Here's to a stitchy New Year

As I bid a fond farewell to 2011 I wish you all the best for 2012. I will never forget 2011 as it gave me my wonderful little boy who I can't believe will be 1 year old in a few months!!! Where does the time go.

Santa brought me plenty of stitchy gifts- mostly which are for my crazy 15 - I can't wait to get started!!!!!
In addition to that he got me a kindle which has shamed me into get cracking on with my reading, rather than stitching, which is a massive stash to rival my stitching stash. Mostly fantasy books but I think there is around 80 - oh my!!!

I think on your recommendations I'm gonna order a Q snap frame and see how that goes, so thanks for the advice.

On Christmas day Vinnie decided to stand all by himself not holding onto anything. Which got whoops of excitement from me and my MIL. He hasn't done it since but what a Christmas present. He had a blast on Christmas day and even had a full 3 course dinner followed by a long nap of course. Need a big reorganise of the house as it's full of toys!

So I've been saving my excitement for stitching ready to start my crazy 15 tomorrow so watch this space! I have no idea what kind of mess this is going to get me into but it sure does seem fun. I'm normally a one at a timer so for me this really really is a crazy challenge. I just hope by the end of the 15 days I have myself a plan of action cos I'm sure I'll have new project blindness by then and not know where to start!

Keep stitching...

Frames? Hoops? or Clips?

I'm looking for some stitchy advice this week.

I've mostly been up to festivities rather than much stitching but I've had a great time. I'm super excited for Christmas day now with it being my son's first Christmas!!!

I can't wait to get started on my crazy January projects.

My best friend gave me some sew and so vouchers and I've been looking into frames etc. I used to use a floor stand with a huge elbsee easy clip frame but my stand has succumbed to wear and tear and now lists badly as the middle post is threaded in the wood. Anyway I think that is for the best, as a floor stand would just be a hazard with my now increasingly mobile and inquisitive tot.

But I'm really struggling with a 26 inch easy clip balanced on my lap. I've been considering delving into the loft looking for my old hoops, but I ditched them because of the nasty marks that appear and are a pain to get out on large projects. So I was wondering what you all use? Got any recommendations for me.

I keep looking at these type of clip frames.


But I'm not sure if these are any good for large projects would the clips crush stitches for moving it around?

A very merry Christmas to you all and I hope santa leaves lots of stitchy gifts under your tree.

Keep Stitching...

Cute cards and Christmas holidays

Mostly this week I have had a dash on and completed a side project of a new baby card for friends.



I think its totally adorable. I did use some glissengloss blended with the darker pink on the bear and the hearts in the corner. Why do sparkles not snap well its so annoying!!! I flapped about on Sunday wondering if I had the time to do but it's stitched up really quick. I do think its good for stitch mojo doing these spur of the moment projects. The design is from an old issue of Crossstitcher that I had on the shelf. I love the bright pink felt that a stash dive produced gives it a bit of zing. I'm not a huge fan of the washed out baby colours, for my son his room was filled with rainbow primary style colours which I love better.

I should have more stitch time from now for the next 2 weeks seen as school has broke up for the holidays!!! Yippee and not a moment too soon as the end of term is always crazy busy in the office.

Its started to snow this morning so is starting to feel really festive.

No pic of Starry night this week it kinda got abandoned for the card and that I was so tried I didn't have the energy for concentrating lol.

I've updated a page for my crazy january challenge so check that out!

Keep stitching...

Busy times and SAL sign ups

I've been having a busy few weeks the last few, with being back to work, sorting Christmas shopping and other festive goings on. So stitching has been on the back burner but I'm really hoping to knuckle down soon. I haven't really had time for much blog hopping but got caught back up last night and realised I'd missed you guys!! Here's my meagre progress for the last week on Starry Night.

I've been still sorting through and looking at challenges for next year and I couldn't decide what I want to stitch next, I have so many I want to do. So in blog hopping I saw Xeihua (Sara)'s post about all the SAL's she is joining and got me thinking.

So I've joined the Crazy January challenge join here starting 15 means I don't have to decide what to stitch so much as just make a start on it all.

I'd already signed up for TUSAL join here as this was the first SAL I encountered in my new web stitchy world.

I'm also going to sign up to WIPocalypse join here so that I can add the Starry Night my current WIP to the 15 and also I want to get a UFO that was never meant to be a UFO out.

I'm going to have to get organised over the next few weeks and work out a system for it all

Phew that's enough planning I need a rest and get some stitching done lol

Keep stitching...

Riolis Rescue Yippeee!!!!

I can't express how happy I am. After many days of getting annoyed with tangling threads on my Riolis Starry Night kit I'm currently on with - problem solved!! I got so annoyed the other day I checked out their website and filled in their feedback form saying how I was loving the kit but the constant tangles were causing me so much bother. And they replied the very next day!!!!!
Good Day!
Thank you for your letter and kind words!
You don't have to wind the bundles onto bubbins, probably that's the reason your threads tangle so much. We recommend to unwind the bundle till it's made a full circle, then cut the circle in half, and you will have a bunch of threads approximately 1 m. long - perfect for stitching! Fold a thread in half and it's ready to go.
Please don't be worried about the amount of threads in the kit. As a rule we provide extra threads (+40%) just to be on a safe side. But if you face any problems, please feel free to write to us, we will gladly send you more threads.

What stella customer service! I have to admit I've been shaking my head thinking why did I not think of that but problem solved. Means less time untangling and more time stitching yippee!!

So here's my progress from last week.

There's also a bit on their website about why they use wools why use wool

So all in all I'm much happier with my Riolis kit now!

Keep Stitching...