Home is where the cat is

I have finished 'Home is where the cat is' ^^

Stitching was completed last night and I did the padding, framing and lace this morning *super productive*

I'm really pleased with how this has turned out. I'm really lazy when it comes to 'finishing off' pieces so I'm quite proud that I've done this with minimal flapping ^^;

There is also a cloth hanger that you're supposed to attach but the material provided isn't to my taste and I like it as it is too.

Here is a photo of my completed Sampler tote-bag..

It's very cool :D 

It was the plan to start 'Antique Animal Sampler' today.... *ahem* turns out that in the space of one day...the fabric that I bought simply won't do ~___~ I ordered a lighter fabric last night so I'll see how that goes...

♥

Antique Animal Sampler

This past week I have developed something of an obsession with charts from American designers. I don't know why as I've never really paid much attention to them before...something just went 'snap' in my head and then I simply needed everything.

My first foray into this new world of stitching delight is the 'Antique Animal Sampler' by Elizabeth Needlework Designs. I will not lie - the biggest draw is that 'S' is for Silly Monster.

Awesomeness.

One of the things I really liked about this design was the colouring - I don't know if it shows up that well in the photo but the colours are just beautiful. You can use DMC, but the one of the cover is stitched with Weeks Dye Works so I decided I should get them to ensure I get the look I want. I was a bit hesitant at first as it cost £26 *eeek* but they are so so pretty. My favourite colour of them all is 'Gunmetal' which is the least flashy of them - it's a black-grey-muddy mess. There is also a colour called 'Schneckley' which is a nice word to say. The fabric gave me some major stress - I am not good when presented with lots of choice..I simply cannot make a decision :( The chart suggests 40 count beige linen stitching over one. Not happening. I went for 32 count linen stitching over 2. But the colour! Arrggghhh! I couldn't find Weeks 32 count in beige. Zweigart don't do beige - 'Flax' was recommended as a replacement. I have flax. No way was I going to use Flax. After about two hours scouring the internet for colour comparisons (very difficult with different monitor settings etc.) I decided to go with 'Antique Ivory'. It'll do. The colour of the fabric that I want, that is in my head, I'm pretty sure doesn't exist. This happens with wool all the time.

So! I am very excited to start this :D As soon as I have finished Sophie the cat I'm going to dive straight into this :3

♥

What I've been stitching!

It feels like quite a while since my last stitching post and I don't even have much to show for my absence..

In my last post I wrote about the keyring cover kit that didn't have enough thread...

Here it is complete! Wood is an interesting medium to stitch on..not sure if I'd go for it again but it was fun to try. In this photo you can also see a little bumble bee that I stitched on plastic canvas - again a medium I've never stitched on before. I plan to make him into a little pin ^^

 Now for my next project...destined to become a UFO :(

This the 'Unicorn Tapestry' from Janylnn.

It is being stitched on 18 count navy blue aida using DMC threads.

I am not enjoying this :( I wanted the chart as soon as I saw it but hesitated for quite a while before I decided to just buy it. I excitedly bought all the materials and as soon as I sat down to stitch..I got very upset with it. I think the problem is mostly with the fabric..I really don't know what possessed me to go with navy blue (it was the colour used on the cover of the chart) as I don't generally like dark colours to stitch on. The count is also causing me a bit of a headache as I'm having to concentrate a bit more than usual (I think it would be easier on a lighter fabric). I also keep making mistakes (one obvious and one not-so-obvious)....so I've kind of given up on it for now :( I'm going to start up a 'Unicorn Tuesday' or something when I will only stitch this (not going to happen).

So I decided to stitch something cute and simple to inject some stitching cheer!

This is a kit from 'The New Berlin Co.' that I won on ebay a while back - it comes with a pink heart shaped frame :3 This little kitty is so darn cute! And she (called Sophie) will look even cuter once all the back-stitch is done. This design is being stitched on 14 count white aida using DMC threads.

♥

TUSAL April 2013

Better late than never right?

My jar is looking a lot healthier now ^^

I hope to add a lot more this month!

♥

Stitching round-up

Ugh. For some reason this past month every crafty thing I try to do goes wrong D: Also I'm back to my normal stitching speed (which is to say, super-slow), so I feel like I've got absolutely nothing done...

I have finished the sampler tote. After I had miscounted the border and had to un-pick it all. I seriously need to stop watching Miss. Marple whilst stitching. I just need to attach the stitched patch to the tote, which I am leaving in my mums capable hands as I am certain there will be a disaster if I attempt it ^^;

I have also made a little progress on my tapestry cushion front. I've forgotten to take a progress pic as I've tidied it away again but I managed to complete one small leaf. I feel more determined to finish this now I was stitching it for my room (which is now all pretty).

Because I was getting a little frustrated with cross-stitch (couldn't concentrate, kept going wrong etc.) I decided to do a quick stitch to get me back in the mood. I was excited for the latest issue of Cross Stitcher magazine as the free-gift was a wooden keyring kit...

Let us use the word 'disaster' again...

It is hard to stitch on wood! It is very slow going too - originally I was filled with the naive enthusiasm that I could stitch this in a day. That quickly turned to bitterness! (Quite dramatic today, no?) My stitches look messy - it was only when I got to the right-hand side that I had developed something of a technique. That was when I ran-out of blue thread. How I didn't throw the thing across the room I don't know as I had a major strop *lol* I don't have any colours that are remotely similar to this blue so I was torn with buying another copy of the magazine or un-picking and starting again with a blue I have lots of :/ After more stroppiness I'm going with un-picking and starting again ^^

Because I have an ever increasing 'to-do' pile, I thought that I would start taking one of the smaller projects into work so that I can have a bit of a relax at lunch. I've decided to start with a project for my room called 'Coming up roses'. The design is stitched on 28ct pink evenweave and I'm using DMC threads. Once complete, the stitching will go in a wooden hoop that I'll hang with a ribbon. It will be very pretty ^^ Here's where I'm up to so far..

Finally...this weather! What's happening at all please? I have a cold house (even with the heating on) so sometimes my fingers are too cold to stitch :( So I thought I would start knitting my heart jumper ^^

This is one full ball of wool! I love how super chunky knits up so quick.

This is the second time I've knitted this piece...I got to the end of the ball yesterday afternoon when I thought  it was a good time to decide that I hate my cast-on row. My usual method of casting-on, what I like to call 'the gun-method' does create something of a baggy edge. Normally this doesn't bother me but yesterday it massively bothered me D: So there was nothing for it but to unravel and start again... I didn't know any other cast-on methods so I had to learn a new one - I went for the 'cable method' and it does make a much nicer and neater edge. It takes much longer but the end effect is much better. I then knitted this up in the evening watching Harry Potter ^^

Hopefully I'll be less dramatic next week and will actually get some more stitching done :)

♥

TUSAL March 2013

Better late than never right?

I've hardly done any since my last TUSAL post :(

Hopefully I'll get into my stitching again and I'll have more to show next time ^^

Blackwork Welcome Sampler complete

Finally my blackwork 'Welcome Sampler' is complete...

This was a pretty heart-breaking stitch :( I had to stitch the left hand border four times... The first two times I just couldn't see where I'd gone wrong so I had to unpick the whole thing. The third time I found where I'd gone wrong but still had to unpick most of it...

But it's finished now and I'm pleased with it. I'm actually going to finish this off (for change!) once I've found a simple black frame. I'm then going to hang it in my (purple) porch...

After getting quite upset with that sampler, I decided to go for an easier sampler - 'The Sampler Tote Bag' from the Cross Stitch Guild. I'm stitching the design on a patch that will then be sewn onto the tote bag rather than stitching straight onto the tote itself.

The design is stitched on 20 count linen using three strands of thread. I love the muted colours. They remind me of those used by The Historical Sampler Company.

I would've liked to have stitched more but I've been decorating my bedroom and came across some unexpected problems so it took a lot longer than I thought it would :(

I'm also feeling the urge to start something a little more.... epic in scale...something I can really get into...but I've got so many little-stitches that I want to do...I'm so undecided.

I'm finding it difficult to keep track of my threads. So I decided to get an app to help - I had one for the iphone which was really handy so I thought I'd get one for my current phone. After looking at a few different apps I decided to go for the Cross Stitch Guild app. Awesomeness. Not only can I keep track of my threads, I can also convert them. I can keep track of fabric, kits, books, WIP's, UFO's and more *____* It would be super awesome if there was a similar thing for computers...just thinking of all the lists and organisation makes me excited :D

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