New Year, New Resolutions!!

Yes the time has come to start thinking about my stitching resolutions for 2011. Last year's were set so long ago I can't even remember what they were! (thank goodness for blog archives)

So my resolutions last year were:

• Finish all WIP & UFO's from 2008/09 before begining anything new
• Limit any stash purchases to threads & fabric 
• Work on and complete one project at a time!
• Try Evenweave

 Ok 3 out of 4 isn't bad, I did try evenweave and I have no UFO's left from 2008/09, although I did start a lot of new projects before finishing them, also all new starts are completed except Halloween Short Stack which will be done before the end of January! I ended up working on one project at a time during the run upto christmas just because it is so much easier than trying to stitck to any kind of rotation.

 

So onto the shiny new 2011 resolutions!

• Start working through some of the gorgeous kits and charts in my stash (check out my stitching pile page to see what I'll be working on this year!)
• Keep my stash organised
• Work on my finishing skills
• Work on my time planning (more often than not I set myself a deadline that's achievable but then don't put in the time to ensure I meet set deadline)

I think that's everything for this year. Hopefully these resolutions will help me to become a more organised and well planned stitcher!

Hope you all enjoy the new year festivities and I'll see you all in 2011 for the first TUSAL update on January 4th!!

Happy Stitching & Happy New Year!

sadly won't be finished this side of the new year.

It's my own fault really, I haven't really done much stitching the last couple of weeks and so I haven't yet finished Halloween Short Stack. I'm hoping to finish the pumpkin tonight and possibly the withches hat which means I'll have very little left to do. It will be done by the end of January (I have to start stitching a birth sampler on Monday so it'll have to be put to one side for that)

Bit belated but Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone had a lovely time over the holiday period! (some of us had to be back at work on Boxing Day for the sales) We spent Christmas Day at my little brother's house in Coventry with his girlfriend and her family. Lots of fun, food and toy story 3! (and 3 hours of Wii Party!)

Everyone loved their stitched gifts, even my mum, who's present was sewn together at the last minute and bled on just a little bit...stupid pins. However she's pretty sure she can get the small stain out and if not I'm going to cover it with some ribbon or something.

Recieved some lovely stitchy gifts from mum and dad, a new sewing box and some new kits, aida & bobbins which I've been desperate for! LOL. My brother's gift was sweet, a lovely retro print pincushion shaped like an apple. Was just cute until I read the box 'not suitable for children as fuctioning sharp points are included'

'fuctioning sharp points' AKA 'pins' I laughed so much I was crying!!!

Also received some lovely handmade stuff from my mum. A bag charm with a little shoe, mobile phone and music note charms on and a gorgeous Amethyst necklace. This is the first bit of Amethyst jewellery I have ever received and I love it because not only do I love purple but Amethyst is also my birthstone.

Mushroom Pattern for Blu.

LOL I'm glad you liked my mushroom pattern, its avaliable on Spritestitch.com, just click the link below to open it and save it:

Mushrooms Pattern

just download the PDF file in the first post on the page, it's my pattern so feel free to download it lol

PIF received from Michelle!!

Today I came home from work to find a lovely little package from Michelle waiting for me :)

Isn't it lovely! Thank you so much Michelle, I will treasure it always xx

A finish...(or 14!)

*WARNING VERY PHOTO HEAVY POST!*

Yes the time has come, with only half a design left to stitch this side of the new year. I feel I should probably start sharing some photos of the designs I have been stitching in the last 6 weeks.

Wine A Bit

design by Sue Hillis Designs

Dad's Christmas present

Cozy Christmas Wishes Orny

freebie from Lizzie*Kate  website

Stitched twice, once for an exchange and once for me :D

Cinderella is Proof

design by Lizzie*Kate

Brother's Girlfriend's Christmas Present

Tea Lover

taken from the 'tea crazy' chartpack by Lizzie*Kate

Brother's Christmas present

Little Cups of Friendship finished as a glasses case

taken from the 'tea crazy' chartpack by Lizzie*Kate

Grandma's Christmas present

Mr Tickle card

design by Bothy Threads

for a friend's 24th birthday

Fall into Autumn

free design from rainbow braid website

love this design and have the perfect fabric to complete it.

Be Naughty

design by Lizzie*Kate

fell in love with this design as soon as I saw it, finished as a cushion

Reindeer Yoshi

design found on spritestitch.com

Bah Humbug Orny

featured in a old issue of UK Cross Stitcher

Tatty Teddy

design featured in Cross Stitch Crazy #137

Mum's Christmas Present

Black Hat Society

design by Sue Hillis Designs

A design I finished a while back but only just got round to sewing into a cushion

Halloween Fairy

design by Nora Corbett for Mirabillia

So glad this is finally finished after 2 years, will be framed in the new year.

Super Mario Mushroom Cushion

designed by Me.

I actually stitched the design a while ago but have only recently found the perfect fabric to actually do something with the finished stitching!  

Hope you enjoyed looking at my finished projects, don't forget to sign up for my PIF, closes in 2 days!

Happy Stitching

xX Fiona Xx

Finishing Updates AND a PIF!

Although I still haven't managed to do any stithcing this week I have spend today doing some finishing, sadly I can't show them just yet as they are Christmas presents but there isn't much longer left to wait now!!

*12 days till Christmas!!*

In other news I also won another PIF, this time hosted by Elisa so now I have to host another one myself. If you would like to receive something stitched from me in the next 12 months please reply to this post :) I will leave this open to sign ups until Christmas Eve.

*I know last time a few people were put off entering because they felt their finishing skills were not upto a high standard, well neither are mine! I dread using the sewing machine but I'm entering and hosting these PIF's so I have a reason to practise my finishing skills and try different finishes/techniques.*

*please don't let the fact that I'm a novice when it comes to finishing put you off entering either, I'm getting better all the time!*

it's official...

I hate being ill :(

I've done no stitching this week and now I can feel Christmas looming. Although I have finished all my Christmas stitching I still have to frame and finish several pieces... there is still time for that thankfully (and mum has agreed to help me!)

Hopefully will get some stitches in this weekend as I really wanna finish Halloween Fairy off so I can carry on with Halloween Short Stack.

no stitching to show :(

Sadly I haven't finished Halloween Fairy yet as I seem to have caught some form of cold/flu type virus and have spent most of my weekend in bed sleeping. Was also sent home from work today as my boss felt I was unfit to work so spent most of today asleep too. Hopefully back to work tomorrow as I can't afford the time off before christmas.

Should get Halloween Fairy finished by the end of the week, only her hair & face to go now :)

Report on Friday to do list

Well I completed Tatty Teddy at about 3pm, so backstitching took around 6ish hours. *I really do detest TT backstitch!* I was very good and pretty much stuck to the pattern rather than make it up with was very very tempting at times! The completion of Tatty Teddy also completes my Christmas stitching for 2010!! =)

Went out and bought a mount for 'Wine A Bit', however it is fractionally to big for the frame so I shall have to trim it slightly on Monday after dad has gone to work (it's his christmas present)

Have started stitching on Halloween Fairy again, I don't think I will get her finished tonight but I am aiming to finish the actual cross stitch part of it so that I can do the backstitching of her head and finish the beading off on Sunday as i am out in Milton Keynes tomorrow and out in the evening for a friend's birthday.

Didn't manage to get onto Halloween Short Stack as I have been trying to finish Halloween Fairy off first as it's the older of the two projects. These are now the only two projects I have left in my workbag meaning I will most likely reach my goal of ending the year without any outstanding UFO's or WIP's!!

To Do List For Friday!!

1. Backstitch Tatty Teddy finished!!!!!!
2. Complete Halloween Fairy (head to stitch & backstitch, beading)
3. Find a mount to fit frame for Wine A Bit sort of done, bought a mount but it is slightly to big, may have to cut it down to size.
4. Carry on stitching on Halloween Short Stack

Wish me luck!!

PIF winners!

Hey can you both email me please at crazy_strange161@hotmail.com as I can't seem to find yours! and Kath yes it is you over at http://kathsstitchingheaven.blogspot.com/!! I will need your addresses, and likes/dislikes when it comes to designs & finishes! Thank you xx

PIF Sign-Up is now closed =)

Finally have two willing sign-ups for my PIF which should have closed on monday so congradulations and many many thank you's to stitcheranon & Stitching Kath!

You will both recieve something stitched by me in the next 12 months (you shouldn't have to wait very long!)

Right now I have to run off and go to work otherwise I will be late but I will email you both this evening to find out what sort of thing you woud like to recieve from me.

Oh....

doesn't look like anybody wants to enter my PIF draw :-(

Giveaways!!!

Elisa over at http://paperfaerie71.blogspot.com/2010/11/blogoversary-giveaway.html is having a couple of giveaways, one for her blogoversary & she's hosting a PIF. Go check them out!!!

Also please feel free to sign up for my PIF below!

Pay It Forward

Well seeing as I was lucky enought to be one of Michelle's PIF recipients the rules state I must now host my own.

Two people chosen, from those who wish to enter, will recieve a stitched item from me within the next 12 months. Those two people must then pay it forward and host their own PIF.

If you wish to enter please comment on this post and this post only, if there are more than two replies I will draw names out of a hat.

I will leave this open to replies until monday.

xX Happy Stitching Xx

(mini) success....

I have been stitching my mum's present today because this is the only day of the week that I am home while she's at work so I can stitch without worring that she will see it.

Has been quite a successful day in that I have finished all the actual cross stitching however now I have the task of tackling the backstitch (I hate the backstitch on Tatty Teddy designs!) I will probably follow the backstitch for everything except his fur which I will invariably make up as I go along!! =)

However that will have to wait until either another day or she is asleep as now have to go and pick her up from work.

The end is in sight.

seeing as I have the weekend off and my mum will be working all day today I plan to spend the day finishing the stitching on her present. After this i will only have one and a half ornaments left to stitch before all my christmas stitching is done Then I only have to finish Halloween Fairy (head, backstitch and beading left) and Halloween Short Stack to have reached my goal of emptying my project bag by 2011!!!

For once I may actually reach my target early!! (And get a head start on next years stitching!)

Fall into Autumn

This is my latest finish, Fall into Autumn, a freebie chart from Rainbow Gallery (you do have to scroll down a long way to get to this design) 

Stitched on 14ct hand-dyed cream marble aida from sew-it-all.com using a variety of different thread companies including Six Strand Sweets, Weeks Dye Works, Gentle Arts, Ozark Sampler and an Anchor Varigated.
 
This is the first chart I have ever stitched charting all the colours myself and I am so pleased with the result. To me it just screams 'Autumn'. In a way I am sad that Autumn is pretty much over, although looking at many of the trees near my house you couldn't tell, the leaves may all be brown but they are stubbornly refusing to fall from the trees!!

I actually finished this design last week but was waiting on a button from sew and so to complete it, which didn't suit when it showed up. So now I'm just waiting for a trip to hobbycraft at the weekend to pick up a leaf button pack to sew one on just under the word fall, next to 'into' before finishing it up as a cushion using some fabric from my stash.

Disaster Averted =D

I was happily stitching away on I'm Creative when I realised that parts of the design weren't matching up, now as I was using DMC's Magic Guide aida I didn't see how this could have happened. That is until I looked at the chart again closely.

The photocopy I was working from hadn't printed one line on the grid clear enough so what I thought was a 10x10 sqaure on the chart was in fact a 12x10 square meaning that I had stitched the entire border and lower part of the design two stitches higher than it should have been. =(

I was so upset yesterday as it was too big a job to frog it all out so into the bin it went. I was already worried about time restrains as the design was proving to be more complex than I had antisipated so I didn't want to start it all over again either...suddenly I found myself with a dilemma, Christmas is only 33 days away and I have nothing to stitch for my mum!!

Then I remember the Tatty Teddy design I have in my project bag. It was supposed to be for my friend but she changed her mind about it after I had started stitching. My mum loves Tatty Teddy and collects the ceramic versions so I have decided to finish stitching it and give it to her for Christmas which also puts me back on schedule.

Disaster Averted!!

The case of the mysterious parcel....

Today I received a mysterious package in the post....

There was a note sellotaped to the top....

The card inside informed me I could open the package but not the contents, which were also wrapped....

Today I received my Secret Santa present from the cross-stitching forum santa exchange =D

no idea who my santa is as there are no names anywhere on this parcel!! So will have to wait until the big reveal on the forums to find out who they are!!!

It's been a good week...

for me, been off work last week; using up the last of my holiday days before the new year (not allowed time off in December-boo!!) and I have spent it stitching.

Last Monday I wrote out a timeline for all the  projects on my stitching list page, aiming to complete between 2 and 3 a week thus giving me a week before christmas to do the framing, finishing etc. Seems to be working well as I am currently two finishes ahead of my timeline meaning this week all I have to complete to stay on track is my mum's christmas present.

Probably a good thing as although I am ahead and this is my last christmas present to stitch it is also the largest design left to do and I also went back to work today. Made a fairly good start on it tonight, I've completed almost half of the borde and some of the main design. Hoping to be past the halfway point by the end of tuesday night as I have Wednesday off and should hopefully be able to stitch all day even if it does mean shutting myself up in my room so that Mum doesn't see what I'm stitching. It was bad enough that she knew what her birthday present was so I'm trying very hard o make sure this desin stays a secret!! She does however know she's getting something stitched, she just doesn't know what!! ;-)

Right long day ahead tomorrow so best be getting some sleep I think!!

Have a lovely week, will try and post updates but I make no promises!!!

Happy Stitching

x Fiona x

A day late but never mind

 Here is the Mr. Tickle card I have made for my friend Sam's 24th birthday.

Hope you like it =)

A finish and a question....

Have literally just finished stitching and making up a birthday card for my friend Sam's 24th birthday, will post photos of it tomorrow as the camera batteries are charging up at the minute.

Next project is Fall Into Autumn

Today I bought some threads for my first project of 2011. I plan to stitch Nora Corbett's 'Tigerlily' I've had the chart and bead pack since it came out and now feel confident enough to stitch it. Did notice however that the thread list calls for DMC 971 and I couldn't find this colour in my local shop, the DMC carosel stand went straight from 970 to 972. Does anyone know if this colour exists or is it a printing error on the chart?
*edit to say never mind, DMC 971 is now DMC 740, went and checked out sewandso.co.uk!*

Poundland opened yesterday in my hometown so I also checked it out today, picked up a 2ft christmas tree (it looks smaller to me) and some lights to display my stitched orny's on and also picked up a picture frame for one of my stitched christmas presents. I loved the style of the frame but it's too dark a stain so I'm going to sand it lightly and repaint it to suit the design. In fact the frame is so nice and just the right size for so many of Lizzie Kate's snippets/quick-it range I may have to go back and pick up a few more!!

Another finish...

and this time it's one I can show!! :)

After finishing Lizzie Kate's 'Tea Lover' (from the tea crazy chartpack), I decided to take a break from stitching Christmas presents and work on one of the projects I started earlier this year. I chose the Bentley Bear kit that came free with CSC 138. I There wasn't a lot left to do so I finished the main stitching yesterday and the backstitch this morning. I had already bought the frame and the mount came with the kit so it was very easy to frame up too.

This afternoon I started stitching another Christmas present. Lizzie Kate's 'Little Cups Of Friendship' (also from the tea crazy chartpack) and have almost finished it. Just one teacup and a couple of french knots left to go.

I have to say that taking the time out to kit up each present before doing any stitching has definitely made my Christmas stitching so much easier, being able to pick out any project and know that all the material, threads and chart I need are all there is just amazing. Not only is it making my stitching go much faster as I'm not spending ages faffing about looking for thread or the chart but I'm also not getting distracted by other charts I want to do or by magazine articles etc. I think it's something I will be doing again probably throughout the year.

Well that's it for today
Happy Stitching!!!

Another Present Finished

that's 4 so far, only 3 more to go plus a few ornaments etc. Sadly I can't show any of these finishes off until after Christmas as many of the recipient's have access to my blog. Only 6 weeks to go!! =D

I have a new page!!

I was begining to lose track of the projects I have to do this year so now I have a shiny new page containing my stitching list, feel free to go check it out!

Note for Bev

My sew&so order took just under a week to come in so if it's been a while it might be worth giving them a call, number should be on the email they sent when your order was confirmed or posted.

Hope it shows up soon!

Lovely Postie Day

My order from Sewandso finally showed up!! Lots of threads to complete start my Christmas stitching!!

Just had to treat myself to the new Lizzie Kate Quickies design 'Be Naughty' as well and the threads to stitch it too!!

The charts & threads I bought from Lorraine showed up too, I love the 'Yo Ho Ho Ho' design by Sue Hillis designs. Ooo and the Waxing Moon Designs!...hmm, I can see myself doing a lot of late night stitching before christmas at this rate!!

My subs copies of Card Shop and WOCS showed up this morning as well, going to try and save them for later to give them a good read through, although I couldn't resist a quick peek at the contents pages, looks like there are some lovely designs this month!!

Stitching updates will be posted on Saturday/Sunday :D

Enjoy the rest of your week!!

Happy November!!

This morning I started my christmas stitching! Hopefully if I stick to the plan I have come up with I will get everything stitched and framed before christmas! I do have a few things to stitch up for exchanges that need posting by December 1st so those will the the first things I stitch.

Halloween fairy is so nearly complete. If I hadn't been very hungover yesterday after Saturday night's Halloween party she would have been finished... oh well, sooner I  get going with the christmas stuff the sooner I can get back to stitching her!

Lovely Stash Day

Today I recieved the threads I purchased from Kath. Thank you so much hun!! I love Six Strand Sweets threads and now thanks to Kath I have almost every colour avaliable!!

I also popped into my local stitchy shop, mostly because my mum was working and I wanted to say hi. Upside to mum working here is that I get discount, downside it I use it alot lol. Half the time I end up leaving with something I didn't even need to buy. Today was no exception! Bought some lovely christmassy charms I am going to add to my bracelet!

Shh...don't tell anyone (I bought more wool as well!!) Going to make a lovely chunky scarf for my mum for christmas in the green and one for me in the pink :)

Now my final piece for today was actually a RAK from a customer at my mum's shop. My mum was talking to this woman who said she makes beaded halloween ornaments and she'd hung lots of them onto a twig as a decoration. I mentioned how lovely that sounds and my mum introduced me as her daughter.Went home afterwards and thought nothing more of it. Mum came home a couple of hours later and presented me with this little gem!! The woman had gone home and then come back to the shop with a little pumpkin orny just for me :) It's so sweet and so tiny cos it's made from mill hill petite beads!

Still waiting on my order from sewandso but that should be here tomorrow. Halloween Fairy should be finished by Sunday as well, so then its onto the Christmas Stitching Mountain!!!

Professor Layton & Pandora's Box.

...asking Dad for help with one master puzzle was a big mistake.... he's been playing it for the last hour!! LOL think I may have to buy him his own DS for christmas...On the plus side I've almost completed Pandora's Box. I'd already finsihed the main story and completed most of the puzzles so it's just finishing the side quests & extra puzzles :)

Might have to do some Layton themed stitching in the new year.... =D

An update of sorts.

Work continues on Halloween Fairy, just half a wing and her head to go before its on to the beading!!

Soon as she's finished it'll be onto the mountain of christmas present stitching I see before me, luckily though they are mostly small designs that shouldn't take long to do.

I will be stitching at least one card this year for my Secret Santa.

Also have to stitch a birth sampler for my friend Laura who's due in January & an Orny for the orny exchange on the crossstitching.com forum before December 6th.

Some time during all of this I will also try to get some stitches into Halloween Short Stack & finish that little Bentley bear design.

In other news I bought some lovely soft grey chunky wool, some DK tweed in cream & some aran knit in pink/purple. (yep totally gave into my craving!!) So I will also be knitting up a scarf at some point!!

I am going to be very busy over the next couple of months but will try and keep you all posted!!

Happy Stitching!!

P.S please excuse the lack of photos, I'm halfway through a wing on HF & want to finish it before I photograph it!

Woollen Cravings

I have a craving to buy wool. But not just any wool, I have a craving for chunky wool. You know~the really soft squashy type of wool thats just comforting to hold even if its just a ball of wool.

The main reason for my craving is probably the fact that my home is now like an ice-box constantly, even with the heating on thanks to the numerous drafts that seem to come from invisable nooks and crannys. It creeps in under the doors and around the windows, somehow managing to find its way down my neck and around my ankles chilling me all over. So I need wool, wool with which I can cable knit a scarf to keep out the drafts and chills.

Bit melodramatic I know but damn it I'm cold!! I really do want to cable knit a scarf (bit ambitious considering I just about know how to knit let alone do cable stitch!!) I've seen this lovely yarn in my local shop that is perfect for the scarf I want to do but I must wait until the end of the month to purchase it!!

Warmest Wishes

Fiona xx

Sod's Law & Photos!!

I don't know why but this always happens to me.

I recieved this chart through the post yesterday from Stephanie (thank you so much hun!!) and I wanted to kit it up so I could stitch it as soon as I finish Halloween Fairy.So I found the fabric I want to use and started to look through my boxes of DMC threads. Out of the 8 threads required to stitch this design I had...3. Over 300 DMC threads to my name and I still managed to pick a design that uses 5 that I don't have??

So after a very quick trip to the craft shop this morning I now have everything I need to stitch this design, I even found a really nice box frame in Cargo to frame it once it's done. Plus I was very good in the craft shop, all I bought was the missing threads I needed!!

As I said yesterday, progress on Halloween Fairy is going very well, this is how far I'd gotten yesterday and hopefully if I get some stitching done today it will be even further!!

Have a lovely weekend everyone!!

hmm...me thinks it could be time for an update!!

7 days since my last update!! How did that happen?!

This week I decided to focus my stitching time on Halloween Fairy rather that Short Stack. Mostly because Halloween Fairy is an old UFO I would like to see finished before the new year. Progess is actually going pretty well, I'm hoping to finish at least one whole wing and possibly her head this weekend.

I'm aiming to have her finished by October 31st so I can start my christmas stitching!! Luckily the charts I have chosen for people are quick but quirky designs to stitch (I'm thinking approximately a week for each given the amount of time I now have free to stitch in!)

So Halloween Short Stack probably won't get picked up again until the new year but seeing my project bag almost empty is such a lovely sight I'm determined not to get it ever get that bad again!! There are a couple of quicky stitches still in there but they will be completed inbetween xmas pressie stitching as a bit of a break :)

Thats all for today, will upload photos tomorrow of Fairy's progress

Happy Stitching!!

Boycott Cross Stitcher!!!

Sorry but I feel the need to vent. Having just purchased the 'new look' cross stitcher magazine the only thing I have to say is that I have wasted £4. Magazines that are entitled 'Britain's No.1 Cross Stitcher' should not heavily feature textile projects!! Especially when many of those projects require expensive finishings!! I am all for learning interesting new finishing techniques but not for every single project in the magazine!! I used to love cross stitcher, the magazine was always bright, colourful and very clean looking in terms of layout, fonts used etc but now it feels very 'twee' and I can honestly say that although I will miss the Maragret Sherry designs I will not be buying that magazine again and would rather use the money I save by not buying it on more stash I am far more likely to do!! Sorry...will have calmed down by next update!!

Mini Finish

keyword: mini.

Decided to stitch a very simple but elegant design of a teapot from an old issue of quick and easy today. Stitched 1 over 1 on (I think) 25ct Evenweave, bearing in mind this is the first time I have ever used Evenweave before :)

please excuse the blurry-ness, photographed next to a 2p coin for sizing reference :)

Now you may be wondering why I stitched it 1 over 1 and made it so tiny, well its because my mum got given a dolls house for her birthday, she's always wanted one. Hopefully we are going to turn it into a haberdashery/wool shop on the ground floor with a flat above and this teapot is going to become either a picture or a tea tray in this flat. Well thats all for today, I really enjoyed stitching on evenweave and will hopefully do some more projects on it :)

Hand Dyed Threads

I love hand dyed threads. Sure they can be a pain to stitch with sometimes as each stitch should be completed individually but the colours and effects achieved are amazing. Not to mention that the names given to them are just yummy!! The reason I am posting about thread is that I have received a MASSIVE lot of hand dyed threads from the lovely Michelle (literally hundreds!) and I've been positively drooling over them ever since. I've downloaded a chart from Rainbow Gallery called 'fall into autumn'. (massive thanks to Elaine for letting me know where she got the chart from) I'm currently deciding which of my lovely new threads I want to use as amazingly I have none of the ones required. I can't wait to stitch this design as I have the perfect fabric to use to turn it into an ornament which I picked up yesterday so watch this space for a very speedy finish :) Happy Stitching xx

Drip, drip, Drop...

Little April Shower...

Forgot to post photos up yesterday of this last finish :)

Stitches & Stash

October already!! Where does the time go??

It's been such a busy couple of weeks, getting used to a new job and everything, luckily I have been able to do much more stitching in the evenings and now that I'm working on average, 4 days a week, I get a lot more time during the day too!

As you can see there hasn't been much progress with the Halloween Fairy, half of the orange on her skirt and some of the beads (which may have to come out again if they get in the way of the hoop... opps!!)

However work is going very well on Halloween Short Stack, I love the folksy feel of this design and the thread colours are just beautiful! Slightly time consuming as each stitch has to be completed individually rather than working in rows as they are hand dyed threads.

Went to my local fabric shop todayand bought some lovely autumn fabrics & ribbons to use on a couple of finishes I have lined up. I love autumn, the colours associated with this season are so warm and rich, lovely :)

People who have been following my blog for a while will probably know that as well as being an avid stitcher, I am also a bookworm. Right now I am reading Sense and Sensibility, though it pains me to admit it but I am struggling to get into this book. I think it's the language that I'm struggling with more than anything so I'm sure it will get easier the more I read. I wanted to read something of Jane Austin because I really love the 'fancy a Jane day?' chart by the sampler girl but I feel like I can't stitch it without having ever read anything by Jane Austin. I also have Northanger Abbey and Emma to read and I'm also looking out for Pride & Predudice. So wh knows I may become another Austin fan!

Think thats all for this week, thank you for reading and hopefully I'll get better at updating!!

finishes and new starts

my life has been full of finishes and starts this week. Firstly I finished another UFO this week: April Showers from the Somebunny to Love range by DMC. I really enjoyed stitching this design as its really colourful and bright so it was really nice to work on during those grey rainy days we've had recently. After finishing of April Showers I decided to go back to stitching the Halloween Fairy by Mirabillia, yet another 2008 UFO. I frogged the arm I had started stitching as the variegated thread I was using looked strange the way I had stitched it. After I had successfully removed her arm I set about stitching but stopped soon after as I remembered why I had stopped in the first place. The chart is far to small to stitch from and needs enlarging. I will go back to stitching this on Friday when I can get to the library and access a photocopier! I decided after that to continue with a UFO from last year, the ghost freebie chart from the passione ricamo website. I love this design but once again shortly after picking it up I remembered why i had put it down. Not only did the thread colours recommended by the company clash horribly with the black aida that was also recommended but I had been using a glow in the dark thread for the ghost itself and after seeing how tacky it looked while showing my mum how the threads glowed I decided to bin it and restart it again. However as I am unsure of the correct fabric colour to chose I haven't restarted it yet. This left me with a bit of a dilemma, now the only projects in my work bag are a tatty teddy design I can't get into right now (believe me I tried!) and a Bentley Bear cover kit I'm not sure I have enough thread to finish. My only solution...a new start! Yes I have a brand new project to stitch! I decided to stitch the Halloween Short Stack by Waxing Moon Designs. I picked up the chart and recommended Gentle Arts threads from the Nimble Thimble earlier this year and since then I been just dying to start it! I'm stitching it on a gorgeous 16ct marble blue/grey(?) aida and the colours are really popping against it! I think I am probably going to do this one before the Halloween Fairy but I will also work on Tatty Teddy and Bentley Bear in between the two. Dispite my new prject, this is probably the emptiest my work bag has been since I started stitching! Let's hope it will stay that way this time!! In other news I left my job on Saturday. I have worked at Next for 5 years and in that time I have not progressed in the slightest so I felt the time has come to move on to new pastures. I don't regret making the decision to leave, I will miss the friends I have made there. So now I am working at Fat Face as a part time assistant which will hopefully progress to a part time supervisory role after training. I had my first day today and as the store in much smaller than next it's also a lot quieter. By making the decision to go to part time I have a lot more time to stitch as fat face is also a lot closer to my house!! I think thats everything for the last week or so, I will upload photos of April Showers and Halloween Short Stack in my next update on Sunday.

Water Games is....

Finished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My mum was thrilled to bits with her birthday present!

a halloween experiment...

Since I spent the weekend suffering with migrane attacks, and was told on monday by the doctor they are most likely being caused by stress, I decided to take a break from stitching water games this week.

Sunday evening was spent dying some sparkly white aida I had lying around a lovely shade of purple; the lighter one in the top-left was the result of a minute 'dip' in the dye, the other 3 were taken out after about 15 minutes. They came out a bit lighter after being machine washed to remove all the excess dye.

Today my headaches were much better, I only had one and that was this morning so this afternoon I decided to stitch something small onto one of the darker pieces of aida. Supprisingly I also managed to finish it today as well! I love this design a lot and I think I am going to finish it as a small cushion that I can display every halloween.

Now that I am feeling better I think I shall continue with Water Games this week but I'll see how I feel tomorrow before making my mind up completely.

Have a lovely week everyone and see you Sunday!

x Fiona x

P.S Mel, Water Games is a kit by DMC I bought from my local stitchy shop 3 years ago, reference code is BL467/70 hope that helps :)

I need to think of better titles than update....

Ok lots to show and tell this week so I guess I'd better get started before I forget it all! Firstly, Water Games had continued to progress well this week, I am almost into the final quarter of this design so the end is most definetly in sight!

Did take some time out on Saturday as I came home early from work due to dizzy spells and couldn't focus on the chart symbols, much to my dismay. Decided to do some card making instead and knocked up these xmas cards (sorry, i know its early) using some designs I stitched last year and the teddy I finished a few weeks ago.

I also knocked up a few birthday cards using a Daisy & Dandelion card kit and some stick on gem stones, peel-offs and ribbon.

By yesterday evening I still couldn't focus on my stitching but wanted to do something with my hands so....I learnt to knit! So far I have learnt how to cast on, knit & purl. This is my practise piece from last night and now I'm working with some lovely 4ply cotton yarn and I'm making squares to turn into a patchwork cushion. Hopefully this hobby will give me something to do on the days when I don't feel like stitching or in the winter evenings when the lighting in my house is too poor to stitch by.

On one final stitchy note, I have been very ruthless today with my project bag, I discovered 4 kits I had written on my ufo list that I haven't actually started so I've put them away for now and I've also thrown out Lickle bit Shy, the poppy card, the housework fairies and Let's Celebrate.

Lickle bit shy & Let's Celebrate both had mistakes in that I couldn't find so I've decided to throw them away and restart as neither were really far along (to far along to unpick it all but not so far that I'd feel disheartened about restarting. As I am not going to restart them ny time soon i have also put these kits away in my stash box for now. The housework fairies has been spaced on the fabric wrong and the metalic threads Id used were begining to fray with age so again the chart has been filed away for another day when I have less to do, and I just didn't like the poppy card, it was originally a comissioned piece that the recipient decided against after I had started. So now my project bag is much lighter and seems much more managable!!

Think that's everything for this week, see u all next week for another update!!

Water Games Update

Just in time for my sunday update lol been working on Water Games all week and finally finished the water and made a good start on Tigger, should have more to show next week! I might actually finish this project this year! See you next week :)

Water Games Update

Not got as much stitching in this week as I would have liked but have been feeling so down lately its a wonder I got any stitching done at all. Work has been really tough and the six weeks I have left at this job seem unending at the moment. Anyway, enough about my working trobles lol time for a stitchy update!

Done some work done on Water Games, I've found that highlighting the sections I've done in a different colour each week is really inspiring me to keep going and almost pushing me to stitch just a little longer each day to try and do more than i did the previous week. Didn't quite make it this week but I spent an evening or two stitching on a different UFO just to give myself a break from the blues of WG! That ufo should be finished within a week if i spent another couple of evenings on it.

Well thats it for this week, next week: hand-dyed aida experiments, an update on Water Games and maybe even a finish!

Happy Stitching and have a lovely week

x Fiona x