scanner, which means they’re truly, truly dreadful photos! These were finished over a week ago, with the Christmas ornie just finished in time for June’s monthly challenge. Once my camera battery is charged up, I’ll take proper photos of them and replace the ones below.

Chatelaine’s Stitching Leporello

“Heartfelt Harvey” by Imaginating, Inc
from 2008 JCS Christmas Ornament issue
stitched on 36ct vintage blue evenweave
with Gloriana silk in Deep Blue Sea

Last night I put the final stitches into KarenV’s Quaker RR piece, but I’ll wait and charge my camera battery up today before I show a photo.

Friday night saw farewell drinks and dinner for the member of our team who was made redundant in the recent job cuts. He’s been one of the few people in the office that has helped me to keep my sanity – he’s a bit of a geek, and very introverted, and reminds me a lot of myself … we’d both often work late and that’s when I’d get to know him more, when others weren’t around. I will miss him incredibly … and wish him all the very best for whatever direction life takes him into next. The room spun in his honour on Friday night when I got home … so I guess we gave him a good send off!! 😛

Rightio, that’s about all the news here – not very exciting at Chez Feather Stitching at the moment … I am, however, really itching to start a new stitching project, I just can’t decide which one for now. Perhaps I should put a poll up, or just draw numbers out of a hat … either way, the month will be spent on more of Chatelaine’s Stitching Leporello (I only have a couple more pieces to stitch now), the next instalment of our Quaker RR, and two Christmas ornies for this month’s challenges, and starting whatever new project screams the loudest (or is the luckiest to get drawn out of the hat!).

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Indigo Rose, Just Nan

Latest finishes

19 May, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

Following are my latest finishes, thanks to me damaging my ribs further after another coughing fit yesterday morning, and having to be escorted over the road to the doctors by my flatmate … the only way I could get comfortable is sitting propped up in bed … perfect for stitching … (sorry for the dreadful photos – all taken at night under indoor lighting)

“Spring Garden” freebie by Indigo Rose
stitched on 32ct white Belfast linen
with recommended threads (DMC)

This one is a typical Just Nan special … lots of colour changes and details – certainly not a quick stitch! This has taken me a couple of full days stitching. The colours are definitely not true to life in this one – might have to try taking a new photo in daylight …

“Autumn in the Square” by Just Nan
stitched on 28ct Light Mocha Cashel linen
with recommended threads (DMC)

Now it’s time to put some clothes on and walk over the road to pick up the repeat script of my antibiotics – and time to take some more Voltaren and Panamax … bless those darned drugs, is all I can say (it’s a killer being allergic to codeine and digesics, no decent heavy-duty painkillers that I can take … when I had my eyes lasered I could only be given Paracetamol, and that’s two days I never ever want to repeat in this lifetime!).

Acorn Needlebook, Cross Stitch, Periwinkle Promises, Works in Progress

Acorn Needlebook update

1 May, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

Over the last 2 nights I’ve managed to put a few more stitches into my Acorn Needlebook WIP – my French knots and queen stitches are far from perfect, but they’ll do … I don’t want to see another French knot for a wee while!!!

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Mirabilia, Winter Queen

Viruses can be good :D

28 April, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

I still feel a little bit stunned and shell-shocked, but having 3 entire days of uninterrupted stitching thanks to a poxy virus means putting the final stitches into my Winter Queen … I still can’t believe it!!! The photo doesn’t do her justice! And this is one piece that will definitely be getting framed for my walls 😀

“Winter Queen” by Mirabilia
Stitched on 32ct white Belfast linen
with DMC, Mill Hill beads and Kreinik metallic braids
Started November 2005 – Finished 28 April 2009

Ackworth Friendship Book, Cross Stitch, Quaker, Round Robin, Round Robins, With My Needle, Works in Progress

Case of the Blahs

27 April, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

I’m just killing time for a few minutes before I head over to the local GP. I’ve been suffering from the worst head cold I’ve had in years over the last week, which saw me staying in bed for the entire weekend. I walked into work today, only to have my entire team tell me to go home, making me feel even worse … anyway, after an hour I’ve succumbed to the fact that I’m not welcome at work, and probably time I saw my GP for a quick check-up. This is also the first time I’ve been online for days.

Over the weekend I did manage to get quite a lot of stitching in – both finishing up the 2nd part of Nicki’s Ackworth Friendship Book pages for our friendship RR, and getting a pretty decent chunk of stitching into Winter Queen. By hook or by crook I’m going to have this old UFO finished by the end of May!

Here’s the final photos of Nicki’s finished piece – I tried to tweak the colouring in Photoshop Elements on the “whole fabric” photo, as the colour just doesn’t get captured at all with the camera … the colour is definitely more true to life in the 2nd photo 🙂

After stitching on hand-dyed 40ct linen, stitching on 32ct Belfast for Winter Queen was a breeze, and even felt like 28ct it seemed such large! Anyway, here’s Winter Queen as I left her last, along with the progress up to last night … she doesn’t have too much more left on her to go, yippee 😀

Once Winter Queen is finished, I need to decide which UFO to tackle next. After joining a local UFO XS group online, I like the idea of having one UFO in my ‘rotation’ all the time, so I can finally get some of those pieces finished up.

I did manage to find a website that offers downloads of the Supernatural episodes, so I spent most of last week’s down-time downloading all those, and that gave me something to cheer me up over the weekend – an entire day watching Supernatural Season 4 (right up to episode 17 anyway – the others aren’t ready for downloading yet … and I can’t wait!!). It’s been years since I’ve been so batty about a TV series, but I just can’t get enough of those boys!!! 😀

Anyway, time to get my A into G and head off to the GP. Have to admit, if it wasn’t for having a public holiday on Saturday, I wouldn’t bother wasting the GP’s time, but alas coming home from work after a public holiday means I either get a GP’s note or lose a day’s pay … you know what I obviously chose! But it means now I can get a few more stitches into Winter Queen … and where did I put my Supernatural Season 3 DVD’s??? 😀

Ackworth Friendship Book, Cross Stitch, Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Quaker, Round Robin, Round Robins, supernatural, Sydney, With My Needle

Why does this perfect day have to end?

20 April, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

What a way to spend a Sunday … this evening I managed to put the final stitches into part 3 of our Ackworth Friendship Book which is being stitched as a round robin, which means I’ve now halfway through stitching on Nicki’s piece.

That in itself is a good achievement at the end of the day, but certainly not what all the excitement is about … Oh no, no, no, it was FAR more exciting than that!!! No, today was the day that I spent in the company of Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins at the Supernatural Convention … and THAT is the reason I wish it didn’t have to end!!! I’m still feeling a bit shell-shocked after the whole experience – in a good way! 😀

I’ve got oodles of photos, but thought I’d share the experience with you with a select few … well, OK, about a dozen!! 😛

First of all, it was worth going just to get to watch about 5 of the upcoming episodes of Supernatural that haven’t been aired in Australia yet – how awesome to see them up on the huge big theatre screen above the stage!! Apologies for most of these photos – they were taken in bad lighting from halfway back in the auditorium (although the photo of the big screen below came out suprisingly well!).

Then we had chance to ask questions of Misha Collins for an hour – what a superb and fun speaker he is, and a great addition to the show.

Afterwards it was time to start getting called for autograph sessions, and I took along my favourite computer wallpaper that I printed off at home, for Jensen Ackles to sign. After just signing stock standard publicity photos he was apparently really impressed with my photo choice as he hadn’t seen it before, and had to pass it around to his offsiders before signing it … gave a great chance to have a quick chat with him {{insert heavy sigh of dreamy pleasure here}}.

After queueing up for an hour in the lunch queue, it was time to head back to the Auditorium where we signed up to buy a copy of the DVD covering the weekend’s events, and had chance to catch one final new episode of Supernatural before we were graced with the presence of Jared Padalecki … this was Katie’s chance to drool heavily, as Jared is her supreme favourite.

Next up came my chance to drool and slobber, and I’m sure the reason I felt dehydrated coming home had nothing to do with the fact we hadn’t had a drink all day, but rather that I was sat with my mouth gaping open in awe at seeing Jensen Ackles in the flesh on stage! {{insert another heavy sigh of dreamy delight}} Yes, I know, I’m like a love-sick teenager, but I just can’t help myself 😉

Jared and Jensen spoke individually on stage for 1/2 hour each, then we had the pleasure of having the two of them back on stage together, while Jared acted like a child with ADD and the two of them stuffed themselves with Fantales candies. They did manage to field a few more questions from the audience inbetween clowning around and taking cracks at each other.

The day finished with Misha Collins coming to join them on stage, and Jared and Jensen drew on T-shirts to auction off for charity … at $3,000 a pop I’d say the auction was a huge success, and the Starlight Foundation will be thrilled with the proceeds.

So, what can I say, aside from “WOW, what an awesome day!!!” – a perfect finish to my fortnight of annual leave … and I’ll definitely be having fun memories for years to come. Now all we need now is for Channel Ten to pull their fingers out of their proverbial behinds and get Episode 9 onwards onto Australian TV – Misha Collins couldn’t believe we were only up to episode 8, to which he got a thunderous response in agreement from the audience … so, come on Channel Ten, come to the party!!!

Beading, Cross Stitch, Finishing, Mill Hill, pinkeeps, Stitching Smalls

Another finish-finish

17 April, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

Oh my goodness, I’ve had this piece of stitching sitting around for years and years … it was a Mill Hill kit that I bought back in the days when I used to stitch on Aida (shows you how long ago that was!) – it was also the first attempt I ever made at beading. Unfortunately the silver beads have discoloured somewhat, and there were grubby marks on the sides of the fabric from when I used to use a hoop that would never come out … I decided today to finally make something out of it and opted for a pinkeep. Who would’ve known such a scruffy piece of stitching would look so beautiful made up??! I was pleasantly surprised with the result – and knew that lovely ribbon trip would come in handy one day! 😀

Here are a few piccies of the resulting piece – I love this one!! 😀

Acorn Needlebook, Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Finishing, Periwinkle Promises, Prairie Schooler, Works in Progress

Ornament time

17 April, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

Things have been quiet on the stitching front this week – instead I’ve been going to the gym and getting a program organised. I’ve now got both a cardiovascular program and strength program, and I have to say after doing my strength program yesterday I thought my arms were going to drop off!!!

Today, though, I’ve made a bit of an effort to try turning an ornie or two into an actual ornament – here is my April ornie challenge piece all finished up (I knew those sexy Gingher pinking shears would come in handy one day!!):

I really love the finished look of this style of finishing, and can definitely see more of these in the future! In fact, I got straight into it and finished off an ornie that Mum stitched and gave to me while I was home last week. Here’s that one all nicely finished up:

As for stitching itself, I only managed to get a tiny bit of stitching done on my Acorn Needlebook last night – the photo is terrible, as there’s no lighting on for it … Two more little bands of long-armed XS, and the start of the backstitched vines and leaves for the centre of the front cover of the needlbook:

I’m also putting Winter Queen back on her scroll bars today, and have managed to find and attach my magnifying lens for my Ott-Lite so I can make a second attempt at Nicki’s Quaker RR piece. Unfortunately with the hours I’d been working, my eyes are really tired in the evenings, so I was struggling to see clearly without straining on the 40ct hand-dyed linen … at least it means if my eyes are tired now, I can use the magnifying lens (never had to use it before, so it will be interesting to see how it works!).

Anyway, back I go to the creative corner … I’m hoping to at least get one more item started on the way to being “finish-finished”, as well as cranking my sewing machine up and learning to use it … 😀

Gotta make the most of it, ‘cos I’m back into work for 6 hours tomorrow, then out all day Sunday drooling over Mr Ackles and Mr Padalecki at the Supernatural Convention – I can’t believe the day has finally rolled around, and we’ll be seeing the stars in the flesh this weekend. I feel like a teenager all over again LOL 😀

Acorn Needlebook, Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Finishes, Friends & Family, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Periwinkle Promises, Prairie Schooler, Smith Family NZ, Travel - New Zealand, Works in Progress

Back to sweltering Sydney

14 April, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

After a whirlwind trip back home to Auckland where I froze my buns off, it’s back to Sydney and the hottest day in the history of April since time began apparently … oh yay, LOL (sorry Zeb, I only got your email when I got home Sunday afternoon, so didn’t get chance to catch up – will definitely give you a holler the next time I come over, though, so we can arrange a meeting!).

It was really lovely to go home again and Dad was happy that I managed to clear out about 2 suitcases full of clothes to go to the Salvation Army plus about half a big wheelie bin full of soon-to-be-shredded papers. Ah, I so love going home for a holiday haha. The weather was shocking, so we didn’t get to go sightseeing at all around Auckland – and unfortunately the flights were really full out of Wellington, so at the 11th hour Mum and I cancelled our flights, as it had the potential to be an extremely costly trip … of course we forgot about Easter and school holiday traffic … doh!

I didn’t get too much stitching done, although I did stitch up my April Christmas ornie for the ornie Challenge … and I’ve since started the Acorn Needle Book by Periwinkle Promises, which is a kit I’ve had in my stash for way too many years now. It’s been really fun doing every stitch except XS so far in this piece, although I’m a bit wary of the upcoming acorn cap completely made up of french knots {{shudder}}.

“Snowy Night” by The Prairie Schooler
from 2008 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue
stitched on 32ct Merino hand-dyed linen by Countrystitch
with recommended DMC threads

“Acorn Needle Book” kit by Periwinkle Promises – first WIP photo

A bit of rice stitch, satin stitch, double holbein stitch, double back-stitch (or long-armed XS), and finished with a smidge of normal back stitch

Mum and I managed to catch up with my Auntie Trudy (who’s not actually an Aunt, but a family friend that I’ve grown up with in NZ), and it was lovely to see her again. I came away being spoilt with a lovely blue scarf she knit for me, so I feel very special 🙂

The highlight of the trip (and our final night) was a visit to my fave family, the Smiths … Auntie Heather (again an extremely close family friend that I adore) has known me since I was six weeks old in the UK, and our two families have grown up together when we both emigrated to New Zealand. There are only a few years difference between the age groups of myself and their two children, Tracey and Carl, and now they both have their own children and we have our own “Granny Smith” (she hates being called that!). It turned out to be Danial’s birthday during our visit, so we were able to visit on Saturday afternoon/evening on his birthday – it was great fun! Tracey and Glen live out in the country south of Auckland, and it was great to finally visit their property and play with all the animals. The only ones I didn’t get to pet were the cows! 😉

Here are a number of photos from our visit – including some very special Easter bunnies, that were part of Danial’s birthday present.

Danial, Bradley and Heather (with stickers on her forehead compliments of youngest grandchild Danial!)

Tracey hard at work in the kitchen preparing dinner

How many men does it take to put together a racing car set? Four, apparently! ;P

Maybe we should read the instructions, Grandad!

Easter bunnies country-style

Awwwww……. Somebunny loves ya Heather!

The Dragon having a bunny cuddle

And this bundle of fun I just couldn’t wait to have a cuddle with, I love him to death … poor Dodge got so excited that he kindly peed on my leg … I think that means he likes me! haha – he’s such a soppy soft dog you’ve gotta love him! This is him begging me to come outside to play with him – I kept leaning out the window to give him a pat! 😀

And to finish off, here’s the birthday boy with his icecream cake – with Dad (Glen), and the Dragon (Mum)

Now it’s back to the heat of Sydney, and I’m over it already after 48 hours!! Will summer never end?? Bring on those cooler autumn days with blue skies … keep your pelting rain and humidity! Oh well, at least I can laze around at home over the next few days indoors … inbetween going to gym sessions each day this week … I’ve finally joined a gym to get my fat A into shape and feel a bit healthier. Going to the chiropractor all these months has been wonderful, and I’m ready to make a healthy change – going to the gym will hopefully help me reach that goal … I just need to get back into the routine of going regularly before work!

Anyway, I’d better skedaddle and put some laundry washing in while it’s still daylight and the laundry nazis don’t chase me out (we have to be out by 8pm sharp!) … can’t guarantee there’ll be a stitching finish any time soon, as I want to put a few hours into Mirabilia’s Winter Queen (thanks to me joining a UFO challenge group) and also get some decent stitching time into Nicki’s Quaker RR 😀

Look forward to catching up on your blogs over the next few days as well … ah, the joy of still being on holiday!! 😀