Heaven and Earth Progress

After a bank holiday stitchalong I seem to have made some progress! The confetti has driven me bananas on the head dress but you can see that there is the start of a face and hair.
I am waiting for my kreinik for the bit on the top right. It's not finished on width either there's another page 15 stitches wide to add to the right.

Rainy bank holidays and early starts!

Well, its spring bank holiday here in the UK. And its raining.

My hubby was home briefly last night and I got up with him to make him breakfast before he went off to work for the week and he brought my 2 year old daughter down with him after he had got dressed. That was at 5 am.

The upside (if there is one!) of getting up early is a bit of peaceful stitching, forum mooching and I have just ordered a new new stitchy bits. Some kreinik thread which I need for my storykeep, a new hoop, a new pattern (secret) and a piece of Lugana 25 count.

Today I am off to see my Mum for a bit. Should be home around lunchtime though and then the girls will no doubt monopolise the computer for the afternoon.

Until I next manage to nab my  laptop back....
xx

Small scale...

Here is a progress pic of my storykeep. Approx 1400 stitches in. It also shows how tiny it is. I am working this half cross stitch on 28 count evenweave. One strand of floss over one. So small I can only work on it for short periods of time, an hour in evening under daylight lamp and maybe 2 hours in the daytime if parenting permits!

A Mystery in the house...

Seeing as I have finished my Orchid I wanted to get cracking on the next project on my list last night.

A few days ago I found a chart by Durene Jones of a stained glass style seasons cushion front in a magazine.

I thought 'i'm stitching that next....'

Do you think I can find the magazine? Can I taters.

I have hunted high and low and I just cannot find it anywhere.

The last time I saw it it was bedtime reading and thats when I decided to stitch it. I have searched in my bedroom and its not there.

Methinks the fairies have been <sigh>

Good job I found a Rennie Mackintosh one to do (another fab Sheila Hudson design)

Until later x

A finish

Finally finished my orchid after gritting my teeth and staying awake!

Feeling a little disillusioned...

Have been working on the Orchid and the sheer amount of white.... omg.

I usually work designs with a few colours colour by colour if you see what I mean and the white is the most on this design.

I am on the last petal, but still....

Its making me fall asleep!! Bizarre as it sounds no matter what time of day I pick it up a few stitches later I am drooping!!

Tonight I might work on my HAED for a change - although its becoming a vendetta to finish the orchid now.

I have a new design ready to go - Durene Jones' Stained Glass Seasons cushion cover.

Back to stitching! ttfn x

Getting filled in...

About halfway through putting the white centres in the flowers. Some green leaves to do after this and decorative lines. Coming on nicely. I am hoping this will be finished this weekend

Heaven and Earth storykeep

I have started this finally! It's a flower bride. After a couple of days work there's about 1000 stitches done.
I am stitching this on 28 count evenweave in half cross stitch one strand over one strand so its very small! I can only do a small amount at a time it I get eye strain so this is definitely a slowly slowly one!

Some progress

Most of the purple on my Orchid is done now. Been a bit slow going. I have had a rough week or two with tiredness and kids etc. Mind you, I am pleased with how this looks as its a large piece.

Will try to work on my other WIP tonight and post a pic and details tomorrow.

Watch this space!

I am investigating a new venture.

I work for myself already - something totally unrelated to my stitching life but today I had a thought that I could use my skills to earn money.

I have set the ball rolling and I will update accordingly as I progress.

Ooh its all exciting!! :-D

If you are reading this...

Then follow!

When I have enough followers I am going to start some swops, giveaways and stitchalongs... including TUSAL - Get those threads in a pot!!

It only takes a minute... make a stitcher happy!

Lots of lovely threads arrived today

Ordered a lot of threads for my next project from Leisurecraft. https://secure.surfinteractive.co.uk/leisurecraft-tewkesbury/
Very speedy and efficient service, would highly recommend them and use them again.

Ooh look what's happening here!!!

A new start. Sheila Hudson's orchid from cross stitcher magazine..

Today's Mission

I started a new work last night, a picture of an orchid. Its a Sheila Hudson design. Need to sort out a thread order though!

I decided to have a look through my stash at the threads I have and I have saved from other complete work and I have a few but nowhere near enough.

My Heaven and Earth chart arrived on Friday. I am looking forward to starting 'Avarice' but again I need to sort out fabric and thread for her too.

Joan Elliott and Cross Stitch Collection brought out a chart book of her designs, lots of lovely fairies and goddesses so they are on my stitch list too!!

While sorting through my stash I found lots of small patches suitable for cards so I am going to sit and make a few up this week if I get a chance. I need to create space. My Mother in Law will probably take some to sell for me when she comes to visit next. All money made goes towards that house of my dreams!

Speaking of houses... our situation here is quite dire in alot of respects. Don't get me wrong, we are fortunate we have a roof and a place to call home but it is very cramped and as soon as we can afford it we are gone from here. This house is just 2 bedrooms, living room, bathroom and kitchen to support a family of me, hubs, 3 children, a dog and 2 gerbils... oh and I fit in my business too not to mention my stitching hobby!

Everything spare being thrown towards that goal at the moment.

WIP update later.

Finished!!!

The New York Skyline is done :D
Here is the back view followed by a detail pic and the completed work from the front. It has taken 2 weeks of stitching around 3 - 4 hours a night. The grid size on paper is 9600 stitches, but there are a fair few half stitches so I reckon easily that this piece is 10.000 stitches. And now onto the next!!

Gridding

I am getting ready for another start. This is 10x10 gridding on evenweave in an oatmeal colour.
I am hoping this is going to serve for 2 projects, a HAED Storykeep of a bride and an orchid cushion front by the late Sheila Hudson.
Gridding is important when doing a large design as it can help you keep control of where you are on your chart in relation to your work. To be honest I rarely grid, but seeing as I am tackling some larger projects now then it makes sense.
Last night I didn't have the inclination to do any more on the New York Skyline piece, but I didn't want to waste the evening hence sitting for a couple of hours doing this.

Tools of my trade

I thought I would share my tools today.

Sharp scissors - just used for thread. These are from Fiskars and I love them. they are small but perfectly formed!

My hoop. I like to go small with that too. Regardless of the size of piece I am working on. I like the delicate nature of small stuff.

Pins. When working with large pieces of fabric without a roll frame I pin up the sides so they don't get dirty or in my way. I tend to pin so the back of the work is the side I am resting on so the front stays clean.

Needle. My preferred is John James gold plated, again the smaller the better.Nothing worse than stitching with a poker! I am blessed with reasonable eyesight for close work so I can afford to do this. I like small because it dosent stretch the fabric as it goes through.

My end pot. I got this one out of the kitchen cupboard but in reality it can be any small pot. I keep my snipped ends in there to stop them getting everywhere! My last long term one was a cotton bud pot! But as long as its small it will do me.

My clipboard. When working my patterns I tend to keep a copy in a clear sleeve and file the original. I work from the copy attached to the clipboard. On it at the moment are 2 knitting wip patterns and at least 4 cross stitch wips.

I didn't realise I coveted small stuff so much! Must be the OCD in me. I think thats why the orderly nature of cross stitch appeals to me.

Until the next wip update...

After 11 days.. And a Snooker final!

11 days in. Busy stitching while the snooker final was on over the bank holiday weekend. Congratulations to John Higgins, Comiserations to Judd Trump.

9 days of progress

All the plain colours are done bar a small amount of sky. Starting on colour blends tonight to fill in the gaps! I should imagine another 5 - 7 days and this will be finished and then I can start on my next project! or maybe do another finish of a WIP.... I seem to have a few lying around!

My current work in progress

 New York Panorama

I finally did it!!

I created a blog for my stitching :-D

I should have done this a long time ago!!

Anyway, a bit about me.

36 years old, 3 girls, one husband. Spends alot of time (and money!) on counted cross stitch

Needs a bigger house to accommodate my kids, my hobby and my business.

Now to work out how to put pics here!