Fun in sun and Xmas stitching

I had finished these the other day but have been in such a stitching zone I didn't stop to update! That and enjoying the glorious weather with my little boy - with a little bit of moaning about the heat lol it's just not kind to bumpy women. Not even a touch of mist on the beach spoilt our building sandcastles today - well hubby and I built them tot squashed them.

my boys emerging from the mist lol

This was the view out to sea but a turn of 180 to inland it was bright blue skies!!

Also over the last few days we've had picnics in the garden, the paddling pool out, seen the sailors from HMS Ocean parade through our town, and ate lots of ice cream - it's been great!

Anyway back to the stitching. I have completed my stitching for the second batch of free Cross stitcher Christmas tags. These were part of my crazy January 15.

Here's where I was after the day in Jan:

And now all completed:

I did have stuff left over to do more but the magazine said it should be enough to do about 6 so that is what I had set out to do. Plus its all in metallics and after a while it does get to you. I normally stitch with the 2 ends through the needle and leave a loop at the bottom to fasten with but I do the opposite for metallics making it loop through the eye and knot the ends otherwise it slips and slides too much.

I have found however that the kit contains a random extra brown metallic thread.

It's not listed in the key or appears in any of the designs - how strange - it had me looking for ages thinking I was just missing something but its no where to be seen.

Here's a closer look at all the tags;

The designs themselves aren't very difficult it is the metallics that add the fiddle to these.

I'm gonna have some handsome dressed Christmas presents this year.


So I'm slowly knocking stuff off my crazy jan list - 4 down and 2 in current rotation but think I'm gonna need to get a move on to get them completed before the end of the year. Think I'll replace this with another smaller kit from the crazies list.

Keep Stitching....

slow and steady wins the race

After last weeks lack of stitching I have made up for it this week. As you know I gave in and ordered the afghan to stitch for when baby 2 arrives. I couldn't wait to get it into rotation and I have been working on it. So here's where I got to:

I thought Margaret Sherry designs were perfect baby motifs for the blanket. I have stitched the tortoise from her alphabet series in Cross stitcher magazine as Tortoise is what this bumps nickname is.

It is complete apart from the top - I ran out of 666 sigh. I have then had a bit of a run around trying to get some. I normally go to my local arts store when its just for one skein seems pointless paying the same postage for just one as you would for a handful. It mostly has framing stuff and card making but does have a DMC stand but it was totally out of 666. Shocking considering there are 2 pegs for this colour - surely a sign that its a common colour and needs keeping stock in.

Apart from that there isn't anywhere nearby that a non driver like me can get to so I'm eagerly awaiting delivery of my skein of 666 and a couple of charts I snook into my basket to make the postage worthwhile lol.

But while I wait I've moved on to my next rotation - another free Xmas tag kit from my crazy Jan pile.

Keep stitching....

Pictures Galore

I haven't had much time for my stitching this week at all. In fact I think there must be time eating vortex somewhere round here cos there's not really a good explaination either, where's Dr Who when you need him.

Although it seems from catching up on blogs that you all haven't had much better on finding stitching time so I don't feel quite so bad for having nothing of note stitch wise to update you on.

I have however decided to treat you all instead to my back catalogue of stitching, to make up for my lack of pics or updates.

 I have finally uploaded all my pics from stuff I have stitched pre blog. So this is nearly all stuff you haven't seen of mine and its quite a bit.

I have added captions some better than others but some I stitched quite a while ago and can't remember all the details for, I'm sure you can give me a nudge if you want more info on any and I'll have a think lol.

I tell you I don't remember that I stitched quite that many wedding samplers lol

So click on the pre blog completed X stitch tab and follow the link to the album. Hope you enjoy looking as much as I've enjoyed stitching it all!!

Keep stitching...

My name is Emma and I'm a Xstitch addict...

Where to start - I've a rotation update, stash buying (yep I caved) frogging and plans!!! maybe grab a cuppa and we'll have a natter.

Firstly I have gave in and got the all the stuff for the Lavender and Lace In the arms of an Angel that I purchased the other month along with other bits.

Looks a lovely palette of threads can't wait to get onto this one but it'll have to be stashed for now.

I also got the afghan for the baby that I got myself all over exited to get and start on.

It's awesome and I'll be adding this into rotation ASAP lol I just can't help myself and keep kicking myself thinking if only I hadn't started all them projects for crazy January but I did and it's May and I've been distracted by other projects lol. Not bad going really at least this is what I'm telling myself - I have 3/15 finished and another 2 in my current rotation. I might need to get looking into scheduling for this stuff I'm not going to write it off just yet still a while to go.

I've been looking at stitching some Margaret Sherry animals from the Cross Stitcher magazine on it. I think they are super cute for a baby but would be still something that you'd hopefully want to keep when older rather than it being really babyish. Only thing is I need to find a conversion for Anchor to DMC I only keep DMC in and I only switch brands when I have kits. Then its selecting which animals I want on it.

I have a few already picked out

•  tortoise - current bumps nickname
•  frog Vincent's nickname when he was a bump and now all the family buy him all manner of frog themed things oops think he'll not be impressed when he's older.
• Jungle animals off a room name plate

but think I'll need more to fill the blanket.

This also randomly snook into my basket

Hee hee how'd that get in there :) but its so cute and I've always wanted to try a biscornu again its off to the stash pile.

I have finished the rotation for Motherly devotion. So here's where it was up to last:

And after its 10 hours:

Ooooo so in love with this one. Loving the texture its building up and the colours are wonderful. Think it'll look great with Father Christmas. Can't believe how fast it sewing up either I hadn't thought I really done loads this time but when I went back to look at the last picture I was pleasantly surprised.

I finished the 10 hours last night and still had some time before bed so have made a start on some frogging on Tapestry Cat but this is going slow and I keep having flashes of just bodging it but then I get confused looking at where it is out - I mean I know where it starts to go out but if I was to pick a fudge point I get muddled as to where it would work out. Which at least gives me the strength to keep frogging as if I get confused every time I pick it up, I'm going to totally be better off with taking it back to the origin of the muck up. ~sigh~ and suck it up~ I think I might do a little more and then get my Margaret Sherry stuff in order for the blanket.

Seen as its bank holiday weekend I'm hoping to get some extra stitching done as well as having a bit of a spring clean/ more baby proofing for an increasingly inquisitive toddler. A nice bonus from having a few really hectic weeks at work - hoping it calms down when I go back but think it'll get worse until OFSTED has been.

Hope everyone else has a productive bank holiday

Keep stitching.....