Strange times

Hello everyone.

It's quite the odd time we are living through right now.  No school, working at the dining table, trying to juggle all sorts and yet still needing to get some things like stitching and exercise in to keep on top of the mental health.  I hope you are all well and safely tucked away at home.

I am super behind with the updates.  As I scrolled back through my photos to dig out the stitching ones, I scrolled past endless kids parties, Christmas, school project work, carvery lunches and brunches and days out with my little one.  So apologies for being so absent, but with the work and the travelling into London, by the time I picked my little one up from after school club, did our evening routine, ate and sat down again, I just couldn't face turning on the laptop.  Weekends had been full of sports activities and then trying to fit in fun as well so it didn't seem like we were just running on this machine of a routine.

However, I did manage to squeeze in a bit of stitching during the commute and in the Xmas break and an occasional hour at the weekend.  I'm not complaining at all about the lockdown, we are safe at home, my hayfever is not enjoying the blossom at the moment anyway, so I'm pretty happy to be indoors.

Anyways, here are the photo updates of my stitching :)

Hello Pumpkin (month 2) - Caterpillar Cross Stitch

Holodeck Finish! (happy dance!) - Star Trek Cross Stitch book

Seas the Day (month 6) - Caterpillar Cross Stitch

One more thing... in a moment of madness (given how many projects I already have on the go) I decided to sign up to Mr X Stitch SAL001 - Cagliostro.  Still waiting for fabric, but the first month landed yesterday.  It's a biggie!  Here's the link:
https://xstitchmag.com/shop/xstitchalong-001

I also haven't forgotten Maynia is on its way... still debating what to do this year, a number of last year's starts are still unfinished!

Stay safe and hope to be back soon!
Jo

Star Trek, Seas the Day and Hello Pumpkin July update

The last month has flown by pretty fast and I meant to update before now, but I've managed to get a fair bit more stitching in than I expected to on some of my main projects, although I'm still a bit behind on the SALs.  Here are my July updates!

Firstly, the two SALs I'm doing from Caterpillar Cross Stitch

Hello Pumpkin (month 1)

Seas the Day (Month 5)

And then a couple of photo updates of my Star Trek Holodeck piece - I'm mainly sewing this one while travelling on the tube, since I get a seat some of the way sometimes!  But every stitch helps get nearer the end, and I'm almost done!

Stitch Maynia Weeks 3-4

Ok, I haven't managed to stitch daily during the last half of May, but I switched to some of my WIPs for a nice little change, and actually had a lot of enjoyment from them. 

We also spent a couple of days away with friends during the school hols and I've been interviewing for a wonderful job, so it's been a super busy time.

Anyway, back to the stitching updates... here they are!

Bluebell Lane by Derwentwater Designs

Dolphins' Domain by Dimensions

Holodeck piece from Star Trek Cross Stitch book

Seas The Day part 4 by Caterpillar Cross Stitch

Seashore piece by Dimensions

Tea Ceremony (Snipz) (Esmira) by Paine Free Crafts

Ugly Duckling by Dimensions

A little bit here and there and I'm really happy... lots of different colours, so it's hard to be bored with these!  Hope all of you that were joining in enjoyed Stitchmaynia 2019!

Stitch Maynia 2019 Week 2 Update

Hello again,

Lots of stitching has been happening, but life got in the way of my post last week.  For week 2 I moved onto a combination of cats and boats.  Mainly because it was easy to pull the colours together quickly, and I thought it would be handy to make progress on the cats since I'd started the first one more than 10 years ago I think!

Also, I wanted to try again stitching on evenweave with some small projects.  I always think that the end result looks somehow more neat and polished than Aida. However, the counting is so much harder.  Luckily, the boats don't have any gaps, the whole thing is filled.  I'm not sure how I'll fair on a different project.

I haven't managed to do too badly, out of 15 days, I've managed to do 14 new starts, which is more than I expected.

Until the end of May, I'll be stitching on WIP projects. Look out for the next update.
Have a great week!
Jo

Stitch Maynia 2019 Week 1 Update

I've impressed myself with the fact that I've managed to start a new stitch every day except for 1.  I'm starting with a set of flower pieces in a stained glass design. These were in The World of Cross Stitching magazine that I used to subscribe to years ago and I thought they would give me a good start and also a stash of spares to make cards so that at the end of term I'm not up until midnight putting stitches into teacher cards. 

I think the colours are lovely and bright and I've used up a piece of grey fabric that I didn't know what to do with.

I'll continue with these in the second half of May, but for now, it's on to the next ones!

Stitch Maynia

I came upon this last week.  I've joined the facebook group.  The premise (if you were to follow the original idea) is 15 new starts thorough the first 15 days of May, although I think it's more flexible if you wish it to be.

I've just been through my stash and discovered so many pieces of fabric that I bought many many years ago, presumably at a stitching show.  There are a lot of unusual colours plus a bunch of neutrals.  Not all are big pieces.  But I'm thinking that starting on some new smalls would be nice, I could handmake a few cards ready for birthdays or Christmas.   It really makes me feel bad that it's all just sitting there!  Plus, it's a good chance to try out different materials, counts, use up some scraps of thread etc.

Ok, I'll admit, I've been sucked in by all the other pretty planning everyone else has done.  I'm gonna do it.  I'm not so organised to work out every project more than a day or so in advance and perhaps not all new starts, but definitely some.  Watch this space for updates.  Who else is joining in?

April Stitching Update - Seas the Day

And so it continues...the latest instalment of Seas the Day by Caterpillar Cross Stitch dropped into my email box this morning, and by some miracle I'm up to date with part 3 and ready to get stuck into part 4.

Here are some photos of my completed part 3.

I also spotted this fab idea on someone else's facebook post - the amount of times I have to go back and look up which symbol is which colour - well, I'm hoping it will help save me a big chunk of time to stick the list on the box!

Part 4 looks amazing, so I'll be back with a further update soon I hope!

March stitching update

It's been a busy one with plenty of stitching.  So here's a progress update!

I've completed part 2 of Caterpillar Cross Stitch's Seas the Day... Part 3 is in my inbox waiting to be started tonight!

I've picked up a little card from the Nutmeg Company that I hadn't touched for a few years and found again - I really dislike the metallic thread but it looks so pretty because of it...A bit more edging to go yet.

And finally, a bit more progress on the Star Trek Cross Stitch piece.  Loving the blocks of colour and it looks really striking on the black.

February Update

Hello!

Time for an update, this time with photos as I feel like I'm actually making progress with things!

Last week I went to the first meeting of a new craft group in my local area... I took my 'out and about' stitching piece from the Star Trek Cross Stitch book... It's easy as they are blocks of colour.  Despite all the chatting, I managed to finish the wording at the top.  Hard to stitch on black but better because it was a daytime stitch group.  Nice that there were a variety of crafts to look at, with people bringing crochet, knitting, embroidery and card making pieces to admire.

I'm also making slow progress on the 'Seas the Day' Caterpillar cross stitch SAL... I know a bunch of the SAL group are already through month 1 stitching, but I'm dragging it out to make it last... and Endeavour starts again this weekend which I love to watch while I'm stitching in the winter! It means I get a good solid chunk of time and an interesting story to watch while I do it.

Finally an update on the Ugly Duckling... A little bit further!

Thanks for dropping by!

January Update and starting a new SAL

Hello everyone,
A bit late in the month but Happy New Year! We stayed in and had a quiet one this year as we were meeting friends on 1st January.  I just about made it to midnight but it was hard work to keep my eyes open.

Lots has been going on over January it seems.  I am continuing with the KonMarie clearout (after binging the entire series on Netflix). I've tackled clothes and books now... and the next category I'm dreading as it is papers.  It's not that they are scattered over the house, they are actually contained only to a couple of places but there are so many old letters and things, that I have kept since I was a teenager, and then all the adult things like bills and payslips.  I don't know why I still have them! I started looking through them at the end of last week and decided it needed a full week at least to sort through them.  Which things do you keep hold of?  I was big on penpalling back in the day...so you can imagine what a lot of things I have.

It has also been busy with birthday parties for little ones. Something every weekend!  I had heard that it is quite full on when they start school, and it certainly is! 

I've been trying to relax in the evenings and make some stitching progress... it's all going well, there will be things to show soon.  I'm not sure who made me aware, one of you lovely folks whose blog I read I think, but over Christmas I saw a few people stitching a 'Caterpillar Cross Stitch - 12 Days of Christmas' piece.  Not knowing the brand, I followed them on Facebook and was happy to see a new SAL starting yesterday.  Luckily, I have a giant box of all the thread colours which was a gift from my hubby years ago, and the perfect coloured piece of fabric, so I ordered 'Seas the Day' and began work on it today.  It is spread out over the next 9 months.  for more information or to join in, take a look here. It is the most beautiful site and the colours in this SAL or so bright and colourful that it is a welcome change from the brown, yellow and green I've been using for the last few months!

Well, I'll sign off here... well done if you made it this far.  Enjoy the rest of January!

Quick Stitching Update

Not a huge amount of progress since I was on a bauble frenzy and I'm still fighting a headcold so stitching is the last thing I've been thinking of picking up, but a couple of updates of things I've stitched a little on... Most of my stitching energy has gone into this 'Ugly Duckling' piece:

Still a little way to go with it but it's getting there.

Also a tiny bit more on Bluebell Lane:

I'm debating whether I can try and squeeze in a stitched card for my Daughter's school for Christmas... I shall give it a go and see how I get on... wish me luck!

IHSW October

Hello everyone!

Time for a very late IHSW post.  That's International Hermit and Stitch Weekend for those of you not familiar with this term.  You can find out more about it HERE!

I was away over the week starting with IHSW so it stretched a bit to a train journey either side of my travels with an evening in the middle of the week.

So, this IHSW I worked on my baubles for the Mr X Stitch project some more as the deadline was 31st October... Of course I stretched it right until the deadline date.  I am really pleased with them and they were a nice straightforward stitch that I was able to do when I was travelling or just pick up for a short time at home to relax.

Here are my results...I hope they look as striking when they are all framed and hanging in Standen House!  For more information about the project, here's the link. 

Baubles

Hello! I'm back. It's been a while, I know, but I haven't been completely idle.

Whilst I gather together all the things I've been working on here and there, I though I'd update with this month's IHSW post - since for once, I feel like I made some decent progress (probably due to having hours to stitch on a train).

For this month, and knowing I needed something portable, I got stuck into the project curated by Mr X Stitch, some lovely xmas baubles which are going to be hung in little frames around the National Trust property at Standen House.

For more info, or if you'd like to stitch your own... please head over to the webpage https://www.mrxstitch.com/bauble
You have until the end of October.

Until next time...

Mid October Updates

It's been a while since I did a project update... there are a few things I've got on the go... I don't always feel like hefting the big frame into the lounge so it's good to have a few handheld bits to do as well.

I did manage to put in 100 or so stitches on this one this week...doesn't look all that different from the last update, but there was LOADS of confetti... I'm actually looking forward to getting back to the big chunks of black trees.

A small Pooh bear Xmas card that has been in my stash for absolutely years... I made a mistake with it when I was quite near the beginning so it went away for an age... I'm hoping I've fixed it up enough now, and I've counted the stitches so many times that I went cross eyed and I couldn't figure out if there were any mistakes left to fix so I'm hoping for the best.

This little one is stitched on perforated card and is a Nutmeg Company design.  I really love their cards, and my family have received them on many occasions.  A bit more difficult to stitch on perforated card as your needle slips out constantly, but such a nice way to make a card.

And finally a small update to this one...It seems like I have a bit of a thing about cottages and houses, doesn't it?! Again, loads of confetti in the tree and going a bit cross eyed, but I made a bit of progress on this while we watched the amazing Endeavour series on TV... I hope there's another one coming soon - it's good to have things to watch while you stitch... probably why I have mistakes dotted all over my pieces, hehe!

I hope that wherever you are you've had a lovely week :)

Back to the stitching

I've finally picked up my massive project again, Moonlit Waters.  I can't believe how long I've been doing it, and I'm hoping to get on with it a bit more quickly, but honestly today has been full of so much confetti that I'm not sure how long it'll take me to finish the current page!

As for the others, there's been a bit of stitching here and there, so hopefully I'll be able to provide a bigger update soon. I like when it gets to winter, you can throw something interesting on the TV, put the sewing lamp on and stitch for the evening, all cosy and homey.

Hope everyone else is doing ok, I'm looking forward to seeing what things you've all been upto, so I'll catch up this weekend hopefully.  Along with a bit of baking for Hubby's Macmillan Coffee Morning.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Turtle Trot SAL Update 10

Hello there!!

I dread to think how many blog posts I have to catch up on...feedly says 499+ but I think it's likely to be over 1000, probably way more!

Thank you so much for all your kind comments and warm wishes about our little girl.  She has finally gone to sleep as I sit and have a coffee...usually my coffee goes cold while I give her milk, so I wasn't sure what to do with myself as I had left my book at home.

My apologies that I need to catch up, I'm not sure whether I will read the posts or just clear them and start fresh. As all mums probably know, even with 2 adults there never seems to be time for anything. Any spare moments are spent preparing for the next time the baby needs something or tidying up the bottles left all over the house! Sleeping when the baby sleeps is a myth in our house. She only sleeps during the day when we are pushing her in her buggy for miles and miles. My legs have never been so tired but it's better than listening to the crying when she wants to be walked about.

And therefore, my update this month is that there is no update. Not a single x in any project. But that's ok!  The stitching will still be there when she's not clinging to mum any more and wants to go play by herself, or when I get an offer of a babysitter so I can have a little 'me' time!

Turtle Trot Update 9

Hello!

Thanks so much for all the comments on our little girl.  It's really hard work and we've all got colds at the moment, but we are getting used to each other now and the sleepless nights haven't been tooooo bad!

Since we have backup from my parents today, I've got 5 minutes to do my SAL update... yay! (it may be the last one this year though... stitching time has been non-existent since baby arrived!)

So here's the one I'd been working on during the middle of August.  Not got very far with it, but done a little bit since I fancied a change of project.  Here is the start of Bluebell Lane, a Derwentwater Design:

Hope you are all well!
Until next time!
:)

A Stitchy Question

Hello all,

I wanted to ask you a question.  I have so so so many cross stitch magazines from the times when I used to have a subscription as a present.  However, in each one there might only be one or two things I'd like to stitch, and most that I'm not sure I'll ever get round to!  I wondered if you guys keep the whole magazine or if you rip out only the designs that you like and recycle the rest?

If you tear out the designs, how do you store them? by category or some other way?

I really don't want to start ripping them up, but there's a nagging voice telling me how much space I'd make if I did this.  Also, being able to go through and see the designs only might encourage me to stitch on them I think...so I wondered what the rest of you stitchy folk do?

Thanks!
Jo

Turtle Trot SAL Update 8

Hello!

I can't believe we are part way through August already! Eeek!

Things are slowing down a bit here for me, I'm sleeping a lot more now we are getting closer to my due date, so although I feel like I've had some time for crafty bits and bobs, most of my effort this month has been concentrated on the same piece... and that is this one which I started last month... Ugly Duckling.

Here's an update piccie:

I'm parking this one now for a bit to make a start on another piece from my SAL list.  Hopefully by this time next month there will be a new distraction in my life (and thank goodness it's cooled down a bit here)!  But until then, I'm off to catch up with a mountain of blog posts!

Bye for now! :)

Turtle Trot SAL Update 7

Hello!

Firstly, thanks to those of you who left comments last month, they were lovely and motivating.

Not only am I posting this one on the right day, I'm pleased to report there has been plenty of stitching this month!

So here's the progress, I have 2 finishes!  The cat and snowman are both complete design wise but I've not decided what I will do with them yet.

Then a new start for me, the Ugly Duckling piece as I fancied the lovely bright yellow in the design and thought it would be fun.

And finally the cottage piece that I've been working on.  A bit frustrated as I've made a mistake but I am struggling to see where the problem is... grrrrr!

Until next time! :)