Swords, Sorting and stitching

I have to confess that this week has been a hugely stitchless week. Largely due to this offending article

I haven't been able put it down since I started it last week. I will probably have it finished tonight as well. It has had so many twists and turns I'm in a spin.

The other reasons for not stitching so much are mostly pregnancy moans and that I needed a good sort of my stash as I needed to add new things into rotation.

I have had renewed purpose today and have a good sort

In searching for the threads I needed I have also tidied my boxes up so don't they look pretty

All organised.......all of 5 minutes and my toddler decided to evade daddy and set off to find where mammy had gone to....

and trampled the organised boxes.......sigh.......at least I took the picture before hand lol

So they have kinda got stuffed back into the box as I didn't have the time to spend reorganising I did however get my bits in order for next pieces to add to the rotation.

So now joining Motherly Devotion I have Felt Christmas Baubles and world of Sarah Kay from my crazy Jan list and the bits out to do the next square on the baby's afghan and I have decided to do the baby a bauble for Christmas like I did for Vincent. I picked up the only large polystyrene ball Hobbycraft had which was a 12cm one but I was sure that was the size Vinnie's was anyway but having got home I have another one already marked and scored up for covering and its a smaller one

Oh well Number 2 will have to have a larger one.

What order they are getting rotated in I have yet to determine but here's to making a start tomorrow.


Keep stitching.....

Let the Games begin

Hi all for some reason it feels like an eternity since I've posted and caught up on all your blogs but its only been 10 days.

The most exciting thing that I have been up to has been seeing the Olympic Torch pass through our city, this is just 10 mins from my house.

I couldn't miss the chance to see it and take the tot not something you can say you've seen everyday. Just a shame about the drizzly weather there was a big celebration on at one of the parks but we gave it a miss due to the weather. Vinnie wasn't sure at first a bit overwhelmed by the noisy floats giving out freebie bits but he got into it by the time that torch passed and was mega cute waving his flag. I'm looking forward to the Olympics I'm not really that into my sport but there is just something about the occasion that I can't get enough when its on. And of course it's something good to stitch to.

I have completed my 10 hours on Motherly Devotion not in my usual time which accounts for the tardiness in updating.

So here is where I was up to:

And now:

Its still a lovely stitch and I'm loving every minute I spend on it the 10 hours seem to fly by.

I am having a bit of an issue with the chart though. Cross stitch Collection magazine has published this one as a giant pull out chart. Which sounds a good idea at first with the no page turns etc. But with being folded round my magnetic board and in and out of my basket with the rotations it has got rather dog eared.

Just look at it! Sigh! It looks worse folded out as well. So I'm not sure for this size project that the giant chart is such a great idea but what can you do.

I have just been looking at my current rotations and I have Motherly Devotion, then the baby afghan that I have done one square on and then I finished the others so I need to add 2 more projects to the list but first I'll be starting a new square on the afghan but I'm feeling too lazy for stash driving tonight so I think I'll do a sneaky bit extra on Motherly Devotion.

So watch this space for some fresh things in rotation but I should will be picking them from my crazy January list.

Damn it my coffee's gone cold - don't you just hate it when that happens lol

Keep stitching.....

Jubilee Heart Finish

I've had a productive week even if I have gone off track but I couldn't resist doing a Jubilee related stitch while watching some of the coverage on the telly. Vinnie was so cute as he enjoyed waving back at the Queen. Shame we got typical British bank holiday weather for it all but great excuse to be curled up with the stitching. We did have some sun on the Monday which was good for a kids Jubilee party we had invites to and the kiddies got to run around the field outside!

So here is the free Jubilee Heart kit from the latest Crossstitcher magazine issue 253.

It's the first time I've had a go with the soluble canvas. It was easy to stitch with once it was fixed in place as its a bit slippy at first. I have somehow muddled slightly and stitched the crown a touch too high I'm sure I centred it properly but I mustn't have as the little cross jewel at the top didn't fit but it doesn't distract from the finished piece. I was going to add the dates and initials on the back but seen as I had a little extra room at the bottom has worked out just great to add them underneath.

I was a bit nervous about soaking it to dissolve the canvas as I was always lead to believe that felt shouldn't get wet.

The canvas dissolved fairly easily in the warm water took a while and I did give it a bit of a rub as it turns into a sticky residue and I changed the water a couple of times.

It took a few days to dry out and unfortunately did go a bit stiff and cardboardy so guess I was right about felt not washing well.

It has gone together fine though maybe lost a little shape in stuffing with the front being a little stiff but otherwise I'm happy with it.

I have made a start back on the rotations with Motherly Devotion while I was waiting for this to dry so watch this space for an update on that next.

Keep stitching....



Jubilations and a finish!!!

Hope everyone has a lovely Jubilee extended bank holiday weekend!!! Plenty of stitching time :D

I treat the little man to a balloon for the weekend.

I've been trawling the web, notice boards etc to find all the local events so we have a few bits and bobs planned in. I've already seen a display of replica crown jewels in our local shopping centre- all in glass cases with beefeaters around them. Shame they didn't have one to try on for photos I would have been over the moon with that!

Were off to see what our local railway museum has on (and cos Vinnie is choo choo mad at the moment) and a fair today. Although this morning it has gone rather cloudy - typical British bank holiday then I guess lol.

I have a confession in the rotation department - I was a bit close to being finished I have done a few more hours than the 10 I should have.

Anyway here's the fruits of that Winnie the Pooh finished!!!

I'm over the moon with this I just need to press and frame it as I think I have someone it would make a good gift to. It's one of the stitches that the backstitch makes.

I don't feel guilty spending the extra time on it to get it finished and that's another one ticked off the crazy Jan list. So that's 5 done - not too bad. But I do keep getting side tracked with other things at the moment.

Other crafts I did some baking with my tot and he loved it. He thought that mixing the cake batter was hilarious.

These are the ones that Vince decorated however the plate that I decorated when he got bored don't look much different lol! I'm not one for baking but I can manage cupcakes but I don't have the patience to do any fancy decorating. It was a great rainy day activity with the tot though.

Loving that he's starting to get to be able do little projects like this. Best go as he's currently empting my handbag all over the floor!!! Catch you next time.

God save our Diamond Queen!

Keep Stitching....